Dr. Fong is a Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA.

Dr. Fong completed his undergraduate and medical school at Northwestern University in Chicago. He then came to UCLA and finished his residency in adult general psychiatry in 2002 and was the first accredited addiction psychiatry fellow at the UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute (2002-2004).

He is the co-director of the UCLA Gambling Studies Program (UGSP). The purpose of this program is to examine the underlying causes and clinical characteristics of gambling disorder in order to develop effective, evidence-based treatment strategies.

Since 2009, he has been the director of the UCLA Addiction Psychiatry Fellowship, a one-year accredited program that provides clinical training in addiction psychiatry.

Finally, he is part of the faculty leadership of the UCLA Cannabis Research Initiative, a multidisciplinary effort to examine the full impact of cannabis on the body, mind and brain.

Arya Gadekar, BA in Psychology from Texas A&M International University. Currently a graduate student at University of Illinois- Springfield in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. She is a part of the Graduate Public Service Internship (GPSI intern) program and is part of the Bureau of Planning, Performance Assessment and Federal Programs at IDHS SUPR. Arya’s focus is on gambling disorder programs. She has played college golf for 4 years at TAMIU and is also part of the Women's Golf program at UIS. 

Dr. Serena King received her M.A and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Minnesota and is a Licensed Psychologist. She is Full Professor of Psychology at Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota. She publishes widely in addiction, mental health, and gambling. Her published work has appeared in journals such as Addiction, Public Health, International Gambling Studies, Journal of Gambling Studies, and Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry.  She has an active research and clinical agenda with a variety of collaborations in the areas of gambling, gaming disorder, and substance use. Dr. King was the recipient of an early career research grant from the International Center for Responsible Gaming and has served as a consultant for grants from the Minnesota Department of Human Services and the Minnesota Alliance on Problem Gambling.  Dr. King has led several community-level and large-scale research studies on problem gambling, and developed prevention and outreach programs in the Southeast Asian Refugee community of Minnesota. She conducts trainings for individuals, agencies, and treatment centers.  Dr. King developed the first formal collaboration between the Hazelden-Betty Ford Graduate School of Addiction Studies and an undergraduate psychology program and cares deeply about training the next generation of addiction and mental health professionals.  She develops psychoeducational materials for community leaders and health care professionals in the areas of addiction, mental health, and problem gambling.

Abdullah Mahmood, LSW, LCDCIII-GAMB, ICGC-I, OCPS, ICPS has worked extensively in prevention, treatment, administration, as well as having direct services with clients on MAT, clients with substance use disorder, and clients with disordered gambling. He oversees the gambling intervention program at Maryhaven, a local treatment agency in Columbus, OH. He has also worked previously with the Problem Gambling Network of Ohio.
Abdullah attended Columbus State Community College for his associate’s degree and attended The Ohio State University, where he recently completed a bachelor’s degree in Social Work. He is currently working towards his master’s degree in Clinical Social Work from Cleveland State University. 

Dr. Amanda McCormick is an Associate Professor in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, a Research Associate with the Centre for Public Safety and Criminal Justice Research, and the Commitment Leader for the Peace and Reconciliation Centre’s Community of Practice in Reducing Domestic Violence at the University of the Fraser Valley. Dr. McCormick has completed numerous research studies on problem gambling, most notably three longitudinal evaluations of the British Columbia Lottery Corporation's Voluntary Self-Exclusion program.

Jody Bechtold, LCSW, ICGC-II, BACC, IGDC, CGT is a highly regarded gambling addiction expert working extensively across the globe with individuals, organizations, and associations. She is the CEO of The Better Institute, a group practice located in Pittsburgh. She is the co-author of The Gambling Disorder Treatment Handbook: A Guide for Mental Health Professionals (2021) and 2 chapters in the Social Workers Desk Reference v 4 on Gambling and Gaming Disorders, published in 2022. She serves as an Advisor to several startup and non-profits organizations including GamFin, Birches Health, and Seagulls Flock in the Philippines. She also serves as an Emeritus board member for the International Gambling Counselor Certification Board (IGCCB). Jody holds a master’s degree in social work from the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Social Work and has several certifications with the International Gambling Counselor Certification Board (ICGC-II, IGDC, BACC, CGT).

 When Jody isn’t working, you can find her providing pet therapy with her dog, Hanna, and supporting her husband’s business, Pittsburgh Guitars. Please email jody@betterinstitute.com or visit www.BetterInstitute.com to contact Jody Bechtold, LCSW, ICGC-II, BACC, IGDC, CGT.

Alyssa N. Wilson, PhD., BCBA-D, LBA is an Associate Professor of Psychology at California State University, Fresno. She received her Ph.D in Rehabilitation with an emphasis in Behavior Analysis and Therapy from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. She is a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst-Doctoral (BCBA-D) and is a Licensed Behavior Analyst in the state of Missouri and Nevada. She is the co-author of The Gambling Disorder Treatment Handbook: A Guide for Mental Health Professionals and chapter in the Social Work Desk Reference v 4 on Gambling Disorders. She is also the co-author of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Gambling Disorders, a guide for clinicians. Dr. Wilson has delivered over fifty national and international presentations related to gambling assessment and treatment, and her research has been showcased on Netflix’s Bill Nye Saves the World.  When she is not working, you can find her spending time with family, painting, or cooking a vegetarian friendly meal.

Robin Witt is the director of relationship dynamics at The Better Institute.  She believes relationship improvements lead to family system improvements.  She is a licensed professional counselor in the state of Pennsylvania and is a certified alcohol and abuse counselor as well as a level 1 internationally certified gambling counselor. 

Christina Cook is a passionate advocate for recovery from disordered gambling, drawing from her own journey of challenges and resilience. With personal experience as her foundation, she now dedicates her time to helping others navigate the challenges of gambling harm using storytelling through her podcast and offering a safe and supportive space for women to connect and work together to overcome gambling harms. Her mission is to empower women to reclaim their lives and build a future they don’t want to escape from.

 Christina currently sits on the boards of:

-       Massachusetts Council on Gaming and Health (LEAP) Board - Member

-       International Gambling Counselor Certification Board (IGCCB) - Secretary

Matt Missar, LSW, ICGC-I, IGDC, is a licensed social worker with The Better Institute and a graduate from the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Social Work. Matt holds a Master of Social Work degree with a focus in Direct Practice and certificate in Mental Health. Matt has certification as an Internationally Certified Gambling Counselor Level I (ICGC-I) and has also obtained his International Gaming Disorder Certificate (IGDC). In his clinical practice Matt works with individuals with various mental health concerns, including but not limited to problematic gambling and gaming. Much of Matt’s recent clinical work and research has focused on the convergence of gambling and gaming.

Deirdre Querney, BA/BSW, MSW, is a Registered Social Worker who has provided outpatient addiction treatment services for the past 23 years at the City of Hamilton’s Alcohol, Drug & Gambling Services. Her clinical experience includes individual counselling, group work and couples/family counselling. Deirdre is certified by the Canadian Problem Gambling Certification Board (CPGCB) and the Canadian Addiction Counsellors Certification Federation (CACCF). Since 2003, Deirdre has also been a part-time instructor with McMaster University’s Professional Addiction Studies Program.  She has conducted workshops on a variety of topics including Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), problem gambling, relapse prevention and assessment/treatment of addictive behaviour. Deirdre’s research interests, conference talks and publications focus on addiction knowledge translation, the ethical integration of spirituality into addiction treatment and motherhood and addiction.

Iris Balodis, PhD, is Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences at McMaster University and Associate Director of the Peter Boris Centre for Addictions Research. Her research focuses on motivational processes influencing maladaptive decision-making, including gambling disorder. Iris is a founding member of OGRS (The Ontario Gambling Research Society). She is affiliated with the Centre for Medicinal Cannabis Research and a core instructor on the Science of Cannabis courses.

Brianne Doura-Schawohl is founder and CEO of Doura-Schawohl Consulting LLC, a boutique global government relations firm that specializes in problem and responsible gambling policy. She most recently served as Vice President of US Policy and Strategic Development for EPIC Risk Management, a global harm prevention consultancy, conducting work in over 24 countries. Prior to her role at EPIC, Brianne served as Legislative Director for the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG). Her experience includes over a decade of leadership in advocacy, public policy, government affairs, and communications.

Doura-Schawohl’s practice spans a wide range of work with executive and legislative branch officials and private sector stakeholders at the international, federal, state, and local levels of government. She has a history of achievements in State and United States Congressional legislative work, including a diverse portfolio of complex problem gambling policy issues. This continues to be invaluable in her ability to make a difference on behalf of people with gambling problems around the world.

Doura-Schawohl works with Congress and numerous state legislatures and regulators to provide expert advice on gambling policy. She continues to work with stakeholders on both sides of the aisle. Additionally, she has been featured in international, national, state, and local media, including ABC News, Bloomberg, CBS, CNBC, Forbes, ESPN, The Athletic, The Financial Times, The New York Times, The Washington Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, CBC and others. 

Brianne was named one of the top lobbyists in 2023 and 2022 by ‘The Hill’, named one of the top 100 lobbyists in 2022 and 2021 by the National Institute of Lobbying & Ethics (NILE), was featured as one of the 25 People to Watch in 2022 by Global Gaming Business, an honoree of the 2023 class of 40 under 40 Emerging Leaders in Gaming, is an honoree of the 2023-2024 ‘10 Women Rising in Gaming’ by Global Gaming Women and CDC Gaming Reports and named one of the top 10 most influential women in gaming in 2023 by iGB. In 2019 she was appointed as a member of the Digital Gaming Advisory Group for the State of Hawaii and continues to serve on various coalitions. 

In 2020 and 2021 she was a guest faculty member for Seton Hall Law School at their Gaming Law, Compliance, and Integrity Program and continues to be a guest lecturer for the University of Minnesota, Global Institute for Responsible Sport Organizations, and at Bradley University. Doura-Schawohl presents at conferences and other public events on gaming policy across the United States, Europe, Canada, and Australia. 

Doura-Schawohl serves on the Board of Directors for Kindbridge Behavioral Health and is a member of the leadership team of the NILE Next Gen Executives committee, a group committed to advancing educational & networking opportunities for the next generation of leaders within the government relations profession. She is a member of the National Council on Problem Gambling military affairs committee.

Mrs. Doura-Schawohl holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Mary Washington. She is a proud military spouse and resides in Fairfax, Virginia with her family.

Dr. Stephanie Diez-Morel (pronouns: she/her) is an associate professor and the Program Director of the Masters of Social Work graduate program at Pennsylvania Western University. As a Licensed Clinical Social and PhD level researcher, Dr. Diez-Morel has dedicated her work to helping improve the lives of youth, families, adults and communities. She is the author of a plethora of presentations, scientific research studies, and book chapters on the topics of gaming disorder and associated behavioral addictions. In 2013, Dr. Diez-Morel founded Reboot & Recover, a nonprofit organization dedicated to finding solutions for a balanced living in a technology driven world. She has established education, prevention curriculums, treatment, and research on gaming disorder and other problematic technology-based behaviors for children, youth, adults, and families that have been utilized by organizations worldwide. Her work has been presented nationally and internationally to aid prevention workers, social workers, counselors, and medical professionals working with youth, families, and adults experiencing psychosocial concerns or harms due to their gaming or technology use behavior.

Dr. Diez-Morel earned her Ph.D. from Florida International University where she was awarded a student scholar in Health Disparities Research Fellowship with CRUSADA (the Center for Research on US Latino/as Drug Abuse and Addictions) funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Dr. Diez-Morel utilizes her expertise in behavioral health and addictions to serve in various role including as Emeritus Board Member of the International Gambling Counselor Certification Board (IGCCB) and through this role, helped to lead development of the world’s first International Gaming Disorder Certification for helping professionals. Dr. Diez-Morel is also the co-lead for the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) Gaming Disorder Taskforce and serves as the National Association of Social Work’s (NASW-PA) 2nd Vice President of Finance and Executive Committee member. Dr. Diez-Morel continues her clinical practice as a licensed practitioner and splits her time between direct clinical practice, research, prevention work, teaching, and service to the community. 

Dr. Kasra Ghaharian completed his Ph.D. and M.S. at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, William F. Harrah College of Hospitality. He is currently Director of Research at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, International Gaming Institute. Ghaharian's research centers around data science applications in the gambling industry. His most recent work explores the intersection of artificial intelligence and gambling, which seeks to understand the ethical issues and risks associated with this emerging technology.

Bill Johnson has worked in the addiction treatment and prevention field for over 45 years. His experience has spanned the continuum of care, from detox to residential services. He has served on several boards over the years, to many to mention in this short bio. He was certified as an addiction professional for over 34 years, receiving his first credential in 1978 in Illinois.

He has served as the Executive Director of a large rural treatment program for over 10 years. He then served as the Executive Director of the Illinois Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Professional Certification Association (IAODAPCA) for 17 years. After leaving that position in 2011 he has established a consultant business. He served as the Executive Director for the Illinois Council on Problem Gambling (ICPG).

He has provided training across the United States and served as an advocate for those wishing pursue addiction credentialing internationally. He was part of an international group that provided credentialing in Nepal. He continues to support excellence in training and education of those wishing to enter the addiction treatment profession.

He is most proud of the fact that he has over 46 years of continuous recovery from addiction. What that means is that he has not used any alcohol or illicit drugs during that time

Becca Vykydal is the Corporate Social Responsibility Specialist at Allwyn North America and she oversees the day-to-day operations of the Illinois Lottery’s responsible gaming program. Becca is passionate about corporate social responsibility and promoting a safer and responsible gaming environment for Lottery players.