Boards

International Cultic Studies Association
Formerly AFF, American Family Foundation

Executive Advisory Board

◊ Board of Directors
◊ Executive Advisory Board
◊ ICSA: Executive Advisory Board

* Indicates that person is on the Board of Directors

Carmen Almendros is a Ph.D. candidate in the Clinical and Health Psychology Program at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. She is a research and teaching staff member at the Biological and Health Psychology Department at the same university. (carmen.almendros@uam.es)

José Antonio Carrobles, Ph.D., is Full Professor of Personality, Assessment and Treatment and Director of the Biological and Health Psychology Department of the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. His work focuses in the areas of Psychopathology and Clinical and Health Psychology. He is President of the European Association for Behavioural & Cognitive Therapies (EABCT). He has directed numerous Doctoral Theses and is author of an important number and variety of articles and books in his areas of specialization. He has organized and participated in numerous national and international psychology congresses, among which stands out his participation as President of the Scientific Committee at the "23rd International Congress of Applied Psychology" held in Madrid in 1994. He is member of the Editorial Boards of several national and international journals.

Dianne Casoni, Ph.D., Professor, School of Criminology, University of Montreal. Psychologist. Psychoanalyst, member of the Canadian Psychoanalytical Society and the International Psychoanalytic Association. Dr. Casoni is the author of over 50 articles and book chapters on psychology and the law, sexual abuse of children, treatment of victims, wife assault, and the psychodynamic understanding of cults. She has just published a book on the psychoanalytical understanding of the criminal mind and edited a book on terrorism, both in French, co-authored and co-edited with Louis Brunet.

*Arthur A. Dole, Ph.D, ABPP, Professor Emeritus, Psychology in Education Division, University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Dole is a member of the AFF Board of Directors and the Editorial Advisory Board of Cultic Studies Review.  He has published studies and presented papers at professional meetings about the Unification Church and other abusive groups.

Linda Jayne Dubrow-Marshall, Ph.D., is a psychologist in private practice with the Verree Psychology Group and RETIRN/UK (Re-entry Therapy Information and Referral Network) in London, England.  She co-founded RETIRN in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with Dr. Steve K. D. Eichel, and co-founded RETIRN/UK  in London with Dr. Roderick Dubrow-Marshall.  More info.

Roderick Dubrow-Marshall, Ph.D. (Nottm) is a Social Psychologist at Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College in High Wycombe, England, where he is Dean of Faculty, Applied Social Sciences and Humanities. His principal research is on social influence including the psychological effects of cultic group membership, influence in organizational settings, and the psychological processes involved in social group identity and prejudice. He is also a member of the national committee of FAIR (Family, Action, Information, Resource), UK and a UK representative on the General Assembly of the European Federation of Centres for Research and Education on Sects (FECRIS).

Steve K. D. Eichel, Ph.D., ABPP, is a licensed and Board Certified Counseling Psychologist.  Dr. Eichel is a Co-Founder of RETIRN (Philadelphia, PA) and was a 1990 recipient of the John G. Clark Award for Distinguished Scholarship in Cultic Studies.  He is a former- president of the Greater Philadelphia Society of Clinical Hypnosis and President-Elect of the American Academy of Counseling Psychology.  More info.

*Philip Elberg, Esq. is a partner in the Newark, New Jersey law firm of Medvin and Elberg. He has been a practicing litigator for more then thirty years.  In recent years he represented several individuals in claims against Kids of North Jersey, a treatment center for adolescents with "behavior disorders." The case was initiated as a medical malpractice action but when it became clear that the “twelve step” program had evolved into a destructive cult that benefited its founder, the focus of the case changed. The cases were ultimately resolved resulting in payments to the victims in excess of $10,000,000 and public disclosure of the true nature of the facilities. A reported New Jersey Court decision describes Mr. Elberg's work in bringing this story to light as "heroic."  He was the recipient of the 2004 Margaret Singer Award for his work in advancing the understanding of coercive persuasion and undue influence.

Jorge Erdely, Ph.D. is editor of the Latin American Journal for the Academic Study of Religions, a pluralistic, multidisciplinary, peer-reviewed periodical that focuses on religious globalization and human rights in the Hispanic context. He is the author of several published scientific papers and ten books on extreme religious groups, theology, and human rights. Among them, the international best-seller: Pastores que Abusan, Suicidios Colectivos Rituales and his latest, Terrorismo Religioso. In 2001 Dr. Erdely was a post-doctoral Oxford Theological Foundation Research Fellow. He is currently Director of the Research Center of the Mexican Christian Institute and a member of the Asociacion Latinoamericana para el Estudio de las Religiones, the regional affiliate of the International Association for the History of Religion (IAHR)

*Carol Giambalvo is an ex-cult member who has been a Thought Reform Consultant since 1984 and a cofounder of reFOCUS, a national support network for former cult members.  She is on AFF’s Board of Directors, Director of AFF’s Recovery Programs, and is responsible for its Project Outreach.  Author of Exit Counseling: A Family Intervention, co-editor of The Boston Movement: Critical Perspectives on the International Churches of Christ, and co-author of “Ethical Standards for Thought Reform Consultants,” Ms. Giambalvo has written and lectured extensively on cult-related topics.  Personal Page. reFOCUS.

*Lorna Goldberg, M.S.W., L. C. S. W., a therapist in private practice, has co-led a support group for ex-cult members with her husband, William, for over 25 years.  She is on the Board of Directors of AFF and is Dean of Faculty, Institute for Psychoanalytic Studies, Teaneck, New Jersey.  Mrs. Goldberg has written extensively for social work and AFF publications.  (Lorna@blgoldberg.com)  Personal Web site.

William Goldberg, M.S.W., L.C.S.W., a therapist in private practice, has co-led a support group for ex-cult members with his wife, Lorna, for over 25 years.  He is Director of the Community Support Center and The Young Adult Center of the Rockland County (NY) Department of Mental Health.  Mr. Goldberg is an Adjunct Professor in the Social Work Department of Dominican College. (Bill@blgoldberg.com)  Personal Web site.

*Rosanne Henry, M.A., L.P.C. is a psychotherapist practicing in Littleton, Colorado.  For the last fifteen years she has been helping those harmed by cults through the original CAN and AFF.  Her private practice specializes in the treatment of cult survivors and their families.  She is a former member of Kashi Ranch. (rosanne@cultrecover.com)

Josep Maria Jansà, M.D.  Since interning at AFF in 1985, Dr. Jansà, a medical doctor, has worked with AIS (Assessment and Information on Cults—"sectas" in Spanish) since 1984, where he has assisted families, group members, and former group members. The AIS clinic has dealt with more than 1000 patients since January 1986. Dr. Jansà has participated in research initiatives and issued various publications on this topic. He also works as an epidemiologist for the City Council of Barcelona and is responsible for international health and health and migrations.

Stephen A. Kent, Ph.D., Professor of Sociology, University of Alberta, teaches undergraduate and graduate courses on the sociology of religion and the sociology of sectarian groups. He has published articles in Philosophy East and West, Journal of Religious History, British Journal of Sociology, Sociological Inquiry, Sociological Analysis, Canadian Journal of Sociology, Quaker History, Comparative Social Research, Journal of Religion and Health, Cultic Studies Journal, Skeptic, Marbourg Journal of Religion, and Religion.  His current research concentrates on nontraditional and alternative religions.

David Kleiner is a businessman and former school psychologist (K-12), with prior experience working in a New York State psychiatric facility while he received his degrees.  His interest in this field stems from the fact that his wife worked for a cultic organization and he witnessed the harassment and trauma she endured after she was fired for refusing to join it.

Michael Kropveld - Executive Director and Founder of Info-Cult - the largest resource centre of its kind in Canada.  Since 1980 Mike has worked with more than 2,000 former members of cults/new religious movements and their families.  He has spoken, in Canada and internationally, to hundreds of professional and community groups on the cult phenomenon.  He is also involved in counselling and consulting and as an expert witness on cult related issues.  He has been featured on hundreds of radio and television programs locally, nationally and internationally. In 1992 he was awarded the 125 Commemorative Medal "in recognition of significant contribution to compatriots, community and to Canada" by the Government of Canada. He recently co-authored a book Le phénomène des sectes: L’étude du fonctionnement des groupes, that is also available, for free, on Info-Cult’s  website (www.infocult.org).

Janja Lalich, Ph.D. is Assistant Professor of Sociology at California State University, Chico. Her research and writing has focused on cults and controversial groups, with a specialization in charismatic authority, power relations, ideology, and social control, and issues related to gender and sexuality. Her forthcoming book, Bounded Choice: True Believers and Charismatic Cults, (University of California Press) presents a new approach to understanding cult commitments, and is based on her comparative study of Heaven’s Gate, which committed collective suicide in 1997, and the Democratic Workers Party, a radical left-wing political cult. Other works include being guest editor of Women Under the Influence: A Study of Women’s Lives in Totalist Groups (a special issue of Cultic Studies Journal 14,1, 1997); and coauthor of “Crazy” Therapies: What Are They? Do They Work? (Jossey-Bass, 1996); Cults in Our Midst (Jossey-Bass, 1995); and Captive Hearts, Captive Minds: Freedom and Recovery from Cults and Abusive Relationships (Hunter House, 1994).

Michael D. Langone, Ph.D., a counseling psychologist, is AFF’s Executive Director.  He was the founder editor of Cultic Studies Journal (CSJ), the editor of CSJ’s successor, Cultic Studies Review, and editor of Recovery From Cults.  He is co-author of Cults: What Parents Should Know and Satanism and Occult-Related Violence: What You Should Know.  Dr. Langone has spoken and written widely about cults.  In 1995, he received the Leo J. Ryan Award from the "original" Cult Awareness network and was honored as the Albert V. Danielsen visiting Scholar at Boston University.

Ronald N. Loomis has been educating others about cults for some 25 years at over 100 colleges and universities throughout the US and Canada.  He is a Past President of the original Cult Awareness Network (CAN) and was a founding member of the Steering Committee of the International Cult Education Program (ICEP) and was Chair of the Interim Planning Committee (IPC), which created the Leo J. Ryan Education Foundation (LJREF) and the Cult Information and Resource Center (CIRC), (CULTINFO). In 1999, he served as a principle expert witness for the Legislative Task Force on Cults in Maryland.  He has been cited in such publications as The New York Times, The Chronicle of Higher Education, The Congressional Quarterly, The Christian Science Monitor, The Toronto Sun and Newsweek Magazine. He has been interviewed by the Canadian Broadcasting Company (CBC), The Today Show at the request of NBC News, The Discovery Channel, ABC Productions, and Current Affair. He is featured in the educational video, Cults, Saying No Under Pressure, and he authored a chapter in the book Cults on Campus.  He has been an expert advisor to The Roberts Group Parents Network (TRGPN) since it was founded in 1997.

Arnold Markowitz, C.S.W., is a psychotherapist and Director of the Cult Hotline and Clinic of the Jewish Board of Family and Children's Services in New York City, where he also serves as Director of Brooklyn Adolescent Services.  He has written and lectured extensively on cultic groups and psychological manipulation.  (AMarkowitz@jbfcs.org)

F. G. Vaughn Marshall, Attorney at Law, Calgary, Alberta, has been a trial lawyer for 25 years and handles class actions and complex civil litigation. He has acted for Canadian and international corporations, the provincial and federal governments, and a host of national and foreign banks. He has conducted hundreds of trials, hearings, and appeals at all levels of court in Canada and after two decades defending large corporations, Mr. Marshall changed the focus of his practice and now only takes cases for individuals and small businesses damaged by oppressive and unjust treatment by powerful institutions. He has a particular interest in finding legal remedies for people damaged by the coercive conduct of corporations and institutions, especially religious bodies.  Mr. Marshall has been involved in cases in Canada and the United States and has spoken on legal matters in New York City, Los Angeles, Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary and the Banff Centre.

*Alan W. Scheflin, J.D., LL.M. is President of ICSA and Professor of Law at Santa Clara University School of Law in California.  Among his several dozen publications is Memory, Trauma Treatment, and the Law (co-authored with Daniel Brown and D. Corydon Hammond), for which he received the 1999 Guttmacher Award from the American Psychiatric Association, one of 11 awards he has received.  Professor Scheflin is also the 1991 recipient of the Guttmacher Award for Trance on Trial (with Jerrold Shapiro).  A member of the Editorial Advisory Board of AFF’s Cultic Studies Review, Professor Scheflin received the 2001 American Psychological Association, Division 30 (Hypnosis), Distinguished Contribution to Professional Hypnosis Award. This is the "highest award that Division 30 can bestow." He was also awarded in 2001 The American Board of Psychological Hypnosis, Professional Recognition Award. This Award was created to honor his achievements in promoting the legal and ethical use of hypnosis.  Professor Scheflin has delivered over 100 invited addresses at professional conferences. Faculty Web page at Santa Clara University Law School.

Doni Whitsett, Ph.D, L.C.S.W.. is a Clinical Associate Professor in the School of Social Work at the University of Southern California, teaching various courses in Practice, Behavior, and Mental Health. She also has a private practice in the San Fernando Valley. Dr. Whitsett has been working with cult-involved clients and their families for over ten years, and gives lectures to students and professionals in this area. Her publications include “A Self psychological Approach to the Cult Phenomenon” (Journal of Social Work, 1992) and “Cults and Families” (Families in Society, Vol 84, No. 4, 2003), which she co-authored with Dr. Stephen Kent.

Related Information

* ICSA
* ICSA boards
* Polices
* Terms
◊ About ICSA an Overview of Issues
◊ Refund and return policies
◊ Shipping policies

Symbols