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Celebrating New DBH Graduates

By September 21, 2026No Comments10 min read
Eight Doctor of Behavioral Health graduates in academic regalia at CGI’s June 2026 DBH commencement ceremony.

Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies (CGI) proudly celebrated eight new Doctors of Behavioral Health (DBH) at its commencement ceremony on June 26, 2026, in Chandler, Arizona, on the ancestral homelands of the Akimel O’odham (Pima) and Pee Posh (Maricopa) Peoples of the Gila River Indian Community, who have been stewards of this land since time immemorial. The celebration honored an accomplished group of graduates whose diverse experiences, expertise, and areas of focus reflect a shared commitment to improving healthcare and advancing integrated behavioral health in the communities they serve.

Graduate Highlights:

Dr. Sherry Barbour, DBH, MA, IMFT

Dr. Sherry Barbour is a Doctor of Behavioral Health and licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, AAMFT Approved Supervisor, entrepreneur, educator, and co-owner of Inspiring Purpose Counseling Group and The Couples Couch LLC. Her work focuses on strengthening relationships and advancing integrated approaches to women’s health, with a particular emphasis on perimenopause and menopause care. Her Doctor of Behavioral Health (DBH) Culminating Project, PAUSE! The Case for Integrated Care in Menopausal Health, addresses gaps in care for women experiencing perimenopause and menopause through an integrated framework combining medical care, mental health support, and wellness resources. PAUSE, which stands for Physical Health, Awareness, Understanding, Support, and Empowerment, is designed to promote coordinated, multidisciplinary care and improve health outcomes for women navigating this significant life transition.

Dr. Sherry Barbour, DBH, wearing a CGI white coat at the DBH commencement ceremony.

Learn more about Dr. Sherry Barbour and her culminating project.

CDR Dr. Sean K. Bennett, DBH, LCSW, MSWAC, BCD

CDR Dr. Sean K. Bennett serves as the Behavioral Health and Wellness Officer for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office of Marine and Aviation Operations, where he leads efforts to strengthen the psychological health and resilience of more than 1,200 NOAA Corps officers, civilians, and professional mariners. As a Doctor of Behavioral Health (DBH), Dr. Bennett brings an integrated approach to advancing health and wellness across complex healthcare and organizational systems. An active-duty Captain in the U.S. Public Health Service, Dr. Bennett has held behavioral health leadership roles with the ICE Health Service Corps and Indian Health Service, where his work included developing and implementing suicide prevention initiatives and advancing culturally responsive behavioral health programs. His Doctor of Behavioral Health (DBH) Culminating Project, Blood Pressure Control Among African Americans: A Comprehensive Literature Review, examines evidence-based clinical, behavioral, and community-based strategies for addressing hypertension disparities among African American populations, with particular attention to culturally tailored interventions, patient engagement, social determinants of health, and integrated care. His work reflects a continued commitment to improving health outcomes and advancing equitable, integrated approaches to care.

Learn more about Dr. Sean K. Bennett and his culminating project.

CDR Dr. Sean K. Bennett, DBH, wearing a CGI white coat at the DBH commencement ceremony.

Dr. Holly Hanley, DBH, LMFT

Dr. Holly Hanley is a Doctor of Behavioral Health and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in New York, AAMFT-approved supervisor, and founder of Presently Processing, a private practice specializing in marriage, family, and individual therapy. With more than 10 years of clinical experience, Dr. Hanley combines her expertise in relational therapy with a commitment to advancing holistic, integrated care for women navigating the menopause transition. Her DBH Culminating Project, The Holistic Approach to the Menopause Transition: A Comprehensive Literature Review, examined 55 peer-reviewed studies exploring interventions including mindfulness, yoga, cognitive behavioral therapy, and trauma-informed care. Building on this work, she founded Embracing Her, a DBH-led integrated care model designed to provide therapy, support, and education related to the menopause transition. Her work reflects a commitment to empowering women and families while helping prepare clinicians to better understand and address the behavioral and physical health needs associated with menopause.

Dr. Holly Hanley, DBH, wearing a CGI white coat at the DBH commencement ceremony.

Learn more about Dr. Holly Hanley and her culminating project.

Dr. Nikole Jiggetts, DBH, LCSW, RPT-S, CTP

Dr. Nikole Jiggetts is a Doctor of Behavioral Health, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor, and Certified Trauma Practitioner with more than 20 years of experience serving children, adolescents, and families. As CEO and owner of Replay Counseling & Consulting, she provides trauma-informed, collaborative behavioral healthcare and also serves as an adjunct professor at Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Social Work. Her DBH Culminating Project, Being Seen and Heard: Black Women’s Retrospective Experiences of Perinatal Mental Health Screening and Care, explored Black women’s experiences with mental health screening and care during pregnancy and postpartum, identifying gaps in follow-up care as well as experiences of feeling dismissed or unheard by healthcare providers. Her findings underscore the importance of culturally responsive communication, addressing implicit bias, and integrating physical and behavioral healthcare to strengthen trust, reduce disparities, and improve maternal health outcomes for Black women.

Dr. Nikole Jiggetts, DBH, wearing a CGI white coat at the DBH commencement ceremony.

Learn more about Dr. Nikole Jiggetts and her culminating project.

Dr. Jose Mathew, DBH, LCSW, LAC, ACS, EMDR-T, CCTP-II

Dr. Jose Mathew is a Doctor of Behavioral Health and experienced behavioral health clinician whose work is grounded in advocacy, equity, trauma-informed care, and expanding access to integrated health services. As Director of Behavioral Health Services for Mountain Valley Behavioral Health, Dr. Mathew provides strategic leadership in program development and clinical operations, drawing on more than a decade of experience across inpatient psychiatry, crisis services, disaster response, assertive community treatment, dual-diagnosis care, and clinical training. His DBH Culminating Project, Bridging Healthcare Divides Through Mobile Integrated Behavioral Healthcare Service Delivery, explores a mobile integrated care model that combines behavioral health services, public health strategies, preventive screening, chronic disease management, and care coordination to improve access and outcomes for older adults with comorbid conditions in medically underserved communities. His work reflects a commitment to reducing healthcare disparities and advancing innovative, person-centered models of integrated care.

Dr. Jose Mathew, DBH, wearing a CGI white coat at the DBH commencement ceremony.

Learn more about Dr. Jose Mathew and his culminating project.

Dr. Roseline Obealor, DBH, MS

Dr. Roseline Obealor is a Doctor of Behavioral Health whose work focuses on integrated care and improving access to culturally responsive, whole-person healthcare. Her DBH Culminating Project, Culturally Responsive Telehealth and Trauma-Informed Education in Perinatal Mental Health, examines how culturally responsive care and trauma-informed principles can be integrated into telehealth to address gaps in mental health services during pregnancy and the first year postpartum. Her work explores barriers including cultural stigma, systemic inequities, language differences, prior trauma, and limited access to specialized care while emphasizing safety, trust, empowerment, collaboration, and cultural humility. By bringing together behavioral health, maternal healthcare, technology, and culturally responsive practices, Dr. Obealor’s work seeks to advance more accessible, inclusive, and compassionate approaches to perinatal mental health care and strengthen outcomes for women and families.

Dr. Roseline Obealor, DBH, wearing a CGI white coat at the DBH commencement ceremony.

Learn more about Dr. Roseline Obealor and her culminating project.

Dr. Destinee Rodriguez, DBH, BCBA

Dr. Destinee Rodriguez is a Doctor of Behavioral Health and Board-Certified Behavior Analyst whose work focuses on culturally responsive care, caregiver education, and equitable access to behavioral health services. She has provided in-home and clinical applied behavior analysis (ABA) services to English- and Spanish-speaking children and families throughout California’s Central Coast and plans to continue this work through her private practice, Connecting ABA. Her DBH Culminating Project, Training Gaps in ABA Therapy: Caregiver Perception of Emotional Stress Impacts and Parent-Child Relationships Outcomes, examined caregiver perceptions of gaps in ABA training and compared self-guided and clinician-led approaches. Her findings highlight the value of clinician-led training in strengthening caregiver understanding and competence, supporting caregiver well-being, and improving caregiver-child relationships. Dr. Rodriguez plans to apply these findings through Connecting ABA to expand access to evidence-based, culturally inclusive, and relationship-focused behavioral health services for children and families.

Dr. Destinee Rodriguez, DBH, wearing a CGI white coat at the DBH commencement ceremony.

Learn more about Dr. Destinee Rodriguez and her culminating project.

Dr. Jason Sargent, DBH, B Policing, GDip Psych, MSW, JP

Dr. Jason Sargent is a Doctor of Behavioral Health, mental health practitioner, and founder of Healthy Mind International PTY LTD in South Australia. His career has spanned service in the Australian Army and Australian Federal Police, including counterterrorism and international deployments, as well as roles with the Australian government. Drawing on his professional expertise and lived experience with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Dr. Sargent transitioned into behavioral healthcare and founded Healthy Mind International, which has expanded to three locations providing care focused on trauma, autism, neurodevelopmental conditions, and other mental health needs. His DBH Culminating Project, Lived Experience Matters: Closing the Knowledge Gap in PTSD Treatment, examines whether excluding patients’ lived experiences from PTSD research, diagnosis, and treatment contributes to gaps in care and explores opportunities to better integrate those perspectives into clinical practice. His work reflects a commitment to strengthening trauma-informed, patient-centered care and improving the connection between lived experience, clinical knowledge, and treatment outcomes.

Dr. Jason Sargent, DBH, wearing a CGI white coat at the DBH commencement ceremony.

Learn more about Dr. Jason Sargent and his culminating project.

“At CGI, each student chooses an area of focus that is largely influenced by their own lived experience as clinicians, but also as patients and caregivers themselves. The Doctor of Behavioral Health degree helps them prepare to lead healthcare improvement initiatives by partnering with people and communities. I am so proud of each of our new graduates and can’t wait to see them follow their visions as DBHs.”

– Dr. Cara English, CEO and CAO of Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies.

The Doctor of Behavioral Health (DBH) program at CGI prepares healthcare professionals to lead meaningful change in integrated behavioral healthcare through advanced education, research, and collaboration. Graduates are equipped to address complex health challenges, bridge gaps between medical and behavioral healthcare, and advance innovative, whole-person approaches to care across healthcare and community systems.

For more about the DBH program, visit cgi.edu/dbh.

About Cummings Graduate Institute

Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies is a nonprofit, DEAC-accredited, online institution of higher learning offering post-graduate education and training in the field of integrated behavioral healthcare. CGI is focused on meeting the healthcare industry’s need for a highly-skilled workforce to support an integrated approach to addressing patients’ needs.

Media Contact

Melissa McGurgan, Senior Director of Marketing
Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies
melissa@cgi.edu

For additional information or to arrange an interview with CGI or a featured graduate, please contact Melissa McGurgan.

Testimonials

“As a member of the AAPI community, I’m very familiar with the barriers to mental health services and the need to break through the glass wall of cultural stigma that prevents many from receiving potentially life–saving treatment. I was the only Asian American person in my master’s cohort, the only Asian American person in many of my clinical work settings, the only Asian American person to walk into many of the professional settings that I pushed myself to show up to. In my current practice, I’m constantly reminded by my patients of how difficult it is to find an Asian American mental health provider, though this reminder constantly informs me that more needs to be done for my community. Day after day, I read stories of Asian American people who die by suicide as a consequence of our culture’s avoidance of mental health topics. As a DBH, my biggest goal is to use my expertise in whole–person care to amplify the conversation around mental health and help my community understand that mental healthcare is not a privilege that we are not entitled to, it is a crucial part of our healthcare that will manifest differently in us than what many Western psychology or psychiatry textbooks will describe, and that our unique experience of mental health issues are valid, important, and is time to be part of the larger conversation.”

Willam Chum, LMHCDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - September 16, 2022

“The Doctor in Behavioral Health (DBH) program has changed my understanding of the subject and career path. Before this academic journey, my knowledge of behavioral health was primarily theoretical, including essential ideas and methods. However, the DBH curriculum combined intense academic research with practical application, helping me understand behavioral health from multiple angles. Recognizing mental health as part of total health changed my perspective. The biopsychosocial model, which showed how biological, psychological, and social variables affect mental health, was stressed in the DBH curriculum. This comprehensive approach made me realize how complex human behavior is and how important it is to address mental health issues. Effective interventions must target the individual’s surroundings, relationships, and life experiences, not just symptoms. The curriculum also gave me enhanced evidence-based practice training to execute successful solutions. Studies methods and data analysis classes improved my critical thinking and allowed me to evaluate and apply behavioral health studies. This gave me the confidence to contribute to the field’s knowledge base through practice and research.”

Dr. Rhea Hill, DBH, LPCDBH Alumna, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - February 17, 2025

“This program will change how you present to the world, not just as a professional but as an individual. Understand this is work but the work is worth it and the journey is undeniably transformative. If you are seeking a doctorate for the title, this is not the program for you. If you are seeking a doctorate to interrupt and disrupt the course of healthcare, then this is the program for you. You won’t find a more supportive program with professors who are dedicated to your success and your education. This program is not about the regurgitation of information. It is about the appropriate applied application of knowledge and information to push forward and become an advocate for equitable and quality care for all.”

Brandy K. Biglow LMHC, CCTP, QSDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - February 5, 2024

“The Doctor of Behavioral Health (DBH) program has definitely transformed my understanding of behavioral health. Understanding the links between physical and mental health has taught how to make better treatment decisions. The DBH program has also given me insights that otherwise would not be possible and allows me to view individuals through a lens that I was previously ignorant of. This program has helped me grow into a more confident individual, provider, and parent.”

Cory H. Cannady, BCBA, LBADBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - March 13, 2024

“The DBH program has reinforced my vision of viewing behavioral health (BH) as an integrated component of the healthcare system rather than a siloed service. As a practitioner in the focused BH realm of substance use disorder (SUD) treatment, I observe on a regular basis how identifying and serving SUD patients is often missed, ignored and stigmatized in primary healthcare, despite the fact that early intervention at these check-points often has the potential to intervene earlier and lessen the negative SUD outcomes frequently seen by the time a patient reaches specialty SUD services. Reinforcement received in my DBH program has motivated me to promote integration as a leader in my workplace and is a primary factor in considering the long-term trajectory of my individual career path.”

Kenneth L. Roberts, MPS, LPCC, LADCDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - November 5, 2024

“Graduating from the DBH program has influenced and enhanced my approach to addressing behavioral health challenges and making a difference in the field by preparing me to become a serious business owner. Through the DBH program, I understand now that becoming a business owner not only assists me in reaping the financial benefits of working for myself, but the program also offers me a sense of freedom to make a difference in an individual’s life.”

Dr. Rebecca K. Wright, DBH, LBA, BCBA, QBADBH Alumna, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - December 18, 2024

“I have always wanted to pursue a higher degree but never found a program that met my needs. When I investigated the DBH program, I can honestly say I was excited. It was a program that would expand my knowledge in behavioral health but also how it relates to physical health. The philosophy of treating the whole person was exactly what I was looking for.”

Elizabeth Nekoloff, M.Ed., LPCC-S, NCCDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - January 16, 2025

“Prior to obtaining my DBH, I practiced behavioral health within the boundaries of behavior analysis. The DBH degree has given me the ability to broaden my scope of competence allowing me to provide a higher quality of care to my clients through a person-centered approach, while still staying within my scope of practice. I was in the beginning stages of opening my business when I enrolled in the DBH program which set my trajectory towards being a stronger leader. The program equipped me with essential healthcare leadership and entrepreneurial skills, allowing me to ensure high-quality services for my clients and foster a supportive work environment for our staff. It has also given me the confidence to expand my business and pursue other healthcare ventures, reaching a broader range of patients in need.”

Dr. Pauline Tolentino Pablo, DBH, BCBA, IBADBH Alumna, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - January 21, 2025

“Although I have worked with many patients who have mental health diagnoses, or behaviors which make managing their medical diagnoses and day to day life difficult, the DBH program at CGI is broadening that knowledge and providing a deeper understanding of behavioral health and how best to help these individuals manage their health and improve their quality of life. This will allow me to provide and advocate for more meaningful and seamless integrated care, providing new tools for my intervention toolbox, and the confidence and skills to collaborate within and lead whole person focused interdisciplinary teams. I also anticipate building upon my knowledge as a nurse case manager and long time caregiver, as well as my personal passions and professional vision, learning about processes and operations, to be in position to start up and lead my own company one day, offering the services and care I know every person should have access to.”

Hollie Wilson, MSN, RN, CCMDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - February 11, 2025

“The DBH program will open opportunities for me to contribute to healthcare system innovation, particularly through trauma-informed care and integrated behavioral health settings. I will be better positioned to advocate for and implement holistic care models that improve health outcomes for underserved populations. Ultimately, this program will help me transition into higher-level roles, such as a director or consultant in behavioral health, where I can influence broader system changes and contribute to the future of healthcare delivery.”

DeKyn Rashad Peters, MPH-CHES,BSW/BA,APCDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - March 4, 2025

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