NEW! 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.

NEW! 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.

Apply for the Health Equity Scholars Program

The Health Equity Scholars Program seeks to develop clinical faculty who are passionate about health equity research. Selected scholars will receive two years of financial support and professional mentorship, along with tools and experience to promote community health and wellness. Additionally, participants will join the Office of Faculty Development’s LEAD cohort, with 20% of their full-time salary funded for education and outreach projects. The Health Equity Scholars Program is funded by UT Southwestern and Parkland Health. Applications are open from now until July 31 for the 2025-2027 cycle. The program begins on Oct. 1.

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.

Kala Bailey, M.D., M.B.A., has been appointed as the Executive Clinical Director of Neuroscience, leading the service line in partnership with the associate vice president for neuroscience clinical programs. In this new aspect of Dr. Bailey's work, she will develop strategies to advance clinical performance and quality and to provide equitable access to operational resources in alignment with Health System goals, as well as serve as a liaison for clinical department, hospital and ambulatory leaders, UT Southwestern clinical partners, and referring physicians. Alongside this executive leadership role, Dr. Bailey will continue her role as Vice Chair for Clinical Affairs, overseeing the clinical programs, patient care operations, and faculty and providing strategic and operational leadership for all clinical activities in the Department of Psychiatry.

NEW! 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, TX. Ashanti will be working with the Transitional Adult Youth program, along with other case management projects.

NEW! 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 Elizabeth Heitman, Ph.D., and John Sadler, M.D. Sherwood Brown, M.D., provided additional support to the project. 

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

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."

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 Betsy Kennard, Psy.D., and 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 Chadrick Lane, M.D. Dr. Lane explains key aspects of functional neurological disorder.

Flood recovery volunteering

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 will be on site 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. 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 Adam Brenner, M.D., Vice Chair, Education, and Residency Program Director; Tameka Ellis, M.B.A., Education Manager; and Associate Program Directors Timothy Wolff, M.D., Lia Thomas, M.D., Adriane Dela Cruz, M.D., Ph.D., and Josh Hubregsen, M.D. Congratulations to all and many thanks to our education leaders for this ongoing upward trajectory!

Master Educator Fellowship

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 advanced teaching skills and expertise in educational theory and educational scholarship to foster a positive learning experience.

NIMH Outstanding Resident Award

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 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 Associate Professor 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! 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 are volunteering their 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 with the designation of Approved Provider by the Association for Play Therapy to provide education and CEs to Registered Play Therapists in the community or those seeking their RPT credential.  

NEW! 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. 

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.

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."

Psychiatry Department Town Hall

Wednesday, Sept. 3, 12-1 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.