Nicole Siegfried, PhD - Executive Director and Interim C.E.O.

Nicole received a Master's degree in Clinical Psychology from St. Mary's University in Texas in 1993, going on to earn a Doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from Oklahoma State University in 1998. At the University of Alabama at Birmingham's Department of Medicine, Nicole completed a pre-doctoral residency and a postdoctoral fellowship in women's health disorders, with a focus on eating disorders. Nicole has published research articles and book chapters, performed workshops and given conference presentations in the fields of eating disorders and health psychology.

Nicole has exclusively treated eating disorders in her seven-year private practice, Siegfried, Porter & Associates. She strongly believes in treating the entire person and in her practice has worked closely as a team with psychiatrists, physicians, and dietitians to meet her clients' needs. Nicole is also a tenured Associate Professor of Psychology at Samford University, where she has received several teaching awards and is a favorite among students. She is the co-coordinator for the Alabama Network for Eating Disorder Awareness, which promotes awareness and provides education and treatment resources for eating disorders across the state.

As Magnolia Creek's Executive Director, Nicole believes in collaborating with our residents and walking beside them in their journey to recovery. She understands that women with eating disorders are capable individuals who can fully recover when provided with the right support, guidance, and a sense of hope.

Elizabeth Mullins, LCSW, PIP, EMDR II, CSAT I - Clinical Director

Elizabeth holds a Master's degree in Social Work from the University of Alabama, where she was a Master's Scholar. She is trained as a Level II EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) clinician through the EMDR Institute and as a Certified Sex Addiction Therapist (candidate) through the International Institute for Trauma and Addiction Professionals. Elizabeth has received training in psychodrama, sexual anorexia and sexual bulimia, relationship addiction, intimacy disorders, family systems, sexual assault, cross addictions, shame, and domestic violence, which she utilizes in her comprehensive approach to treating and empowering traumatized women. The curriculum she wrote on women's issues in relapse and recovery is currently used in a nationally recognized extended care treatment program. She strives to meet each resident at their map of the world in Process Group, Life Map Group, and in individual sessions, where she also challenges them on a daily basis to live an authentic life.

Elizabeth has received numerous awards in her career for her creative work, her passionate style, and her advocacy approaches. She deeply believes in an empowerment approach to therapy because of the changes made in her life through her personal therapeutic work.

A. Kenneth Olson, MD, PhD - Medical Director

Ken received his M.D. from the University of Louisville School of Medicine in 1973 and his Ph.D. in Nutrition Sciences from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) in 1994. He also holds a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Northwestern University. Ken completed a three-year residency at the Mayo Clinic and a post-doctoral fellowship at UAB. For 17 years, Ken has been at Trinity Montclair Hospital in a private practice that specializes in the nutritional and acute medical treatment of eating disorders. He formerly held an appointment as an Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor in Clinical Nutrition at the UAB School of Medicine and has published a number of book chapters, publications, and research presentations in the areas of nutrition and medicine.

As Magnolia Creek's Medical Director, Ken is dedicated to the health and well-being of our residents. His work with eating disorders has inspired him to research and develop nutritional supplements to aid in the recovery process.

Patsy Dudley, NP - Nurse Practitioner

Patsy holds a Master of Science in Nursing from Samford University and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Health Education/Health Promotion from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). In addition to working as a nurse practitioner, she teaches at the UAB School of Nursing, designing and giving lectures on the foundations of nursing.

Patsy has worked in Dr. Olson's private practice since 2004 and recently joined Magnolia Creek to continue assisting him in delivering quality patient care.

Susan Overton, RN - Charge Nurse

Susie earned her degree in nursing from Samford University in 1984. Before coming to Magnolia Creek, she held positions as Primary Care Nurse and Case Manager for several medical centers, including New Beacon Hospice, Reciprocal of America, and the Shelby Baptist Medical Center's Occupational Medicine Clinic. Her experience also includes working as a Nurse Counselor for Bradford Adolescent Facility, working with adolescents receiving treatment for substance abuse.

In addition to her nursing and management duties, Susie enjoys educating our residents about taking care of their health and helps lead the Health, Body, and Wellness Group each week. She is known for her calming presence and readiness to lend a sympathetic ear and shoulder to lean upon.

Ioana Shirley, MD - Psychiatrist

Born in Bucharest, Romania, Ioana received her M.D. in 1992 from Dr. Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, where she earned the highest score on the entrance exam and graduated valedictorian of her class. She completed a residency at the University Hospital of Bucharest, an internship at New York University in general surgery, and a residencey in general psychiatry at Baylor College of Medicine. She also completed a fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry at University of Alabama at Birmingham from 1998 to 2000.

As Magnolia Creek's psychiatrist, Dr. Shirley works to ensure the mental well-being of our residents. In addition to all her many accomplishments, she speaks fluent French, Romanian, and English.

Caroline Sasser, MA, LCSW - Primary Therapist & Body Image Specialist

Caroline holds a Master's Degree in Social Work from the University of South Carolina and a Bachelor's from Wake Forest University, where she Sociology & Family Studies, and minored in Psychology. She most recently worked in private practice specializing in eating disorders, depression, broken/strained relationships, familial frustrations, etc. Caroline has also worked at the University of Alabama at Birmingham's Counseling & Wellness Center, as well as the Gateway Alliance Project where she assisted foster children and facilitated an anger management program with the local court system for juvenile delinquents.

Caroline enjoys travel, havings studied abroad in London and served on mission trips to St. Petersburg, Russia and the Dominican Republic. She also participates in triathalons and loves photography and cooking.

Stephen Williams, LPC, MEd, NCC, EMDR II - Primary Therapist & Director of Spiritual Services

Stephen holds a Master's in Education in Counseling from the School of Leadership Foundations and Cousneling at the University of MOntevallo, as well as a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Auburn University. He also has 32 hours of EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) training from the EMDR International Association and 120 hours of psychodrama training from the Mid-South Institute for Psychodrama and Sociometry.

Stephen most recently worked at Bradford Health Services Extended Care Program, where he provided group and individual psychotherapy, as well as developed and implemented grief and trauma groups combining dynamic psychoanalysis with psychodrama. Stephen also served as Art Director at AOL/Timewarner/Southern Progress. Outside of his work, he enjoys meditation, backpacking, hiking, canoeing, landscape painting, studies of world religions and spirituality, and skydiving.

Suzanne Eleazer, MA, RD, LD - Dietitian

Suzanne is a Registered and Licensed Dietitian and is also certified in food management and food safety (ServSafe). She received her Bachelor's degree in Nutrition from University of Mississippi, followed by a Master's degree in Exercise Physiology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). Suzanne completed her dietetics internship at UAB and completed a fellowship in the treatment of adolescents with eating disorders through the Children's Hospital in Birmingham. She also received several awards and recognitions throughout her training.

Suzanne believes that healthful eating is within everyone's reach yet recognizes the nutritional and dietary challenges that come with eating disorders. As Magnolia Creek's dietitian, she works closely with each resident to help her develop a healthier, more intuitive and more sustainable relationship with food.

Leah Krastel, BS - Nutrition and Wellness Specialist

Leah is a recipe expert, having worked for Southern Living magazine, Coastal Living magazine, and other Oxmoor House publications as a Food Editor and preparing and testing recipes in their test kitchen. She was a freelance recipe developer for "Weight Watchers Annual Recipes" for 2007 and 2008 and interned at the Food Network, assisting Sara Moulton on "Cooking Live" with food prep and menu development. Leah received a Bachelor of Science degree in Consumer Foods from Virgina Tech in 1999, where she also received a basketball scholarship. She continues to be active as an athelete and plays for the Altadena Country Club women's tennis team.

Leah is eager to share her passion for cooking and healthy eating at Magnolia Creek. She regularly leads cooking classes for our residents, imbuing them with her charisma and empathy.

Chebon Porter, Ph.D. - Psychologist

After receiving a Doctoral degree in 1999 from Oklahoma State University, Chebon completed a post-doctoral fellowship in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) School of Medicine. He has since been working at the Southeastern Blind Rehabilitation Center as their attending clinical psychologist and as the Director of Clinical Training for the VA, as part of the APA -accredited UAB Clinical Psychology Internship Consortium. In addition, he maintains a private practice at Siegfried, Porter & Associates, where he specializes in trauma, and also holds an academic appointment as Assistant Professor at the UAB School of Medicine.

Chebon leads both the weekly Empowerment Group for residents and the After Care therapy group for alumni, helping past and current residents develop a sense of purpose and affirm their commitment to recovery.

Anna Stanley, MA, LPC - Family Coordinator

Anna earned a Master's degree in Counseling from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 2002 and is a Licensed Professional Counselor. Anna most recently served as the Director of Counseling Services at the I Found Hope Counseling Center at Judson College, providing group and individual counseling for students and faculty. She has also worked extensively with young children in her previous work at Camp Greystone and the Early Arts Center. Anna specializes in using creative expression and other experiential modalities, promoting insight and awareness through the use of symbols and metaphor.

Anna has worked as a primary therapist at Magnolia Creek and currently serves as the Family Coordinator, leading the Community Family Support Group as part of our Aftercare program.

Spring Olson, BS - Arts Instructor

Spring has worked in arts education for nearly 20 years. She started as a private art instructor, and then brought art into the classroom at the elementary and middle school levels. She has moved into creating and leading therapeutic arts programs for girls and young women since cofounding a summer art program held at Oasis Women's Counseling Center from 2001 - 2003. Since that time, she has been an arts facilitator for "The Art of Girl Building," a summer arts program for Creative Wellness, a center blending counseling and the creative arts. Spring has Master's level training in Art Education from University of Alabama at Birmingham and holds a B.S. degree from the University of Kansas.

Spring encourages our residents to express themselves freely through art several times a week in Expressive Arts group. She incorporates elements of nature into art whenever possible to promote a connection to the earth. She does, though, look forward to incorporating the use of power tools into projects to instill confidence and a sense of self-sufficiency.

Glenn Magargee, MA, LPC, LBSW, Eagala Level II - Equine Therapist

Glenn has owned horses for twenty years and founded the Mustard Seed Society, an equine-assisted psychotherapy program (EAP), in 2004. Glenn was trained in EAP through Eagala and has been providing equine therapy for 5 years. She has also owned and operated a horse-back trail ride in a state park.

Glenn is also a licensed professional counselor, with fifteen years of experience in private practice. She spent four years on an acute care unit and has worked with the Department of Human Resources and Department of Youth Services in several counties, working with at-risk youth and their families. Glenn is the proud mother of 3 grown children and 10 grandchildren.

Ronda Cannon, BS - Program Director

Ronda graduated magna cum laude from Washington State University with a Bachelor's degree in Psychology. She spent several years as the Program Coordinator for Eating Disorders Awareness and Prevention in Washington state, developing eating disorder prevention programs and creating several presentations and publications on the subject. Ronda also has a strong research and analytical background having worked as a Research Specialist and Project Coordinator for several programs at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

With her gentle voice and caring demeanor, Ronda is often the first point of contact for prospective residents and their families. In addition to facilitating the intake process and assisting residents with the financial aspects of care, Ronda is using her research experience to evaluate assessments and develop outcome studies for Magnolia Creek.

Jim Palmer, MPH - Management Consultant and Facilities Manager

Jim received a Master of Public Health degree from University of Alabama at Birmingham in 1986. For the past 25 years he managed the Veteran Administration's Southeastern Blind Rehabilitation Center (SBRC), a 32-bed residential treatment program for veterans receiving comprehensive training in adjustment to sight loss. He recently retired as their Assistant Director. During his time at the SBRC, he also set up the hospital's non-profit research corporation of which he has been the Executive Director for the past 17 years. Jim spent the early part of his career as a Blind Rehabilitation and Manual Arts Therapist, working directly with patients in a residential setting.

Jim was lured out of retirement to contribute his extensive leadership and management experience to the Magnolia Creek team as our original C.E.O. He is also a talented and skilled woodworker, and evidence of his craft can be found throughout the facility.

Suzanne Zimmerman, Esq. - Business Manager

Suzanne comes to Magnolia Creek from Legal Services of Alabama, where she worked as an Attorney in Elder Law and Family Law. She is an active member of the Alabama Network for Eating Disorder Awareness and has led several eating disorder support groups, including Balance, an interactive support group for women who are overcoming eating disorders. Suzanne holds a Juris Doctor from Cumberland School of Law at Samford University and has held a judicial clerkship in Domestic Relations Court, as well as positions with several private law firms.

In addition to her extensive business duties, Suzanne is the driving force behind all of our outreach efforts, coordinating Magnolia Creek's presence at local events and national conferences.

Gina Palmer, MA - Compliance Coordinator

Gina spent the last 25 years overseeing daily operations and administration at Southeastern Blind Rehabilitation Center (SBRC) and earning several honors and awards during her tenure. She acted as the center's CARF/JCAHO (now Joint Commission) Compliance Manager, maintaining policies and ensuring accreditation standards. Gina also works part time for Weight Watchers, providing guidance and support to members. Gina holds a Master's degree in Rehabilitation Teaching from Western Michigan University and a Bachelor's in Special Education from Boston College.

Gina's hard work has been instrumental to securing our Accreditation from The Joint Commission. She is constantly working with the clinical team to improve our quality of care and adherence to state and accreditation standards. When she isn't thumbing through policy manuals, Gina can be found working in her kitchen, indulging in her passion for Italian and world cuisine.

Lana Gay Zabriskie, Esq. - Intake and Administrative Assistant

When she isn't answering phones and assisting prospective residents, Lana works as an Assistant District Attorney at the Bibb County District Attorney's Office. Previously, Lana served as a Staff Attorney at Legal Services Alabama working with low income and elderly clients. She holds a law degree from Stetson University College of Law, as well as a Bachelor's of Science in Psychology from University of Alabama at Birmingham, where she graduated cum laude.

Apostolos Lerios, MS - Information Technology Coordinator

Apostolos “Toli” Lerios received his Master's of Science degree in Computer Science from Stanford University in 1995. Toli worked on his PhD for five years at Stanford, but left the program early to join the Silicon Valley internet boom. During his career, he has worked on NASA and Air Force projects, cutting-edge computer graphics, and has held leading technical positions at several startups, including a medical device manufacturer. Curiosity also got him involved on the business side of those ventures, of which one was sold to a larger firm, and another held a successful IPO. In parallel, he has taught computer science in diverse environments, from the University of Hanoi in Vietnam to Stanford University, where he was awarded the prestigious Gores teaching award.

Toli shares his technical expertise with Magnolia Creek, having set up our IT systems to standards beyond what is typical for businesses of this size. He is also our shareholder liaison and advises on overall strategy.

Christine N. Lerios, BA - Website and Marketing Coordinator

Christine received a dual Bachelor's in Human Biology and Economics from Stanford University in 1998 and studied as a Public Policy and International Affairs Fellow at Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School. She spent several years in high tech marketing, crafting marketing strategy, creating brand awareness, and launching products for several tech companies. A foray into the non-profit world led Christine into website development, and she has spent the last five years creating sites for small businesses and non-profit organizations. Christine is also a certified yoga teacher and permaculture designer.

Christine is excited to promote awareness and help others learn about Magnolia Creek and our programs.