NEW! Dr. Timothy Wolff, M.D., will end his faculty appointment on Aug. 31 after 38 years at UT Southwestern. Please join us as we celebrate the impact he has had during his time here. Dr. Wolff obtained his undergraduate degree in Biology at Brown University in 1979. He earned his medical degree at UT Southwestern Medical School in 1983 and completed his Psychiatric Residency at Baylor College of Medicine, where he was Chief Resident. He joined UT Southwestern as a faculty member in 1987. Dr. Wolff has touched thousands of lives in his almost four decades as a clinician, clinical administrator, and educator. His expertise in student mental health has been invaluable as a staff psychiatrist at the Student Mental Health Service and the Multidisciplinary Clinic. His work in adult outpatient psychiatry has played a significant role at the Parkland Psychiatry Outpatient Clinic, where he is Interim Medical Director. His work as Associate Residency Training Director for the General Adult Psychiatry Residency Program has also made a profound impact on the training our residents receive. Other highlights of Dr. Wolff’s career include serving as Medical Director of the Parkland inpatient unit for 13 years, acting as a board exam questions writer and an oral examiner for the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, and representing his fellow educators as a president of the UTSWMC Faculty Senate. A Distinguished Life Fellow with the American Psychiatric Association and a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha medical honor society, Dr. Wolff is a tireless advocate for mental health and was recognized for his efforts with the 2024 Distinguished Service Award from the Texas Society of Psychiatric Physicians. Dr. Wolff was presented with a plaque recognizing his contributions to the residency program in June of this year stating, in part, that he “will always remain as a shining example of the values we aspire to in our residents and ourselves.” Dr. Adriane dela Cruz saluted Dr. Wolff’s “sage counsel and steadfast determination in the world of residency education” and noted his wry sense of humor. He is known for awarding humorous “Aluminum Stars” – a mix of earnest praise and lighthearted joking – to residents, staff, and faculty for their hard work. Dr. Wolff has been an exceptional educator and mentor for almost four decades at UT Southwestern. We are thankful for his service and wish him the best in the next stage of his life. He will remain connected to our department as an adjunct professor.

Writing Accountability Group meetings set

NEW! The Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) Program has announced the dates for its Fall 2025 Writing Accountability Group cohort. The workshop will consist of six sessions of around 75 minutes each via Microsoft Teams on Oct. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, and Nov. 5, during which researchers will work on their own scholarly writing accompanied by individual and group accountability. While participants can work on smaller documents (e.g. cover letters, emails, or abstracts), past cohorts suggest that individuals working on larger documents (e.g. manuscripts and grants) benefit most from this workshop series.

MOAs include updated Faculty Code of Conduct

Annual Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) reappointment letters for faculty will be sent on Aug. 1, 2025, via DocuSign. A revised and updated Faculty Code of Conduct will be included. The MOA must be signed by 5 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 15, 2025. Please note that the reappointment letters have been approved by the Dean’s office and no changes will be made. Contact Jasmina Vuksanovic with questions.

Indirect Cost Rate adjusted

The Sponsored Programs Administration (SPA) has announced a new negotiated indirect cost (IDC) for on-campus research. The new rate is 66% and has been effective since Sept. 1, 2024. It applies to all new proposals submitted on or after that date and any awards issued based on those proposals. Existing awards will continue to use the IDC rate effective at the time of the proposal submission unless otherwise stipulated by the sponsor. This change reflects an updated agreement with the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) dated May 21, 2025, and applies to any new award that allows for the application of the federally negotiated rate. Please be sure to use the updated rate when developing budgets for new proposals. eGrants and PeopleSoft systems have been updated to reflect the new IDC rate. Revised budget templates are also available in eGrants, and updated guidance is available on the SPA website.

Dr. Sandarsh Surya, M.D., has accepted the role of Medical Director for the Parkland Outpatient Behavioral Health Clinic, effective following the retirement of Timothy Wolff, M.D., Aug. 31. Dr. Surya joined UT Southwestern and Parkland earlier this year, bringing a wealth of experience in clinical care, education, and leadership. He is a board-certified psychiatrist with subspecialty certification in geriatric psychiatry and nationally recognized for his work in neurostimulation and treatment-resistant mood disorders, with extensive publications on electroconvulsive therapy, clozapine safety, and innovative treatments in psychiatry. Dr. Surya has already made a significant impact through his work as Assistant Medical Director of the Behavioral Health Clinic. His collaborative spirit, clinical expertise, and deep commitment to education and quality improvement make him an ideal leader to guide our outpatient behavioral health services into the future.

NEW! Opal Brown has joined the Clinical Research Infrastructure (CRI) and the Division of Psychology as a Senior Grants and Contract Specialist. Opal earned her bachelor's degree in Healthcare Administration from Jackson State University and a Master of Health Services Administration from Mississippi College. She has an extensive background in clinical research as a clinical trial professional and as a grants and contract specialist at large academic medical centers specializing in neuroscience and psychiatry. She will be working closely with Dr. Munro Cullum's group.

NEW! Dr. Brittney Campbell, D.O., has joined the Children's Foster Care Clinic and UT Southwestern's Student Wellness and Counselling Clinic as a faculty psychiatrist. A Dallas native, she attended medical school at the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, completed her general psychiatric residency at UT Health San Antonio, and recently completed her Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship at UT Southwestern. She enjoys spending time with friends and family, scrapbooking, and attending musical theatre performances. 

NEW! Dr. Abby Ortiz, M.D., will lead the Computational Psychiatry program at UTSW. Dr. Ortiz is an expert in bipolar disorder with a research focus on understanding mood regulation and forecasting episodes of illness using mathematical models and wearable technology. She completed her medical training in Mexico and her postgraduate studies at McGill University and Dalhousie University. Dr. Ortiz has been presented with more than 15 awards in her career, including the Samuel Gershon Award by the International Society of Bipolar Disorders, and the Clinical Innovator of the Year by Digital Health Canada. She is also a certified yoga instructor.

NEW! Dr. M. Alyssa Shaffner, M.D., has joined the Center for Autism Disorders and the Community Psychiatry Workforce Expansion, a program of the Texas Child Mental Health Care Consortium. Her interests are developmental disorders, advocacy, and medical education. Dr. Shaffner earned her bachelor's degree from Abilene Christian University before attending medical school and fellowships in General and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her pets, collecting Christmas sweaters and earrings, and traveling to new places.

Dr. Marisela Munoz Puga, M.D. has joined the Children’s Health Eating Disorder Team as faculty in Plano. Dr. Munoz earned her medical degree from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston before completing an Adult Psychiatry Residency and a Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship at UT Southwestern.

Kacie Lancaster joins the CTRN team as a research coordinator. Kacie graduated from Abilene Christian University with a Master of Science in Clinical Psychology after earning an undergraduate degree in Psychology at Texas Tech University. She has two dogs – both rescues.

Kirk Dickey, a long-time communications professional, has joined the Chair’s Office as the Marketing and Communications Manager. In this role, Kirk will lead our department's reputation-building activities, including newsletters, social media, and flyers, among other opportunities for sharing our announcements, activities, and achievements. Originally from northwest Louisiana, Kirk started his career in journalism before transitioning to public relations and marketing, a field that he has worked in for more than a decade.

Ashanti Thomas, L.M.S.W., obtained a bachelor's degree in social work at Stephen F. Austin State University in East Texas. Ashanti then obtained a master’s degree in social work at the University of Texas in Arlington. Ashanti will be working with the Transitional Adult Youth program, along with other case management projects.

NEW! Dr. Chadrick Lane, M.D. was the featured guest on The Journey of Science podcast, during which he discussed functional neurological disorder, how predictive coding helps explain symptoms like tremors or non-epileptic seizures, and how treatments like transcranial magnetic stimulation may help reset these faulty circuits. Listen to the podcast here.

Psychiatry Resident Ashley Tsang's research article, "Evaluating Psychiatry Journals' Adherence to Informed Consent Guidelines for Case Reports," was recently published in Research Integrity and Peer Review and featured as a "Worthwhile Read" on the Retraction Watch website. The article is the product of a 2.5-year research project by Dr.​ Tsang, conducted under Dr. Elizabeth Heitman, Ph.D., and Dr. John Sadler, M.D. Dr. Sherwood Brown, M.D., provided additional support to the project. 

Dr. Jasmine Ghannadpour, Ph.D., was interviewed for the D Magazine article, “A Resource Guide for Talking to Children About Tragedies.” 

Dr. Stevie Puckett-Perez, Ph.D., was interviewed for the NPR and Texas Standard story, "How to talk to your kids about the Hill Country floods."

Dr. Kate Magnuson, Psy.D., was interviewed for KRLD-AM about introducing the topic of the Central Texas floods to children in the article, "How should we break the news about the TX Flooding Disaster to our kids?"

In consideration of the tragic flooding in the Hill Country, UT Southwestern updated a Q&A with Dr. Betsy Kennard, Psy.D., and Dr. James Norcross, M.D., about how to best talk with children about sensitive topics in the wake of traumatic events.

The UT Southwestern MedBlog "Treating functional neurological disorder by retraining the brain and body" includes a "Doctor's Notes" video featuring Dr. Chadrick Lane, M.D. Dr. Lane explains key aspects of functional neurological disorder.

Dedman Family Scholar

NEW! Dr. Jeff Schaffert, Ph.D., has been appointed as a Dedman Family Scholar in Clinical Care. This honor is given to an exceptional junior faculty member who provides patient care and conducts research. The award is made possible by a foundation started by the late Robert Dedman, Sr. The award includes four years of funding for research projects.

Flood recovery volunteering

Dr. Michael Preston, M.D., has volunteered to support the Texas Health and Human Services Commission Disaster Response and Hill Country Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities mission to assist families in the aftermath of the Central Texas Fourth of July weekend flooding disaster. Dr. Preston and a group of volunteers will relieve other support personnel currently on scene, providing trauma and emotional support for Hill Country staff, their families, and other residents who come to the Emotional Support Center set up in that area. The volunteer group set up in that area from Aug. 4-7.

The Psych Avatar Project

The Psych Avatar Project has been selected by the University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) Capstone Project. Dr. Darlene King, M.D., will work with teams at UTD and UT Southwestern's BioHPC to create a UTSW website that allows educators to create simulated patients for Behavioral Health training purposes.

Doximity Reputation Ranking continues to rise

The 2025-2026 Doximity Residency Reputation ranking for UT Southwestern Psychiatry has risen to #14 in the nation (up from 15 last year) while continuing as #1 in the South and #1 in Texas. Doximity surveys its members annually for these numbers, and we appreciate the votes from our faculty and alumni. Our scores reflect the hard work of our education faculty and staff in listening and responding to the residents to continually advance the quality of our program. These efforts are led by Dr. Adam Brenner, M.D., Vice Chair, Education, and Residency Program Director; Tameka Ellis, M.B.A., Education Manager; and Associate Program Directors Dr. Timothy Wolff, M.D., Dr. Lia Thomas, M.D., Dr. Adriane Dela Cruz, M.D., Ph.D., and Dr. Josh Hubregsen, M.D. Congratulations to all and many thanks to our education leaders for this ongoing upward trajectory!

Master Educator Fellowship

Dr. Juan Sosa, M.D., has received the Association for Academic Psychiatry's 2025 Master Educator IDEA Fellowship. Psychiatric educators in the program become effective leaders in health professions education in psychiatry and develop expertise in educational theory and educational scholarship to foster a positive learning experience.

NIMH Outstanding Resident Award

Dr. Cesar Montelongo-Hernandez, M.D., M.S., Ph.D., a resident in our Research Track program, has been invited to present his research as an Honorable Mention Awardee in the Outstanding Resident Award Program at the National Institute of Mental Health.

Golden Heart Award

Amanda Bower, LCSW-S, has received our Golden Heart Award for Clinical Excellence this month. 

Service Milestones Celebration

Department Chair Dr. Tarek K. Rajji, M.D., hosted a luncheon to celebrate Department of Psychiatry members who have reached milestone years. View photos from the event and the list of faculty and staff celebrating their achievements.

NEW! Please join us in thanking Dr. Joe Kwon, M.D., for his many years of dedicated service as he embarks on the next stage of his career journey. Dr. Kwon earned his medical degree from the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago, followed by a residency in General Psychiatry and a fellowship in Addiction Psychiatry at the New York University School of Medicine. He joined the UT Southwestern faculty in 2016. He is a member of the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry, the American Association for Emergency Psychiatry, and the American Psychiatric Association. Dr. Kwon has published peer-reviewed research on substance abuse and emergency psychiatry and has lectured widely on acute psychiatric care settings. He has served in multiple leadership roles, most recently as the Medical Director of Psychiatric Emergency Services (PES) at Parkland. He also served as the Co-Chief of Psychiatry and was the inaugural Medical Director of the Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) Service at Parkland, helping establish the first interventional psychiatric program accessible to the most vulnerable patients in Dallas County. Dr. Kwon’s leadership was instrumental in navigating several critical challenges at Parkland, from the closure of Green Oaks’ psychiatric emergency room, which nearly tripled the volume of acute psychiatric cases at the Parkland’s ER, to the COVID-19 pandemic and its resulting cascade of medical and psychological complications. Under his leadership, the PES grew to become the largest academic psychiatric emergency service in the nation. Colleagues said that his calm and resourceful approach provided essential support during trying times. He has also contributed significantly to hospital and university committees focused on improving the quality of care and safety of psychiatric services at Parkland and the professionalism of psychiatric providers. We are deeply grateful for all that Dr. Kwon has contributed to the academic and clinical missions of UT Southwestern. We wish him continued success and fulfillment as he relocates to California to continue his professional journey.

Please join us in thanking Associate Professor Dr. Geetha Shivakumar, M.D., for her many accomplishments as she transitions to the next stage of her professional journey. Dr. Shivakumar earned her MBBS from Bangalore University and served as a resident at University of Arkansas Medical Sciences before coming to UT Southwestern in 2002. At UTSW, she has served as a resident physician, research fellow, and associate professor. She earned her MS in Clinical Sciences from the university in 2009. In addition to her associate professor duties, Dr. Shivakumar has been the co-director of the Dallas VA’s Network of Dedicated Enrollment Sites (NODES) since 2024, following leadership roles at the Fort Worth VA Mental Health Clinic and the VA North Texas Health Care System. She was also a staff psychiatrist at the Dallas VA Diamond Clinic and was a women's mental health champion. An American Psychiatric Association Fellow, much of Dr. Shivakumar’s recent research focused on women veterans and their maternal mental health. She has also served as a site primary investigator for multi-site studies on post-traumatic stress disorder, opioid use disorder, and the patterns and experience of VA Maternity Care Coordination. Dr. Shivakumar shared that starting from residency through her time as teaching faculty, UT Southwestern Psychiatry has given her a rich learning environment and opportunities that continue to shape her professional career. She added that “observing and learning from great teachers and pioneers of the field and later working with trainees and residents has been truly rewarding aspect of my career. I am especially proud of our Women’s Mental Health colleagues who continue make impact on lives of many women through their passion for clinical care, education, and advocacy.” We are grateful for the significant role she has played in shaping the lives of her students and patients. She will be relocating to northern California. We offer her congratulations and best wishes on the next step in her career.

NEW! The O'Donnell Brain Institute and members of the Cullum lab in the Department of Psychiatry shared information on the North Texas Concussion Registry (ConTex), Endophenotypes of Persistent Post-Concussive Symptoms in Adolescents (Care4Kids), Brain Health Outcomes in Aging Former College Athletes (CLEAATS), and Concussion Health Improvement Project (CHIP) at the 71st Annual Southwest Athletic Trainers’ Association (SWATA) Symposium, July 17-19 in Frisco. Representing UT Southwestern were (from left) Sebastian Chowdhury, Dr. Stephen C. Bunt, Ed.D., and Ingrid Tamez. SWATA athletic trainers support athletes at all levels, from schools and universities to amateur and professional sports throughout Texas and Arkansas.

NEW! Davon Breedlove, a rising third-year graduate student, served on a graduate student panel at the Psychology Career Seminar at Children’s Health in Plano. As a panelist, Davon shared insights on clinical training experiences, professional development, and career pathways in the field of psychology. He offered valuable guidance to undergraduate and early graduate students on navigating the journey toward a career in mental health.

Children's Health had its first-ever Play Therapy Day Conference on July 25. "Common Concerns in Kids" paired experts in sleep, feeding, toileting, and school with play therapy experts. Eight Children’s employees presented, and eight employees volunteered time as the Play Therapy Education Planning Committee. Organizers called the event a great success. Children’s Health is the only hospital in the world designated an Approved Provider by the Association for Play Therapy for education and CEs to Registered Play Therapists in the community or those seeking the RPT credential.

Medical student Mashal Ali presented a poster titled “Beyond the Burn: Pain, Body Image, and Physical Function in Pediatric Rehabilitation” at the Texas Society of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in July. 

Dr. Kaylee Davis-Bordovsky, M.D., Assistant Professor in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, presented “Psychiatric Medications in the Classroom: An Overview for School Nurses” to 250 DFW school nurses at the Children’s School-Based Health Academy.

Dr. Kipp Pietrantonio, Ph.D., presented at the Society for the Psychological Study of Social issues Conference in Portland, Oregon, in a symposium titled "Advancing Economic Justice with Psychological Science."

CTSA Multisite Clinical Research Trials seminar

NEW! The Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) Program will host a virtual seminar titled, "Developing and Executing High-Quality Multisite Clinical Research Trials" from 1-2 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 13. Discussion topics include improving quality and efficiency of multisite trials, increasing collaboration and communication among multisite research investigators at UT Southwestern, developing standardized procedures and best practices, among others.

Psychiatry Department Town Hall

Wednesday, Sept. 3, Noon-1 p.m. via Zoom

Check your calendar for the Zoom link.

OBI Workshop for New Faculty

New OBI-affiliated faculty members (hired from 2023 to present) are invited to learn how to establish and maintain a lab at UT Southwestern. Administrative experts from across campus will discuss specific processes, deadlines, and policies and answer your questions.

Date: Thursday, Sept. 11 Time: 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Location: NM3.930 (Thompson Family Conference Center)

2025-2026 O'Donnell Brain Institute Seminar Series

The 2025-2026 O'Donnell Brain Institute Seminar Series speakers are internationally and nationally recognized leaders in neuroscience from around the country and the world. View the new academic year lineup here and check the weekly OBI Events and Funding Newsletter for any updated seminar details. All seminars are held in NM3.930 (Thompson Family Conference Center) unless otherwise noted.