Psychiatry Residents
Meet Our Current Psychiatry Residents
Class of 2027
Julianne Chu, MD
Medical School:St. George’s University School of Medicine
About me: I grew up in New York City and went to Chapin, an all-girls school in Manhattan for 13 years. I am the third child of four girls, and we all grew up playing squash. I was recruited to Harvard University where we won the Team National Squash Championship 3 of my 4 years. In college, I was initially on the premed track, but after taking psychology classes such as Personality Disorders, I became passionate about it and decided to major in Psychology. After Harvard, I completed a two-year postbaccalaureate program to complete my premed courses and then applied to medical school while working at a private plastic surgery practice in Manhattan.
Hobbies: Anything active and outdoors like Spikeball or Pickleball.
What got you interested in psychiatry? During my undergraduate studies, I spent two summers at Harvard’s Nock Lab, working alongside a dedicated team of graduate students focusing on PTSD in veterans. I was deeply moved by the stories I heard and the strength I witnessed. This experience ignited a passion in me for mental health, leading me to pursue my BA degree in psychology. As I became increasingly fascinated by the intricacies of the human mind, I realized that my passion could serve a meaningful purpose in psychiatry. Matching into a psychiatry residency felt like a natural progression from the classroom to the clinical side, so that one day I can positively contribute to mental health support.
Fellowship/Specialty of Interest: Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
Michael Kelson, MD
Medical School: Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine
About me: I was born and raised in Boca Raton, FL and completed my undergraduate studies in Biology at the University of Miami. My second home is at the gym, I love to stay active, and I’m excited to spend the next 4 years living by the beach.
Hobbies: Wakeboarding, hiking, fishing, sports (especially football & MMA), fitness training, nutrition, and traveling.
What got you interested in psychiatry? In college, I became infatuated with psychology and the puzzling intricacies of the human mind. What captivates me about psychiatry is that it allows the practitioner to gain greater insight into human behaviors, cognition, mood, and perceptions. Medical school augmented my craving to treat people with mental health disorders as I worked with many inspirational psychiatrists, watching them practice their craft in awe.
Fellowship/Specialty of Interest: Addiction Psychiatry
Michelle Lanspa, DO
Medical School: Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine
About me: I was born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska, the oldest of seven siblings. I went to college at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and majored in Science and Technology in International Affairs with a concentration in international health. I spent the next seven years living in Italy and Spain working in project management for anti-human trafficking nonprofit organizations, the European Commission, and the United Nations. I also completed an MBA at IE Business School in Madrid. I got married in Italy and my husband and I decided to come back to the U.S. so we could start a family and I could finally achieve my dream of attending medical school. My daughter was two years old when I started medical school and has been my inspiration throughout my medical training.
Hobbies: I love going to see Broadway shows, spending time boating with my husband and daughter, and doing a little tai chi when I have time.
What got you interested in psychiatry? I started medical school drawn to psychiatry for a variety of reasons. I loved Irvin Yalom’s books. Additionally, having worked so many years in public health, I saw how physical health, dietary, environmental, inter-generational, and trauma-related factors have an effect on a person’s mental health and quality of life, and I wanted to play a part in helping individuals and communities work through all the different influences affecting their mental wellbeing. Finally, thanks to my training in nutrition, I have become fascinated by the work being done in neuroinflammation and the gut microbiome-brain axis, and I would love to contribute more research to these lines of study.
Fellowship/Specialty of Interest: Reproductive Psychiatry / Psychoneuroendocrinology, Nutritional Psychiatry
Rishi Prasad, MD
Medical School: University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
About me: I grew up in Philly and left for the University of Miami for both undergrad and medical school. I love taking advantage of everything South FL has to offer and am very excited to stay here for another 4 years.
Hobbies: Being outdoors and in water, poker, fantasy football, pets, going out, traveling.
What got you interested in psychiatry? During undergrad, I majored in political science and find the intersection between politics and mental health care fascinating. As the societal stigma surrounding mental health decreases, funding and laws supporting mental health subsequently continue to improve, which is one of the reasons I believe psychiatry is the most exciting and innovative field of medicine.
Fellowship/Specialty of Interest: Addiction or forensic psychiatry
Class of 2026
Katherine Ammon, MD
Medical School: University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine
About me: I’m a military brat from the Florida Panhandle, with an equal love for science and art. During my undergraduate years, I studied Biochemistry, Creative Writing, and Improvisational Theatre at Rollins College in Central Florida. I’m excited to continue sharpening this interdisciplinary lens at Memorial.
Hobbies: Improv comedy, writing, cooking, gaming, and traveling.
What got you interested in psychiatry? I love that psychiatry is a medicine driven by humanity: No diagnosis can be made without hearing the patient’s story first. Because of this, each case feels different. And, each case provides a unique opportunity for the psychiatrist to be an advocate and confidante for a person in need.
Fellowship/Specialty of Interest: Psychiatry of medically complex patients, Psychotherapy
Conner Lipin, DO
Medical School: Western University
About me: I was born and raised in Florida and the youngest of three boys. I attended Lehigh University followed by graduate school at the University of San Francisco.
Hobbies: Beach, boating, biking, fishing, fitness, and friends.
What got you interested in psychiatry? I rotated through a state hospital during medical school and was fascinated by the pathology I was exposed to. Also realized that it was a great fit for my personality.
Fellowship/Specialty of Interest: Addiction or Forensics
Daniel Pearlman, MD
Medical School: St. George's University School of Medicine
About me: I grew up and went to high school in Montclair, NJ. I moved to Washington, DC to attend Georgetown University, where I majored in Philosophy while pursuing a pre-med track. After graduating, I attended Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth to earn a Masters in Public Health. Then I got married, went to medical school, adopted two dogs, had my first child, became a doctor, and now I'm a first year resident in Psychiatry at Memorial.
Hobbies: When I'm not working, I like to spend my time hanging out my wife, our daughter, and our two dogs. We try to do things outdoors as much as possible.
What got you interested in psychiatry? In college I became involved in research with a group of neurologists investigating the role of neuroinflammatory, oxidative, and autoimmune mechanism in neurological disorders that often present with predominantly psychiatric features. That research later shifted into clarifying the role of similar and related mechanisms in the etiology of a subset of patients with primary psychiatric disorders. In medical school, I solidified my choice to pursue psychiatry based on the gratifying clinical experiences and mentorship during my clinical rotation and sub-internships in the field. I saw in psychiatry the extent to which severe illness deprives those affected of their ability to experience life the way most of us take for granted, and the unique way in which psychiatric illness affects the quality of life of entire families. Having the opportunity to alleviate some of that suffering through applications of the uniquely fascinating and rapidly expanding field of neuroscience is essentially why I decided to become a psychiatrist.
Fellowship/Specialty of Interest: My area of interest is neuroinflammation and psychiatric illness.
Diego Prentice-Webb, MD
Medical School: University of Illinois Chicago - College of Medicine
About me: I grew up in the USA, Dubai, and Lima, Peru. After graduating from college, I spent the majority of my adult life in Chicago. Having grown up by the beach I'm so happy to be living my best life back by the sea (sorry Lake Michigan, it's not personal). I love playing and watching sports and also enjoy spending my off time with friends and family. I have a cat called Gallego.
Hobbies: Futbol ("soccer"), rugby, basketball, fantasy football, wordle, eating Peruvian food, video games.
What got you interested in psychiatry? Right before medical school I had been volunteering as a Spanish medical interpreter at a free clinic. I was particularly moved by how the profound mental health was affecting some of the patients and wanted to be someone who could help them with that. When I got to medical school I realized that psychiatry was the final frontier of medicine and have never looked back since. I am particularly interested in working with severe psychiatric disorders in the inpatient setting.
Fellowship/Specialty of Interest: Consult liaison, addictions.
Class of 2025
Madeline Bruman, MD
Medical School: American University of the Caribbean
About me: My name is Maddie and I was born and raised in Houston, TX. I went to Texas A&M for undergrad and AUC for medical school. My medical school basic sciences was located on the island of St. Martin. It was an incredible experience to be able to live in the Caribbean. I did my clinical rotations in New York, and I am happy to be back living in warmer weather in south Florida.
Hobbies: Dogs, scuba diving, tennis, traveling and exploring new cultures, trying new foods, and anything on the beach.
What got you interested in psychiatry? I’ve always had a passion for mental health. I feel that psychiatry is a highly stigmatized field, and I want to help alleviate that stigma. I attended medical school with hopes that I would become a psychiatrist. Although I tried to keep an open mind in clinical rotations, I was always drawn to the mental aspects of each patient. I love the interdisciplinary collaboration between, patients, families, social workers, nurses, therapists, and psychiatrists.
Fellowship/Specialty of Interest: Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Sabina Goldstein, MD
Medical School: American University of the Caribbean
About me: I was born and raised in New York and went to Columbia University for undergrad where I majored in Political Science. After a brief stint working in politics, I had a change of heart and (fortunately) decided to pursue a career in medicine.
Hobbies: Trivia, fitness, hiking, traveling, Harry Potter, Hockey (Let’s go devils!), eating, finding new restaurants, all things Greg Daniels and Michael Schur.
What got you interested in psychiatry? I never considered psychiatry until my Psych rotation in my third year. I loved that treating psychiatric patients requires a collaborative approach and incorporates so many aspects of patients’ lives.
Fellowship/Specialty of Interest: So far I’m really interested in CL, but I’m willing to be swayed.
Diana Llompart, MD
Medical School: Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine
About me: I was born and raised in Miami, Florida. I grew up in a Cuban household and was a first generation student. I'm a triple Panther from FIU where I studied Psychology as an undergraduate student, obtained a Masters of Public Health with a focus on Epidemiology and completed medical school.
Hobbies: Painting (oil, acrylic), photography, ping pong/table tennis, and salsa dancing.
What got you interested in psychiatry? I have always been intrigued by the dynamic of the human mind and behavior within the context of the biopsychosocial model, which encompasses social determinants of health. I liked the integrative approach and teamwork involved in patient care as well as the positive impact on quality of life for patients seen within the field of psychiatry. I'm also passionate about addressing mental health disparities and destigmatizing mental illness.
Fellowship/Specialty of Interest: As of now consultation liaison, Forensic and Inpatient Psychiatry. I am open to other psychiatric specialties.
Pilar Zaldivar Alonso, MD
Medical School: Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine
About me: I was born in Cuba and moved to Miami at the age of 14. It was challenging at the beginning to adapt to a new culture due to the language barrier, but once I learned English, I was able to fit right in. But don’t get me wrong, I’m still as Cuban as they come!
Hobbies: Going out with friends, playing video games, kayaking, watching movies (as long as they are comedies), salsa dancing, traveling.
What got you interested in psychiatry? Early on in my medical school years I explored different specialties, but my Psychiatry rotation exceeded my expectations. I wanted to train in a specialty that is intellectually challenging, builds long-lasting patient interactions, and provides care to underrepresented and vulnerable populations, and I found all that in Psychiatry.
Fellowship/Specialty of Interest: Forensic Psychiatry and Addiction Psychiatry
Class of 2024
Trisha Cardillo, MD
Medical School: Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine at Florida Atlantic University
About me: I came to medicine via a very non-traditional path. I obtained my BA in Environmental Analysis from the University of California at Irvine, then worked in the world of Social Security disability for almost 25 years, running my own law practice for 17 years and actively involved in advocacy and continuing legal education for representatives through involvement in a national professional association. I became discontent with the politics over time, but always enjoyed medicine. Several Administrative Law Judges I knew encouraged me to consider medical school. I was excited by the idea (and I'll admit, a bit scared). I had to go back for the prerequisite courses, then obtained my MS in Biology with an emphasis in Virology and Immunology from Georgia State University. I was privileged to be accepted by FAU and graduated from medical school at the age of 52. I'm married, with three grown sons and a very old cat.
Hobbies: Scuba diving, snorkeling, kayaking, reading, cooking/baking, backgammon, poker, and anything related to animals (but have a passion for sharks and stingrays).
What got you interested in psychiatry? In my disability practice, I was fascinated by my clients with mental disorders, especially schizophrenia. Interviewing and eliciting stories from patients feels very natural to me. I then had the great privilege of rotating with Dr. Sotelo in psychiatry at Memorial during my fourth year of medical school - and I was hooked!
Fellowship/Specialty of Interest: I am most interested in consult-liaison, forensic and emergency psychiatry. I enjoy academics as well, and love working with students.
Jacqueline Hong, MD
Medical School: University of Texas Medical Branch School of Medicine
About me: I was born in NY, and have lived in OR, PA, TX, and FL. I was homeschooled starting in 6th grade, where I picked up juggling, unicycling, and Capoeira. I love being creative. I also love reptiles and I have a pet gecko!
Hobbies: Powerlifting, drawing, video games, and movies.
What got you interested in psychiatry? I became interested in psychology starting in middle school. I wasn't thinking of doing psychiatry when I entered medical school but the rotation eventually won me over.
Fellowship/Specialty of Interest: Emergency Department Psychiatry and Child Psychiatry
Cory Horowitz, MD
Medical School: University of Oklahoma College of Medicine, Tulsa
About me: I grew up in Connecticut and found myself transplanted to Oklahoma after college to serve with Teach For America where I taught some of the most amazing young people I had ever met. While there I found my passion for psychiatry and my drive to continue to work with underserved communities in my career as a physician.
Hobbies: Board game aficionado, puppy playdates, and aspiring Pokémon master.
What got you interested in psychiatry? What drew me to psychiatry is the person-focused approach that is central to the field. Being able to spend time with our patients and working to understand the biopsychosocial situation each person experiences makes each visit feel unique and interesting.
Fellowship/Specialty of Interest: I am planning to pursue a fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry on completing residency.
Vidhya Meyyappa, MD
Medical School: University of Arizona College of Medicine, Phoenix
About me: I was born and raised in Mesa, AZ, attended college in St. Louis, and returned to Arizona for medical school.
Hobbies: Reading, hiking, and sleeping.
What got you interested in psychiatry? I enjoy spending time with individual patients, getting to know their stories. I also appreciate the opportunity to work with an often underserved or stigmatized population.
Fellowship/Specialty of Interest: Unsure for now, possibly child and adolescent psychiatry.
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