PROGRAM DIRECTOR

Derya Ozes

Derya is a Licensed Marriage Family Therapist. She first earned her Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biology from the University of California Davis, Master of Science in Medical Genetics from East Mediterranean University, Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology (MFT) from Golden Gate University and Master of Arts in and Organizational Psychology and Leadership from Golden Gate University in San Francisco. Her passion is in helping individuals and teams make effective decisions that reflect and align with their core values, goals and strengths. 

Clinically, she has direct experience and program oversight of Anxiety Disorders, Autism, Depression, Trauma, Eating Disorders, Parent-Child Relationship Stressors, Couples Counseling, and Life Transitions. 

In leadership roles, she has experience partnering with business leaders and senior management teams to drive strategic direction and organizational development in high performing industries. She particularly is passionate about talent development, team building, coaching, workforce engagement, learning and development, and cross-functional alignment of the organization. 

In her free time, she enjoys hiking with her dog, writing, painting, comedy shows, documentaries, listening to classical and jazz music and spending time with her family.  

NURSE ADMINISTRATOR

Catherine Fruto, RN

Catherine has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the Philippine Women’s University. From 2011 to 2017, she maintained a stellar record as a caregiver. With her nursing background, she was able to assist all clients and their medical needs. She was preferred by her clients and their family members for her dependability, compassion, patience, and attentiveness. In 2017, Catherine became a Licensed Vocational Nurse and joined Center for Discovery. In that time, she discovered a passion for the mental health, especially working with adult women. In 2019, Catherine moved into the Nurse Administrator role at the Fremont facility. She is passionate about her work and clients and hopes to continue to grow in leadership and management in her new role.

PROGRAM PHYSICIAN

Mitesh Popat, MD

Dr. Popat has worked at Center for Discovery Fremont since the house opened in June 2012. He greatly enjoys providing interdisciplinary care to clients as they recover from their eating disorders. He believes in the efficacy of teams of clinicians who are trained in different ways to impact peoples’ lives. In caring for clients at CFD, his general approach is one of medical stabilization while engaging in the therapeutic process. He believes understanding the “why” of eating disorder behaviors is critical to recovery and developing more healthy modes of coping with stress and past trauma.

In his work outside of CFD, he works at Marin Community Clinics as Chief Medical Officer (CMO) and Associate CEO. He is a Board Certified Family Physician with a MD and MPH from Tufts University School of Medicine. After medical school, he served in the O’Connor Hospital/Stanford Family Medicine Residency Program in San Jose. He has worked in India, South Africa, and Honduras with local medical professionals to improve preventive care for patients with chronic disease and to describe the social factors surrounding HIV infection.  He volunteers his time with various organizations, including the American Cancer Society.

Psychiatrist

Ruth Hsu, MD

Dr. Ruth Hsu received her BS in Neuroscience and Psychology from the University of Michigan, and completed her MD at the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine. After medical school, she completed her residency in Adult Psychiatry at Stanford University where she served as a Chief Resident in her final year of training.

She has a special interest in eating disorders, and enjoys working at Center for Discovery in a collaborative approach with the larger team to address an individual’s interpersonal dynamics, medical complications, psycho-education, behavioral modification, therapeutic needs, and medication management. She also has an understanding and ability to treat a wide range of conditions including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, trauma, addictions, obsessive compulsive disorder, and psychosis.

In addition to her role at Center for Discovery, she works at the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in the Emergency Psychiatric Services, as well as The Camden Center located in Menlo Park.

REGISTERED DIETITIAN

Ashley Butler

PRIMARY THERAPIST

Alison Maffucci, AMFT

FACILITY MANAGER

Amber Philbeck