IGCCB Board of Directors
Jeremy Wampler, LCSW, ICGC-II, BACC, CGT, LADC is the Clinical Supervisor for the State of Connecticut, Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, Problem Gambling Services. Jeremy earned his Master in Social Work from Southern Connecticut State University, and he has been practicing in the field of problem gambling since 2007. He currently serves as President of the International Gambling Counselor Certification Board (IGCCB), and also serves on the board of the National Association of Administrators for Disordered Gambling Services (NAADGS). In his current role as a state administrator, Jeremy provides oversight for all statewide problem gambling services which includes problem gambling specific clinical services, disordered gambling integration programs, outreach and engagement, prevention, and recovery support services. Jeremy is an advocate and trainer, providing education and technical assistance for key stakeholders throughout the state and has begun expanding training and technical assistance to other states throughout the New England region, with a focus and passion on building capacity of the clinical workforce and supporting the growing needs of other service administrators in the problem gambling field.
Dr. Stephanie Diez-Morel, Ph.D., LCSW, IGDC, BACC, MCAP (pronouns are she/her)
Dr. Stephanie Diez-Morel is an associate professor of graduate social work at Pennsylvania Western University. She is an invited member of the American Psychiatric Associations (APA) task force for Internet Gaming Disorder on the inclusion and impact of Gaming Disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). She has authored scientific presentations, articles, and book chapters as well as appeared in the media on a variety of radio, podcasts, and news outlets to discuss the topic of gaming disorder and other technology-based addictions. In 2013, Dr. Diez-Morel founded Reboot & Recover, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing education, prevention, treatment, and research on gaming disorder and other technology-based addictions.
Dr. Diez-Morel earned her Ph.D. from Florida International University where she was awarded the C-SALUD student scholar in Health Disparities Research Fellowship funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).Dr. Diez- Morel has received a number of awards and grants for her work through Reboot & Recover on finding solutions to a balanced living in a technology driven world. You can view Dr. Diez-Morel’s research via her ResearchGate Profile or GoogleScholar Profile
Jody Bechtold, LCSW, ICGC-II, BACC, PC 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 and 2 chapters in the Social Work Desk Reference v 4 on Gambling and Gaming Disorders, published in 2021. She serves as the Treasurer of the board 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 certifications as a Board-Approved Clinical Consultant (BACC) and Internationally Certified Gambling Counselor Level II (ICGC-II) with the IGCCB. 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, PC.
Rev. Janet E. Jacobs, B.A., CCGSO brings together a background of professional teaching skills, parish ministry, and on-going training on problem gambling treatment issues. A 1965 University of Houston graduate, Rev. Jacobs entered the United Methodist ministry in 1995. Appointed Founding Director of Gambling Recovery Ministries (GRM) in 2001, Rev. Jacobs has completed over 300 hours of specialized, professional training on addiction and recovery (including Indiana’s sixty hour training series on problem gambling and treatment). In 2005, she represented gambling addiction issues at Johnson Institute’s First Rush Center Summit of National Religious Leaders on Addiction Solutions.
Rev. Jacobs has given over 150 presentations on addiction and recovery issues at local, state, regional, national, and international events. She received Mid-Central Alliance’s Seven State Councils on Problem Gambling 2008 Leadership Award and serves as an instructor for the Indiana Problem Gambling Awareness trainings Women and Problem Gambling and Spirituality and Problem Gambling. Rev. Jacobs, also, is the 2015 recipient of the Jim Cooke Leadership Award from the Kentucky Council on Problem Gambling.
Rev. Jacobs authored the chapter “Problem Gambling”, containing three book reviews on pathological gambling treatment, in the nationally distributed magazine Christian Reflection (Baylor University). Within this edition (Summer 2011), Gambling Recovery Ministries was presented as a model ministry of outreach by Deborah Haskins, Ph.D., in her chapter entitled “Congregational Ministry to Problem Gamblers”.
Rev. Jacobs serves as Board Member and Recording Secretary on the International Gambling Counselor Certification Board; and she co-coordinates the Clergy/Lay Minister Certification Program for the Board. Additionally, she is a member of Alpha Delta Kappa International Women Educators Honorary.
George Mladenetz, M.Ed., LCADC, ICGC-II has worked in the addictions and mental health fields for over 40 years. He earned a Master’s degree in Counseling from The College of New Jersey. George has been licensed as a Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor since 2005 and is an International Certified Gambling Counselor, Level II. He began his career as an Alcoholism Counselor with the Burlington County Alcoholism Program. He subsequently spent 30 years in various capacities, including treatment and prevention with the New Jersey Department of Human Services, Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS).
After retiring from DMHAS in 2014, George became the Assistant Director of Clinical Services, Treatment and Research and then later, Treatment Coordinator for the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey (CCGNJ). He conducted gambling specific trainings on a regular basis and has spoken nationally on the topics of gambling disorder, stigma and language of recovery. George has written several articles on gambling disorder which have been published in Dr. David Mee-Lee’s “Tips & Topics” newsletter. Although George retired from CCGNJ in 2020, he remains active in the field as a clinical consultant and trainer. Additionally, he serves on various coalitions including the Association of Professionals Treating Problem Gambling, the New Jersey Association of Mental Health and Addiction Agencies and the Mercer County Psychological Association.
Lori Rugle, PhD, ICGC-II/BACC, ICGD, CGT. Dr. Rugle brings 38 years of experience in the field of problem and responsible gambling including treatment, prevention, research and responsible gambling work. She has managed problem gambling programs within the Veterans Administration, in the private sector and within state systems. She has provided consultation and training on gambling disorder throughout the United States, for the military and internationally. She is currently assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Maryland and Special Projects Coordinator with the Maryland Center of Excellence on Problem Gambling.
Debra Neal, LCPC, BACC, ICGC II, expanded her work in co-occurring treatment services to the field of problem gambling as a national certified treatment provider in 2000. Since that time Debra’s private practice work included counseling and coaching couples who are struggling with the interface of addiction, problem gambling and compulsive behaviors that significantly impair relationships.
Ms. Neal now works daily with a sizable population of individuals/families/couples coping with problem gambling and other behavioral addictions.
As well, Debra contributes to the behavioral health community as an author, speaker, trainer and consultant. She is an international trainer in Motivational Interviewing (MINT), serves in the role of a BACC, and has enjoyed her service as an IGCCB board member.
Her mission as an IGCCB board member is to remain a strong contributor as it evolves and expands in its primary mission.
RonSonlyn S. Clark, PsyD, LCADC-S, NCC, MAC, BACC, CGT is the Addiction Recovery Program Coordinator for the Boulware Mission in Owensboro, KY. Boulware Mission is a long term substance abuse program for men. While there, she started the first residential gambling treatment program in the state. She has been there since May, 2022 after retiring from her previous position of 22 years with River Valley Behavioral Health as the Sr. Director of Substance Abuse and 33 Prevention. She has 33 years in the field of addiction counseling. She has been a presenter at numerous local, state regional and national conferences. She provides clinical supervision in substance abuse and disordered gambling. In addition, she is an adjunct professor for Western KY University where she teaches classes on violence and substance abuse.
Vivien (Wen Li) Anthony is an associate professor of School of Social Work and the Scientific Director of Video Gaming and eSports of Center for Gambling Studies at Rutgers University. Dr. Anthony received her Master and PhD degree in social work from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Dr. Anthony’s research centers on problematic technology use as a type of behavioral addiction, with a focus on video gaming disorder, problematic Internet/smartphone use, and other problematic behaviors related to technology use. Specifically, her research explores the etiology and risk mechanisms of problematic technology use, develops and validates measures for these problems, and develops and evaluates interventions (e.g., mindfulness-based intervention, cognitive-behavioral therapy) that can ameliorate these problems among adolescents and young adults. She currently studies an emerging area – the nexus of video gaming and gambling (e.g., loot boxes, social casino games, eSports gambling). She has disseminated her research through more than 30 academic journal articles and book chapters, and many national and international conference presentations.
Dr. Anthony Bean is a Licensed Clinical Depth Psychologist, video game researcher, the Executive Director at The Telos Project, and the Executive Director of Geek Therapeutics, the leading agency in continued education with a dynamic focus on geek culture including evidence based practices and treatments in Geek Therapy and culture. He has been consulted as an expert for CNN, Inverse, Polygon, and internationally for Gehirn & Geist, while also appearing on Radio, Podcasts, and being a sought after Keynote Speaker and conference speaker in the United States, Canada, and Russia. He holds a Doctorate in Philosophy in Clinical Depth Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute and specialize in the therapeutic implications of video games and gaming, working with children and adolescents, and the use of video game character identification as a therapeutic technique. He has also authored multiple academic articles, book chapters, and the six books Working with Video Gamers and Games in Therapy: A Clinician’s Guide (Routledge, 2018), The Psychology of Zelda: Linking Our World to the Legend of Zelda Series (Ben Bella, 2019), The Psychology of Final Fantasy: Surpassing the Limit Break (2020, Leyline Publishing), Integrating Geek Culture Into Therapeutic Practice: The Clinician’s Guide to Geek Therapy (Leyline Publishing, 2020), The Psychology of Pokémon: The Power to Catch ‘Em All (Leyline Publishing, 2022), and Checkpoints and Autosaves: Parenting Geeks to Thrive in the Age of Geekdom (Leyline Publishing, 2022).
Frankie Graham is the Founder and Chief Executive of Betknowmore UK, a gambling support charity; and BKM Evolve, a provider of training and consultancy services. Frankie provides gambling support and training consultancy to organisations in different sectors, including gambling, financial and housing providers. He is a Fellow at the School for Social Entrepreneurs and contributed to the development of peer support programmes with the Kings Fund and criminal justice system.
Frankie lived with gambling harms present in his life from childhood until recovery in 2006. This ‘lived experience’ provided the motivation to help those living with addiction and mental health challenges. A new career was developed underpinned by training and education in counselling, addiction, mental health, and social entrepreneurship. Having first developed a track record by designing and managing community projects to support vulnerable young people and youth offenders, Frankie established Betknowmore UK in 2013. With a strategy based on combining insight and knowledge from ‘experts by experience’, with evidence-based therapy approaches. Betknowmore UK developed a reputation of addressing the presence of gambling harm in UK communities with innovative and co-produced services, becoming the first dedicated gambling support community hub in London. Betknowmore UK additionally became the first rapid support service to licensed betting shop customers, first peer accredited support and training service integrated within the National Gambling Treatment Service (in collaboration with GamCare), and the 2018 winner of the Royal Society of Public Health award. Since 2020 the charity has launched UK accredited gambling awareness and harm-prevention training programmes.