2024 – 2025 Officers

Galya Rees, M.D.
Galya Rees, M.D.President
read galya’s bio
Patrick Kelly, M.D.
Patrick Kelly, M.D.President-elect
Pat’s bio coming soon
Emily Wood, M.D.
Emily Wood, M.D.Treasurer
Read Emily’s Bio
Laura Halpin, M.D.
Laura Halpin, M.D.Treasurer-elect
Read Laura’s Bio
Gillian Friedman, M.D.
Gillian Friedman, M.D.Secretary
Gillian’s Bio coming soon

Past Presidents

Ijeoma Ijeaku, M.D.

Zeb Little, M.D.

J. Zeb Little, M.D.

Matthew Goldenberg, D.O.

Matthew Goldenberg, D.O.

Councillors

Kayla Fisher, M.D.
Kayla Fisher, M.D.Inland Councillor
Daniel Fast, M.D.
Daniel Fast, M.D.Inland Councillor
Matthew Markis, D.O.
Matthew Markis, D.O.San Fernando Valley Councillor
Danielle Chang, M.D.
Danielle Chang, M.D.San Fernando Valley Councillor
Reba Bindra, M.D.
Reba Bindra, M.D.San Gabriel Valley/East LA Councillor
Timothy Pylko, M.D.
Timothy Pylko, M.D.San Gabriel Valley/East LA Councillor
Amy Woods, M.D.
Amy Woods, M.D.Los Angeles South Councillor
Steven Allen, M.D.
Steven Allen, M.D.South Bay Councillor
Anu Bodla, M.D.
Anu Bodla, M.D.Santa Barbara Councillor
Joseph Vlaskovits, M.D.
Joseph Vlaskovits, M.D.Ventura Councillor
Tatjana Josic, D.O.
Tatjana Josic, D.O.West LA Councillor
Alex Lin, M.D.
Alex Lin, M.D.West LA Councillor
Haig Goenjian, M.D.
Haig Goenjian, M.D.West LA Councillor
Lloyd Lee, D.O.
Lloyd Lee, D.O.West LA Councillor
Yelena Koldobskaya, M.D.
Yelena Koldobskaya, M.D.Early Career Psychiatrist Representative
Manal Khan, M.D.
Manal Khan, M.D.Early Career Psychiatrist Representative
So Min Lim, D.O.
So Min Lim, D.O.Resident-Fellow Representative
Justin Nguyen, D.O.
Justin Nguyen, D.O.Resident-Fellow Representative
Roderick Shaner, M.D.
Roderick Shaner, M.D.State Legislative Representative
Emily Wood, M.D.
Emily Wood, M.D.Federal Legislative Representative
Ijeoma Ijeaku, M.D.
Ijeoma Ijeaku, M.D.APA Assembly Representative
C Freeman, M.D.
C Freeman, M.D.APA Assembly Representative
Anita Red, M.D.
Anita Red, M.D.APA Assembly Representative
Heather Silverman, M.D.
Heather Silverman, M.D.APA Assembly Representative
Ruqayyah Malik, M.D.
Ruqayyah Malik, M.D.Minority and Underrepresented Groups Representative
Rubi Luna, M.D.
Rubi Luna, M.D.Deputy Minority and Underrepresented Groups Representative
Daniel H. Willick, Esq.
Daniel H. Willick, Esq.Legal Counsel
Mindi Thelen
Mindi ThelenExecutive Director

Officer and Councillor Job Descriptions

President

TERM OF OFFICE
Serves a term of one year. Remains a voting member on Council for three years as Past-President.

SUPERVISES BUSINESS AND AFFAIRS
The President presides at all general meetings of members, Council meetings and Executive Committee meetings.

PREPARES AGENDAS
The President schedules and prepares the agendas for all Council meetings and meetings of the general membership (with the assistance of the Executive Director).

KEEPS COUNCIL INFORMED
The President keeps the Council and Executive Committee informed of the conditions and operations of the Society.

ELECTS COMMITTEE CHAIRS
The President selects, or approves, all chairs of the Society’s committees and task forces.
At the end of each president’s term of office, a letter is written to each committee chair dismissing them from their responsibility so that the incoming president may select his/her own committee chairs.

OUTLINES AND MONITORS COMMITTEE TASKS
The President outlines and updates the purpose and duties of each committee and task force, and monitors their progress.

DIRECTS FORMULATION OF POLICIES
The President directs the Council in formulating policies and programs to further the goals and objectives of the Society.

CONDUCTS ANNUAL PERFORMANCE REVIEW
The President conducts an annual review of organizational performance and effectiveness, including a review of the director’s performance.

RECOMMENDS STRUCTURAL CHANGES
The President recommends changes in the Society’s structure, when necessary, to the Council.

ACTS AS PUBLIC SPOKESPERSON
The President may act as a spokesperson for the Society to the public, press, legislative bodies, and other related organizations (a task that is shared with Federal and State Legislative Representative, the Public Affairs Committee Chair and the Executive Director).

MONITORS FINANCES
The President, with the assistance of the treasurer, monitors Society expenditures to assure operation with the annual budget. (One officer is responsible each month to review internal financial records.)

PROMOTES PARTICIPATION
The President promotes active participation by the members in the Society.

WRITES MONTHLY COLUMN
The President writes a monthly column for the Society’s newsletter.

PRESENTS ANNUAL REPORT
The President may present an annual report of the state of the Society.

SERVES AS SIGNER ON SCPS’ BANK ACCOUNTS
The President serves as one signer on the Society’s bank accounts. There are at least two other signers: the treasurer and the director.

President-Elect

TERM OF OFFICE
Serves a term of one year.

DURING TEMPORARY ABSENCE OF PRESIDENT
The President-elect, in the temporary absence of the president, performs all duties assigned to the president, and in so doing, assumes the powers of the president.

CHAIRS NOMINATING COMMITTEE
The President-elect is the Chair of the Nominations Committee and as such must appoint 7 members to sit on this committee, 5 of which must be voting councillors.

ASSIGNED TASKS
The President-elect performs duties assigned by the president.

MEETING ATTENDANCE
The President-elect attends annual and special meetings as directed by the president.

REPRESENTATION
The President-elect represents the Society to other organizations and associations upon the request of the president.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND COUNCIL
The President-elect serves as a member of the Executive Committee.

EX-OFFICIO MEMBER AND COUNCIL LIASON
The President-elect serves as an ex-officio member and liaison to Council for the Ethics, Well-Being and Impaired Physicians Committees, when these committees are designated to exist by the then-current president.

BECOMES PRESIDENT
The President-elect assumes the office of president upon the expiration of the term of office of the current president.

Secretary

TERM OF OFFICE
Serves a term of one year.

RECORDS MEETINGS
The secretary keeps a complete record of all Council meetings, Executive Committee meetings and meetings of the general membership.

REPORTS MEETINGS TO NEWSLETTER
The secretary summarizes Council and general membership meeting minutes for publication in the newsletter.

RECORDS SUPERVISION
The secretary supervises the historical record-keeping function of the Society.

PREPARES CORRESPONDENCE
The secretary compiles such correspondence as directed by the president, Council, or Executive.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND COUNCIL
The secretary serves as a member of the Executive Committee and Council.

OTHER DUTIES
The secretary performs such other duties as assigned by the president, Council or the Executive Committee.

Treasurer

TERM OF OFFICE
Serves a term of one year.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND COUNCIL
The secretary serves as a member of the Executive Committee and Council. The Treasurer also serves as a member of the Membership Committee.

FINANCE COMMITTEE CHAIR
The treasurer serves as the chair of the Finance Committee.

RECORDS SUPERVISION
The treasurer ensures that the Society maintains accurate financial records.

FISCAL INTEGRITY
The treasurer reviews Society expenditures and financial status to ensure financial integrity and provides a monthly report on this status to Council.

ANNUAL REPORT
The treasurer supervises preparation of an annual financial report to be presented to Council and the general membership.

ACCOUNTANT’S TAX FILING
The treasurer ensures that annual tax reports are prepared by a public accountant and filed in a timely fashion with the state and Internal Revenue Service.

ANNUAL BUDGET
The treasurer supervises the preparation of an annual budget to be presented to Council by September for its refinements and for final preparation and approval at the November Council meeting.

OTHER TASKS
The treasurer performs such other duties as assigned by the President, Council and the Executive Committee.

Treasurer-Elect

TERM OF OFFICE
Serves a term of one year.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND COUNCIL
The treasurer-elect serves as a member of the Executive Committee and Council. The Treasurer-elect also serves as a member of the Membership Committee.

SERVES ON MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE
The treasurer-elect serves as a member of the Membership Committee and reports membership activities to Council.

ASSISTS TREASURER
The treasurer-elect provides assistance to the treasurer on an as-needed basis.

BECOMES TREASURER
The treasurer-elect upon expiration of the treasurer’s term, becomes the Society’s treasurer.

Regional Councillors, ECPR, MURR and RFM Representatives

TERM OF OFFICE
Regional Councillors serve a three year term.
ECP Rep serves a one year term as Deputy Rep and a one year term as Rep.
MUR Rep serves a one year term as Deputy Rep and a one year term as Rep.
RFM Reps serve a term of one year.

COUNCIL MEETING ATTENDANCE
The regional councilors, ECP, MUR and RFM Reps regularly attend all Council meetings. (There are 10 regularly scheduled Council meetings per year; the second Thursday September through June. There is an option to participate via teleconference if necessary.)

KNOWS ISSUES
The regional councilors, ECP, MUR and RFM Reps keep apprised of issues to be discussed at Council meetings via packet distributions prior to each Council meeting.

COMMITTEE LIASON REPRESENTATIVE
The regional councilors, ECP, MUR and RFM Reps represent the work of one of SCPS’committees and provide the Council with a report of its activities. The may be done by actively servings as chair of one of SCPS’committees.

REPRESENT REGION
The regional councilors regularly report to Council the views, activities and opinions of the region which elected him/her.

COMMUNICATE WITH CONSTITUENCY
The regional councilors, ECP, MUR and RFM Reps provide regular communications to their constituency regarding the ongoing affairs of the Society.

HOLD REGULAR MEETINGS
The regional councilors hold regular (if possible, quarterly) meetings of the membership in their region. These may be social, scientific or informational in nature.

VOTE
The regional councilors, ECP, MUR and RFM Reps vote on all issues brought before the SCPS Council.

OTHER DUTIES
The regional councilors, ECP, MUR and RFM Reps perform such other duties attendant to the fair representation of the members of their region or as assigned by the president.

SERVE ON NOMINATING COMMITTEE
The regional councilors, ECP, MUR and RFM Reps may serve on the SCPS Nominating Committee to help select eligible members from their region who are interested in running for Council.

State and Federal Legislative Representatives

TERM OF OFFICE
Appointed by the president to serve a term of one year.

CO-CHAIR GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
Each representative will co-chair SCPS’ Government Affairs Committee and appoint members to assist with the tasks assigned to the committee.

STATE AND NATIONAL NEWS
Each representative will serve as a catalyst for strong grass-roots lobbying regarding current legislative activities that may affect the practice of psychiatry and psychiatric patients.

INFORM MEMBERSHIP
Each representative will inform the members of legislative issues that will affect the practice of psychiatry or psychiatric patients by inserting related articles into the SCPS newsletter.

ATTEND BIENNIAL LEGISLATIVE INSTITUTES
Each representative shall attend an APA Institute on Government Relations every other year (State Institute alternates with Federal Institute so one Institute is held each year).

LEGISLATIVE NETWORK
Each representative will establish a “legislative network: of SCPS members who are willing to write legislators on an “as needed” basis.

KEY PERSONS
Each representative will establish a “key persons” network of SCPS members to keep abreast of current information and actions relative to all legislative bodies.

APA Assembly Representatives

TERM OF OFFICE
Serve a term of four years.

MEMBER OF COUNCIL
APA Assembly Representatives attend all SCPS Council meetings as a voting member.

REPRESENT SCPS AT APA’S ASSEMBLY
APA Assembly Representatives report to the SCPS Council and newsletter after each APA Assembly meeting, providing information discussed at the meeting.

VARIOUS APA COMPONENTS
APA Assembly Representatives have customarily served actively on various APA components.

APA LIAISON
APA Assembly Representatives serve as a liaison between APA and SCPS.

CPA COUNCIL
APA Assembly Representatives sit as voting members of the CPA Council and attend all CPA Council meetings.