Leslie Horton PhD, Director
Leslie is interested in better understanding the root causes of why some people develop psychotic disorders like schizophrenia, and in helping young people at risk for psychosis and their families. She earned a PhD in Clinical Psychology in 2010 from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Following her doctoral study, Leslie completed the Clinical Psychology Internship program and postdoctoral training at the University of Pittsburgh Department of Psychiatry with support from a Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award.
Leslie was appointed an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh in 2013. That same year she received the Young Investigator’s Award at the International Congress on Schizophrenia Research. In 2017, she worked closely with Dr. Peter Bachman, Hope Team founder, to establish the clinic with support from The Pittsburgh Foundation. She is glad to be a part of the Hope Team and its goal of bringing treatment services to young people. In addition to her clinical work, Leslie is also a researcher at the University of Pittsburgh. As the Principal Investigator of the Youth Emotions, Thoughts, and Interactions (YETI) Lab, she oversees two grants funded by the National Institutes of Mental Health which aim to identify risk factors for psychosis in young people. Leslie’s recent personal achievements include surviving a close-up encounter with a bear she encountered while mountain biking and being a proud member of the 2017 winning team and 2019 runner-up team at the Carnegie Library’s team trivia competition, the Battle of the Books.
Tushita Mayanil MD, Medical Director
Tushita completed her medical school at Byramjee Jeejeebhoy Medical College, Pune, India, and psychiatry residency at King Edward Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, India. She completed her General Psychiatry residency at the University of Illinois at Chicago and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry fellowship at the Children’s National Medical Center, George Washington University, Washington, DC. During her fellowship, Tushita worked at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) as the SAMHSA Systems of Care Fellow and created a document on Systems of Care approach in Early Onset Psychosis and Clinical High Risk for psychosis populations. Some of the awards Tushita won include the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) Educational Outreach Program Award, AACAP Systems of Care Special Program Grant, and the AACAP Elaine Schlosser Lewis Pilot Research Award for Attention Disorders.
Tushita worked in various research programs including clinical trials and imaging studies. She focuses on individuals with Early Onset Psychosis, and at Clinical High Risk of Psychosis and is very interested in developing a system of care approach to preventing the progression of psychotic illnesses. Her other interests include mood disorders, integrated behavioral health, and teaching. Tushita is a staff psychiatrist at the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh and the Western Psychiatric Hospital of UPMC, the Medical Director of the Western Psychiatric Hospital Outpatient clinic at the Pine Center Wexford, and is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.
Lauren M. Bylsma PhD, Assistant Director
Lauren is interested in emotional processes related to risk for affective disorders in adolescents and young adults. She received her PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of South Florida in 2012 and did her clinical internship at the VA Puget Sound in Seattle. In 2012, Lauren came to the University of Pittsburgh as a postdoctoral scholar in child and adolescent psychiatry. In 2014, she was promoted to Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and received funding from the National Institute of Mental Health to research emotional processing and regulation in adolescents at high risk for depression using neural and behavioral measures. She recently completed a NARSAD-funded project examining the influence of gut microbiome characteristics on depression risk in adolescence. She is also collaborating on other projects to examine emotion regulation processes in daily life in relation to depression and anxiety and emotion dynamics between patient and therapist in the context of psychotherapy.
Since 2014, Lauren has provided clinical supervision and training in cognitive-behavioral therapy for mood and anxiety disorders in adolescents and adults at the UPMC Center for Advanced Psychotherapy (CAP Clinic), where she also currently serves as Co-Director. In 2019, Lauren brought her expertise in affective disorders and CBT to the HOPE Team to further support identification and intervention for at-risk youth.
Emily Barber MA, Outpatient Care Coordinator
Emily earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Edinboro University. Emily completed her Master of Arts in Psychology at Carlow University in Spring 2021. As Hope Team outpatient Care Coordinator, Emily will collaborate with providers, families, and adolescents to arrange screenings and intakes to gain a further understanding of how to best help the consumer. In her free time, Emily likes to read and watch true crime documentaries. Emily enjoys spending time at Shenley Park and shopping at local thrift stores.
Annie Paulik, MS, Therapist
Annie earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology with a focus in neuroscience from Penn State University. She then went on to complete her Master of Science at the University of Pittsburgh where she earned a degree in Clinical Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling. As a behavioral health therapist for the Hope Team, Annie works one on one with individuals to help them learn skills and new ways of thinking to effectively cope with their extraordinary experiences. In her free time, Annie enjoys cooking, working out, and watching reality TV.
Jeff Unterberger MA, Doctoral Practicum Student
Jeff is interested in working with children, adolescents, and young adults with a variety of presenting concerns in a therapeutic setting. In his work, Jeff enjoys incorporating a trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and strengths-based lens. Jeff earned his bachelor's degree in psychology from The University of Pittsburgh in 2019 and his master's degree in psychology from Chatham University in 2020. He is currently a Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) candidate at Chatham University, has experience providing individual and group psychotherapy to youth ages 3-25, and is engaged in research related to counselor training and culturally responsive psychotherapy. As a member of the Hope Team, Jeff will complete intake assessments to better understand how to best help consumers and provide individual cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). In his free time, Jeff enjoys exploring the city with his friends and spending time outside with his pit bull.
Christina Kenney, MS, Outreach Coordinator
Christina Kenney is a licensed professional counselor by the state of Pennsylvania. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and a Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from California University of PA. As a member of the HOPE TEAM, Christina is responsible for guiding innovative outreach efforts, building connections, and supporting the HOPE TEAM clients with their personal goals. Ms. Kenney is most passionate about being a Pittsburgh native and promoting amputee awareness, social justice, and mental health strengthening.
Ligia Antezana, PhD, Group Therapist
Ligia is interested in cognitive and affective mechanisms in autistic people, as they relate to co-occurring symptoms, self-injurious thoughts and behaviors, and intervention outcomes. Ligia received her PhD in Psychology from Virginia Tech. She completed her pre-doctoral clinical psychology internship at Western Psychiatric Hospital, where she began working with the HOPE Team. She is currently a Post-Doctoral Fellow in the Innovative Methods in Pathogenesis and Child Treatment (IMPACT) T32 program. As a member of the HOPE Team, she co-leads the HOPE Skills Group for adolescents and young adults with extraordinary experiences. She is particularly excited about learning from those with lived experiences, and teaching skills related to mindfulness, distress tolerance, and dialectics!
Tina Gupta PhD, Therapist and Postdoctoral Fellow
Tina graduated with a B.A. in Sociology and Psychology from the University of Colorado Boulder. After working as a research coordinator for several years, she went on to attend a PhD Program in Clinical Psychology at Northwestern University studying vulnerability markers contributing to the onset of psychotic disorders. While in graduate school, Tina’s research focused on emotional processes in those at risk for psychosis. Tina began working at HOPE and YETI lab during her internship year at Western Psychiatric Hospital/University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Tina is now a Postdoctoral Fellow in the lab continuing her research on emotional processes across psychiatric illnesses.
Hope Team Alumnae
Jamie Eisner, BA, Peer Specialist (Alumna)
Jamie is currently a Certified Peer Specialist at Western Psychiatric Hospital
Jacquelin Esque, MD, Psychiatry Fellow (Alumna)
Dr. Esque is currently Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Arizona
Lauren Fend, LSW, Care Coordinator (Alumna)
Lauren is currently employed by the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System.
Salsabil Gehan, MA, Care Coordinator (Alumna)
Salsabil is currently a medical student at the University of Pittsburgh.
Brandon Hage, MD, Psychiatry Fellow (Alumnus)
Maria Perica, MA, Psychology Extern (Alumna)
Maria is currently a graduate student in Clinical Psychology at the University of Pittsburgh
Amy Rasmussen, MD, Psychiatry Fellow (Alumna)