Leadership
Guiding and Supporting iaedp™ Foundation's Goals
Setting a standard of excellence, nurturing potential, and making a lasting, positive impact
Executive Committee
Charlynn Small, PhD, CEDS-C, President
Charlynn Small, PhD, LCP, CEDS-S is Assistant Director for Health Promotions at the University of Richmond’s Counseling and Psychological Services in Virginia. She received her PhD from Howard University’s School of Education. Dr. Small is a member of the board of directors of the International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals Foundation (iaedpTM) and is a certified member and Approved Supervisor (CEDS-S) of iaedpTM. She co-founded the Foundation’s African-American Eating Disorders Professionals (AAEDP) Committee and has also served on the advisory board for the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD). She is a frequent speaker at National and International conferences on the treatment of eating disorders in college populations. Dr. Small is co-founder of the Institute for Antiracism and Equity and also is the co-editor of Treating Black Women with Eating Disorders: A Clinician’s Guide, Routledge, Taylor & Francis (July 2021).
Joel Jahraus, MD, FAED, CEDS, Immediate Past President
Dr. Joel Jahraus is known for his two and a half decades of specialization in the medical management of patients with eating disorders. A board-certified physician for 40 years, he is a recognized expert on the medical complications of eating disorders. Dr. Jahraus graduated from Washington University Medical School in St. Louis, Missouri, and has a background in family medicine. He entered an academic career as Associate Director of the University of Minnesota Family Medicine Residency Program. He then took a position as the Predoctoral Director at the University of Minnesota Medical School. During his teaching career with the University of Minnesota Medical School, Dr. Jahraus received the Distinguished Teacher of the Year Award. Academics ultimately led to a position as Medical Director of the Melrose Center eating disorders treatment program in Minneapolis, MN. He is now the Chief Medical Officer of Monte Nido and Affiliates. He has co-authored chapters on medical complications in eating disorders textbooks and has been featured in various local and national media, including two national public television documentaries on eating disorders. He has testified at United States Congressional Briefings on the need for health insurance coverage for eating disorder treatment. For his outstanding contributions to the field, he received the prestigious Ellis Island Medal of Honor and was also named a Top Doctor by U.S. News and World Report. He is currently President of the Board of the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals.
Susan C. Mengden, PhD, CEDS-C, CGP - Treasurer
Susan C. Mengden, PhD, Certified Eating Disorder Specialist-iaedp Approved Consultant, and Certified Group Psychotherapist, is the Founder and Executive Director of Esperanza Eating Disorders Center in San Antonio, Texas. She is a native Texan and alumna of TMI Episcopal, earned her BA, MBA at UT Austin and MA, PhD in Psychology from Boston College. She has 35 years of clinical experience specializing in eating disorder treatment. Her eating disorder clinical experience includes Inpatient Hospitalization, US Military IOP and community facility-based PHP, IOP and Outpatient levels of care. She has founded two stand-alone PHP/IOP eating disorder programs. She is active in eating disorder organizations at the local and national level and regularly offers training and educational presentations both locally and nationally. She currently serves on the iaedp national Board of Directors where she is Treasurer. She also is Treasurer of the iaedp San Antonio chapter. Mengden is also on the Foundation Board of the American Group Psychotherapy Association and on the board of the San Antonio Group Psychotherapy Society. Mengden is intensively trained in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Family-Based Treatment (FBT) and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MSBR). At Esperanza EDC, she leads a team devoted to providing evidence-based eating disorder treatment to adolescents and adults in south Texas. She is founder and board member of EDFSTX, a foundation geared to providing eating disorder education, awareness, and treatment scholarships to the underserved populations of South Texas.
Kourtney Gordon, MS, RD/LD, CEDS - Secretary
Kourtney has worked in the field of Eating Disorders for over 20 years both in Residential and Private Practice settings. She has been with Fairwinds Treatment Center since 2000 and serves as the Clinical Dietitian and Eating Disorder Program Manager. She earned her BS in Dietetics and Nutrition Science at the University of Florida and completed her Dietetic Internship through SUNY of Onenota. She went on to complete her MS in Exercise Science and Health Promotion through California of Pennsylvania University. She has been the President for the local iaedp Tampa Bay Chapter since 2012 and has participated on the iaedp Board since 2020. She also is participant in REDC and sits on the Standards Committee. She has been awarded certification through iaedp as an Eating Disorder Specialist (CEDRD) and has been a member of the Academy for Eating Disorders. Kourtney has spent much of her career as an advocate for recovery for those struggling with an eating disorder whether it be through speaking to local clinicians or facilitating and counseling patients to begin recovery eating patterns and weight normalization through educational and experiential activities, as well as act as liaison between care providers to ensure continuity of care of those whom she works with.
Members at Large
Ovidio Bermudez, MD, FAAP, FSAHM, FAED, F.iaedp, CEDS
Ovidio Bermudez, M.D. is the Senior Medical Advisor for Eating Recovery Center and affiliates. He holds academic appointments as Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and University of Oklahoma College of Medicine. He is Board certified in Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. Dr. Bermudez is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine, the Academy for Eating Disorders, and the International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of IAEDP. He is Past Chairman and currently Senior Advisor to the Board of Directors of the National Eating Disorders Association, Co-Founder of the Eating Disorders Coalition of Tennessee and Co-founder of the Oklahoma Eating Disorders Association. He is a Certified Eating Disorders Specialist and training supervisor by the International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals and serves on its Board of Directors. Dr Bermudez has lectured nationally and internationally on eating pathology across the lifespan, obesity, and other topics related to pediatric and adult healthcare. He has been repeatedly recognized for his dedication, advocacy, professional achievement and clinical excellence in the field of eating disorders, including Lifetime Achievements Awards from NEDA and iaedp.
Rick Bishop, MD, CEDS, FAED, F.ieadp
Emmett Bishop, Jr., MD, FAED, F.iaedp, CEDS is a Founding Partner of the Eating Recovery Center in Denver, Colorado. He has written numerous articles, book chapters and a treatment monograph and has lectured nationally and internationally on eating disorders and their treatment. Currently serving on the Board of Directors of the International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals (iaedp), he is a past president and is chairman of the International Board Advisory committee for international development. He is a Fellow of the Academy for Eating Disorders and has served on the Editorial Board of Eating Disorders: Journal of Treatment and Prevention. He received the iaedp CEDS Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014 and was also honored by the Eating Disorders Foundation for lifetime achievement in 2020.
Dena Cabrera, PsyD, CEDS-C
Dena Cabrera, Psy.D., CEDS, is a Clinical Psychologist and Certified Eating Disorder Specialist with a wealth of diverse clinical experience, including over 24 years of treating individuals, families, and groups with a range of psychological and psychiatric disorders. Dr. Cabrera is the owner and operator of Cabrera Psychological Services, a private practice specializing in eating disorders, anxiety and adhd as well as co-occurring issues. Over the years, Dr. Cabrera has worked in all levels of care, and has worked at and helped run two of the most established and world-renowned eating disorder treatment centers in the country. Dr. Cabrera is an advocate for policy change as it pertains to prevention, awareness, and treatment for eating disorders. Her specialized training includes neuropsychological and psychological assessment, dialectical behavior therapy, cognitive behavior therapy, EMDR, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Polyvagal theory. Dr. Cabrera is a nationally recognized eating disorder leader in the field. She is a sought-after presenter and author. She co-authored Mom in the Mirror: Body Image, Beauty and Life After Pregnancy, the first resource of its kind that speaks to moms through a personal and compassionate lens that assists in healing from body-image disturbances and eating disorders. Dr. Cabrera is on the iaedp board and is a Past-President. She is an advisory board member of Rock Recovery and a past board member of the Eating Disorder Coalition. She received her BA from UCLA and MA and PsyD in Clinical Psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology, Los Angeles. Dr. Cabrera has been married for over 25 years and has two adult children. She loves playing board games with her family, as well as traveling, reading, and musical theatre.
Carolina Gaviria, LMHC, NCC, CEDS
Carolina Gaviria is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, a nationally certified Counselor, and a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist and approved Consultant with more than 20 years of experience in the field of mental health. Carolina is originally from Colombia, South America, where she graduated as a psychologist. She moved to the United States in 2000 and has worked with children, adolescents, and adults with a variety of disorders that range from eating disorders and negative body image to substance abuse, OCD, and trauma. She currently has a private practice in Coconut Creek, Florida. She is fluent in Spanish and German and has published articles and presented at national and international conferences on eating disorders, depression, anxiety, and stress management. Carolina has been featured on WBWP-LD television and MundoFox, discussing the struggles behind eating disorders, weight loss, stress, and addictions, and the importance of awareness, early intervention, and multidisciplinary treatment. She is also the co-founder of the Food & Mood Institute, a series of programs dedicated to providing online education on eating disorders to the parents of children and adolescents who are in the process of recovery. Carolina has been involved with iaedp since 2016. She is past president of the South Florida chapter, and currently holds a board position and was nominated president-elect. She is part of the iaedp International Board Advisory Committee (IBAC) and the symposium committee. In addition to her work in the field of eating disorders, Carolina is also a board member of Commit and Act, a nonprofit organization that helps abused women in Sierra Leone, Africa, and recently has been leading a project in Colombia. Carolina is passionate about social change and committed to creating a better world for future generations.
Jessie Huebner, LMHC, LPC, CEDS-S, QS
Jessie Huebner, LMHC, LPC, CEDS-C, QS, CEO/founder of Restored Purpose Counseling Services, a group practice that provides nutrition, therapy and additional eating disorder services in multiple locations in FL serving all genders of clients ranging from age 12 and up. Jessie previously worked with Eating Disorder Recovery Specialist (EDRS) as the Director of Clinical Operations and Director of Clinical Services and helped supervise and oversee clinicians all across the nation. Jessie received her master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia and is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with the state of Florida and New Jersey. She is an active member of the International Association for Eating Disorder Professionals (iaedp) and served on the South Fl chapter for over 3 years. Jessie is the founding president of the Jacksonville iaedp chapter currently. Jessie is a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist Consultant (CEDS-C) and is a trained EMDR therapist. She has extensive experience in working in all levels of care from residential, PHP and IOP to outpatient in roles of therapist to clinical director. She also believes in giving back to the community, and as such has been a committed member of the National Alliance for Eating Disorders, previously assisted in leading their free community support groups and currently serves on the national board for iaedp. Jessie also provides business coaching for clinicians growing their private practices and looking to scale beyond solo practice. Jessie is also a qualified supervisor in FL and helps equip the next generation of therapists working toward licensure.
Rosanna Mauro de Maya, MS, RD, CEDS-C
Dr. Rosanna Mauro is a Registered Dietitian specializing in eating disorders, she holds a Master’s degree in Group Psychology, she is certified as an eating disorder specialist and is an iaedp-authorized supervisor. Rosanna is Certified as an Integrative Coach and is also a Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coach and is currently a Mentor Supervisor of the Integrative Health and Wellness Coaching Program at the University of Arizona. She has 20 years of experience as a dietitian, lecturer, and professor in the field of coaching and eating disorders in Costa Rica and internationally. She is currently the President of the International Chapter of iaedp, member of the Board and of the International Board Advisory Committee. She is the co-founder and Director of Rosanna Mauro Wellness Institute in Costa Rica.
Elisaveta Pavlova, PhD, CEDS, MS, IE-Pro, EDIT-I
Dr. Elisaveta Pavlova is a Doctor in medical psychology, with more than 12 years of experience in the mental health counseling, and coaching fields. She is the Founder and President of the First Bulgarian Organization for Eating Disorders (ED) -Association UNIKAL, and for UNIKAL Online Institute. Dr.Elisaveta Pavlova works as a coordinating trainer and lecturer for students and specialists in the ED field and its prevention, and, as an Instructor for online courses in various тypes of coaching.
Adrienne Ressler, LMSW, CEDS, F.iaedp
Adrienne Ressler, LMSW, CEDS, F.iaedp, is Vice President, Professional Development, The Renfrew Center Foundation, and has served as senior staff since 1990. Adrienne attended the University of Michigan for both her Bachelor of Science and Masters degrees and received a faculty appointment as a Lecturer in the School of Education. A body image specialist, her trainings reflect her background in body-focused/somatic methods to treat eating disorders and body image. Fellow and past-President of the Board of Directors of the International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals (iaedp), Adrienne presently continues her commitment as a member of the International Board. She is the Co-founder and former Co-Chairperson of the Somatic and Somatically Oriented Therapies Special Interest Group of the Academy of Eating Disorders and an Advisory Board Member to the non-profit, Eating Disorder Recovery and Support in Petaluma, CA. Author of chapters on the use of experiential therapies for eating disorders in 3 textbooks, Effective Clinical Practice in the Treatment of Eating Disorders: The Heart of the Matter, Treatment of Eating of Eating Disorders: Bridging the Research-Practice Gap, Embodiment & Eating Disorders: Theory, Research, Prevention and Treatment, her work has also been included in the first Encyclopedia of Body Image and Human Appearance. She is published in Social Work Today and Pulse, the journal of the International Spa Association. A frequent contributor to the popular media, she has appeared on the TODAY show and Good Morning America Sunday. A resident of Fort Lauderdale, FL since 1985, Adrienne is an avid baseball and hockey fan.
Nicole Siegfried, PhD, CEDS-C
Dr. Nicole Siegfried is the Chief Clinical Officer for Lightfully Behavioral Health. She is a licensed clinical psychologist and serves as an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Psychology at University of Alabama at Birmingham. She has worked in mental health for over 20 years and has served in national leadership positions for the past 10 years. She is an international speaker and has published research, magazine articles, and book chapters in eating disorders, mental health, and suicide. Nicole believes that recovery is possible for all individuals with mental health disorders, and that all individuals are capable and deserving of a life worth living. Nicole brings with her a commitment to a training-focused, outcomes- driven clinical model and a passion for team culture and collaboration. Nicole lives in Birmingham, Alabama with her family. She loves reading, skiing, and being in the mountains.
Chapter Representatives
Steffanie Grossman, PH.D., CEDS
Steffanie Grossman, PhD, CEDS-C, is a Licensed Psychologist in private practice, who specializes in working with eating disorders as well as LGBTQ+ clients. She provides therapy, brainspotting sessions, and assessments for letters in support of gender-affirming medical and legal procedures to clients in TX and through PSYPACT. Steffanie is passionate about providing supervision, consultation, and mentorship to our professional community, and enjoyed her previous roles as the Member-at-Large for the American College Counseling Association and on advisory committees for LGBTQ+ focused programming. In her spare time, Steffanie loves traveling, spending time with her retired therapy dog Rockstar, and challenging herselt to occasionally perform in theatre, improv, and stand up comedy.
Priscilla Rumph, MS, RD, CSSD, CEDS-C
Priscilla began her career in healthcare as a respiratory therapy and critical care air transport provider in the Air Force. Following her military service, Priscilla completed her undergraduate, internship and graduate nutrition studies with Saint Louis University. As a clinical dietitian, she has provided clinical nutrition support in the critical care and inpatient setting. Priscilla also provided clinical nutrition support and nutrition counseling to clients in residential care for eating disorder treatment while working at McCallum Place in St. Louis, MO. She is board certified in sports nutrition and eating disorders. Since 2015, Priscilla has been providing nutrition counseling for the Department of Defense. From 2015 to 2021, Priscilla served as the registered dietitian for the Army Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) in Puyallup, Washington. Since 2021 to present, she has been providing nutrition care for soldiers as a dietitian on the Army Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F) team on Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state. Priscilla is also currently serving as the president of the SW Washington chapter of the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals (iaedp).
iaedp Team Leadership
Dawn Gannon, MBA, CAE, Interim Executive Director
Dawn Gannon, MBA, CAE, is a seasoned leader with over 20 years of experience in association management and a profound dedication to the eating disorders community. With a robust background in organizational management and strategic implementation, her previous role as Deputy Executive Director of the Academy for Eating Disorders showcases her commitment and capability in our specialized field. Dawn holds a Master of Business Administration from American Public University and a Bachelor of Arts in Management from Trevecca Nazarene University. Her expertise is further enhanced by her status as a Lean/Six-Sigma Green Belt and a Certified Association Executive (CAE) with the American Society for Association Executives (ASAE).