UT Health Austin Pediatric Psychiatry at Dell Children's

Your care may include multiple team members across a variety of specialties within UT Health Austin Pediatric Psychiatry at Dell Children's. It's how we provide whole-person, multidisciplinary care, planning, and treatment for our patients.

Pediatric Psychiatrists

Ryan Brown, MD

Pediatric Psychiatrist
UT Health Austin Pediatric Psychiatry at Dell Children’s

Gabriel Garza, MD

Pediatric Psychiatrist
UT Health Austin Pediatric Psychiatry at Dell Children’s

Specialization(s)

  • Adolescent psychiatry
  • Child psychiatry

Sean Kerrigan, MD

Pediatric Psychiatrist
UT Health Austin Pediatric Psychiatry at Dell Children’s

Specialization(s)

  • Child and adolescent psychiatry
  • Eating disorders
  • Inpatient psychiatry

Roshni Koli, MD

Medical Director of Pediatric Mental Health
UT Health Austin Pediatric Psychiatry at Dell Children’s

Pediatric Psychiatrist
UT Health Austin Pediatric Psychiatry at Dell Children’s

Specialization(s)

  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Neuropsychiatry

J. Michele LaGrone, MD

Pediatric Psychiatrist
UT Health Austin Pediatric Psychiatry at Dell Children’s

Specialization(s)

  • Attention deficit/​hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
  • Attention disorders
  • Anxiety disorders
  • Behavioral disorders
  • Benign phobic hallucinations
  • Major depressive disorders
  • Psychotic disorders

Nithya Mani, MD

Pediatric Psychiatrist
UT Health Austin Pediatric Psychiatry at Dell Children’s

Diana Prieto, MD

Pediatric Psychiatrist
UT Health Austin Pediatric Psychiatry at Dell Children’s

Specialization(s)

  • Anxiety
  • Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
  • Bipolar disorder
  • Depression
  • Mood disorders
  • Personality disorder
  • Schizophrenia

Jane Ripperger-Suhler, MD, FAPA

Pediatric Psychiatrist
UT Health Austin Pediatric Psychiatry at Dell Children’s

Specialization(s)

  • Child and adolescent psychiatry
  • School psychiatry

Claire Selinger, MD

Pediatric Psychiatrist
UT Health Austin Pediatric Psychiatry at Dell Children’s

Eric Shute, MD

Pediatric Psychiatrist
UT Health Austin Pediatric Psychiatry at Dell Children’s

Specialization(s)

  • Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
  • LGBT mental health issues
  • Pediatric somatic disorders
  • Pediatric consultation psychiatry

Kari Whatley, MD

Pediatric Psychiatrist
UT Health Austin Pediatric Psychiatry at Dell Children’s

Pediatric Psychologists

Janie Black, PhD

Pediatric Psychologist
UT Health Austin Pediatric Psychiatry at Dell Children’s

Specialization(s)

  • Adjustment disorders
  • Cognitive behavioral therapy
  • Family-based treatment for eating disorders
  • Gender dysphoria/​gender affirmation
  • Generalized anxiety
  • Grief/​loss
  • Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
  • Specific phobia

Mariel Cannady, PsyD

Pediatric Psychologist
UT Health Austin Pediatric Psychiatry at Dell Children’s

Specialization(s)

  • Anxiety
  • Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
  • Autism spectrum disorders (ASD)
  • Behavior therapy
  • Disruptive behaviors
  • Home-school collaboration
  • Obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD)
  • Parent training

David F. Curtis, PhD

Pediatric Psychologist
UT Health Austin Pediatric Psychiatry at Dell Children’s

Specialization(s)

  • Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
  • Clinical Investigation/​Clinical Science
  • Disruptive Behavior Problems
  • Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD)
  • Pediatric Integrated Primary Care

Levi DeFilipp, PsyD

Pediatric Psychologist
UT Health Austin Pediatric Psychiatry at Dell Children’s

Specialization(s)

  • Consultation-liaison services
  • Hematology and oncology
  • Pediatrics

Ana F. El-Behadli, PhD

Pediatric Psychologist
UT Health Austin Pediatric Psychiatry at Dell Children’s

Lindsey Elliott, PhD

Pediatric Psychologist
UT Health Austin Pediatric Psychiatry at Dell Children’s

Specialization(s)

  • Somatic symptom and related disorders

Sara Gill, PhD

Pediatric Psychologist
UT Health Austin Pediatric Psychiatry at Dell Children’s

David Heckler, PhD, ABPP

Pediatric Psychologist
UT Health Austin Pediatric Psychiatry at Dell Children’s

Specialization(s)

  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Pain

Meredith Holley, PhD

Pediatric Psychologist
UT Health Austin Pediatric Psychiatry at Dell Children’s

Specialization(s)

  • Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
  • Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD/ADD)
  • Anxiety disorders (e.g., obsessive-compulsive disorder)
  • Eligibility determination for access to educational services & accommodations
  • Learning disabilities (e.g., dyslexia and dysgraphia)
  • Neuropsychological evaluations of children and adolescents

Sasha Jaquez, PhD

Pediatric Psychologist
UT Health Austin Pediatric Psychiatry at Dell Children’s

Specialization(s)

  • Behavioral health
  • Chronic illness
  • Sleep disorders

Ankita Krishnan, PhD

Pediatric Psychologist
UT Health Austin Pediatric Psychiatry​at Dell Children’s

Specialization(s)

  • Behavioral and emotional concerns
  • Child and adolescent anxiety
  • Culturally informed treatment and assessment
  • Child and adolescent depression
  • Evidence-based treatments (e.g., cognitive-behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, exposure therapy)
  • Neurodevelopmental disorders (e.g., autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder)
  • Parent management training/​behavior management training
  • Trauma

Chris Laguna, PhD

Pediatric Psychologist
UT Health Austin Pediatric Psychiatry at Dell Children’s

Specialization(s)

  • Homelessness
  • Inpatient child and adolescent mental health
  • Integrated behavioral health
  • Integrated dual disorders treatment
  • Motivational interviewing

Alexandra Lamari-Fisher, PhD

Pediatric Psychologist
UT Health Austin Pediatric Psychiatry​at Dell Children’s

Pediatric Psychologist
Texas Center for Pediatric and Congenital Heart Disease

Specialization(s)

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
  • Exposure therapy
  • Motivational Interviewing
  • Parent-child interaction therapy (PICT)
  • Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy​(TF-CBT)

Lynn Monnat, PhD

Pediatric Psychologist
UT Health Austin Pediatric Psychiatry at Dell Children’s

Specialization(s)

  • Anxiety/​depression
  • Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
  • Disruptive behavior disorders
  • Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Delana Parker, PhD

Pediatric Psychologist
UT Health Austin Pediatric Psychiatry at Dell Children’s

Specialization(s)

  • Anxiety
  • Chronic illness self-management
  • Depression
  • Pediatric pain

Puja G. Patel, PhD

Pediatric Psychologist
UT Health Austin Pediatric Psychiatry at Dell Children’s

Specialization(s)

  • Adjustment to chronic illness
  • Anxiety
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
  • Depression
  • Medical regimen adherence
  • Pain management

Sarah Schoffstall, PhD

Pediatric Psychologist
UT Health Austin Pediatric Psychiatry​at Dell Children’s

Specialization(s)

  • Deaf and hard of hearing patients

Jeffrey Shahidullah, PhD

Pediatric Psychologist
UT Health Austin Pediatric Psychiatry at Dell Children’s

Specialization(s)

  • Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
  • Disruptive behavior disorders
  • School performance problems

Hani Talebi, PhD, LSSP

Director of Pediatric Psychology
UT Health Austin Pediatric Psychiatry at Dell Children’s

Pediatric Psychologist
UT Health Austin Pediatric Psychiatry at Dell Children’s

Specialization(s)

  • Consultation/​liaison psychology
  • Parent management training
  • Pediatric externalizing behavior disorders

Oscar Widales-Benitez, PhD

Pediatric Psychologist
UT Health Austin Pediatric Psychiatry​at Dell Children’s

Specialization(s)

  • Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
  • Bereavement, grief, and loss
  • Bilingual (Spanish and English) and LGBTQ+ affirming services
  • Internalizing disorders (e.g., anxiety, depression)
  • Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Nurses and Advanced Practice Providers

Ellen Bleiweiss, MSN, APRN, PMHNP-BC

Pediatric Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner
UT Health Austin Pediatric Psychiatry at Dell Children’s

Specialization(s)

  • Pediatric psychiatry

Amanda J. Simonton, PhD, APRN, PMHNP-BC

Pediatric Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
UT Health Austin Pediatric Psychiatry at Dell Children’s

Specialization(s)

  • Child/​adolescent psychiatry
  • Schizophrenia-spectrum disorders
  • Substance use disorders

Social Workers and Licensed Professional Counselors

Terry Edwards, Jr., LCSW

Social Worker
Integrated Behavioral Health

Social Worker
UT Health Austin Pediatric Psychiatry at Dell Children’s

Specialization(s)

  • Children and families
  • Non-violent crisis intervention
  • Restorative practice

Marcella Maxwell, MA, LMFT, LPC

Director
Dell Children’s Educational Advocacy Program

Licensed Professional Counselor
UT Health Austin Pediatric Psychiatry at Dell Children’s

Specialization(s)

  • Advocacy & consultation with schools
  • Cognitive behavioral therapy
  • Exposure therapy
  • Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy

Krystle Pleitz, LCSW

Social Worker
Integrated Behavioral Health

Social Worker
UT Health Austin Pediatric Psychiatry at Dell Children’s

Specialization(s)

  • Adolescents
  • Chronic illness
  • Crisis intervention
  • Grief and loss
  • Individual and family therapy
  • Pediatrics

Mia Roldan, LCSW, LCDC

Social Worker
Integrated Behavioral Health

Social Worker
UT Health Austin Pediatric Psychiatry at Dell Children’s

Specialization(s)

  • Eating disorders
  • Grief and loss
  • Trauma

Amanda Youngblood, MA, LPC

Licensed Professional Counselor
UT Health Austin Pediatric Psychiatry​at Dell Children’s

Specialization(s)

  • Adjustment concerns
  • Anxiety
  • At-risk patients
  • Mood disorders
  • Self-esteem