Continuing Education

Dr. Mary Bretzman (she/her) is the Regional Medical Director for Minnesota. She is a board certified family practitioner as well as an eating disorder specialist who did primary care until specializing in the field of eating disorders for the past 15 years.

She completed medical school at the University of Minnesota and her family practice residency at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. She has worked in rural and urban family practices doing full age span primary care until joining The Emily Program in 2010.

Currently she is involved in direct patient care for adult and adolescent residential services for The Emily Program in Minnesota. Although she has worked with patients through the full life span she has found her place in helping adults with chronic ED and recovery journeys.

Krista Crotty, LMFT, PsyD, is a Clinical Education Specialist for Accanto Health, the parent company of The Emily Program and Gather Behavioral Health. In her role, Krista assists in planning, coordinating, and occasionally presenting our continuing education courses on eating disorders and related subjects.

Clinically, Krista draws from a variety of methods, including temperament-based therapy with supports (TBT-S), eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), family-based therapy (FBT), and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). She often incorporates the use of the creative process in conjunction with the more traditional therapeutic process.

Additionally, Krista is a Certified Temperament Therapy with Supports (TBT-S) Treatment Provider and trainer offering TBT-S in module format in outpatient care and a 5-day intensive TBT-S program in WA state. She is currently the owner of Brain-Based Therapy NW, offering the first privately owned TBT-S intensive program in the world. Dr. Crotty has been blessed by the opportunity to train with Dr. Laura Hill in TBT-S starting in 2018 and is thrilled to be the first certified US trainer. Beyond TBT-S Krista is trained in and clinically draws from cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, family-based treatment, and acceptance and commitment therapy. She is a firm believer in the incorporation of support and family members in the treatment process and enjoys bringing activity and creativity into the clinical arena.

Krista earned her Master of Science degree from Fuller Theological Seminary, School of Psychology, and her doctorate in clinical psychology with an emphasis in family and pediatrics from Azusa Pacific University. She trained at Harbor UCLA Medical Center and Loma Linda Children’s Hospital in neuropsychology

Away from work, Krista loves being a mom to her three sons, playing outside, going on adventures with her family, skiing, hiking, biking, and camping.

Joe Crozier (he/him) serves as Medical Director for The Emily Program’s North Carolina eating disorder treatment centers. Joe brings a unique approach to his clinical work that he credits to his training as both a psychiatrist and a clinical psychologist.

Before joining The Emily Program (formerly Veritas Collaborative) team in 2017, Joe held faculty positions in the medical schools at Duke University and the University of North Carolina (UNC). While at UNC, Joe was the Medical Director of the UNC Center of Excellence for Eating Disorders. In this role, he treated clients at the inpatient, partial hospitalization, and outpatient levels of care, as well as participated in research examining new treatment approaches for clients with eating disorders.

Joe is a passionate advocate for the care of clients with eating disorders, inspired by his experience working with clients in extreme physical and emotional distress and walking with them through recovery. He is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and is board-certified in General and Child & Adolescent Psychiatry.

Consistent with his training in psychiatry and psychology, Joe approaches his clients with a deep appreciation for the connection between mind and body and the scope of the mental and physical impacts of eating disorders. Joe understands that recovering from an eating disorder requires sustained, gradual effort through inevitable emotional and physical struggles. He believes that multidisciplinary treatment can help clients overcome their struggles by addressing disordered patterns of thoughts and feelings and reconnecting them to their deeply held values and goals.

Kathleen Fugere (she/her), BA, MN, PMHNP, (ARNP-BC) is The Emily Program’s Medical Director in Washington state. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in nursing from the University of Washington. Kathleen has over 20 years of clinical experience, primarily devoted to diagnostic assessment and medication management. She has worked with children, adolescents, and their families at Seattle Children’s Hospital’s inpatient psychiatry unit, first as a charge nurse and later as a primary clinician. Kathleen has also worked in an outpatient setting with college students at Hall Health Mental Health Clinic at the University of Washington.

Kathleen has been at The Emily Program for over a decade, working across residential, partial hospitalization, and outpatient settings. She has lectured in academic and community settings, and has special interests in optimal multidisciplinary team functioning and behavior/milieu management.

Outside of work, Kathleen enjoys traveling, gardening, doing yoga, and spending time with her husband, twin girls, and their silly labradoodle, Riley.

Taylor Rae Homesley started with The Emily Program (formerly Veritas Collaborative) when we opened the Atlanta, GA, Child, Adolescent, and Adult Treatment Center in 2017, and is currently the Executive Director of that center. In her role, she oversees all location operations and works with the on-site leadership team to ensure they are providing safe and effective patient care.

Taylor Rae is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) with a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy from Richmont Graduate University. Prior to attending Richmont, she earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in childhood and family development from the University of Georgia. She is a Georgia-approved supervisor and Certified Eating Disorder Specialist Approved Supervisor (CEDS-S).

Taylor Rae has been working with patients with eating disorders since 2012 across multiple levels of care including inpatient, partial hospitalization (PHP), and outpatient treatment settings. She has a particular interest in working with patients with Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) and assisted in the development of Veritas’ ARFID-specific programming.

Taylor Rae finds meaning in working with the Atlanta team to provide the best care possible to patients and families so that they are able to recognize their own strengths and reach a place of recovery.

Dr. Lampert is the Vice President of Communications and Brand for Accanto Health, the parent company of The Emily Program and Gather Behavioral Health. She has 30 years of experience in the field of eating disorders as a clinician, leader, speaker, advocate, and researcher in the field of eating disorders working across all levels of care and multiple care settings. Additionally, Dr. Lampert is Co-Founder and President of the REDC, the national consortium representing eating disorders care focused on treatment standards, best practices, access to care, and collaborative research. She is also a Board Member of the Eating Disorders Coalition, a DC- based national organization for eating disorders policy and advocacy. She holds an adjunct graduate faculty position in the Department of Food Science and Nutrition at the University of Minnesota where she advises graduate students and teaches a course on eating disorder management.

Dr. Lampert completed her doctorate degree in Nutrition and Epidemiology and Master of Public Health degree in Public Health Nutrition at the University of Minnesota. She earned a Master of Science degree in Nutrition at the University of Vermont and completed her dietetic internship at the University of Minnesota Hospital and Clinics. She has an expansive range of policy, clinical, research, education, teaching, and program development experience in the area of eating disorders.

Dr. Lampert has served on the Board of Directors of the Academy for Eating Disorders as the Electronic Media Portfolio Director and co-chair of the Academy for Eating Disorders Nutrition Special Interest Group. She is a Fellow of the Academy for Eating Disorders (FAED) and a member of the Academy for Nutrition and Dietetics (formerly the American Dietetic Association), and BHN (Behavioral Health Nutrition) dietetic practice group. Dr. Lampert is the author of numerous book chapters and articles addressing the nutritional treatment of eating disorders, body image, sports participation, adolescent health, and disordered eating and she regularly speaks regionally and nationally on numerous eating disorder-related topics.

One of her primary goals in life is to have the kids in her house (and everywhere!) have confident, loving relationships with their bodies and themselves.

Sydney Brodeur-Johnson (she/her), PhD, LCP, CEDS, is the Senior Director of Clinical Services and Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at Accanto Health, the parent company of The Emily Program and Gather Behavioral Health.

Sydney’s passion is providing best-practice, research-informed, and multiculturally competent treatment to patients and their families suffering with eating disorders. She is committed to increasing access to effective treatment, training professionals to deliver gold-standard care, and empowering them to be the best providers and people they can be.

Dr. Brodeur received her PhD in counseling psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in 2005 and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Alabama at Birmingham with a concentration in the interdisciplinary treatment of adolescents with eating disorders. She assisted with the opening of Carolina House, a residential eating disorder treatment facility in Durham, NC, and was its first Center Director. From 2008 to 2019, Sydney served as the eating disorder specialist and Associate Director for Training at University Counseling Services at VCU. In that role, she maintained APA accreditation of the psychology internship program and was the administrator for the training program for students in psychology, social work, and counselor education. She also served as a member of the center’s executive team.

In her free time, Sydney enjoys spending time with her children and partner, being outdoors, listening to music, and traveling.

Maddie Koermer (she/her) is a Clinical Manager of Outpatient Services at The Emily Program’s Triangle Child, Adolescent & Adult Eating Disorder Treatment Center in Durham, North Carolina. Maddie greatly appreciates being part of a client’s care team and enjoys walking alongside clients and families as they navigate the recovery journey. 

Maddie obtained her Master of Social Work (MSW) from Loyola University of Chicago and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in North Carolina. She began her career at The Emily Program (formerly Veritas Collaborative) in 2016 and has experience working with clients and their families across multiple levels of care, including inpatient, residential, partial hospitalization (PHP), and intensive outpatient (IOP). She is particularly passionate about the PHP and IOP levels of care and multi-family programming.

As a clinical manager, Maddie is always pleased to help connect families to psychoeducational and supportive resources in their local area. She also thoroughly enjoys supervising student interns and clinicians in eating disorder treatment. Maddie pulls from various treatment modalities, including dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), family based therapy (FBT), and motivational interviewing. She strongly believes that every eating disorder is significant enough to receive help. 

Maddie embraces diversity and believes in the importance of a non-judgmental, inclusive recovery environment. Maddie is an active Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Council member at Accanto Health.

Elysse Thebner Miller (she/her) is the Manager of Nutrition Services at The Emily Program’s Douglas Adult Eating Disorder Treatment Center and the Interim Manager of Nutrition Services at our Triangle Child, Adolescent & Adult Eating Disorder Treatment Center, both located in Durham, North Carolina.

Elysse attended Ithaca College, where she completed her Bachelor of Science degree in health sciences/pre-medical studies with an emphasis in nutrition, and minors in anthropology and art. Elysse earned her master’s in public health (with a nutrition focus) from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Gillings School of Global Public Health. She completed her dietetic internship at UNC Center for Excellence for Eating Disorders (CEED) and Duke University.

Before joining The Emily Program, Elysse worked as a Registered Dietitian (RD) at the UNC CEED clinic, working with individuals in inpatient, partial hospitalization, and outpatient levels of care. She also served as a research dietitian in trials for anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder.

Dr. Kristen Myers (she/her) is the Site Director and an outpatient therapist at The Emily Program’s Outpatient Eating Disorder Treatment Center for Adults and Adolescents in Seattle, Washington. In her role as Site Director, Dr. Myers oversees clinical and location operations, engages in community outreach, and collaborates with other treatment center locations to enhance The Emily Program’s client care and services. As an outpatient therapist, she provides personalized care to our clients and their loved ones, guiding them through the ebb and flow of recovery with empathy and expertise.

Dr. Myers holds doctorate degrees in clinical psychology (specializing in health psychology) and public health (focusing on preventive care) from Loma Linda University. Her extensive training includes work in community mental health, Veterans Administration medical centers, and hospital palliative care units. Before stepping into her current role, Dr. Myers worked as a program therapist for our PHP and IOP programs, a clinical manager, and a training coordinator.

Dr. Myers is driven by a commitment to a non-pathologizing, anti-oppression approach in her work. She is passionate about fostering a therapeutic environment that values growth and the inherent potential of each individual. She also cherishes the opportunity to mentor and teach practitioners across all levels of eating disorder care, while staying hands-on with our clients and their families.

When she’s not at work, Dr. Myers loves unwinding with a good book, listening to music, and having fun with friends and family.

Dee Myers (she/her) is the Site Director of The Emily Program’s Outpatient & Day Treatment for Adolescents and Adults treatment center in Spokane, Washington. She is a multi-decade leader in the Eastern Washington eating disorders community, with over 25 years of experience, and is proud to be at the helm of The Emily Program’s Spokane treatment team. In her role, Dee oversees the multidisciplinary teams on-site, managing the care and treatment for clients dealing with all types of eating disorders.

Dee graduated with a master’s in clinical psychology from Eastern Washington University. Her passions have always been increasing access to care and creating a collaborative provider network. Noting extremely limited eating disorder resources in Spokane in the early part of her career, Dee ran eating disorder support groups and worked to meet other eating disorder professionals in the area. She specialized in treating clients in private practice for over 15 years and ran an eating disorder professional coalition to unite the community and help provide resources and education to the area.

Dee has proudly worked at The Emily Program for over a decade and was part of a small group of providers who encouraged the company to open a location in Spokane to help meet the growing need for eating disorder care throughout the Pacific Northwest. She has had a lifelong passion for this work and has treated clients individually, in groups, and at all outpatient levels of care.

Outside of work, Dee enjoys many outdoor activities around the beautiful city of Spokane and loves spending time with her husband and two young adult daughters.

Kirsten Nielsen (she/her), RDN, LD, is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) and Licensed Dietitian in the state of Minnesota. She has worked in the field of eating disorders since 2000 and currently serves as the Director of Dietetic Internships and Recovery Support Services Director for The Emily Program. In these roles, she coordinates educational rotations and experiences for dietetics interns across The Emily Program and works to build services within The Emily Program to support clients and families as they move through treatment and recovery.

Kirsten received her bachelor’s degrees in biology and food, nutrition and dietetics at Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota and graduated from the St. Mary’s/Mayo Clinic Dietetic Internship in Rochester, Minnesota. She has extensive & varied experience in providing eating disorder care for people across the eating disorder diagnosis spectrum. And she is particularly grateful to have been a part of expanding eating disorder services in Minnesota.

Kelly Pertzsch (she/her), LPCC, is a Clinical Education Specialist for Accanto Health, the parent company of The Emily Program and Gather Behavioral Health. She has worked in a variety of clinical positions since starting at The Emily Program in 2015. In her role, Kelly helps plan, coordinate, and sometimes present continuing education courses on eating disorders and related topics.

Kelly received a bachelor’s degree in communications from Richmond American University London, and a master’s in Counseling Psychology with a certificate in Eating Disorder Studies from Lewis & Clark College. She has treated eating disorders her entire career in settings including community mental health, private practice, and a college counseling center. Kelly has a particular interest in the intersection of eating disorder treatment and social justice, as well as Health at Every Size® (HAES®).

Stacy Schilter Pisano (she/her) is the Site Director of The Emily Program’s Virtual Outpatient & Day Treatment Center for Adults and Adolescents in South Sound (Lacey), Washington. Stacy has held this role since 2014, overseeing treatment for partial hospitalization (PHP), intensive outpatient (IOP), and outpatient programming, along with Family-Based Therapy (FBT) services.

Stacy is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and Certified Eating Disorders Specialist (CEDS) in Washington State. She obtained her master’s from Antioch University in Ohio in 2007 and became a Certified Eating Disorders Specialist from The International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals Foundation (ieadp) in 2013. Starting in 2001 at Eating Disorders Awareness and Prevention (EDAP) as the 1-800 Helpline Coordinator, Stacy has helped individuals and families affected by body dissatisfaction, disordered eating, and clinical eating disorders for over two decades. 

In 2022, Stacy collaborated to develop CARE IOP, a virtual, weight-inclusive, intensive outpatient program for people striving to overcome a pattern of binge eating behaviors, currently available in Minnesota, Washington, and Ohio. Stacy is passionate about working with multidisciplinary teams to advance awareness-raising efforts, professional education, the celebration of size diversity, the dismantling of diet culture, and accessible, individualized services for all.

When not working, Stacy’s time is occupied with her husband, hockey-playing son, and dogs. She enjoys reading and outdoor activities, preferably in the sunshine.

Dr. Brad Smith, MD, DFAPA (he/him) is the Chief Medical Officer for Accanto Health, overseeing the clinical direction of The Emily Program and Gather Behavioral Health. With nearly 25 years of experience in psychiatry and medical leadership, he is dedicated to advancing high-quality, patient-centered care for individuals with eating disorders.

Board-certified in adult and forensic psychiatry, Dr. Smith has spent his career developing innovative, evidence-based treatment programs. Before joining Accanto Health, he directed clinical services at all levels of care within Eating Disorder Recovery Services at Rogers Behavioral Health. He is recognized for his leadership in improving clinical outcomes and expanding access to care for those in need.

Dr. Smith earned his medical degree from the University of Wisconsin, where he also completed his psychiatry residency, serving as chief resident in his final year. He completed a fellowship in forensic psychiatry at the Medical College of Wisconsin and is a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, an honor that highlights his substantial contributions to the field.

In addition to his clinical leadership, Dr. Smith is passionate about education and serves as a voluntary assistant clinical professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin. He has lectured nationally on a wide range of topics related to eating disorders and mental health, including peer-selected presentations for the National Eating Disorders Association and the Multi-Service Eating Disorders Association annual meetings.

Kara Stultz (she/her) is the Clinical Director at The Emily Program’s Child, Adolescent & Adult Eating Disorder Treatment Center in Atlanta, Georgia. In her role, Kara works directly with the clinical team, supporting them to provide the best care possible to patients and their families.

Kara is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) with a master’s in clinical rehabilitation counseling from Georgia State University. Before attending graduate school, she earned a bachelor’s in psychology with a minor in childhood and family studies from the University of Alabama. Kara is a Georgia-approved supervisor and has been working with patients with eating disorders since 2018. She has experience across all levels of care, including inpatient, partial hospitalization (PHP), intensive outpatient (IOP), and outpatient services. Kara is particularly interested in working with young adults, providing an empathetic space and assisting them in building a life worth living in recovery.

Kara finds meaning in working with the Atlanta team to provide access to care for those struggling and collaborating to save lives, one recovery story at a time.

Shena Washburn (she/her) is the Senior Director of Clinical Nutrition and Culinary Services at The Emily Program. She has worked in the field of nutrition, mental health, and eating disorders since 2009 and is recognized by the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals (iaedp™ ) as a Certified Eating Disorders Specialist and Consultant (CEDS-C).

Shena is passionate about supporting individuals in eating disorder recovery to develop a balanced and sustainable relationship with food, movement, and their body, as well as building strong collaborative multidisciplinary teams.

Shena has dedicated over 10 years to providing and improving upon the clinical nutrition and culinary service aspects of client care at The Emily Program. She most enjoys the opportunity to train, collaborate, and improve systems that support better client care, as well as grow as a leader.

Shena has special interests in sports nutrition, mindfulness, digestive health, and exposure and response prevention (ERP). She has two young children and enjoys dancing and gardening.

Mem Wood (she/her) is the Clinical Director at The Emily Program’s Douglas Adult Eating Disorder Treatment Center in Durham, North Carolina.

Mem attended the New College of Florida, where she completed her Bachelor of Arts degree in literature and gender studies. Mem earned her master’s in clinical mental health counseling at Florida International University. She completed her training at the Renfrew Center of South Florida, a residential treatment center for eating disorders.

Before she transitioned to The Emily Program, Mem worked at the Renfrew Center of South Florida as Program Manager and Manager of the Aftercare Department, as well as a primary therapist at the residential, partial hospitalization, and intensive outpatient levels of care.

Jenn Zambo (she/her) is the Nutrition and Culinary Manager at The Emily Program’s Triangle Child, Adolescent & Adult Eating Disorder Treatment Center in Durham, North Carolina.

Jenn attended the University of Connecticut, earning her Bachelor of Science in dietetics. She completed her Master of Science in health promotion, with a focus on health education. Jenn started her eating disorder career at the University of Connecticut Student Health Services, where she counseled students with eating disorders and advised a peer education group promoting eating disorder awareness.

Before transitioning to The Emily Program, Jenn worked as an eating disorder dietitian, treating adults and adolescents within an inpatient program affiliated with Walden Behavioral Care. Jenn has since worked as a Registered Dietitian in inpatient, residential, partial hospitalization, and intensive outpatient levels of care.