Donovan Ackley III

Donovan Ackley III, Ph.D. is a research specialist at San Diego State University and curriculum developer for state and county social and behavioral health services. He is a certified drug and alcohol counselor and peer support specialist, primarily serving those with religious trauma in the LGBTQI+ community and those with co-occurring substance use and mental health diagnoses. After 15 years as a full-time college professor and department chair in religion and philosophy, Donovan helped launch the national peer support resource Trans Lifeline through its accreditation and helped launch an 8-course continuing studies LGBTQI+ leadership program at University of Redlands. Like his work, his publications focus on trauma recovery and resilience-building, drawing not only research but also lived experience.