President: Debra Milinsky, LCSW
I am one of six Past-Presidents volunteering to serve on the AFTNC Council. Our intention is to offer leadership and inspiration to revitalize our Association of Family Therapists, and to continue to offer our members and community excellent opportunities for the study of family and couple therapy, training and networking. Now an AFTNC “elder”- having served as President from 1986-1988 – I bring many decades of service (Council Secretary, Treasurer, President-elect), leadership experience and community connections. And even more important, I care deeply about our Association and our mission dedicated to healing couples and families, as I believe that children whose psycho-social needs are met within their families are better equipped to develop a social consciousness and contribute positively to our society.
President-Elect: W. Keith Sutton, PsyD
I have been working with individuals and families since 1998. I obtained my Masters and Doctoral degrees from Alliant International University, California School of Professional Psychology, and am the founder and director of the Institute for the Advancement of Psychotherapy (www.sfiap.com), which provides treatment to families, as well as trainings in family therapy for clinicians. Additionally, I am the founder of IAP’s nonprofit partner, Bay Area Community Counseling (www.sf-bacc.org), which provides family therapy to those in need, and provides associateships and post doc training for clinicians seeking training in family therapy. I have been working with families and family therapy for over two decades in clinical settings and professional organizations, and I had been on the AFTNC council for 16 years (2004-2009 Student Representative, 2009-2011 President of AFTNC, 2011-2013 Past President, 2013-2015 Member-At-Large). I look forward to the opportunity to serve on the council once more, and to assist with revitalizing such an important organization that is my professional community.
Secretary: Gloria Fraser, LCSW
President elect/program chair, president, and past president 1990 to 1996. I was asked to be president my first year as a member, so don’t hesitate to volunteer if you are relatively new to the organization. I studied brief therapy and family systems thinking as well as psychodynamic psychotherapy in New York at Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Jacobi hospital in the late 60s. When I moved to California in 1971, I took the job as head of family therapy at Mount Zion Hospital; despite my belief that everything wild and crazy happened in therapy in California, I discovered I would not be allowed to see a family and patient together until I was given a chance nine months later. AFTNC was a wonderful antidote to the professional isolation I felt. Particularly stimulating were the weekend conferences with intensive exposure to the latest thinkers in the field, and the camaraderie with colleagues, especially our traditional charades starring many masters in our group.
Treasurer: Jay Smith, LCSW
I received my Masters in Social Work from Smith College in 1988. After working at The Menninger Clinic, I returned to Berkeley in 1996, and joined AFTNC a few years later. I have been active on our council for the past decade. I hope to continue serving AFTNC as Treasurer. Family Therapy is my professional identity.
Member-at-Large: Bart Rubin, Ph.D.
I am a former AFTNC President. I am the former founder and director of the Family Institute of Pinole, one of the leading training centers for family therapists in Northern California. I am currently in private practice in Marin County, Berkeley and Pinole. I am running for Member-at-Large due to my interest in supporting AFTNCs mission of promoting family therapy throughout the Bay Area. My goals as Member-at-Large are to enhance the engagement and involvement of the AFTNC membership in online activities.