Annual PA Early Psychosis Conference

Shelby Arnold, PhD

Staff Psychologist, Beck Institute, Center for Recovery-Oriented Cognitive Therapy

Shelby Arnold, PhD, is a Staff Psychologist at Beck Institute Center for Recovery-Oriented Cognitive Therapy. She received her PhD in Clinical Psychology with a concentration in Forensic Psychology from Drexel University. Dr. Arnold has worked in a variety of forensic settings, including forensic assessment clinics, inpatient forensic hospitals, community diversion programs/problem-solving courts, and city-based forensic policy teams. She currently collaborates with a diverse set of forensic partners across the spectrum of justice-involvement to implement Recovery-Oriented Cognitive Therapy (CT-R) in their setting. Her research interests include evidence-based practices for justice-involved individuals and community diversion and other alternatives to standard prosecution, particularly for individuals with serious mental health challenges. She has published numerous peer-reviewed articles and book chapters on these topics, and is the co-author of Problem-Solving Courts and the Criminal Justice System, published by Oxford University Press.

Melanie Bennett, PhD

Professor of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine

Melanie Bennett, PhD is a Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. She was an investigator on the National Institute of Mental Health’s (NIMH) RAISE Implementation and Evaluation Study and contributed to the development of Coordinated Specialty Care (CSC)’s psychosocial intervention components. She leads Training and Implementation Support Services for the Maryland Early Intervention Program, a state-funded center of excellence in early psychosis, where she directs CSC implementation in Maryland. In 2020 she and her team – in collaboration with colleagues at Johns Hopkins, Sheppard Pratt, the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, and the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine – joined NIMH’s Early Psychosis Intervention Network (EPINET), an effort to create a national database to support research that will improve practice.

Aaron P. Brinen, PsyD

Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Director of Psychotherapy Training, Psychiatry Residency Program, Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Aaron P. Brinen, PsyD, is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. He is the author of Living Well with Psychosis, a book for those living with psychosis. He is a primary developer of Recovery-Oriented Cognitive Therapy (CT-R) along with Aaron T. Beck, MD. Under the guidance of Dr. Beck, Dr. Brinen has worked to formalize and standardize the CT-R protocol for individual and group therapy settings, as well as for use in team-based psychiatric care and during inpatient treatment. He is a co-author of the manual of CT-R for serious mental health conditions, and has been active in the training of community therapists from around the world. Dr. Brinen is interested in researching the impact of CT-R on inpatient and outpatient individuals. Additionally, he is interested in the crossover of different evidence-based treatments, particularly prolonged exposure for PTSD applied to individuals living with both PTSD and schizophrenia. He is the principal investigator in a study applying CT-R during medication management checks and also the supervisor for the WISEUP clinical trial, studying treatment for persecutory delusions.

Speaker obtains author royalties from Guilford Publications 

Monica Calkins, PhD

Co-Director, HeadsUp

Stephen Dages, BS, CPS

Certified Peer Specialist, Penn Psychosis Evaluation and Recovery Center (PERC)

Diane Dallal, PhD

Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine

Diane Dallal, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychiatry in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Dallal received her BA in Psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She received her MS and PhD in Clinical Psychology at Drexel University and completed her postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania. In graduate school, Dr. Dallal researched ways to develop and improve acceptance-based cognitive behavioral therapies for individuals with eating pathology and obesity, with a particular focus on mechanisms of change in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). She co-developed and co-wrote multiple treatment manuals in a large, National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded research study dismantling the various components of ACT. She also developed a novel clinical interview assessing a core component of ACT. In addition, Dr. Dallal has published and presented research on ACT treatment outcomes and processes in peer-reviewed journals, a clinical textbook, and national and international conferences. She specializes in providing cognitive behavioral and acceptance-based therapies for individuals with anxiety disorders, trauma-related disorders, and eating pathology. Dr. Dallal has clinical experience providing acceptance-based therapies to adults and adolescents in outpatient and intensive outpatient settings.

Amy Diehl, PhD

Chief Information Officer, Wilson College, Gender Equity Researcher, and Author of Glass Walls

Amy Diehl, PhD, is an award-winning IT leader and Chief Information Officer at Wilson College, as well as a leading gender equity researcher. She is the author of Glass Walls: Shattering the Six Gender Bias Barriers Still Holding Women Back at Work and a sought-after speaker and consultant. Her groundbreaking insights have been featured in Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, and Ms. Magazine, as well as numerous scholarly journals and book chapters. Driven by a passion for universal gender equality, she helps organizations break barriers so society and organizations can thrive and women can succeed. Learn more at amy-diehl.com.

Sean Driscoll, CPRS

CSC Trainer/Consultant University of MD Baltimore, Co-Founder Konnect the Dots, Inc.

Sean “Scoe Romero” Driscoll is a Certified Peer Support Specialist and Trainer/ Consultant at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. After spending more than six and a half years serving clients in Residential Crisis Stabilization (RCS) services and on two Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) teams, he currently has served over the last year and a half in his role as the trainer and consultant of the early intervention programs across the state of Maryland (one of which he spent time in as a patient living with bipolar 1 with psychosis). He is one of three co-founders of Konnect the Dots, Inc., an educational outreach organization utilizing lived experience to relate to adolescents and young adults to combat mental health problems our youth experience. Sean also utilizes his social media brand “Scoe Romero” to display his extensive holistic self-care routine for how he learned how to manage his mental health without pharmaceutical medication after unknowingly being affected by a medication lawsuit for nine years. He is currently 18+ months med-free and stable living with bipolar 1, and is a representation of the slogan that recovery truly looks different for everyone.

Barbara Ferman, PhD

Professor Emerita, Department of Political Science, Temple University

I was born and raised in Brooklyn (which is still the fourth-largest city!). My early years were spent turning empty lots into playgrounds, keeping the handball court for hours, dodging traffic, and learning the subway lines. Fast forward– I am currently a Professor Emerita of Political Science at Temple University, where I taught from 1992-2025. In the in between years, I published four books and many articles on education politics, urban policy, community development, racial integration, youth development, and pedagogy. I have facilitated workshops on university community relations, civic engagement, youth development practices, and teaching effectiveness locally, nationally, and internationally. In 1992, I founded the University Community Collaborative (the Collab) and served as Executive Director from 1992 until my retirement in 2005. The Collab is a media-based, social justice initiative for high school and college students housed at Temple University. The Collab’s programs create spaces where young people feel safe in exploring and sharing their identities, interrogating stereotypes, developing a sense of agency, and building a supportive community with other young people and caring adults. The Collab’s goal is to foster young leaders by building the necessary foundations of confidence and self-esteem, developing the skills upon which effective leadership rests, creating awareness of larger social, economic, and political issues, and nurturing the values that underlie a fair and just world. (www.UCCollab.org)

Jennifer Gerlach, LCSW

Psychotherapist

Jennifer Gerlach, LCSW, is a psychotherapist and person with lived experiences who specializes at the crossroads of neurodiversity and mental health. She is author of The Psychosis and Mental Health Recovery Workbook: Activities for Young Adults from ACT, DBT, and Recovery-Oriented CBT. She provides ongoing training including regular presentations on a national level on therapy with autistic clients through PESI, Inc. She also serves as a ‘lived experience consultant’ for Missouri’s Early Psychosis Care team. She holds an upbeat perspective on the possibilities for individuals experiencing early psychosis.

Paul Grant, PhD

Director, Beck Institute, Center for Recovery-Oriented Cognitive Therapy

Paul Grant, PhD, is Director of the Beck Institute, Center for Recovery-Oriented Cognitive Therapy (CT-R). With Aaron T. Beck, MD, Dr. Grant originated CT-R and conducted foundational research to validate it. He is a recipient of awards from the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, and the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies. Dr. Grant developed group, family, and milieu CT-R approaches, and directs large projects implementing CT-R nationally and internationally. He has developed innovative implementation tools and is involved in researching positive beliefs and teamwide culture change as mediators of successful CT-R outcomes. He is the co-author of Recovery-Oriented Cognitive Therapy for Serious Mental Health Conditions, Schizophrenia: Cognitive Theory, Research, and Therapy, and the forthcoming Thriving Together Through Schizophrenia.

Christie Kelly, MA, LPC

Program Supervisor, UPMC Services for the Treatment of Early Psychosis (STEP) Program

Christie Kelly is a licensed professional counselor with 20 years of experience in varying settings of the mental and behavioral health field. Christie currently practices as a therapist and Program Supervisor at the UPMC Services for the Treatment of Early Psychosis (STEP) clinic in Pittsburgh, PA. Christie received her undergraduate degrees in Criminal Justice and Psychology from Gannon University and a Master’s in Rehabilitation Counseling from Edinboro University. She is currently completing a Master’s in Business Administration with Capella University. Previous experience includes supervising outpatient mental health and school-based mental health programs, supervising one of the largest research-based summer treatment programs in the country, and owning a small, private practice in the Pittsburgh area. Christie is passionate about learning new therapeutic techniques and offering guidance and supervision to the future counselors of Pennsylvania. Christie has extensive training and experience in treating various mental health populations including psychosis, autism-spectrum, intellectual disabilities, anxiety disorders, tic disorder and ADHD, including being trained in the administration of the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) and Functional Behavior Assessments (FBA). Through her work within school settings across Pennsylvania, has gained a grounded perspective in the unique challenges affecting children, adolescents, and transition-aged youth.

Christian Kohler, MD

Co-Director, HeadsUp

Marsha Langer Ellison, PhD

Co-PI, Learning and Working During the Transition to Adulthood Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC); Professor, UMass Chan Medical School

Dr. Ellison is a Professor of Psychiatry at the UMass Chan Medical School and co-PI of the Learning and Working During the Transition to Adulthood Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC). Dr. Ellison brings over 30 years of experience in services research for adults, youth, and young adults living with serious mental health conditions, with a specialization in education and employment supports. Throughout her career, Dr. Ellison has conducted numerous exploratory studies, pilots, randomized controlled studies and policy analyses on recovery-oriented interventions for adults and veterans. She also directs the Communications and Technical Assistance Programs at the Implementation and Practice Advances Research Center (iSPARC) at UMass Chan.

Francesca Lewis-Hatheway, PsyD

Licensed Psychologist, Beck Institute, Center for Recovery-Oriented Cognitive Therapy

Francesca Lewis-Hatheway, PsyD, is a licensed staff psychologist at Beck Institute, Center for Recovery-Oriented Cognitive Therapy (CT-R). She received her doctorate from Yeshiva University and completed training at NorthWell Health (internship) and the University of Pennsylvania (post-doctoral fellowship). Dr. Lewis-Hatheway primarily focuses on the design, oversight, and evaluation of CT-R implementation efforts within state mental health systems, county behavioral health systems, various mental health agencies, and Veterans Affairs Medical Centers. In this role, she also provides CT-R training and consultation. Dr. Lewis-Hatheway enjoys working with staff in a variety of roles and disciplines to collaborate with individuals who have received a diagnosis of a serious mental health condition in order to support them in pursuing their hopes for the future.

Chaine’ Mabray, LMFT

Marriage and Family Therapist

Chaine’ Mabray works as a Family therapist and Clinical Supervisor for the PeaceHealth Young Adult Behavioral Health program serving young people who are experiencing, or are at risk of experiencing, a first episode of psychosis. Chaine’ has a passion for working with and advocating for young people and their families, specifically carving space for systemic approaches in traditional mental health models of care. Chaine’ has experience creating and maintaining specialized family support within a coordinated specialty care program. Chaine’ believes her skill set to include relational therapy, systemic program development, and maintaining a curious mind. Chaine’ received her Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Oregon in 2014 and has continued to seek professional experiences that allow her to apply her skill and passion of addressing mental health needs through a systemic lens. Outside of work, Chaine’ serves as President on the Board of Directors for the Lane County National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and enjoys spending time with her husband, one-year-old daughter, and two pups.

Amber Margetich, PsyD

Staff Psychologist, Beck Institute, Center for Recovery-Oriented Cognitive Therapy

Dr. Amber Margetich received her PsyD from the Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology at Rutgers University, with a focus on school psychology. She completed her pre-doctoral internship at the Wilmington VA Medical Center in Wilmington, Delaware, and her post-doctoral fellowship is with the Center for Recovery-Oriented Cognitive Therapy at Beck Institute. She is also a certified school psychologist in the state of New Jersey. Amber’s dissertation focused on examining the relationship between exercise and anxiety sensitivity. She is particularly interested in how Recovery-Oriented Cognitive Therapy (CT-R) can support individuals living with serious mental health conditions in residential and inpatient settings.

Alexandra Miller, MD, MSEd

Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

Alexandra Miller, MD, MSEd, is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. She completed her medical degree at the Perelman School of Medicine and earned a master’s in education from Penn’s Graduate School of Education. She went on to complete her psychiatry residency at the University of Pennsylvania, where she served as Chief Resident. Dr. Miller is actively involved in medical education, serving as Associate Program Director for the Resident Didactic Curriculum, Associate Director for Medical Student Education in Psychiatry, and Co-Director of the Doctoring 1 course for preclinical medical students. Clinically, Dr. Miller provides both medication management and psychotherapy to individuals experiencing psychosis at the Penn Behavioral Health Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic, with a special focus on young people transitioning from Coordinated Specialty Care programs. She is passionate about addressing the impact of trauma and marginalization on mental health and is committed to providing holistic, patient-centered care aligned with each person’s values and goals.

Maggie Mullen, LCSW, DBT-LBC

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Maggie Mullen, LCSW, DBT-LBC (they/them) is a clinical social worker, international trainer, and community activist with over fifteen years of experience helping people navigate psychosis. They authored The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook for Psychosis, a self-help book designed for people experiencing psychosis, and have published several chapters for clinicians on the same topic. Maggie specializes in culturally responsive, evidence-based care for psychotic spectrum disorders, trauma and PTSD, the LBGTQ+ community, and formerly incarcerated people. You can find them online at www.maggiemullen.com.

Michelle G. Mullen, PhD

Assistant Professor at the UMass Chan Medical School; co-PI of the Learning and Working During the Transition to Adulthood Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC); Senior Vice President, Chief Impact Officer at The Jed Foundation

Dr. Mullen’s research and practice have focused on young adult career development, specifically vocational and academic persistence, performance, and progress among young adults with mental health conditions. Dr. Mullen is the clinical developer of HYPE, a career development model that seeks to support the normative educational and vocational development of young adults with mental health conditions, as well as FSST, a coaching intervention to develop executive functioning skills. Dr. Mullen applies her formal training in implementation science and experience in participatory action approaches to her research, practice, and community partnerships. She has extensive experience in the design, implementation, and evaluation of interventions and programs in community-based programs and institutions of higher education. Dr. Mullen has a particular interest in how federal and state policies influence the design and implementation of services and has active research on the unintended consequences of applying for Supplemental Security Insurance (SSI) on vocational participation and career development. Dr. Mullen received her Master’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling with a specialization in Psychiatric Rehabilitation from Boston University and her PhD in Social Welfare from the University of Pennsylvania.

Ieshia Nelson, MEd

Program Specialist, the Center for Humanism and Advisory College at Rowan University’s Cooper Medical School

Ieshia was born and raised in southeast Washington, DC. She attended Temple University, where she served two terms as Speaker of the House for the Student Government Association, was a Resident Assistant (RA), and a student ambassador representing the University in Harrisburg to advocate for increased state funding for the University. She earned a BA in Urban Studies and an MEd in Organizational Development. She has over a decade of work experience in college access and youth afterschool programming, having worked within a congressional education office, at a university house nonprofit (The University Community Collaborative), and was the Associate Director of Community and Culture at a sports-based youth development program (that engages students through long-distance running). In her current role, she’s focused on program development, management and coordination of community health initiatives that promote humanism in medicine, community engagement, and resource/skill sharing in South Jersey. She is an adjunct professor who has taught courses on Youth Culture, Leadership & Community Engagement, and Socio-cultural Dynamics. She comes from a big family, loves soup, and, fun fact: she has over 150 postcards sent to herself and from others’ travels all over the world.

Peter Phalen, PhD

Assistant Professor, University of Maryland School of Medicine

Dr. Peter Phalen is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Psychiatric Services Research at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. His research is focused primarily on developing treatments for suicide and psychosis, as well as broader public mental health issues such as addiction and gun violence. In his free time, he enjoys reading, spending time with friends, aquascaping, and playing soccer.

Lindsey Pinto, LSW

Licensed Social Worker, Beck Institute, Center for Recovery-Oriented Cognitive Therapy

Lindsey Pinto, LSW, is a Licensed Social Worker at the Beck Institute, Center for Recovery-Oriented Cognitive Therapy (CT-R). Lindsey received her MSW from Simmons University, where she focused her training on implementing evidence-based treatment for adults involved in the justice system and those struggling with serious mental health challenges. Prior to joining the Beck Institute, Lindsey worked for the Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) conducting comprehensive evaluations for individuals receiving treatment at Norristown State Hospital (NSH) or while incarcerated at the Philadelphia Department of Prisons (PDP). Lindsey is an expert in evidence-based treatments for adults who have justice system involvement with or without serious mental health challenges and has published peer-reviewed and popular press articles on these topics, in addition to a forthcoming book chapter.

Joshua Riley, MD, PhD

Psychiatrist, ENGAGE, Wesley Family Services

Dr. Joshua Riley has been the psychiatrist at the ENGAGE program through Wesley Family Services for Allegheny and Westmoreland Counties for three years. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Cambridge before completing a PhD in Linguistics at the University of Maryland – College Park and an MD at the University of Kentucky School of Medicine. After medical school, he completed residency training in psychiatry at Western Psychiatric Hospital/UPMC, during which he designed and co-led an ACT for Psychosis therapy group on an inpatient schizophrenia unit. In the past, he also worked as a psychiatrist at Mon Yough Community Services. Currently, he is a clinical assistant professor at the University of Pittsburgh and teaches an annual course on the history and philosophy of psychiatry to psychiatry residents. He is also in private practice in Pittsburgh at OCD Spectrum. He is especially interested in the intersection of OCD and psychosis and the overlap in psychotherapeutic approaches useful for both challenges, particularly Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. He is also interested in phenomenological approaches to understanding psychosis as a self-disorder and the implications for treatment.

Ethan J Rodriguez

Ethan J Rodriguez grew up on the streets of North Philadelphia, specifically the Kensington area. During this time, he partnered with organizations like Philadelphia Heights and The University Community Collaborative at Temple University. This gave him a passion for media production and higher education, and he ended up applying to Arcadia University back in 2021. While in college, Ethan expanded his network. Within only his second year of college, he had already obtained an internship with PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs, and by his junior year, he was producing a gun violence documentary that was aired on TV and screened at SXSW EDU. In addition, he is passionate about media education. Ethan has taught students under WHYY’s Media Labs program and fell in love with teaching digital media. He has continued this mission ever since. Now, having recently graduated this past May, Ethan is dedicating his time to supporting youth media work and civic action. He now has the title of Co-Director of Communications at PA Youth Vote. And this coming fall, he’ll be employed at the University Community Collaborative as the assistant program coordinator of POPPYN, UCC’s student-led newscast and media literacy program. And he is excited to see what comes next.

Krissa Rouse, MA, LCPC

Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor

Krissa is a licensed clinical professional counselor (LCPC) with a decade+ experience working with individuals and families after a first episode of psychosis. Krissa is passionate about treating each person with whom she interacts as an individual with unique experiences, values, and aspirations. Krissa believes strongly in family and community supports as key elements to successful recovery from psychosis and schizophrenia spectrum disorders (for most people), and she works to build family and peer support into first-episode programs locally with University of Maryland’s First Episode Clinic and Seizing Psych, 501(c)(3), as well as nationally with Schizophrenia & Psychosis Action Alliance, 501(c)(3). Krissa also supports families living with psychosis in a private practice, SZ Support House, located in Catonsville, Maryland.

Kaitlin Salvati, VRS, CRC

Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist, PA Office of Vocational Rehabilitation

Kaitlin Salvati is a Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist with the Pennsylvania Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR). She received her Master’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from the University of Pittsburgh before starting at OVR as a counselor. Her caseload focused on transition-aged students and included work on several specialty transition projects within the agency. In 2016, Kaitlin started in her role as a Rehabilitation Specialist with a focus on the policy, procedure, and implementation of pre-employment transition services. More recently, she moved into the Policy, Staff Development & Training Division with OVR to focus on programs related to Psychological Services, Mental Health, Substance Abuse, Traumatic Brain Injury, Re-Entry, and HIV/AIDS. She is excited to be a part of OVR’s continuing efforts to increase services to our customers.

Michelle D. Sherman, PhD, LP, ABPP

Clinical Psychologist

Michelle D. Sherman, PhD, LP, ABPP, is a board-certified clinical psychologist who has dedicated her career to supporting families of adults living with a mental illness or trauma history. She is a Fellow of APA’s Society for Couple and Family Psychology, and was named their Family Psychologist of the Year in 2022. She is the Editor in Chief of the journal, “Couple and Family Psychology: Research and Practice.” Dr. Sherman has served as a therapist for over 30 years, providing individual and couples psychotherapy to adults in a VA medical center, urban primary care clinic, community clinic, inpatient psychiatric unit, and private practice. As an educator, she served as a Full Professor at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center and the University of Minnesota Medical School, teaching and supervising trainees from numerous disciplines. She enjoys public speaking, having given over 250 workshops nationally and internationally. She has published over 75 articles in peer-reviewed journals, over 80 book chapters, and articles in other sources. In her personal life, she writes books (with her co-author mother) for family members who love someone living with a mental illness/PTSD.

Bette Stewart, BS

Training Specialist, University of Maryland, Department of Psychiatry

Bette Stewart is a Training Specialist for the University of Maryland, Department of Psychiatry. A relative of Stewart was diagnosed with mental illness 25 years ago, which led to her involvement in the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and a mental illness recovery program. She has been involved in NAMI support groups and the Family-to-Family program. She works with public behavioral health providers to deliver Evidence-Based Practices (EBP) training for Assertive Community Treatment (ACT), Family Psychoeducation (FPE) and Supported Employment. She is also the Maryland Early Intervention Program (MEIP) Team Leader Trainer.

Alison Swigart, MD

Assistant Professor, Penn State Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Penn State College of Medicine; Director, Community Psychiatry program, Penn State University

Dr. Alison Swigart graduated from medical school at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry and completed psychiatry residency training at Brown University. She is an Assistant Professor in the Penn State Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, and serves as Director of the Penn State Community Psychiatry program. She works as an attending psychiatrist at Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute in Harrisburg, PA, where she focuses on the treatment of individuals living with First-Episode Psychosis (FEP) as well as Schizophrenia across the lifespan. She has worked with participants in Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute’s CAPSTONE FEP program since 2018. She is actively involved in the education of medical students, residents, and fellows, and has received awards for teaching.

Andreea Temelie, PharmD, BCPP

Clinical Pharmacist, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

Dr. Andreea Temelie received her BS in psychology from the University of Michigan and PharmD from the University of Minnesota with an integrative interprofessional mental health focus and leadership emphasis. She completed psychiatric pharmacy residency training at UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital. Following residency, Dr. Temelie expanded clinical pharmacy services within the UPMC ambulatory child/adolescent psychiatry service line through integration into several hospital-based clinics and partial hospitalization/intensive outpatient programs. As a board-certified psychiatric pharmacist, she provides clinical pharmacy services and education for patients and providers on evidence-based treatment for developmental and behavioral health conditions.

Elizabeth Thomas, PhD

Assistant Professor, College of Public Health, Temple University

Dr. Thomas is an assistant professor in the College of Public Health at Temple University. She is a psychologist and mental health services researcher with a background in psychiatric rehabilitation and recovery-oriented treatment for individuals living with serious mental illnesses. Her research has particularly centered on early intervention in psychosis, treatment decision-making, and the role of peer specialists in fostering service engagement and community participation. Currently, Dr. Thomas is pursuing research on peer-delivered decision support to enhance emerging adults’ engagement in early intervention services with support from a K08 Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award from the National Institute of Mental Health. She is grateful for the profound influence that peer specialists have had on her work and understanding of how to best serve individuals living with significant mental health issues.

Crystal Vatza, MSCC, LPC, BC-TMH

Education and Tele-Health Manager, HeadsUp

Crystal is the HeadsUp Education and Telehealth Manager. She uses a variety of tools and resources to educate clinicians and the community about psychosis assessment and early intervention. After receiving a BA in Psychology from East Stroudsburg University and an MS in Counseling from Cairn University, she achieved her status as a Licensed Professional Counselor, now approved supervisor, and Board Certified-Tele Mental Health Professional. She has spent more than a decade specializing in psychosis and severe and persistent mental health conditions. She has been a national trainer in many certified and evidence-based curricula, as well as developed and presented individualized trainings ranging from small groups to national conferences. Crystal is driven to eliminate the stigma associated with mental health difficulties and improve access to care for those in need. Her hope is that her service to others will empower those who are struggling to realize their full potential and ability to achieve their dreams and aspirations.

Kaely Whittington, CPRS

Training Coordinator, CPRS

Kaely Whittington, CPRS (she/her), is the Certified Peer Recovery Specialist (CPRS) Training Coordinator at On Our Own of Maryland (OOOMD), a statewide peer-operated behavioral health advocacy and education organization. She coordinates grant-funded projects, provides technical assistance for CPRS initiatives, and provides training on emerging peer support trends and needs. Kaely is a nationally recognized expert in the area of psychiatric advance directives (PADs), propagating her knowledge through curriculum development, film projects, committee work, conference presentations, and publications.Kaely passionately uses her mental health lived experience to advocate for others and promote autonomy. She is an Advanced Level WRAP Facilitator, Adult Mental Health First Aid Instructor, Certified Peer Recovery Specialist, and holds an A.A. from Wor-Wic Community College. Her prior service on Affiliated Santé Group’s Mobile Crisis Team informs her current work spearheading the Peer Support in Crisis Services project. Outside of work, she enjoys creative outlets and unwinding by the water.

Daniel Wolf, MD, PhD

Telehealth Director, HeadsUp

Dan Wolf, MD, PhD, is the HeadsUp Telehealth Director, as well as a practicing psychiatrist and brain imager specializing in psychosis treatment and research. He completed medical and neuroscience training at Yale University, residency training in psychiatry at Harvard University, postdoctoral training in neuropsychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania, and has been a faculty member at the University of Pennsylvania since 2008.

Melanie Yabs, PharmD, MS, BCPP

Clinical Pharmacist, UPMC Services for the Treatment of Early Psychosis (STEP)

Melanie Yabs, PharmD, MS, BCPP, is an outpatient psychiatric clinical pharmacist at Western Psychiatric Hospital (WPH), affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC). Dr. Yabs’s clinical focus is on transitioning patients from inpatient to outpatient care and medication/side effect management at WPH’s outpatient facilities, including Services for the Treatment of Early Psychosis (STEP). Dr. Yabs’s passion for the treatment of psychosis spans over a decade as she helped run clinical trials for a long-acting injectable antipsychotic that many of her patients are now stabilized on. During her pharmacy residency, Dr. Yabs also conducted research on the outcomes of long-acting injectables in early psychosis.