Continuing & Professional Studies, Palo Alto University

Sarah L. Desmarais, Ph.D., is the President at Policy Research Associates, Inc. (PRA) since 2022. She is responsible for the strategic priorities of PRA and oversight of PRA operations. Dr. Desmarais received her PhD in Forensic Psychology and Law from Simon Fraser University and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Population and Public Health at the University of British Columbia. Prior to joining PRA, Dr. Desmarais was a tenured Professor of Psychology and University Faculty Scholar at North Carolina State University. She also was an Assistant Professor at the University of South Florida with joint appointments in the Department of Community and Family Health and the Department of Mental Health Law & Policy. Dr. Desmarais works on issues at the intersection of public health, community safety, and social justice. Her current research is focused on evidence-based practices for reducing detention rates, especially among people with behavioral health needs. Dr. Desmarais has authored more than 130 peer-reviewed publications in journals including the American Journal of Public Health, Criminal Justice and Behavior, and Law and Human Behavior. She has held grants and contracts from foundations, state, and federal agencies, such as the National Institutes of Health, the National Institute of Justice, the National Science Foundation, and the MacArthur Foundation.

Dr. Tonia Nicholls was promoted to full Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of British Columbia (UBC) in 2017. She is also the Scientific Director of Forensic Research with British Columbia Mental Health and Substance Use Services (BCMHSUS). She holds several cross-appointments, including the School of Population and Public Health, UBC and is an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Psychology, Simon Fraser University. She is Past-President of the International Association of Forensic Mental Health Services (2023-2025). She was Editor of the International Journal of Forensic Mental Health Services for five years (2019-2023). She received the Association of Threat Assessment Professionals Chris Hatcher memorial award in 2002, the American Psychological Association Award for Distinguished Professional Psychology (2004), and the Canadian Psychological Association President’s New Researcher Award (2004). The Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research Career Scholar Award (2007-2012), She also held a Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) New Investigator salary award (2011-2016) and a MIND Foundation Young Investigator award (2012). She received the Canadian Institute of Health Research Scholar award (2015-2022, 2M CDN). Dr. Nicholls was the BC lead on a team that received the 2017 Canadian Psychological Association Criminal Justice Section Significant Contribution Award. She is an author of the Short-Term Assessment of Risk and Treatability (START, adult version) and the Short-Term Assessment of Risk and Treatability: Adolescent Version (START:AV). The measures have been translated into 12 languages. She has conducted >130 workshops and supported large-scale implementations and evaluations with teams in civil, correctional and forensic contexts (e.g., Australia, Canada Finland, Germany, New Zealand, Spain, the UK, and US . She has consulted extensively with civil, forensic, and correctional sites on topics including environmental design, mother-baby programs, seclusion reduction, models of care, unique needs of women, and deaths in custody. Dr. Nicholls’ research and knowledge translation examines the needs of complex behavioral health populations and methods to assess and prevent crime, violence, victimization, and related outcomes. She has published over 150 peer -reviewed articles and chapters in this area and presented > 300 conferences presentations and 22 invited Keynotes.