Our Team

“Since 1986 I have worked in milieu settings with the singular goal of challenging the stigma of mental illness. It is always a privilege and an honor to see within each person the potential of what that life could be, will be, and watch as those dreams and hopes come to fruition.”

Lisa Moschini, Vice President and Clinical Director of Sanctuary Centers, has been with Sanctuary Centers since 2005. She is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who holds a Bachelor’s of Fine Art in Art & Design from California Institute of the Arts and a Master’s in Clinical Art Therapy from Loyola Marymount University.

For more than 20 years, Lisa has supervised interns, conducted onsite workshops, given lectures, and provided continuing education credits to mental health professionals and educators throughout the United States. As an esteemed professional in her field,  Lisa has consulted on feasibility studies for non-profit organizations, presented at universities, and designed and implemented art therapy programs for children, adolescents, and adults.

Her first book, Drawing-the-Line: Art Therapy with the Difficult Client was published in December 2004 through John Wiley & Sons and has been translated into three other languages. Her second book, Art, Play, and Narrative Therapy: Using Metaphor to Enrich your Clinical Practice, was published in 2018, by Taylor & Francis/Routledge.

“Working at Sanctuary gives me the reward of seeing individuals who have struggled significantly with their mental illness get healthy and build a positive and enriching life for themselves with support and treatment, which is something we all deserve a chance to do in life!”

Lauren Kopras has been a valued member of the Sanctuary Centers team since 2008, she was the Outpatient Program Director from 2012-2020, and she is currently the Chief Administrator of Programs. She holds her Master of Science in Vocational Rehabilitation, with an emphasis on Rehabilitation Counseling. Lauren is a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor who specializes in empowering individuals with mental illness to find and make use of all the resources available to them as they work toward their educational and career goals. In her words, her job consists of “helping people with all forms of disabilities access the resources they need to secure employment!”

“Seeing the clients stabilize, learn to live with their mental illness, and reintegrate to the community as they rediscover the joy in life – working at Sanctuary can be incredibly fulfilling.”

Dr. Denise Mock earned her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from California School of Professional Psychology in 1999 and has been working as a licensed psychologist since 2001. She became a part of the Sanctuary team in 2013. Her role at Sanctuary Centers involves supervising the clinical work and written assessments of our doctoral interns. She has served on the board of the Santa Barbara County Psychological Association. Dr. Mock continues to teach doctoral students as an Adjunct Faculty at Antioch University.

Dr. Eli Katz has been board certified in Psychiatry and Neurology since 1986 and has extensive experience in treating psychiatric conditions in both adults and seniors. He received a Bachelors of Science from Penn State and then attended Columbia University for graduate school. He earned his Medical Degree with Honors from Hahnemann University in Philadelphia, where he also served his Psychiatric Residency at Hahnemann University Hospital. Dr. Katz has also taught Psychiatry at Temple University and the University of Pennsylvania. In 1990, Dr. Katz moved to Santa Barbara and he has been the Medical Director for multiple psychiatric centers and programs, including the Senior Mental Health Unit at Saint Francis Hospital, Vista Del Mar Hospital, Sansum Clinic, Santa Barbara County Mental Health and the Santa Barbara County Jail. He has been in private practice part-time at Santa Barbara Behavioral Health since 2001.

Originally, Dr. Katz served as Treasurer on Sanctuary Centers Board of Directors from 2000 to 2004. In 2004, however, he accepted the position as Medical Director, joining our team of experienced clinicians while also providing medical supervision and direction for all of our mental health programs. Dr. Katz is responsible for providing medical evaluations and treatment to our clients in need of pharmacological assistance to strengthen and reinforce the rest of their mental health care.

Dr. Steven Ruths completed his psychiatry residency at the University of Maryland/Sheppard Pratt program and his child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship at the University of California San Diego/Children’s Hospital program, where he served as chief resident.  Dr. Ruths is a former competitive cyclist and in his free time enjoys cycling, skiing, cooking, and winemaking.

“I am honored to be able to work with Sanctuary Centers because it is the right thing to do.”

Dr. George Bifano began working with Sanctuary Centers in 1996. For his entire tenure at Cottage Hospital, which began in 1997, Dr. Bifano has been has been the on call psychiatrist for Emergency Admissions, with specialities in addiction medicine, psychiatry, and osteopathics. In addition to his professional accolades, he is also philanthropically active in the community. In one instance, he helped to raise $50,000 for CALM.

In his spare time, Dr. Bifano enjoys cycling and has participated in many charity relays. In 2007, for the Race Across America, he was part of an 8 man cycling relay who got across the country in 7 days, 7 hours – a mark that broke the over 60 age group world record for the 3000 mile distance and still holds today. He is a proud father of eight children & a proud grandfather to eleven grandchildren.

Cecilia Pinhel was born and raised in Brazil, where she also obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Education. She became fluent in both English and Spanish during her travels abroad. In 2005, after moving to Santa Barbara, she completed her Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology at Antioch University. Cecilia has amassed a wealth of counseling experience working with children, families, victims of abuse and domestic violence, and adolescents on probation for drug use and possession. Her work has taken her through some notable community organizations including CALM, CADA, and the Santa Barbara County Welfare Services Department.

Cecilia first became involved with Sanctuary Centers as an intern for our residential treatment program, Sanctuary House. During this time, she also provided both individual and group therapy at our Outpatient Mental Health Center. Soon thereafter, she was offered a full position as a counselor at Sanctuary House, before being promoted to Program Manager. She was promoted again to Program Director in 2015.

In 2017, Cecilia became a Licensed Marriage Family Therapist. Fifteen years into her tenure with Sanctuary Centers, Cecilia appreciates every opportunity to continue putting her skills into practice by helping clients that come through her program at Sanctuary House.

“What I enjoy most about working at Sanctuary Centers is the opportunity to be an advocate for people struggling with mental health issues and substance abuse. It is such a rewarding experience to know the positive impact our work has on clients and their well-being. I am honored to be a part of a skilled team that is dedicated to improving the lives of the individuals we serve.”

Tatjana Basurto grew up in the small town of Healdsburg, Northern California. She moved to Santa Barbara in 2010 to pursue her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Tatjana has been a member of the Sanctuary Centers’ team since 2016, working in the residential treatment program as a counselor and program director before transitioning to the co-occurring disorders team in 2022. Tatjana graduated from Antioch University in 2022 with a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology, and is currently an AMFT working toward her licensure in Marriage & Family Therapy. Tatjana now runs the Co-Occurring Disorders program, helping individuals struggling with mental health and substance use disorders on their path to recovery.

After exploring courses in kinesiology and business, Taryn Rahier came to realize her love for psychology and social sciences. She has completed both an Associate’s degree in Psychology with certificates in mathematics and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Brain Sciences from UC Santa Barbara. In 2021, Taryn began working for Sanctuary Centers as a part-time counselor within our Mental Health Inpatient Care program (Sanctuary House) but quickly realized her desire to be more involved. Only after a few months, she became a full-time Sanctuary House Counselor and began facilitating the Team Building and Leadership Skills group. Taryn worked in this position for a little over a year and was then promoted to Sanctuary House Assistant Program Director and subsequently moved into her current role as Sanctuary House Program Director. She aspires to continue her education with a Master’s in Clinical Psychology or Forensic Psychology so she can be of better clinical support to the communities around her.

I have found a great deal of pride and satisfaction in working with and seeing our clients grow enough to become independent and be able to pursue their own passions in life. We have a fantastic and knowledgeable team that is not only invaluable to learn from but also amazing to see in action while serving our clients.

Christopher Reilly, LMFT is an experienced executive with a distinguished record of service to marginalized and underserved patient populations. With a background spanning over three decades in the behavioral health sector, Christopher has consistently demonstrated his commitment to improving access to mental health and substance use disorder services. From his early days as a Therapist Intern at Henrietta Weill Memorial Child Guidance Clinic to his most recent role as Behavioral Health Administrator at Premier Valley Medical Group and Good Samaritan Hospital, Christopher has showcased his leadership abilities and strategic vision. He has spearheaded initiatives to expand services, increase accessibility, and enhance the quality of care provided to communities in need. Christopher’s extensive experience includes serving as Chief of Behavioral Health at Clinica Sierra Vista, where he oversaw significant expansion and accreditation achievements, and as Director at Pathways, where he implemented innovative programs to address substance use disorders. With a Master’s in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University and a proven track record of executive management, Christopher is thrilled to join the Sanctuary Centers of Santa Barbara with its own history of transforming behavioral health delivery systems, as we build the behavioral health home concept to welcome and meet the primary care and behavioral health needs of marginalized individuals and their families challenged by mental health, criminal justice, substance use and housing scarcity in the county.

“We have a great team of caring people who make a difference in people’s lives every day.”

Michael Andrews joined the Sanctuary Centers team in 2002 after completing his Master’s in Clinical Psychology at Antioch University. He has worn many hats during his tenure here and is our resident expert at juggling tasks. As our Career Development Program Director, Michael finds that his previous experience as a vocational specialist and his time spent as the residential manager for a home for developmentally disabled clients comes in especially handy.

“What I value most about working for Sanctuary is the collaborative team approach and exceptional clinical training. We are very respected and supported by the management and are never left alone to handle the stressors of this job. Sanctuary has become like a second family.”

After receiving her Bachelor’s Degree in Art History from the University of California, Santa Barbara, Lauren Richardson went on to earn her Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology from Antioch University, Santa Barbara. Lauren is a licensed Marriage & Family Therapist and an EAGALA Certified Mental Health Professional and Equine Specialist. She is fully credentialed to supervise interns and trainees. A member of the Sanctuary Centers team since 2011, Lauren runs the Family Program and often utilizes the expressive arts in working with families, couples and individuals. She runs her own equine-assisted therapy and learning business, E.M.B.R.A.C.E., which is offered to Sanctuary clients and also works for an eating and body image disorder treatment center where she provides therapy to individuals, families, and groups.

“Working at Sanctuary Centers keeps me young and active and gives me the opportunity to be of service to families who are challenged by mental illness. Ever since I was a young man, I have been involved with fixing up, building, or financing housing. I enjoy being creative and working with my hands. Much of my job entails repair and maintenance, and in my spare time at work, I am generally engaged in a remodeling project of some sort. Two of our properties are 100+ year old houses. It is a pleasure to resurrect and remodel portions of them.”

Don Duncan has been involved with Sanctuary Centers since 1983, serving as a board member  for nearly 30 years until joining the team as property manager in 2012 after he retired from commercial banking. As our Property Manager, Don is responsible for tenanting and maintaining all of Sanctuary Centers’ properties, which include 36 apartment units. His primary goal is to be of service to our tenants and ensure they have a safe, secure, and healthy living environment. To best achieve that goal, Don maintains contact with parents and family members of our tenants.

Don holds Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Business, and another Graduate Degree in Banking. He also holds a lifetime teaching credential in Banking and Finance and was an evening instructor at Santa Barbara City College for several years.

“Sanctuary Centers is filled with caring staff, who are always watching to see what each client needs and providing it.  It’s wonderful to see our clients grow and move forward in their lives and it’s a testament to both a competent staff and clients who want to have a better life.  Staff and clients are both very inspiring!”

Sharon Ybarra obtained her Ph.D. in Counselor Education from Ohio University in 1994. She specializes in Trauma Recovery and is certified in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing). In multiple settings, including hospice and private practice, Sharon has worked with many individuals and families to address issues of mental illness, HIV/AIDS, trauma, and grief. In 2005, She began working with a new team of professionals to support inpatient clients in their recovery as Sanctuary House Case Manager, a job she enjoys and excels at to this day.