Interactive E-Learning...Not Just Content Online

Key Staff

Essential Learning has assembled a team of technical, clinical and regulatory staff with extensive operational-level experience and "been in the trenches" of our industry. They have designed our products and course library to be useful tools for managing staff training programs.

Susan Erskine, Founder and CEO and Chief Development Officer
Lorraine Watson, PhD, Founder and President
Susan Yeagley Sullivan, Chief Financial Officer
Ben Johnson, MS, Chief Information Officer
Joanne Cohen, RN, Senior Vice President of Accreditation and Training Standards
Doris Dorey, Senior Vice President of Operations
Tricia Izadi, Senior Vice President of Customer Support Services and Implementation
Leslie Mariner, Senior Vice President of Business Development
Gerald McCleery, PhD, Senior Vice President of Strategic Development
Chuck Tepper, Senior Vice President of Business Development
Patrick Tully, Senior Vice President of Business Development
Bill Watson-Canning, Senior Vice President Development Services
Sherry Beamer, MSW, Vice President of Developmental Disabilities Services
Diana Bowden, MBA, Vice President of Business Development for Developmental Disabilities
Rick Bruce, Vice President of e-Commerce and Web Technology
Michael Dooley, MEd, Vice President of Correctional Services
Kristina McClure, LCSW, Vice President of Course Asset Management
Marsha McMann, Vice President of Product Development for Child Welfare Services
Danny Singley,  PhD, Vice President of Curriculum Development and Research
Heather Fanning, Vice President of Business Intelligence
Bernd VanSkiver, MS, Vice President of Software Development
Dana Thomas, Director of Educational Technology
Yvonne Stier, Director of Business Development, Community Health Care
Bobbie Theodore, MS, Director of Business Development
Amy Johnson, MSN, RN, CPN, Director of Nursing Accreditation, Lead Nurse Planner 

Susan Erskine, Founder and CEO and Chief Development Officer
Ms. Erskine is a senior health care executive with over twenty years of diverse healthcare experience. Prior to co-founding Essential Learning, Ms. Erskine played a key role in the formation and growth of PMR Corporation from a private start-up to an $80 million, publicly traded healthcare services company. She served as Executive Vice President, Officer and Board Member from the company's inception and managed the start-up and all aspects of development of an Internet-based software subsidiary. Ms. Erskine has held senior executive positions in several healthcare companies and managed the Staff Development program at an acute care hospital. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Education from the University of Miami, a Masters Degree in Health Education from Florida International University and completed post-graduate work in Curriculum Design and Teacher Education at Stanford University.
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Lorraine Watson, PhD, Founder and President, Essential Learning
Dr. Watson is a licensed clinical psychologist with over twenty years of management experience in behavioral health. Previously, she was the chief operating officer of a public psychiatric disease management company and its health information subsidiary. She had fiscal and operational responsibility for 35 outpatient programs serving more than 2500 consumers of mental health services in 15 states. Prior to this position, she was Chief Executive Officer of a large multi-facility behavioral health system, responsible for clinical, administrative and financial operations. Dr. Watson has been an adjunct clinical professor at Alliant International University in San Diego and has taught graduate level courses in the clinical and industrial/organizational psychology programs. She has also been a clinical consultant for federal law enforcement agencies.  She has developed and conducted over 100 workshops on clinical topics for behavioral health professionals. Dr. Watson received her practicum and internship training at the Naval Training Center and Naval Hospital in San Diego and her doctorate degree from the California School of Professional Psychology.
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Susan Yeagley Sullivan Chief Financial Officer
Ms. Sullivan is a senior financial executive with over thirty years experience in healthcare, medical equipment services, and manufacturing industries.  Ms. Sullivan has served as the Chief Financial Officer of publicly traded companies as well as small rapidly-growing private companies.  She is a Certified Public Accountant with more than six years in public accounting with the firm of Ernst & Young.  Recently she developed the internal controls and processes for the Sarbanes-Oxley 404 requirements at Digirad Corporation.  She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and a Masters in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from San Diego State University.
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Ben Johnson, MS, Chief Information Officer
Mr. Johnson has over 10 years of experience in web application development and database design. His experience includes data mining applications as well as various web-based and client-server applications for the behavioral healthcare industry. He began his career in 1995 as a freelance web designer and spent the next three years as a software engineer for a San Diego startup. In 1998 he joined PMR Corporation as the project manager in charge of InfoScriber, a web based medication management system. He continued to lead the development of InfoScriber for Netsmart Technologies, Inc. before joining Essential Learning in 2006. Mr. Johnson holds an AB from UC Berkeley and MS from Columbia University.
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Joanne Cohen, RN, Senior Vice President of Accreditation and Training Standards
Ms. Cohen is a senior clinical healthcare executive with over twenty years of clinical management and regulatory compliance experience. She is responsible for research, development and management of the Essential Learning curricula that addresses state and national training requirements for healthcare service providers. She is knowledgeable in Joint Commission, CARF and COA standards as well as many state staff training requirements and stands ready to help our member organizations effectively use the Essential Learning system to meet regulatory training standards.
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Doris Dorey, Senior Vice President of Operations
Ms. Dorey has over 18 years experience in Compensation, Benefits, and Human Resources. Prior to joining Essential Learning, Ms. Dorey was the Director of Compensation and Human Resources Information Systems at Ricoh USA, and a Sr. Compensation Consultant at Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of NJ. Ms. Dorey has developed, implemented and maintained compensation programs, and human resources information systems. In addition, she has successfully led teams through mergers and integrations, while focusing on change management. Currently Ms. Dorey oversees the operations of Essential Learning’s Customer Support Services, Implementation Services, Accreditation, and Course Asset Management. Ms. Dorey graduated from Montclair State University, holds a Certified Compensation Professional certificate, is a member of the Society for Human Resources Mgt., World at Work, and the NY and NJ Compensation Association.
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Tricia Izadi, Senior Vice President of Customer Support Services and Implemetation
Ms. Izadi has more than six years of business and managerial experience, in both for-profit and the not-for-profit settings. Prior to joining Essential Learning she developed and managed a unique Community Development program for Price Charitable Foundation that assists low income families to provide community service in exchange for housing subsidies. Her areas of expertise are in the support of web-based applications, application training and project implementation. Ms. Izadi holds a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration from the University of San Diego.
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Leslie Mariner, Senior Vice President of Business Development
Ms. Mariner brings over 25 years of health and human services related experience to Essential Learning.  Her diverse mix of executive management, operations, business development and software experience enable her to support both Governmental and direct service purchasers through informed decision making processes. Her experience includes executive level positions in community behavioral health, social service, and management authority organizations; business development and sales with national managed care and HHS practice management software organizations; and senior level consulting with private and governmental customers.  Ms. Mariner has domain expertise in behavioral health, Medicaid, child welfare, MR/DD, substance abuse and managed care.
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Gerald McCleery, PhD. Senior Vice President of Strategic Development
Dr. McCleery has served as Associate Executive Director of the Mental Health Association of New York City (MHA) and as President and CEO of Link2Health Solutions (L2HS), a not-for-profit subsidiary of MHA. During his seven years at MHA he administered LifeNet, the NYC mental health crisis and information and referral service, as well as the Hopeline, the NY State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services Gambling and Substance Abuse information and referral call service. In his role at L2HS he oversaw the company’s National Suicide Prevention Lifeline funded by SAMHSA. He also worked closely with the NYC Office of Emergency Management to develop a blueprint for a scalable virtual disaster mental health call center. Other accomplishments at MHA include the:

• launch and administration of the 9/11 Mental Health and Substance Abuse Benefit program of the September 11th Fund, and the Red Cross version of that program.
• launch and management of the Red Cross Emotional Support for Recovery Mental Health Benefit Program for gulf coast 2005 hurricane victims.
• administration of a NYC-funded mental health benefit program for victims and families of the September 11 terrorist attacks.

Before joining the MHA of NY City in 2002, he served for 11 years as a Senior VP for a west coast psychiatric management services company. In this role, Dr. McCleery provided clinical direction for a national network of outpatient mental health services, helped develop a rehabilitation-oriented managed care model for the SPMI population (Collaborative Care), created a network of clinical research sites, and collaborated on the product development of InfoScriber, an internet-based prescribing system for psychiatry used to support pharmaceutical market research. From 1970 to 1991 he worked at the Rockland Psychiatric Center, serving as Deputy Director for the last 10 years.

He is a licensed psychologist in New York state and holds a Bachelors degree in psychology from Duke University and a PhD in clinical psychology from St. John's University.

He has served on the advisory committee of the NYC 311/211 system and as member of the staff management group and the disaster services committee of the NYC Human Services Council, responsible for coordinating disaster preparedness in the not-for-profit sector in NYC. He has also participated in the Baruch College Executives on Campus/School of Public Affairs Mentoring Program.
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Chuck Tepper, Senior Vice President of Business Development, Behavioral Health/Substance Abuse
Mr. Tepper has held senior level sales positions in the healthcare arena for more than 30 years. At the start of his career, Mr. Tepper was a sales representative for a major pharmaceutical company.  Mr. Tepper continued his work as a partner for a multi-state, medical publication that focused on the business aspects of healthcare, and was responsible for its multi-state expansion.  Prior to joining Essential Learning, he was the senior vice president of sales for an $80 million, publicly traded healthcare services company and played a key role in the company's growth in its mental health pharmacy business and as an internet-based healthcare information company.
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Patrick Tully, Senior Vice President of Business Development
Mr. Tully has 22 years of experience in the management of behavioral health and substance abuse facilities, including positions in clinical supervision and administration. Mr. Tully began his career as a certified chemical dependency counselor in 1980 and has experience in both inpatient and outpatient settings. His work with adolescents and their families was featured on the ABC news program 20/20. For the last 10 years, Mr. Tully has worked with a diverse group of community behavioral health organizations, substance abuse centers and behavioral health hospitals, assisting them to improve operating efficiencies through technology products and services. Mr. Tully holds a Health Care Administration Certificate from UCLA.
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Bill Watson-Canning, Senior Vice President of Development Services
Mr. Watson-Canning has more than six years of experience providing end-user support in Information Technology to professionals in both the legal and behavioral health fields. He has conducted trainings on the primary Microsoft Office applications as well as on the major functions on the Essential Learning site. Mr. Watson-Canning is also a produced playwright and has received degrees from Princeton University and the University of California-San Diego.
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Sherry Beamer, MSW, Vice President of Developmental Disabilities Services 
Ms. Beamer has worked over the past 20 years with people with developmental disabilities in a variety of settings in direct service, management and consulting positions, working to assure that people with disabilities receive the services they need to be in charge of their lives. Ms. Beamer has extensive experience adapting and presenting curricula for mainstream audiences. She holds a Masters degree in Social Work Administration from the Jane Addams School of Social Work in Chicago, Illinois. Prior to Essential Learning, she developed a variety of disability related businesses including Sherry Beamer & Associates, Spectrum Home Services of Burbank, Beverly Hills and the Foothills, the Board Resource Center and Noble Solutions. Ms. Beamer is on the Organizing Committee of the California APSE Chapter and Secretary/Treasurer for All Kids Inc. She is also a board officer of the California Association of MicroEnterprise Opportunity, assuring the inclusion of people with disabilities in statewide services for small business development. 
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Diana Bowden, MBA, Vice President of Business Development for Developmental Disabilities
Ms. Bowden is a senior business development executive with more than twenty years of healthcare services experience in areas such as SaaS (software as a service), workforce management, diagnostic imaging and life sciences industries. She has served in various senior level management roles including Vice President of Sales for On Assignment, Regional Vice President, Client Services for AMN Healthcare and Vice President of Marketing for Digirad.  Ms. Bowden's diverse yet client-centric background has enabled her to deliver quality services while meeting customers' clinical, regulatory and patient care goals.  She earned an MBA from the Peter Drucker Graduate School of Management as well as a BA degree in Biological Sciences from UC Santa Barbara. 
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Rick Bruce, Vice President of e-Commerce and Web Technology
Rick Bruce has twenty-six years experience in technology and customer service.  Mr. Bruce started his career providing direct customer support with pioneer computer manufacturer Kaypro Corporation in 1983.  His career path has included telephone and online support for both hardware and software products, internal information technology support, and software architecture and design.  In the late nineties Mr. Bruce and Essential Learning's CIO, Ben Johnson, led the development of one of the first approved web based electronic prescribing tools in 1999.  That system is still in use today with little change from its original core design.  Since leaving his position as CIO for InfoScriber Corporation he has formed two businesses and maintained a successful web consultancy.  Mr. Bruce's experience and dedication to service position him to lead Essential Learning's state-of-the-art customer service initiatives.
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Michael Dooley, M.Ed., Vice President of Correctional Services
Mr. Dooley has over 33 years of correctional services experience having worked in prisons and jails, probation, parole, human resources and training. Mr. Dooley spent 15 years with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)/National Institute of Corrections (NIC) working with national and international corrections organizations and audiences at the Federal, state and local level. He has extensive experience in developing and managing training and technical assistance programs including curriculum development and instructional design for both classroom training and e-learning/distance learning. He has produced and managed numerous technical assistance and training programs in the areas of leadership and management, training capacity building, public and media relations, team development restorative justice, emergency preparedness, media relations, classification, organizational performance and mental health. He has developed and produced nationally recognized curricula on team building, restorative justice and mental health.

Mr. Dooley earned a Master of Education degree in Administration and Planning from the University of Vermont in 1991 with an emphasis in leadership, organizational development and administration. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Delaware.
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Kristina McClure, LCSW, Vice President of Course Asset Management
Ms. McClure is a licensed clinical social worker with over 10 years of experience in the health and human service field. Most recently, she was a project manager with a large software company implementing electronic media record systems for state, county and private mental health, substance abuse, public health and social service agencies. She has consulted with county probation and community mental health agencies creating and conducting annual employee training. Ms. McClure also has worked as a clinician providing direct services to adults, children and adolescents in both outpatient and inpatient settings.
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Marsha McMann, Vice President of Product Development for Child Welfare Services
With over twenty five years of experience in behavioral healthcare and child welfare, Ms. McMann has developed an expertise in public and private healthcare systems, managed healthcare and child welfare.   Ms. McMann graduated Magna Cum Laude from Washburn University with a BA in Social Work and received her Master of Social Welfare degree from the University of Kansas.   Ms. McMann’s career has included clinical services in the public behavioral health systems in Kansas and Nebraska including outpatient, inpatient and residential care.  In addition to her clinical background, Ms. McMann was employed by the State of Nebraska as the Coordinator of Quality Assurance for Mental Health wherein she was responsible for the certification of mental health programs throughout the State.  Through her successful relationship building with providers, institutions, administrators and payors, Ms. McMann then embarked on a career in public behavioral health managed care.  Over the last sixteen years she has held management and senior management positions for national managed care companies.  This experience includes building and maintaining provider networks, strategic program development, product development, successful proposal development, contract management, government relations, systems development and integration, and project management and business operations.  Ms. McMann was also the Director of Foster Care for the behavioral health Medicaid managed care vendor, (Cenpatico/Centene) in Texas.  Within this position, Ms. McMann was a key partner with the State of Texas Department of Family Protective Services and providers in the development of system solutions for the highest need foster care children.  She was subsequently appointed by the Commissioner of DFPS to the Foster Care Redesign committee, participated with the Department and a select provider in a presentation to the National Summit on Public/Private Partnerships and initiated NCTSN Trauma Informed Care training for the Texas Foster Care system.  Throughout her career, Ms. McMann has developed keen insight into the needs and operational realities of the many parts of healthcare and specializes in creative strategies and solutions to improve outcomes.
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Danny Singley, PhD, Vice President of Curriculum Development and Research
Dr. Singley is a licensed psychologist with over 10 years of experience in clinical work, program development and evaluation, academic publishing and presentation, clinical research design, statistical analysis, and organizational consultation. In managing Essential Learning's curriculum development, he coordinates a team of authors, subject matter experts, and organizational content partners in order to provide top-notch courses that meet customers' training needs. He is also involved in ongoing research addressing transfer of training in e-learning as well as how to use learning management systems to enhance organizational effectiveness. He is the current Chair of the San Diego Psychological Association's Men's Issues Committee and Chair of the American Psychological Association's Section on Positive Psychology in the Society of Counseling Psychology. Dr. Singley is also a consultant for research, assessment, and program development at the University of California- Irvine's Counseling and Psychological Services. Before coming to Essential Learning, he oversaw two intensive outpatient programs at Sharp Mesa Vista Hospital in San Diego. His areas of clinical work and research have focused on evidence-based positive psychology, men’s issues, program development, geropsychology and the treatment of depression, anxiety, and co-occurring disorders. Dr. Singley holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish and Latin American Literature from the University of Virginia, and a Doctorate in Counseling Psychology with a Doctoral Minor in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from the University of Maryland, College Park.
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Heather Fanning, Vice President of Business Intelligence
Ms. Fanning brings a truly unique and diverse background to Essential Learning, where she has been since 2007 in roles of increasing scope and responsibility such as Courseware Director and Senior Project Manager. Prior to joining EL, Ms. Fanning’s spent four years with the Marine Corps as a training and education coordinator, and served a variety of roles within healthcare, high-technology and the educational system. Her educational background includes a Masters in Human Services as well as an undergraduate degree in History, Political Science, and Secondary Education.
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Bernd VanSkiver, MS, Vice President of Software Development
Mr. VanSkiver has over twelve years of experience in software engineering and web application development. He has worked with many small businesses and start-ups in various industries as an employee and freelancer to build and grow their online presence. In 2005 he joined Zonder, an online vacation rentals start-up. He was instrumental in their business going to market in six months. He joined Essential Learning in 2008 and has been a key member of developing the current technology that Essential Learning uses. Mr. VanSkiver stays up to date with the latest technologies keeping Essential Learning on the forefront of technology. He has a Bachelor of Computer Science and a Master of Business Administration from Neumont University in Salt Lake City, UT.
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Dana Thomas, Director of Educational Technology
Mr. Thomas has over 17 years of experience designing and developing corporate training materials with an emphasis on digital media and e-Learning solutions.

He began his career in the Financial Services Industry as a corporate trainer and grew into consulting, sales, recruiting and management positions.  Mr. Thomas brings his diverse experience to all aspects of e-Learning. Over the past 5 years, he has both written and developed high quality e-Learning content as well as sales and marketing collateral using Flash and HTML based tools.  He also offers extensive knowledge in video production and editing, learning games, and high value vignettes and interactions. His areas of expertise include instructional design and technology, adult learning theory, SCORM and process management. As Director of Educational Technology at Essential Learning, he manages the department responsible for all courseware development. Mr. Thomas holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Management with a concentration in Finance from Eckerd College.
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Yvonne Stier, Director of Business Development, Community Health Care
 Ms. Stier has a diverse business development background serving hospital administrators, general and specialty practitioners.  She has handled a range of products including medical capital equipment, services, and consumable products to hospitals throughout the Southern California, Arizona, and Las Vegas area.   She has worked in the pharmaceutical industry covering a portfolio of cardiovascular, gastroenterology, and pain management pharmaceutical products.  With specialized knowledge in the area of sales campaign efforts including new product roll-outs, market share penetration and account call management, Ms. Stier is passionate about being of value to her Essential Learning clients. Ms. Stier graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English (Literature) from California State University, Long Beach.
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Bobbie Theodore, MS, Director of Business Development
Ms. Theodore has over 15 years of experience with health care entities. Her experience includes business development for behavioral health organizations, clinical research centers and medical professionals, as well as direct service in hospital settings. She has performed analyses of health systems, developed new customer relationships for sales teams, built and maintained a sales pipeline and assisted in the growth of start-up and expanding companies. Bobbie holds a Master's degree in Health Administration from California State University, Long Beach and a Bachelor's degree in Education from University of Kansas
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Amy Johnson MSN, RN, CPN, Director of Nursing Accreditation, Lead Nurse Planner
Ms. Johnson has more than 9 years of nursing experience in the healthcare arena. Prior to joining Essential Learning she worked for Vanderbilt University Medical Center as a Registered Nurse, Nursing Professional Development Specialist and Designated Nurse Planner creating and implementing continuing education programs according to the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). As a Nursing Professional Development Specialist she coordinated a formalized residency program on-boarding approximately 100 new graduate nurses per year in a major academic medical center.  Her role as a Designated Nurse Planner included reviewing and analyzing objectives, content outline and appropriateness of material for continuing education based on needs assessments of the learner. Ms. Johnson graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville Tennessee and her Master of Science in Nursing from Tennessee State University, Nashville Tennessee. At Essential Learning, Ms. Johnson ensures that all ANCC accredited courses meet the requirements for accreditation through the planning, needs assessment, development, field testing, and implementation and evaluation phases.
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