DSH - Patton: Internships - Training Committee

"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel"
--Maya Angelou

Cynthia Aguilar, Psy.D.

Robert Brodie, Ph.D.

Tonneka Caddell, Psy.D.

Elba Campos, Psy.D.

David Contreras, Psy.D.

Sheri Curtis, Ph.D.

Janelle Dixon, Psy.D.

Sean Evans, Ph.D.

Dr. Evans received his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Loma Linda University with concentrations in neuropsychology and pediatric psychology (his master’s thesis and dissertation were on the experience of pain in chronically ill children) and completed his internship in the Clinical Neuropsychology Track at Patton State Hospital. During this year of training, Dr. Evans completed a rotation conducting forensic evaluations (violence risk assessments, malingering and competency assessments) that resulted in changing his professional path from neuropsychology to clinical forensic psychology. While at Patton State Hospital, Dr. Evans has served as an admission psychologist on an all-female unit, behavioral consultant, Senior Psychologist Supervisor, and a Risk Management Specialist focusing on research, evaluation, and the reduction of institutional violence.  He is currently a statewide data analyst and senior researcher for the California Department of State Hospitals and is based at DSH-Patton. In this capacity, he assists with research and quality improvement projects aimed at reducing/preventing violent behaviors and improving patient care. Abstracts of his research projects can be found on his ResearchGate profile. Dr. Evans holds an academic appointment as an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program at La Sierra University. Dr. Evans is also an avid fan of Pearl Jam, U2, Soundgarden, and the Seattle Seahawks.

Approach to Supervision:

“One of the guiding principles in my professional and personal life is embodied in the Socratic statement: ‘The unexamined life is not worth living.’ I think supervision reflects one of those rare opportunities in our development as clinicians to deepen our understanding of the human experience, through dialogue and collaboration, in which we examine ourselves and the individuals we serve. I prefer using a hypothesis testing model, in which initial ideas are discussed, hypothesized, and then tested against the empirical data derived from testing and observation. Being mindful of how we examine not only our own human experience, but also how we impact the experience of others, engenders more understanding and a life that is truly worthy of human existence.”

Prior to attending graduate school, Dr. Freimuth spent two years as a behavioral specialist designing learning and behavioral management programs for children with autism. He then attended graduate school at Indiana State University focusing his studies in the areas of substance abuse treatment, motivational interviewing, and cognitive/constructivist therapies. He completed an internship at the University of Wisconsin-Madison counseling center and graduated with his Psy.D. in 2002. Before joining the staff at DSH - Patton, Dr. Freimuth worked in a maximum security youth prison, a medical hospital for Native Americans, and spent several years in private practice providing individual, family, and group therapy as well as conducting assessments for local agencies and the courts. During this time, he received specialized training in DBT, motivational interviewing, crisis counseling, Gottman’s couples therapy, therapy with children, and transcendental meditation. At DSH - Patton, Dr. Freimuth has worked on units treating and assessing individuals who are incompetent to stand trial as well as individuals who were found not guilty by reason of insanity, mentally disordered offenders, and individuals who are civilly committed on a conservatorship. Currently, Dr. Freimuth oversees all substance abuse treatment at Patton State Hospital. Dr. Freimuth is one of the facilitators of the psychotherapy seminar. In his personal life, Dr. Freimuth is an avid fan and practitioner of mixed martial arts, soccer, basketball, poker, and videogames.

Dr. Glassmire received his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the Pacific Graduate School of Psychology and completed his internship in the Clinical Neuropsychology Track at DSH - Patton. The following year, he completed a postdoctoral fellowship in forensic psychology with an additional emphasis in clinical neuropsychology at Patton. Dr. Glassmire was formerly the psychologist in Patton’s Substance Abuse and Mental Illness program and was later a psychological assessment consultant on a program for patients adjudicated as incompetent to stand trial. He has been the Internship Director at Patton since 2006 and currently directs all three training programs. In addition to serving as Patton’s Training Director, Dr. Glassmire maintains a part-time private practice providing treatment and forensic assessments. Dr. Glassmire enjoys teaching and was formerly a part-time faculty member in the Department of Gerontology at the University of Southern California teaching both graduate and undergraduate classes for six years.  Dr. Glassmire is actively involved in research on the MMPI-2-RF, trial competency assessment, and the assessment of malingering. Abstracts of his research projects can be found on his ResearchGate profile. For about 10 years, Dr. Glassmire served as a Consulting Editor for the Journal of Personality Assessment in the areas of MMPI-2 and cross-cultural assessment. Dr. Glassmire is a Diplomate in Forensic Psychology with the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP). In his spare time, Dr. Glassmire enjoys distance running and watching movies, particularly those that display the breadth of the “human experience” and have a quirky nature.

Dr. Hannifin received her Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Family Systems from Azusa Pacific University in 2008. She completed an internship at The Guidance Center in Long Beach. As part of her internship training she completed specialty rotations in neuropsychology at Jonathan Jaques Children’s Cancer Center at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center and in child/adolescent trauma and abuse at the federally funded MCAVIC-USC Child and Adolescent Trauma Center in Long Beach. Dr. Hannifin also received one year of formal Dialectical Behavior Treatment (DBT) training at Harbor UCLA. Dr. Hannifin was hired as a staff psychologist at DSH-Patton in 2008 and worked on admission units until 2019 when she joined the Forensic Evaluation Department (FED) as a forensic evaluator. In 2021, Dr. Hannifin was appointed as one of the Senior Psychologist Supervisors in the FED. Dr. Hannifin also has a private practice in which she completes forensic evaluations and serves as a Qualified Medical Evaluator (QME). Dr. Hannifin has provided supervision at the practicum and intern level and is currently the Professional Development Seminar facilitator for the Post-Doctoral fellows.

Dr. Hartounian graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles with a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology. She received her Master of Science and Doctor of Psychology degrees in clinical psychology from the University of La Verne. She completed advanced practicum training at Patton State Hospital. Dr. Hartounian completed her pre-doctoral internship at Mendota Mental Health Institute, an inpatient forensic state hospital in Wisconsin. During internship, she completed rotations focused on violence risk and competence to stand trial assessments. As a post-doctoral fellow at Central Regional Hospital’s Forensic Evaluation Center in North Carolina, she completed outpatient evaluations of competence to stand trial and mental state at time of the offense. In 2018, Dr. Hartounian was hired at Patton State Hospital, where she works on an all-male PC 1370 (competency) unit.

“I have found supervising to be one of the most rewarding aspects of my experience working at DSH - Patton. I enjoy assisting students in their transition from trainees to professionals. As a supervisor I believe it is my role to provide a supportive environment for student to openly share their experiences, concerns and successes. I meet students where they are and as the year progresses encourage more independence. At the same time I remain available to provide as much information and assistance as needed.”

Dr. King completed his doctoral degree in clinical psychology at the California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University, San Francisco campus. He completed his internship and two-year postdoctoral residency in neuropsychology at DSH-Patton. He then earned board certification in clinical neuropsychology through ABPP. He has worked in a variety of settings as a neuropsychologist, including psychiatric hospitals, university-based medical centers, for-profit healthcare, and private practice. He has experience working with patients across the lifespan and in a variety of departments, such as developmental and behavioral pediatrics (e.g., autism-spectrum disorders), neurology (e.g., memory disorders), and neurosurgery (e.g., awake craniotomies). He has also taught graduate courses in cognitive assessment, personality assessment, and clinical neuropsychology. Dr. King is currently a neuropsychologist at DSH-Patton and directs the FREE program, which incorporates cognitive skills building into trial competency restoration treatment for patients with cognitive impairment. He also continues to work part-time for Kaiser Permanente and has a small private practice.

Approach to Supervision:

“I view supervision as a learning partnership with trust and collaboration at its core. My goal is to facilitate a supportive environment that fosters creative learning, open and honest communication, and professional growth. Being a part of this process with trainees is one of the most rewarding aspects of my clinical work.”

Dr. Kinney received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the Pacific Graduate School of Psychology with an emphasis in Neuropsychology. She completed her internship in the Clinical Neuropsychology Track at DSH - Patton State Hospital and then completed a postdoctoral residency in clinical neuropsychology at DSH-Patton. She board certified in clinical neuropsychology through the American Board of Professional Psychology. Currently, she is the Director of DSH - Patton's Neuropsychology Consultation Service. She is a primary supervisor for Neuropsychology Interns and fellows, and she is the Co-Director of the Neuropsychology Post-Doctoral Fellowship. She is particularly interested in the neurocognitive correlates of psychiatric illness and the complexities that arise from providing neuropsychological services to dually-diagnosed individuals. Her areas of clinical and research interest are in psychiatric neuropsychology, cross-cultural psychology, and positive psychology. In her free time, she enjoys the sense of fulfillment she receives from the "vital engagement" of family life.

Dr. Laurel Mattos received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Sam Houston State University with an emphasis in forensic psychology. She completed her internship in the Forensic Track at DSH-Patton and stayed to complete her Postdoctoral Fellowship in Forensic Psychology. She was subsequently hired as a staff psychologist, where she initially worked as a unit psychologist on a long-term all-female unit (individuals found Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity or designated an Offender with a Mental Health Disorder) before transferring to an all-male acute admissions unit (individuals found incompetent to stand trial or civilly committed on a conservatorship). In addition to her strong interest in forensic assessment, she enjoys providing individual and group therapy and currently serves on the local DBT implementation committee at DSH-Patton. Her research interests include recent projects evaluating the validity and utility of measures of response style with diverse populations. She currently serves as an Assessment Supervisor in the internship program. In addition to her work at DSH-Patton, she holds a forensic private practice in the community.

Dr. Mona Mosk received a double Master’s in Clinical and Community Psychology at California State University, Northridge with a minor in Multicultural Psychology and received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology in 1996 from the University of South Dakota. She completed her internship at the Audie L. Murphy Memorial Veteran’s Hospital in San Antonio Texas. Following completion of her undergraduate degree, Dr. Mosk initially specialized in general trauma, working consistently with sexually and physically abused children between the ages of 2 and 14 and their families. Since coming to DSH - Patton, Dr. Mosk has specialized in Deaf Psychology, working on the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Unit. This unit is the only forensic, deaf-focused unit in the State of California, providing services in American Sign Language (ASL). Dr. Mosk, who is fluent in ASL, is certified as bilingual by the State of California and can provide supervision to interns who work with - Patton’s deaf and hard-of-hearing patients.

Dr. Navarro received his doctorate in Applied Clinical Psychology from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology. He completed his pre-doctoral internship at Riverside Behavioral Health Care Center (IMD) working with severely mentally ill patients. He completed his post-doctoral internship at the San Bernardino County Department of Behavioral Health conducting LPS conservatorship evaluations. Prior to joining the psychology staff at DSH-Patton, Dr. Navarro worked for the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, Lancaster State Prison, and West Valley Detention Center's Jail-Based Competency Treatment Program. Currently, he works with patients committed to Patton State Hospital found incompetent to stand trial, not guilty by reason of insanity, offenders with a mental disorder, and other civil commitments. In addition to working at DSH-Patton, Dr. Navarro maintains a private practice providing forensic assessments, consultation, and psychotherapy. Dr. Navarro is bilingual (Spanish) and has a long history working with monolingual (Spanish) patients.

Dr. Nelson completed her Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology at Florida Institute of Technology (FIT) in 2014. Prior to attending FIT, she completed a master’s degree in Forensic Psychology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. She maintained a focus in forensic psychology and working with individuals with severe mental illness throughout her practicum placements. She came to Patton as an intern during the 2013-2014 training year and completed the Forensic Track within our internship. She then completed our postdoctoral fellowship in forensic psychology in 2015. During her internship and fellowship, Dr. Nelson was involved in research on violence risk assessment. She was hired as a Staff Psychologist at the conclusion of her fellowship in 2015 and has served in the roles of Coordinating Supervisor in the practicum and Assessment Coordinator in the internship at Patton.

Dr. Ng completed her Psy.D. in Clinical-Community Psychology at the University of La Verne in 2014. She has a strong interest in forensic psychology.  During her graduate training, she completed her practicum at Tarzana Treatment Centers, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and an assessment practicum at Patton State Hospital. She completed her pre-doctoral internship at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital and returned to Patton State Hospital to complete her Postdoctoral Fellowship in Forensic Psychology. During her fellowship year, she was actively involved in research looking at the role of clinical judgment in malingering assessment.  Dr. Ng became a Staff Psychologist at Patton in 2015 and has been involved in the pre-doctoral, internship, and fellowship training programs since that time. 

Dr. Nitch is board certified in Clinical Neuropsychology through the American Board of Professional psychology (ABPP). Dr. Nitch received his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology in 2002 from Loma Linda University, with a concentration in the area of Neuropsychology. His doctoral dissertation explored the relationship between chronic pain and non-pathological personality traits. Dr. Nitch completed an internship at the Loma Linda VA Hospital and then a Neuropsychology Fellowship at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. Upon the inception of the Neuropsychology Consultation Services at DSH - Patton in 2004, he began his tenure in state service. Dr. Nitch is the Co-Director of Neuropsychology Fellowship Training at Patton. When not serving the governor, Dr. Nitch works in the outpatient Psychiatry clinic at the Loma Linda Medical Center and in an assessment private practice. His research interests include malingering and suspect effort, the differential diagnosis of dementia, adult attention-deficit disorder, and the cognitive correlates of psychosis. In addition, he maintains an active interest in studying the functional effects of psychotropic medications, having earned a Master’s Degree in Psychopharmacology (2006). When it is time for diversion, his activities of choice include distance running and watching non-strenuous sports such as baseball.

Dr. Pate received her Master’s in Clinical Psychology from Middle Tennessee State University and in 1999 received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of North Dakota. After completing her internship in the Clinical track at DSH-Patton, she was hired and worked for five years as the sole psychologist for DSH-Patton’s only long term all-female fifty-bed unit. She then worked on an acute male admissions unit, after which she worked for two years on a co-ed wellness-focused long term care unit. In 2006, she moved to administration to assist the Psychology Chief with DOJ requirements, and in 2007 she became a Senior Psychologist Specialist. In January 2008, she was appointed Senior Psychologist Supervisor for Program I (now Program 6), and in 2013 she began sharing a caseload with another Supervising Psychologist. At present she is both a Senior Supervisor and the treating psychologist for fifteen patients on the geriatric unit. Dr. Pate has been providing supervision in Patton’s internship since 2002, and has served as a Coordinating Supervisor since 2005. She is board certified in Clinical Psychology through the American Board of Professional Psychology. She has published in the areas of personality traits, personality assessment, and crisis response, and has worked in the community at a program that treats and assesses sex offenders. In 2006, she completed a yearlong advanced training course in object relations psychoanalytic psychotherapy, and she has received advanced training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy. She maintains a part-time private practice providing psychological treatment and assessment. In her spare time she has earned two black belts in tae kwon do, plays soccer, and roots for Arsenal in the English Premiership Football league.

Dr. Rodriguez received his Ph.D. in 2006 from the combined program in Clinical, Counseling, and School Psychology at Utah State University. He completed his pre-doctoral internship at DSH-Patton before joining the hospital as a staff member in 2006. Dr. Rodriguez has a strong interest in the theory and practice of psychotherapy. He uses an integrative approach in his work with clients, with client-centered theory providing the foundation for integrating other theoretical ideas and techniques. He also has a strong interest in ethnic minority mental health issues, with special emphasis on the relation between acculturation and mental health. Dr. Rodriguez currently works on a monolingual Spanish speaking unit where he conducts assessment and therapy in Spanish.  Dr. Rodriguez is the facilitator of the internship Professional Development Seminar.

Dr. Sanchez completed his Psy.D. in Clinical Forensic Psychology at Alliant International University in 2017. Prior to attending Alliant International University, he completed a master’s degree in Psychology at Mercy College. He also attended John Jay College of Criminal Justice where he obtained an associate’s degree in Police Studies and bachelor’s degree in Forensic Psychology. As part of his doctoral training, Dr. Sanchez completed practicum placements at Augustus F. Hawkins Mental Health Clinic, Eastlake Juvenile Mental Health Court/UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, and at Gateways Forensic Community Treatment Program (FCTP), where his focus was in providing treatment, as well as completing neuropsychological and forensic assessments. He completed his internship at Department of State Hospitals – Metro. Upon completion of his internship, he worked at Liberty Jail Based Competency Treatment (JBCT) program, where he specialized in completing competency to stand trial evaluations. Dr. Sanchez was hired as a staff psychologist in October 2019. Since April 2021, Dr. Sanchez is currently a Senior Psychologist, Specialist in the Forensic Evaluation Department (FED). He also serves as an assessment coordinator for our internship program. In addition to his work at Patton, Dr. Sanchez holds a private clinical and forensic practice and serves as an expert on several court panels across Southern California. His research interests include malingering in neuropsychological assessments and juvenile/adult competency to stand trial.

Dr. Sillo received her Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology with a minor concentration in family studies from Loma Linda University. She completed her practicum at Patton State Hospital in 2006, and went on to complete her internship at the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Metropolitan Detention Center. In addition to working on a variety of research projects in the field of substance abuse, she was a project coordinator for the UCLA Integrated Substance Abuse Program, Motivational Incentives for Enhanced Drug Abuse Recovery, a national clinical trial. She has also provided substance abuse treatment at the Matrix Institute for Addiction. Dr. Sillo has taught at the University of La Verne, her undergraduate alma mater, as a part-time faculty member for the Full Battery assessment course.  She currently provides forensic assessment and consultation services with an adult and juvenile population. She has enjoyed supervising students at Patton since 2008. In her spare time, Dr. Sillo enjoys cooking, watching movies, going to concerts, and traveling with her family.

Dr. Singleton received her Psy.D. in Clinical Community Psychology in 2009 from University of La Verne. Her doctoral dissertation focused on racial identity and white privilege. She completed her practicum at Patton State Hospital in 2006, and she went on to complete her internship at San Bernardino County Department of Behavioral Health (Forensic Track). She has worked at DSH-Patton since 2011, primarily with patients found Incompetent to Stand Trial. Prior to joining DSH-Patton, she worked as a Research Specialist II with Riverside County Department of Public Social Services, where she conducted numerous research and program evaluation projects. Her clinical interests are in the areas of adjudicative competence, malingering, program development, program evaluation, and supervision. She is the co-chair of Patton's Transgender Treatment Advisory Committee. Dr. Singleton has been involved in the training program for a multitude of years, supervising at all levels of training, as well as supervising pre-licensed staff and proctoring new employees. She is presently the director of Patton's practicum training program.

“One of the most rewarding parts of my job is being involved in our training programs. I see supervision as a collaborative process between the trainee and supervisor and driven by the needs of the trainee. Throughout the year, I enjoy watching trainees gain comfort with, and confidence in, their own skills and abilities, and their ability to make complex connections between theory and practice.”

Mario Souza, Psy.D., received his doctorate in clinical psychology from Pepperdine University. He completed his pre-doctoral internship at NYU-Bellevue Hospital and continued his forensic training in the Postdoctoral Fellowship in Forensic Psychology at DSH-Patton. Currently, Dr. Souza is a senior psychologist in DSH-Patton’s Forensic Evaluation Department where he conducts comprehensive risk assessments, commitment extensions, competency, malingering evaluations, and provides expert testimony. He is also a member of DSH-Patton’s training committee and serves as a coordinating supervisor for the postdoctoral fellowship. Dr. Souza specializes in violence and sex offender risk assessment and has conducted various trainings related to risk assessment for DSH and outside institutions. Additionally, he is an author-approved HCR-20-V3 trainer and he is active in committees focused improving the quality and efficacy of violence risk assessment across the Department of State Hospitals in California. Dr. Souza maintains a private practice where he provides trial consultation and conducts assessments focusing on a variety of forensic issues including violence risk, sex offender risk, competency, insanity, and mental health diversion. His research interests include violence and sex offender risk assessment, psychopathy, and forensic assessment of Spanish-speaking populations. In his spare time, Dr. Souza likes to workout, catch up on Netflix documentaries, and spend quality time with his dog, Aquila.

Dr. Jette Warka received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology in 2001 from Loma Linda University. She completed her internship at DSH - Patton and started working as a staff psychologist at DSH - Patton in September 2001 after completing her internship. Initially, Dr. Warka worked as a staff psychologist on a long-term treatment unit for 5 years. The patient population on the unit were mostly male patients who were found not guilty by reason of insanity and offenders with a mental illness. In September 2006, Dr. Warka joined the hospital's Positive Behavior Support Consultation Service where she worked as the chair of one of DSH - Patton's Positive Behavior Support Teams. Dr. Warka then served as a Senior Psychologist Supervisor, worked on a long-term treatment unit for female patients, and worked on the hospital's medically fragile unit. Dr. Warka worked part-time in the community with mentally ill parolees and sex offenders. Dr. Warka is originally from Denmark and she was a pre-school teacher before she came to the United States. Her clinical and research interests include development of personality, factors contributing to vulnerability for psychopathology, and factors contributing to resilience. Dr. Warka has been the Chief Psychologist at DSH - Patton since 2017.

Dr. Williams received his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the State University of New York at Binghamton in 2005. His research interests include the neurocognitive sequelae of psychiatric disorders as well as chronic medical conditions. He has published on the neurocognitive effects of hemodialysis and end-stage renal failure. Dr. Williams completed his internship in the Clinical Neuropsychology Track at DSH - Patton. He went on to complete a postdoctoral fellowship in Neuropsychology at DSH - Patton. The following year Dr. Williams was hired as a staff psychologist and currently serves as the Director of Patton’s RISE program, which provides cognitive remediation and social cognition training to patients with low cognitive functioning. In addition to his work at DSH - Patton, Dr. Williams also serves as an adjunct instructor with California State University at Pomona, where he teaches courses in the areas of Brain and Behavior, Multicultural Psychology, and Abnormal Psychology.

Dr. Yenne received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology with a Forensic Emphasis from Sam Houston State University and completed her internship in the Forensic Track at DSH-Patton. The following year, she completed DSH-Patton’s Postdoctoral Fellowship in Forensic Psychology. She currently works as a unit psychologist on two long-term, all-female units. Her clinical interests include forensic assessment and the implementation of Trauma-Informed Care, particularly among highly stigmatized patient populations. She currently serves on DSH-Patton’s Transgender Treatment Advisory Committee and was actively involved in the development of the hospital’s first policy related to gender-affirming treatment for Transgender and Gender Nonconforming patients. Dr. Yenne has published in the areas of suicide prevention in correctional settings, stigma against individuals with mental illness, and psychotically-driven maternal filicide and has presented at a number of regional and national conferences. She is currently actively involved in developing a new research group at DSH-Patton to examine the quality and impartiality of forensic mental health reports. In her spare time, Dr. Yenne enjoys playing the violin in a local community orchestra, crafting, and spending time with her dog, Norepinephrine.