Career History

José Luis has had a long-distinguished association at Phillips beginning in 1978 as visiting faculty and continuing in 1991 as core faculty until his retirement from instruction in 2018. He founded and directed the Latino Family Therapy Training Program, initiated the clinical placement office, developed a core concentration curriculum in public mental health practice, and was instrumental in establishing the MFT Consortium of Educators and Clinical Training Directors.

He was selected in 2000 by the core faculty as Chair of the MFT Program. In 2005 he was successful in acquiring contracts with the state of California and the County of Los Angeles towards the recruitment and training of MFT students for public mental health practice. In 2006 the school President appointed him full time to the newly formed MFT Stipend Program at Phillips to oversee the statewide delivery of these contracts which, due to their success, were renewed every five years. In recognition of his years in academic education, clinical training, and professional development, José Luis was given an honorary degree in 2014 by the school’s Board of Trustees. He was the commencement speaker at the graduation ceremony of Phillips in 2018.

Education

MA        Azusa Pacific University
BA         Loyola University, Los Angeles

Courses

José Luis is retired from instruction but continues to direct the Professional Development Program.
As core faculty and associate professor at Phillips, he taught courses in family systems, group therapy, practicum, human diversity, Latino family therapy, and public mental health practice.

Professional Workforce Development

As director of the Professional Development Program, José Luis continues to monitor the delivery of contracts with numerous counties across the state for the provision of educational stipends to students in the various fields of behavioral care. In collaboration with the MFT Consortium of California, the Professional Development Program promotes and develops endeavors towards workforce development through academic recruitment, specialized clinical training, and financial incentives. José Luis provides leadership to the consortium and administrative support through the Professional Development Program. Phillips started the consortium in 1994 with educators in greater Los Angeles and it now involves 90 of the educational institutions that offer graduate degrees in marriage and family therapy.

Professional Organizations/Activities

José Luis served has served on the Board of Directors and Chair of the Ethics Committee for the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT) and in the Southern California Regional Board of Directors for the American Association for Marital and Family Therapy (AAMFT). In 1995 the American Academy of Family Therapy honored him with its diversity award in recognition for his years of providing clinical training in Spanish to MFT students.