Meet the Staff
Reasons Eating Disorder Center places high importance on utilizing highly skilled and trained eating disorder treatment professionals in our programs. We believe in a multi-disciplinary approach to treatment which includes doctors, nurses, dietitians, therapists, mental health workers, diet aides, and somatic and experiential therapies.
Nikki Rollo
Ph.D., LMFT, CEDS-S
Executive Director
Nikki Rollo
Nikki has a Ph.D. in Depth Psychology, with an emphasis in psychotherapy and is a licensed marriage and family therapist in both California and New York State. She is also a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist-Supervisor. She has worked in various aspects of eating disorder treatment over the past ten years, utilizing her experience as a clinician and passion for the idea that relationships are healing to inform her efforts in program development, training staff, admissions, business development and clinical outreach aspects of her work. Integral to her clinical philosophy is her personal practice of yoga and meditation including completing a Yoga teacher training with an emphasis on trauma-sensitive mind-body movement. She is the founding chair of the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals, San Diego Chapter, and has served on several chapters over the past eight years. She currently serves in the role of National Director of Program Development where she is responsible for developing the Reasons philosophy and ensuring consistency across all programs through oversight of clinical and operations, as well as development and expansion efforts.
Wakelin McNeel
MD
Medical Director
Wakelin McNeel
Dr. McNeel received his BS in Chemistry from Central Michigan University, his MS in Neuroscience from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and his MD from the University of Michigan Medical School. He completed his Residency and Child Psychiatry Fellowship from the Los Angeles County/University of Southern California Medical Center. He is board certified in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and has over 10 years of experience working with patients with eating disorders.
Dr. McNeel is an active research physician and is the principal investigator in numerous Phase I-IV Clinical Trials. He is currently the Medical Director of BHC Alhambra Hospital, and has been the Chief of Staff and the Medical Director of the Eating Disorder Programs for over 10 years. Dr. McNeel practices on the principle that respect of the patient’s individual beliefs on medications is of utmost importance and does not impose medications, rather makes recommendations, which support the therapeutic process of recovery.
Dr. Leonard P. Jones
MD
Psychiatrist
Dr. Leonard P. Jones
A California native, Dr. Leonard Jones has been practicing psychiatry since 1987. He completed his residency at USC, and over the last 30 years has worked in private practice as well as in various inpatient and outpatient settings. Dr. Jones is now the inpatient chief of staff for both BHC Alhambra Hospital in Rosemead and Canyon Ridge Hospital in Chino CA. Dr. Jones is married with two children, and in his spare time he enjoys playing tennis.
Anna Governale
MA, LMFT, CEDS
Director of Inpatient and Residential Programs
Anna Governale
Anna Governale, MA, LMFT, CEDS, serves as the Clinical Director at Reasons Eating Disorder Center, where she leads with compassion, steadiness and a deep commitment to person-centered, integrative care. She holds a master’s degree in clinical psychology from Antioch University Los Angeles and completed her undergraduate studies in psychology and religious studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara.
With more than two decades of experience in the eating disorder field, Anna brings a grounding presence and a thoughtful, collaborative approach to supporting both patients and staff. She is a Certified Eating Disorders Specialist (CEDS) and is trained in Emotion-Focused Family Therapy (EFFT), Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and the Trauma Resiliency Model (TRM). She weaves these modalities together to cultivate an environment where clients feel seen, supported and empowered in their healing.
What fuels Anna’s work is a genuine passion for helping individuals and families navigate some of their most challenging moments with dignity and hope. She values authenticity, connection and responsive care, and she is dedicated to nurturing a treatment culture where healing, collaboration and growth feel possible.
Outside of work, Anna finds her own sense of balance through time with family, creative pursuits and grounding practices that support her well-being.
Lisa Arroyas
RD, CEDS-S
Director of Nutrition and Virtual Services
Lisa Arroyas
Lisa is a registered dietitian practicing in many areas of dietetics including eating disorders, chemical dependency, diabetes, and PCOS. She graduated from California State University, Long Beach, and has extensive experience working with adolescents and adults of all genders with disordered eating. She also has a background as a personal trainer, which allows her to use an approach that meets the unique needs of individuals struggling with poor body image and disordered eating. Lisa’s focus is on nutrition therapy using a non-diet approach, providing nutrition counseling and exercise education. She specializes in working with Athletes and Compulsive Exercisers, Binge Eating Disorder, and Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD). Lisa has been working with adolescents and adults with eating disorders for over 10 years in both inpatient and outpatient settings. She is the co-founder of the Reasons Residential Program and served as the Director of Nutrition for a multi-site substance abuse and dual-diagnosis program. She is extremely passionate and dedicated to helping individuals struggling with food and body issues.
Claire St. John
RD, CEDS-S
Director of Operations
Claire St. John
Claire St John, MPH, RD, CEDRD-S, brings compassion and understanding to her nutritional counseling practice. Claire has worked with men, women and children suffering from eating disorders at all levels of care, leading guided meals, restaurant and snack outings, nutrition groups and multi-family nutrition groups. With a dynamic understanding of eating disorders and how they impact individuals and families, Claire is passionate about repairing broken relationships with food.
Claire holds a Master’s of Public Health Nutrition from Loma Linda University, and after completing her rotations at Eisenhower Medical Center, passed the exam to become a Registered Dietitian. Working with eating disordered clients from the outset, she has developed a method of practice that includes exposure and response therapy, motivational interviewing and compassionate understanding paired with firm encouragement.
Helping people reconnect with food and normalize their eating patterns is the most rewarding part of working with eating disordered patients for Claire. Encouraging people to be able to make peace with food, enjoy meals with loved ones and move through the world without fear is why Claire chose the field of eating disorders.
Claire enjoys reading, writing, hiking, and cooking, and spent seven years as a newspaper reporter, covering the school beat and the City Hall beat. She enjoys learning about her clients’ passions — what they’re reading, what they’re studying in school and what their hobbies are, taking a whole-person approach to treatment.
Shannon Braasch
MA
Director of Business Development & Organizational Development
Shannon Braasch
Shannon Braasch leads the development and coordination efforts for Reasons’ Alumni Program. She also engages with professionals nationwide to connect them with resources and treatment options for their clients. She brings 15 years of combined experience in healthcare and eating disorders and has a Master’s degree in counseling. Shannon has coordinated Alumni Service programs for treatment centers and has built a professional network of colleagues across the country. She feels that her values align with Reasons person-centered approach, which are a guide as she is actively living her passion to build authentic and meaningful relationships, provide education, and develop resources to support lasting recovery. Some of Shannon’s favorite ways to practice self-care include; spending time with friends and family, singing karaoke, floating on the lake in a kayak, and volunteering.
Daisy De La Cruz
MA
Director of Case Management
Daisy De La Cruz
Daisy De La Cruz holds a Master’s degree in Behavioral Psychology from Pepperdine University and a Bachelor’s degree in Child and Adolescent Development from California State University, Fullerton. She began her career in applied behavior analysis, working with individuals with Autism and gaining specialized experience supporting those with significant behavioral challenges, including aggression, feeding issues, and eating disorders.
Her passion for advocating for individuals and families led her to join Reasons Eating Disorder Center’s Case Management team, where she integrates her background in behavior analysis into her work with insurance advocacy, discharge planning, and patient support. She is especially interested in organizational behavior management and is dedicated to advancing care through collaboration and advocacy.
Outside of work, Daisy enjoys spending quality time with family, walking her dog, staying active through the gym, hiking, and Pilates, and cheering on the Los Angeles Angels and San Francisco 49ers.
Ashley Bullock
LMFT
Director of Admissions
Ashley Bullock
Currently based in Los Angeles, Ca, Ashley’s multidisciplinary background in the fields of music, fashion, and psychology have allowed her to identify with clientele from a wide spectrum of backgrounds and service needs. Ashley’s natural gift for educating, uplifting, and inspiring people through her own personal narratives about identity has served to create a wake of diverse experiences that are effective and unique in approach. Her approach to social connectivity focuses primarily on creating, with intention, an understanding of humanity one experience at a time. Combining both creativity and social consciousness, she exhibits an awareness rarely seen in fast paced, detail oriented environments, all while passionately serving those who “fall between the margins”. Ashley believes in making constructive use of our personal freedom to express what is contained in our hearts, and she offers a genuine, patient and nurturing method for facilitating conversations, fostering open/safe spaces for healthy discussions and critical dialogue. Ashley is constantly learning new things about herself to better connect and be of service to the community she loves.
Ashley is an AMFT who received her MA at Antioch University. She is a record collector, a mother, and hosts a monthly day party called Soul Therapy. She is currently the Assistant Director of Admissions for Reasons Eating Disorder Center in Los Angeles, California.
Lara Lettsome
MA
Assistant Director of Admissions
Lara Lettsome
Lara is a master’s level clinician who began working in behavioral health in 2013. She beginning her first counseling internship with Geriatric clients in an outpatient individual and group setting. Since then she has worked in a variety of sectors, including: Veterans with PTSD, Children, Troubled Teens, Special Needs, Vocational Rehabilitation, Transitional Independent Living, Addictions and Family Therapy.
Her love for helping people started when she was 13, when she began to volunteer with kids who had special needs. Lara obtained her bachelors from Grambling State University, all the while volunteering over 700 hours per year to different causes. Lara earned her Master’s in Clinical Mental Health with emphasis in Counseling and Guidance at a CACREP Accredited program from Louisiana Tech University. Lara would best describe herself as an advocate because she wishes to give a voice to those who feel silenced. In her spare time, she takes dance classes, hikes and writes poetry.
Emily Fritsch
MS
Case Manager and Discharge Planner
Emily Fritsch
Emily has always had a unique talent for human advocacy, driven by a deep passion for helping others and living with purpose. With a natural ability to connect with people and an exceptional eye for detail, she utilizes these skills in alignment with her values to make a positive impact. She’s grateful for the chance to do this meaningful work. Outside of her professional life, Emily finds connection and self-care through cooking, painting, going to the beach, hiking, and exploring her new home state of California (she’s originally from Arizona). She treasures spending time with her three children, family, and friends, creating memories and nourishing relationships along the way.
Apryl Vines
MS, RD
Director of Residential Services
Apryl Vines
Apryl Vines graduated Summa Cum Laude with both her Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Nutritional Science from California State University, Los Angeles. After graduation, she completed one year of supervised dietetic practice at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles with a focus on oncology research as well as the emerging application of nutrition to modulate the gut-brain axis and its connection to mental health outcomes. Apryl is a current Cal State LA lecturer in the Nutrition and Food Science Department and the Nutritional Science Lab Coordinator at the University. Apryl has worked as a registered dietitian for Reasons at the residential level of care for the last year and a half. She is passionate about helping others on their journey to recovery with a compassionate and trauma-informed lens. When not working, Apryl enjoys spending quality time with her daughter, being outdoors, cooking, snowboarding, and reading!
Bio Coming Soon
SaQoia Herring
ACSW
Admissions Coordinator
SaQoia Herring
SaQoia is a dedicated and compassionate social worker with a deep passion for making a positive impact on the lives of veterans, active-duty service members, and their families. With a strong foundation in psychology and clinical social work, SaQoia has built a career that is committed to connecting individuals with the care and support they need. SaQoia received her undergraduate degree in psychology from North Carolina A&T State University, where she developed a strong understanding of human behavior. She then pursued her master’s degree in clinical social work with a military track at the University of Southern California, where she honed her skills in clinical case management and individual therapy.
In her current role with Reasons, she specializes in supporting military service members, veterans, and families through the admissions process. SaQoia is passionate about making a difference and believes that everyone has the power to make a positive impact on the world. She is committed to using her skills and experience to make a difference in the lives of all clients. When not working, SaQoia enjoys traveling, trying new recipes, listening to music, and painting. These hobbies allow her to unwind and recharge.
Chantal Bañuelos-Atienza
MA
Admissions Coordinator & Virtual Program Therapist
Chantal Bañuelos-Atienza
Chantal’s lifelong passion for dance, healing, and community care led her to pursue and obtain a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with a specialization in Expressive Dance/Movement Therapy.
Chantal has dedicated her career to promoting well-being, socio-emotional wellness, and developmental growth. She has served diverse populations, including those with Neurodiversity, Developmental/Intellectual Delays, Chronic Illness, and Children’s Grief & Loss. Chantal employs a variety of techniques such as Expressive Dance/Movement Therapy, DIR/Floortime Strategies, Growth Mindset, Solution-Focused Therapy, Neurodiversity Affirming Care, and Mindfulness. Count on her to be your therapeutic hype womxn throughout your recovery journey!
Jillian Szafranski
RYT
Trauma Informed Yoga Therapist
Jillian Szafranski
Jillian Szafranski began her work in the healing arts as a dancer, competitive gymnast and actor. Her training is rooted in Alexander and Linklater Techniques, which she learned while attending Emerson College in Boston. Drawing enormous inspiration from the ever-developing field of neuroscience, Jillian uses her knowledge of anatomy and somatic integration (a therapeutic technique that combines the mental, emotional, and spiritual to the physical body) to craft a proprietary hands-on approach to yoga that is informed by her own experiences with physical trauma and illness. With primary emphases alignment, mindfulness, and intuitive sound and movement. She uses grounding techniques to train her students how to self-regulate and navigate through potential triggers that may otherwise lead to flashbacks or unhealthy cycles of behavior, all of this with careful consideration to not re-traumatize the patient. Over time she teaches her students not to avoid physicality, but to combat old fight-or-flight responses by engaging the initial response and creating new muscle memory in the brain and body grounded in safety and strength.
Jillian co-created yoga programs for Reasons Eating Disorder Residential Center and BHC Alhambra Hospital in 2009, where she works with adolescents and adults. She also founded the office yoga programs for NPR (National Public Radio) in Culver City and MTA (Metro Transportation Authority) in Downtown Los Angeles. Her strong belief that Wellness programs should not discriminate against those who have varying degrees of physical abilities, inspired her to develop an all inclusive wellness program for JLL. Jillian works privately as a yoga therapist and bodyworker (via zoom). She is Yoga Alliance certified.
Taylor-Rose Olea
RD, CEDS
Manager of Inpatient Nutrition Services
Taylor-Rose Olea
Taylor-Rose is registered dietitian and certified eating disorder specialist. Taylor-Rose graduated from Cal State Long Beach and has been working
in the field for over six years. She has experience working in all levels of care from inpatient to outpatient. She has worked in various treatment
centers as a program dietitian and also in leadership roles. She is extremely passionate about helping others heal their relationship with food and
body using ERP and CBT modalities. In her free time, Taylor-Rose is a circus performer and enjoys gardening and spending time with her cats.
Sara Naouchi
MSN, RDN
Virtual Care Operations Supervisor
Sara Naouchi
Sara Naouchi began her journey with Reasons Eating Disorder Center as a Diet Aide in 2013, where she quickly developed a deep understanding of eating disorder treatment across all levels of care, working with both adults and adolescents. She holds a Master of Science in Nutrition from California State University, Long Beach, and completed her dietetic internship at the Veterans Health Administration-GLA. Throughout her career, Sara has acquired extensive experience in addressing co-occurring substance use disorders and various medical and mental health conditions across a range of settings, including substance use treatment centers, dual-diagnosis facilities, and specialized eating disorder treatment programs. After relocating to Colorado in 2018, Sara continued her dedicated work in the field, focusing on helping clients restore a healthy relationship with food and their bodies. Her expertise in adolescent care allowed her to play a pivotal role in developing the nutrition program for a new Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) for adolescent eating disorder recovery. In 2021, Sara returned to Reasons Virtual PHP/IOP as a Registered Dietitian, driven by her unwavering passion for supporting individuals struggling with food and body image issues. As the Virtual Care Operations Supervisor, Sara remains deeply committed to guiding and empowering clients on their path to recovery.
L. Terrell Williamson
APCC
Lead Virtual Therapist
L. Terrell Williamson
Terrell is a therapist who is committed to making the most of every moment to assist individuals and their loved ones in breaking old habits and living a life free from the control of an eating disorder. He draws from his experiences working in university counseling centers, family therapy clinics, children’s shelters, crisis houses, homelessness outreach organizations, and in person mental health crisis response teams to help not only with eating, but to help people in creating sustainable and enjoyable lifestyles that replace the eating disorder way of living altogether.
Terrell’s focus is on interventions that center around personal values (ACT), beliefs (CBT/ERP), and motivations (Motivational Interviewing). He believes in the strength and resilience of those who bravely leave the comfort of what’s familiar to take the power back.
We Hold Hope for Your Recovery
Recovery from an eating disorder is possible, and we are here to walk alongside you. At Reasons Eating Disorder Center, we help you uncover not only the reasons behind your eating disorder but also the reasons for your recovery.
To learn more or to schedule a no-cost consultation, call us at 844-573-2766 or complete our online contact form. In case of a mental health crisis, CALL 988 or seek the nearest emergency room.
Let us help you find your path to healing.
Get Help Now
Call 844-573-2766 to schedule a level of care assessment or contact us for more information. To make a referral, please use our online referral form.