Thought Leaders

Medical and Clinical Experts Providing Insight and Experience

Our medical doctors, psychiatrists, psychologists, therapists, residential care staff, and other experts have been featured in numerous publications and programs, including NBC Nightly News, the Today Show, Oprah Daily, the Wall Street Journal, Parents, CNN, US News & World Report, Forbes, and many others. With decades of experience in the field, they bring wisdom and knowledge to their interpretation of new research and trends around adolescent and young adult mental health.

Joshua Stein, MD

Chief of Medical Staff, PrairieCare Division
Dr. Nelson works across Newport Healthcare’s inpatient, residential and outpatient programs, identifying opportunities to build leading-edge solutions that advance exceptional clinical care, strengthen operational efficiency, and support long-term financial performance. He previously served as Newport’s Chief Medical Information Officer and led the Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) program at our PrairieCare division in Minnesota. Dr. Nelson brings a background in both clinical practice and technology-driven innovation: He spent nine years in software development before earning his medical degree at the University of Minnesota, where he completed a general psychiatry residency and a clinical research fellowship in neuromodulation. After graduating, he served as Executive Director of the TMS program at the University of Minnesota and Minneapolis VA Medical Center. Dr. Nelson is active in treatment advocacy, working to improve access to novel therapies for those on public and low-income medical plans.

Brent G. Nelson, MD

Chief Innovation & Optimization Officer
Barbara Nosal, PhD, has worked with teens, young adults, and families in the field of mental health and addiction treatment for nearly 30 years. She has held supervisory and leadership positions, as well as serving on the faculty of National University and University of Phoenix. As Founding Clinical Director of Newport, she developed our clinical and family treatment model, and now oversees clinical operations and services at our residential and outpatient programs for adolescents and young adults. Dr. Nosal holds a Doctorate in Transpersonal Psychology and Master’s degrees in Counseling Psychology and Human Services. She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor. Specializing in attachment and relational trauma, Dr. Nosal integrates family systems concepts with attachment-based practices to heal childhood trauma and deepen relationships among family members.

Barbara Nosal, PhD, LMFT, LADC

Chief Clinical Officer
Dr. Danielle Roeske has worked in the mental health treatment field since 2003, as a CEO, clinical director, program developer, family program director, therapist, and supervisor. Her experience spans acute psychiatric care, outpatient community therapy, and residential mental health and substance abuse treatment. Danielle holds a Master’s in Counseling and Human Relations from Villanova University and a doctorate in clinical psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies. Her accomplishments include the creation of an intensive family program for a longstanding treatment center. Early in her career, Danielle worked as a literary consultant and chemical dependency expert for the FDA.

Danielle Roeske, PsyD

Vice President, Operations, Residential Services
Ryan Fedoroff brings more than 15 years of academic leadership and classroom experience to her role at Newport Academy. As an educator, she is passionate about working with high-risk adolescents and is trained in restorative practices. Ryan has also worked with the Marin County (California) Youth Court and is a member of various community organizations working to combat youth substance abuse. In her current role and in her previous role as Newport’s National Director of Education, Ryan works alongside clinicians to create interventions to assist students dealing with anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues. She also collaborates with special education teams to create protocols for managing classroom challenges for students dealing with auditory processing and executive functioning deficits.

Ryan Fedoroff, M.Ed

Vice President, Learning and Development
Dr. Loftus began her career in research, and her desire to make an impact on young people during this critical stage of development led her into direct care, working with children, teens, and families. She earned her medical degree at one of the most acclaimed medical schools in Romania, and received her PhD from the University of California, Davis. An advocate for children’s mental health, she has testified at the Capitol on numerous occasions in her role as the president of the Connecticut Council of Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists. Dr. Loftus also served as an assistant professor in the University of Connecticut School of Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry, and is currently on the Advisory Board for the Women in Leadership Program at the University of New Haven. She previously served as Medical Director at Hartford HealthCare’s Institute of Living, researching the efficacy of experimental depression and suicidal ideation treatments.

Mirela Loftus, MD, PhD

Medical Director
Dr. Hadzic has worked in inpatient, residential, and outpatient settings, including serving as Associate Medical Director for six Rogers outpatient clinics in three states. Board certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in Adult Psychiatry and in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, he brings specific expertise in treating severe OCD/anxiety disorders, as well as autism spectrum disorder. Dr. Hadzic’s other areas of interest include eating disorders, misophonia, rare genetic disorders, and the emerging role of technology and novel therapeutics in psychiatry. He completed a Medical Scientist MD/PhD training program at Washington University in St. Louis, School of Medicine, followed by a general psychiatry residency at Washington University and child psychiatry research track fellowship at the UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior.

Tarik Hadzic, MD, PhD

Medical Director, National OCD Services and Southern California Programs
Samantha is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and has been working from a family systems perspective throughout her career. As Newport’s National Director of Family Therapy Services, she oversees all family programming, which utilizes Attachment-Based Family Therapy to provide support and psychoeducation to families throughout the treatment process. Samantha has extensive experience working with adolescents and adults who have experienced trauma, including sexual and physical abuse. She also has expertise working with the LGBTQ community and issues related to gender and sexuality. Samantha believes that a necessary step in the healing and recovery process is a strong and genuine therapeutic connection that creates safety and allows for growth.

Samantha Quigneaux, LMFT

National Director of Family Therapy Services
Kara leads the growth and development of evidence-based treatment initiatives across Newport Healthcare’s nationwide programs. With more than a decade of experience in clinical leadership, she has directed multiple residential and outpatient programs focused on eating disorder recovery and mental health. An AAMFT Approved Supervisor and Certified Eating Disorder Specialist Consultant, Kara trains clinicians in best practices and provides national program oversight. Passionate about education and advocacy, she has presented at major conferences on integrating eating disorder treatment into general psychiatric settings, and has been a featured expert for Parents magazine and FOX11 Los Angeles, among other national shows and publications. She holds a Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy from Southern Connecticut State University.

Kara Becker, LMFT, CEDS

National Director of Eating Disorder Programs
Olivia Lynch, LPC, is an EMDR Trainer, EMDRIA Approved Consultant, and Certified EMDR Therapist. She has extensive experience in integrating Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy into high-acuity, short-term treatment settings. As the National Director of EMDR Services at Newport Healthcare, Olivia developed and leads a comprehensive in-house EMDR training and consultation program, empowering clinicians across the country in residential and outpatient care to enhance their trauma treatment practices. Olivia has presented at multiple national conferences and has been published as a co-author in the journal Family Process, in a study exploring the integration of EMDR with Attachment-Based Family Therapy.

Olivia Lynch, MS, LPC

National Director of EMDR Services
With over 10 years of experience in the behavioral healthcare field, Meredith specializes in working with adolescents and young adults. Her experience in the field includes working with individuals ranging from early childhood through geriatrics, treating a wide array of mental health, behavioral, and relational needs. Meredith is trained in Exposure and Response Prevention therapy, Attachment-Based Family Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy. She holds a master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy/Counseling from Central Connecticut State University and an undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of Rhode Island. She is also a certified yoga instructor.

Meredith Hettler, LMFT

National Director, OCD and Anxiety Program
Heather Hagen, MA, LMFT

Executive Director of Clinical Outpatient Services
Michael Roeske, PsyD, is a licensed clinical psychologist with over 20 years of experience spanning clinical practice, executive leadership, and research. As Senior Director of the Center for Research & Innovation at Newport Healthcare, he leads Newport’s outcomes monitoring and behavioral health research programs. Previously, Michael held leadership roles as Executive Director and CEO in premier treatment settings. A recognized thought leader, he also serves on professional boards and has been featured in online outlets such as CNN, Verywell Mind, and the Huffington Post.

Michael Roeske, PsyD

Senior Director, Center for Research and Innovation
Don Grant, PhD, MFA, DAC, SUDCC IV

National Advisor of Healthy Device Management
Jennifer Dragonette spearheaded the establishment of Newport Academy’s Northern California program, where she continues to serve as Executive Director. Her experience in the field includes clinical and leadership roles for Kaiser Permanente Santa Rosa’s Chemical Dependency Services and for Petaluma Health Center, where she was the Director of Behavioral Health. Dr. Dragonette also developed curriculum for a program to support parents and children in the aftermath of the Petaluma wildfires in 2017. She holds a doctorate in clinical psychology and served as a federal investigator for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission before transitioning in to the treatment field.

Jennifer Dragonette, PsyD

Clinical Services Instructor
Helene D’Jay, LPC, brings years of experience in the business world as a human resources professional, and extensive experience in her second career as a therapist, to her position as Executive Director of our young adults services in Connecticut. She previously served as the Clinical Director of Newport Academy’s East Coast campus. Her combination of therapeutic and management skills is invaluable in this role. Helene has volunteered for the Red Cross and spent six months counseling families and children in Newtown, Connecticut. She also served on a crisis team for the statewide 211 system.

Helene D’Jay, LPC