Research Associates 2023–2024

Dr. Erin Smith

Dr. Erin I. Smith is California Baptist University’s Fletcher Jones Endowed Professor of Research, a professor of psychology, and the director of the Center for the Study of Human Behavior. Trained as a developmental psychologist, Smith’s expertise lies at the intersection of developmental and cognitive psychology with interest in science and Christianity. Her published work explores church as a cultural context for child development, practices of effective church children’s ministry, understanding Christian (dis)engagement with science, and psychological contributions to theological anthropology. She was a Scholarship on Christianity in Oxford Visiting Scholar in Science and Religion at Wycliff Hall, Oxford University (2015-2016) as part of the Bridging the Two Cultures of Science and the Humanities Program. She is currently the Vice President of the CBU Campus Chapter for the American Scientific Affiliation and has worked in a number of capacities with Christian seminaries in North America.

 

Dr. Aine Bergin

Dr Bergin has been teaching at CBU for the past 16 years. She serves in the MSCP program teaching classes such as Family Therapy, Addictions & Recovery, Practicum I & II, Human Sexuality, etc. She also serves in the Counseling Ministry Program, teaching Field Practicum classes and Law & Ethics, etc. Dr. Bergin has been successfully practicing in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties for the past twenty years. For much of that time, she has also had the privilege of working in partnership with Soboba and Pechanga TANF programs, Easter Seals Child Development Centers, San Bernardino Preschool Service Department, Volunteers of America, and Riverside County Office of Education. Currently, she owns and operates a private practice in Riverside focusing on providing counseling services to individuals couples and families. Her areas of expertise include trauma and attachment, grief and loss, emotional regulation, relational health, developmental delays and behavioral challenges. She is trained and certified in numerous clinical techniques, including play therapy, EMDR, Neurofeedback & Biofeedback, and Equine & Animal Assistance. Her caring nature extends into all aspects of her life, and in addition to helping her clients and providing leadership to her extensive therapeutic staff, you will likely find her caring for her numerous pets, which includes several horses, dogs, rabbits, birds and guinea pigs! Her success and joy come from her personal convictions that the nature of the therapeutic relationship can provide a positive and healing experience to others.

 

Dr. Charles Lee-Johnson

Dr. Charles Lee-Johnson is Pastor of The Life Church in Riverside, CA, Associate Dean for the
Division of Social Work at California Baptist University and is the Chief Executive Officer
(CEO) of National Family Life and Education Center. He is unequivocally committed to the
positive development of young people, families, and communities across the world, and provides consultation and training services locally, nationally, and internationally. In addition to receiving numerous commendations including the State of California, Los Angeles, UCLA Dept of Social Welfare and Public Policy, and a host of others, Dr. Lee-Johnson was inducted into the Library of Congress’ “Who’s Who” for 2006-2007. Among his many accomplishments, Dr. Lee-Johnson has created a curriculum for the Ten Step Rites of Passage Program, has co-authored a curriculum for Healthy African American Couples, and a curriculum for inmates and parolees called “On Your Mark/Keeping the Faith”, and has recently co-authored Healing Conversations on Race.

 

Dr. Douglas Wallace

Dr. Douglas Wallace has always been fascinated with the intricacies of human behavior and
interpersonal relationships, which eventually led to his educational pursuits in the behavioral
sciences. Dr. Wallace graduated with honors with a Bachelor’s degree in Social Science
Education from Missouri Southern State University at Joplin, Missouri in 1993. He then moved
to Manhattan, Kansas and received a Master’s degree in Sociology in 1997 and a Doctorate
degree in Sociology in 2009 from Kansas State University. Since starting at California Baptist
University in 2012, Dr. Wallace has several teams of students internationally as a leader for the
International Service Project (France) and Global Social Service Engagement Practicums
(Malawi, the Netherlands, Australia, and Fiji). He has presented research on fatherhood at
international conferences. Dr. Wallace’s passions are teaching, preaching, and family. He and his wife have been married for 26 years and are the parents of three children, all young adults.

 

Dr. Erica McIntosh

Dr. Erica McIntosh is a licensed clinical social work supervisor, Disabled US Air Force veteran,
private practice owner and assistant professor of behavioral sciences with a focus on research, practice, and the promotion of mental and physical health equity. Dr. McIntosh has extensive experience training healthcare professionals and speaking at conferences with organizations (hospital, community-based care, county social services events, and VA healthcare system settings) about substance use disorders, dual diagnosis, veteran health, cultural humility, and maternal health. Dr. McIntosh formerly led the VA Loma Linda Riverside County team for HUD/VASH, a federal veteran homeless program where she coordinated a social work team, employment coordinator, peer specialists and housing navigators in addition to collaborating support with community stakeholders and the Riverside County HUD program. Dr. McIntosh’s is the executive director of Unapologetic Therapy and Consulting, which specializes in individual therapy focusing on mood and trauma related disorders with an intersectional lens, substance use disorders, and consultation. Dr. McIntosh is also a past Vice commander of AMVETS post 77. Dr. McIntosh currently has an article in review and has authored two chapters in a healthcare textbook pending publishing for fall 2023/ spring 2024. Dr. McIntosh’s current research areas include the NAEBOR Clinic with Mommy and Me that focuses on Black Maternal Health in Rialto, CA, substance use disorders, health equity, cultural trauma, and veteran mental health.

 

Dr. Joshua Fuller

Dr. Fuller is an industrial-organizational psychologist, graduating from Seoul National
University in South Korea with a doctorate in social psychology. He specializes in organizational health / well-being and is an associate professor of psychology at California Baptist University. In his role at CBU, he serves as the director of the Organizational Health Lab in the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences and typically teaches courses in statistics, research methods, personnel recruitment and selection, social psychology, and I/O psychology. Beyond his work in education, his research has been disseminated in multiple countries at conferences and in journal publications. His research interests include psychological well-being, happiness, culture and cognition, and organizational development.

 

Dr. Kristin Mauldin

Kristin Mauldin, Ph.D. is an associate professor and director of the Sport and Performance
Psychology graduate program. Dr. Mauldin obtained her B.A. in Psychology from Cal State
Hayward and her PhD in Psychology from Miami University. Dr. Mauldin’s previous research
examined the constructs underlying categorization and memory systems using mathematical
modelling and behavioral neuroscience techniques. She continued her memory research as a post-doctoral fellow at UCSD working with amnesia patients. More recently, Dr. Mauldin has
turned her attention to sport, performance and exercise psychology. Her current research focuses primarily on the flow construct, examining the mechanisms of flow, its relationship to
automaticity and sustained attention, and how it presents in different types of performance.

 

Dr. Maritza Bojórquez

Dr. Maritza Bojórquez obtained her Doctorate of Social Work (DSW) degree from California
Baptist University in 2022, with a research focus on enhancing electronic health literacy within
Latinx communities. She also holds a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree from USC. She is a
licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) in California, proficient in providing mental health
services in both Spanish and English. Presently, she serves as an assistant professor at California Baptist University, specializing in the Division of Social Work. She has a wealth of experience as an LCSW in various domains, including child welfare, medical environments, and non-profit mental health services. Driven by a commitment to lifelong learning, Dr. Bojórquez aspires to address the needs of underserved communities, conduct research within Latinx communities, and provide guidance and support to students and emerging social workers.

 

Philip Breitenbucher

Dr. Philip Breitenbucher has over 20 years of progressively responsible experience in the management of public child welfare services, including over 15 years of administration and management of county, state, and national programs. Currently, serving as an Assistant Professor of Social Work at California Baptist University and consulting with states and counties to achieve organizational changes and practice improvements in public service. Dr. Breitenbucher also serves as a subject matter expert (SME) on behalf of the Institute for Intergovernmental Research (IIR) to Opioid Affected Youth Initiative awardees. Formerly served as a Director for the Center for Children and Family Futures, provided oversight, management, and consulting to agencies across the country through the support of the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Primary areas of responsibility include the overall management and administration of the National Family Treatment Court Training and Technical Assistance (T.A.) program and co-director for the National Center for Substance Abuse and Child Welfare (NCSACW). Provided continuing education and technical assistance to health, social service, mental health, law enforcement, and legal professionals with the support of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP). Recognized master trainer in all areas related to child welfare and substance abuse, mental health, and trauma.

 

Dr. Lizbeth Gaona

Dr. Lizbeth Gaona is an assistant professor of behavioral sciences. She has extensive experience working as clinical consultant and clinical supervisor in community mental health programs primarily with adults diagnosed with a serious mental illness. While working as a clinician at Harbor UCLA Medical Center Dr. Gaona earned clinical certifications in Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Prolonged Exposure Therapy. Along with her colleagues Dr. Gaona founded the first DBT Spanish adherent program within Los Angeles County in 2007. Dr. Gaona also participated in dissemination and implementation efforts of adherent cognitive behavior therapy in a collaborative project between the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health and the Association of Cognitive and Behavior Therapy (A-CBT) and continues to serve as a dialectical behavior therapy program consultant for Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health. In addition, Dr. Gaona is the chair of the Diversity Action Committee of the Association of Cognitive and Behavior Therapy (A-CBT), a non-profit organization which she also serves as a board member for. Some of Dr. Gaona’s research interests include outcomes related to cultural adaptation of evidenced based practices for underserved and diverse populations, religion and trauma.

 

Dr. Bruce Stokes

H Bruce Stokes, Ph.D., is a professor of anthropology and behavioral sciences. His Ph.D. (University of California, Riverside) is in Psychological Anthropology with an emphasis on the intersection of psychological Identity formation in religious and cultural contexts. Dr. Stokes is also a pastor and teaches in the M.A. in Counseling Ministry program at CBU. He serves on the translation team for the New American Standard Bible (NASB) with the Lockman Foundation. Dr. Stokes' current research interests focus on identity formation and marginality as experienced in ethnic, religious, linguistic, and cultural groups.

 

Dr. Dretona Maddox

Dretona T. Maddox, DSW, BSN, RN-PHN, LCSW, is an associate professor of social work for the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences (CBSS). She is a suicide loss survivor who endured homelessness as a teen. Dr. Maddox overcame adversity, earning her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Phoenix, her Master of Social Work from the University of Southern California, and her Doctor of Social Work from California Baptist University, where she studied barriers to health equity in maternal health for pregnant Black teens. Her current research interests focus on Black Adolescent Maternal Health. Dr. Maddox is the founding executive director of Purposely Chosen, Inc., which provides support and advocacy services to pregnant/parenting teens in foster care. This organization includes two maternity homes in the Inland Empire of Southern California.

 

Dr. Veronica Regueiro

Veronica Regueiro, Psy.D., is a bilingual health psychologist with specialties in pediatrics, behavioral health consultation, and comprehensive psychodiagnostic testing. She holds a doctorate in clinical psychology from Biola University and completed an APA-accredited internship in child and adolescent psychology at Philhaven Hospital. Dr. Regueiro also completed a formal post-doctoral fellowship in pediatric psychology at Loma Linda University School of Medicine. Prior to beginning her doctoral studies, she completed a master’s degree in psychology at Pepperdine University and a bachelor’s degree in psychology and Spanish at Whittier College. Dr. Regueiro is licensed in the state of California and is credentialed by the National Register of Health Service Psychologists. She joined CBU as a core faculty member in the Psy.D. program in August 2022. Dr. Regueiro’s research and clinical interests include autism spectrum disorder and other developmental disorders, ethical and end of life issues in pediatric oncology and hematology, spiritual struggle and the search for meaning, and the integration of psychology and technology. She is able to provide consultation, short-term intervention, and long-term intervention services in both Spanish and English. Dr. Regueiro enjoys working with diverse patient populations and has traveled to 18 different countries and 17 states within the US. She spends her spare time with her fiance, Edward, and their two pets, Cori the Cat and Zeus, a rescued boxer.