At Rula, our goal for therapists is autonomy without isolation. This goal was born out of the recognition that even in independent private practice, it’s still important that you have access to timely and reliable support from fellow licensed therapists who are available to help you thrive in your clinical work and provide the highest quality of care. So who are these fellow licensed therapists?
Clinical Quality Specialists
Our Clinical Quality Specialists (CQS’s) are a go-to resource for therapists, offering guidance and direction on clinical issues that arise in telehealth practice. CQS’s are engaged in identifying knowledge and practice gaps based on quality indicators, delivering educational resources and offering both individual and group peer consultation and support to Rula network providers. Opportunities to engage in clinical consultation is part of Rula’s investment in provider growth and development. We also use this as an opportunity for us to learn from you. All of these events can be found on the Therapist Events Calendar (Note: Events are shown in Pacific Time).
Meet the CQS team below!
Shakirra Jones, LPC, LMHC - Clinical Quality Specialist (she/her)
As a Clinical Quality Specialist, Shakirra takes a collaborative, solution-focused, strengths-based approach to helping providers address quality gaps and improve their virtual private practice. Shakirra has over 8 years of clinical experience. She has practiced in various settings including crisis intervention, community mental health, substance abuse treatment, and higher education leadership.
Adrienne Duhon, LCSW - Clinical Quality Specialist Manager (she/her)
As a Clinical Quality Specialist at Rula, Adrienne serves as a valuable support to therapists, providing guidance and direction on clinical matters that may arise in telehealth practice. She actively pinpoints knowledge and practice gaps by assessing quality indicators, creating supportive coaching plans, educational resources, and offering peer consultation to Path network providers. Adrienne has over 10 years experience in the mental health field. Her practice spans diverse settings such as hospitals, nursing homes, and telehealth companies. She brings valuable expertise in working with clients facing challenges related to anxiety, depression, and ADHD.
Micaela Gonzalez, LMFT - Clinical Quality Specialist (she/her)
In her role as a Clinical Quality Specialist, Micaela can offer consultation on clinical matters such as peer case consultation, documentation and medical necessity, and can offer therapists collaborative and personalized support in meeting quality indicators of best practices and clinical outcomes. Micaela has 10 years of experience in the mental health field with a specialization in working with clients with mental health and substance use disorders. She is well-versed in virtual and startup settings, as well as providing consultation to mental health providers to ensure high-quality care is delivered to those in need.
Jenna Gosden, LMHC – Clinical Quality Specialist (she/her)
As a Clinical Quality Specialist, Jenna supports therapists by providing consultation on the issues affecting private practitioners, such as clinical best practices, ethical concerns, effective use of telehealth, and clinical documentation skills. With more than 10 years of clinical experience, she approaches the consultation relationship as a colleague in the field, with a goal of helping therapists provide the highest quality care to their clients. She has experience in a variety of settings, from telehealth private practice to inpatient crisis stabilization, and has worked with diverse client populations. She brings a high level of expertise in working with clients with substance use disorders and the LGBTQIA+ community. She has been a clinical supervisor for more than 7 years and especially enjoys facilitating case consultation groups.
Ivy Olcott, LMHC - Clinical Quality Specialist (she/her)
As a Clinical Quality Specialist, Ivy is dedicated to collaborating with providers to enhance treatment outcomes for their clients. She brings a wealth of therapeutic experience gained from working in various diverse settings including community mental health, higher education, and virtual outpatient care. Drawing from her dual expertise as a clinician and clinical care reviewer, Ivy supports providers in refining documentation practices and offering guidance around client care, ethical considerations, and practical methodologies. Ivy loves collaborating with therapists who bring curiosity to their practice and are eager to explore how their documentation and client interactions can evolve to meet high-quality standards.
Emily Farabee, LCSW - Clinical Quality Associate (she/her)
Emily is a proud social worker and approaches mental health from a holistic and systems perspective. As a Clinical Quality Associate, Emily is the first point of contact for the network of therapists who are looking for guidance and support. Having worked in community mental health, private practice, and health tech, Emily brings a passion for clinical excellence as well as an interest in practice management and burnout mitigation. She maintains a small private practice and loves solo travel, easy jigsaw puzzles, and musical theater.
Additional Clinical Quality Team Members
Ash Duncan LCSW, AASW, CFSW- Clinical Learning and Development Manager (she/her)
As a Senior Clinical Quality Associate at Rula, Ash Duncan LCSW, AASW, CFSW is the first point of contact for any and all questions related to best-practice clinical care, serving as one of the primary clinical partners to all internal teams at Rula, as well as the Rula provider community. In collaboration with these cross functional partners and Rula provider feedback, Ash helps to develop and implement policies, workflows, and new product features that enhance the experience of our patients, providers, and insurance partners.
Ash has over 10 years of experience working in a variety of mental health settings, including a nationally recognized inpatient/outpatient substance use treatment center, an animal-assisted therapy treatment center, child welfare, a drop-in center for LGBTQIA+ youth, and at a start-up that provided behavioral finance coaching to clients. Most recently, she spent several years as a telehealth-only provider at her own private practice, specializing in working within the LGBTQIA+ communities and with individuals struggling with complex trauma, substance use, and chronic suicidality.
Kristy Paterson, LMFT- Patient Safety Navigator (she/her)
Kristy Paterson, LMFT, is a seasoned clinical leader with expertise in enhancing clinical quality, optimizing operational efficiency, and improving treatment outcomes through evidence-informed therapies and data-driven insights. She holds a BS in Psychology, Health and Wellbeing from Chapman University and an MS in Psychology from California Polytechnic State University. In July 2024, Kristy joined the Patient Safety Team at Rula, bringing with her a proven track record of building and leading clinical teams at three telehealth companies. As a Patient Safety Navigator, she continues her advocacy for strong, patient-centered care by ensuring that patient safety and proactive risk management are always prioritized in the delivery of high-quality care.
In her leisure time, Kristy loves immersing herself in nature, finding peace in a heartfelt book or nutritious meal, and creating special moments with her husband and their two younger children.
Whitney Gates, LCSW - Patient Safety Associate (she/her)
Whitney has been a social worker for 10 years. She has experience in a variety of settings including psychiatric inpatient, intensive outpatient, therapeutic day treatment, adult day treatment, community mental health, and integrated behavioral health in primary care. She has a passion for supporting the therapists who support patients. She enjoys consulting with mental health professionals to help them keep their patients and themselves safe.
When away from work, Whitney loves reading, and traveling with her family.
Michelle Toliver, LMHC, Clinical Care Reviewer, she/her
As Rula’s Clinical Care Reviewer, Michelle is responsible for executing tasks associated with clinical documentation review and escalation. She uses her clinical knowledge and expertise to interpret psychotherapy documentation and support clinical quality. She documents findings using clinical rationale and communicates with providers, patients, internal Rula partners, and payer partners regarding the Clinical Care Review process and outcomes.
Michelle has over 10 years of experience working in various non-profit mental health settings that included a mix of direct care, supervisory, and quality/compliance focused roles. Outside of work, Michelle is a gaming enthusiast and you will often find her playing board and/or video games with friends.
Case Consultation with our Clinical Quality Specialists
Receive one-on-one guidance & direction! Clinical consultations are part of Rula's investment in provider growth and development. They also allow us to learn from your experiences, fostering continuous improvement for the network. If you would like to connect with a Clinical Quality Specialist complete this form.
Our Clinical Quality team is always here to support you and your practice! If you have clinical care questions or feedback, please email us at quality@rula.com.