Meet the Team
Danielle Lullo, MS -
Executive Director
Danielle received both her undergraduate and graduate degrees from California State University at Northridge. She graduated with distinction with a Masters of Science in Educational Psychology and Counseling. She has over 15 years of extensive clinical experience in the field of eating disorders which includes residential and outpatient treatment and has trained with many leading eating disorder experts. She has conducted workshops and trainings for colleges, communities and spiritual organizations in eating disorders, group counseling and trauma. Danielle also has completed intensive training in CBT, DBT, Psychodrama, Sexual Trauma, and Chemical Dependency. Her passion is to work as a catalyst, promoting positive change and wholeness within the hearts and minds of eating disordered patients.
Holly Hamilton, PsyD -
Clinical Supervisor
Holly received her Doctorate degree in Clinical Psychology in 2000 from the California School of Professional Psychology, San Diego. Holly has experience working with adults, adolescents and families in outpatient, residential, and inpatient settings providing individual, group, and family therapy. She is trained in cognitive-behavioral and interpersonal psychotherapy. In addition, she brings experience in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy and the Addiction Model. Holly has worked in Residential, Partial Hospitalization and Intensive Outpatient Programs for the treatment of eating disorders. Holly has been active in educating the community on eating disorders, especially targeting adolescents, for several years.
Dr. Elise A Reed, D.O. -
Psychiatrist
Elise A. Reed, D.O. raised a family of four girls before a job as a hospital medical transcriptionist inspired her, in 1983, to leave her home in southern California, and to attend college and medical school in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She earned a B.S. in psychology from Oral Roberts University in1988 and a DO from Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1991. She spent two years in an OB-GYN residency in West Virginia before realizing that psychiatry was her true calling. She returned to Tulsa where she completed a residency in psychiatry; and in 1998, moved to San Diego where she has been in private practice, treating adolescents and adults since. She has also worked with Eating Disorders in both inpatient and residential treatment facilities.
Zaccario Tramontana, Ph.D -
Program Therapist
Zaccario Tramontana earned his BA in psychology at Vermont College at Norwich University and his MA in clinical psychology at Saybrook Graduate School and Research Center in San Francisco. He is continuing his graduate studies at Saybrook where he is working on a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and is working on a dissertation regarding the relationship between personal spirituality and eating disorders recovery. Zaccario worked at the Rader Programs, an acute care eating disorders program, in Oxnard, California for five years, two of which were as a primary counselor. He completed his predoctoral clinical hours in January 2006 at Vista Del Mar hospital, a psychiatric hospital in Ventura, CA. Zaccario is keenly interested in the relationship between spirituality, however it is defined by the individual, as well as meaning and hope and the role that these values play in eating disorders recovery. In addition to his clinical experience, Zaccario has recovered from an eating disorder, having started his recovery journey in 1993, and can therefore empathize with the difficulties that eating disorders impose on both the afflicted individual and her or his family members.
Nancy Staycer, LCSW -
Program Therapist
Nancy earned her bachelor's degree in psychology at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and got her Master's degree in Social Work in 2001 from San Diego State University. After completing over 3200 hours of training, she received her License as a Clinical Social Worker. Her training includes substance abuse, anger management, effective communication, conflict resolution, and stress and crisis management. She has worked with children, adolescents and adults using individual, couples, family and group therapy at both the outpatient level as well as the residential level. In addition to eating disorders, her experience also includes adoption issues, grief and loss, PTSD and child abuse. Beyond her professional experience, she also has personal experience with the 12-step model of recovery and uses examples from her own struggles and successes, in order to instill a sense of understanding and ultimately hope for those battling addiction.
Kansas Cafferty, M-RAS, MFTT, NCAC I, CAMF - Program Therapist
Kansas brings to Montecatini 10 years of experience working in many different treatment settings and levels of care. He is a Masters Level-Registered Addiction Specialist with the Breining Institute for the Advanced Study of Addictive Disorders, a Nationally Certified Addictions Counselor through NAADAC, and a Certified Anger Management Facilitator (adult and adolescent) through Anderson and Anderson Psychological Services. He was a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Springfield College, Springfield, MA, where he was awarded a Bachelor of Science in Human Services, and he is currently working toward a Master's Degree in Counseling Psychology with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy. He will be completing this course of study in 2008 at National University in Carlsbad, CA. On a more personal note, Kansas is not a stranger to having struggles to work through as a young person. At age 18 he was admitted into a residential treatment program to deal with a life threatening addiction of his own. He has been clean and sober since that time and has spent the vast majority of his sobriety trying to help other young people reclaim their lives from their afflictions. It is quickly apparent when you meet him that he is in this business because of who he is, not merely how he was trained.
Donna Otter, MA -
Expressive Arts Therapist
Donna works in the arts to help patients break free of perfectionism, develop trust and spontaneity, and get out of their heads and into their bodies. Donna received her education at the Expressive Arts Institute in San Diego and the European Graduate School in Switzerland. Her thesis, "Cooking Without A Recipe, Weighing in Without A Scale," demonstrates the efficacy of intuitive art making with patients with eating disorders. She has been active in the San Diego arts community for nearly two decades, including participation in Story Arts and Playback Theater. Her relaxed and playful style is a comfort to those struggling with control issues and the Expressive Arts are a nourishing component to treatment, offering patients a way to ease anxiety, develop body awareness and connect to their internal source of guidance.
Kelly Hinds, RD -
Registered Dietician
Kelly joined Montecatini in 2006. She has over 5 years of experience treating eating disorder patients at the hospital, residential, partial hospital and outpatient levels of care. In addition to maintaining a private practice, Kelly also developed the nutrition protocol for two intensive outpatient programs in San Diego County. Her clinical background allows her to treat eating disorder patients with special medical concerns such as diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and gastrointestinal disorders. Kelly frequently speaks in the community to promote healthful, balanced eating and lectures professional groups on recognizing and treating patients with eating disorders. She has a special interest in media/cultural issues and their contribution to the development of eating disorders. Kelly received her B.S. in Nutritional Sciences, Magna Cum Laude from the University of Missouri - Columbia Coordinated Program in Dietetics, honored as a member of Kappa Omicron Nu. She is a member of the American Dietetic Association and San Diego Dietitians in Eating Disorders Group.
Cynthia Lipton, RN -
Director of Nursing
Cynthia has recently joined our staff after moving here from New York in August 2006. She is a graduate of Pace University Lienhard School of Nursing and has over 32 years nursing experience. Her experience includes working with adolescents and adults in psychiatric and chemical dependency facilities. Prior to joining the staff at Montecatini, Cynthia worked as the nursing supervisor at an acute detox and rehab chemical dependency facility in New York for 12 years. She is experienced in utilization reviews and hospital accreditations and is a certified trainer in CPR/AED through the American Red Cross.
Amy Darneille, B.A. -
Residential Patient Assistant Supervisor
Amy graduated from California State University, Chico in 2000 with a B.A. in Latin American Studies. Her professional experience includes counseling and coaching work with adolescents in the independent boarding school setting and in non-profit organizations. Prior to joining Montecatini as the Residential Patient Assistant Supervisor, Amy worked as a resident assistant at a sister facility of CRC Health Group in Reno, NV.
Susan Cooper, B.S. -
Food Services Manager
Susan earned her Bachelors in Nutritional Sciences from San Diego State University. Susan utilized her skills and knowledge through part-time employment with Jenny Craig while in college. During her internship, she earned experience through Sharp and Children's Hospital working as an RDE and Lactation Educator. Susan has experience in meal and menu planning for Oncology, ICU, Gestational Diabetes, Type 2 Diabetes and many other areas of nutrition. Susan also worked part-time doing nutrition counseling and lactation education for the Women, Infants and Children program. After taking time with her own two children, Susan also began co-chairing the San Diego Diabetic Association yearly fun run. Now, along with her work at Montecatini, she also is the Director of a partnership called 'Healthy Kids Choice Restaurant Partnership' — working to create healthy choices for kids' menus.
Lynette Kalama -
Office/Operations Manager
Lynette has worked in the Medical field for more than 25 years. Her experience has been in Long Term Care Pharmacy and Drug and Psychiatric Hospitals as the Billing and Office Manager. Lynette has an extensive background in insurance and third party billing. She is also dedicated to creating a positive and healthy environment for the patients and staff and ensuring everyone's needs are met.
Rana Kennedy -
Fitness Instructor
A mentor, educator and forever student, Rana has more than 20 years experience in mind, body, and coaching practices. Her passion for yoga began at 21 when she completed her first teacher training with the famous "Yoga Works" in Santa Monica, California. Rana also completed a 500-hour massage therapy certification from Santa Monica Healing Arts College in 1996. With her combined knowledge of healing through postures, hands, and a healthy lifestyle, Rana took her first Pilates certification with Polestar Pilates and Elizabeth Larkam in 1998. Since then she has also taken certification programs with Body Arts And Science, and Retrofit Pilates of Los Angeles. She is certified through Barbara Wintroub/Retrofit Pilates. Her style has always been a rehab style with a powerful fitness and conditioning base. Because of her diverse background, she is able to meet the varying needs of her patients.
Cassie Riddle, BS -
Professional Relations Coordinator
Cassie is a Cum Laude graduate of Montana State University--Billings, where she earned a B.S. in Sociology. During the course of her study, she was honored by the National Dean's List for her academic achievements. Cassie had filled the role of Intake Coordinator before accepting her current position of Professional Relations Coordinator in charge of marketing. Prior to joining the Montecatini staff, Cassie had earned professional experience through work in the mental health, long-term care, and social services fields.
Stacey Warner, BA -
Intake Coordinator
Stacey is a graduate of West Virginia University where she earned her bachelors degree in Political Science. She relocated to California in 2004, where she has gained professional experience in the mortgage industry. Stacey is able to utilize the skills and professional experience learned throughout her career and brings to Montecatini a passion to help others.
