Conference for Clinical Foundations: Ethics, Risk, & Duty of Care in 2026

Dr. Pamela Harmell, Ph. D. is a national lecturer specializing in legal and ethical issues in clinical practice. She is a Professor at the Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology and has written extensively in professional publications on ethical practice and has formally studied law. She is the Past President of the Board of Psychology. Dr. Harmell is the former Chair of the California State Ethics Committee and former Chair of the Los Angeles County Psychological Association Ethics Committee. She served on the Board of Directors of the California Psychological Association and is Past President of the Los Angeles County Psychological Association.

Brandon is the Executive Director of Minnesota Association for Children’s Mental Health. He specializations in Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), Historical and Intergenerational trauma, Social/Emotional Intelligence (EQ), Leadership, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Brandon holds a B.A. in Sociology from the University of Minnesota, a Masters in Community Psychology from Metropolitan State University, and a Masters in Adlerian Counseling and Psychotherapy (MFT) from Adler Graduate School. Brandon is Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) Qualified Administrator. Brandon is Bush Foundation Leadership Fellow (2013) and Professor graduate and undergraduate studies. He lives by the motto of “Live life with Purpose on Purpose.”

Kathryn Krase, Ph.D., J.D., M.S.W., Principal Consultant with Krase Consultant, is an expert on the professional reporting of suspected child maltreatment. She has authored multiple books and articles on the subject. She has years of experience consulting with government and community based organizations to develop policy & practice standards.

Livia is a psychotherapist, social worker, yoga therapist, Somatic Experiencing practitioner, and spiritual activist. She is the founder of the Yoga-Informed Model and is an advocate of the mind + body paradigm shift. She implemented one of the first yoga therapy programs for mental health treatment in a nationally renowned residential treatment center. There she developed a clinical residency program to train the next generation of psychotherapists to weave yoga into their treatment of complex mental health and trauma. She is passionate about best practices and the integration of neurobiology, somatics, yoga and psychotherapy for the healing of addiction, eating and mood disorders and the often underlying acute and chronic traumatization. Livia’s psychotherapeutic experience includes training in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Change Therapy (ACT), DBT- Prolonged Exposure (DBT-PE), Exposure and Response Prevention Therapy (ERP), anti-oppressive psychodynamic psychotherapy.

Livia’s engagement with yoga and meditation began with a two-year residency at the Himalayan International Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy where in 1999 she was initiated into the tradition of the Himalayan Masters. She has completed over a decade of advanced and therapeutic yoga certifications along with becoming a Reiki Master in 1998. She has been deeply influenced by the mindfulness training that she has received from Vietnamese Zen Monk, Thich Nhat Hanh.

Today she works to educate healthcare organizations, conducts research and presents nationally on the benefits of yoga for mental health and trauma awareness to reduce systemic burnout. She partners to implement therapeutic programs, training and protocols that utilizes the Yoga-Informed model and community-based, accessible Somatic Experiencing. She has enjoyed several clinical leadership roles in inpatient settings, most recently as Director of Trauma-Informed Care at a national treatment center - always with her hope to serve clients while supporting the system’s greater capacity for sustainable wellbeing.

Francisca F. Mix, MA, LPC, ACS, BC-DMT is a seasoned clinician, educator, and consultant with over 20 years of experience guiding mental health professionals in the areas of embodied healing, clinical supervision, and leadership development. She is a Board-Certified Dance/Movement Therapist (BC-DMT), Licensed Professional Counselor, and Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS), known for her integrative and relational approach to professional growth.

Blending somatic wisdom with clinical rigor, Francisca has helped shape the professional development of clinicians throughout Colorado. Among the first trainers to offer the Approved Clinical Supervisor program in the state, she played a key role in raising supervision standards and advancing ethical, embodied leadership in clinical practice.

Francisca continues to influence the next generation of mental health leaders through her consulting work, innovative training programs, and unwavering dedication to building a more confident, connected, and sustainable counseling profession.

Dr. Brittany Nwachuku, LCSW, LISW-S, is an Assistant Professor of Social Work with extensive experience in medical and mental health settings. She has clinical experience working with diverse populations, including juvenile probation, foster care youth, school social work, private practice, and oncology healthcare settings.

In addition to providing clinical and administrative supervision to social work students, interns, and professionals, Dr. Nwachuku has facilitated a wide range of support groups, educational lectures, and professional development for staff on best practices for diverse and underserved patient populations.

Dr. Nwachuku is a member of the executive committee for the Council on the Role and Status of Women (CORSW) at the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) and serves on the advisory council for She’s the First. She is actively involved in Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, where she serves on her chapter’s executive board and the program development committee for Stewart's Cancer Place. Additionally, she has obtained a certificate in women’s leadership from Yale University and is a Qualified Administrator (QA) of the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI). Her research focuses on equity and inclusion, psychosocial oncology care, grief and bereavement, and women's health disparities.

Dr. Nwachuku stresses the importance of self-care and taking proactive steps to maintain a good quality of life. In her free time, she enjoys being a "boy mom", reading, spending time with friends and family, traveling with her husband, listening to music, and laughing uncontrollably.

Frederic Reamer is professor in the graduate program, School of Social Work, Rhode Island College, where he has been on the faculty since 1983. His teaching and research focus on professional ethics, criminal justice, mental health, health care, and public policy. Dr. Reamer received his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago and has served as a social worker in correctional and mental health settings. He chaired the national task force that wrote the Code of Ethics adopted by the National Association of Social Workers in 1996 and recently served on the code revision task force. Dr. Reamer also chaired the national task force sponsored by the National Association of Social Workers, Association of Social Work Boards, Council on Social Work Education, and Clinical Social Work Association that developed technology standards for the profession. Dr. Reamer has lectured nationally and internationally on social work and professional ethics.

Sophie Nathenson is a Medical Sociologist, professor and consultant based in Portland, Oregon. She is the Director of the Masters of Allied Health Program, and founding Director of the Population Health Management BS Program and Research Center at Oregon Tech. She is also the owner of Widespread Wellness Consulting, providing career mentorship and education for individuals and groups working on promoting social, physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing.