About Us

Crystal Bettenhausen-Bubulka is the Founder & Executive Director of Strength In Service. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with a deep focus on addressing social isolation, loneliness, depression, and suicidal thoughts. Currently pursuing her Doctorate in Social Work at USC, Crystal combines her expertise in gerontology and mental health to help those in need. In addition to her clinical work, she is honored to be a recipient of the 2024 Pat Tillman Scholarship, furthering her passion for service and leadership in the field.

As the Founder & Executive Director of Strength In Service, Crystal leads the charge in empowering military families and supporting their mental health needs. Through her therapy practice, she offers both online and in-person psychotherapy services across North Dakota, Hawaii, and California, alongside supervision for social work associates and interns. Crystal also serves as the Region E Associate Director for NASW-CA, contributing to the growth and development of the social work profession. A proud military spouse, Crystal enjoys exploring National Parks and the outdoors with her husband and three daughters, having lived around the world throughout her husband's nearly three decades of Navy service.

Andrea Meritt is a compassionate therapist and advocate who channels her experiences as a military spouse into supporting service families navigating hardship and loss. With over a decade of diverse professional experience in foster care, schools, residential treatment, domestic violence shelters, and in-patient psychiatric care, Andrea has honed her ability to connect with and support people from all walks of life. Her goal is to help clients feel understood, validated, and hopeful, using an authentic and collaborative approach that incorporates client feedback, lighthearted humor, and spirituality as a potential source of healing.

Trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Andrea integrates evidence-based strategies to address thoughts, relationships, and brain pathways, helping clients achieve life-changing relief and improved daily functioning. Outside of her professional life, she enjoys listening to audiobooks, expressing gratitude for her family and rescue dog, cheering on her favorite football teams, and indulging in both vegetables and junk food.

Dr. RanDee McLain Malone, is a U.S. Navy veteran and licensed clinical social worker dedicated to improving outcomes for veterans and their families. A nationally recognized expert in Veterans Treatment Courts, she played a key role in establishing San Diego’s first federal court, earning the Hank Pirowski Award. RanDee also serves on several advisory councils, including San Diego’s Military and Veterans Advisory Council, and has been honored as CALVet's Women Veteran Trailblazer of the Year.

With a Doctorate in Social Work and expertise in mental health, justice involvement, and substance use, RanDee consults nationally, trains interdisciplinary teams, and supports veteran-focused initiatives. She co-founded Operation Dress Code to help women veterans transition to civilian careers and continues her advocacy from her Arkansas hobby farm, where she lives with her veteran spouse and pets, Mischief and Mayhem.

Carie Rodgers, PhD, ABPP, is a nationally recognized behavioral health expert who specializes in the treatment of PTSD. She is currently a Senior Analyst at A-G Associates where she provides strategic direction in project development and delivery and collaborates with corporate, non-profit, and government partners. She previously served as Chief Strategy and Impact Officer at PsychArmor, where she developed evidence-based, trauma-informed training programs. Dr. Rodgers continues to advise PsychArmor and ensures its programs are rooted in best practices and scientific research.

With nearly two decades of federal service in the Department of Veterans Affairs and as a faculty member in Psychiatry at UCSD School of Medicine, Dr. Rodgers has played a key role in multiple training initiatives for PTSD treatment, including Cognitive Processing Therapy and Prolonged Exposure Therapy. She directed the VA San Diego Military Sexual Trauma Program and has provided training across the VA, Department of Defense, and broader community. Dr. Rodgers holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Oregon, is Board Certified in Clinical Psychology, and serves on multiple advisory boards.