The center is directed by expert researchers in partnership with policymakers, providers, and individuals who have lived experience with serious mental health issues. The Temple University Collaborative seeks to:

Our Staff

Mark Salzer, PhD

Dr. Salzer is a professor of the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Temple University and the Principal Investigator and Director of the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion of Individuals with Psychiatric Disabilities.

Gretchen Snethen, PhD, CTRS, FDRT

Dr. Snethen is the Associate Director for the Temple University Collaborative and an associate professor in the Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at Temple University. Her research focuses on using community-based recreation and transportation to increase community participation.

Eugene Brusilovskiy, MUSA

Eugene is the Director of Data Analytics at the Collaborative and the director of the Laboratory on Geography, Mobility and Disability at Temple University. His research focuses on how various environmental factors are associated with community participation.

Richard Baron, MA

Richard baron is the Director of Knowledge Translation at the Collaborative and focuses his current work on the knowledge translation activities of the Collaborative, including delivery of training, technical assistance, and consultation services to provider agencies, consumer groups, advocacy associations, and county and state mental health authorities.

Jeffrey Draine, MSW, PhD

Dr. Draine is a professor emeritus of Temple University. His primary research interests are rehabilitation, empowerment, and recovery oriented services for people involved with the justice system who also live with behavioral health concerns.

Bryan McCormick, PhD, CTRS, FDRT

Dr. McCormick is a professor in the Health and Rehabilitation Sciences Department at Temple University. His research focuses on the role of everyday social and community functioning in health and well-being for adults with serious mental illnesses. His work with the Collaborative focuses on the interrelationships of body functions, activities and community participation.

Beth Pfeiffer, PhD, OTR/L, BCP, FAOTA

Dr. Pfeiffer is an associate professor in the Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at Temple University and a licensed Occupational Therapist. Her current Collaborative research includes a study which applies her prior sensory and transportation research with individuals on the autism-spectrum to individuals with serious mental illnesses (SMI).

Greg Townley, PhD

Dr. Townley is an associate professor at Portland State University and and Co-Director of the Homelessness Research & Action Collaborative. He works with the TU Collaborative on studies examining social and physical environmental factors associated with community participation of individuals with serious mental illnesses, and his research interests include community inclusion, supported housing, and homelessness.

Liz Thomas, PhD

Dr. Thomas is an investigator with the Collaborative and research assistant professor in the Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at Temple University. Her research interests include early intervention in psychosis and implementation and outcomes related to peer support services.

Laysha Ostrow, PhD

Dr. Ostrow is the founder and CEO at Live & Learn, Inc. and a researcher working with the Collaborative on studies related to peer support, community participation, and social welfare systems. Her research investigates grassroots innovations that present safe and effective pathways to independence from the mental health system by promoting equity and empowerment.

Matthew Federici, MS

Matthew Federici is the Executive Director of the Copeland Center for Wellness and Recovery and works with the Collaborative to study applications of community inclusion through peer support practices and translating research for models of peer specialist practices and programs. He specializes in developing peer training and train-the-trainer models, creating community awareness on the importance of participation to recovery, and advocacy approaches to remove systematic barriers to community participation.

Katy Kaplan, PhD

Dr. Kaplan conducts research and training activities with the Collaborative in the area of parenting

Loran Kundra, JD, MSS, LSW

Loran Kundra is a research associate for the Collaborative. Her research focus is on parenting with mental health challenges and issues that mental health professionals with lived experience face in the workplace.

Shinichi Nagata, Ph.D., CTRS

Dr. Nagata is an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences at University of Tsukuba. His research interests include the mental health outcomes of active participation in the community.

Kyra Baker

Kyra Baker is the Collaborative’s community inclusion specialist, performing both interventionist and research assistant duties for multiple studies. She also hosts Collab Chats podcast and is involved in the creation of numerous documents and KT products.

Wei Song, Ph.D

Dr. Song is a postdoctoral fellow in the College of Public Health at Temple University and works with the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion to examine community participation among adults on the autism spectrum. She received funding from the Eagles Autism Challenge Fellowship to conduct this research.

Crystal M. Slanzi, PhD

Dr. Slanzi is a postdoctoral fellow with the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion and is focusing on understanding opportunity costs associated with community participation and precursors of participation.

Petra Kottsieper, PhD

Dr. Kottsieper has worked for many years in Philadelphia’s behavioral health system and works with the Center to examine service engagement, wounded healers/prosumers and creating welcoming work environments for people with mental health concerns, hope installation and meaning making, and cross service systems issues for individuals with complex issues.

Kathy Arazawa, B.S.

Kathy is a research assistant at the Collaborative. She is involved with participant coordination and data collection for several research projects and supports various KT activities.

Gillian MacDonald, BA

Gillian is a research assistant with the Collaborative. She works with the principal investigators to recruit participants, conduct surveys, and collect data. She also helps with the write-up of manuscripts and other tasks related to ongoing research studies. She is attaining her Master’s from Temple in Applied Research and Evaluation.