Posts Tagged “Staff Spotlight”

Tell us about yourself!

My name is Amy Laster (she/her). I am a Psychotherapist, LCMHC, as well as a Clinical Manager for Veritas Collaborative’s Triangle Outpatient Treatment Center in Durham, North Carolina. I have worked for Veritas for over four years. 

What does a typical day look like for you at Veritas Collaborative?

It’s hard to describe a “typical” day (which is what I love so much about this work!), but my days involve a combination of clinical supervisions, direct patient care, various consultation meetings, milieu management, group facilitation, programming and scheduling management, connections with providers in the community, outreach efforts, and more. 

Tell us about yourself!

My name is Christina Toliver (she/her), and I am a Phone Intake Therapist for Accanto Health, the parent company of Veritas Collaborative and The Emily Program. I am a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Associate in North Carolina. I have been with Accanto for seven years!

What does a typical day look like for you at Accanto Health?

A typical day for me consists of assessing the level of care and clinical appropriateness for patients at our sites. I work with patients of all ages, their communities of support, and referring providers to ensure a seamless and swift transition into our care.

Tell us about yourself!

My name is Emerald Smith (she/her), and I am the Clinical Director at the Child, Adolescent, and Adult Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. I am a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor – Qualified Supervisor (LCMHC-QS), a Board-Certified Registered Art Therapist (ATR-BC), and a 200-hour Registered Yoga Teacher (200 RYT). I have been with Veritas Collaborative for three years.

Tell us about yourself! 

My name is Shamane McAdams (she/her), and I am a Behavioral Health Technician (BHT) Manager at Veritas Collaborative’s Child and Adolescent Treatment Center in Durham, North Carolina. I have been working with Veritas for over six years! Fun fact: my first day of work was also my birthday! It remains the only year I have ever worked on my birthday.

What does a typical day look like for you at Veritas Collaborative? 

There is no typical day for me! I usually jump from meeting to meeting, problem-solve clinical staff challenges related to patient needs, train new hires, and check in with my staff on urgent items that need addressing.

Tell us about yourself! 

My name is Elaina Williams (she/her), and I have been a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner at Veritas Collaborative’s Child and Adolescent Treatment Center in Durham, NC, for over six years.

What does a typical day look like for you at Veritas Collaborative? 

I get to come to work to see my patients for medical visits each day. The more acute patients (meaning more medically unstable) within inpatient care are seen by me or my team daily. I see the patients within lower levels of care weekly and as needed for medical complaints (like ear pain, rashes, throat discomfort, etc.). I usually chat with the patients for a little while about medical concerns, as well as what they are struggling with during treatment (I love chatting!). After we chat, I do an exam and enter any appropriate medical orders. I also get to collaborate with other team members in setting goals and individualizing care so that we can together help patients heal and move toward discharge from treatment!

Tell us about yourself!

My name is Lucie Jiru (she/her), MA, and I am a Utilization Reviewer (UR) for Accanto Health (the parent company of Veritas Collaborative and The Emily Program). I have been working for Accanto since January 2022.

What does a typical workday look like for you?

Since I am a remote worker, a typical day consists of logging in to my computer, going through my emails, and making sure I have all admitting patients on my calendar. I also verify that all patients who need a concurrent review are listed. URs, on average, complete anywhere between three to eight reviews per day. I spend most of my workday collecting clinical information about patients, identifying their progress and challenges, and ensuring I have all the data necessary to advocate for them when I communicate with insurance companies. I complete reviews, document all interactions, and communicate with clinical teams about outcomes. Every insurance provider is different, so every review is unique. 

Tell us about yourself!

My name is Leah Belay (she/her), and I have been a Registered Dietitian at Veritas Collaborative’s Adult Treatment Center in Durham, NC, for almost five years.

Tell us about yourself!

My name is Jo DeVane. I’m a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW), and have been a psychotherapist at Veritas Collaborative in Atlanta since May 2022. I also worked as a therapeutic assistant at Veritas from December 2020 through May 2021 while I was pursuing my master’s in social work. 

Tell us about yourself!

Hi everyone, my name is Ro’Shannon Wilcoxson-Jordan, and my preferred name is Shannon. I have been a Veritas collaborator for three years and 11 months, and that time has flown by. My current primary position is the Practice Manager for Veritas’ Eating Disorder Treatment Center in Atlanta, Georgia.  

I began this path as an on-call front desk administrator. After a few months, my supervisor recommended me for a full-time opening. My passion for supporting those in need was evident, and I was hired as the second full-time administrator. 

Over time, the Practice Manager position opened. Although I had just enrolled in my school’s master’s program and was providing support as a therapeutic assistant for our IOP program at the time, I accepted the role. Since growing with Veritas, I have learned invaluable information and become a mental health advocate for patients and families battling this illness.

Tell us about yourself!

My name is Nooshin Ghazi-Moghaddam and I am a Registered Dietitian at Veritas Collaborative’s Eating Disorder Treatment Center for Adults in Durham, North Carolina. I started working here in June 2019, so I’m coming up on almost four years!

Describe the educational path that led you to Veritas Collaborative.

I first became interested in eating disorders during college while observing peers around me struggling with disordered eating. I was always interested in health and nutrition, but never understood the myth that we must  give up our favorite foods to be “healthy.” I was studying Public Health at the University of South Florida, and this budding interest in eating disorders initially led me down the path of becoming a Registered Dietitian (RD). 

Tell us about yourself!

My name is Laura Brown, MBA, MS, RDN, LD, and I am currently the Manager of Nutrition Services at Veritas Collaborative’s Atlanta, Georgia eating disorder treatment center. I have been with Veritas for almost two years. 

Describe the career path that led you to Veritas Collaborative.

My path is far from linear, but I am definitely at home with Veritas. I received my Bachelor of Science in Recording Arts: Music Business and my MBA from Middle Tennessee State University. I worked at Fortune 500 companies in marketing/management, but I longed to find a career where I really felt like I could help people. Through my own nutrition/eating disorder journey, I decided to return to school to become a Registered Dietitian and give back to the eating disorder community. I received my Master of Science in Nutrition Health Sciences from Georgia State University, which has been the best decision I have ever made. Before coming to Veritas as a Registered Dietitian, I worked for another treatment facility as a diet tech.  

Tell us about yourself! 

My name is Rachel Burke, and I am the Therapeutic Assistant (TA) Manager at our Adult Hospital in Durham, North Carolina. I originally started with our amazing Child and Adolescent Hospital in Durham as a Therapeutic Assistant in 2016. Since then, I have held a variety of roles, such as a Therapeutic Assistant Supervisor and Site Trainer for the Adult Hospital before landing in the TA Manager position. I am also a Crisis Prevention and Intervention Instructor specializing in verbal de-escalation.  

Tell us about yourself!

Hello, my name is Venice Bibbs, and I am a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) at the Adult Hospital in Durham, North Carolina. I started at Veritas Collaborative in August 2020.

Tell us about yourself!

I’m Jonathan Levy, Medical Director and Director of Psychiatric Services for Veritas Collaborative’s Atlanta Hospital for Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults. I am a physician specializing in General Psychiatry and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. I am also a Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and a CEDS-S (Certified Eating Disorder Specialist – Supervisor). In addition, I serve as an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Psychiatry for Emory University School of Medicine and for Morehouse School of Medicine in its Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. Prior to joining Veritas Collaborative, I worked in various clinical settings, including at a PHP eating disorder program, the Atlanta VA Medical Center, Georgia Regional State Hospital, and in private practice.

Tell us about yourself!

Hello, my name is Noi Ceballos and I am the Talent Acquisition Manager with Accanto Health, the parent company of Veritas Collaborative and The Emily Program. I started out on the Veritas Collaborative brand in August of 2019 when we only had a team of two recruiters! I joined Accanto after the merger and our team has grown to eight recruiters supporting Accanto Health, The Emily Program, and Veritas Collaborative. 

Describe the career path that led you to Accanto Health.

My entry into the eating disorder field was relatively unplanned. Prior to joining Veritas, I worked in pediatrics, leading a recruitment team that staffed 35 facilities across the state of Florida. I had been there for 12 years and felt the need for change. I didn’t know what I wanted but I knew that I needed a new challenge. I came across an Indeed posting for Veritas, became intrigued by the company’s name, and decided to visit the website. From there it was “love at first sight.” I felt admiration and appreciation for the work and just knew I needed to be part of it. 

Tell us about yourself! 

My name is Haleigh Stanley and I am the Hospital Education Manager at the Atlanta Hospital. I have been with Veritas Collaborative since July 2020, so almost two years now!

Describe the career path that led you to Veritas Collaborative.

I went to college at the University of Dayton (go Flyers!) for Middle Childhood Education. I was a teacher for five years and worked with students ages 10 to 14 in varying subject areas, including math, science, English, and special education. 

Tell us about yourself!

My name is Andre Alston and I am the Executive Chef de Cuisine at Veritas Collaborative’s Child and Adolescent Hospital and Center in Durham, North Carolina. December 11, 2022 will make five years with the company.

Describe the career path that led you to Veritas Collaborative.

Before my role at Veritas Collaborative, I worked in the culinary industry for over 20 years in different types of settings, but I had never worked at an eating disorder treatment center. Working in a hospital setting has been so unique compared to my previous work.

Tell us about yourself!

Hello, I’m Corey Marshall, LMSW, and I’m a psychotherapist at the Atlanta Hospital and Center. I started at Veritas Collaborative as a therapeutic assistant in May 2019. I was promoted to Site Trainer in April of 2020, then transitioned to Psychotherapist in April 2021.