Message from the President
It is an honor to serve as President of the Crisis Intervention Training Association of California. I am grateful to our members for their continued commitment to advancing effective and compassionate crisis response across the state.
California’s crisis response needs are diverse and evolving. As an association, our focus is on strengthening our capacity to meet those needs by building board leadership that reflects the geographic, cultural, and professional diversity of our state. Representative leadership is essential to ensuring our work remains relevant, informed, and impactful.
We are also committed to identifying and responding to emerging training needs and trends in crisis response, including cross-system collaboration, behavioral health integration, and alternative response models. By supporting high-quality, forward-looking training, we aim to equip responders with the skills needed to serve communities effectively.
Finally, we are working to strengthen our engagement in policy and law that shape crisis response in California. By elevating the expertise of our members, we seek to contribute thoughtfully to statewide conversations that influence how crisis services are delivered.
Together, we will continue to strengthen crisis intervention training in California and support systems that promote safety, dignity, and effective response for all.
~Chris Roup, President
Executive Board
President
Chris A. Roup
Chris is Director of Programs for Crisis Response Programs and Training, a corporation that provides technical assistance for crisis response systems and training at all crisis response intercept points. Recently, she was Director of Programs for CIT International. She has been involved with Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) programs for the past 10 years. She is a master instructor for Crisis Response and Intervention Training (CRIT): Train-the-Trainer, Crisis Call Training for Emergency Communication Centers: Train-the-Trainer, and Crisis Response and Intervention Training (CRIT) for Schools: Train-the-Trainer; all programs of CRPT. As a Certified CIT Coordinator, Chris has participated in multiple Sequential Intercept Model mapping processes contributing as a key stakeholder for CIT Steering Committees. She has co-coordinated 30+ CIT training classes for law enforcement and other first responder agencies delivering the Memphis Model CIT training for over 630 officers for 17 agencies throughout California. Prior to joining CIT International, she was Executive Director of the NAMI Fresno, National Alliance on Mental Illness, for 8 years. She provides mental health education to various partners of criminal justice system, local school districts to teachers, administrators and students, and faith communities. Chris has 35+ years of community benefit organization leadership, serving as a board member and executive staff leadership. Prior to executive leadership with NAMI Fresno, Chris spent over 20 years in the banking industry as a Vice President specializing in relationships with community benefit organizations. She is currently serving as President of California CIT Association and just recently completed serving as an executive board member of NAMI California (7 years). Chris has been involved in and passionate about Maternal Wellness Coalitions for Fresno, Madera and Kings counties, and the Fresno County Suicide Prevention Collaborative. She served as chair for the CTE Advisory Committee for FUSD, and Central Valley Children's Services Network - President. Prior to leaving California in 2023, Chris was an appointed Commissioner for the Fresno County Juvenile Justice Commission. She is a certified instructor for Adult and Youth Mental Health First Aid. In addition, she is a leader for several NAMI signature programs: Family to Family, Family Support Groups, Peer to Peer, Connection Recovery Support Group, and a lead presenter for all Ending the Silence modules.
Vice President
Aimee Hendle
Aimee Hendle serves as the Drug Demand Reduction Coordinator for the San Diego and Imperial Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (SDI HIDTA). Mrs. Hendle works to promote and increase public knowledge of the emerging drug, alcohol and Human Trafficking issues facing our communities today. She facilitates trainings as well as provides support and resources as they are requested throughout the state and along the US/Mexico border. Mrs. Hendle also works on a variety of initiatives ensuring that the programs are run within the required guidelines and with greatest desired outcomes and organizes numerous media releases and events at the local, state, national, and international level.
Secretary
Miriam Clark
Miriam Clark serves as a Program Manager I with the San Bernardino County Department of Behavioral Health (DBH), overseeing both the Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) Program for Law Enforcement and Community Partners and the Community Education Program (CEP). With over nineteen years of experience in human services within San Bernardino County, Ms. Clark has contributed to various departments, including the Department of Aging and Adult Services – In-Home Supportive Services Public Authority, Public Health, and Children and Family Services. In her current capacity as the CIT Program Manager I, Ms. Clark is committed to upholding the objectives of the CIT program. She ensures that first responders and community partners are thoroughly prepared to provide effective support and responses to community residents experiencing a behavioral health crisis. Under Ms. Clark's leadership, the program collaborates with law enforcement entities and other county community partners, such as Probation and Fire, to educate their personnel on recognizing behavioral health crises, communicating appropriately, de-escalating situations, and, most importantly, connecting community residents and their families to appropriate resources. Through the CEP program, Ms. Clark and her team offer educational and training opportunities to San Bernardino County residents, promoting a deeper understanding of behavioral health and connecting individuals to services. These educational opportunities include certified evidence-based curriculum and customizable training sessions. Ms. Clark holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Studies from the University of California, Riverside, and a Master of Public Administration degree from The University of La Verne. She is a certified San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Academy Instructor, Mental Health First Aid Instructor, GAINS Center's "How Being Trauma-Informed Improves Criminal Justice System Responses" trainer, and a certified CIT Coordinator through CIT International.
Treasurer
Chief Ray Sweeney
Chief Ray Sweeney, Treasurer - La Mesa PD. Chief Sweeney joined the La Mesa Police Department in 2001, and has held several assignments over the last several years. The assignments include, Patrol, Detective, Narcotic Task Force Detective, Sergeant, Lieutenant and Captain. He also held several collateral assignments that include, Master Officer, Range Master, Defensive Tactics and Less Lethal Instructor, Special Response Team member, Team Leader, and Commander. As a Captain, he oversaw both the Patrol and Services Divisions. Chief Sweeney has served as a Subject Matter Expert for the California Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) in mental health and law enforcement response.
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Chief Sweeney is a veteran of the US Army, serving both on active duty and continuing his career in the California Army National Guard. He retired as a Sergeant Major in 2012, after serving more than 26 years.
Chief Sweeney holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice Management from Union Institute and University and a Master of Science degree from the University of San Diego, in Law Enforcement and Public Safety Leadership. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, the Sherman Block Supervisory Leadership Academy and the US Army Sergeant’s Major Academy.
Board of Directors
Terry Rittgers MS., M.S., M.F.T., Special Projects Coordinator II, County of San Mateo, Behavioral Health & Recovery Services. Terry is a past Secretary and Treasure with CACITA and is a Lifetime Member. He has been employed by San Mateo County since 1987 in various capacities with his last full-time position being Clinical Services Manager II. He retired in 2020 and returned later that year to work part-time to oversee the clinical aspects of a new behavioral health campus being built in Redwood City, California. In addition, he is a licensed psychotherapist and has an active private practice in California.
Armando Sandoval, Retired Supervisor of the BART Progressive Policing and Community Engagement Bureau (PPCEB). Armando has over 40 years of experience working as a Law Enforcement professional, Forensic Mental Health specialist and clinician, adjunct professor, gang intervention and prevention specialist and community outreach liaison. 20 years of experience as CIT academy instructor. Affiliated with NAMI San Mateo for over 35 years who served as a board of director president and State Board of Directors for NAMI CA (2018 to 2024. Armando was with BART Police for over twelve years. He oversaw a five-county transit system in the San Francisco Bay Area as the supervisor of the PPCEB, he developed a CIT multi-disciplinary Forensic Team (MDFT) in Alameda County to support CIT officers in the community with challenging cases that needed a collaborative approach and support system. In addition, he has worked for the San Mateo County Mobile Mental Health “Mobile Support Team” prioritizing work within the Spanish speaking communities struggling with severe mental illness for over three decades. Lived experience with family members, married 28 years to his best friend, has 3 amazing sons, and a beautiful and healing chocolate lab. He has been an advocate serving many communities in the San Francisco Bay Area and throughout California for over 40 years, he truly believes in the power of applying "Constructive Nuisance" when needed and whenever needed to help those in need. He has served on CACITA for the past 9 years.
Commander Mark Stadler (Ret.) - CIT Program Administrator, Ventura Sheriff’s Office. After retiring as a Commander from the Ventura Police Department with over 28 years of service, Mark Stadler became the Ventura County Law Enforcement CIT Program Administrator in 2015. He was a founding member of this CIT program in 2001. Mark holds a Bachelor’s degree in Criminology and a Master’s degree in Organizational Management from the University of La Verne. He is a graduate of the California Peace Officer Standards and Training Supervisory Leadership Institute and Command College. Mr. Stadler is an instructor at the Ventura County Criminal Justice Training Center and a Senior Adjunct Professor for the University of La Verne.
Christine Davies, LMFT, Assistant Director, CRF/PERT San Diego. Christine is a licensed MFT and the Assistant Director of the Psychiatric Emergency Response Team, better known as PERT. In 1993, she began her career in emergency response work in Los Angeles work for the Department of Children and Family Services within the Emergency Response Unit. Christine moved to San Diego in 1997 and became a PERT Clinician in 1998.
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​Christine’s role as a PERT clinician placed her in a patrol car alongside a uniformed officer for 10-hour shifts. She took an interest in understanding and clarifying the misconceptions between community organizations, members, and law enforcement around mental health related incidents that could create barriers to providing services. Christine’s workday included collaborating with agencies calling upon law enforcement for assistance with a mental health crisis. In 2014, Christine became a training instructor for the San Diego Regional Public Safety Institute on responding to emergencies involving individuals with special needs. In 2015 she became the Assistant Program Director for PERT and continues to serve the community through her work with CRF/PERT.
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Christine is an active member of the Advancement of Threat Assessment Professionals and works with multidiscipline teams of professionals in the County of San Diego to assist in diverting individuals away from harm and toward behavioral wellness while emphasizing public safety.
Sharon Roth, RN. BSN, MA - Santa Clara NAMI. Sharon has been involved with CIT since 1979, and through her efforts Sharon has helped pioneer the CIT program in California. Her vast experience within the healthcare industry has helped her develop the knowledge and focus to ensure that patients get the best care possible, regardless of where the care is taking place. Presently, Sharon is an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Samuel Merritt University where she has two clinical rotations at three different psychiatric facilities twice a year. Sharon introduces her students to the world of a psychiatric patient from those needing an inpatient acute facility to those in recovery in outpatient sites.
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Prior to her recent retirement, Sharon was the Administrative Nursing House Supervisor at Kaiser Foundation Hospital in Redwood City. Sharon was responsible for patient care satisfaction, managed staffing levels to ensure quality patient care, assessed patients for proper level of care, and transferred patients to Kaiser when stabilized for return. Additionally, Sharon has intricate experience and knowledge gained from her past and ongoing involvement in positions such as being a founding member of CACITA; active member on the NAMI-Board of Directors; involvement with the CIT team planning committee in collaboration with NAMI, San Mateo County Sheriff’s Department, San Mateo Mental Health Department, and Argosy University; associate of the Crisis Intervention Team Planning Committee in collaboration with the Alliance for the Mentally Ill, San Jose Police Department, and the Santa Clara Department of Mental Health CIT program; trained facilitator for support groups, Family to Family instructor; founding member of the CISM Bay Area Team: 1986, and affiliate of the Education Committee and the Disaster Mental Health Services, S.C.V. Chapter, American Red Cross.
Advisory Council
Mark W. Marvin, Ph.D. (CA Licensed Psychologist) is a Vice President of Community Research Foundation (CRF) overseeing the operations of the Psychiatric Emergency Response Team (PERT). CRF is a not-for-profit company that provides behavioral health care via many programs throughout San Diego County. PERT pairs a licensed behavioral health clinician with a peace officer or community paramedic who ride together their entire shift. They compassionately and safely assist persons in serious crisis who come to the attention of first responders.PERT Clinicians take the lead by providing behavioral health assessments and community resource referrals. Outside of PERT, Dr. Marvin has extensive experience providing clinical services to persons living with serious mental illness, as well as family and other supports. Dr. Marvin has over 30-years’ experience providing psychological services to personnel of public safety agencies (federal and municipal law enforcement, fire service, emergency medical, dispatch). Dr. Marvin has been recognized as a subject matter expert on De-escalation by the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) and has assisted with their mental health training videos, mental health handbook, and de-escalation taskforce.
Shirley Chu, LCSW is the Clinical Services Manager for Crisis & Outreach Teams under San Mateo County Behavioral Health & Recovery Services (BHRS). She has had over thirty years of outpatient behavioral health and crisis response experiences. In her current role with San Mateo BHRS, she supports the County’s Psychiatric Emergency Response Team (PERT), 24/7 Mobile Crisis Response Team (MCRT), and the law enforcement co-responding crisis teams of Community Wellness & Crisis Response Team (CWCRT) services in addition to a number of homeless outreach initiatives. Shirley has been on the CACITA Board as an Advisory Council member since 2022.
Tamica Foots-Rachal has dedicated 28 years to public service, disability advocacy, and emergency management, championing equity, inclusion, and systemic change for underserved communities. Her expertise spans probation, fraud investigation, licensing compliance, nonprofit leadership, and emergency services—each reinforcing her commitment to creating accessible environments for all.
Tamica began her career supporting rehabilitation in the justice system before transitioning to investigative and regulatory roles. Her advocacy deepened as she led compliance initiatives and systemic improvements for individuals with disabilities, ensuring inclusive policies and services. In emergency management, she worked to integrate disability inclusion in disaster preparedness, ensuring equitable access to mass care services.
Beyond public service, Tamica has championed disability rights and equitable healthcare access as a consultant, director, and trainer in crisis intervention, disability rights, and emergency preparedness. Her leadership in emergency services has been recognized with numerous awards, including the California Emergency Services Association “Gold Award” for advancing disability inclusion in disaster response.
Currently, Tamica continues to drive initiatives that promote resilience and inclusion at the State of California, working to advance policies and programs that support underserved communities. Her lifelong dedication to advocacy, training, and policy development reflects an unwavering commitment to building a more equitable future for all.