Debra Stern-Ellis, LCSW, MSW will start as The Center’s new director of psychological and health services on Oct. 30. She was most recently the director of clinical services at Jewish Family Service of San Diego in Hillcrest, where she worked for three and a half years. She brings with her a multitude of experience in clinical social work, AIDS/HIV education and counseling services, public speaking on GLBT issues, and involvement in GLBT community organizations.

Stern-Ellis is a native southern Californian with a Masters in social work from San Diego State University and a Bachelor of Arts in organizational psychology from the University of California, Santa Barbara. She was a medical social worker with Sharp Healthcare for 10 years, and has served as a professional educator on HIV/AIDS, domestic violence, substance abuse, grief and loss, and lesbian parenting.

Her involvement with the San Diego GLBT community started shortly after she moved to San Diego in 1988 to attend graduate school, where she became involved with a local GLBT Jewish group, and eventually served on their board. During her time at SDSU she was also an intern with the AIDS Project, which served the HIV/AIDS community directly.

“I haven’t been as involved [in HIV/AIDS work] since then, but that was certainly something that I’ve been interested in,” said Stern-Ellis. “I worked as a hospital social worker for many years and did some HIV work in the hospital as well. I’m excited to be able to be back serving the HIV community.”

Stern-Ellis co-founded the JPride Coordinating Committee this last year through the Jewish Community Center. JPride is a Jewish GLBT community group that evolved from a collaboration of the Jewish Community Center, the United Jewish Federation, Jewish Family Service and The Center.

Stern-Ellis and her partner have done a lot of public speaking about lesbian parenting issues, mostly in college classes such as human sexuality and beginning social work, that ask her to come in and give a GLBT/lesbian perspective. The couple has also spoken at a PFLAG conference and various other venues, including a presentation at Stern-Ellis’ parents’ retirement community, and at the synagogue she now attends.

Along with having a full-time job and being a parent, Stern-Ellis participates regularly in San Diego Pride festivals. A mother of two, she has been involved with the Children’s Garden at Pride for ten years and was a supervisor at the Children’s Garden during Pride this year. She has managed and facilitated a booth for Jewish Family Service at Pride since her involvement with them began, and is also active with Family Matters, a group for GLBT parents and prospective parents, marching with them in the Pride parade every year.

As director of psychology and health services, Stern-Ellis will supervise all mental health programs that The Center offers, including education and counseling services for the HIV/AIDS community and the GLBT community at large. She will oversee programs that address grief and loss, substance abuse, anxiety, depression, relationship issues and domestic violence, as well as group and individual therapy programs.

“It’s really exciting,” said Stern-Ellis. “I will be a part of the senior management team, so I’ll get to create and be involved in the vision of the organization, which is really exciting for me because I think that The Center does incredible work and incredible service to the community.”