OLYMPIA -- Stephanie Lane, a nationally recognized consumer advocate in mental health, has been appointed Program Administrator for the Office of Consumer Partnerships in the Mental Health Division (MHD) of the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS).

Lane has worked in the mental health field for the last 10 years as an advocate and an administrator for consumer-driven and consumer-run programs.

"Stephanie also previously worked in King County as a consumer liaison before going on to become a consultant for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and most recently worked in the Office of the Governor as a Program Administrator for the Mental Health Transformation Project," said Richard Kellogg, Director of the MHD in the Health and Recovery Services Administration (HRSA) of DSHS.

"Stephanie brings many areas of experience to her new position. Highlights include cultural and linguistic competency, consumer professional partnerships, social marketing, non-profit and community organizing, strategic planning, policy development, and small group dynamics."

Lane’s appointment is effective on August 1.

NEW FISCAL MANAGER: The Division of Disability Determination Services (DDDS) has appointed Lisa Stout to the position of Fiscal Manager. Stout, currently Senior Financial Coordinator for the State Office of Accounting Services, has worked in the accounting field for the past 10 years.

Division Director Dr. Martin A.H. "Tony" Jones, Ph.D., said Stout "understands our system as it relates to the state/federal accounting system."

She begins her new assignment on August 1. DDDS is part of HRSA in DSHS and works with the federal government to review and adjudicate Social Security disability applications.

SPECIAL INITIATIVES TEAM: The MHD in DSHS has named Frank Jose to its Special Initiatives team. Jose, whose appointment was effective in June, will focus on promoting outcome-based and recovery-oriented housing and employment services and strategies.

Jose has 34 years experience in health, mental health, and social services. Most recently he was the Executive Director of the Greater Seattle chapter of the National Association for the Mentally Ill, a leading family and consumer advocacy, education and services agency.

Earlier, Jose developed and led a five-state region public policy department for the American Heart Association and directed the Area Agency on Aging for the Seattle-King County region. He holds a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Washington and is an affiliate instructor. He is a longtime practicum instructor and has taught classes on mental health policy at the School of Social Work.

INTERPRETER MANAGER RETIRES: Nora Guzman-Dyrseth, a longtime veteran of DSHS interpreter services, is retiring at the end of July after a 31-year career in state service. Guzman-Dyrseth's first state job was working as a receptionist in the Toppenish Community Services Office after graduating from Sunnyside High School, a community where her parents – in their 70s – still make their home.

After a variety of jobs in the DSHS Community Services Office, she was appointed to a position in the managed care program of Medicaid – and was recruited from there to help DSHS put together its medical interpreter program.

Guzman-Dyrseth later helped expand the office to several employees and established interpreter services as part of a full-fledged medical assistance interpreter and transportation office.

In retirement, she plans to focus on the future -- her 16-year-old daughter, Aly, who will be finishing high school at Bellarmine Preparatory School in Tacoma. Nora said she really wants to "be there" for Aly as she gets ready for the next big step in her life, entering college.

DASA MANAGER RETIRES: Ray Antonsen, a veteran state manager with the Division of Alcohol and Substance Abuse (DASA) in the Health and Recovery Services Administration, retired in July from state service.

Prior to his state career, Antonsen worked in lumber mills, forest service, and variety of jobs while putting himself through school. Ray received a BS in Educational Psychology from the University of Idaho and a MS in Counseling from Gonzaga University.

He took his first state job in July of 1971 as a probation officer. He later worked as a mental health therapist; developmental disabilities case manager; and chemical dependency counselor.

Since October of 1988, he has served as DASA Administrator in DSHS Region 1 (Spokane).