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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Nicolette is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and a Substance Use Disorder Certified Counselor (SUDCC) and has worked in the field of Substance Use Disorders for 6 years. She has been practicing as an MFT intern for 2 years. Nicolette received her B.A. in Psychology at Sonoma State University and M.A degree in Counseling Psychology Program with an Emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy, Professional Clinical Counseling, and Depth Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute. Nicolette is trained in Depth Psychology and Substance Use Counseling. She has experience working with the homeless population of Marin County as well as in-home services for families and children struggling with mental health and behavioral issues. Nicolette uses a client-centered, humanistic and transpersonal approach to therapy along with a trauma-informed approach to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. For fun, Nicolette enjoys kayaking, bicycling, archery and creative arts.
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Clinical Program Supervisor – Skillman Program
Dr. Grimley is board-certified in both adult and child and adolescent psychiatry and has over 36 years of experience. She has expertise in alternative interventions including neurolinguistics programming and EMDR, has studied homeopathy, Gestalt, and Core Energetic therapies, and is open to incorporating individualized strategies for each patient. Dr. Grimley’s past leadership appointments include Medical Director, Aurora Santa Rosa Hospital; Medical Director, John Muir Behavioral Health Center Adolescent PHP and IOP; and with the Marin County Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services both with adolescents and adults. She is also a published author, teacher and has been recognized and honored for her outstanding accomplishment in teaching medical students.
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Dr. Nan Herron is a triple board-certified psychiatrist who received her training at Yale University and Brown University Medical School. She completed post graduate training at Brown University with a triple-board residency in Pediatrics, Psychiatry and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and was a Clinical Fellow in Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (supervised by Bessel van der Kolk, MD) at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University Medical School. Dr. Herron has extensive training in Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction from the University of Massachusetts Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Training program and is certified in Trauma-Informed Mind-Body Programs. She has also received certification at the Marin Mindfulness Institute: Teaching for Children and Adolescents, and 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Certification. She has authored publications on the history of trauma in psychiatry, as well as trauma and the development of borderline personality disorder. Dr. Herron is affiliated with the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, American Medical Association, and First Responder Support Network.
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Physician
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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Clinical Trainee
Cameron is a licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist. Cameron earned his B.A. in both History and Study of Religion from UCLA. He earned his M.A. in Theological Studies from Duke University and his M.S. in Clinical Counseling from California State University, Fullerton. Cameron is a trained EMDR and trauma therapist. He has experience working with several diverse communities including homeless populations, Muslim populations, Rwandan communities, etc. Cameron uses a humanistic and client-centered approach to therapy as well as emphasizing ecotherapy and human evolutionary development. Cameron has a passion for working with adolescent males and groups of young men. Cameron is originally from Southern California, enjoys hiking, backpacking, and long distance running with his dog. He has hiked the Pacific Crest Trail and Appalachian Trail as well as completed multiple 100-mile races.
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Recovery Counselor
Eating Disorder Specialist
Recovery Counselor
Therapist
Therapist
Dr. Schiller is a Yale and University of Chicago trained psychiatrist who has been a leader in the development of technologies that provide an objective and effective basis for guiding psychiatric medical treatment. He received his M.D. from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine and has an MS in Economics from Golden Gate University. Additionally, he has been honored as a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association (DFAPA).
He continues his research involvement in his role as Director of Medical Affairs of CNS Response, now Mynd Analytics. He is also the developer of Referenced Electroencephalogram (rEEG) which assists psychiatrists with medication selection. In addition to his work on electrophysiological technology, Dr. Schiller also focuses on the medication treatment of a broad range of difficult-to-treat psychiatric disorders. These disorders include treatment-resistant depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, adult attention deficit disorder, and addiction. The latter is a focus of his work as a consultant for the Bayside Marin Center drug and alcohol program.
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Recovery Counselor
Rebecca has 7 years of experience in the mental health field and has developed a deep appreciation for applying a social work lens to clinical work. Her most recent position involved serving as a clinician in Oakland for a level 1 contracted Alameda County service provider, specializing in the transitional-age youth population. Originally from Mill Valley, Rebecca has lived in New York City, Los Angeles, and Oakland. Recently, Rebecca made the move to Rohnert Park. Her passion for mental health and social work, combined with her diverse experiences, will undoubtedly contribute to Muir Wood’s mission and objectives.
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Trevor has worked in the addiction field for 3 years. He enjoys helping people become the best versions of themselves while sharing the tools and knowledge he has on them. Trevor always tries to encourage his clients to stay positive and search for what they are passionate about so they can one day achieve it. Trevors hobbies are watching sports and working out at the gym where he is also a part-time personal trainer.
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Group Facilitator
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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Basia Sowle is a master’s level, registered nurse who was trained at NY Presbyterian Cornell Hospital in New York City, where she worked for years as a clinical specialist in Neurosurgery. Basia moved to California and was offered a position at Cedar Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles where she was recognized as a distinguished member of the adult and pediatric surgery departments. She was responsible for developing nursing assessments, education protocols regarding medications and treatment, documentation of care, and patient safety. In the past five years, Basia has been employed at UCSF as Clinical Nurse III. At UCSF, Basia was a candidate and recognized by the university for the prestigious DAISY Award. We are honored to have a nurse of this caliber at Muir Wood Adolescent and Family Services.
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Nurse
Nurse
Nurse
Vandy is a full-time nurse at Muir Wood Adolescent and Family Services. She’s has been a registered nurse for over two decades. Her experience includes working as a Primary Care Nurse for Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, a Clinical Care Nurse at Orangewood Children’s Home, and most recently as the District School Nurse for the Piner-Olivet Union School District. As a District School Nurse, Vandy’s responsibilities included managing all of the students’ health needs, managing other LVN’s and RN’s, and working directly with parents and support staff to ensure that appropriate accommodations were in place for any health-related issues (e.g. immunizations, medications, environmental allergies, health screenings). At Muir Wood Adolescent and Family Services, Vandy works with the boys from the time of admission, where she performs a nursing assessment and throughout their stay managing their medical care in collaboration with Muir Wood Adolescent and Family Services’ internal medicine physician, Psychiatrist, and other nurses. Vandy is an incredible asset to the boys, staff and families at Muir Wood Adolescent and Family Services.
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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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Academic Assistant
Multi-subject Credentialed Teacher
Shift Supervision
Shift Supervisor/Training Coordinator
Shift Supervisor
Shift Supervisor
After 25 years of superior customer service, sales, and managerial adventures in the business and corporate sector, Gary Drocco chose to resign his position as president of Diablo Retail Systems. This allowed him to focus his time and energy on establishing more profound individual relationships through business and life coaching. In 2011, he decided to blend his existing work experience in training, coaching, and management with that of his collegiate background and interests in psychology, sociology, and counseling. He has a B.A. from Whittier College in psychology, with relational knowledge and collegiate course work in adolescent, child, adult, exceptional, experimental, abnormal, behavioral, and clinical psychology. Collegiate course work and relational career coaching include marriage and family, personal and family health, casework management, and substance abuse counseling. For the last two years, he has worked with Aldea Children and Family Services in Napa, CA, as a residential treatment counselor (RTS). As an RTS, he provides supervision, support, and instruction to adolescent boys ages 12–19 in a variety of activities and environments, including behavioral, educational, and vocational instruction in order to achieve and exceed client goals and objectives.
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Shift Supervisor
Shift Supervisor
Shift Supervisor
Shift Supervisor
Sarahi has been working with adolescents for 5 years and in mental health for 2 years. She is actively pursuing a doctorate in Clinical Psychology. She hopes to help and inspire the teens that come to Muir Wood to persevere through their struggles and to hope for a better life.
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Shift Supervisor
Shift Supervisor – Skillman Program
Care Coordinator
Care Coordinator
Care Coordinators
Care Coordinator Manager- Skillman Program
Care Coordinator Manager – Lohrman Program
Care Coordinator
Care Coordinator
Care Coordinator
Care Coordinator
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Care Coordinator
Care Coordinator
Care Coordinator
Care Coordinator
Care Coordinator
Care Coordinator
Care Coordinator
Care Coordinator
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Care Coordinator
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Care Coordinator
Care Coordinator
Care Coordinator
Care Coordinator
Care Coordinator
Care Coordinator
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
