The People Behind CTSE
CTSE brings together experienced clinicians, educators, facilitators, nonprofit leaders, and professionals. Our team includes nationally recognized experts in Dialectical Behavior Therapy and trauma-informed care alongside leaders with extensive experience in training, community engagement, and organizational development.
Together, they guide our programs, strengthen our curriculum, and help translate research into practical tools people can use in everyday life and work.
Ryan Oelrich, CPSS
Executive Director · Board President · Lead Facilitator
Ryan Oelrich serves as President and is one of the Facilitators for the Center for Trauma and Stress Education. A mental health trainer, facilitator, and nationally recognized leader in peer support, Ryan has trained thousands of professionals since 2008 and has presented his work and personal experiences at conferences nationally and internationally.
Ryan’s career has spanned nonprofit leadership, mental health, the military, youth and family services, government, and community development. He has developed mental health curricula used by Washington State, delivered multiple TED talks, and founded three nonprofit organizations. He is a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Culture of Health Fellow and holds both an MA in Leadership and an MBA. He was recognized by the United States Congress for his work and research on poverty and family homelessness in 2017.
Ryan brings to CTSE a passion for making complex mental health concepts practical, engaging, and accessible, while strengthening the professionals and organizations that support people experiencing stress and trauma.
David Levitt
Board Chair · Treasurer
David Levitt brings more than 30 years of experience in executive management, consulting, technology, real estate development, strategic planning, and business development to CTSE. His career has included creating and selling software companies, developing technology systems, managing complex projects, and advising organizations on growth and operations.
David served on the Board of William James College in Boston from 2011 to 2021 and currently volunteers as a mentor with MIT Venture Mentoring Service and RIHub, providing guidance to entrepreneurs and emerging companies.
David has served as Chair and Treasurer of the Center for Trauma and Stress Education since 2022. He brings to CTSE extensive expertise in organizational leadership, strategy, governance, and sustainable growth.
Luciana “Luci” Payne, PhD
Founder · Board Vice Chair · Facilitator
Dr. Luciana Payne is a Clinical Psychologist at McLean Hospital and an Instructor at Harvard Medical School, working in both clinical practice and research. She specializes in supporting parents, couples, and families and has extensive experience with evidence-based approaches including Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and exposure-based treatments for trauma and stress-related challenges.
Dr. Payne’s research includes the development and evaluation of innovative programs and interventions for families. She is a co-creator of Family Connections–Managing Suicidality and Trauma Recovery, a program designed to support parents of suicidal and self-injuring youth.
Dr. Payne earned her doctorate from the University of Nevada, Reno, and completed postdoctoral training at McLean Hospital/Harvard University. As CTSE Vice Chair, she brings extensive clinical, research, training, and program-development expertise to the organization.
Cynthia Kaplan, PhD
Founder · Facilitator
Dr. Cynthia Kaplan is the Founder of the Center for Trauma and Stress Education and brings more than 25 years of clinical, research, teaching, and training experience in trauma and mental health. She serves as Director of Trauma Training and Consultation in Child and Adolescent Services at McLean Hospital and is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Harvard Medical School.
Dr. Kaplan has dedicated much of her career to understanding and treating trauma, including Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, childhood trauma, and high-risk and suicidal behaviors among adolescents. She has developed programs, conducted research, trained professionals, and spoken extensively on these topics.
Dr. Kaplan earned her doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Fordham University and completed postgraduate studies at New York University. She is also co-author of Fighting Back: “What an Olympic Champion’s Story Can Teach Us About Recognizing and Preventing Child Sexual Abuse — and Helping Kids Recover.”
Alan E. Fruzzetti, PhD
Founder
Dr. Alan E. Fruzzetti is an internationally recognized leader in program development, research, teaching and supervision in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). In addition to his work as co-founder of the Center for Trauma and Stress Education, he is Director of Training in Family Services and a senior DBT supervisor for 3East programs at McLean Hospital. He received his B.A. from Brown University and M.S. & Ph.D. from the University of Washington in Seattle. He is professor emeritus at the University of Nevada, Reno and faculty at HMS/McLean Hospital. Dr. Fruzzetti has adapted and implemented DBT for multiple underserved populations and developed many successful DBT programs for people with BPD, related problems with emotion regulation, stress and trauma, and programs for couples, parents, and families. His research focuses on the connections between severe individual distress/disorders and interpersonal/family processes, and their interplay with emotion dysregulation.
Dr. Fruzzetti is Past President of the National Education Alliance for Borderline Personality Disorder and on the Board of Directors for the DBT Board of Certification and World DBT Association. He has authored over 125 research and clinical papers, monographs, manuals and book chapters, two books, and is the editor of the Guilford DBT Practice series. He has lectured and trained professionals and the public in more than twenty-five countries. Alan is the co-creator of the free/open access NEA-BPD Family Connections programs for parents, partners, and other loved ones of people with BPD, trauma related to suicide attempts and related problems, and for parents with trauma. He has testified for Congressional committees about problems related to suicide and has received many honors for research, teaching, and for community service, and is married with four children.
Kim Forsythe, LICSW
Board Member
Kim Forsythe is a Board-Certified Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker whose career has focused on integrating mental health services across complex healthcare systems. She retired from the United States Air Force after directing mental health operations for the New England region.
Kim is a recipient of the American Hospital Association’s 2023 Federal Health Care Executive Special Achievement Award. Her experience includes healthcare leadership, organizational change, patient safety, trauma treatment, and developing innovative solutions in environments with limited resources.
Today, Kim works in private practice, providing trauma treatment to military and civilian clients. She brings to CTSE extensive clinical and leadership experience, along with a commitment to improving mental health services and outcomes for individuals and communities.
Ginny Fisher, MSW, LSWAA
Board Member
Ginny Fisher brings experience in medical social work, healthcare, and community-based services to the Center for Trauma and Stress Education Board. She has worked as a Therapist and Case Manager at Evergreen Hospital, a Medical Social Worker with Virginia Mason Franciscan Health and previously completed internships with the HIV Clinic at Massachusetts General Hospital and Ascentria Care Alliance.
Her professional experience has provided her with insight into the intersection of physical health, mental health, and the social and emotional needs of individuals navigating challenging circumstances.
In addition to her professional work, Ginny is a philanthropist and advocate for mental health and greater access to support and resources. She brings to CTSE a strong commitment to compassionate care, community well-being, and advancing the organization’s mission to better equip individuals and professionals to understand and respond to stress and trauma.
Michael P. Krupa, Ed.D.
Board Member
Michael P. Krupa brings more than 40 years of behavioral health leadership, clinical expertise, and organizational management experience to the CTSE Board. A licensed psychologist, he is the Founder and CEO Emeritus of TaraVista and MiraVista Behavioral Health Centers and TaraVista HealthPartners.
Throughout his career, Dr. Krupa has held senior leadership positions in nonprofit and for-profit healthcare organizations and has consulted with or managed psychiatric services in more than 60 healthcare organizations nationwide. His work has focused on expanding access to high-quality mental health and substance use treatment, strengthening behavioral health services, and improving patient outcomes.
Dr. Krupa earned his doctorate from Harvard University and served for ten years at Harvard Medical School as a clinical supervisor. Dr. Krupa has served on a number of boards over his career. He brings to CTSE extensive expertise in behavioral health, organizational leadership, and strengthening systems of care.
Jacob Beye
Marketing & Communications
Jacob Beye, serves on our staff with a multidisciplinary background spanning corporate, nonprofit, and entrepreneurial ventures, Jacob brings a dynamic and mission-driven approach to brand development and outreach.
Prior to joining CTSE, Jacob has had a diverse set of work and life experiences across the world. His early career included staff training and customer experience leadership at Apple in Australia, followed by founding and scaling startup ventures in hospitality and sexual health. He developed a successful restaurant concept, contributed to a documentary production team at the Shaolin Temple in China, and had a rich tenure in operations and development at Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Inland Northwest. A strong advocate for trauma-informed workplace practices, Jacob also brings expertise in digital marketing, public relations, and strategic communication.
Outside of his professional work, Jacob is a lifelong skier and part-time instructor, a dedicated yoga practitioner, and a board member for Spokane Pride. He is deeply committed to compassion, equity, and advancing human rights.