Lisa Smusz

About Lisa Smusz

Lisa Smusz has more than 20 years of senior level experience in developing, executing, and evaluating public health initiatives on local, statewide, national, and international projects. Ms. Smusz is widely regarded as a subject matter expert in mental health stigma reduction, and has served as a subject matter expert for California\'s Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI), California’s Mental Health Movement Each Mind Matters, multiple international and local stigma reduction campaigns, and the Harvard University Global Health Delivery Project. Lisa leads a highly successful consulting firm providing strategic counsel, advocacy, and subject matter expertise to public health and educational organizations across California and was an Instructor at California State University, East Bay for 22 years.Ms. Smusz has been featured in both academic and mainstream press (television, radio, and print) regarding mental health and stigma issues, best-practices for working with youth and young adults, and culturally responsive approaches to promoting public and mental health in diverse communities.Ms. Smusz is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPC 298) with post-graduate training in Integrative Psychiatry and Trauma Informed Care. She was a member of the Harvard Global Public Health Intensive, holds a Masters of Science in Educational Psychology/Counseling from California State University, Hayward and a Bachelors of Science in Bio-Psychology from California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo.

Experience

1. CEO Principal Consultant

   The Social Changery

   Jan 2002 — Present · Sacramento, CA, US

   I provide strategic counsel, training, content expertise, community health and wellness project management, advocacy and legislation strategy, fund development, and technology/e-learning solutions for health and wellness organizations. Training and content development topics have included: system redesign, youth and community engagement, stigma reduction, integration of mental health, substance use prevention/treatment and primary care, behavior health workforce development including implementation and training of peer support workers, wellness (social, physical, occupational, and intellectual).Clients/projects include: The Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI), part of the Master Plan for Kids’ Mental Health, a historic investment by the State of California that takes a “whole child” approach to address the factors that contribute to the mental health and well-being of our children and youth; the CDC-funded youth COVID campaign \"Crushing the Curve;\" the multi-county mental health and substance use prevention campaign \"Decoded;\" CalMHSA\'s Each Mind Matters Campaign; Harvard University Global Health Delivery Project: Addressing Mental Health Stigma forum; Integrated Behavioral Health Project (IBHP); California Institute for Behavioral Health Solutions (CIBHS), Peer Leadership Institute; The REAL Campaign, a mental health initiative at Congregation Rodef Sholom; Diversity Health Training Institute\'s AllyNetwork, and more.

Education

• California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

  BS, Psychology (Bio-psychology)

  1998 — 2000

• California State University - East Bay

  MS, Counseling

  2002 — 2004

• Columbia College

  AS, AS, Psychology and Liberal Studies

  1996 — 1998

• Harvard University

  Global Health Delivery Intensive

Skills

• Career Counseling
• Grant Writing
• Web Application Design
• Case Management
• Web Design
• Report Writing
• Content Management
• Program Management
• Project Management
• Nonprofits
• Teaching
• Health Education
• Social Services
• Case Managment
• Higher Education
• Qualitative Research
• Crisis Intervention
• Public Speaking
• Motivational Interviewing
• Group Therapy
• Grant Monitoring
• Ada Compliance
• Psychology
• Grants
• Psychotherapy
• Mental Health
• Large-Scale Event Planning
• Staff Development
• Large Scale Events
• Training
• Health Advocacy
• E-Learning Consulting
• Research
• Budget Monitoring
• Presenter
• Campaign Managment
• Program Development
• Management
• Social Change
• Non-Profit Fund Development