PTV Welcomes New Executive Director: Julie Gutman, Esq.

PTV warmly welcomes our new executive director, Julie Gutman, Esq.  Julie currently serves as Vice-President of the City of Los Angeles Board of Public Works Commission and Senior Labor Advisor to Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.  In a statement thanking Julie for her “tireless dedication and service to the city of Los Angeles,”  Mayor Villaraigosa said “the Program for Torture Victims is not only acquiring a brilliant leader, but also a passionate and committed champion of social justice who has dedicated her career to working on behalf of the oppressed,” and “I wish Julie nothing but the best and look forward to seeing her progress and thrive in her new position as a national advocate for protecting human rights.”

California State Assembly Speaker John A. Perez, whose assembly district is home to PTV, also released a statement saying that he first worked with Julie when she was a trial attorney at the National Labor Relations Board, where she had the reputation for being “a brilliant and zealous advocate for worker and immigrant rights.” “Julie is an outstanding choice for this position. She is a dynamic and effective leader, the kind who inspires trust and confidence.”

Niels Frenzen , PTV Board President and a USC law professor said, “Julie Gutman is a mover and shaker and we are thrilled that she will take the helm at PTV. We are looking forward to a great future under her leadership as we work together to advance and expand the mission of PTV.”

As the new executive director, Julie will direct a strategic planning process and lead the effort to raise visibility, funds, and organizational capacity at PTV.  She looks forward to working with the Board and staff  “to take this heroic human rights organization to another level.”  A graduate of Stanford Law School, Julie has a long track record of social justice work. Julie will join PTV near the end of May. Welcome to the Team!

To view the full press release: click here
To view PTV's newsletter: click here

From Client to Donor: Talking with the Rem Family

(Leonid Rem and family celebrate receiving political asylum)

Leonid Rem came to PTV in 2000 after he and his family escaped political oppression in Kazakhstan. For several years they received psychosocial support and services from PTV as they adjusted to life in the United States. Rem is a strong supporter of PTV. In March, he and his wife, Irena Tsoy, donated to PTV at our Shakey’s Pizza Fundraiser. We thank Mr. Rem and his familiy for their support of PTV and for sharing their story.


“I am a Korean and was born in Kazakhstan. I attended university with a specialization in economics.” My wife received her medical doctorate there as well. We have two daughters aged nineteen and fifteen. “We came to the United States exactly ten years ago.”

“When we first arrived we had nobody here. We [could] not afford a place to stay. So for 2-3 weeks we lived on the streets; our youngest daughter at that time was four years old. At one point we stayed in an apartment complex in Glendale that was in the process of being rented out.” We moved from apartment to apartment, to avoid being found by the landlord.

“It was very difficult; we had to develop survival skills.” In our efforts to maintain basic sanitation, when we ate I would stand, my wife would sit on my feet, my oldest daughter would sit on my wife’s feet, and my youngest daughter would sit on her sister’s feet. In this way, we did not touch the floor. (laughs) “Now it is fun to remember these hardships, but at that time it was very tense. One day my youngest daughter asked me, ‘Father can we find a home?’, and my wife just cried.”

One day I was introduced to Rene Maroon, paralegal at the International Institute of Los Angeles and she directed me to PTV. “Our success in the United States started with PTV.” Ana Deutsch was our therapist at the time, and she provided expert witness documentation services that assisted us with the asylum process.

“The people here were very human, very understanding. They gave us emotional support, which is what we needed most at the time. Megan Berthold not only gave my family professional help, but a kindness that was heartfelt. The staff at PTV acted the way that human beings are supposed to act with each other.”

“At the time when we were facing our greatest struggle, our oldest daughter was very brave and my wife and I took courage from her.” Everyday we saw poor people and rich people, and my daughter being just a child, one day asked for a pair of roller skates. Megan somehow found out about this, and she came to me and gave me $100 out of her pocket to buy my daughter skates. We were in very difficult times then, so of course we did not use the money for roller skates, but once we received a job we bought very expensive skates for both our daughters.

“During my time at PTV, I felt that I didn’t say what I was supposed to say. Thank you was not enough. When I was asked to be interviewed for this newsletter, I was really glad to be able to come to PTV and say what was in my heart all these ten years. And even this interview is just words, it does not capture the warmth and feeling my whole family has for PTV. I have always wanted to contribute to this program, and recently gave a donation. It was a small donation, but just wait!”

“We are proud of ourselves because we have received everything that PTV can offer us, and reflected success. Three weeks after coming to Los Angeles we found one room in a basement without any windows and rented it for $200 per month with the aid of government support. The second day after we moved in, we began to study.” My daughter started to attend the local middle school, and entered 6th grade without being able to speak English. By 8th grade she received a gold medal for academic achievement and was offered a full scholarship to attend Thacher School, one of the best private schools in Southern California. My youngest daughter also received a full scholarship to attend Polytechnic School, another premier private high school. My wife started an acupuncture business in Silver Lake, and despite tough economic times we are very happy.

A message to PTV’s community of donors, staff, volunteers and clients:

“The work of PTV is very important because it helps people to move forward and start a new life in the United States. Your work needs to be supported. In particular we wanted Ana and Megan to know that the love, support and warmth they shared with us was not wasted. The biggest part of our success came from PTV because of the services and support we received. They have helped me and my family to recover, heal, and psychologically accommodate to a new society.”

To view PTV's newsletter: click here

An Interview with Professional Volunteer: Dr. Wolman, MD

PTV would like to recognize the work of Dr. Naomi Wolman. For several years, she has been a dedicated pro bono psychiatrist for PTV.  She donates a full afternoon to PTV clients every other week out of Venice Family Clinic in addition to working full time as a psychiatrist for the homeless of LA County. Thank you Dr. Wollman for your service and dedication.

Please describe how and when you first got involved with PTV.
A colleague and friend of mine, Ken Chuang, was a volunteer psychiatrist for PTV. They needed another volunteer psychiatrist, so he told me about it and brought me there.  I don’t know how long ago that was now, maybe 4 or 5 years.

Could you briefly describe the services you provide to PTV clients?
I give them medication. I do work closely with the therapists, but I do my own evaluation based on their symptoms and I provide them with medication. Of course, when something happens with the patient, the therapist and I are in constant communication. We’re very limited on medication, because Venice Family Clinic is based on donations. I also work full time with the county, and we have much more to give patients. Ken took all of his patients to the county because there’s so much more available.

What insight have you gained working with PTV clients?
That’s a very complicated question. I have patients who are really my role models. They’re amazing people. I have one patient in particular who really inspires me. No matter what she’s gone through, she’s always been able to assess the situation and figure out how to deal with reality. These people have to go through a lot here, as immigrants. They have to go through cultural adjustment, they have low incomes, and they cannot rely on themselves.

Have they changed your perception?
Yes. I’ve learned a lot about human beings, cruelty, and politics. And, I’ve learned a lot about survival. I believe that their survival is mostly biological. Most of these people are highly functioning adults who have been tortured because of an ideological conflict. They didn’t have mental disorders and they wouldn’t have sought psychiatric care before. Despite all of our psychological and medical care, I think survival is mostly based on the biological basis of the person.

Is there anything else you’d like to share about your experiences with PTV and/or PTV staff?
…I sort of started to get hooked, trying to help these people. I hope it will be easier to accept them into society and for them to adjust.

To view PTV's newsletter: click here

Spring Healing: PTV's Spring 2010 Healing Club

(From left to right: Maureen Farrell, Community Outreach Coordinator, and PTV client)

Our spring Healing Club was full of bright colors and bright smiles! PTV worked on a project with Portraits of Hope, a program that organizes and conceives large-scale public art projects as a form of what they call “creative therapy.”

The program’s current project is a transformation of the Los Angeles lifeguard towers. As part of our Healing Club, clients and staff helped change the face of our beaches by painting lifeguard tower panels with vivid colors and designs and will be seen from land, air, and water. The project will span 30 miles of the coastline and will make its debut in May. For this summer’s Healing Club, we will go to the beach and admire our artwork.

To view PTV's newsletter: click here

PTV Heads to Washington

(From left to right: Dr. Berthold, Dr. Quiroga and Carolina Sheinfeld from LAFLA outside the Supreme Court)


Every year PTV sends a delegation of staff to Washington D.C. to advocate on behalf of torture survivors. This February Dr. Jose Quiroga, Dr. Megan Berthold, and Dr. Jene Moio visited the capitol to speak with Congressional Representatives Howard Berman, Henry Waxman, Xavier Becerra, Jane Harman, and Lucille Roybal-Allard. In collaboration with the California Consortium of Torture Treatment Programs, PTV staff also met with Senator Diane Feinstein.

Additionally, Dr. Quiroga and Dr. Berthold were key organizers of the research symposium that was held at this year’s annual meeting of the National Consortium of Torture Treatment Programs in Washington D.C. Dr. Berthold also presented on new research findings.

To view PTV's newsletter: click here

Shakey's Pizza Fundraiser is a Success

We had a small but successful fundraiser at Shakey’s Pizza on Miracle Mile in March. Friends, families, staff, and former clients enjoyed some greasy treats together and Shakey’s donated 25% of all proceeds to PTV. This fun and effortless way of raising awareness and money for PTV is one of many upcoming events!