Foster Care and Supports for Community Living Staff

Foster Care and Supports for Community Living
Staff

Shep Sanford, PsyD
Director of Clinical Services & Clinical Psychologist Marsha Illback, PhysD
Chief Operating Officer, SCL Executive Director, Clinical Psychologist Nancy Irvin
Bookkeeper/Benefits Manager Debbie Leake
Compliance Manager, Records Clerk

Linda Rice, MSSN, MA, RN, PsyD
Clinical Psychologist Randy Hofer, PsyD
Clinical Coordinator & Licensed Psychological Associate Sam Stodghill, PsyD
Clinical Psychologist Steve Stratford, MSW
SCL Program Coordinator

Terry Scott, BA
Crisis Intervention Specialist, Respite and Recreation Manager Laurie Birkby
IT Support Ryan Cooper
Crisis Manager & Family Support Specialist Dan Sheras, MA
Clinical Coordinator & Licensed Psychological Associate

W. Sheppard Sanford, Psy.D.
Director of Clinical Services & Clinical Psychologist
email: sanfords@reachoflouisville.com

Shep Sanford serves as a clinical coordinator with REACH. He holds a PsyD from Spalding University in Clinical Psychology (2000), and a license from the State Board of Psychology with the Health Services Provider endorsement. Dr. Sanford completed his doctoral internship at the Vanderbilt University-Veterans Affairs Medical Center Consortium with a focus on individual/couples therapy, psychological assessment and behavioral medicine. His doctoral dissertation focused on the evaluation of a community-wide initiative for the prevention of child abuse and neglect (Children First in Louisville, KY). His professional interests include therapeutic foster care, child and family behavior therapy, and related areas.

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Marsha Illback, Psy.D.
Chief Operating Officer, SCL Executive Director, Clinical Psychologist
email: illbackm@reachoflouisville.com

Marsha Illback holds a Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology from Spalding University, and is licensed to practice psychology by the Kentucky State Board of Psychology (she also holds the Health Service Provider endorsement). Prior to her arrival at REACH, she was the program director of substance abuse treatment services at the VA Medical Center in Louisville, KY. Her pre-doctoral internship was served at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. Marsha has also served as a special education teacher and substance abuse prevention specialist for the police department. Her professional and research interests center on therapeutic foster care, community-based services, family support, and training for integrated services. She is a member of both the American Psychological Association and the Kentucky Psychological Association. At REACH, Marsha serves as Director of the SCL program and Chief Operating Officer for the entire organization.

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Nancy Irvin
Bookkeeper/Benefits Manager
email: irvinn@reachoflouisville.com

Nancy Irvin serves as Bookkeeper/Benefits Manager at REACH where she is responsible for accounts payable/receivable, payroll, employee benefits, & building management. Prior to coming to REACH in August of 1991 she had extensive business experience in retail management, apartment management, banking, construction & health care industries. A high school graduate currently enrolled in college courses at Indiana University Southeast working towards a business degree. She has also completed training in office management and accounting, and is certified as a Group Preparation Leader by the Child Welfare Institute.

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Debbie Leake
Compliance Manager & Records Clerk
email: leaked@reachoflouisville.com

Debbie Leake serves as Compliance Manager at Reach of Louisville. She has been with REACH since 1997. She thoroughly enjoys her work here and is a dedicated employee. Debbie serves as the point person for this organization. She is responsible for the documentation for all children and families, as well as assists in overseeing L&R and CARF requirements. In addition she is the primary person responsible for answering the phones and serves as the receptionist.

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Linda Rice, MSSN, MA, RN, PsyD
Clinical Psychologist
email: ricel@reachoflouisville.com

Linda Rice serves a Clinical Coordinator at REACH of Louisville. She holds a Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology from Spalding University and a Master’s Degree in Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing from the University of Washington. In addition, Linda has been a Registered Nurse for over 25 years, specializing in community and mental health care of adults, children and families. She came to REACH with a wide-variety of experience, including teaching in university nursing programs, serving as a Flight Nurse for the Wyoming Air National Guard, implementing a family advocacy program for the Department of Defense in the Netherlands and developing educational programs for the International Academy of Health Care Management in Wiesbaden, Germany. Since entering the field of psychology, Linda had focused on working with children and families who present with unique and complex mental and behavioral health needs. Linda’s doctoral dissertation focused on studying the effectiveness of the urine alarm in the treatment of bedwetting in severely emotionally and behaviorally disordered children who are receiving treatment in community mental health care systems.

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Randy Hofer, PsyD
Clinical Coordinator & Licensed Psychological Associate
email: hoferr@reachoflouisville.com

Randy Hofer serves as a clinical coordinator at REACH. He earned his Master's degree from Ball State University and his Doctor of Psychology Degree from Spalding University. His dissertation focused on the impact that paraprofessionals have on the rates of child abuse. He holds Kentucky certifications as a Psychological Associate, Sex Offender Therapist and Domestic Violence Treatment Provider. He is a past member of the American Psychological Association Committee on Accreditation and is a past chair of their graduate student organization. He has served as the Quality Improvement Officer for one of the nation's largest mental health centers and currently functions as the Safety Officer for REACH. He has been active as a volunteer for Hospice and the Shelter for Battered Women and earned a "Star" for his dramatic work at the Lyceum Theater in New Mexico. He is a past vice president of the Curry County Humane Society. He is currently involved in pet rescue.

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Sam Stodghill, PsyD
Clinical Psychologist
email: stodghills@reachoflouisville.com

Sam serves as a clinical coordinator for REACH’s therapeutic foster care program and also provides services to the adults within the SCL program. He holds a Psy.D. from Spalding University in clinical psychology (2004), and a license to practice psychology from the Kentucky Board of Psychology (he also holds the Health Service Provider endorsement). His doctoral dissertation focused on efforts to make residential treatment programs as family-centered as possible. Sam completed his predoctoral internship at Girls and Boys Town in Nebraska, and before coming to REACH, worked as a therapist and crisis consultant at Brooklawn Child and Family Services in Louisville. Sam has previously been a part-time instructor at Spalding University’s School of Professional Psychology and is a member of the American Psychological Association and the Kentucky Psychological Association. He is currently a member of KPA’s ethics committee. His professional interests include child and family therapy, parent training, and behavioral consultation. Sam’s wife, Rachel, is a neonatal intensive care and high risk delivery nurse. They have two children, Paxson and Maggie.

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Steve Stratford, MSW
SCL Program Coordinator
email: stratfords@reachoflouisville.com

Steve Stratford holds an MSW and has extensive experience as a child protective services and family services worker at DCBS in Jefferson County. He is a Board member of Kentucky Youth United and has been an advocate for children in a variety of initiatives. He is certified as a trainer in Non-Violent Crisis Intervention by the Crisis Prevention Institute. His interests revolve around systems change, adolescence, transition to adulthood, and independent living.

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Terry Scott, BA
Crisis Intervention Specialist & Respite and Recreation Manager
email: scottt@reachoflouisville.com

Terry Scott is Respite and Crisis Manager at REACH of Louisville, Inc. In this role, he is responsible for assessing the broad-based needs of families and insuring that they receive proper supports, to include respite and crisis intervention. Additionally, he is responsible for coordination and management of training requirements for respite providers. He also operates the REACH summer recreation program. Terry is a college graduate, and a former intercollegiate basketball player and college coach. He is certified as a trainer in Non-Violent Crisis Intervention by the Crisis Prevention Institute, and has extensive experience in high school and college coaching, recreation, and work as a "wraparound aide".

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Laurie Birkby
IT Support
email: birkbyl@reachoflouisville.com

Laurie Birkby serves as part-time IT support at REACH. She began working at REACH in 2000 as a part time family support staff for the therapeutic foster care program. When she completed her degree in Information Technology she moved into her current position, where she oversees the daily performance of computer systems, answers user inquiries regarding computer software or hardware operation to resolve problems, sets up equipment for employee use, performs or ensures proper installation of cables, operating systems, and appropriate software, and installs and performs minor repairs to hardware, software, or peripheral equipment, among other duties.

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Ryan Cooper
Crisis Manager & Family Support Specialist
email: cooperr@reachoflouisville.com

Ryan Cooper is a Respite and Crisis Manager at REACH of Louisville, Inc. In this role, he is responsible for assessing the broad-based needs of families and insuring that they receive proper supports, to include respite and crisis intervention. He is certified as a trainer in Non-Violent Crisis Intervention by the Crisis Prevention Institute. He graduated with honors from Kentucky State University with a degree in social work. Prior to his role as Crisis Manager, Ryan has worked as a wraparound aide at REACH since 2000. He currently works with wraparounds on documentation and development of community based independent living skills.

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Dan Sheras, M.A.
Clinical Coordinator & Licensed Psychological Associate
email: sherasd@reachoflouisville.com

Dan Sheras serves as a clinical coordinator at REACH. He earned his Master’s degree (M.A) in Clinical Psychology from Spalding University’s School Professional Psychology in Louisville and is currently working towards his Doctor of Psychology Degree (Psy.D.) at Spalding. He has met Kentucky Board of Psychology requirements for licensure as a Psychological Associate. Dan earned his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 2001. He worked as a mental health worker and unit supervisor at a youth residential treatment center in Colorado for over three years before attending graduate school. While at Spalding, he has completed psychotherapy practicum work at a high school resource center and college counseling center, and he has completed psychological assessment practica at a residential treatment center and for the State. Dan also serves as a Regional Advocacy Coordinator for the American Psychological Association of Graduate Students (APAGS) and has previously served as the APAGS Liaison to the Board of the Kentucky Psychological Association. His clinical interests include adolescent mood and anxiety disorders and ADHD, and his research interests are in the area of therapeutic foster parenting. Dan was born and raised in Charlottesville, VA.

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