Laura Gutermuth Anthony, PhD is the Director of CIIRG. She is a Professor at the University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine, the director of the Executive Functioning Clinic at CU Medicine in the Department of Psychiatry and a psychologist at the Children's Hospital Colorado in the Pediatric Mental Health Institute. 

She was trained in a dual-degree Ph.D. program in clinical and developmental psychology that allowed her to gain expertise in both typical and atypical development. She carries this perspective in her work since then, whether treating patients, training students, or designing research studies. Her unifying career goal has been to help individuals with developmental disorders move closer to their optimal developmental trajectories. Since graduate school, she has used the combination of qualitative and quantitative methods in her research work and has honed skills in including stakeholder input throughout the process of measure and intervention development and evaluation. In her clinical work, she evaluates and treats children, adolescent sand adults with executive function difficulties and is the Director of the Executive Functioning Clinic at CU Medicine. She is especially interested in developing, testing, and implementing evidence-based practices in the communities where they are needed.

She is a co-author of the Unstuck and On Target curricula and resources, a school-and home-based executive function intervention proven in multiple research trials (unstuckandontarget.com). Much of her current research is focused on developing and evaluating this evidence-based treatment program to improve executive functioning, including cognitive flexibility, goal-setting, prioritizing/planning and coping skills in children with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders, Unstuck and On Target. This project has received private foundation, NIMH and PCORI funding, and through this funding we have expanded into four age groups in schools, and a new online parent training model.

She is a senior member of the team that is building groundbreaking expertise in gender differences in ASD (led by John Strang), as well as gender and racial disparities in ASD measures and increasing acceptance (Sesame Street). She is also currently a Co-Investigator on a NIMH funded ACE network study investigating sex and gender differences in ASD symptomatology and longitudinal brain development during the transition from adolescence to adulthood. 

She brings the following areas of expertise to the CIIRG: school-based trial methodology; pragmatic study design; qualitative and quantitative (mixed methods) data analysis; implementation factors, experience on multiple federally-funded school based intervention studies; deep experience in mentoring at all levels, including K awardees and T32s, as well as an active clinical treatment practice in an academic medical center.

Dr. Bruno Anthony

Bruno J. Anthony, Ph.D.is a clinical psychologist, Professor and Vice-Chair of Psychiatry and Chief of Psychology for the Pediatric Mental Health Institute at Children’s Hospital of Colorado as well as Research Director of Partners for Children’s Mental Health. Dr. Anthony received degrees in Developmental Psychology at Columbia University and Clinical Psychology at the University of Wisconsin and internship at the Yale Child Study Center. Prior to coming to Colorado 4 years ago, he carried out work at the intramural division of NIMH, the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Maryland and Georgetown University. He has focused his research and clinical work on developing family-focused and systemic approaches to identify and help children with behavioral/ developmental challenges and their families within primary care and school settings, including increasing access to quality of health services for minority populations. He has also been a leader in determining key components of peer support and the impact of this growing part of the mental health service array. AtGeorgetown, he was Deputy Director of the Center for Child and Human Development which has been at the forefront of developing systems change strategies for children with disabilities nationally, championing culturally competent services and approaches. Dr. Anthony has been a lead investigator on many large federal and state grants, has served as a member of federal review panels and has published more than 60 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters.

Dr. Jacob Holzman

Dr. Jacob Holzman is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry through the University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine as well as a Licensed Psychologist at Children’s Hospital Colorado. He completed his doctoral training at Northern Illinois University with a focus on Child Clinical Psychology which was followed by internship training at the University of Texas / Dell Children’s Hospital and fellowship training at University of Colorado Anschutz / Children’s Hospital Colorado. Clinically, Dr. Holzman has specialty training in early childhood prevention/intervention modalities for challenging behavioral concerns (e.g., difficulty listening, irritable outbursts) and emotional (e.g., Selective Mutism, Separation Anxiety) concerns, particularly as an Internationally Certified Parent-Child Interaction (PCIT)Therapist. He also has developed a research program focused on investigating interactions between underlying transdiagnostic mechanisms (e.g., temperament, self-regulation) and contextual factors (e.g.,parenting) in the development and maintenance of behavioral health concerns. In particular, Dr. Holzman investigates factors related to self-regulation (e.g., emotion regulation, executive functioning)that contribute to stressful experiences for parents, affect parenting behaviors, and potentially predict responses to treatments for early childhood mental health concerns. Dr. Holzman’s current projects are focused on evaluating factors that predict responses to parenting focused interventions. Ultimately, this line of work is intended to enhance clinical interventions that improve the mental health and well-being of young children and their caregivers in effective, pragmatic, and equitable ways.

Dr. Jessica Hawks

Jessica Hawks, Ph.D. is a clinical child and adolescent psychologist and the clinical director of ambulatory services at the Pediatric Mental Health Institute, Children’s Hospital Colorado. She is also an assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, at the University of Colorado Anschutz. Dr. Hawks provides outpatient mental health services to children and families presenting with a wide spectrum of mental health concerns. She has clinical expertise in working with children with behavioral difficulties and/or chronic irritability and their parents. Dr. Hawks leads clinical services and provides training and supervision to a variety of mental health trainees and professionals. Her research focuses on innovative clinical program development and dissemination efforts aimed at bringing a transdiagnostic approach to pediatric mental health assessment and treatment services, particularly as it pertains to pediatric behavioral difficulties and/or chronic irritability. Dr. Hawks is routinely invited to interview for state and national media outlets, as well as provide community lectures, on pediatric mental health.

Dr. Michelle West

Dr. West is a licensed clinical psychologist and director of the Program for Early Assessment, Care, and Study (PEACS). She has expertise in assessment and treatment of early psychosis, including early risk and first episode psychosis (FEP). She was previously the assistant director of an early psychosis program in Massachusetts (CEDAR Clinic, of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center – Harvard Medical School and the Brookline Center for Community Mental Health).  

Dr. West has experience working with psychosis spectrum symptoms in clinical, research, and forensic contexts, at all stages of development of these symptoms. Her research has investigated stigma and self-stigma of mental illness. Her current projects focus on understanding and treatment of clinical high risk for psychosis, including outcomes assessment for a coordinated specialty care treatment, developing a school/work treatment, and developing a treatment for co-occurring risk for self-harm. Her clinical and research interests include diagnosis and treatment with complex clinical presentations, cognitive behavioral therapy for psychosis (CBT-p), dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), and assessment/collaborative management of suicide risk.

Dr. West is an Assistant Professor at the CU Anschutz. She was previously an Instructor in Psychology at Harvard Medical School and at Massachusetts Mental Health Center Public Psychiatry Division of the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Dr. West earned her undergraduate degree in psychology and philosophy at Colgate University, her master's in forensic psychology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, and her doctorate in clinical psychology at the City University of New York Graduate Center at John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

Dr. Sarah M. Kennedy

Dr. Sarah M. Kennedy is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine. Her research focuses on the development, evaluation, and implementation of youth transdiagnostic interventions across settings. She is a developer and author of Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders in Children and Adolescents (UP-C/A) and has authored and co-edited several treatment manuals and workbooks. Dr. Kennedy has particular interest and expertise in adapting transdiagnostic, evidence-based interventions for acute psychiatric settings and community delivery, as well as in personalizing transdiagnostic interventions to optimize response. She has published widely in the areas of child anxiety and transdiagnostic interventions and regularly provides training and consultation on the UP-C and UP-A. She also provides clinical services and training at the Children’s Hospital Colorado.