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Current Residents & Program Graduates

Welcome Message from the Chief Residents

Welcome to Loyola University Medical Center’s Psychiatry Residency Program Website!

We are so excited that you’re considering a future in Psychiatry—and even more thrilled to welcome you to the Loyola University Medical Center (LUMC) Psychiatry Residency Program!

Training in the Chicago metropolitan area offers incredible clinical, academic, and cultural opportunities. At Loyola, we’re proud to be part of a residency program that emphasizes clinical excellence, collaboration, and a strong commitment to serving diverse communities. With supportive faculty, a tight-knit resident cohort, and a mission rooted in social justice and compassionate care, we believe Loyola is a truly special place to grow.

Here are a few highlights of what makes our program stand out:

  • A warm, inclusive, and mission-driven culture—our residents genuinely care for one another and our patients
  • Training at a wide range of clinical settings, including a major academic medical center, a VA hospital, and various community-based sites
  • Early exposure to sub-specialties, including Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Forensic Psychiatry, and Geriatric Psychiatry, as well as interventional treatment modalities such as ECT/TMS
  • Dedicated mentorship and teaching from faculty who are passionate about both Psychiatry and resident education
  • A strong emphasis on wellness, balance, and community—with resident-led events, protected wellness time, and supportive leadership
  • Structured psychotherapy training and robust didactics, including Case Conferences, Journal Clubs, and expert-led Grand Rounds
  • Opportunities to pursue clinical electives, research, and advocacy
  • Access to all the incredible food, art, neighborhoods, and culture that make Chicago feel like home

As Chief Residents, we’re here to support, advocate, and cheer you on throughout this journey. We’re so excited to meet you and hope you’ll consider joining our Loyola family in 2026!
Jack, Nene, Gabby, and Julia: 
Co-Chief Residents 2025-2026, Loyola University Medical Center Psychiatry Residency Program

Jack Chovanec, MD


Jack Chovanec, MD
PGY 4

 Nene Takahashi, DO, MPH


Nene Takahashi, DO
PGY 4

 Gabrielle Perez, MD


Gabrielle Arellano, MD
PGY 3

 Julia Organ, MD


Julia Organ, MD
PGY 3

 

PGY-1 Residents

Sarine Arslanian, DOsarine

Hometown: Metro Detroit, MI
Medical School: Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine of Midwestern University
Undergraduate School & Major/Minor: University of Michigan, Health Policy
Psychiatry interests: Interventional psychiatry or addiction  
Hobbies: Fitness & wellness, exploring new recipes, and quality time with friends and family

Anna Ford, MDanna

Hometown: Chicago, IL
Medical School: University of Illinois School of Medicine Peoria 
Undergraduate School & Major/Minor: University of Illinois at Chicago, Biology
Psychiatry interests: Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and women’s mental health.  
Hobbies: Tennis and pickleball, Rock Concerts (The Strokes, Green Day, Hozier, Weezer, The Foo Fighters, and more), Houseplants, Thrifting (collecting retro items), Keeping small pets, Indoor rock climbing, Embroidery (a recent hobby)

Husna Khaleeluddin, MD, MPHhusna

Hometown: Rockford, IL
Medical School: Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine 
Undergraduate School & Major/Minor: Loyola University Chicago, Biology
Graduate School: University of Illinois at Chicago, Public Health
Psychiatry interests: Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Women’s Mental Health, and Addiction Psychiatry.  
Hobbies: I enjoy cooking and baking. My most recent endeavor was making Persian beef kabobs. I am well-known in my community for my cheesecake.  Furthermore, after losing 25 pounds in college, I started to lead a healthier lifestyle by trying to incorporate short high intensity workouts throughout
my week.

Cathy Liu, MDcathy

Hometown: Brookfield, WI
Medical School: University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health
Undergraduate School & Major/Minor: University of Wisconsin – Madison, Neurobiology/Art
Psychiatry interests: Geriatric psychiatry, psychedelic psychiatry, veteran populations
Hobbies: Hiking at National Parks (currently at 23/63), anything active but I love running along the lake, going to art museums to sketch 

Erin Madden, MDerin

Hometown: Detroit, MI
Medical School: Wayne State University School of Medicine 
Undergraduate School & Major/Minor: University of Michigan, Biology
Psychiatry interests: Women's Mental Health 
Hobbies: Katonah yoga and meditation practitioner, global exotic food adventurist, culinary enthusiast specializing in experimental cooking, romance novel aficionado, ice cream connoisseur, amateur potter

Laural Spaccarelli, MDlaural

Hometown: Oak Park, IL
Medical School: Creighton University School of Medicine – Phoenix Campus
Undergraduate School & Major/Minor: University of San Diego, Biology
Psychiatry interests: Interventional psychiatry and adult inpatient psychiatry. 
Hobbies: I have always loved reading and have recently been obsessed with my Kindle. I adore watching live musical theater because it makes my heart soar. I also have a passion for cooking, which I inherited from my father who cooks for people to show love. Recently, I perfected my chicken piccata
recipe.

PGY-2 Residents

Sara Alattar, MD, MS Sara Alattar, MD, MS

Hometown: Chicago Suburbs 
Medical School: Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine 
Undergraduate School & Major/Minor: University of Illinois at Chicago, Major in Biological Sciences 
Graduate School: Northwestern University, MS Global Health
Psychiatry interests: Women’s mental health, psycho-spiritual wellness, ethics
Hobbies:  Outside the hospital: spending time with my husband and family, making third-wave coffee and lattes, working out, photography, perusing fashion trends

Greeshma Chilukuri, MD

Greeshma Chilukuri, MD

Hometown: Plainfield, IL;
Medical School: University of Illinois at Chicago 
Undergraduate School & Major/Minor: Baylor University, Major in Neuroscience
Transitional Year: Clarion Hospital, Clarion, PA
Psychiatry interests: Women’s Mental Health and Interventional Psychiatry 
Hobbies: Reading, binge watching TV, spending time with friends and family!

Anureet Mangat, DO

Anureet Mangat, DO

Hometown: Montreal, Canada
Medical School: Kansas City University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Undergraduate School & Major/Minor: The Ohio State University, Major in Microbiology 
Psychiatry interests: Women’s Behavioral Health and Interventional Psychiatry  
Hobbies: Trying new coffee shops all around Chicago, new restaurants, watching all reality tv, traveling and spending time with friends and family

Malik Salah, MD, Pharm D

Malik Salah, MD, Pharm D

Hometown: Medford, MA 
Medical School: Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine 
Undergraduate School & Major/Minor: Northeastern University Boston, Double Major in Political Science and Pharmacy Studies
Graduate School: Northeastern University Boston, Doctorate Pharmacology 
Psychiatry interests: Addiction Medicine, Psychotherapy, Outpatient Psychiatry
Hobbies: Cooking/baking, exploring new restaurants/coffee shops in the city, running by the lake, traveling to as many new places as possible

Rebecca Simpson, DO

Rebecca Simpson, DO

Hometown: Thousand Oaks, CA
Medical School: Touro University Nevada College of Osteopathic Medicine 
Undergraduate School & Major/Minor:University of San Diego, Major in Behavioral Neuroscience 
Psychiatry interests: inpatient psychiatry, interventional psychiatry, addiction psychiatry, psychotherapy 
Hobbies: Crochet, cooking, stained glass, movie nights with friends, reality TV

Ling Zhong, DO

Ling Zhong, DO

Hometown: Boston, MA
Medical School: Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine;
Undergraduate School & Major/Minor: Northeastern University Boston, Major in Behavioral Neuroscience 
Psychiatry interests: Child Adolescent Psychiatry and Interventional Psychiatry - more specifically the intersection between the two! Also interested in learning more psychotherapy tactics!
Hobbies: I love DIYing - painting, crocheting, sculpting, sewing, I've tried it all. I also love hosting people, so you'll catch me combining the two and hosting a sip and paint every now and then! I also love the outdoors and exploring, my goals are to visit every US national park and visit one country every year!

PGY-3 Residents

Gabrielle Perez, MD

Gabrielle Arellano, MD 

Hometown: Joliet, IL 
Medical School: University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago 
Undergraduate School & Major/Minor: University of Illinois at Chicago: BS Biological Sciences 
Psychiatry interests: Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, women's mental health, psychotherapy. 
Hobbies: Kickboxing, tutoring, watching college football

Adam Hyde, MD

Adam Hyde, MD

Hometown: Tustin, CA 
Medical School: Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine & Science 
Undergraduate School & Major/Minor: California State University Fullerton, Major in Kinesiology, Minor in Health Professions and Chemistry 
Psychiatry interests: Public psychiatry, inpatient psychiatry, interventional psychiatry, addiction psychiatry.  
Hobbies:  I love cycling all over the city with my partner and poodle, growing as a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu martial artist, eating at as many restaurants as possible, traveling as much as possible, watching anime (Berserk, Hunter x Hunter, Psychopass, Claymore), and living in Chicago!

DeWitt (DJ) Jones, DO, MS

DeWitt (DJ) Jones, DO, MS

Hometown: Freeport, New York 
Medical School: Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine  
Undergraduate School & Major/Minor: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, BA English 
Graduate School: Case Western Reserve University, MS Medical Physiology 
Psychiatry interests: Addiction Psychiatry, Emergency Psychiatry, LGBTQ+ Mental Health. 
Hobbies: I began cycling during the pandemic as a way to get active. I recently took my love of cycling to a new level and became very involved with the Peloton community. I have always been an avid tennis player. One of my favorite ways to decompress and relax is to immerse myself in reality television. Specifically, I am a huge fan of the Real Housewives franchises and I love to binge-watch when I have free time!

Erin Leestma, MD

Erin Leestma, MD

Hometown: Zeeland, MI 
Medical School: Wayne State University School of Medicine 
Undergraduate School & Major/Minor: Michigan State University, Major in Genomics and Molecular Genetics, Minor in Spanish 
Psychiatry interests: Addiction, Interventional Psychiatry (TMS, ECT, Psychedelic-assisted Psychotherapy), Inpatient Psychiatry 
Hobbies: Attending festivals, reading, cooking, sewing, disc golf, spending time with family.

Samuel Levin, MD

Samuel Levin, MD

Hometown: Buffalo Grove, IL 
Medical School: University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago 
Undergraduate School & Major/Minor: University of Minnesota: BA Spanish Studies / BS Ecology, Evolution and Behavior 
Psychiatry interests: Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, LGBTQ+ affirming psychiatry, interventional psychiatry (ECT, TMS, etc), and psychodermatoses 
Hobbies: I am an avid trivia fan, I enjoy gardening. I have been fascinated by paleontology since I was a young child, I love to read for pleasure, particularly fiction; Another passion of mine is musical theater.

Julia Organ, MD

Julia Organ, MD

Hometown: Chicago, IL 
Medical School: Loyola Stritch School of Medicine   
Undergraduate School & Major/Minor: Loyola University Chicago: Biology/Bioethics 
Psychiatry interests: Child adolescent psychiatry, women's mental health, and cross-cultural psychiatry  
Hobbies: Spending time with my two mini doodle pups, yoga, classical ballet, gardening, traveling and hiking 

PGY-4 Residents

Jack Chovanec, MDJack Chovanec, MD

Hometown: Waukesha, WI 
Medical School: University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health 
Undergraduate School & Major/Minor: University of Wisconsin-Madison; Major/Minor: Biology/Environmental Studies 
Psychiatry interests: Inpatient psychiatry, Addiction psychiatry, and Interventional Psychiatry 
Hobbies: League trivia, watching sports (especially Wisconsin sports, Go Pack!), card games, and going to the movies

Dipthi Ranganathan, MD

Dipthi Ranganathan, MD

Hometown: Stamford, CT 
Medical School: University of Connecticut School of Medicine 
Undergraduate School: New Jersey Institute of Technology Major/Minor: Biology / Chemistry 
Graduate School: Rutgers University, Biomedical Sciences 
Psychiatry interests: Women’s mental health, reproductive psychiatry, geriatric psychiatry 
Hobbies: Yoga, cooking, going to breweries, laying on the couch and watching Netflix for multiple hours

Nene Takahashi, DO, MPH

Nene Takahashi, DO

Hometown: Tokyo, Japan 
Medical School: Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific 
Undergraduate School & Major/Minor: University of California Davis Major: Neurobiology, physiology and behavior 
Psychiatry interests: Schizophrenia research 
Hobbies: Pottery making, interior design, trying new restaurants

Sophia Tsu, MD

Sophia Tsu, MD

Hometown: Irvine, CA 
Medical School: Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University 
Undergraduate School: University of California, San Diego Major: General Biology; Minor: Psychology 
Psychiatry interests: Women’s mental health, cross-cultural psychiatry, suicide prevention, and psychotherapy 
Hobbies: Rock climbing, concerts, cats, and trying new restaurants

Psychiatry Program Alumni & Alumni Employment

Class of 2025

Rachel Blanda

Rachel Blanda, MD

 

 

 

 

 

Arjun Kaverimanian

Arjun Kaverimanian, MD

 

 

 

 

 

Thomas O'Brien

Thomas O'Brien, DO

 

 

 

 

 

Class of 2024

Danielle Gelfond, MD

Danielle Gelfond, MD

Private Practice, Chicagoland Area

 

 

 

 

Saadiya Jabbar

 

Saadiya Jabbar, MD

United States Air Force, Nebraska

 

 

 

Stephen Morris

Stephen Morris, DO

Eating Recovery Center, Chicago, IL

 

 

 

 

Serena Spaleny

Serena Spaleny, MD

Private Practice, Florida

 

 

 

 

Conrad Stasieluk

Conrad Stasieluk, MD

Consultation Liaison Fellowship, University of Chicago

 

 

 

 

Noor Zayed

Noor Zayed, DO

Private Practice, Chicagoland Area

 

 

 

Class of 2023

Rachel Klauber, DO

Rachel Klauber, DO

Forensic Clinical Services of Cook County Courts, Chicago, IL

 



 

Clinton Korneffel, DO

Clinton Korneffel, DO

Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services, Grand Rapids, MI

 



 

 

 

Michael Padua, MD

Michael Padua, MD

Hopes Clinic, Reno, NV

 

 



 

 

Anandbhai Patel, MD

Anandbhai Patel, MD

Private Practice, Chicagoland

 



 

 

Ashley Schumaker, MD

Ashley Schumaker, MD

Wayne Health, Detroit, MI

 



 

 

Jessica Wuest, DO

Jessica Wuest, DO

Trinity Hospital, Ann Arbor, MI

Katie Bukiri, MD

Katie Bukiri, MD

Edward Hines, Jr, Veterans Hospital – Hines, IL 
 

 

 

 

Rachael Olson-Marszewski, MD

Rachael Olson-Marszewski, MD

Edward Hines, Jr, Veterans Hospital – Hines, IL 
 

 

 

 

Aaima Sayed, MD

Aaima Sayed, MD

Access Community Health – Bloomingdale, IL 
 

 

 

 

Nina Sheade, MD

Nina Sheade, MD

Compass Health Center – Chicago, IL 
 

 

 

 

Ethan Weckstein, DO

Ethan Weckstein, DO

Eating Recovery Center – Chicago, IL 
 

David Jiang, MD

David Jiang, MD

Fairfield VA – Travis AFB, CA 
 

 

 

 

 

Micheal Levy, MD

Micheal Levy, MD

North Shore University Hospital – Deerfield, IL 
 

 

 

 

 

 

Sarah Mennella, MD

Sarah Mennella, MD

Loyola University Medical Center – Maywood, IL 
 

 

 

 

 

Bavani Rajah, MD

Bavani Rajah, MD

CAP Fellowship - Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital – Chicago, IL 
 

 

 

David Thompson, MD

David Thompson, MD

Private Practice – Saint Alphonsus Health System, Bosie, ID 
 

 

 

 

 

 

Tony Tu, MD, PhD

Tony Tu, MD, PhD

Loyola University Medical Center – Maywood, IL 
 

 

 

 

 

Elizabeth Whitham, MD

Elizabeth Whitham, MD

Private Practice – Bangor, ME 
 

 

 

 

 

Ryan Bergren, MD

Ryan Bergren, MD

Chicago Behavioral Hospital and AMITA St. Mary's – Chicago, IL

 

 

 

 

Nicholas Brown, DO

Nicholas Brown, DO

Private Practice: North American Mental Health Services – Redding, CA

 

 

 

 

Megan Midkiff, MD

Megan Midkiff, MD

Advocate Lutheran General Hospital – Park Ridge, IL

 

 

 

 

Alvaro La Rosa, MD

Alvaro La Rosa, MD

C/L Fellowship at UW Medicine, University of Washington – Seattle, WA

 

 

 

Class of 2019 – Alumni Employment

Dinuk Abeysekera, MD

Dinuk Abeysekera, MD

Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center – Chicago, IL

 

 

 

Taylor Kallis, MD

Taylor Kallis, MD

Alberta Health Services, Mental Health Services – Red Deer, Alberta, Canada

 

 

 

 

Dena Oaklander, MD

Dena Oaklander, MD

Child Fellowship at University of Chicago – Chicago, IL

 

 

 

 

 

Erika Olson, MD

Erika Olson, MD

Clarity Clinic, Chicago – IL

 

 

 

 

Ian Pearson, MD

Ian Pearson, MD

Child fellowship at St. Louis Children's Hospital – St. Louis, MO

 

 

 

 

Danika Prochaska, MD

Danika Prochaska, MD

VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System – Los Angeles, CA

 

 

 

 

Christine Ricketts, DO

Christine Ricketts, DO

Oak Health Clinic – Laguna Hills, CA

 

 

 

Dara Wilczynski, DO

Dara Wilczynski, DO

Robert Young Mental Health Center – Moline, IL

 

 

 

 

 

Abraham Ghattas, DO

Abraham Ghattas, DO

VA Long Beach Healthcare System – Long Beach, CA

 

 

 

 

Layna Glenn, MD

Layna Glenn, MD

Private practice – Chicago, IL

 

 

 

 

 

Amrita Mankani, MD

Amrita Mankani, MD

Edward Hines Jr., VA Hospital – Hines, IL

 

 

 

 

 

Jack Owens, MD

Jack Owens, MD

Consult-liaison Fellowship at Cleveland Clinic – Cleveland, OH

 

 

 

Rachel Ramaswamy, DO

Rachel Ramaswamy, DO

Erie Family Health Center – Chicago, IL

 

 

 

 

Manpuneet Samra, MD

Manpuneet Samra, MD

VA Loma Linda Healthcare System – Loma Linda, CA

 

 

 

 

Featured Videos

Meet the Residents of the Psychiatry Residency Program