Leadership, Faculty, & Supervisors
Sentio University is a nonprofit graduate institution based in Los Angeles offering a Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy built from the ground up on the principles of Deliberate Practice. Our leadership, faculty, and clinical supervisors are accomplished practitioners, researchers, and educators who share a deep commitment to advancing the art and science of therapist training. Many hold licenses in California and bring decades of experience working with diverse communities across Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area, San Diego, Sacramento, and throughout the state.
What sets Sentio apart is our integrated training model. Students do not simply learn theory in a classroom. They engage in hundreds of hours of Deliberate Practice skill rehearsal and gain hands-on clinical experience at our guaranteed practicum site, the Sentio Counseling Center, where they provide high-quality, low-fee online therapy to underserved California residents. Faculty and supervisors use video-based feedback and individualized mentoring to develop each student's clinical effectiveness from day one, following the methodology outlined in The Essentials of Deliberate Practice book series published by the American Psychological Association.
Sentio is also a leader in AI safety research in mental health, and our faculty integrate safe and ethical AI training into the curriculum, making Sentio the first graduate program in mental health to do so. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, we are committed to openness about our governance, finances, and academic outcomes, which you can review on our Transparency page. For details on how the program prepares graduates for LMFT licensure in California, visit our licensure information page.
Cohorts are intentionally small, capped at 16 students, to ensure every student receives close faculty mentorship. Need-based and merit-based scholarships are available. If you are considering a career in marriage and family therapy, we invite you to attend an open house, request information, or apply now to join California's most innovative MFT training program.
Administration of Sentio California MFT Program
Dr. Tony Rousmaniere, President and Program Director
Tony Rousmaniere, Psy.D. is the President of Sentio University, and the Executive Director of the Sentio Counseling Center. He is also Past-President of the psychotherapy division of the American Psychological Association, and the author of over 20 books on Deliberate Practice and psychotherapy training, including the book series The Essentials of Deliberate Practice (APA Books). In 2017 he published the widely cited article in The Atlantic Monthly, “What your therapist doesn’t know”. Dr. Rousmaniere supports the "open data" movement towards making clinical outcome data available to consumers, policy-makers, and researchers by publishing his clinical outcome data on his website. He is a licensed psychologist in California and Washington.
Dr. Alexandre Vaz, Chief Academic Officer and Faculty Supervisor
Alexandre Vaz, Ph.D. has extensive experience in academic leadership and is the cofounder of the Deliberate Practice Institute. He provides workshops, webinars, and advanced clinical training and supervision to clinicians around the world. Dr. Vaz is the author/co-editor of over a dozen books on deliberate practice and psychotherapy training and the book series The Essentials of Deliberate Practice (APA Books). He has held multiple committee roles for the Society for the Exploration of Psychotherapy Integration (SEPI) and the Society for Psychotherapy Research (SPR). Dr. Vaz is founder and host of Psychotherapy Expert Talks, an acclaimed interview series with distinguished psychotherapists and therapy researchers. He is a licensed clinical psychologist in Portugal.
Mackenzie Stuart, Senior Deliberate Practice Trainer and Faculty
MacKenzie Stuart, LMFT, is a Senior Deliberate Practice Trainer and Faculty at Sentio. She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who works with adults, couples, partners, and families. She specializes in nontraditional relationship structures, including polyamory and other forms of consensual nonmonogamy, as well as chronic depression and suicidality. Her other clinical interests include psychosis, psychopharmacology and drugs, LGBTQIA2-S and GNC/non-binary communities, kink and BDSM practices, and sex work. MacKenzie enjoys psychodynamic case conceptualization, the enneagram, biofeedback, narrative and solution-focused interventions, and dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) skills. She is a member of core faculty at The Wright Institute in Berkeley and leads a private practice in Alameda.
Jason Brand, Senior Deliberate Practice Trainer and Faculty
Jason Brand, LCSW is a Senior Deliberate Practice Trainer and Faculty at Sentio. He is Certified in Deliberate Practice Supervision through the International Deliberate Practice Society. In his private psychotherapy practice Jason specializes in supporting the growth and development of men in an increasingly complex world. His work with men includes facilitating a group for fathers of young children. In his couples work, he is certified in PACT (The Psychobiological Approach to Couples Therapy). Jason lives in Berkeley with his wife of twenty years and their two teenage daughters. Find out more about Jason on his website: www.jasonbrand.com
Mikaela Abundez, Director of Student Services
Mikaela Abundez is the Director of Student Services at Sentio University and a Registered AMFT (#144302) at the Sentio Counseling Center. She holds a Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy from Touro University Worldwide and is trained in a variety of therapeutic modalities, including Emotionally Focused Therapy, Schema Therapy, and Internal Family Systems. Mikaela works with teens and adults, specializing in developmental trauma, relational challenges, depression, anxiety, and self-esteem concerns.
Peter Awad, Director of Internships
Peter Awad is the Director of Internships for Sentio University and Clinic Director of the Sentio Counseling Center. He holds a Master of Science in Counseling Psychology from California State University, Long Beach. He is Egyptian-American and has extensive research experience working with veterans, first responders, and individuals at risk of suicide. He also worked with professional athletes as a psychometrist at the Sports Concussion Institute. Peter is passionate about mindfulness and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).
Facultyof Sentio California MFT Program
Rocky Allemandi, Faculty at Sentio University
Rocky Allemandi, LMFT, received his Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology from John F. Kennedy University and is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the State of California. He has spent his career in the public mental health system as a clinician, clinical supervisor, and program manager. His focus has been on providing school-based mental health services and supporting youth and families involved in the foster care system. He is passionate about providing high-quality behavioral health services to adults, children, youth, and families.
Jason Brand, Faculty at Sentio University
Jason Brand received his Master of Social Work with an emphasis in Community Mental Health from California State University East Bay and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the state of California. Jason is a Senior Deliberate Practice Trainer at Sentio. He is a podcaster, husband and father who works primarily with couples and men. He is certified in PACT (Psychobiological Approach to Couples Therapy) and hosts The Human Nurture Podcast that explores the learning process of becoming a couples therapist. He also facilitates Fathers’ Forum, a men's group for fathers of young children (birth to 5 years old). Jason lives in Berkeley with his wife of twenty years, his teenage daughters and their two dogs.
Vidar Husby, Faculty at Sentio University
Vidar Husby, MS, received his Master of Science in Psychology from the University of Oslo. Vidar is a clinical psychologist with a significant contribution to the international development and advancement of Deliberate Practice (DP) in psychotherapy. His clinical work is based on humanistic, interpersonal and experiential approaches. He trains psychotherapists and supervisors across a wide range of theoretical orientations and clinical contexts. Vidar is also a founding board member of the International Deliberate Practice Society and a certified DP supervisor and trainer. He is the author of Deliberate Skills Training: Practicing Relational Skills in Psychotherapy (published in Norwegian, Gyldendal, 2023), and frequently presents on therapist development, clinical learning environments, and supervision methods in both academic and professional settings.
MacKenzie Stuart, Faculty at Sentio University
Mackenzie Stuart, LMFT, received her Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology from John F. Kennedy University and is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the State of California. Mackenzie works with adults, couples, partners, and families and specializes in nontraditional relationship structures, including polyamory and other forms of consensual nonmonogamy, as well as chronic depression and suicidality. Her other clinical interests include psychosis, psychopharmacology and drugs, LGBTQIA2-S and GNC/non-binary communities, kink and BDSM practices, and sex work. MacKenzie enjoys psychodynamic case conceptualization, the enneagram, biofeedback, narrative and solution-focused interventions, and dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) skills. She is a member of the core faculty at The Wright Institute in Berkeley and leads a private practice in Alameda.
Inês Amaro, Faculty at Sentio University
Inês Amaro, MS, received her Master of Science in Clinical and Health Psychology, Cognitive-Behavioral and Integrative Psychotherapy, from the University of Lisbon and is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist in Portugal. Inês has both worked in the community setting as well as private practice. As an integrative therapist, she seeks to combine several psychotherapeutic influences with an experiential and relational focus. Inês has specialized in Emotion Focused Therapy and continues her training this approach as well as in Interpersonal Reconstructive Therapy. She is also a member of the International Deliberate Practice Society and the Portuguese Emotion Focused Therapy Society.
Morgan Hart, Faculty at Sentio University
Morgan Hart, LCSW, earned a Master of Clinical Social Work degree from the University of California, Los Angeles, and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the State of California. With over 15 years of experience in private practice, Morgan specializes in working with adult individuals and couples, focusing on relational challenges, emotional well-being, and trauma recovery. She also has extensive experience as a Medical Social Worker, providing crisis intervention, psychosocial assessments, and care coordination for marginalized populations, including survivors of domestic violence, individuals facing housing insecurity, and families navigating neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) challenges. As a faculty member at the PACT Institute and the DEFT Institute, Morgan is actively involved in training therapists and advancing therapeutic models for emotional and relational health. Certified in PACT (Psychobiological Approach to Couple Therapy) and DEFT (Dynamic Emotion-Focused Therapy).
Angela Jensen Ramirez, Faculty at Sentio University
Angela Jensen Ramirez, LCSW, received her Master of Social Work from Portland State University. She is a highly experienced clinician specializing in couples therapy, sex therapy, and women’s reproductive health. As the director and primary clinician of Anew Therapy, PLLC, she has been providing individual, couples, and family psychotherapy since 2017, with a focus on diverse relationship styles, including ethical non-monogamy. Angela is certified supervisor in Texas and California, and completed advanced training in deliberate practice supervision, and earned certifications as an Emotionally Focused Therapist and Sex Therapist.
Julia Tisdale, Faculty at Sentio University
Julia Tisdale, LMFT, received her Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology from Santa Clara University and is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist from the Bay Area. She works primarily with anxiety, depression, trauma, and relationship issues. Julia uses short-term dynamic and emotion-focused frameworks to help guide her work. Julia also specializes in ketamine-assisted therapy and psychedelic integration.
Cristina Biasetto, Faculty at Sentio University
Cristina Biasetto, LCSW, received her Master of Social work from the University of California Berkeley and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the State of California. Cristina is the clinical supervisor and manager of the University of California San Francisco Trauma Recovery Center, which provides trauma-focused therapy and case management to survivors of interpersonal violence in San Francisco, CA. For about ten years, as a trilingual clinician (Spanish, Italian, and English), her clinical work has focused on the assessment and treatment of severe trauma, particularly among survivors who have experienced migration.
Dr. Jordan Harris, Faculty at Sentio University
Jordan Harris, Ph.D., LMFT-S, LPC-S runs the Sentio Deliberate Practice Coaching program. He is the lead author of the book Deliberate Practice in Multicultural Therapy. Dr. Harris is also co-developer of the Numerapy Model, a coaching program teaching therapists how to leave community based work and start their own solo counseling practices. Dr. Harris runs a solo counseling practice (Harris Couples Counseling, Marriage Therapy, & Private Practice Coaching) in Northwest Arkansas where he specializes in working with couples.
Dr. Sara Lappan, Faculty at Sentio University
Sara Lappan PhD, earned her Doctor of Philosophy in Human Development and Family Studies with a concentration in Couple in Family Therapy from Michigan State University, following a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology from Western Michigan University . Licensed as a Marriage and Family Therapist in California and serving as an AAMFT Approved Supervisor, Dr. Lappan brings extensive clinical expertise in individual, couple, and family therapy across diverse settings. Her clinical interests include community-based interventions, telemental health, and culturally responsive care, underscored by her immersive study of Spanish culture in Madrid. In addition to her academic role, she currently oversees curriculum development and clinical training as the Interim MFT Director at Kairos Pacific University, while also advancing research on community resilience and integrative mental health care.
Dr. Vanessa Zhou, Faculty at Sentio University
Vanessa Zhou PhD, earned her Doctor of Clinical Psychology from Seattle Pacific University and is a Licensed Psychologist in the state of Washington. She also is a neuropsychology postdoctoral fellow with extensive experience in psychological and neuropsychological assessment, as well as evidence-based therapy across diverse populations. Dr. Zhou’s clinical background spans inpatient, outpatient, academic, and community mental health settings, with specialized training in neurodevelopmental disorders, trauma, and culturally responsive care. Her research includes a randomized controlled trial examining telehealth mindful parenting interventions for parents of autistic children, reflecting her commitment to integrating mindfulness, neuropsychology, and multicultural frameworks. Dr. Zhou is passionate about culturally attuned care, mentorship, and advancing access to psychological services for underrepresented communities.
Clinical Supervisors of Sentio California MFT Program
Lynndal Daniels, Supervisor at Sentio Counseling Center
Lynndal Daniels, LMFT, received his Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology from the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology (Sofia University). Lynndal has been working in the field of personal transformation and change for over two decades and has been supervising trainees and associates in both individual and group settings since 2016. He also holds Board Certified Coach and Board Certified Telemental Health Provider credentials through the Center for Credentialing and Education.
Ariana Lloyd, Supervisor at Sentio Counseling Washington
Ariana Lloyd, LCSW, LICSW, is a dedicated Clinical Social Worker and Board-Approved Clinical Supervisor committed to serving the communities of Oregon and Washington for over 16 years. With a profound love for her community, Ariana endeavors to embody an anti-racism, gender, and sexuality affirming approach in her practice. Her humanistic perspective shapes her work as she supports individuals in their journey towards healing and growth.
Alycia O’Connell, Supervisor at Sentio Counseling Washington
Alycia O’Connell is a licensed social worker in both Oregon and Washington, as well as a master’s level certified drug and alcohol counselor in Oregon. Additionally, she is a Safe and Sound Protocol Practitioner. Her expertise lies in licensure and post-licensure supervision, chronic illness, depression, anxiety, and providing support to professionals in helping professions. Alycia employs a diverse range of treatment modalities, with some of her favorites including Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), Compassionate Inquiry, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), and Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT).
Dr. Mena Zaminsky, Supervisor at Sentio Counseling Center
Dr. Mena Zaminsky has been a practicing clinician for the past twenty-five years. She holds a Doctorate of Psychology in Marriage and Family Therapy and a Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology. Mena brings a strong somatic focus and a specialty in both trauma and working with couples. Dr. Zaminsky is a Certified Sensorimotor Psychotherapist and Certified Emotionally Focused Couples Therapist (CEFCT) and has extensive training in Hakomi, Psycho-Physical Therapy, Polyvagal Informed Treatment and EMDR, among other modalities. Dr. Zaminsky has served as the Program Chair and on the Board of Directors, Interim Registration Coordinator and Continuing Education Coordinator for the Northern California Community for Emotionally Focused Therapists (NCCEFT).
Layla Inés Davis, Supervisor at Sentio Counseling Center
Layla Inés Davis, LCSW, received her Master of Social Work from San Diego State University and is a bilingual (Spanish) and bicultural Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the State of California. In addition to her work as a mental health provider in an outpatient psychiatric clinic, she performs psychiatric evaluations in the emergency department and teaches child development at the community college level. She is a Feedback Informed Treatment Certified Trainer and a Cognitive Processing Therapy Provider.
Sharon Mead, Supervisor at Sentio Counseling Center
Sharon Mead, LMFT, received her Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology from Santa Clara University and is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the State of California. She specializes in couples therapy, couples counseling, marriage therapy, marriage counseling, individual therapy, and psychotherapy, multicultural/intercultural couples. She has advanced training Emotionally Focused Therapy and Level 2 training Gottman Method Couples Therapy. Before becoming a therapist, she worked for 13 years in software development and management at a large Bay Area technology company.
Margaret Petersen, Supervisor at Sentio Counseling Center
Margaret Petersen, LMFT, received her Master of Arts in Integral Counseling Psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies and is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the Stat of California. Margaret is also a Certified EFT Therapist and EFT Supervisor-in-training, specializes in relationships and all the many ways relationships can become so tricky to navigate at times with individuals, couples, and families in her private practice in Pleasanton, CA. Margaret has served on the Board of the Northern California Community for EFT (NCCEFT) since 2012 and is the Speaker Liaison for their Quarterly and Annual events. She has served on the Diversity Committee and Scholarship Committee of NCCEFT and has presented topics on EFT, couples, and sexuality to the community. Margaret truly enjoys helping clinicians become their most authentic therapeutic selves and she is honored to become part of the Sentio community!
Karen Flynn, Supervisor at Sentio Counseling Center
Karen Flynn, LMFT, grew up in Ireland and attended art college in Cork. She works as a couples therapist. Initially trained in the Gottman approach, she found her passion within the EFT community and uses the model for couples, families and individuals. Karen is enthusiastic about sharing her knowledge with newer therapists and frequently volunteers her time at EFT training events. In previous clinical settings, Karen treated adolescents and young adults with severe mental illness in community mental health settings. Karen is trained in DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy) and is certified to administer the SIPS (Structured Interview of Psychosis-Risk Syndromes).
Dr. Madeleine Miller-Bottome, Supervisor at Sentio Counseling Center
Madeleine Miller-Bottome, PhD, received her Doctor of Philosophy in Clinical Psychology from the New School for Social Research in New York and is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist in the State of California. Dr. Miller-Bottome is an attending clinical psychologist at Sutter Health California Pacific Medical Center in the Department of Psychiatry where she provides individual and group psychotherapy and consultation services to children, adolescents, and adults in the outpatient clinic and inpatient psychiatric unit. In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Miller-Bottome is a core faculty member of the psychiatry residency program and the post-doctoral health psychology fellowship.
Advisory Board of of Sentio California MFT Program
Dr. Naomi Tabak, Sentio University Advisory Board
Naomi Tabak, PhD, received her Doctor of Philosophy in Clinical Psychology from the University of Miami and is a licensed clinical psychologist (PSY 26153) in the State of California. Dr. Tabak is the director of the psychology training clinic at the University of California, Irvine's Department of Psychological Science. Dr. Tabak has worked in doctoral education and training since 2016, where she has supervised clinical psychology Ph.D. students and has taught doctoral-level courses in evidence-based psychological treatments. Dr. Tabak specializes in working with adults with depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder, and applies an open and culturally responsive approach to her clinical work. She utilizes evidence-based treatments, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and acceptance and mindfulness-based approaches. She is also a registered provider of Cognitive Processing Therapy for PTSD.
Abigail Torcedo, LMFT, Sentio University Advisory Board
Abigail Torcedo LMFT, is a dedicated Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Clinical Supervisor with a proven record of delivering client-centered, trauma-informed mental health care. Currently, she serves as the Clinical Supervisor for the Adult Outpatient Program at Tri-City Mental Health in Pomona, CA, where she specializes in counseling individuals experiencing moderate to severe mental illness. In addition to her supervisory role, Abigail provides telehealth services across Southern California with Cyti Psychological, utilizing evidence-based practices—including DBT, psychodynamic, and trauma-informed approaches—to develop tailored treatment interventions that promote resilience and recovery.
Katharina Sandiezell, LMFT, Sentio University Advisory Board
Katharina Sandizell, LMFT, is a certified Emotionally Focused Therapist and Supervisor and a student of AEDP. She has been seeing clients for over 20 years and is the founder and clinical director of her group practice, Love Frontier Therapy Group, where she supervises associates and consults with licensed therapists toward becoming skilled in the EFT model for couples, individuals, and families. Katharina has been putting together trainings for various non-profits and group practices for years around EFT couples therapy and the healing power of emotion and attachment. She is the former Director of Couples Therapy at the Community Institute for Psychotherapy where she was also a Clinical Supervisor, and provided trainings for post masters and doctorate level trainees and associates.
Sentio University Board
Owen Gintis, Treasurer
Owen Gintis is an entrepreneur who has been the owner, primary investor, and Board Member of a pioneering solar energy company in California since 2016. Mr. Gintis has experience with investment monitoring, information technology, and organizational growth and restructuring with a focus on prioritizing ethical business practices.
Justin Norris, J.D., Secretary
Justin Norris, JD has over 20 years of experience in higher education, serving in key roles focused on student affairs and institutional fundraising. His current role as Associate Vice President, Advancement Solutions and Innovation at Michigan State University involves leading strategic initiatives to enhance fundraising operations through technological innovation, data-driven strategies, and process improvements, aiming to foster a culture of continuous improvement and deliver a compelling donor experience. Previously he worked for as Portfolio Executive Leader at CampusWorks, Inc., leading strategic planning and digital transformation initiatives at higher education institutions. His volunteer work in equity and prejudice reduction further reflects his deep commitment to educational development and inclusive practices.
Dr. Tony Rousmaniere, President
Tony Rousmaniere, Psy.D. is the President of Sentio University, and the Executive Director of the Sentio Counseling Center. He is also Past-President of the psychotherapy division of the American Psychological Association, and the author of over 20 books on Deliberate Practice and psychotherapy training. He is co-editor of two book series: The Essentials of Deliberate Practice (APA Books) and Advanced Therapeutics, Clinical and Interpersonal Skills (Elsevier). In 2017, he published the widely cited article in The Atlantic Monthly, “What your therapist doesn’t know”. Dr. Rousmaniere supports the "open data" movement towards making clinical outcome data available to consumers, policy-makers, and researchers by publishing his clinical outcome data on his website. He is a licensed psychologist in California and Washington.
Contact Us
Mikaela Abundez
Director of Student Services
310-916-9378
Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm