Professionals - Mental Health Forum, 9/18/2009

Meet the panelists from the mental health forum, held on September 18, 2009.

Dr. Ken Carter

Dr. Carter received his M.A. and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and has recently finished a postdoctoral master’s degree in clinical psychopharmocology from Farligh Dickenson University. Before joining the faculty at Emory University, Dr. Carter served as a Senior Assistant Research Scientist in the Epidemic Intelligence Service of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Currently he is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Oxford College of Emory University where he is actively involved in research and teaching. Dr. Carter has been a psychotherapist and researcher for over 13 years and his work has garnered awards from the National Institutes of Health, the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, and the University of Michigan. In addition to research, Dr. Carter’s is actively engaged in translating research in psychology to everyday language. He has appeared in magazines such as Mental Floss and Readers Digest, and well as in news programs such as Connect With Kids and NBC’s Today Show.

Dr. Erica Duncan

(See Dr. Duncan's answer to some of your questions)

Dr. Duncan received her BA in philosophy from Brown University and her MD from McGill University.  She completed her psychiatry residency at New York University and Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan. After residency she joined the NYU and Manhattan VA faculty and begun to conduct research in biological psychiatry. She also completed psychoanalytic training at the New York Psychoanalytic Institute and had a part time private practice in psychoanalysis in Manhattan. She joined the faculty at Emory and the Atlanta VA in 2000. She currently teaches psychiatry to residents and medical students on the inpatient psychiatry ward at the Atlanta VA and conducts human subjects research. Since completing residency she has had continuous research funding from the VA, NIH, foundations and industry.  Her main research interest is in schizophrenia.  A major focus of her research since 1996 has been the acoustic startle response.  She conducts clinical studies of acoustic startle modulations that model disease processes in schizophrenia, posttraumatic stress disorder, and cocaine dependence.

Dr. Paula Gomes

Dr. Gomes has been Director of the Faculty Staff Assistance Program (FSAP), which serves Emory University and Emory Healthcare since January 2002.  She is a Licensed Psychologist with extensive experience in the provision of behavioral mental health and employee assistance services for individuals, couples, and organizations. Prior to her work at Emory, she served as the EAP Coordinator at the Georgia State University (GSU), Faculty and Staff Assistance Services. Dr. Gomes relocated to Atlanta from Washington, DC, where she had a psychotherapy practice, and organizational consulting business specializing in leadership development, change management, conflict resolution and cultural competency.  Prior to establishing her full time business, Dr. Gomes served as the Director and Associate Director of the Faculty and Staff Assistance Program (FASAP) at Johns Hopkins University.  In addition, she served as Coordinator of Clinical Services at the George Washington University Counseling Center, and Staff Psychologist at the Mount Holyoke College Counseling Services. Dr. Gomes received her doctorate in clinical psychology, from Hahnemann University, Philadelphia, PA, and her bachelor's degree in psychology and sociology from Duke University, Durham, NC.

Dr. Ray Kotwicki

Dr. Kotwicki is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and the Director of Medical Student Education in Psychiatry at the Emory University School of Medicine.  In addition to his academic duties, Dr. Kotwicki leads the clinical services as Medical Director and Vice President of Clinical Services of Skyland Trail, a nationally renowned community mental health program.  Dr. Kotwicki also co-directs Emory University's Fellowship in Community Psychiatry and Public Health.  For his many contributions to social justice and anti-stigma work, Dr. Kotwicki was awarded NAMI's "Exemplary Psychiatrist" Award in 2007.  He also served as President of the Board of Directors of Positive Impact, Inc., an AIDS service organization, for four years and also is active in the Human Rights Campaign.  Dr. Kotwicki completed his undergraduate degree in History of Science at the University of Wisconsin.  He was a Medical Scholar at the University of Wisconsin Medical School and completed his internal medicine internship at Cambridge Hospital of Harvard Medical School.  After studying psychiatry at Boston University and the Emory University School of Medicine, Dr. Kotwicki earned his Master Degree in Public Health in Health Policy and Management at the Rollins School of Public Health of Emory University.  He is Adjunctive Assistant Professor of Health Policy at Rollins School of Public Health and the Georgia State Urban Policy Institute through which he mentors students in mental health policy.

Dr. Jane Yang

Dr. Yang is a licensed psychologist and the Coordinator of Outreach and Consultation Programs at the Emory University Student Counseling Center.  Dr. Yang received her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Southern California.  Dr. Yang’s clinical interests include the identity development of racial/ethnic minority individuals, women’s issues, including intimate partner violence, with particular focus on the experiences of racial/ethnic minority women, and spiritual concerns.  Dr. Yang’s research interests include domestic violence in Asian ethnic communities and the impact of migration on family functioning and family relationships.