Administrative
Ai Kusuhara, MA, LMFT
HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER
Ai Kusuhara is a mental health professional, parenting educator, & child and adolescent advocate, currently in the role of Human Resources Director. Ai has been working at Polaris from the very first day of operation. Earning her Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute with emphasis on Depth Psychology, Ai brings her clinical expertise in assessments and intake throughout the admission process. Prior to Polaris, Ai Kusuhara has worked with children, adolescents, individuals, and families providing culturally sensitive social services both as a therapist, case manager, and parenting educator at the Little Tokyo Service Center (CDC), as well as a psychotherapist, seeing individuals at Coldwater Counseling.
Lisa Rodriguez, BA
ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATOR
Lisa is no stranger to the mental health field, having spent two years as a Direct Support Professional and three years as a Registered Behavior Technician where she used ABA interventions to implement patient care plans created by board-certified behavior analysts. While initially interested in Behavior Analysis, Lisa experienced an intimate view of family dynamics during parent training sessions and became passionate about providing support and gaining the knowledge and experience needed to teach families important skills that can help them to cope with life. Lisa returned to CSUN to obtain her bachelor’s in psychology and is currently in the process of applying to graduate programs with aspirations to obtain her M.A. in Clinical Psychology with a specialization in LGBTQIA+ affirmative care.
Betty Tores
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
Betty has worked in the mental health field for 4 years as an ABA Behavioral Technician a Lead Program Aide. She has always had a passion for working with children & young teens. Her goal is to help teens find their own identities by increasing their self-awareness, and self-love. Working at Polaris® has been a rewarding experience for Betty, as she gets to be part of each teen’s journey to growth.