Dr. Leticia Padilla is a licensed clinical forensic psychologist with extensive experience in correctional and forensic mental health. She earned her Doctorate of Psychology in Clinical Forensic Psychology from Alliant International University in 2014, after completing her Master of Arts in Clinical Forensic Psychology in 2012. She also holds a Master of Arts in Psychology (2002) and a Clear California Multiple Subject Teaching Credential (2005) from California State University, Los Angeles.

Dr. Padilla began her clinical career with practicum and externship positions across mental health settings, including Augustus F. Hawkins Family Mental Health, Aegis Medical Systems, Paladin Eastside Psychological Services, and Sovereign Health of California (2011–2014). These early experiences allowed her to provide psychological and neuropsychological assessments, trauma-focused therapy, and evidence-based interventions to ethnically diverse populations with severe mental health and co-occurring disorders.

Following her training, she joined the California Department of State Hospitals – Coalinga as a Senior Psychologist Specialist (2014–2018), where she applied forensic psychological knowledge in treating patients with severe mental, developmental, and substance abuse disorders, including sexually violent predators. She provided individual and group therapy, designed treatment plans, supervised interns, and contributed to implementation of evidence-based practices, including Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT).

Since 2018, Dr. Padilla has served as Clinical Psychologist II at the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, overseeing assessment, treatment, and management of adult populations in correctional settings, including both female and male inmates. Her work includes diagnostic evaluations, structured clinical interviews, crisis intervention, behavior modification, and court testimony. She has a strong focus on recovery-oriented, evidence-based interventions such as cognitive-behavioral therapy and DBT, and actively collaborates with multidisciplinary teams to optimize patient outcomes.

Dr. Padilla has also held academic and teaching roles, including as an independent consultant, psychology instructor at Los Angeles Trade Tech College, and elementary-level teaching in Los Angeles Unified School District. Her research includes her doctoral dissertation examining sub-clinical psychopathy, social protective factors, and penal outcomes in adult populations.

She is proficient in Spanish, has been recognized through awards such as the Licensed Mental Health Services Provider Education Program (LMHSPEP), and maintained professional affiliations with Psi Chi, California Psychological Association, and other academic and professional organizations.