Mary Elizabeth Akinaka currently serves as Regional Executive Director at Alsana in Birmingham, AL. She is an LPC and CEDS-S and has been working in the eating disorder community and with Alsana for almost a decade. Mary Elizabeth is passionate about leading a team who have a compassionate drive for serving clients with intentional, effective, and individualized care. She enjoys being a part of a space that allows clients to have a brave space to work on their recovery journey.

Mary Elizabeth received her bachelor’s degree in Collaborative Special Education from Auburn University. She received  her master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health and a Certificate of marriage and Family Counseling from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Mary Elizabeth loves interacting with individuals from all walks of life and is a believer that a significant aspect of our growth as human beings is through interaction, specifically those who stories look different from our own. In her spare time she loves spending time with her husband and two boys.

As the associate lead therapist at Alsana Birmingham PHP/IOP, Garrett prioritizes meeting clients where they are and instilling hope for recovery through compassion and understanding. Garrett loves Alsana’s multi-disciplinary approach to treatment, and he finds the culture of collaboration and growth one of the most rewarding aspects of working with a team of clinicians. He believes that recovery is possible for all humans, regardless of where they are or where they’ve been.

Garrett graduated from Samford University with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. He then earned his Master of Arts in Counseling from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Outside of work, Garrett loves spending time with his wife and their incredibly goofy dog, Walter. He also enjoys discovering new music and roasting coffee in his backyard.

Garrett is an Associate Licensed Counseling under the supervision of Michelle Pruett, M.Ed., Ed.S., LPC-S.

Lori is an experienced nurse in the field of eating disorders and is very passionate about the team and work being done at Alsana. She is currently the nurse manager for the PHP program and takes joy in supporting and connecting with clients on their journey to recovery.

Prior to becoming a Licensed Practical Nurse, Lori received a Bachelor of Science degree in Culinary Arts from Mississippi University for Women. She uses her love of food and nursing to help encourage a healthy outlook on food.

Lori loves to cook, travel, and get a good book in when her busy schedule allows. She is most often spending time with her husband and chasing after their three girls.

Jessica attended Samford University receiving an undergraduate degree in Nutrition and Dietetics, she completed an internship and Master of Science in Nutrition at Samford University. As an undergrad, she founded an organization on campus to bring awareness to eating disorders and was an intern with Alsana for 8 weeks before coming on full time as a direct care staff.  

Jessica credits Alsana’s mission and individualized care for each client as her inspiration to join the team. What set Alsana apart was the client-centered care and nutrition philosophy. She loves that as a dietitian she not only talks about food but her client’s relationship with food. She could tell from the very beginning that Alsana treated the whole person and not just the eating disorder and help clients find that there is hope for a full recovery. The most rewarding part of her job is being able to walk alongside clients as they learn to heal their relationship with food and body, as they discover that all foods can fit within your life.  

In her spare time, she loves to spend time with her family, her husband, and her dog. She enjoys anything outdoors including going to the lake, the beach, and skiing.

Prior to joining Alsana, Johnny served as the Medical Director at Timberline Knolls Residential Treatment Center in the Chicagoland area, caring for individuals diagnosed with various eating disorders.  He has over 6 years of experience in the treatment of eating disorders.

Dr. Williamson completed his undergraduate degree at the University Of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.  He earned his medical degree at Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee.  Subsequently, he completed both general psychiatry and child and adolescent residencies at the University of Illinois at Chicago.  Dr. Williamson spent much of his early career in community psychiatry, forensic psychiatry and hospital-based work.  More recently Dr. Williamson provides care in a mix of inpatient work, residential treatment and private practice.

Dr. Williamson is board-certified in General and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and has over 20 years of experience in mental health.