Sandra Wilkniss, Ph.D., Director of Research
Sandra oversees the numerous services, implementation, and clinical outcomes research projects currently underway at Thresholds. Her research interests also include cognitive and psychosocial interventions that improve quality of life for individuals with severe mental illness.
Nancy Little, M.A., L.C.P.C., Director of Training
Nancy earned her Master of Arts Degree in Counseling Psychology from the Adler Professional School. Among other duties, Nancy coordinates the activities of three Training Associates in developing and delivering training and consultation services to internal and external customers of Thresholds.
Kristin Davis, Ph.D., Assistant Director of Research
Kristin is the Assistant Director of the Thresholds' Institute. Her current role is to develop and study wellness initiatives for the Institute and agency. Her projects include a randomized controlled trial of Integrated Illness Management and Recovery, an observational study of coordination between physical and mental health providers, an environmental "Wellness Campaign" intervention, and a forthcoming exercise and cognition study. In addition, she studies workforce issues related to Evidence Based Practice implementation.
Alexandra Teachout, M.A., Research Associate
As a research program coordinator, Alex has been with Thresholds for three years. Her research interests include cultural competency, health and wellness, and the integration of physical and mental health care services for people with serious mental illness.
Shirley Helm, M.M., Training Associate
Shirley earned her Master of Music Degree from the University of Cincinatti College-Conservatory. A verteran consumer of mental health services and a member of Thresholds since 1998, she has worked in the Training Department since 2000. In addition to developing and conducting trainings for staff, consumers, members, families, and the community at large, she serves on the Agency's Recovery Steering Committee and on the Implementation Team of the Doorway to Integrated Health Care, a partnership between Thresholds and the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Nursing.
Nesha Brashears, B.A., C.A.D.C., Training Associate
Nesha has been with Thresholds since 1996, starting her career at the agency as a case manager on the Bridge West ACT team. She graduated from the University of Iowa with a Bachelor's Degree in Sociology and has a Certificate in Drug and Alcohol Counseling. Nesha has trained employees of Thresholds and other agencies on a variety of topics including Cultural Diversity, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and EQ in the Workplace.
Rochelle Frounfelker, M.S.S.W., M.P.H., Research Associate
Rochelle focuses her work on evidence-based Supported Employment (SE). She is currently involved with the Mental Health Treatment Study (MHTS), a national SE study funded by the Social Security Administration, as well as a NIDRR-funded Supported Employment/Supported Education study for transition-age youth. In addition to these research projects, she works on the evaluation of SE at Thresholds and has provided external consultation and technical assistance to other agencies and states on implementing and supporting the practice.
Susan M. Kaiser, M.P.H., Research Associate
Susan coordinates recruitment and enrollment efforts, conducts structured clinical interviews and administers neuropsychological assessments for a variety of research studies. She is also involved in organizing an agency wide initiative to promote overall health and wellness. Susan's interests include: cognitive interventions, behavioral health workforce development, leadership and organizational change, health and wellness initiatives, evidence based approaches to improve the quality of primary health care for people with serious mental illness (SMI), managed care strategies, factors contributing to increased medical comorbidities for individuals with SMI, healthcare reform, and transdiagnostic processes.
Vanessa Vorhies, M.S.S.W., Doctoral Candidate-The University of Chicago Social Service Administration, Research Associate
Vanessa’s research interests include transition age youth and young mothers with severe mental illness and trauma histories, social capital and networking, mental health intervention development, adaptation, and evaluation, as well as preventing mental and physical illness in at risk populations. Vanessa coordinates projects with the Thresholds Young Adult Program and the Mothers’ Project and also serves as a therapist and clinician for research studies with the adult population at Thresholds.
Crystal M. Glover, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Research Fellow from Dartmouth Psychiatric Research Center
Crystal earned a Ph.D. in Social Psychology from Howard University. Crystal’s main research project involves understanding the techniques of employment specialists through observation and interview techniques. The study is conducted in an effort to understand theory to application for supported employment, to improve supported employment outcomes for members, and to improve job training for employment specialists. In addition, Crystal analyzes existing data in an effort to understand and improve supported employment outcomes for various subpopulations of members including ethno-racial minorities and individuals with criminal histories.
William Reedy, R.N.
William Reedy provides Integrated Illness Management and Recovery (I-IMR) services in an ongoing study in collaboration with Dartmouth Medical School. He also acts as a liaison between the UIC Integrated Healthcare Centers and Thresholds program staff and provides direct care to Thresholds members in the Private Access program. He is an adjunct faculty member at Wilbur Wright College teaching health skills, including CPR and first aid, in a certification program for mental health workers.
John Hilburger, Ph.D., CRC, FNRCA
After a 20 year career of direct service and administration at Thresholds, John went on to receive his Ph.D.in Psychology in 1995 from the Illinois Institute of Technology. Subsequently, he taught for eleven years at the IIT Institute of Psychology's Rehabilitation Counselor Training Program. His research interests centered in the areas of readiness for rehabilitation and career development for people with severe mental illness. He is now retired and serves as the volunteer chair of the Thresholds Institutional Review Board.
Past Thresholds Research Directors have gone on to become highly acclaimed in the field.
They include: Dr. Gary Bond Dr. Judith Cook
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