Class of 2025

Video of the graduation slide show and photos from the graduation ceremony will be available after June 21, 2025.


Residents, Addiction Medicine FellowsDoctoral Clinical Psychology InternsPostdoctoral Psychology Fellows

 

Travis Alsky, DO

Field of Psychiatry

General Adult Psychiatry

Reflections on Your Residency

To me, residency has been a slow transformation by which change and growth is not always appreciable from day to day. However, looking back from the beginning until now gives a sense of contrast by which the often intangible things I have learned take on accentuated meaning. Overall, I am grateful for our program instilling a strong foundation of integrative medicine and psychodynamic therapy, which have proven time and again to be useful lenses to facilitate healing.

Thank you to...

Thank you to my outpatient supervisors and therapy supervisors for the awesome experience! Thank you to all I have encountered who take the role of teaching as something rewarding in itself.

Where is your career taking you? 

I plan to stay in Tucson.

Kaley Canova-Gaitros, DO - Chief Resident

Field of Psychiatry

Geriatric Psychiatry

Awards

2025: Arizona Psychiatric Society Outstanding Resident Award

Presentations

American Delirium Society 2025 Annual Meeting: "Teaching Delirium: A Review of Interdisciplinary Education Practices"

Reflections on Your Residency

Biggest takeaway: life is all about balance. Work hard, play hard!

Thank you to...

My parents, Chris and Mary; sisters, Kendall, Kassidy, Kamryn, my life partner Anthony, my co-residents and especially co-chiefs, all of the faculty who guided me along the way, and my best friend Bryan.

Where is your career taking you?  

Geriatric Psychiatry Fellowship, COM-T Psychiatry 
BUMCS

Sean Costello, MD - Chief Resident

Field of Psychiatry

Outpatient General Psychiatry

Awards

2023: National Neuroscience Curriculum Initiative Scholar

Where is your career taking you? 

Outpatient Psychiatry

Katelyn Fellows, MD - Chief Resident

Field of Psychiatry

 Consult/Liaison Psychiatry

Awards

2023: The George Ginsberg Fellowship Award
2021: Medical Student Teaching Award

Presentations

2024: Medical Student Perception of Risk related to Specialty Disclosure, WGEA Conference
2024: Medical Student Perception of Risk related to Specialty Disclosure, AAMC Conference

Reflections on Your Residency

Psychiatry training changes you in ways I never expected. I have made incredible friendships during my time here, connected with amazing mentors, built new skill sets through the investment and opportunities of this program, explored a great city and the surrounding nature, and came away with a whole new understanding of the human condition and way of looking at the world. I am so grateful to have had the experiences here at U of A in Tucson. 

Thank you to...

My husband, Spencer, who kept our life running smoothly and being the best companion and partner all through medical school and residency. My parents for their unrivaled enthusiasm and support of my passions all my life. My daughter, Hannah, for coming into this world and showing me what it's all for. 

Where is your career taking you? 

Academic Psychiatry as a consult/liaison psychiatrist and clerkship director in Reno, NV

Alicia Halbert, DO

Field of Psychiatry

Reproductive and Adult Psychiatry

Thank you to...

Dr. Saira Kalia, Dr. Amy Hu, Dr. Barbara Pritchard

Where is your career taking you? 

A mix of private practice/residential.

Christina Rios, MD

Field of Psychiatry

Sleep medicine/psychiatry; I hope to practice both with a focus on hypersomnia, narcolepsy/IH, as well as insomnia, including CBTi. 

Awards

May 2024: WR Martin Research Award
December 2023: MindGames Captain 
July 2022: Psychiatry Resident of the Month

Presentations & Publications 

June 2024: Rios, C., McLouth, C., Meadows, A. “The relationship between parental sleep disturbances, childhood medication adherence and parental major depressive disorder.” American Academy of Sleep Medicine Annual Meeting, Houston, TX. [Poster session] 
March 2024: Rios, C., McLouth, C., Meadows, A. “The relationship between parental sleep disturbances, childhood medication adherence and parental major depressive disorder.” Kentucky Psychiatry Medical Association, Shelbyville, KY. [Poster session]
2022: Khan, I. A., Conway, N. B., Ali, M., Rios, C., Holder, C. L., & Obeso, V. T. Providing care with cultural, racial, and ethnic humility: The framework for an additional EPA. Medical Science Educator, 32(2), 283–285. 

Reflections on Your Residency

Looking back on my residency, my path has been anything but linear – and that’s exactly what made it so meaningful. Transferring from Kentucky to Arizona was a leap of faith, but one that brought clarity and growth. The transition wasn’t just geographical – it was emotional, professional, and taught me adaptability in a way that few clinical experiences could. Starting over in a new environment and navigating new systems sharpened my resilience and strengthened my clinical knowledge in psychiatry and behavioral sleep medicine. I look forward to continuing my journey with my upcoming sleep medicine fellowship and so grateful to all the faculty and staff, who have supported me along the way. This journey hasn’t been straightforward, but it’s been deeply rewarding and I’m walking into the next chapter with a clearer sense of who I am, what I love, and how I want to practice.

Thank you to...

My husband, parents, and brother who have supported me throughout my medical education. I'd also like to thank all of the hard-working faculty and staff who made it possible for my transfer, including Dr. Curry, Dr. Paul, Jenna, Yesenia, Sharon and the rest of the staff - thank you!

Where is your career taking you? 

Mayo Clinic Sleep Medicine Fellowship 

Taha Sahrapour, MD - Chief Resident

Field of Psychiatry

General Adult Psychiatry

Presentations

2025: QI Project: Creating a Buprenorphine Induction Protocol for Patients with OUD
2025: Grand Rounds Presentation: Testosterone and Men’s Mental Health
2023: Journal Club Presentation: Mirtazapine for Treatment of Methamphetamine Use Disorder
2023: Case Report Presentation: Mixed States in Bipolar Disorder
2022: Special Topic of Interest Presentation: Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome versus Serotonin Syndrome
2022: Case Report Presentation: Brain Lesions and Schizophrenia
2021: Case Report Presentation: Treatment Resistant Schizophrenia

Reflections on Your Residency

One of my medical school mentors told me that "medical school makes you a doctor, but residency is what turns you into a physician," which I found to be very true! My time at the U of A not only gave me the experience to navigate through the challenges of being a physician in general, but also the soft skills to deal with the intangibles of psychiatry. I'm grateful for everyone involved in making my residency so gratifying!

Thank you to...

My fiancée, family, friends, and the mentors I made throughout my time here.

Where is your career taking you? 

Inpatient psychiatry at Rock Springs mental health hospital, Georgetown, TX

Giuliano Scaini, DO

Field of Psychiatry

Addiction Psychiatry

Awards

 2022-2023: Medical Student Teaching Award

Presentations

2025: Grand Rounds Presentation: "GLP-1 Agonists in Addiction Medicine: A Novel Approach to Treatment of Substance Use Disorders"
Poster Presentation at University of Arizona College of Medicine Research Day: "Creating a Buprenorphine Induction Protocol for Patients with OUD"

Reflections on Your Residency

More important than helping me become a better psychiatrist, this program helped me become a better human. For that, I will be eternally grateful to the faculty and colleagues I had the opportunity to work with.

Thank you to...

My amazingly supportive family especially my wife Fabi, my mentors Dr. Gumm and Dr. Roberts, my supervisors Drs. Morenz, Suhr, Singh, and Weiss, and our Program Directors Drs. Curry, Kalia and Paul. Honorable mention to my cat, Kiwi, and dog, Toby, for the emotional support.  

Where is your career taking you? 

Addiction Medicine Fellowship, COM-T Psychiatry 

Kyle Schmitz, DO

Field of Psychiatry

TBA

Where is your career taking you? 

TBA

Addiction Medicine Fellowship

Sarthak Garg, MD

Field of Psychiatry

Addiction Psychiatry

Reflections on the Fellowship

Completing my addiction medicine fellowship has been a better experience than I could have hoped for. I’ve gained not only clinical skills but also a greater appreciation for the complexity, resilience, and humanity of people living with substance use disorders. This year has reinforced the importance of compassion, harm reduction, and evidence-based care in addressing one of the most stigmatized areas of society. I’m grateful for the mentorship, collaboration, and opportunities to grow as both a physician and advocate for my patients.

Thank you to...

 My mom, my sisters, my brothers-in-law, and my friends who have kept me sane through school and my medical training. 

Where is your career taking you? 

SAVAHCS Substance Use Disorder Treatment Program

Tianzhu (Kimi) Ge, MD

Field of Psychiatry

General Psychiatry

Where is your career taking you? 

TBD

Daniel Murphy, MD

Field of Psychiatry

Family Medicine, Addiction Medicine

Thank you to...

My wife, Sarah-Grace and my family.

Where is your career taking you? 

Continuing Addiction Medicine practice in Tucson, AZ

Emily Walker, MD

Field of Psychiatry

Addiction Medicine

Where is your career taking you? 

TBD. 

Clinical Psychology Interns

Anita Adams, MS

Field of Psychology

Clinical Psychology

Awards

Feb. 2025 – Present: I2EyE Scholar Award
June 2024: American Psychological Foundation National Register Internship Travel Scholarship
May 2022 & May 2023: Excellence in Clinical Performance, UKY Psychology Department
March 2023: Citation Poster Award, Society for Biopsychosocial Science and Medicine 

Presentations

March 2025: Invited speaker, Dialectical Behavior Therapy Lecture Series. University of Arizona Psychiatry Department, Tucson, AZ.
March 2025: Development of the trait response to emotion dimensional measure for use in minoritized populations [Poster session]. Society for Biopsychosocial Science and Medicine conference, Seattle, WA.Feb. 2025: Intersectionality: Multiple identities’ influence on perceptions of self and others. Society for Personality and Social Psychology Symposium, Denver, CO.
Feb. 2025: Intersectionality and personality: How trait responses to emotion develop from salient life experiences and identities, symposium talk with Segerstrom, S. C., & Smith, G. T. Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Denver, CO.
Oct. 2024: Dynamics between trait neuroticism and self-reported general health during the acute stages of the COVID-19 pandemic: A longitudinal analysis, symposium talk with Hanson, K. R., Hamm, J. M., Garcia, O. G., Duggan, K. A. Annual meeting of the American Public Health Association, Minneapolis, MN. 

Reflections on Your Internship

Internship has really reinvigorated my love for clinical work and academic scholarship. I am grateful to my amazing cohortmates who made internship fun and exploring various events around Tucson so memorable. I have grown in ways as a clinician that I never imagined, and I am ecstatic to continue working with the underserved populations here in Tucson who have shown such resiliency and willingness to engage in therapeutic work to build lives worth living for themselves.

Thank you to...

I would like to acknowledge my academic mentors and clinical supervisors throughout graduate school and while on internship who gave such important mentorship. I'd also like to acknowledge my amazing husband, Zachary Dickinson, my parents, and my closest friends for their ongoing and invaluable support throughout this entire academic journey.

Where is your career taking you? 

Psychology Postdoctoral Fellow at Banner University Medicine Whole Health Clinic

Aaron Aguilar-Bonnette, PhD

Field of Psychology

Addiction/Harm Reduction

Where is your career taking you? 

Texas A&M University Corpus Christi, tenure-track assistant professor

Cori Manning, PhD

Field of Psychology

Pediatric Psychology

Where is your career taking you? 

Postdoctoral Fellowship in Pediatric Behavioral Sleep Medicine at Cincinnati Children's Hospital

Amanda Preston, MA

Field of Psychology

TBA

Where is your career taking you? 

TBA

Janelle Wee, MS

Field of Psychology

TBA

Where is your career taking you? 

TBA

Postdoctoral Psychology Fellows


Catalina Uribe Rini, PsyD, BCBA

Field of Psychology

Child Psychology

Awards

2023: NSU College of Psychology Student of the Year 
2023: National Association of School Psychologists President's Recognition 
2022: Florida Association of School Psychologists Faye Henderson Exemplary Leadership for Minoritized Students

Thank you to...

My husband for the unwavering support that keeps us living across the country from our families, and my mentors who have fostered my growth and prepared me for this next step.

Where is your career taking you? 

Full Time Child Psychologist with Banner/University of Arizona

Yahaira Garcia, PhD

Field of Psychology

Counseling Psychology, Spanish Language Psychological Services and Research Specialization

Thank you to...

My immense gratitude goes out to my supervisors and colleagues who contributed to my growth, development, and success this past year.

Where is your career taking you? 

I am excited for the opportunity to continue to pursue my passion for inpatient work as a psychologist at Western State Hospital in Washington State this upcoming fall.