Leading with Compassion: Creating a Caring Culture to Promote Well-Being and Optimize Efficiency, Effectiveness, and Environment will emphasize the critical role of trauma-informed leadership in fostering a safe, supportive workplace culture. It equips leaders with insights into mental health and well-being, enabling them to better support both their teams and themselves. Participants will gain practical tools to integrate compassionate leadership strategies into daily operations, enhancing organizational effectiveness and employee resilience.

Participants will:

• Learn about the newly created Chief Well-being Officer role within certain County departments
• Dive deeper into key terms related to wellness, wellbeing and mental health
• Recognize the importance of trauma-informed care in leadership to create a safer and more supportive work environment.
• Identify key factors that affect mental health and wellbeing to better support both your own wellness and that of your team.
• Incorporate strategies and tools from a mental health and wellbeing framework into daily leadership activities to lead with compassion

Speakers:

Charmaine Dorsey, MSW, LCSW

Chief Wellness Officer

Department of Health Services

Charmaine Dorsey, MSW, LCSW is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. She has served with the Health Services (DHS) since 2001. She is currently serving in the role as inaugural Chief Wellness Officer and is leading the priority of workforce well-being.

Prior to this appointment, she served as the Director of Patient and Social Support Services. Her work centered around advocacy and support for vulnerable populations including those experiencing homelessness. She led and supported collaborative work towards providing integrated healthcare, mental health, substance use services and identifying and addressing social needs in the Emergency Departments, Inpatient and Outpatient settings.

Charmaine has 2 amazing adult “children” and enjoys travel, music, exercise/dancing and cooking! Charmaine is passionate about caring for those that care for others and recognizes this mission as a priority so that everyone thrives!

Dr. Kelli McSwan, Ph.D.

Clinical Psychologist

Department of Health Services

Dr. Kelli McSwan is a licensed clinical psychologist with over 25 years of experience in assessment and psychotherapy. She enjoys helping individuals find their strength to overcome adversity, cultivating resiliency, and empowering others to make positive changes through education, support, and connection. Dr. McSwan earned her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Loma Linda University with an Internship at The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. She then completed a two-year postdoctoral fellowship in Neuropsychology at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.

Dr. McSwan previously worked as a Staff Psychologist at Rancho Los Amigos for almost 9 years. She is excited to now be working as a Wellness Psychologist for the LA County Department of Health Services as part of the inaugural Staff Wellbeing Initiative.

Tristan Webster, Ph.D.

Clinical Psychologist

Department of Health Services

Dr. Tristan Webster is a licensed clinical psychologist and the son of a licensed clinical social worker. Dr. Webster’s exposure to the broad field of psychology and inter and intrapersonal dynamics began in childhood through discussions about what his mother was learning. He has since added nearly 20 years of professional and paraprofessional clinical and faculty experience in diverse roles and settings. Dr. Webster’s areas of clinical interest are in Substance Use Disorders and Culture and Diversity, the latter of which is a robust guide to the deep work of integrating Workforce Well-being into the LA Health Services culture.