Department Kudos

SAVE THE DATES

Faculty Development Seminar

The next Faculty Development Seminar is scheduled for Wednesday August 12 from 9:00-10:30am via Zoom. It is the first of a two part series. It is entitled: Everything You Wanted to Know About Professionalism and What to Do About It: Part 1.

Upcoming Writing Groups

The Faculty Writing Group is the first Wednesday of every month from 8:00-9:00am. These meetings are on Zoom. This group is for faculty including adjunct faculty.

SPOTLIGHTS

FACULTY SPOTLIGHT: Anthony Chatham, MD

Anthony Chatham currently has several different clinical roles - running the inpatient geriatric psychiatry service at Emory Decatur Hospital (EDH), outpatient geriatric psychiatry service and member of the interventional psychiatry team providing ketamine and ECT treatments. He also participates in various research projects mainly focused on interventional (ECT, Ketamine, DBS and VNS) and geriatric services. He also serves as core teaching faculty for PGY-2 residents on their inpatient geriatric psychiatry rotation, geriatric psychiatry fellows while inpatient at EDH, med students and PA students on their psychiatry rotation and the interventional psychiatry fellowship. Anthony is also faculty for the ECT mini-fellowship where it has national and international psychiatrists come to Emory for three days to observe the ECT and ketamine service. He is also a member of the Faculty Development Committee, and faculty coordinator for the geriatric psychiatry module for the resident didactics. 

Outside of Emory, Anthony is an active member of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry as a member of the Teaching and Training Committee and Clinical Practice Committee.

Anthony enjoys multiple things about his work: the opportunity to teach residents and fellows, he finds exceptionally fulfilling. It is a great privilege to be able to see them grow as clinicians and get to know them personally. Anthony especially enjoys seeing the rapid improvements with very depressed patients often seen in the interventional service. Hearing from the patient's family how the service was able to give them their loved one back is fantastic. It is also great to see people who have dealt with chronic debilitating illness finally see improvement when they eventually get to ECT/Ketamine or receive VNS or DBS.

Some key highlights of Anthony’s career so far have been:

• Restarting the Transitions Senior PHP program after it was stopped during COVID. 
• Taking over the inpatient geriatric psychiatry service from the venerable Larry Tune and helping it transition from Wesley Woods to EDH.
• The relationships built with the geri, inpatient and interventional psych faculty

Looking to the future, Anthony looks to continue expanding and growing the geriatric psychiatry service and would LOVE to recruit an internal fellow.

Outside of work, Anthony most enjoys spending time with friends and family. With two young children, 6 and 3, they keep busy with t-ball, soccer, swim, the skatepark and essentially being outside as much as possible. He has also enjoyed finding new hobbies and completing a half-ironman earlier in the year.

ADJUNCT FACULTY SPOTLIGHT: Sharon Harp, LCSW

Sharon Harp is a licensed clinical social worker and board certified in adult psychoanalysis. She has a private practice in Midtown Atlanta where she works with adults, individuals and couples, who want to understand and improve their relationships, careers, self-esteem as they work through trauma, grief, relationships, shifts in stage of life and identity (cultural, racial, sexual, gender, class and intersections of these). She is licensed in Georgia, Florida, Ohio and West Virginia. Patients who seek her consultation often find themselves doing so due to years of prior psychotherapy that may have provided some brief relief but are now seeking a more longstanding change. Sharon uses the interpersonal relationship and here-and-now along with a recognition of the unconscious dynamics, past and present, as she works with her patients.  

Sharon graduated with her BA from Agnes Scott College before receiving her MSW from the Smith School for Social Work. She then completed adult psychoanalytic training with the Emory University Psychoanalytic Institute (EUPI). She has 20 years of experience in clinical settings beginning formally with the Emory University Counseling and Psychological Services where she was the first Fellow as a Post-Master’s Clinical Social Worker and worked jointly with Emory’s Employee Assistance Program. 

As an adjunct faculty member, Sharon has chaired committees in the EUPI such as the COVID-19 response committee, website committee and consultation and referral service. She has also served as a faculty representative to the executive committee and the recent director search committee. She has co-taught the sex and gender course and been the primary faculty member for many case conferences. In addition to her teaching, she has been a supervisor and advisor to candidates.

Sharon is working towards certification in the Balint group method. For the past several years, she has enjoyed co-facilitating Balint groups with Nisha Shah in the Goizueta Business School, as well as in the Institute. She hopes to expand the reach of these groups to benefit providers in the department as well as the community. She also has great enthusiasm in supervising candidates at the Institute as she finds the work engaging and candidates to be insightful, dedicated and eager to learn.  

Prior to her training at the Smith School for Social Work, Sharon was a project manager on the Nia Project at Grady. This experience further sparked her interest in working clinically with people struggling with their own internal issues as well as the sociocultural factors that continue to impact them. Taking this early engagement in research with vulnerable populations into the natural world, Sharon recently joined a research project for Birds Georgia’s Project Safe Flight, a national project for monitoring wild bird decline due to building window strikes and educating the public as to the importance of safe window glass and other prevention measures. She has rescued several birds after their building collisions. Sharon also looks forward to bird watching field trips to be reminded of the gifts and restorative power of nature.

STAFF SPOTLIGHT: Jenny Beazer

In Jenny Beazer’s present role at Emory, she serves as a patient navigator for the Adult Psychiatry OCD and Anxiety IOP, as well as the the CARES Program with Brain Health. She helps patients and families understand program options, complete initial phone screenings, coordinate consultations and short-term treatment series, assist with scheduling and communication, provide psychoeducation and connect people with appropriate clinical resources. She also supports referral coordination, program development and outreach efforts to improve access to behavioral health services.

Jenny’s path to this work has not been a straight line, but each part of it has shaped the way she shows up for patients and families. Before moving into behavioral health, she worked for many years in health care as a medical assistant in intensive care and inpatient settings, as well as case management and administrative roles within surgical services. She also served as the primary caregiver for her mother during a terminal illness, which allowed her to experience the medical system from the family and caregiver side as well. Those experiences gave Jenny an in-depth understanding of medical systems, patient care and the overwhelming nature of navigating a complex health care system. Being a teen mom also influenced her in important ways. It taught her resourcefulness, problem-solving, persistence and how to stay centered when life is complicated.

Outside of Emory, Jenny recently completed her Master of Social Work degree at Georgia State University. During her graduate training, she completed practicum experiences focused on behavioral health, OCD/anxiety treatment, patient engagement and community-based social work. She has also supported grant strategy and program planning for men’s mental health programs in West Georgia.

What Jenny enjoys most about her work is helping people feel a little less alone and a little less overwhelmed during a vulnerable time. She likes being a steady person they can talk to, helping them understand what comes next and making the process feel easier to handle. She also really treasures the opportunity to work with and learn from clinicians who are deeply committed to the work they do and people they are entrusted to care for.

Some meaningful highlights of Jenny’s career include building a health care career from the ground up, completing her MSW while working full-time, transitioning into behavioral health and continuing to grow her focus on anxiety, OCD, trauma-informed care, psychoeducation and short-term skills-based interventions.

Jenny’s future goals include obtaining her social work licensure and moving into clinical practice as a therapist. She hopes to continue building her skills in evidence-based treatment approaches, especially for anxiety, OCD and related concerns, while staying grounded in the same values that brought her to this work: connection, access, problem-solving and helping people feel heard and validated.

Outside of work, Jenny’s relationships are a big part of who she is. She enjoys spending time with her spouse, adult children, twin sister, friends and two dogs. She also loves traveling, being outside, planning new adventures and being connected to the people who matter most to her.

PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT: Integrated Behavioral Health Program (written by Brandon Kitay, MD, PhD, Donovan Ellis, PhD and Natalie Zimmerman, MRes)

The Emory Healthcare Integrated Behavioral Health (IBH) Program expands access to evidence-based mental health care by embedding behavioral health services within primary care and ambulatory specialty settings. Serving a patient population of more than 47,000 individuals across six clinical locations in metro Atlanta, the program provides screening, assessment, brief intervention, psychiatric consultation, care coordination and longitudinal symptom monitoring for patients experiencing depression, anxiety, substance use concerns and other behavioral health needs. The goal is to ensure patients receive the right level of behavioral health support at the right time within the setting where they already receive their medical care.

The program was developed in response to the growing gap between behavioral health needs and access to specialty psychiatric services across Emory Healthcare. Recognizing primary care serves as the de facto mental health system for many patients, Emory Healthcare invested in an integrated model designed to identify behavioral health concerns earlier, improve treatment engagement and support clinicians in managing common mental health conditions. What began as a small pilot implementing the Collaborative Care Model (CoCM) across four primary care practices in 2021 demonstrated both clinical feasibility and financial sustainability within two years. Building on that success, the model has expanded into a broader population health strategy emphasizing measurement-based care, collaborative treatment planning and stepped-care approaches. Today, IBH services extend beyond primary care into Palliative Medicine and Bleeding Disorders Program, with additional primary care sites scheduled to launch in Fall 2026.

The Emory IBH Program combines sustainable, evidence-based collaborative care with a growing portfolio of innovative digital health solutions that extend the reach and scalability of behavioral health services. In addition to traditional CoCM services, the program leverages technology-enabled care pathways, patient registries, psychiatric eConsultation services and digital mental health interventions—including wellness applications and prescription digital therapeutics—to improve access and support ongoing symptom monitoring. The program also serves as a clinical, educational and research platform, allowing innovations developed at Emory to be rigorously evaluated and disseminated nationally.

The program relies on a highly collaborative interdisciplinary team including primary care practitioners, behavioral health care managers (including psychologists, social workers, licensed professional counselors and spiritual health clinicians), psychiatrists, clinical pharmacists, population health leaders, informatics specialists, clinical operations teams and administrative support staff. Together, these professionals coordinate care, monitor outcomes, support treatment implementation and continuously refine workflows to ensure patients receive high-quality, patient-centered care.

The program partners extensively across Emory University and Emory Healthcare Network. Faculty from the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences provide implementation leadership and clinical consultation to Emory Primary Care, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, Hematology Bleeding Disorders Program and Emory Population Health Collaborative. The program also incorporates behavioral health informatics and digital technology support through collaborations with the Emory Innovation Hub, Goizueta Brain Health Institute and industry partners. In addition, IBH serves as a training environment for learners ranging from undergraduate students to postgraduate trainees while supporting implementation science, health services research and digital mental health innovation. These collaborations strengthen both clinical care and academic scholarship.

More than half the patients served by the program report it represents their first lifetime engagement with a behavioral health resource. In addition, many patients receiving care through IBH may never meet a psychiatrist in person. Through population-based care management and indirect psychiatric consultation, specialty expertise can support far more patients than would be possible through traditional referral models alone. This approach improves the quality of behavioral health care delivered within primary care while helping ensure that limited specialty resources are directed toward patients with the greatest clinical need.

Faculty and staff interested in learning more can contact the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Integrated Behavioral Health leadership team directly and stay tuned for announcements regarding the future Emory Integrated Behavioral Health website.

MENTOR SPOTLIGHT: Yilang Tang, MD, PhD (written by Dimy Fluyau, MD)

Yilang’s mentorship style centers on sparking his mentee’s interest and encouraging the development of their critical-thinking skills. He creates a pleasing environment that offers direct feedback and practical suggestions. His mentees feel inspired to pursue their goals and make noteworthy progress toward them. Yilang is an effective mentor because his approach empowers his mentees to recognize and develop their potential through several key principles. He builds trust, listens attentively, and encourages ongoing reflection. Through his mentorship, his mentees learn to view challenges as possibilities for maturation and to transform setbacks into steps toward success. He demonstrates empathy and collaborates with his mentees to develop a personalized action plan for their career advancement. An example of his mentorship is as follows: “Yilang supported me when I discussed the feedback I received regarding my readiness for promotion from assistant professor to associate professor. He recognized my disappointment and provided both support and guidance during this challenging period.

Yilang advised, "Do not try to do everything on your own; find a team." This guidance has supported his mentee’s professional development by encouraging them to prioritize skill development, embrace challenges, and seek assistance when needed. They believe this approach will contribute to greater long-term success. 

DISC INITIATIVES

Getting to Know You: Linda Harvey, MD, Assistant Professor – Linda Harvey, assistant professor and staff psychiatrist at the VA, embraces opportunities to learn about cultures and experiences different from her own. As an African American woman, she enjoys exploring the similarities and differences among diverse communities through travel, food, and history. Her journeys have taken her to countries including Ghana, Malaysia, Thailand, Switzerland and Spain, while closer to home she frequently visits museums and historical sites that deepen her understanding of cultural experiences and social justice. Some of her most meaningful visits have included the National Museum of African American History and Culture, National Museum of the American Indian, US Holocaust Memorial Museum, Birmingham’s Kelly Ingram Park and National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis.

Family, faith and cultural traditions play an important role in Linda’s life. While her upbringing was deeply rooted in Christianity and regular church attendance, she and her husband now celebrate Kwanzaa with their children as a way to honor and celebrate African American culture and identity. She also cherishes her family’s annual reunion, a longstanding tradition that has brought relatives together every August since the 1930s.

Linda’s experiences have shaped her perspective on diversity, inclusion and empathy. She recalls a recent interaction in which a neighbor assumed she would have little knowledge about concussion care, unaware she is a physician. Although seemingly minor, moments like these serve as reminders of the assumptions people can make based on appearance or identity. Such experiences have reinforced her commitment to listening carefully to others and ensuring people feel heard and valued.

In her clinical work, Linda strives to approach each individual with openness and curiosity. She reflects positively on encounters with patients of the Wiccan faith, noting these relationships have reminded her of the importance of forming opinions through personal interactions rather than relying on stereotypes or preconceived notions. Her experiences have strengthened her appreciation for kindness, respect and nonjudgmental engagement across differences.

As someone who holds both minority and majority identities, Linda believes her experiences have enhanced her ability to empathize with others. She credits her experiences of occasionally feeling unheard or dismissed with helping her develop the compassionate bedside manner patients often appreciate. These experiences have motivated her to advocate for understanding and respect for all individuals, regardless of background or identity.

Linda has also navigated professional challenges related to diversity and inclusion throughout her career. While some experiences left lasting impacts and influenced her views on leadership, they also contributed to her resilience. Grounded by her faith, she describes herself as someone who consistently finds a way to move forward, even in the face of adversity. She believes diversity is a strength and efforts to promote acceptance and inclusion for one group ultimately benefit everyone. Her guiding philosophy is all people deserve to be respected, valued and able to live authentically without diminishing the identities or experiences of others.

Through her personal and professional journey, Linda exemplifies resilience, empathy, lifelong learning and commitment to fostering understanding across cultures and communities.

COMMUNITY AND BELONGING INITIATIVES

ARTS (Arts in Research, Therapy and Service) Committee (Coping Through Art Group – written by Sarah Dunn, PhD)

The Coping through Art Group for the Nia Project is a nurturing, creative space where healing, connection and self-discovery come alive through art. Designed as a therapeutic, arts-based intervention, this very popular group offers Nia members an opportunity to explore their emotions, build coping skills and connect with one another in ways that feel safe, expressive and affirming. For the past ten years, Sarah Dunn has had the privilege of supervising this group each week, witnessing firsthand the powerful transformations that can emerge when individuals are given both the tools and space to create.

One of the elements that makes this group especially impactful is the generosity of dedicated donors, adjunct faculty member  AnneMarie Jeffries and her husband Aaron Jeffries, who ensure each participant has access to art materials. Each member receives a curated collection of supplies in a signature purple bag — a reflection of the Nia Project’s identity and spirit. Inside, participants discover an array of materials, including crayons, markers, paints, clay, paper, yarn, preassembled kits and mindful coloring books. These bags symbolize more than creativity; they represent care, inclusion and a commitment to making sure every voice can be expressed. 

Each session is carefully structured yet gently flexible, centered around a specific therapeutic theme. Group co-leaders introduce an activity and provide step-by-step guidance, while encouraging participants to move at their own pace and take artistic license in interpreting the activity and creating the project. The first part of each session is devoted to art-making — a time of quiet focus, playful exploration and emotional expression. This is followed by reflective sharing, where participants talk about their artwork and what it represents to them. These conversations often are powerful moments of connection, helping individuals feel seen, heard and understood.

The activities are diverse, imaginative and grounded in art therapy principles. Participants might create visual representations of their emotions through self-care wheels, design affirmation jars filled with encouraging messages or craft yarn-based pieces that give shape to feelings that are otherwise difficult to name. Other sessions include making comic strip characters to explore emotional experiences, building grounding rocks to support mindfulness or assembling intention collages that reflect hopes and personal values. Projects like masquerade masks and dream catchers offer symbolic ways to explore identity, protection and transformation — allowing participants to tell their stories in layered and meaningful ways.

An especially joyful aspect of the group is celebrating participants’ work. At the end of each year, artwork is gathered into an online gallery that honors the creativity and courage of every member. This gallery provides a sense of pride and accomplishment for participants and allows others to witness the beauty of healing through artistic expression.

At its heart, the Coping through Art Group reflects a culturally responsive, strengths-based and inclusive approach to care. It is a space where creativity becomes a pathway to resilience, stories are shared without judgment and individuals can reconnect with themselves and others. Through color, texture and imagination, participants discover healing is not only possible — it can also be deeply meaningful and even joyful.

FACULTY KUDOS

Major Leadership Appointments, Activities and Achievements

The Gary W. Rollins Foundation has approved a $1.3 million grant in support of the Emory Healthcare Veterans Program to expand access.

The following faculty will receive the Clinical Distinction of Distinguished Psychologist effective September 2026:

• Nori Lim
• Liza Zwiebach

Doug Bremner’s feature film “The Goose That Laid the Golden Egg” will have its world premiere at the Dances With Films: Los Angeles film festival, June 27. Named one of the “50 coolest film festivals” it is the largest film festival in LA. The film is based on a true story from his own experiences as an expert witness in cases related to suicide and depression from the acne drug Accutane.

Jennifer Felger was appointed to the Jennie Colbert Adams Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences.

Joya Hampton-Anderson and Devon LoParo begin their tenure as Co-Director of the Emory CAMP Internship Program effective July 1, 2026.

Benson Ku (1) received the Berd Pilot grant from the Georgia CTSA for “A Novel Privacy-Preserving Neighborhood Exposome Linkage Method for Child Psychopathology Research” (2) was selected to represent the Emory School of Medicine in applying for a William T. Grant Foundation award supporting career development for a promising early career researcher. 

Jed Mangal was promoted to Associate Professor of Medicine and Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences.

Sanne van Rooij has been appointed Senior Director of Graduate Studies for the Emory Neuroscience Program.

Research

Burton M, Haft S, Fiskeaux M, Rothbaum BO, Loucks L, and Rauch SAM. (2026). Posttraumatic Cognitions and PTSD Symptom Change in Massed Prolonged Exposure: The Impact of Treatment Delivery on Mechanisms of Change. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 103186. 

Houmsse AM, Joseph V, Janiak E, Fortin J, LaHote J, Sitar SI, Mitnick E, Valle MA, Acton LW, Gotham HJ, Hall KS, Welsh JW. Centering patient voices: Implementing screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment to address risky substance use in family planning clinics. Women’s Health Reports. 2026 Epub ahead of print.

Kong X, Liu X, Liu H, Watkins LE, Liu J, Hao W, Tang YL. Psychosocial Interventions for Alcohol Use Disorder in China: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 2026, May 17.

Palitsky R, Peacock C, Breau JA, Gillis-Smith P, Sklodowska G (2026) A landscape analysis of psychedelic facilitation training in the US. PLOS ONE 21(5): e0350037.

Ren YP, Tang YL. From First Principles to Computational Psychiatry: Integrating Transdiagnostic Perspectives. Chin J Psychiatry, 2026, DOI: 10.3760/cma.j.cn113661-20260312-00095

Santos J, van Rooij Sanne, House S, Beaudoin F, An X, Neylan T, Clifford G, Jovanovic T, Linnstaedt S, Rauch S, Haran J, Storrow A, Lewandowski C, Musey P, Hendry P, Sheikh S, Jones C, Punches B, Swor R, Stevens J. (2026). Social support and post-traumatic stress symptoms: Longitudinal bidirectional relationships in the AURORA study. Journal of Mood & Anxiety Disorders. 14. 100180. 10.1016/j.xjmad.2026.100180.

van Rooij SJH, Camprodon JA, McDonald WM. Response to letter: Rethinking standard DLPFC stimulation: the role of hemispheric lateralization neuromodulation treatment. The American Journal of Psychiatry. In press     

Xie T, van Rooij SJH, Sun S, Bryson N, Demarest P, Park H, Maccotta L, Wang S, Brunner P, Willie JT. Right amygdala ablation reduces maladaptive negative  interpretation bias and symptoms in a patient with post-traumatic stress disorder. Nature Communications, in press. 

Honors, Awards, Rankings

• The following faculty members received Faculty Development Funds from the department:
• Katie Cullum – present at the International OCD Foundation Conference in July in Seattle
• Barbara Duran – present at the World Association for Infant Mental Health World Congress in October in Toronto
• Laura Jane Miller - present at the World Association for Infant Mental Health World Congress in October in Toronto
• Amanda Platner – participate in intensive Parent Child Interaction Therapy training
• Allison Schwartz – participate in intensive Parent Child Interaction Therapy training

Gratitude to members of the Faculty Development Funds Review Committee who have completed their terms and are rotating off the committee: Beth Hammons, Jennifer Holton, Julie Pace,  Sanne vanRooij and Rebecca Woo.

• The following faculty received 2026 Psychiatry Residency Education Awards:
• Justin Palanci | Emory Psychiatry Excellence in Teaching Award PGY-1 Residents
• Vishal Patel  | Emory Psychiatry Excellence in Teaching Award PGY-2 Residents
• Santosh Patel | Emory Psychiatry Excellence in Teaching Award PGY-3 Residents
• Michael Lucido | Emory Psychiatry Excellence in Teaching Award PGY-4 Residents
• Carly Yasinski | Emory Outstanding Psychotherapy Supervisor Award
• David Thylur | Emory Resident Medical Student Teaching Award - Faculty
• Belinda McIntosh | Emory Miles K. Crowder Excellence in Teaching Award

The following faculty received 2026 Addiction Psychiatry Fellowship Program Awards:

• Yilang Tang | Teaching Award
• Justine Welsh | Teaching Award 

The following faculty received the 2026 Health Service Psychology Program Awards:

• Gene Farber | Dr. Carol L. Webb Award for Excellence in Teaching at Grady Health System
• Amanda Platner | Emory Healthcare Award for Excellence in Teaching
• Kallio Hunnicutt-Ferguson | Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Award for Excellence in Practicum Student Teaching and Supervising

There is a newly created award, the Dr. Eugene W. Farber Distinguished Clinical Contributions Award.

Media

David Goldsmith (1) New York Times | Could lowering inflammation treat depression?

Kelsey Sprang Jones (1) WABE | Trauma, PTSD can Increase Risk of Pregnancy Complications for Veterans in Georgia.

Allison LoPilato (1) Wall Street Journal | The Three Chatbot Behaviors That Can Drive Humans to Delusional Thinking. (2) MSN | The Three Chatbot Behaviors That Can Drive Humans to Delusional Thinking

Barbara Rothbaum (1) Military.com | Texas Mental Health Program Reveals 103% Increase in Veteran Enrollment.

Jennifer Stevens (1) Oprah Daily | When Menopause Reopens Old Traumas.

Sanne van Rooij (1) Spectrum News | Brain Stimulation Can Help PTSD Symptoms, Studies Find.

Presentations

Alpert J, Clarke D, Drexler K, Wainberg M: Future of the DSM: A Strategic Vision. American Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting, Monday, May 18, 2026.  Moscone Convention Center, Room 20.

Chen E, Corbett K, Ellis DM, Cattie J, and Yasinski C. (2026, July). Preliminary outcomes of a telehealth intensive outpatient treatment for transdiagnostic anxiety and obsessive-compulsive and related disorders using exposure and response prevention and acceptance and commitment therapy [Poster Presentation]. Presented at the 31stAnnual Conference for the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF). Seattle, WA.

Reema Dedania spoke at the 2026 Physicians for Human Rights Conference. Her talk was titled, "Pearls and Pitfalls for Testifying in Court."

Drexler K: The New DSM, 23rd National Seminar on the Development and Presentation of Mitigating Evidence in Capital Cases, Atlanta, GA, May 29, 2026.

Ellis DM, Dogan M, Mandell A, Cattie J, and Kitay B. (2026, June) From prescription to practice: Scaling digital mental health in collaborative care through culturally responsive navigation. [Conference Presentation]. Annual Conference for the Society for Digital Mental Health (SDMH), Virtual.

Goodwine-Davis D, Ellis DM, Onyeka O, Andrews V, and Binion L. (2026, July). Culturally responsive care: From misdiagnosis to meaningful engagement. [Panel]. Presented at the 31stAnnual Conference for the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF). Seattle, WA.

Sherrill AM, Schneider RL, Cattie JE and Ellis DM. (2026, July). Self-guardrailing generative AI use for individuals with OCD [Workshop]. Presented at the 31stAnnual Conference for the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF). Seattle, WA.

Torrey K, Chaubey M, Ramos C, Joseph VM, Krause KH, Beinenson D, Patton SC, Mathias J, Cummings J, Welsh JW.  Bridging Gaps in Adolescent Naloxone Use: Identifying Barriers and Facilitators to Guide Intervention. Presentation at Health Equity Day, Emory School of Medicine, May 20, 2026 (Recorded and Poster Presentation).

Sanne van Rooij presented “Personalized neurotherapeutics for post-trauma resilience and recovery” at the Dartmouth Grand Rounds.

ADJUNCT FACULTY KUDOS

Stephanie Freitag was appointed to the scientific advisory board of the International Bipolar Foundation.

Douglas Lewis will be an APA Congressional Fellow for FY 2026-27.

Deb Simkin finished her MBA at Yale, graduating on May18. She focused on sustainability and climate change and was elected as the new president of the Executive Caucus on Climate Change.

STAFF KUDOS

Derek O’Brien was certified by the American Board of Psychoanalysis.

Tamara Wright won the 2026 Association of Directors of Medical Student Education in Psychiatry (ADMSEP) Excellence in Clerkship Administration Award at the ADMSEP Annual Conference Award Ceremony.

TRAINEE KUDOS

The following trainees received 2026 Psychiatry Residency Education Awards:

• Punita Peketi | Psychotherapy Distinction Award
• Jack Perna | Psychotherapy Distinction Award
• Caroline Sagrera | Psychotherapy Distinction Award
• Najeah Okashah | Emory Psychiatry Resident Research Award and Emory Bradley Rosenkrantz Excellence in Teaching Award
• Reanne Mathai | Emory Faculty Medical Student Teaching Award- Resident
• Benjamin Maxey | Emory Faculty Medical Student Teaching Award- Resident
• Danielle Quinn | Emory Psychiatry PRITE Performance Award and Emory Resident Recognition Award
• Jordan Hildenbrand | Emory Wellborn Award
• Mimi Ackleh | Emory Resident Recognition Award
• Sydney Erickson | Emory Resident Recognition Award
• Daeja Hamm | Emory Resident Recognition Award
• Caroline Leuba | Emory Resident Recognition Award
• Kate Rubin | Emory Resident Recognition Award

Below are the future plans for the class of 2026 trainees:

General Psychiatry Residency

• Yamamah “Mimi” Ackleh | Future Plans: Outpatient Psychiatrist, Comprehensive Psychiatric Services; Walnut Creek, CA
• Dominique Bertolini | Future Plans: Attending Psychiatrist, Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU); Richmond, VA
• Jennifer Cortes | Future Plans: Attending Psychiatrist, Contra Costa Regional Medical Center; Martinez, CA 
• Levi Edouna Obama | Future Plans: Outpatient Psychiatrist, Biological Behavioral Health; Decatur, GA and Outpatient Psychiatrist, Good Samaritan Health Center; Atlanta, GA
• Adam Fakhri | Future Plans: Assistant Professor, Emory University School of Medicine; Atlanta, GA and Attending Psychiatrist, Psychiatric Emergency Service, Grady Memorial Hospital; Atlanta, GA
• Daeja Hamm | Future Plans: Assistant Professor, University of Michigan Medical School; Ann Arbor, MI and Attending Psychiatrist, University of Michigan; Ann Arbor, MI
• Caroline Leuba | Future Plans: Attending Psychiatrist, California Department of State Hospitals; Napa, CA
• Carolyn Neal | Future Plans: Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship, Emory University School of Medicine; Atlanta, GA
• Najeah Okashah | Future Plans: Assistant Professor, Emory University School of Medicine; Atlanta, GA and Attending Psychiatrist, VA Medical Center; Atlanta, GA
• Punita Peketi | Future Plans: Outpatient Psychiatrist, Kedzie Center & LOSAH Center of Hope; Chicago, IL and Telehealth, Psychiatry Alternatives and Wellness Center; Atlanta, GA
• John “Jack” Perna | Future Plans: Assistant Professor, Emory University School of Medicine; Atlanta, GA and Outpatient Psychiatrist, Emory Brain Health; Atlanta, GA
• Danielle Quinn | Future Plans: Outpatient Psychiatrist, Chesapeake Health Care, Salisbury, MD
• Caroline Sagrera | Future Plans: Outpatient Psychiatrist, Private and Group Practice, Integrative Reproductive Psychiatry; Atlanta, GA

Internal Medicine-Psychiatry Residency

• Catherine Bennett | Future Plans: Ambulatory Chief Resident, Internal Medicine Residency, Emory University School of Medicine; Atlanta, GA
• Abigail Clark | Future Plans: Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Fellowship, University of Colorado School of Medicine; Denver, CO

Addiction Psychiatry Fellowship Program

• Zahraa Atoui, MD | Future Plans: Assistant Professor and Addiction Psychiatrist, Emory Clinic Addiction Service; Atlanta, GA
• Russell Spotnitz, MD | Future Plans: Assistant Professor, Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra University and Outpatient Child and Addiction Psychiatrist, Staten Island University Hospital; Staten Island, NY

Below are the future plans for the 2026 psychology interns in health service psychology:

• Ryan Armitage | Future Plans: Postdoctoral Resident in Health Service Psychology, Emory Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences; Atlanta, GA
• Jacob Fiala | Future Plans: Postdoctoral Neuropsychology Fellowship, Georgia State University; Atlanta, GA
• Natalie Malone | Future Plans: Postdoctoral Resident in Health Service Psychology, Emory Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences; Atlanta, GA
• Erin McConocha | Future Plans: Postdoctoral Resident in Health Service Psychology, Emory Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences; Atlanta, GA
• Justin Moore Rasmussen | Future Plans: Postdoctoral Resident in Health Service Psychology, Emory Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences; Atlanta, GA
• Molly Bruckner Tassoni | Future Plans: Postdoctoral Resident in Adult Neuropsychology, Emory Department of Rehabilitation Medicine; Atlanta, GA
• Furtuan Tewolde | Future Plans: Pediatric Neuropsychology Fellowship, John Hopkins All Children’s Hospital; St. Petersbugr, FL
• Julia Vehar | Future Plans: Postdoctoral Resident in Pediatric Neuropsychology, Department of Neuropsychology, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory Department of Pediatrics; Atlanta, GA

Below are the future plans for the 2026 psychology postdoctoral residents in health service psychology:

• Demy Alfonso | Future Plans: Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatric Neurology and Neuropsychology, Emory University School of Medicine; Atlanta, GA
• Kaitlin Allison | Future Plans: Assistant Professor, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine; Atlanta, GA
• Erich Aschenbreen | Future Plans: GRECC Research Fellow, West Los Angeles VA Medical Center ; Los Angeles, CA
• Meredith Blackwell | Research Assistant Professor, College of Education and Human Sciences, University of New Mexico; Albuquerque, NM
• Jasric Bland | Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Marcus Autism Center; Atlanta, GA
• Brittany Borzillo | Private Practice; Atlanta, GA
• Jessica Bove | Second Year Neuropsychology Postdoctoral Resident, Division of Rehabilitation Neuropsychology, Emory Rehabilitation Hospital, Atlanta, GA
• Miranda Colegrove | Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Multidisciplinary Feeding Program, Emory University School of Medicine; Atlanta, GA
• Jessica Grom | TBD
• Yoanna, Ishak | Pediatric Psychologist, Children's Hospital of Orange County and Rady Children's Health; San Diego, CA
• Xinge (Sheyla) Li | TBD
• Rebecca Lipschutz | Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Behavioral Mental Health, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and the Children’s Pediatric Institute, Emory University School of Medicine; Atlanta, GA
• Josh Lipson | TBD
• Chaela Nutor | 2nd Year Postdoctoral Resident, Grady Trauma Project, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine; Atlanta, GA
• Sophia Osteen | Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta - Integrated Primary Care and Behavioral Mental Health; Atlanta, GA
• Ronnise Owens | Inpatient Clinical Neuropsychologist and Assistant Professor, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Division of Rehabilitation Neuropsychology, Emory University School of Medicine; Atlanta, Ga
• Lauren Patrusky | Private Practice, Edwards Psychological Associates, Atlanta, GA
• Emily Peirce | Forensic Psychologist, Private Practice
• Devyani Sharma | TBD
• Caroline Stiles | Inpatient Consultation/Liaison Psychologist, Wellstar Cobb Hospital; Austell, GA
• Ashley Stinson | 2nd Year Postdoctoral Resident, Grady Trauma Project, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine; Atlanta, GA
• Unnati Upadhyay | Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta – Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center; Atlanta, GA
• Alexandra Vazquez | Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine; Chicago, ILL
• Saba Verani | 2nd Year Pediatric Neuropsychology Resident, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Department of Neurology and Neuropsychology, Emory University School of Medicine; Atlanta, GA
• Gabby Yanez | Psychologist, Neuropsychology Department, Division of Psychology, Nemorus Children’s Health Jacksonville’ Jacksonville, FL
• Tatianna Zambrano | Clinical Psychologist, Mitchell’s Place; Birmingham, AL

Natalie Malone received the Dr. Keith A. Wood Community and Belonging Award

Isabella Kelly received the following patient feedback from the Grady Primary Care Center “Dr Kelly was AWESOME." 

Bryan Klapp was named an Honorable Mention awardee for the 2026 NIMH Outstanding Resident Award.

Vazquez AY, and Lamis DA. (2026). Childhood maltreatment moderates association between SKA2 DNA methylation and suicidal ideation in African American adults with bipolar disorder. Psychiatry Research.