Our Team

The YOR California team works in partnership with the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), Community Services Division, Federal Grants Branch  to implement all YOR California activities. Our team is comprised of California Institute for Behavioral Health Solutions (CIBHS) and Advocates for Human Potential, Inc. (AHP) experts who together offer decades of experience in the field and a deep commitment to working with systems, communities, families, youth, and individuals challenged by opioid and stimulant use disorders.

Meet Our Team

Victor Kogler - YOR California Project Investigator

Victor Kogler, CIBHS Vice President, has worked in the substance use disorder field in California since 1971. He has worked with the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Committee of California’s County Behavioral Health Directors Association to develop analyses of the DMC-ODS Waiver Special Terms and Conditions (STCs), 42 CFR, Part 438 Managed Care Regulations, and a crosswalk between Title 22 and the Waiver STCs.

Deborah (Deb) Werner, MA, PMP – YOR California Project Director

For nearly 30 years, Deb Werner, senior program director at AHP, has worked with federal, state, and national leaders, and community-based agencies to create effective treatment and recovery services for women, youth, and families. She served as the director for SAMHSA’s Women, Children and Families Technical Assistance (TA) and Training Center and as the TA lead for the SAMHSA Homeless and Housing Resource Network. She is committed to supporting young people toward recovery, instilling hope, building their skills and leadership. developing their leadership capabilities.

Ajiah Anderson - CIBHS Project Coordinator

Ajiah has worked in the behavioral health field since 2017. Ajiah has 3 years of experience with applied behavior analysis for children with autism and received her behavioral therapy license before transitioning to her current position here at CIBHS. She is a behavioral health professional assisting with both the practice implementation team and substance abuse disorder team. At CIBHS, Ajiah is responsible for coordinating the schedule for herself and her supervisors when needed, updating agendas and projects, and organizing tasks for both teams throughout each week. She communicates with various departments to keep everyone on board about any changes to the project plan and she organizes reporting, plan meetings and provide updates to project managers. She plans to continue her education in behavioral health from Sacramento City College to Sacramento State in the Fall of 2023 with her goal in earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology.

Michelle Cleary, MA – YOR California Grantee Liaison

Michelle Cleary is a senior program associate at AHP, serving as a lead facilitator for several training and technical assistance projects. She works with organizations throughout the country to help coordinate behavioral health systems and enhance educational resources. Michelle has a background in nonprofit management, board governance, strategic and implementation planning, workforce development, systems coordination, and suicide prevention.

Ashlye Durrrell, MSW – YOR California Grantee Liaison

Ashlye Durrell is a senior program associate at AHP. Graduating from an HBCU–Hampton University, she developed a strong sense for the advancement of the Black community especially as it relates behavioral health. As a social worker, Ms. Durrell has worked with individuals diagnosed with severe mental illness (SMI) and co-occurring disorders. She has served in roles of leadership, research, and clinical practice. She serves as Board Chair for a charter school in South Central Los Angeles, as well as secretary to the Board for TRIBE, Inc— a non-profit organization dedicated to the betterment of Black girls.

Yvonne Frazier – CIBHS Associate

Yvonne serves as the CIBHS Administrative Deputy to the YOR project. Joining CIBHS in 2016, she organized and implemented the statewide Delivery System (DMC-ODS) Waiver Training project and continues to provide training and technical assistance to counties as they enhance and improve the SUD delivery system.  Her extensive career has included senior executive, leadership and management roles  in the substance abuse prevention and treatment systems in San Francisco and San Mateo counties, working with various Federal State, and local agencies and oversaw numerous substance use disorder related contracts. She also served as the Assistant Director of the San Francisco Employee Assistant Program.  She has been a dedicated advocate for women and underserved communities.

 Amanda Helguera, MSW – YOR California AHP Coordinator

Amanda Helguera serves as a program associate at AHP. Amanda is a social work professional with experience working in youth development, mental health, and community development. Throughout her career, she has provided direct services to at-promised youth and adults and has cultivated community partnerships and engagement in violence reduction efforts. She has experience in trauma-informed care, training and leadership development, community violence prevention and mental health.

Candice Russell, BS – YOR California Grantee Liaison

Candice Russell is a senior program associate at AHP. Ms. Russell is a behavioral health professional with nearly a decade of experience in substance use disorder prevention, advocacy, research, training, and policy with a special focus on youth, young adults, women and families. Ms. Russell served as a research associate at the National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors (NASADAD) where she coordinated technical assistance to increase and improve workforce development and culturally competent and gender- and age-specific services for adolescent youth treatment providers.

Euna Ra-Smith, LSCW  – YOR California Program Resources Lead

Euna Ra-Smith is a senior program manager at AHP and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker.  Ms. Ra-Smith has served as a Clinician, Senior Director and Chief Clinical Officer in child and adolescent serving agencies for nearly two decades.  She has worked exclusively in non-profit agencies overseeing adolescent residential treatment services for youth involved in the juvenile justice system and community-based outpatient services throughout Los Angeles County.

Elizabeth Stanley-Salazar, BSN, MPH - Outreach and Technical Assistance

Liz Stanley-Salazar has served as a leader, program administrator, policy analyst, and clinician in behavioral health care for more than 35 years. She led Phoenix Houses of California’s Adolescent Treatment Continuum, providing integrated substance use and mental health services. She consults with CIBHS, Health Management Associates, and other clients. She also serves as a Senior Advisor to California Health Policy Strategies; is a board member of Children and Family Futures, Inc; an appointee on the California Medi-Cal Children’s Advisory Panel; a member of the California Alliance of Child and Family Services and California Association of Alcohol and Drug Program Executives.

Contact us at YORCalifornia@ahpnet.com.

A Joint Effort by the California Institute for Behavioral Health Solutions and Advocates for Human Potential, Inc. and funded by the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), Community Services Division, Federal Grants Branch.