Our Team

The Center for Discovery and Adolescent Change utilizes highly skilled healthcare professionals who are carefully screened for appropriate education, training, experience, practical skills, certification, and licensure. Each member of our team demonstrates a deep commitment to the healing and well being of young people and their families.

Our Team

Craig Brown, Ph.D. - Chief Executive Officer, Psychologist and Co-founder
Dr. Brown has been the Chief Psychologist and co-founder of multiple inpatient programs for substance abuse and emotional disorders. He has been involved in the treatment of eating disorders for over 20 years and has specialized in the residential treatment of adolescent disorders for the past ten years.

Jerry Carminio - Chief Financial Officer and Co-founder
Jerry Carminio is a co-founder of The Center for Discovery and Adolescent Change and in a career change has dedicated himself to the creation of treatment centers which offer teens the opportunity to make profound life changes. Jerry is the organization contact to discuss fees and financial arrangements.

James D. "Buck" Runyan, MS, LMFT, LPC, CEDS, Chief Operations Officer Eating Disorder Programs
Buck joined Center for Discovery in 2006. He has been treating adolescents and adults with eating disorders since 1994. He is the founder of Eating Disorder Recovery Services through which he facilitates an Intensive Out Patient Program, Individual/Family Therapy for eating disorders as well as Gastric Surgery Assessments, education and psychotherapy to those in need. Buck held positions as Administrator for the San Bernardino Mental Health Court Pegasus Program and the founding Director of the Remuda Ranch Adolescent Center in Wickenburg, AZ. Buck presents education and professional training sessions on a local, regional, national and international basis. He currently is the Chairperson for the Southern California IAEDP Chapter and he is credentialed as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in California as well as a Licensed Professional Counselor in Arizona.

Brian Holt, M.D., M.P.H. - Psychiatrist - Downey, Lakewood, La Habra, Long Beach, Whittier
Brian Holt M.D., M.P.H., began working with Discovery in 2004. He is a child and adolescent Psychiatrist with special interests in eating disorders. He did his undergraduate training at Maimi University of Ohio and has a graduate degree in public health from the University of Michigan. His medical school training was at St. Louis University and his residency was at University of California at Los Angeles including specialized training in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Harbor UCLA Medical Center.

Barbie Lucas, M.D. - Medical Director
Barbie Lucas, M.D., is a pediatrician with special interests in eating disorders and clinical genetics. She completed her undergraduate training at Brigham Young University, her medical school training at the University of Arkansas, and her residency at the University of California at Irvine, Long Beach Memorial and Children's Hospital Orange County (CHOC). Follwing a chief residency at CHOC, Dr. Lucas completed a fellowship in clinical genetics at Cedar-Sinai Medical Center. Dr. Lucas has been a member of Center for Discovery's treatment team since 2001.

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Downey

Julie Agajanian, L.M.F.T. - Program Director - Downey
Ms. Agajanian gained experience interning in the field of a domestic violence and conducted research in the area of perceptions of physical attractiveness. She also gained experience conducting therapy sessions at a community clinic, as well as running weekly groups for children going through divorce. Ms. Agajanian earned her Bachelor's degree in Psychology and a minor in Women's studies from the University of California, Irvine. Thereafter, she obtained her Master's degree in Psychology from Chapman University while simultaneously working at the County of Orange as an in-home behavior specialist for adolescents.

Jackie Noffke, PSY.D. - Primary Therapist - Downey
Ms. Noffke externed at an inner-city not-for-profit clinic, treating children, adolescents and their families. She also gained experience externing and working as a staff therapist at a college counseling center; providing individual, couples and family therapy for university students and the local community. Ms. Noffke attended an externship that provided specialty training in cognitive-behavioral therapy and dialectical behavioral therapy while working with severely mentally-disabled adults. Thereafter, she attended a year-long clinical psychology internship at Stony Brook University Counseling Center in Stony Book, New York. While at Stony Brook University, she provided individual and group therapy to university students. Ms. Noffke earned her Bachelors degree in Psychology from the University of Wisconsin and her doctorate degree in Clinical Psychology from Rosemead School Psychology.

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Lakewood

Thia Spezialy, M.A. - Primary Therapist - Lakewood
Ms. Specialy studied eating disorders extensively and she developed and facilitated a series of art therapy groups with adolescent girls on the subject of body image for her Masters research thesis. She was introduced to Art Therapy during her studies at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago ("SAIC"), which prompted her to switch careers to Art Therapy in 2003. Ms. Specialy earned her Bachelors degree in Fine Arts from SAIC in 1995. In 2005, she graduated from Loyola Marymount University with a Master of Arts degree in Marital and Family Therapy and specialized in training in Clinical Art Therapy.

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Menlo Park

Adrianne Altman, Ph.D., Program Director - Menlo Park
Dr. Altman graduated summa cum laude from The Ohio State University in 1994 with a bachelor's degree in psychology and a minor in family relations and human development. She earned her Ph.D in Clinical Psychology from the University of North Texas. Her research focused on substance abuse, major mental illnesses, and child sexual abuse. Dr. Altman has extensive training in death loss and trauma and was one of twelve students from her university who traveled to New York to provide short-term therapy to the children affected by 9/11. Dr. Altman received specialized training in pediatric psychology through working with medically ill children at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital and Children's Hospital of Orange County (CHOC), where she completed her internship. Before joining the Center for Discovery, Dr. Altman completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Children's Health Council in Palo Alto, California.

Dr. Hartman, M.D., - Psychiatrist - Menlo Park
Dr. Hartman has a BA in English Literature from U.C. Santa Barbara, and then later went on to receive his medical degree at St. George's University. He trained in his general Psychiatry residency at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine and is currently finishing his final year in a fellowship specializing in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Stanford University. Dr. Hartman joined Center for Discovery in 2007.

Dr. Carlton, M.D. - Medical Director - Menlo Park
Dr. Carlton, M.D. is the Medical Director at Discovery's Menlo Park, CA facility. She is a specialist in adolescent eating disorders, is on staff at Stanford University School of Medicine where she developed and currently directs the Adolescent Eating Disorder Parent Education and Support Program. She is an author and a national speaker. Dr. Carlton graduated from the University of Southern California School of Medicine and did her pediatric and adolescent medicine training at Children's Hospital Los Angeles.

Suzannah Tipermas, M.A., M.F.T., Primary Therapist - Menlo Park
Suzannah received her bachelor's degree in Drama/Psychology from Stanford University. Her honors thesis involved writing and performing a play about women recovering from eating disorders. She went on to earn her MA in Counseling Psychology/Expressive Arts Therapy from the California Institute of Integral Studies. Her master's project studied the use of expressive arts in treating co-occurring eating disorders/addiction issues. Suzannah has been a therapist for women and girls recovering from eating disorders, substance abuse, and trauma since 2003. She was the primary counselor for the dual diagnosis program at the Women's Recovery Association, completed a school counseling internship, and works in a private practice setting as well. Suzannah is also a certified yoga instructor and loves incorporating body and breath awareness into a creative and strength-based therapy approach with recovering teens.

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Whittier

Amy Brown, M.A. - Program Director - Whittier
Amy earned her bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Northern Colorado. She worked with children and adolescents in residential treatment for seven years before relocating to Southern California to continue her education. Amy started work with Center for Discovery in January of 2000 while earning her Master's degree in clinical psychology from Pepperdine University.

Brandy Lakis, M.S. - Primary Therapist - Whittier
Prior to joining Discovery in 2006, Ms. Lakis interned with the San Fernando Valley Community Mental Health Center, where she gained extensive experience in the areas of substance abuse, mood disorders and personality disorders. Ms. Lakis received her Bachelors degree in Communications form the University of Southern California and her Masters degree in Marital and Family Therapy for Pepperdine Universtiy.

Lisa Langdale, M.S. - Primary Therapist - Whittier
Lisa graduated from UC Santa Barbara with a bachelor's degree in Biopsychology. After graduating in 2000 she worked as a Counselor at Center for Discovery in Lakewood for 2 years. In 2004 Lisa obtained her Masters degree in Marital and Family Therapy from California State University Dominguez Hills and returned to Center for Discovery as a primary therapist at the Whittier facility. Lisa plans to become a licensed MFT and one day earn a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology.

Perla Vilhjalmsdottir, M.A. - Primary Therapist - Whittier
Ms. Vilhjalmsdottier joined Discovery in 2003. She has extensive experience in research on development of ethnic diversity among children and adolescents. Ms. Vilhjalmsdottier has a Bachelor of Education ("B.Ed.") degree in Child Development from the University College of Education in Iceland and a Masters in Psychology from California State University, Los Angeles. For her B.Ed. degree, she completed a reviewed paper on children of alcoholic parents in European American and Icelandic families.

Lisa Arndt, M.A. - Therapist - Whittier.
Lisa has specialized in the field of disordered eating since her undergraduate studies at The University of Santa Cruz. She earned her Masters degree in Clinical Psychology from Antioch University. Lisa joins us from Rader Programs, where for three years gained an excellent reputation as a group counselor. Lisa remains heavily involved in community education and has been a resource for the national media, appearing on shows such as Dateline NBC and two appearances on the Leeza Gibbons Show. She is active in promoting comprehensive awareness through the Internet, as well as attending numerous conferences on disordered eating. Lisa has also been featured in a People Magazine feature about eating disorders.

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Nutrition Services

Rachel Liger, M.S., R.D. - Director of Nutrition Services, Nutrition Therapist, Registered Dietician
Rachel Liger is a Registered Dietitian with a Masters Degree from California State University, Long Beach. During her Masters program, she conducted clinical research measuring the importance of the dietitian for weight loss when appetitie suppresants are used. Rachel currently works as the Director of Nutrition Services at Center for Discovery and Adolescent change. She has held this position since the opening of the eating disorder program. She designed and developed the nutrition program and now oversees 4 eating disorder facilities and 2 dual diagnosis facilities. She manages and supervises 4 Registered Dietitians and has developed an extensive training program for dietetic interns. She lectures extensively in the community and at professional meetings for the purpose of raising awareness about the dangers of eating disorders.

Ron Gutierrez - Whittier
Ron earned his Culinary Degree in 2002 from the Le Cordon Bleu Culinary program at the California School of Culinary Arts in Pasadena, California. Since graduating Ron gained experience as the lead cook at the Doubletree Hotel in Pasadena, California. Ron then moved on to accept a Sous Chef position at the Radisson Wilshire Hotel in Los Angeles, California. Ron also had experience as the Executive Chef at St. Monicas School in Santa Monica, California, preparing meals for the entire staff and student body. Ron brings with him the life experience of raising six children, three of his own and three step children. Five of the children are between the ages of twenty and twenty five, the youngest daughter is six years old.

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Eating Disorder Program