July 30, 2026

NEW! Yolanda Barner-Thomas will retire on Aug. 31 after 30 years with UT Southwestern Medical Center, more than 20 of which were spent in the Department of Psychiatry administration.

A child of a military family, Yolanda followed in her father’s footsteps, joining the U.S Air Force after earning a bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Psychology from The University of Texas at Austin on an ROTC scholarship. The move was fortuitous. Although she would also go on to earn master’s degrees in Psychological Counseling and Computer Resource Management from Webster University and the University of Maryland respectively, the U.S. Air Force and The University of Texas System impacted her life significantly. They were the only two employers she has worked for in a 48-year career that provided her with the opportunity to travel the world and make a difference at home.

Yolanda joined UT Southwestern as an Employee Relations Supervisor in 1995 after 17 years in the military and quickly transitioned into the Division of Community Women’s Health Care in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, where she rose to the position of Executive Assistant/Senior Administrative Associate overseeing a department of about 650 people in 14 clinics. Yolanda speaks fondly of that time as making a difference in the lives of women in need.

Yolanda transferred to the Psychiatry Department in 2006 and has been an integral part of its administration since that time. Described by friends and coworkers as “dedicated,” “steadfast,” and a “strong advocate for staff, consistently ensuring that voices were heard and concerns were addressed with compassion and professionalism,” she has been lauded for her leadership and willingness to lend a hand whenever one is needed. More than that, Senior Project Manager Shelly Sheets describes Yolanda as “a wonderful friend whose loyalty and commitment to her team never go unnoticed.” Shelly continued, “I deeply appreciate her unwavering support, dependability, and the genuine care she shows to those around her. She leads by example and is always someone her team can count on.”

Dr. C. Munro Cullum, Ph.D., ABPP, cheered Yolanda’s enthusiasm and ability to build camaraderie among coworkers, as well as her work ethic. He said, in part, “Her remarkable attention to detail and ability to juggle multiple responsibilities and challenges with grace have kept the department running smoothly through the years.”

Department Administrator Cari Norz echoed those sentiments, saying, “Throughout her remarkable career, she has exemplified loyalty, hard work, and an unwavering commitment to our department! Her dedication and willingness to support others have made a lasting impact. We are deeply grateful for her many years of service and the countless contributions she has made.”



We are thankful for her service and wish her happiness in the next stage in her life. The department will celebrate her with a party on Aug. 27 from 4-6 p.m. in the A.W. Harris Faculty Club, E4.400. All are welcome to join in the celebration.

NEW! Restructuring will follow Barner-Thomas departure

After many years of dedicated service, Yolanda Barner-Thomas has announced her retirement effective Aug. 31. We are deeply grateful for her numerous contributions to the department and wish her all the best in this well-deserved next chapter.

As part of our organizational restructuring, we are pleased to announce the promotion of Greg King to Assistant Director of Department Operations. In his new role, Greg will continue to oversee the TCMHCC, Parkland, and Children’s MSAs, and the Clinical Incentive Plan while expanding his portfolio to include Faculty & Administrative Affairs and Department Facilities. Greg’s experience, leadership, and commitment to operational excellence position him well to support the department’s continued growth and success.

We are also pleased to announce that Jodi England-Trevino will join the Department as its new Administrative Manager beginning Aug. 3. Jodi has been with UT Southwestern since 2019, most recently serving as the HR Services Supervisor leading the front-line team tasked with responding to issues on an array of HR functions including recruitment, compensation, employee relations, benefits, payroll, and other HR functions. In 2025, Jodi received the HR Stellar Award in 2025. In her new role, Jodi will oversee the administrative activities of the Chairman’s office and serve as the primary internal contact for Human Resource functions across the entire Department.  

We are also excited to share that Jasmina Vuksanovic has been promoted to Manager of Department Operations. Jasmina has been with the department since May of 2022 most recently serving in the role of Senior Faculty Coordinator. Her new role will oversee recruitment, appointment, and promotion activities, for the entire department (more than 300 faculty and 200 adjunct faculty) while also supporting quality/performance improvement activities and other major departmental initiatives. 

DHS rule change could affect F-1, J-1 nonimmigrants

Effective Sept. 15, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is eliminating the "duration of status" (D/S) policy for F-1 and J-1 nonimmigrants and replacing it with fixed admission periods. This means that individuals arriving in the United States on or after Sept. 15, will be admitted for a fixed period (the length of their approved program, not to exceed four years) rather than for "D/S."

Historically, D/S allowed international students, scholars, and physician trainees to remain lawfully in the United States without a fixed departure date while completing their academic program, training, or degree. Under the new rule, however, admissions for F-1 and J-1 nonimmigrants will generally be limited to a maximum of four years unless the individual submits a timely Extension of Stay (EOS) application to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

As a result, if an F-1 or J-1 nonimmigrant's program or training extends beyond their fixed admission period (for example, if additional time is needed to complete a degree or to participate in OPT or STEM OPT), the individual may be required to file an Extension of Stay application directly with USCIS rather than through the Office of International Affairs (OIA). Current filing fees are $420 for online filing or $470 for paper filing, plus an optional $2,075 premium processing fee if expedited adjudication is requested.

OIA staff are actively reviewing and analyzing the final rule to develop implementation plans and guidance for our international community, department administrators, and other stakeholders. OIA will share additional information, including next steps, frequently asked questions, and upcoming webinar opportunities, in the coming days. Check the OIA news alerts webpage regularly as additional information and guidance become available.

TMB- and TBHEC-licensed physicians will receive complimentary CE Broker upgrades soon

Effective Sept. 1, the Texas Medical Board (TMB) will transition to CE Broker as its official platform for tracking continuing education compliance for license renewal. As a result, all TMB licensees will be responsible for maintaining and monitoring their continuing education records in CE Broker. The Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council (TBHEC) has been already using CE Broker.

To support our TMB and TBHEC licensees during this transition, UT Southwestern Medical Center is providing eligible TMB- and TBHEC-licensed clinicians with a complimentary upgraded CE Broker Professional membership. This enhanced membership offers tools such as renewal tracking, alerts for missing requirements, centralized transcript management, and credential tracking to help simplify continuing education compliance.

Eligible licensees should have received an email from the department administration with detailed instructions on updating their information, redeeming their complimentary Professional membership, and accessing their unique redemption code. Please check your email for your unique redemption code. Codes must be redeemed within 30 days of receipt. 

Licensees should also review or create an EthosCE profile at the EthosCE webpage and confirm that their information is current. Maintaining accurate license information in EthosCE helps ensure eligible UTSW CME credits are automatically reported to CE Broker. For UTSW assistance, email the Office of Continuing Education or schedule a 1:1 appointment.

If you have any questions, please email Shelly Sheets.

Conflict of Interest policies have been updated

The Conflict of Interest Office recently revised policies ETH-104: Conflict of Interest and RES-401: Financial Conflicts of Interest in Research. 

These revisions clarify conflict of interest policy requirements to make them more consistent with federal and state regulations. Most of the revisions apply to the conflict of interest review process. However, there are two revisions that apply directly to Covered Individuals – members of the UT Southwestern community who are required to disclose their financial interests in the COI-Info Portal. According to ETH-104, Covered Individuals must complete conflict of interest training when there are material revisions to conflict of interest policies that affect Covered Individuals’ obligations. The Conflict of Interest Office will also incorporate this information into training materials by or before the 2027 Conflict of Interest annual certification period. 

1. ETH-104, Disclosure Timing. See p. 2, #1(c) under Required Disclosures by Covered Individuals. This requirement was revised to clarify that Covered Individuals must disclose "[n]o later than the 30th day after discovering or acquiring (e.g., through purchase, marriage, or inheritance) a new financial interest or outside activity." The prior version did not include "discovering" or the examples.

2. ETH-104, Reimbursed or Sponsored Travel. See p. 2, #1(c)(i) under Required Disclosures by Covered Individuals. The following was added: "This includes each occurrence of reimbursed or sponsored travel." The prior version included unclear language regarding disclosure of such travel. a) Reimbursed travel = An outside entity reimburses the Covered Individual for out-of-pocket travel expenses, e.g., Uber ride. b) Sponsored travel = An outside entity pays for travel arrangements on the Covered Individual's behalf, e.g., hotel stay. c) This requirement applies to reimbursed or sponsored travel directly to or on behalf of the Covered Individual by an outside entity regardless of whether the activity itself is pre-approved in EMP-158 (Outside Activities and Conflict of Commitment). It does not apply to travel reimbursed or sponsored by UT Southwestern (even if the funds UT Southwestern uses to pay for the travel are derived from an institutional agreement with an outside entity). d) Note that since this requirement is included under the first requirement above, each occurrence must be disclosed within 30 days. A summary at the end of the year will not suffice. e) The Conflict of Interest Office is working to improve the COI-Info Portal to better capture this information. For now, be sure to check "Travel required for any activity/interest" in Question 6 of the Statement of Financial Interests and answer the travel questions that appear. You will note the specific instances of travel and dollar amounts in Question 6j.6.

Team members in the Conflict of Interest Office are available to answer any questions you may have about disclosure requirements at this email. If you need help navigating the COI-Info Portal, please see help guides here. 

New and Emerging Children's Mental Health Researchers Awards will open soon

The Texas Child Mental Health Care Consortium recently released its Notice of Funding Opportunity for the FY2028/FY2029 New and Emerging Children's Mental Health Researchers (NECMHR) initiative. Three types of grant opportunities will be available: Post-Doctoral Fellow and Trainee, Research Career Development, and Research Project. An informational webinar is planned Aug. 5 at 11 a.m.

Other key dates for the NECMHR are:

• Request For Pre-applications Release date – Sept. 1, 2026  
• Deadline for pre-application – Sept. 30, 2026 
• Full Application invitations – Oct. 1, 2026 
• Full application deadline – Feb. 1, 2027 
• Notify candidates of conditional award – July 1, 2027 
• Start of FY2829 grant – Sept. 1, 2027 

More information about the grant types is available at the website linked below, and applicants can use CRI's Intent to Submit form if they would like assistance with an NECMHR application.

H-1B Prevailing Wages increase in 2026-2027

Effective July 1, 2026, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) updated the H-1B Prevailing Wage (PW) rates for many occupations. The prevailing wage is the minimum salary an employer must pay an H-1B employee for a specific occupation and geographic area, as established annually by the DOL. Although prevailing wages are updated annually, this year's increases, particularly in the Dallas area, are the largest seen in many years and are expected to significantly increase the cost of sponsoring new H-1B employees.

For example, the prevailing wages for DOL Occupational Code 19-1021.00 (Research Scientist) in Dallas County increased substantially. Wage Level 1 increases from $55,619 to $96,803. Wage Level 2 increases from $58,698 to $145,808. Wage Level 3 increases from $61,776 to $194,792. Wage Level 4 increases from $64,854 to $243,797.

These increases will significantly affect the minimum salary required for new H-1B cases and may impact departmental hiring budgets and workforce planning. The new wage rates apply only to Labor Condition Applications (LCAs), as part of the H-1B application, certified on or after July 1, 2026. They do not affect previously certified LCAs or require salary increases for current H-1B employees. OIA's prevailing wage process will not change. Before filing an H-1B petition, your designated OIA Immigration Advisor will continue to determine the appropriate prevailing wage and ensure compliance with DOL’s H-1B regulations. Because of the magnitude of these changes, departments should verify the applicable prevailing wage early in the recruitment process rather than relying on prior-year wage rates. If you have questions about how these changes may affect your current or future H-1B hires, please contact your designated OIA Immigration Advisor.

UTSW Psychiatry Residency ranks 14th in Nation

The UT Southwestern General Psychiatry program is ranked #14 in the Nation, #1 in the South, and #1 in Texas according to the recently published 2026-2027 Doximity Residency Navigator reputation rankings. Department leadership believes this consistently high ranking speaks to the quality of the educational program, the hard work of our education faculty and staff, and the willingness of our educational leadership to listen to and respond to our residents' needs. As a reminder, Doximity surveys its members annually for these numbers and leadership thanks the faculty and alumni who voted in this year's survey.

REMINDER: Digital Accessibility Office Hours are available

Learn how to create more accessible digital documents and get answers for case-specific questions by logging in to Digital Accessibility Office Hours from Noon-1 p.m. every Tuesday on Teams. The sessions are run by digital accessibility experts who can assist with best practices and individualized advice.

Use tables for functionality, not design

Often in Microsoft Word, tables are employed as a design element rather than a data display. For accessibility, the best practice is to avoid tables and instead use headings and paragraphs, with the column layout design as an option for altering the flow of the text. If a table is truly displaying data, ensure that each column has a header row and that the header row repeats if a table extends to another page. Do not use the fixed width setting for columns or merge the cells. Use the Alt Text option in Table Properties to state a caption or title for the table.

NEW! Dr. Laura Adams, Ph.D., recently joined the team at the Texas Behavioral Health Center as a Clinical Assistant Professor. Born in Corpus Christi, she spent part of her childhood in Mexico City. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Literature from Columbia College and a Master’s degree in Organizational Psychology from Columbia Teachers College, later completing her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at UT Southwestern Medical Center. In the 20 years since she last served on faculty at UTSW, she has embraced a wide variety of professional experiences, including a faculty post in PM&R at Johns Hopkins University, intensive clinical roles with Veterans Affairs Health Care, and most recently a role as forensic psychologist and director at Austin State Hospital.

NEW! Ashkan Rashedi recently joined Dr. Hamed Ekhtiari’s Lab as a Research Engineer. After earning his master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, he spent more than a decade in the aerospace industry, developing technologies for space exploration and robotic systems designed to search for signs of life and valuable resources beyond Earth. Today, he brings the same spirit of discovery to a new frontier: developing technologies to explore the depths of the brain and better understand the human mind.

Dr. Alex Preston, M.D., M.P.H., recently joined the department as a Clinical Assistant Professor after graduating as UT Southwestern's first Women’s Mental Health fellow. She earned a Master’s in Public Health at Columbia University specializing in Sexual and Reproductive Health and found a desired focus in Reproductive Psychiatry beginning as a medical student at UT Dell in Austin. She is passionate about helping women experience improved mental health and live fuller lives, whether that be addressing perimenstrual exacerbation of psychiatric disorders, healing from a perinatal mood disorder, or thoughtfully designing interventions to maintain psychiatric wellness during the menopause transition or during a breast or gynecologic cancer. 

Kelly Jeong recently joined the Department of Psychiatry as a Clinical Research Assistant II in Dr. Manish Jha's lab. She graduated from The George Washington University with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychological and Brain Sciences and brings hands-on experience working with veterans and vulnerable populations through her volunteer work at the VA Medical Center. In her new role she will contribute to psychiatric research through participant screening and enrollment, clinical data collection, and regulatory compliance.

NEW! Dr. Lia Thomas, M.D., made an appearance on the Psychiatry Boot Camp podcast for the episode "A Practical Guide to the Psychiatry Match." Watch the episode here.

NEW! Several members of the Psychiatry Department were nominated for the upcoming 2026 APP Outstanding Achievement Awards. The nominations highlight exceptional contributions across clinical practice, leadership, teaching, scholarly work, and service.

Outstanding APP in Ambulatory Clinical Practice

• Abigail Nevins, M.P.A.S., PA-C
• Alexandra Chapman, M.S.N., APRN, PMHNP-BC
• Jennifer Perez, D.M.Sc, M.P.A.S., PA-C

Outstanding APP in Scholarly Endeavors

• Snoben Kuruvila, D.M.S., M.P.A.S., PA-C, CAQ-Psy

Outstanding APP in Inpatient Clinical Practice

• Shalini Maharaj, M.P.A.S., PA-C

APP CHAMPion Nominees

• Dr. Kenneth Dekleva, M.D.
• Dr. Naveed Khokhar, M.D.

NEW! Dr. Molin Shi, Ph.D., has been awarded the 2026 Walter Katkovsky Scholarship by the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP) Foundation. The scholarship will subsidize Dr. Shi's ABPP board certification.

NEW! The On My Own Time employee art showcase features three works by members of the Psychiatry Department. Department Facilities Administrator Bradley Cleaver's "Mawley" was selected in the Ceramics, Wood, & Glass category. "Reflection" by Dr. Medha Iyer, M.D., Ph.D., (center) was chosen for the Painting category. "Thirst" a poem by Dr. Abigail Ortiz, M.D., (right) was selected for the Literary Works category.

Dr. Andre Russowsky Brunoni, M.D., Ph.D., M.B.A., has been named as a Distinguished Reviewer by JAMA Psychiatry. To be considered a Distinguished Reviewer, a reviewer must consistently provide high-quality peer review ranked very good or excellent by the journal's editorial team, which in turn has allowed its editors to make timely decisions.

Dr. Tarek Rajji, M.D., has been awarded the 2025 Publication of the Year Award from the International Society to Advance Alzheimer’s Research and Neuropsychiatric Syndromes PIA. The paper, "Escitalopram for agitation in Alzheimer’s dementia: a randomized controlled phase 3 trial," was published in Nature Medicine.

Dr. Siddarth Prasad, M.D., M.Ed., a resident in General Psychiatry, has been selected for Doximity's inaugural Clinical AI Leader fellowship.

Dr. Sherwood Brown, M.D., Ph.D., M.B.A., and Dr. Yingxi Lin, Ph.D., have each been awarded $10,000 Special Grant Incentives (SGI). The SGI program provides funding to UT Southwestern faculty members who are successful in obtaining federal awards and encourages faculty to further pursue federal awards to advance science and benefit patients.

The 2026-2027 Psychiatry Residency Chief Residents have been announced. They are (left to right): Dr. William Burton, M.D., Dr. Sarah Elmer, M.D., Dr. Gameli Anthonio, M.D., and Dr. Seena Ounsinegad, M.D.

Davon Breedlove, a Chief Resident of the Clinical Psychology doctoral program, has been awarded a Division 53, Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology travel award for the 2026 American Psychological Association Convention in Washington, D.C. He will be presenting the posters, "Parenting Stress as a Developmental Mechanism in Pediatric Functional Neurological Disorders (FNDI)" and "Comparative Autism Spectrum Disorder Profiles in Girls with Turner Syndrome."

NEW! Dr. Laura Lacritz, Ph.D., ABPP, and Dr. William Goette, Ph.D., spoke at an education event for members of the BvB Dallas Foundation sponsored by the UT Southwestern Office of Development on July 22. BvB Dallas funds the UTSW BvB Dallas Alzheimer’s Disease Neuropsychology Fellowship in which Dr. Lacritz is the Training Director.

NEW! The UTSW Department of Psychiatry was well-represented at the Texas Society of Child/Adolescent Psychiatry (TSCAP) Annual Meeting in Galveston earlier this month. Dr. Rabia Ayvaci, M.D., presented "Emerging Evidence and Clinical Translation of TMS in Pediatric Populations." Dr. Kaylee Davis-Bordovsky, M.D., was elected as the TSCAP Secretary/Treasurer for the ’26-’27 term. She is on the Executive Council as an American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) Assembly Delegate. Dr. Andrew Diederich, M.D., completed his term as immediate past president during the annual meeting. Dr. Mohsin Khan, M.D., is on the executive committee for TSCAP and has been serving as the Chair of the Programming Committee since 2024. Dr. Mili Khandheria, M.D., is on the executive committee for TSCAP. Dr. Alyssa Shaffner, M.D., was elected as a TSCAP Delegate for AACAP's Assembly for a three-year appointment. She is also the Government Affairs Chair for the TSCAP Committee. 

NEW! Dr. Mohsin Khan, M.D., and Dr. Alyssa Shaffner, M.D. presented at the International Association of Law and Mental Health conference in Montreal on June 30 along with two colleagues from the UT Medical Branch. 

A group of Clinical Psychology Doctoral students and faculty recently provided mental health screenings and resources at an event at The Shops at RedBird. From left to right, Tara Driskill, Leah Bullinger, Dr. Tyler Evans, Ph.D., Maya Hubbard, Briana Johnson, and Alex Woolsey are pictured with Dallas Cowboys outside linebacker Sam Williams (center).

Dr. Joseph Guillory, M.D., was invited to serve as an expert panelist at the Texas Society of Child/Adolescent Psychiatry Annual Meeting in Galveston on July 19. The panel was titled, "Developmentally Informed Advocacy and Accommodations Across Childhood and Adolescence."

NEW! CE Broker tutorial webinar scheduled for Aug. 3

As part of UT Southwestern’s transition to the Texas Medical Board’s new continuing education tracking process, Texas Medical Board-licensed physicians are invited to attend a CE Broker Professional Account Tutorial Webinar hosted by Propelus exclusively for UT Southwestern.

Date: Monday, Aug. 3

Time: 11 a.m.

Registration is required:

The webinar will provide a step-by-step overview of how to:

• Create and navigate your CE Broker account.

• Redeem your complimentary UT Southwestern Professional membership, if you received a redemption code.

• Use the features available through a Professional account.

• Upload and report individual continuing education activities.

• Upload and report Maintenance of Certification documentation, which may satisfy most TMB continuing education requirements.

• Monitor your progress toward TMB continuing education compliance.

Please note that this webinar will focus specifically on the CE Broker account and platform. Separate educational offerings will address the use of your UT Southwestern EthosCE account.

Those unable to attend the live session will be able to access a recording. Additional details will be shared following the webinar.

NEW! Learn more about Copilot, Microsoft 365's AI assistant

Attend a full day of learning focused on Microsoft Copilot and the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. Sessions are organized into two subjects – foundational understanding and applied skills – allowing participants to build knowledge and then apply it to real-world scenarios.

All-day sessions will be offered Aug. 6-7 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. in Professional Office Building 1 (POB1), HA1.100. The same content will be provided on both days. Click here to learn more about UT Southwestern's approved AI tools.

NEW! Successfully Earning a K (SEAK) deadline is Oct. 2

Improve your likelihood of funding with the Successfully Earning a K (SEAK) workshop, each Tuesday from Oct. 20-Jan. 25. Participants will craft relevant sections of a K award application for review at each session. Completed grant applications will be reviewed, and participants will take part in a mock study section.

The SEAK workshop will be led by Dr. E. Sherwood Brown, M.D., Ph.D., M.B.A., Professor of Psychiatry, Vice Chair for Clinical Research, Chief of the Division of Clinical Neuroscience, and Director of the Psychoneuroendocrine Research Program at UT Southwestern Medical Center. Dr. Brown serves on several journal editorial boards and has been awarded numerous grants from NIH and private foundations. The application deadline is Friday, Oct. 2.

Save the date: 2026-2027 Psychiatry Department Retreat

The 2026-2027 Psychiatry Department Retreat will be Friday, Oct. 23, from 12:30-5 p.m. The location is on campus and will be announced soon. Be ready to learn, have fun, and get to know your coworkers. Watch for a Save the Date in your email.