Joyce Gatson, M.A., L.P.C.
Clinical Manager

What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us. – Emerson

As Clinical Manager, Joyce oversees a staff of 13 while continuing to serve clients as well. Joyce has been in the mental health field for over twenty years, serving a wide variety of populations. Her strength is her ability to meet clients where they are and help them achieve their goals through whatever modality is most appropriate for the person.

Arnetta DeCamp, M.S. Ed.
Program Coordinator

Arnetta has a Master’s Degree in Education and has over 25 years of experience working with both children and adults with developmental disabilities and adults with serious mental illness. She has provided positive behavioral support to teams within the state as well as conducted training to state employees and families. She serves as supervisor for the DDD Team.

Sharon A. Carl, M.A., L.P.C.
Program Coordinator

Sharon is an Arizona Licensed Professional Counselor and an experienced clinical supervisor and clinician.  She holds an M.A. degree in Counseling from Ottawa University and an M.A. in Education from Arizona State University. Additionally, she holds an Advanced Graduate Specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy from Ottawa University.  She has advanced training in play therapy, attachment therapy and early childhood trauma, as well as non-profit leadership.

Sharon specializes in counseling with children and families. She is skilled in working with bonding and attachment, childhood trauma recovery, adoption and foster care issues, grief and loss, infertility, ADHD, parenting issues and blended families.

She is a member of the Association for Play Therapy, Inc., Arizona Association for Play Therapy, and the American Association of Christian Counselors. Additionally, Sharon holds Arizona Secondary and Community College Teaching Certificates.  She currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Arizona Play Therapy Association and is their Education Committee Chair.  Sharon also serves on the Board of Hannah’s Home, a home for pregnant or parenting teen women in Prescott Valley.   She is a member of Phi Theta Kappa.

Amy Palmisano, B.S., C.F.L.E.
Consultant

Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. – Mother Teresa

Amy graduated in December 2008 from Southwestern College with her Bachelor's Degree in Behavioral Health, and a minor in Family Studies. She also has a Certificate of Family Life Education. She is currently working as a Support Specialist doing intakes and attending CFTs for our clients. She looks forward to continuing her career in the field and plans to go back to school to get her Master's Degree.

Ayesha Davenport, B.A.
Consultant

Ayesha has a Bachelor’s in Psychology from Temple University and is experienced in foster care licensure and case management. She also has a special interest in out-of-home-placement. She works with both DDD and Magellan clients as well as clients with Spanish-language needs.

Caty Starkey, A.A.
Support Specialist

As we work to make our individual lives sane and happy we each contribute to the health of our entire planet.

Caty has worked in the behavioral health field and with people with developmental disabilities for over 30 years.  She has specifically worked with people with dual diagnoses. She is currently working as our Support Specialist doing intakes, observations and facilitating Person Centered Plans and Client Family Team Meetings.

Crystal Susko, M.A.
Consultant

The purpose of life is not to be happy – but to matter, to be productive, to be useful, to have it make some difference that you have lived at all. - Leo Rosten, American teacher and humorist

Crystal earned her Master’s Degree in Counseling and Community Psychology. She is a consultant with the Child & Family Team and specializes in working with children with a behavioral diagnosis and their families.

Dana Flannery, B.A.
Consultant

Courage can't see around corners but goes around them anyway. – Mignon McLaughlin

Dana has worked in the behavioral health field for several years working as a case manager for Value Options and as a behavioral consultant for MedPro. She specializes in counseling for clients with challenging mental health diagnoses, including conducting Dialectical Behavioral Therapy. She works with clients from both DDD and Magellan.

Darren Matusen, M.A.
Consultant

After completing his educational and professional training in Chicago, Boston, and San Francisco, Darren began his work with CCS in Phoenix as the organization’s Autism Spectrum Disorder Consultant in August 2005. His consultation work in Arizona has focused on the provision of comprehensive behavioral intervention programs for children with a diagnosis on the autism spectrum. Specifically, he has provided valuable training and guidance to almost two hundred children and their families on the principles of applied behavior analysis, social integration strategies, and sensory processing activities in homes, schools, and community settings. In addition, he co-facilitates social skills groups for children between the ages of 5 and 12 who face a range of difficulties when relating to both peers and adults.

DeOtis Nunn, M.B.A.
Consultant

We ether influence change or be affected by those who do.

DeOtis has a wide range of experience working with people with developmental disabilities. He specializes in using positive inquiry and positive intervention with his clients with whom he does counseling and consulting as part of the DDD Team.

Karmin Fowler, M.A.P.C., L.A.C., N.C.C.
Consultant

Be the change you wish to see in the world. – Gandhi

Karmin is a consultant for the Child & Family Team and works with children, adolescents, and their families. She has experience in Family Systems Approach, Attachment theory, Object Relations Theory, Thera-play, and Expressive art techniques.  She specializes in working with children with Reactive Attachment Disorder. Karmin has training in PCIT-Parent Child Interaction Therapy and co-facilitates social skills groups for adolescents. She received her Master’s degree from Ottawa University after completing a B.A. in Psychology and a B.S. in Family Resources/Human Development at Arizona State University. Karmin is an Arizona Licensed Associate Counselor and is certified by the National Board of Certified Counselors.

Kristen Ward, M.A.
Consultant; Group Coordinator

The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul! – Proverbs 13:19

Kristen graduated with a M.A. in Mental Health Counseling from Boston College.  Her experience in Boston and in Phoenix has been working with children and families on family dynamics and developmental disabilities, and she specializes in group counseling and children with Asperger's.

Mychal Tepker, B.A.
Consultant

Courage does not always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying 'I will try again tomorrow'. - Mary Anne Radmacher

Mychal graduated from Concordia University in California in 2004 with her Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Studies with a minor in Child Development. She is a consultant for the developmental disabilities team specializing in positive behavioral support programs for children with a diagnosis on the autism spectrum. She also co-facilitates social skills groups for children with a range of difficulties relating to peers.

Nancy Barkley, M.S.W.
Consultant

If you could choose one characteristic that would get you through life, choose a sense of humor. – Jennifer Jones

As a consultant for the developmental disabilities team, Nancy uses Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Client-Centered Theory, and Family Systems Theory in her approaches with clients. She works with both children and adults in the DDD and Magellan systems.

Ruth Oduori, M.Ed. Counseling
Consultant

Courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear. - Nelson Mandela

Ruth has a Bachelor’s degree in Education from the University of Nairobi, Kenya and a Master’s of Education in Counseling from Northern Arizona University in 2004. She has 5 years of experience in the behavioral health field and extensive experience working with troubled youth and their families. Ruth is trained and experienced in Multisystemic Therapy (MST) and has additional experience in HIV/AIDS counseling and working with diversified populations. She specializes in individual, couples, and family counseling, person-centered plan facilitation, developmental disabilities, staff training and Autism Spectrum Disorders. She was a researcher for an international cross-cultural renowned health guide “Where Women Have No Doctor"- A health guide on medical, psychological and reproductive health issues of women. Ruth is bilingual and speaks English and Swahili and can serve immigrants and refugees from Africa.

Ulises Gonzalez, M.A.P.C.
Consultant

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future. - Jeremiah 29:11

Ulises Gonzalez earned his MAPC and Specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy through Ottawa University in 2007.  Ulises’ passion is enriching marriages and families, and personal growth and development.  He is most experienced in working with adolescent through adult age clients and also has a passion for Men’s issues.  Ulises’ experience with families spans his Military service, Inner city pastoral work and work with Foster care and adoption.

Jeannie Branscome
Administrative Assistant

Jeannie’s background is in Special Education and providing administrative support for site-based psychologists and speech/language pathologists for PVUSD school district. She works on the authorizations for DDD clients as well as other administrative duties.