Get Psyched: Professional Development Series

This fully virtual speakers series is designed to broaden knowledge, inspire dialogue, and strengthen professional skills in the field of psychology. Each event offers opportunities for growth, connection, and applied learning.

Event: Active Imagination and the Body (via ZOOM)

Date & Time: Tuesday, February 3rd, 6:30 – 8:00 pm PST (60 min presentation plus Q&A)

Speaker: Robin Eve Greenberg, MFT

Robin Eve Greenberg MFT, Jungian psychoanalyst, will review Jung’s method of Active Imagination and investigate how the body, while not often underlined, is integral. In the process of active imagination the therapist accompanies the patient in a mutually impactful dynamic of opening to the unconscious and relating to what emerges.

Listening to the unconscious and actively relating to the imagination is more challenging when there is trauma. Body and Psyche intertwine like roots. Bringing awareness to somatic underpinnings of trauma can free the capacity to play, to be creative, and to open to the imagination where soul lives. The class will incorporate lecture, exercises & discussion. Optional reading will be available.

Speaker's Bio

ROBIN EVE GREENBERG, MFT, is an analyst member of the C. G. Jung Institute of San Francisco and a licensed marriage and family therapist. She is an associate editor of Jung Journal: Culture & Psyche, teaches and consults, and has a private practice in Kensington, California. Robin has roots in dance and has written and presented on subjects related to creativity, active imagination, Jewish mysticism, embodiment, and the idea of home.

Event: Patient-Centered Suicide Risk Assessment and Intervention (via ZOOM)

Date & Time: Saturday, February 7th, 2026 10:30 am -12:30 pm PST

Speaker: Meredith Sears, Ph.D.

This session will focus on suicide risk assessment and intervention. Topics include the current science of risk assessment tools and their limitations, patient-centered approaches to asking the right questions and stratifying risk, as well as brief interventions such as safety planning, lethal means counseling, and ethical considerations around welfare checks and hospitalizations.

Speaker's Bio

Meredith Sears, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist who specializes in suicide prevention and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). She earned her doctorate at the University of California, Los Angeles and completed her clinical training at the Palo Alto and San Francisco Veterans Affairs (VA) Healthcare Systems. Dr. Sears currently works as a consultant psychologist and researcher at the Rocky Mountain VA Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC) for Suicide Prevention. She also serves her community as the President of the Board for the Greater San Francisco Bay Area chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP).

Event: AI in Psychology (via ZOOM)

Date & Time: Saturday, April 11th, 2026 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm PST

Speakers: David Bennett, Ph.D & Ted Faneuff MSW, LISW-S, MBA

This event will discuss the uses of AI in Clinical Psychology, Overview of Ethics, Use of AI Agents in Psychotherapy, and Implications for Major Approaches to Psychotherapy (Psychodynamic, Cognitive Behavioral, Behavioral, Others); providing an overview of the current use of AI in mental health by forward-thinking practitioners.

Speaker's Bio - David Bennett, Ph.D

David Bennett, Ph.D., will provide an overview of ethical considerations in use of AI in mental health. He is Chief Operating Officer for Psychological Assessment, Inc., has twenty years of experience in corporate roles, with 15+ years in leadership and more than a decade in executive roles. He has worked as both an internal and external consultant, helping organizations develop systems and talent to create high functioning teams and alignment between corporate culture and business goals. His primary experience has been in technology, where he held senior positions in Product Management, People Science, and Organizational Effectiveness.

He earned his Ph.D. in Organizational Psychology with a concentration in Consulting Psychology from Alliant International University. His dissertation was on the relationship between silence and conflict in the workplace. He also has a M.S. in Organizational Psychology, B.A. in Business Management, and an A.A. in Business Management.

In addition to his own consulting work, David is the Chairman of the Board for AxisReplay, and an advisor to the Jim Dempsey Foundation. His research is primarily focused on Employee Silence and Voice, Culture, and Leadership.

Speaker's Bio - Ted Faneuff MSW, LISW-S, MBA

Ted Faneuff MSW, LISW-S, MBA, will provide an overview of the use of AI integrated with selected therapeutic modalities (e.g. psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, and others). He is a licensed clinical social worker with 13+ years specializing in anxiety, depression, and OCD. Beck Institute-trained, he specializes in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Exposure as well as Response Prevention (ERP). He has a strong foundation in evidence-based treatment for anxiety disorders, including OCD, panic, and generalize anxiety. He also leads clinical operations for Upheal, an AI-assisted platform aimed at mental health professionals (therapists, social workers, psychologists, coaches).

Event: Research & Scholarship Symposium (via ZOOM)

Date & Time: Saturday, April 25th, 2026 10:00 am – 1:00 pm PST

Speakers: Dr. Drexler and Dr. Yanow

This event will highlight the research taking place amongst undergraduates, graduates, faculty, and staff. Research will be presented in a conference-style framework with lightning talks, full-length paper presentations, and panel discussions.

Speaker's Bio - Michael Drexler, Ph.D

Dr. Drexler is a neuropsychologist in group practice and Adjunct Professor at AIU. He is also an Associate Professor at Notre Dame de Namur University in Belmont, California, where he serves as Director of Academic and Student Affairs, and teaches such courses as Lifespan Development, Cross-Cultural Issues, Clinical Assessment & Treatment Planning, Dying, Death, & Bereavement, and Gerontology Focus courses. He is also Adjunct Professor at the University of San Francisco, where he teaches Individual & Systems Assessment, Individual & Family Psychopathology, and Research Methods, and is Volunteer Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Neurosciences at UCSF, where he teaches in the Brain, Mind, and Behavior course series.

Dr. Drexler worked for the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) from 2021 through 2023. While with DVA, he served in a number of capacities including as the VA Sierra Nevada Network (VISN 21) Director of Organizational Development and Wellness and Chief Wellbeing Officer and VA VISN 21 Chief Mental Health Officer, and at San Francisco VA Health Care System as Neuropsychologist, Local Psychosocial Rehabilitation Coordinator, Clinical Director of Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Center, Workplace Violence Prevention Coordinator, Manager for Mental Health Compensation and Pension, Director or Telemental Health, and Geropsychologist. Furthermore, he worked for the San Francisco Department of Public Health (DPH), Geriatric Services of San Francisco, Telecare Corporation, and Letterman Army Medical Center. He worked in hospice with VA and DPH.

Dr. Drexler completed his Postdoctoral Residency/Fellowship (focusing on neuropsychology and rehabilitation psychology) at Laurel Grove Rehabilitation Hospital (Eden Hospital) in Hayward, California, and his internship at the San Francisco VA Health Care System. He received his doctorate from the California School of Professional Psychology of Alliant International University, Berkeley, in 1988.

Speaker's Bio - Hannah Yanow, Ed.D

Hannah Yanow first began working at Notre Dame de Namur University (NDNU) in September of 2014 as the Advising Analyst and Administrative Coordinator for the Clinical Psychology Department with Dr. Helen Marlo. In 2016, Hannah began teaching in the undergraduate School of Psychology and Sociology with Introduction to Psychology. Hannah created two new courses for NDNU, the first being Psychology and Harry Potter, the course which would later become the focus of her Doctoral Dissertation Harry Potter and Queering the College Classroom (2019). Hannah also created the Queer Identities – a Community Engagement course – connecting students with the San Mateo County Pride Center and community members. While at NDNU, Hannah served as the faculty advisor for the LGBTQ+ student organization called ‘Plus,’ was a member of the Diversity Council, and became a Dorothy Stang Scholar for the development of the Queer Identities course. Hannah was with NDNU until 2018 before working with the Stanford Graduate School of Business. She continued teaching the Queer Identities course until 2019.

While at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, in the Executive Education program, Hannah completed her Doctoral Dissertation in December 2019, had a child in 2020, and continued her work with the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI) space, co-authoring the Anti-Racism and Allyship 7-Day Journey with two tenured Stanford Faculty. This was the beginning of her connection with the DEI practitioner community at Stanford.

After leaving Stanford Executive Education in 2022, Hannah began exploring career options and full utilization of her degrees, which led to the current positions held: Program Director at NDNU, Psychology Faculty with Menlo College, and Inclusion and Belonging Consultant with the Stanford VMware Women’s Leadership Innovation Lab.

Stay Tuned – More Events Coming Soon!

State Authorization for Online Programs

The Department of Education requires that institutions offering online or distance learning programs outside of their home states must seek authorization to operate from regulatory bodies in those states. Each state has a different set of requirements when it comes to allowing out-of-state colleges and universities to offer online degree programs to its residents.

Notre Dame de Namur University is an equal opportunity employer firmly committed to non-discrimination in its hiring and other employment practices and personnel policies. In compliance with all applicable federal and state laws, except where a bona fide occupational qualification exists, NDNU will make employment decisions irrespective of the staff member’s race, color, religion, religious creed, ancestry, national origin, age (except for minors), sex, marital status, citizenship status, military service status, sexual orientation, medical condition (a cancer-related or genetic condition), disability and/or any another status protected by law. When necessary, the NDNU will reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities if they are otherwise qualified to perform all essential functions safely and do it without undue hardship to the NDNU. Inquiries regarding the College’s equal opportunity policies should be directed to the Human Resources Department via email at hr@ndnu.edu. NDNU admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school administered programs.

Mark Dee

Magellan Solutions USA launched under the visionary leadership of Mark A. K. Dee, Chief Executive Officer – a consultant and service provider for healthcare administrative support, IT development, energy, call center, and business process outsourcing. Mark has served in various multi-level management positions in his 21 years of service in the United States Air Force (USAF). He performed as Immunology and Microbiology department manager, Medical Laboratory Assistant Director, Facility and Security Manager, and finally retiring in the military in 2008 as Superintendent/Assistant Chief of Operations of 330 personnel Medical Group. Mark has experiences in the services industries since he retired, including running a restaurant chain as the CEO. He has also developed other businesses in the Martials Arts studio and 3d-printing industries. He has a BS in Health Sciences and Hospital Administration, Board Certified in Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Graduated in the Senior Executive Leadership School from the USAF, Master’s in Business Administration, and a Master’s of Science in Systems Management at Notre Dame De Namur University.

Chosen Cheng

Chosen Cheng is owner of CMC Group, a privately held engineering and marketing consultancy for small business startup ventures. He currently works with project teams developing patented award-winning solar roofing systems and patent pending drone-based augmented reality geological and thermal mapping solutions. He was formerly a Silicon Valley marketing and innovative corporate training manager. As an avocation and a way to “pay it forward” he enjoys teaching and career coaching college and graduate MBA students many of whom are pioneering first generation college students from underserved communities. He and his wife, a Notre Dame alum, celebrated their wedding reception at the Ralston Mansion in the 70’s and have two stupendously successful, married adult children who between them have four stupendously adorable grandchildren.

Arthur Chait

Entrepreneur, Executive, Engineer, Investor, Professor, Mentor. Founder & CEO EoPlex Inc. ($31 million VC funded startup acquired by ASTI Singapore). President Stanford Research Institute (SRI) Consulting Division (800 staff worldwide). SVP Flextronics (responsible for $8 Billion in global accounts). President Zitel Software. Principal Booz Allen. R&D Director Halliburton. Adjunct Professor Menlo College, Visiting Professor Universidad Francisco Marroquin (Guatemala), Mentor Draper University, Judge Startup Chile. BS Engineering Rutgers, MBA Strategy University Pittsburgh.

Kelly Cansler

Kelly completed both her BS (Finance/Economics) and MBA from NDNU. She utilized her business education to launch an insurance agency in 2008 with Farmers Insurance. It’s grown into multi-million-dollar agency, organically and through acquisition. She has been recognized by Farmers Insurance being ranked within the top 10% of agents nationwide, but also as a speaker, trainer, and mentor within the Farmers Insurance Community. Kelly is extremely connected with local businessowners through several networking channels.

Cliff Burnette

Cliff is the senior vice president and chief human resources officer at Rambus, a global chip and IP provider that advances data center connectivity and solves the bottleneck between memory and processing. Cliff has over 20 years of experience leading global human resources operations for publicly traded companies with expertise in employee relations, organizational development, and compensation strategy. Prior to Rambus, Cliff worked for several other high-tech companies in the semiconductor and medical device space and holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Management and Marketing from Texas State University and a master’s degree in Human Resources Management and Organization Development from the University of Texas at Austin.

Memo Morantes

Memo Morantes has been a San Mateo County resident for more than 45 years. He has been a three-term San Mateo County Board of Education incumbent, a Redwood City/San Mateo County Chamber of Commerce board member, a Sequoia Hospital Foundation member, a co-chair of the Latino Leadership Council of San Mateo, and a civic/community activist.

Sheryl Young

Sheryl serves as a director for Philanthropic Ventures Foundation, which provides $10M each year for innovative teachers and social entrepreneurs throughout the Bay Area. Prior Sheryl served as CEO of Community Gatepath and AbilityPath.org. She has over 30 years of managerial experience in operations, finance, and marketing. Young is a graduate of the Stanford University Graduate School of Business Executive Program for Non-Profit Leaders, earned an M.A. of Public Health from UC Berkeley, an M.A. in Special Education from Ball State University and a B.A. in Political Science from Purdue University.

Brian Schumacker

Brian manages South San Francisco-San Bruno’s wastewater treatment plant and with a dedicated staff of over 40 professionals who safeguard community health and protect the fragile San Francisco Bay ecosystem. Brian holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Administration, both from Notre Dame de Namur University. Brian has also earned the highest levels of professional certifications in wastewater treatment.

Mario Rendon

Mario Rendon serves as District Director for State Assemblymember Kevin Mullin. He develops the communications, public relations and constituent service strategy for the office and supervises a small team that represents Mr. Mullin in the 22nd Assembly District within San Mateo County. He has over twenty year’s experience working with elected officials at the local, state and federal level developing public policy.

Jerry Hill

Jerry’s public service started with his local neighborhood association that progressed to the California State Assembly and Senate where he authored legislation resulting in laws on issues related to consumer protection, utility safety, coastal protection, public health, education and the environment. Jerry was born and raised in San Francisco, receiving his BA from the University of California, Berkeley and a Teaching Credential from San Francisco State University.

Magda Gonzalez

Magda was most recently the City Manager for the City of Half Moon Bay, California. Prior she was the City Manager of East Palo Alto, California and Assistant City Manager, Redwood City. Magda was President of Cal-ICMA, representing the Local Government Hispanic Network and serves on the Board of Directors for the San Mateo Credit Union and the Latino Leadership Council of San Mateo County. Magda is also a member of ICMA and the State Bar of California and received several awards and recognitions, including Career Excellence Award (WLG) and the Ethical Hero Award from Cal-ICMA.

Jeremy Dennis

Jeremy currently serves as Portola Valley Town Manager. Previously, he’s worked for elected officials at all governance levels, including twice as District Director for local assemblymembers. He worked as the Palo Alto Long Range Planning Director, and for San Mateo County in management roles. Jeremy has a Masters in Urban Planning from the London School of Economics, and graduated from UC Davis studying US History/Political Science.

Kate Comfort-Harr

Kate is Executive Director of HIP Housing, a nonprofit specializing in creative affordable housing solutions throughout San Mateo County. Kate is a frequent speaker on a wide array of affordable housing topics and is passionate about the cultivation of collaborations between the private, public and social sectors. She serves on the Board of Directors for the San Mateo Credit Union and was awarded the Chamber San Mateo County’s 2020 Business Woman of the Year Award.

Jeff Cox

Program Director for Master of Public Administration

Jerome Nadel

Jerome Nadel is Internationally experienced design-led marketing executive (CMO and GM) with a track record of improved market position, revenue growth, and M&A. He is an advance degreed psychologist and user experience product/service design expert, board member and advisor. Jerome recently retired from Rambus as where he was CMO and GM of the security software division that he led the sale to Visa. He has had a variety of chief marketing officer and chief user experience officer roles at companies including Human Factors International, SLP InfoWare, Gemplus, and Sagem. He started his career in the IBM Human Factors Labs. He is also an avid cyclist with National and multiple California State Champion titles.