Steering Committee

Adam Kuczynski, PhD

Co-director | University of Washington

Dr. Adam Kuczynski is a clinical psychologist and Assistant Professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. He received his PhD from the University of Washington in 2023 after completing his pre-doctoral internship at the same institution, training in serious mental illness and inpatient care at Harborview Medical Center and psycho-oncology Fred Hutch Cancer Center. Dr. Kuczynski works clinically on UW's long-term civil commitment inpatient unit and studies strategies to improve inpatient care for individuals with serious mental illness, as well as the integration of digital technologies and artificial intelligence in mental health treatment.

Alexandra Moussa-Tooks, PhD

Co-director | Indiana University Bloomington

Dr. Alexandra Moussa-Tooks is a clinical psychologist and Assistant Professor at Indiana University Bloomington (IUB). She received her dual PhD in Psychology and Neuroscience from IUB in 2021 after completing a pre-doctoral internship at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in the Early Psychosis Program. She studies sensorimotor processes and cerebellar system disturbances in psychotic disorder phenomenology. She is deeply committed to translational goals of her research, including applications for intervention, and understanding and rectifying racial bias in psychotic disorder assessment, diagnosis, and care, especially in the inpatient setting.

Connor Adams, PsyD

Chair of Education and Training | Stanford University

Dr. Connor Adams is a psychologist and Clinical Associate Professor at Stanford University. She received her PsyD from the George Washington University, completed internship training at Harvard Medical School/Cambridge Health Alliance, and did a fellowship through Stanford University. Her clinical and research interests center on therapeutic interventions that support recovery for individuals living with serious mental illness. Dr. Adams grounds her work in a psychodynamic perspective and has specialized training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Psychosis (CBTp) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). She also runs a small private practice in the Bay Area, where she provides treatment for individuals with serious mental illness, including individuals recently discharged from the hospital.

Danielle Currin, PhD

Chair of Clinical Practice | Emory University

Dr. Danielle Currin is an inpatient clinical psychologist and Assistant Professor at Emory University School of Medicine (EUSOM). She received her PhD from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2024 after completing a pre-doctoral internship at EUSOM. She currently serves as the sole psychologist for two behavioral health units at Emory Decatur Hospital, where she provides both group and individual psychotherapy and is dedicated to expanding the psychological services offered to patients. Outside of the hospital, she writes both academic papers and informal blog posts on issues of health equity and serves on committees to promote community among psychologists.

Xian Zhang, PsyD

Chair of Policy and Advocacy | University of Washington

Dr. Xian Zhang is a clinical psychologist with training in serious mental illness via inpatient care, psychiatric emergency rooms, partial hospitalization programs, and consult/liaison teams in public hospitals in Denver, Colorado and New York City, New York. She is passionate about improving trauma-informed inpatient care for marginalized populations who are navigating complex stressors and interpersonal dynamics, such as immigrant and BIPOC communities. She currently works at the University of Washington Long-term Civil Committment inpatient psychiatry program.

Peter Phalen, PsyD

Chair of Research and QI | University of Maryland

Dr. Peter Phalen is an Assistant Professor and clinical psychologist at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. His research focuses mostly on psychosis, suicide, and community mental health. He is the Principal Investigator on a grant from NIMH for a clinical trial of DBT skills training for people with psychotic disorders at high risk of suicide. Dr. Phalen is an expert in applied statistical methods and has substantial experience implementing clinical programs across various settings, including in inpatient psychiatry units.

Tara Augenstein, PhD

Chair of Community Integration | University of Rochester

Dr. Tara Augenstein is a clinical psychologist and Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Department of Psychiatry. She received her PhD from the University of Maryland College Park in 2018 after completing her pre-doctoral internship at Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Augenstein is the Lead Psychologist and Director of Therapeutic Services for the Adult and Geriatric Inpatient Psychiatry program at the University of Rochester Medical Center. Dr. Augenstein's research sits at the intersection of clinical innovation, psychiatric assessment, and psychological mechanisms of vulnerability, with an emphasis on high-risk, underserved, or difficult-to-assess populations.