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Our Team

Theory to Action addresses the full continuum of needs: from individual training and supervision, to quality services that achieve outcomes across clinical, financial, and other measures.

Evidence-based clinical interventions work most effectively when the correct processes are in place. Whether your organization is new to Motivational Interviewing (MI) or you are already on your journey to implement MI, Theory to Action offers tailored support and methods to guarantee that you capture the full benefits of implementing MI.

Our team is comprised of experts who have successfully implemented Motivational Interviewing in various industries including health coaching, home visiting, community health workers, community-based and substance use treatment centers, public health, children and youth services, higher education, general research, business leadership, and the full spectrum of the healthcare industry.

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Karin Wilson, MA, MCHC

President

An expert in Motivational Interviewing and a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT), Karin is the founder of Theory to Action. Karin has significant research experience and has served as co-investigator on various multi-million dollar grants examining the efficacy of Motivational Interviewing (MI) in various settings. Apart from MI training and consulting, Karin has coded over 5,000 work samples with the Motivational Interviewing Treatment Integrity (MITI) coding tool. Karin has worked as a consultant with the Center on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse, and Addictions (CASAA) in New Mexico, the VA Hospital System in Alaska, the Office of the US Airforce Surgeon General in Falls Church, VA, and the University of Texas San Antonio, along with working as a psychologist within the National Health System (NHS) in the United Kingdom. Karin is also a Master Certified Health Coach with the Dr Sears Wellness Institute.

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Theresa Moyers, PhD.

Consultant

A member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT) and an Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of New Mexico. Terri is an expert in the clinical practice of motivational interviewing and her research focuses on identifying the active ingredients of motivational interviewing and the best ways to teach it to frontline providers. Terri is a co-creator of the Motivational Interviewing Treatment Integrity (MITI) coding tool.

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Denise Ernst, PhD.

Consultant

A member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT) and a coding geek since the beginning of motivational interviewing coding! Part of the development team for the MISC and the MITI. Involved in coding for individual coaching, implementation efforts, and treatment fidelity for research. Got to love that coding!

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Reyna Puentes,  MA LPC-A

Bilingual Trainer/Coding Specialist

A member of the Motivational Network of Trainers (MINT), Reyna has experience in providing MI training, coding, and feedback in English and Spanish to students, workforce members, and community organizations across the US and Mexico. Reyna is currently working at a non-profit family counseling center in El Paso, TX.

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Tara McCune MA, LPCC 

Coding Lab Specialist

A member of the Motivational Network of Trainers (MINT) Tara has provided MI trainings to professionals and community members in Massachusetts, Utah, and New Mexico along with working 7.5 years as a mental health clinician. She has experience providing MI training and coding feedback to colleagues and trainees in schools, healthcare clinics, research projects, and as part of community education.

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Julia Timmerman, LCSW, CAC III, ACS

Coding Lab Specialist

A member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT), Julia provides MI trainings to a wide range of health professionals and organizations. Julia also offers clinical supervision and has been a part of the development and application of integrated evidence-based treatments for adolescent substance use and behavioral health care in Colorado.

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Patricia Juarez,  M.S.

Coding Lab Specialist

A member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT), Patricia is a bilingual MINT member who is Trainer Director of the Latino Alcohol & Health Disparities Research & Training. Patricia facilitates bilingual trainings with professionals and providers in health, behavioral health, and legal and educational settings. She primarily addresses alcohol and substance use, as well as health and behavioral health related behaviors, and medication, program, and treatment compliance. 

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Margarita Avitia, LPC

Coding Lab Specialist

A member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT), Margarita is a bilingual MINT member who works within diverse communities in New Mexico providing behavioral health interventions in English and Spanish. Margarita is currently working within a large hospital group’s behavioral health recovery program. Margarita also has experience in MI research as a clinician in a bilingual grant at the University of New Mexico (UNM) assessing alcohol use in the elderly. 

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