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.
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.
Christina Kenney, MS, Group Therapist and 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.