Donovan Ackley III

Donovan Ackley III, Ph.D. is a curriculum and research specialist at San Diego State University with a PhD in religion and philosophy and certifications as a drug and alcohol counselor, peer support specialist, and trauma recovery yoga instructor. His work draws from both lived experiences and scholarly work on religious trauma and spiritual resilience, especially in the LGBTQI+ community and for 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, he helped launch both Trans Lifeline, a national peer support and suicide prevention resource, and the University of Redlands LGBTQ+ Leadership Certificate program. His publications also focus on trauma recovery and resilience-building, drawing not only from extensive multidisciplinary, cross-cultural research but also from lived experiences and personal practice.