I am a board certified clinical forensic psychologist and threat assessment specialist. With an office in Vancouver, British Columbia, my practice is international in scope. I have been given opportunities to demonstrate my professional competence in courts of law, corporate boardrooms, threat assessment teams, training workshops, risk management interventions, think tanks, and beyond. I consult regularly to federal, state, and provincial health and justice organizations.
Throughout my career, I have striven to embody the scientist-practitioner model. My threat assessment and clinical forensic practices are always informed by scientific findings, and my research tends to be applied in nature and of direct relevance to operational work. In addition to applying research to my own practice, I have trained others to do so as well for over a decade, helping professionals in law enforcement, security, human relations, corrections, mental health, education, and other workplace settings excel in their threat assessment and forensic work.
I currently am Adjunct Professor at Simon Fraser University, where I also am a member of the Mental Health Law and Policy Institute. From 2009 to 2015, I was on faculty in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.
I am actively engaged in professional service work. For example, I am Vice-President of the Canadian Association of Threat Assessment Professionals. As part of my CATAP portfolio, I chair the Certification Committee, which is responsible for developing and implementing the only certification program in Canada for professionals operating in any sector of threat assessment practice. I also have served in elected and appointed positions in other professional organizations, including the American Law-Psychology Association and the International Association of Forensic Mental Health Services.
I am Editor of Journal of Threat Assessment and Management (JTAM). JTAM is a peer-reviewed, scientific journal published by the American Psychological Association. It publishes high quality work of operational relevance to those engaged in threat assessment and management work. You can read my Incoming Editor Editorial here.
I have earned awards and distinctions for my work. Most recently, together with the other members of the Criminal Justice Task force, I received the 2018 Canadian Psychological Association John C. Service Member of the Year Award for advocacy efforts to change the Criminal Code of Canada to designate psychologists as Qualified Mental Health Professionals allowed to conduct fitness to stand trial and criminal responsibility assessments independently in Canada. Read the CPA position paper here. I am recipient of the Dr. Chris Hatcher Memorial Scholarship from the Association of Threat Assessment Professionals; the Early Career Achievement Award in Forensic Clinical Practice, Research, and Policy from the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health; and the Chris Webster Young Scholar Award from the International Association of Forensic Mental Health Services.
Current Certifications and Licensures
Forensic Psychology, American Board of Forensic Psychology (#8006)
The American Board of Forensic Psychology (ABFP) is a specialty board of the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP). Board certification recognizes the highest level of expertise and practice in forensic psychology. This credential is achieved following a rigorous continuing education and written and oral examination process, with a failure rate averaging 40% at the final stage oral examination. I sought this credential primarily because I highly value continuing education, but also to provide an assurance to my clients of my specialty area competence. I am one of two psychologists in Canada who holds this credential (a similar credential is not available in Canada); approximately 300 forensic psychologists in the United States have ABPP certification.
Registered Psychologist, College of Psychologists of British Columbia (#2201)
Licensed Psychologist, The Board of Registration of Psychologists, Massachusetts (#9474)
Education
Postdoctoral:
University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts Law and Psychiatry Program.
2-year program in forensic clinical psychology practice and applied research
University of Massachusetts Medical School
Internship:
University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts
Specialty: Clinical Psychology (APA accredited)
Ph.D.:
Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia
Specialty: Clinical-Forensic Psychology Stream (CPA accredited; also APA accredited at time of attendance)
MA:
Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, Texas
Specialty: Clinical Psychology, Forensic Emphasis (APA accredited)
BA:
McGill University, Montreal, Quebec
Major: Psychology
University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
Area of study: Psychology (one year exchange program)
Download my current curriculum vitae.