Laurie Lopez, Chief Clinical Officer

Laurie Lopez joined AK Child & Family as a clinical contractor in 2014, transitioned into the role of Director of Residential Services in 2016 and in 2024 moved into the role of Chief Clinical Officer. She completed her Master’s degree in Psychology and Art Therapy at Phillips Graduate Institute in Encino, CA.  She is a licensed Marriage Family Therapist and a Registered Art Therapist in Alaska and California. Laurie is an approved supervisor with the Alaska licensing board for LPC’s and LMFT’s. Laurie has resided in Alaska since January 2011 when she relocated to Bethel from California and worked for the Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation as the Program Manager of the YKHC Infant Toddler Program. During Laurie’s tenure in Bethel, she simultaneously worked as an On-Call Clinician for YKHC’s Emergency Services for the villages. Both positions provided Laurie the great opportunity to work with villages and add value to their systems and communities by providing quality services to children, families, and adults. Laurie was acknowledged by YKHC with an award for providing “Excellent Customer Service” for coordinating a successful community event.

In 2011, Laurie was chosen to be part of the first cohort of the Alaska LEND Without Walls program through UAA. Through this program, Laurie attended “Key Campaign” in Juneau and made a difference at a policy level by being a key player in passing the Autism Bill through the Alaska legislature in 2012. In April 2013, Laurie continued to expand her scope-of-practice by working in the Early Intervention/Infant Learning Program for the State of Alaska Health & Social Services as a Health Program Manager II. For the past 19 years, Laurie has provided services to children, adolescents, and adults with a diversity of developmental disorders, diagnosis, and various socioeconomic statuses. She has worked with the probation system and the foster care system. She has worked in private practice as a family therapist and child therapist in schools from Pre-K to HS. Laurie’s passion and commitment has allowed her to support all spectrums of the lifespan by promoting increased social-emotional outcomes from infancy to the end of life.