Team Bios & Photos
Dr. Liz Esalen (she/her)
Dr. Elizabeth Esalen founded The Lotus Collaborative in 2011 with a vision to create a place where science, compassion, and individuality converge in the pursuit of healing. After witnessing the limitations of traditional treatment models, Liz was driven to create a center that treats every client as a whole person, honoring their unique stories and providing tools for lasting recovery.
With a background in counseling psychology and years of experience in mental health leadership, Liz brings a depth of knowledge and passion to her work. As someone who has personally navigated the challenges of recovery, she understands the importance of holistic care that goes beyond the surface to address the heart, mind, and body.
Liz’s commitment extends to her team and the broader community. She fosters a culture of care and respect, ensuring that both staff and clients feel supported and valued. Her mission is simple yet profound: to empower individuals to heal, grow, and reclaim their lives with resilience and confidence.
Dr. Michael Gadbaw (he/him)
Dr. G, our Medical Director, collaborates on care, advocates fiercely, and shows up with consistent wisdom and purpose. A trusted presence and true role model, Dr. G is someone our PHP clients genuinely look forward to seeing.
“Dr. G’s parts work conversations really helped me shift my perspective.” - Past client
Yasamine Pahlevanlou (she/her)
Yasamine is our psychiatric Physician Assistant. She believes in meeting patients wherever they are on their recovery journey and always listening with empathy to provide the best psychiatric care. She has worked in all levels of care for eating disorder treatment, from residential to PHP and IOP, and has a background in Addiction Medicine, working with patients with substance use disorders prior to entering the eating disorder realm. She has presented on incorporating Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) in residential behavioral health settings at statewide conferences.
Outside of Lotus, Yasamine enjoys spending time with family, friends, and her dog, Butters, in the California sun.
Kayla Smith (she/her)
Kayla is a licensed clinical social worker who is passionate about helping people make peace with their bodies. She completed both her undergraduate and graduate education at the University of Michigan, where she received her Master of Social Work. Kayla has supported clients across all levels of care, including outpatient, IOP, PHP, residential, and inpatient settings.
Clients describe her style as warm, validating, and collaborative. She integrates mindfulness-based behavioral modalities such as DBT and ACT while also incorporating relational and psychodynamic approaches. At The Lotus Collaborative, Kayla prioritizes cultivating a healing community that honors identity, culture, and lived experience.
“Shoutout to Kayla for running Lotus brilliantly, for leading the best process groups, for always knowing what to say, and for being so involved with what us clients are up to.” - Past client
Anna Riverso (she/her)
Anna Riverso is a Registered Dietitian with nearly eight years of experience treating eating disorders across multiple levels of care. She works directly with clients, bringing a compassionate, collaborative, and practical approach to nutrition care with an emphasis on flexibility, relationship-building, and helping clients develop sustainable, individualized relationships with food and recovery.
Known for her warmth, humor, and ability to build strong relationships, Anna believes that fun, laughter, and authenticity are important parts of meaningful treatment experiences and healthy workplace culture. She brings energy and creativity to her leadership style while maintaining a strong commitment to high-quality, evidence-based care.
Briana Mancha (she/her)
Briana Mancha is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Eating Disorder Specialist passionate about helping clients heal their relationship with food and their bodies. She takes a compassionate, weight-neutral approach that supports clients in reconnecting with themselves and cultivating a way of eating that feels authentic and sustainable.
Her nutrition philosophy is rooted in Intuitive Eating and a trauma-informed lens, honoring the complex connections between food, emotions, and past experiences. She values collaboration with therapists, psychiatrists, and medical providers to ensure a holistic, team-based approach to care.
Outside of her work with clients, Briana enjoys sharing meals with friends, surfing, hiking, and reading. At home, she loves spending time with her two cats, Zia and Mushu.
“Briana compassionately listened to me while staying steadfast in her refusal to let my eating disorder dictate my meal plan". - Past client
Kalia Firmage (she/her)
Kalia Firmage is a Registered Dietitian passionate about helping clients discover joy and flexibility in their relationship with food. She works with clients through individual sessions and nutrition groups, bringing warmth and creativity to the recovery process.
With a Master’s in Family and Consumer Sciences and years of experience in eating disorder treatment, Kalia believes in meeting clients where they are and working alongside the full care team to support meaningful, lasting recovery.
Outside of work, Kalia enjoys walking at the park or beach, practicing yoga, getting lost in a good book, or savoring a warm bowl of pho.
“Thank you to Kalia for the patience you have in my silliest moments and the kind attention you give when I’m overwhelmed.” - Past client
Kristen Ales (she/her)
Kristen is a Licensed Professional Counselor and clinical supervisor. She specializes in working with eating disorders, body image concerns, and perfectionism. Drawing from her background in both eating disorder treatment and experiential wilderness therapy, Kristen is passionate about helping clients reconnect with themselves through curiosity, self-compassion, and meaningful experiences that support lasting recovery.
In addition to her clinical work, Kristen has experience in leadership, program development, and therapist supervision. She is passionate about creating accessible, compassionate treatment experiences and has developed support groups, retreats, and wellness programs that foster connection, growth, and recovery. Clients describe her as warm, authentic, and collaborative, and she believes healing happens through meaningful relationships, curiosity, a little humor, and a willingness to try something new.
Kimberly Kapelson (she/they)
Kimberly is a trauma-informed associate clinical social worker with over six years of experience supporting individuals through eating disorders, trauma, identity exploration, and life transitions. Her approach is holistic, gender-affirming, and rooted in the belief that healing unfolds within safe, attuned relationships.
Kimberly integrates evidence-based practices, such as strength-based therapy and relational approaches, while always centering the client’s voice and autonomy. She is deeply committed to affirming all bodies, identities, and lived experiences.
“Kim performed my intake and has been rooting for me since the beginning. I’m very grateful for all of her help, support, and guidance.” - Past client
Angel Scott (she/her)
If you’re looking for a therapist who’s as real as she is insightful, meet Angel. With a Master of Social Work from Cal State Monterey Bay and experience as a psychiatric social worker for Monterey County, she helps clients build self-confidence and face challenges head-on. Raised in a family of therapists, she developed a natural warmth and deep understanding of people that infuses her work with warmth and connection.
Outside the office, she’s a karaoke enthusiast and avid comic book collector.
Jill Wimmer (she/her)
Jill is an associate marriage and family therapist with a master’s in counseling psychology from Sofia University, where she specialized in transpersonal psychology, a holistic approach that integrates mind, body, and spirit.
Her work supports individuals by fostering reconnection with the authentic self through creative expression, mindfulness, and intrapersonal exploration.
With a focus on deep healing in addition to symptom relief, she guides individuals in rediscovering their inner wisdom while cultivating self-compassion and skills to build a life rooted in authenticity, freedom, and connection.
Melissa Lawler (she/her)
Melissa is a Recovery Counselor at Lotus, supporting clients with empathy and encouragement. After volunteering with the National Alliance on Mental Illness's Santa Cruz chapter, Melissa decided to pursue a career in mental health. She is currently working on a Master of Science in Counseling at the Kaiser Permanente School of Allied Health Sciences.
Melissa is passionate about showing up as a safe and affirming presence for those around her. Outside of work, you can find Melissa in the redwoods with her dog or enjoying time with her friends and family.
Katherine Miller (she/her)
Katherine is a Recovery Counselor at Lotus, supporting clients throughout their day at the program. Katherine received her master's degree in Clinical/Counseling Psychology from California State University, San Bernardino. With experience in mental health crisis care and therapeutic settings, Katherine understands the importance of a supportive environment and strives to be that support for those who need it. She is currently pursuing licensure as an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist. Outside of work, Katherine enjoys hiking, baking, and playing tabletop RPGs.
Alicia Noonkester (she/her)
Alicia is a trauma-informed, culturally responsive Associate Professional Clinical Counselor (APCC) who fosters creativity and self-reliance. She uses a strength-based, relational-cultural framework to support individuals impacted by systemic oppression, helping them reframe experiences and patterns, reduce barriers to care, and move toward healing while advocating for equity and social justice. Alicia is also the reason that all of our office plants are thriving!
“Shout out to Alicia for holding parts of my experience that no one else ever has before.” - Past client
Mimi Kuehn (she/her)
Mimi is an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist and Associate Professional Clinical Counselor. She holds a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco, CA. When she’s not at work, you’ll likely find her spending time with her dog and other loved ones or diving into a new book.
Perfecto Quiachon (he/him)
Perfecto is a Master’s student in Counseling Psychology at Meridian University, where he’s gaining hands-on experience through clinical internships. Before entering the field of psychology, he spent over 15 years in leadership and staffing. He later worked as a Registered Behavioral Technician supporting children with autism, and as a Substance Use Counselor Intern.
He is passionate about supporting diverse and underserved communities and brings both lived experience and clinical training to his work. Clients describe him as compassionate, practical, and committed to helping people feel understood and supported in their recovery. In his free time, you’ll find him hiking in the forest with friends, checking out new restaurants, or riding roller coasters.
“All of the RCs were amazing (knowledgeable & caring), but special shoutout to Perfecto. I appreciated his realness—it helped me understand the concepts better when he used his own examples.” - Past client
Gabby Coia (she/her)
Gabby is a recovery counselor at The Lotus Collaborative, where she supports individuals in eating disorder recovery with curiosity, compassion, and care. She earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Vermont and is especially drawn to attachment theory and the ways relationships shape healing. She plans to pursue a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling and is passionate about helping clients reconnect with themselves and others in meaningful ways.
“Anjolie and Gabby are both so warm and lead great group conversations.” -Past client
Anjolie Picar (she/her)
Anjolie graduated from the University of San Francisco with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a minor in Child and Youth Studies. She’s in her last year of graduate school, pursuing a Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy from Pepperdine University. Outside of Lotus, she is a therapist trainee at the Marina Counseling Center, a community mental health clinic. Growing up in the Bay Area, she has always valued the richness of diverse identities, cultures, and lived experiences. We do not exist in isolation, and it’s important to acknowledge the social, cultural, and broader systems around us. With that being said, she is passionate about working with clients to welcome all parts of themselves with care, curiosity, compassion, and without judgment.
In her free time, she loves trying new recipes, painting a new nail set, and reading any historical fiction novel she can get her hands on.
Liz Cruz Porter (she/her)
Liz, our Business Director, has been a part of the Lotus team since 2014. She’s the behind-the-scenes architect who keeps Lotus running smoothly. From operations and systems to strategy and growth, Liz makes sure the clinical team can focus on healing while the business side stays strong, sustainable, and aligned with our mission.
Sue Mileto (she/her)
Sue is Lotus’ Admissions Director, guiding individuals and families through each step of the intake process with warmth, clarity, and compassion.
Sue and Gabe work closely to ensure a seamless transition into care, answering questions, coordinating assessments, and helping individuals feel supported from their very first conversation.
With a deep commitment to making treatment accessible and welcoming, Sue creates a safe, reassuring entry point for every client’s recovery journey.
Gabe Smith (he/him)
Gabe has been a part of the Lotus team since 2021, serving as Admissions Coordinator for individuals and families navigating the path to treatment. He supports clients from the initial call to program orientation, providing accurate information, answering questions, and helping ensure a smooth transition into care.
Outside of work, Gabe enjoys reading, playing music, caring for his houseplants, and experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen.
Lea Horsley (she/her)
Lea is passionate about building trust and authentic connections. At Lotus, she partners with providers, families, and community members to create pathways that help clients access the care they need. Whether supporting referrals, collaborating with the community, or sharing resources, or sharing resources, her goal is to ensure connection is never the missing piece.
