Robin Kissell, M.D. is Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the UCLA Geffen School of Medicine and a Training and Supervising Psychoanalyst at the New Center for
Psychoanalysis in Los Angeles. Between 2005 and 2016 she was director of the Borderline Personality Disorder Initiative, a residency-training clinic founded on MBT
and designed after the original day-hospital program at the Halliwick Unit. She was trained in MBT by Peter Fonagy, Anthony Bateman and Trudie Rossouw and
supervised in MBT by Anthony Bateman. Currently she is Director of The Mentalizing Initiative, a non-profit organization dedicated to training community-based clinicians in
MBT.

Shelly Simpson, LCSW, is Clinical Director and Director of AMBIT at Ellenhorn, LLC. She specializes in attachment, interpersonal relationship difficulties, and mentalization, with expertise in helping teams build secure, supportive relationships through the use of mentalization. Shelly holds a BSW and MSW, and completed a postgraduate Psychodynamic fellowship.

Jeff Katzman is Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry at the University of New Mexico and Adjunct Professor at the Yale School of Medicine. He currently works as the Director of Education at Silver Hill Hospital and as the medical director for multiple ECHO programs in resilience and connection for various populations.

Michael Groat, PhD, serves as Interim CEO and Chief Clinical Officer at Lindner Center of Hope. He has strategic oversight of the day-to-day operations of the Center and remains responsible for the therapeutic program development of inpatient and residential services at Lindner Center of Hope. Dr. Groat has a 16-year career of leadership in nationally ranked hospital, residential, and outpatient treatment programs that provide evidence-based mental health and addiction services for adolescents and adults. He is the former CEO of CooperRiis, a 95-bed residential program located in Asheville, North Carolina, and was Chief Clinical Officer of Silver Hill Hospital, a 129-bed hospital with seven residential programs, three inpatient units, and an outpatient clinic. He also previously served as Director of Adult Services at the Menninger Clinic, overseeing its flagship professionals and executives’ program, subacute program, and outpatient clinic. Dr. Groat has launched successful programs, including the framework for a grateful patient donor program at the Menninger Clinic, an aftercare support service at Silver Hill Hospital, expansion of CooperRiis’ community integration program, and an assessment service at Silver Hill Hospital. He has consistently driven increased patient satisfaction and high staff morale and helped launch successful patient outcomes measurement at the Menninger Clinic and Silver Hill Hospital. Long accustomed to working with a diverse payor mix, Dr. Groat understands how to bring high touch concierge service to the most discriminating of families and referral sources. He has an extensive national network and is regularly invited to present to audiences throughout the US.

Natalie Brooks, M.A., LMFT is a psychotherapist in private practice in southern California. She completed her undergraduate and graduate degree studies in Psychology at the University of Southern California. Natalie was trained in MBT by Peter Fonagy, Anthony Bateman, and Trudie Rossouw and supervised in MBT by Robin Kissell, MD. Between 2008-2016, Natalie was on clinical staff at UCLA Semel Neuropsychiatric Institute’s Student Behavioral Health Services where she found a passion for MBT after attending her first training in 2009. She played a vital role in developing the outpatient Mentalization Based Treatment program for UCLA students with borderline personality disorder. In addition to private practice, Natalie enjoys sharing her enthusiasm for MBT as the Mentalizing Initiative’s program manager and supervising clinicians in MBT.