Muir Wood is the choice of medical professionals around the country because of its specialized, evidence-based care for teens. It is also distinguished by the talent and collegiality of its team members. Muir Wood carefully selects its staff for their ability to provide exceptional care, and for their ability to support the values of compassion, kindness, cooperation, and quality that are its hallmark. Working as a close-knit unit, our dedicated staff helps ensure strong collaboration and continuity of care for teens. They include clinical and medical professionals, academic leaders, and administrative staff. Meet the Muir Wood team that impacts lives by nurturing change and advancing adolescent health.
Clinical Staff
Dr. Krueger serves as Chief Clinical Officer, overseeing all aspects of clinical programming for Muir Wood’s growing teen mental health and substance use disorder treatment programs. Dr. Krueger comes to Muir Wood from Newport Healthcare where she served as National Director of Clinical Program Development.
A frequent national presenter on mental health topics, Dr. Krueger earned her doctorate from Argosy University and is trained in modalities including CBT, DBT, Functional Family Therapy, Attachment-Based Family Therapy, and Motivational Interviewing.
She has conducted research on stress and competency in parents of adolescents and young adults with ASD, as well as on female aggression and barriers to reentry from juvenile detention.
“Dr. Krueger’s impressive pedigree, extensive experience working with adolescents and their families, and her important academic contributions to our field, have made her an ideal addition to Muir Wood’s leadership team,” said Scott Sowle, Muir Wood Founder and CEO.
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Clinical Program Supervisor – Penngrove Program
Psychiatrist – Penngrove Program
Dr. Nova is a psychologist (License #23538) who provides psychological testing for the boys at Muir Wood Adolescent and Family Services. She received her doctorate from Alliant International University in 2004 and has specialized in working with children and adolescents that have issues including high conflict divorce, ADHD, trauma and loss, Asperger’s, and relationship difficulties.
As part of the Muir Wood Adolescent and Family Services clinical team, Dr. Nova attends the treatment team every Tuesday, providing feedback and interpretation of the psychological testing results. Recognized by her peers as a leader in the field, she serves on the Marin County Psychological Association Board and has been an adjunct faculty member at Dominican University and the California Institute of Integral Studies. Dr. Nova adds, “What sets me apart from other child therapists is that I help parents understand and respond to the needs and messages behind their children’s behaviors.” Her specialties include psychological testing of adolescents who have learning issues, substance abuse issues, depression, anxiety, and behavior problems.
Larissa is a psychologist (PSY31800) who provides psychological testing at Muir Wood Adolescent and Family Services. She received her doctorate in Clinical Psychology, with a focus in child and family psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology. She specializes in neurodiversity and diagnosing ADHD and autism spectrum in adolescents. Additional specialties include substance abuse, mood disorders, anxiety, and trauma-informed assessment. Larissa works collaboratively with the Muir Wood clinical and medical team to provide comprehensive, strength-based assessments for our residents and their families.
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Amber is a Licensed Marriage Family Therapist. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Master’s Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Sonoma State University.
Amber started her mental health career working in adult crisis residential in 2015 where she worked as a counselor for individuals experiencing severe mental health crises and substance abuse. Amber later transitioned to working for a nonprofit where she provided case management and therapy services to California State Prison releases, CPS referred families and couples, the homeless, and veterans.
Amber’s therapeutic approach stems from a person-centered perspective where she recognizes the significance and value attached to the therapeutic relationship between client and therapist. Amber aims to create a safe and welcoming environment that allows clients to explore the sources of their inner conflicts and healthy methods of coping and healing past trauma. Amber’s goal in therapy is to create a foundation for healing that will allow clients and their families to move forward and progress towards their goals. Amber leads Sunday outings and is always looking for creative ways to spark love for the outdoors and inspire movement, mindfulness, and creativity.
Amber also regularly brings her dog Enzo, a playful and loving Australian Shepherd-Border Collie mix to treatment. Enzo loves comforting teens and families while in session, hugs and kisses, and is always ready to join in on an adventure.
Therapist
Therapist
Eating Disorder Specialist
Clinical Trainee
Oliver is a graduate of Sonoma State University with a B.A. degree in Psychology, focusing on developmental psychology. His interest in the subject came from his own personal mental health struggles as an adolescent. As he got further along in his schooling, it became clear that his passion was working with adolescents who are dealing with similar issues to what he once struggled with and overcame. Oliver says, “I owe a lot of my life’s successes to the amazing mentors I had in my formative years, and my main goal at Muir Wood is to be a role model and mentor to youth during the most difficult parts of their lives.” Oliver hopes to pursue a Master’s in Psychology and become a licensed clinician.
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Therapist
Nursing Staff
Lisa Sewell, RN, BSN joined the Muir Wood team in April of 2023 as Nursing Director. She graduated from the College of Marin Nursing Program in 2010 and received her BSN from Herzing University in 2021. After applying her skills in addiction programs and operating rooms, Lisa quickly distinguished herself as a leader among her peers. She began to take on more advanced roles like Charge Nurse, Assistant Director of Nursing, and Health Services Director in various skilled nursing facilities.
Lisa has also taught classes in Addictions Nursing at the University of San Francisco and holds regular lectures on the subject throughout the bay area. She is passionate about working with adolescents in recovery and is dedicated to helping her clients achieve long-term sobriety.
A life-long student of her field, Lisa maintains an enthusiastic interest in the ever-evolving addiction medicine world. She hopes to keep her team on the cutting edge of research and practices related to genomics, dual-diagnosis application, and medication-assisted treatment.
In her free time, Lisa enjoys hiking, biking, reading, and spending time with her family and dog, Bella.
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Nurse
Family Program
Rawland works with Muir Wood as a family therapist and as part of the Saturday Family Program. Rawly is a nationally recognized presenter on co-dependency and was the recipient of the Addiction Professional Outstanding Clinician award in 2012. He has been a practicing therapist for over 15 years and involved in the field of social work for over 30 years. Rawly holds a B.S.W. from Pacific Union College and a M.S.W. from Walla Walla University in Washington, with a dual emphasis on clinical work with children and adolescents along with addiction treatment. Rawly’s sincerity, obvious compassion, and commitment to the families and teens at Muir Wood make him a favorite at the Saturday Family Program presentations.
Experiential Therapy
Ford is a Registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist. He has been teaching yoga and meditation since 1990 and is a certified teacher of iRest (Integrative Restoration) meditation. He received a Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology in 1997 from Pacifica Graduate Institute. With his extensive background in psychology, meditation, and yoga, Ford’s approach to meditation has an emphasis on fostering an experience of well being, resiliency, and emotional balance, and integrating these qualities into our experience of everyday life.
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Greg Has been working in the addiction and mental health field for over thirteen years at a variety of dual diagnosis facilities around Northern California. He studied addiction and acquired his CADCII through UC Berkeley Extension Program and is certified by the State of California as an addiction specialist. Greg has also been a professional musician for over thirty years, performing, writing and producing mainly in his band The Mother Hips but also as a solo artist. It’s his passion for recovery work and music that inspired him to develop his “Song of Recovery” music process group that he provides for clients here at Muir Wood.
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Kristi Nori of Nori Reiki, is a Reiki Master with a background in Biological Psychology, studying the brain’s impact on the body and behavior. With over 20 years of experience working in the medical industry with physicians across the country, Kristi brings western mind-body research and eastern healing methods to the Girls Treatment Program. Kristi provides Reiki, guided meditation and holistic healing techniques to the girls to teach them how to better manage the impact their mental health has on their energetic health. Learn more about Kristi’s programs and offerings and what led to her passion for teaching others how to heal themselves at www.norireiki.com or on IG @nori_reiki.
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Rafike is a husband, and father of two. As a teen Rafike attended Hanna Boys Center in Sonoma, CA which is where he developed his passion and mission of helping and mentoring teens facing hard times in life. Rafike is a former US Marine. In the Marines he was a cook, a translator, and martial arts instructor. Returning from his tours in Iraq he realized he needed to utilize and leverage his passion for personal growth and mental health with physical fitness and healthy nutrition. Rafike has been a personal trainer and group fitness instructor for close to 2 decades. He volunteers with various non profits as the Social Director for Team RWB, a veteran and civilian non-profit that enriches Veterans lives through physical fitness, community service, and social engagements. Rafike is also an instructor for the Sonoma County Devil Pups, a leadership and character development program for teens helping teens become better leaders and citizens through physical fitness, community service, leadership development, and much more.
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Jeff holds a California Teaching Credential in Social Science and Business. He earned his Bachelor’s degree from the University of California Santa Barbara, studying Philosophy, Psychology and Art. He earned his Master’s of Business Administration degree from the University of Redlands. He has enjoyed teaching a wide variety of high school classes including History, Entrepreneurship, Graphic Design, Journalism, Economics, and Online Learning. Jeff also has over twenty years of work business experience in Operations Management, Production Management, Information Systems Management and Software Development. A native of Anaheim, Jeff has been part of the Petaluma community since 1999 and volunteered as a coach and director for many youth sports programs including Petaluma American Little League, St. Vincent CYO, Petaluma United Soccer, and The Boys & Girls Club of Petaluma. He is in his second decade as the Boys’ Basketball Coach at Petaluma Junior High School. As a coach and teacher, Jeff is dedicated to helping teen boys develop the skills they will need to succeed in their next challenge.
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Beth holds a Multiple Subject CLAD, Cross Cultural Language and Academic Development, CA teaching credential, and two Bachelor of Arts Degrees in Hutchins School of Liberal Studies and Art History. Additionally, she has completed graduate course work in Reading, Writing and Language Arts Curriculum and professional development in CA Computer Science Leadership and Coding, Courageous Conversations, ACEs, Trauma Informed Teaching, Humane Education, School Gardens, Social Justice in Social Studies, STEAM, and Animal Behavior & Training, Veterinary Management in Humane Education and CA Foster Youth Mentoring Programs. Her love of animals, conservation and being in nature, and having fun, combined with her love of teaching led her to work with two prominent internationally recognized and awarded Animal Assisted and Horticultural Therapeutic programs in the United States working with preschool to young adult aged youth, rescued companion animals, a wide range of farm animals, wildlife and wild mustangs, where she created, managed and taught award-winning education, environmental outdoor education and job training mentoring programs for young adults and teens. Beth comes from a family of generations of educators teaching in special education, colleges and universities across the United States. She fully believes, with all her heart, that education in all its forms, can transform a person’s life by giving them the tools to fulfill their dreams. Beth has been an educator for 25 years teaching all grade levels from elementary, high school, pre-college and adult learners. She’s worked in public schools, with charter schools, non public schools and nonprofits serving at-risk students and their families, from preschool to young adults, in therapeutic and education programs offering job training and full wrap-around services. Often working in non-traditional educational settings teaching students experiencing combinations of learning, behavioral, cognitive, neurological differences, medical, emotional, and mental health challenges, along with barriers of language, housing and food insecurity, generational trauma and poverty, addiction, race and gender inequalities, foster care, juvenile justice, incarceration and probation systems. Beth focuses on creating an inviting, compassionate, safe and structured student centered environment for learners to engage and explore curriculum that foster a love of learning, critical thinking skills and a future of possibilities. One of her favorite aspects of working with students is helping them connect their interests and enthusiasm to lifelong learning beyond the classroom. A huge outdoor and animal lover, you can find her spending her free time with her family, including her rescue dogs, along the Northern California coast playing at the beach, kayaking rivers throughout the United States or on the many awe inspiring hiking trails throughout the state. Being an art lover and visual learning she frequently attends performing and fine arts events and exhibitions, music concerts, Broadway musicals, the theatre, the San Francisco Ballet, Opera and Symphony at the many venues throughout the Bay Area and West Coast. When at home she loves to read, grow heirloom fragrant roses, sweet peas and colorful dahlias, yummy vegetables, fruit trees and blueberries and enjoys cooking and eating with family and friends and supporting local farmers and farmers markets.
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Academic Assistant – Penngrove Program
Shift Supervision
Care Coordinators
Chelsea attended Arizona State University where she double majored in Child Development and Family Studies with a minor in Sociology. For the past six years Chelsea has served as a residential care counselor, housing coordinator for those in homeless shelters, as well as an operations manager for an alcohol and drugs testing facility for CPS. As a youth, she attended two wilderness programs, three boarding schools, and a lock down facility before she was 17 years old. So, Chelsea has plenty of experience with teen treatment. Chelsea brings passion, understanding, knowledge, and hope to the clients she serves at Muir Wood’s Penngrove Program. She prides herself in being a relatable mentor for those currently in addiction and crisis. Outside if work, Chelsea has four kids, enjoys being on the lake, and spending time with her family.
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Care Coordinator
Care Coordinator
Care Coordinator
Care Coordinator
Care Coordinator
Care Coordinator
Care Coordinator
Care Coordinator
Care Coordinator
Care Coordinator
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Care Coordinator
Care Coordinator
Culinary Team
Teresa is originally from Kansas and moved to the Bay Area in the early 1980s. She brings a wealth of experience to Muir Wood’s kitchen, having worked in the food service industry for over 40 years. When not creating meals and cooking for the Muir Wood clients and staff, she volunteers and supports the Sonoma County 4H camp, where she has been the Camp Cook for 150 girls and boys (including two of her own) for over a decade! Teresa joined Muir Wood Teen Treatment in November of 2019 and she looks forward to a continued future with the clients and staff.
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Chef
Receiving Clerk/Cook
Receiving Clerk
