The conference planning committee is made up of researchers and providers with a wide array of personal and professional backgrounds, with representation from the Department of Defense (DoD), the Veterans Health Administration (VA), and private and public sector healthcare systems that serve military-connected populations. Learn more about each committee member by hovering over their photo.
Executive Planning Team
Dr. Borah is an Associate Research Professor at The University of Texas at Austin, Steve Hicks School of Social Work, and the Director of the Institute for Military and Veteran Family Wellness. Dr. Borah’s work focuses on conducting research and designing programs to identify effective programming and supports for service members, veterans, spouses, and their families.
Elisa Borah, MSW, PhD
Molly Platz received her Masters of Science in Social Work from The University of Texas at Austin. Molly currently serves as a Program Manager, Communications Specialist, and Conference Planner for the Veteran Spouse Network and the Institute for Military and Veteran Family Wellness, with a focus on communications and graphic design.
Molly Platz, LMSW
Laurianne currently serves as a VSN Program Coordinator for the Institute for Military and Veteran Family Wellness. Laurianne is a United States Air Force (USAF) veteran, who commissioned as a personnel officer and served on active duty at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. Although Laurianne separated from the USAF as a Captain, she remains happily married to an active-duty military officer,
Laurianne Rodriguez, MS
Anil Arora, LCSW, is a first-generation student at the University of Houston in his third year of doctoral studies in social work. Anil’s interests include supporting military/veteran individuals, military couples, and families. He is a practicing licensed clinical social worker in Colorado and California where he currently offers couples therapy to help them have a fulfilling relationship.
Anil Arora, LCSW
Abby Blankenship, PhD is a licensed clinical psychologist. Dr. Blankenship has expert training in cognitive and behavioral evidence-based psychotherapy for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). She has significant experience treating active duty service members, veterans and their families. Dr. Blankenship provides expert consultation to newly trained in Cognitive Processing Therapy for PTSD.
Abby Blankenship, PhD
Committee Members
Barry D. Adams, PhD, MSSW, LCSW, DCSW, founder and inaugural Commanding Officer of the Naval Medical Leader and Professional Development Command, retired Navy Captain and Navy Medical Service Corps Social Work Officer, is Primary Consultant with Adams Performance Strategies and Old Dam Productions/Pickard Mountain Publishers performance and content development enterprises.
Barry D. Adams, PhD, MSSW, LCSW, DCSW
LTC Rohul Amin MD is board certified in psychiatry and internal medicine. He is currently serving as the residency training program director for the National Capital Consortium and Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD. He has previously served as the chief of the Fort Belvoir residential treatment facility, and the 7th Infantry Division psychiatrist.
LTC Rohul Amin, USA, MD, FAPA, FACP
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Janet Belton
Ms. Christensen is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, currently serving as the National Program Manager for the Program of General Caregiver Support Services, Caregiver Support Program at the Veterans Health Administration. Since first joining the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in 2011, Ms. Christensen has been dedicated to carrying out the mission of the VA CSP, supporting the health and well-being of caregivers who care for our Nation’s Veterans.
Leah Christensen, LCSW
Major Jennifer Frazier is an active-duty officer in the United States Army with 16 years of service. She graduated from the Army-Fayetteville State University Master of Social Work Program in 2015. Prior to social work, she served as an engineer officer and combat medic. She has a wide range of clinical experience with service members and family members in both stateside and deployed settings. Her current instruction interest is substance use disorder clinical care.
MAJ Jennifer Frazier, LCSW, CADCI, BCD
LTC Lataya Hawkins is an Army Social Worker. She is currently stationed at the Medical Center of Excellence, Fort Sam Houston, Texas, where she serves as the Associate Dean for the Army Graduate School and as an Assistant Professor in the Army-University of Kentucky, Master Social Work Program. She is a licensed clinical social worker with over 20 years of experience serving in clinical and leadership positions in the civilian sector and in the U.S. Army.
LTC Lataya Hawkins, PhD, LCSW-S, BCD
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COL Nathan Keller, PhD, LCSW
Lt Col Erika King is a prior-enlisted, active duty Air Force social worker currently serving as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Leadership at the United States Air Force Academy. Since completing her PhD at the University of Texas in Austin in 2016, her research has focused on policies and practices affecting 1. servicewomen’s wellness and retention and 2. military behavioral health providers’ wellness, ethical care provision and retention.
Lt Col Erika King, PhD, LCSW
Rachele Misiti, LCSW-S is currently detailed to the VA Western States Network Consortium (WSNC) as a Care Coordination and Integrated Case Management (CC&ICM) Consortium lead. In this role Ms. Misiti provides consultation and guidance to facilities in the western states as they deploy CC&ICM. Prior to this, she served Assistant Chief of Social Work at Central Texas VA Healthcare System since 2018.
Rachele Misiti, LCSW-S
Lieutenant Colonel Teresa Murray is currently serving as the Director of the Army-University of Kentucky Master of Social Work Program at the U.S. Army Medical Center of Excellence. She has served as an active duty Medical Service Corps officer for over twenty years in a variety of administrative, leadership, and clinical roles in both garrison and deployed environments.
LTC Teresa D. Murray, PhD, LCSW
CPT Jessica M. Nanzer, DSW, LCSW, BCD is the Behavioral Health Officer for 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. She has a Masters and Doctorate of Social Work from University of Tennessee-Knoxville. Prior to service, CPT Nanzer worked in school-based mental health and private practice. CPT Nanzer’s areas of interest include perinatal mental health and relationships.
CPT Jessica M. Nanzer, DSW, LCSW, BCD
LTC Chris Paine, PhD, LCSW, BCD currently serves as the Defense Health Agency (DHA) Central Texas Market Lead, Behavioral Health; Director of Psychological Health at Fort Hood, Texas; and Chief of Behavioral Health at Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center, Fort Hood, Texas. Additionally, LTC Paine is an Adjunct Professor at The University of Texas, Steve Hicks School of Social Work.
LTC Chris Paine, PhD, LCSW, BCD
Dr. Katherine Selber is a Professor in the School of Social Work at Texas State University. She was appointed the Texas State University System Research Fellow from 2017-2018. She holds a Bachelors in Psychology from The University of Texas Austin, a Masters in Social Work from the University of Houston, and a Ph.D. in Social Work from the University of Texas Austin.
Katherine Selber, PhD, LMSW-AP
Lieutenant Colonel Roxanna E. Sheaffer, PsyD, is an active duty clinical psychologist currently serving as the Deputy Chief, Division of Behavioral Health Sciences at the United States Army Medical Center of Excellence. LTC Sheaffer has a wide range of clinical experience working with service members, has deployed three times in support of overseas contingency operations, and completed the Forensic Psychology fellowship training program.
LTC Roxanna Sheaffer, PsyD
Jennifer W. Silva, LCSW-S is a National Social Work LCT Chris Paine, PhD, BCD, MS Manager in the National Social Work Program, Care Management and Social Work Services, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin, School of Social Work with her Master of Science in Social Work. Her clinical areas of expertise include assessment and treatment in behavioral health, suicide prevention and social work in medical settings with a focus on the rural Veteran population.
Jennifer Silva, LCSW-S
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Janet Vaughn
Eugenia L. Weiss, PhD, PsyD, MSW, MA, is a licensed clinical social worker, licensed psychologist, and certified drug and alcohol counselor. Dr. Weiss is an Associate Professor and Director of the Master of Social Work program, at the University of Nevada Reno. She maintained a private practice for over 18 years working with military personnel, veterans, and their families.
Eugenia Weiss, PsyD, MSW, MA
COL Jeffrey S. Yarvis recently retired after 34 years of service. He was the first social worker to command a medical brigade, combat hospital, and hospital center and the first to social worker to graduate from the U.S. Army War College. COL (ret) Yarvis currently is the CEO Victory Leadership Consulting, LLC providing executive coaching to medical center directors in the VA and a Senior Professor of Practice for the Tulane University School of Social Work.