About Us
Who We Are
Align Treatment Center is a specialized adolescent eating disorder treatment provider committed to delivering high-quality, evidence-based care while partnering closely with families. Our program is designed to support patients and caregivers across the recovery journey and prepare families for success beyond treatment.
Our Philosophy
Align Treatment Center partners clinicians and caregivers in the treatment and recovery of adolescents with eating disorders. We are committed to utilizing evidence-based practices to build motivation, insight, and coping skills in patients, while empowering caregivers with the psychoeducation, tools, and support needed to confidently support their child across levels of care and throughout the recovery journey.
Our Mission
We partner with and support families while delivering superior higher-level-of-care treatment to children and adolescents with eating disorders. Grounded in evidence-based care and meaningful connection, we empower families with the skills, confidence, and support needed across the recovery continuum.
Our Team
Angelo M. Del Re MD, MSc, FAAP
Medical Director
Angelo M. Del Re, MD, MSc, FAAP, has served as Medical Director at Align Treatment Center since 2023 and brings extensive experience in pediatric medicine, emergency care, and adolescent mental health.
Dr. Del Re earned a graduate degree in neuroscience and his medical degree from the Medical University of South Carolina and completed his pediatrics residency in Virginia. After relocating to San Diego in 2012, he has dedicated his career to serving children and families and currently provides care in the emergency department at Rady Children’s Hospital.
He has a particular passion for pediatric mental health and adolescent eating disorders and is known for building meaningful, trusting relationships with families. Dr. Del Re has been recognized by San Diego Magazine as a “Top Doctor” in multiple years.
Dr. Kristina Schwerin, MD
Psychiatrist
Dr. Kristina Schwerin is a child, adolescent, and adult psychiatrist with over 15 years of experience providing psychiatric care and psychotherapy to individuals and families across the lifespan. She has practiced in a wide range of healthcare settings nationally and internationally and brings a collaborative, patient-centered approach to care.
Dr. Schwerin is board certified in General Adult Psychiatry and Child & Adolescent Psychiatry and has been practicing medicine since 2004. She is a Certified Group Psychotherapist (CGP), certified in Family-Based Treatment (FBT), and a Distinguished Fellow of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP).
She earned her Bachelor of Arts (cum laude) from Princeton University, her MD from the University of Southern California School of Medicine, and completed her psychiatric residency and fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco. Dr. Schwerin is also a two-time Faculty Teaching Award recipient at the University of California, Davis Department of Psychiatry.
Sarah Archer, LMFT
Clinical Director | Co-Founder
Sarah Archer, LMFT, is the Clinical Director and Co-Founder of Align Treatment Center (est. 2023) and has over 15 years of experience working with adolescents, teens, and their families in eating disorder treatment.
Prior to Align, Sarah served as Program Manager for the UCSD Adolescent Eating Disorder Program, where she managed admissions, trained and supervised staff in evidence-based practices, served as liaison to the San Diego Unified School District, and led Adolescent Athletic Programming. She previously worked at Rady Children’s Hospital.
Sarah earned her Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of San Diego and has served as an adjunct professor and guest lecturer. In 2019, she co-founded CounSEL, an animated coping skills program that has served over 30,000 students statewide.
Sarah is passionate about empowering caregivers, strengthening family systems, and helping adolescents build skills for lasting recovery.
Rebecca DeHamer, MS, RDN
Director of Nutrition
Rebecca DeHamer is an FBT-trained Dietitian and Movement Therapy Specialist with extensive experience in eating disorder treatment, and adolescent care.
She began her career as an adolescent physical education educator before entering her dietetics research and treatment career working at UC San Diego Moore’s Cancer Center, UCSD’s Eating Disorder Treatment Center, and SDSU’s School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences Department.
Rebecca is a trained-sports dietitian, Certified Intuitive Eating Practitioner, and PhD student in Exercise Physiology while serving as the Director of Nutrition for ALIGN treatment center in San Diego, California.
Sharon Anthony, PMHNP-BC
Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner
Sharon Anthony, PMHNP-BC, joined Align Treatment Center in 2026. She is a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner with medication-prescribing privileges throughout California.
Sharon has extensive experience treating a wide range of mental health conditions, including ADHD, anxiety, depression, autism spectrum disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and bipolar disorder. She brings a holistic, patient-centered approach to care, addressing physical, emotional, spiritual, and social well-being alongside thoughtful medication evaluation and management.
Sharon is passionate about partnering with patients and families to help individuals take an active role in their healing and recovery. Her professional values include integrity, empathy, and honesty.
Arpal Wybourn, NP
Nurse Practitioner – Medical Services
Arpal Wybourn grew up in Chicago, Illinois, and completed her nursing training at Rush University Medical Center. She has worked as a Registered Nurse since 2007 and later returned to school to earn her Family Nurse Practitioner degree. Arpal currently practices as a General Surgery Nurse Practitioner at Sharp Memorial Hospital.
In recent years, she has developed a strong professional interest in supporting adolescents struggling with eating disorders and is passionate about helping patients and families navigate recovery with compassion and evidence-based care.
Outside of work, Arpal enjoys spending time with her children, traveling, and being at the beach.
Melinda Vaughn
Executive Director | Co-Founder
Melinda Vaughn is the Executive Director and Co-Founder of Align Treatment Center and has been instrumental in its startup and growth, leading strategy, operations, licensing, compliance, and program development.
A San Diego native, Melinda brings over 20 years of experience across real estate development, licensed residential operations, and healthcare-adjacent leadership. She holds an MBA from San Diego State University and applies a disciplined, systems-oriented approach to scaling mission-driven organizations.
She previously co-founded Garner Investment Group, acquiring and improving residential properties leased to organizations providing treatment services and supportive housing. Melinda is particularly focused on strengthening operational systems, advancing family-based treatment models, and guiding thoughtful expansion while maintaining quality, safety, and mission alignment.
Anne Cusack, PsyD
Supervising Psychologist
Anne Cusack, PsyD, is a licensed clinical psychologist and serves as Supervising Psychologist at Align Treatment Center. She is also a clinician at the Youth and Family Institute.
Dr. Cusack specializes in evidence-based treatment for eating disorders, suicidality, self-harm, trauma, borderline personality disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder, with advanced training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), DBT–Prolonged Exposure (DBT-PE), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP).
She has held leadership roles at UC San Diego Health and contributed to research on eating disorders and emotion regulation.
Our Facilities
Align Treatment Center operates two residential homes in Escondido (North San Diego), both designed to provide a safe, comfortable, and therapeutic environment for adolescents in eating disorder recovery.
Both locations offer the same clinical programming, staffing model, and level of care. Placement is based on availability and clinical fit.
