Residents, Fellows, Faculty Honored at 2019 Commencement Ceremony

The Yale Department of Psychiatry honored residents, fellows, and faculty at its annual Residency & Fellowship Commencement Ceremony held June 13 at the New Haven Lawn Club.

The event marked the graduation of 19 residents and 23 fellows.

The honorees included the following residents: William Acosta, MD; Aaron Alexander-Bloch, MD, PhD; Pratik Bahekar, MBBS; Andrea Diaz Stransky, MD; Nazli Emadi, MD, PhD; Nkemka Esiobu, MD, MPH; Nikhil Gupta, MBBS; Erin Habecker, MD; Adrianna Hitchins, MD; Jessica Isom, MD, MPH; Natalie Lastra, MD; Emma Lo, MD; Amalia Londono Tobon, MD; Myra Mathis, MD; Maria Juliana Orejarena, MD, MSc, PhD; Amber Posner, MD; Lauren Schmidt, MD; Kunmi Sobowale, MD; and Joseph Taylor, MD, PhD.

Fellows honored were:

Addiction Psychiatry: Danilo Been Carrasco, MD; Joao Paulo De Aquino, MD; Hamilton Gaiani, MD; Brady Heward, MD; Matthew Sloan, MD; Ryan Wallace, MD; Robert Blake Werner, Jr., MD; and Stephanie Yarnell-Mac Grory, MD, PhD.

Forensic Psychiatry: Jessica Abellard, MD; Sarah Baker, MD; Elizabeth Burch, DO; Bhinna Park, MD; Bonny Patel, MD; and Keri Ann Stevenson, MD.

Geriatric Psychiatry: Ebony Dix, MD; Mario Fahed, MD; Manan Gupta, MD; and Chadrick Lane, MD.

Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry: Rabin Dahal, MD; Anna Lisa Derrien, MD; and Walter Luchsinger, MD.

Public Psychiatry: Andrea Mendiola, MD.

Advanced Fellowship in Mental Illness Research and Treatment: Shelley Amen, MD, PhD.

The list of awardees is below.

Faculty Awards

Stephen Fleck Award

Ani Annamalai, MD: Awarded to a faculty member (s) who demonstrates the highest standards of a clinician and educator, following in the footsteps of the late Dr. Stephen Fleck, a long-time member of the Yale faculty who served as a shining example of a clinician-scholar who insisted on giving the highest priority to patient care and teaching.

Chairman’s Award

Lisa Fucito, PhD: The Chairman's Award is given to a junior, full-time faculty member who has excelled in the department's goals of enriching knowledge, transmitting understanding and providing excellence in the delivery of care.

Outstanding Clinical Faculty Award

Marc Rubenstein, MD: The recipient for this award is chosen from the voluntary (clinical) faculty and has demonstrated an ongoing commitment to the department, on a completely voluntary basis. The areas of service include, but are not limited to, teaching, supervision, and committee work

Special Recognition Award

Lorraine Siggins, MD

Resident Awards

Resident Teaching Award

Will Acosta, MD, and Ayala Danzig, MD: The Resident Teaching Award is given in memory of our former resident and colleague, Dr. James Longhurst. It acknowledges and recognizes the contribution of a Yale Psychiatry Resident as an outstanding teacher and role model. The residents are nominated for this award by students, peers, and faculty.

Ira Levine Award

Jessica Chaffkin, MD, and Ayala Danzig, MD: The Ira Levine Award was established in 2004 to recognize outstanding PGY-2 psychiatry residents who best embody the qualities of clinical excellence, breadth of learning, and devotion to the care of severe psychiatric illness exemplified by Dr. Levine.

Program-Wide Chief Resident Certificates

Joseph Taylor, MD, PhD, and Myra Mathis, MD

Chief Residents of Diversity & Inclusion Certificates

Jessica Isom, MD, MPH, and Natalie Lastra, MD

Awards Presented by the Psychiatry Residents' Association (PRA)

PRA Teaching Award

Gustavo Angarita, MD, and Hun Millard, MD: This award acknowledges the outstanding contribution of one or more attending physicians to the education and development of the residents.

Benjamin S. Bunney Award

Hana Ali, MD, and Erica Robinson, MD: The Benjamin S. Bunney Award is awarded annually to a resident who has demonstrated exceptional service to the Psychiatry Residents’ Association (PRA) mission of advocacy for residents and patients, clinical care, and education.

Resident Diversity Award

Lily Balasuriya, MD, MMS, and Flavia DeSouza, MD, MHS

Faculty Diversity Award

Gustavo Angarita, MD, and Teofilo Matos-Santana, MD

PRA Outstanding Supportive Service Award

Amy Bradley and Cristina Madden: This award goes to an outstanding nurse, social worker, or other support staff.