Meet Our Faculty
At UNC, our Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry Fellowship is proud to feature a diverse and experienced faculty dedicated to teaching and mentoring the next generation of CL psychiatrists. Our faculty members possess a wide range of expertise, united by their passion for providing exceptional patient care and training. In addition to our core CL faculty detailed below, we have strong relationships with faculty experts in Eating Disorders, Women’s Mood Disorders, Forensic Psychiatry, Interventional Psychiatry, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Hospital Ethics, and Psychiatric Pharmacy. These collaborations allow us to offer our trainees access to specialized knowledge and guidance in these important areas.
Explore our faculty bios to learn more about their individual backgrounds, areas of expertise, and commitment to your professional development.
CL Division Leadership
Dr. Bill Scheidler, MD (he/him), serves as an Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at UNC and the Training Director for the CL Fellowship. He completed his medical education at the University of Michigan Medical School, followed by residency and fellowship training at UNC-Chapel Hill. Since joining the UNC CL division in 2019, Dr. Scheidler has focused on clinical interests including bioethics, psycho-oncology, quality and safety, telepsychiatry, and physician wellness. He has particular expertise in working with patients with sickle cell disease, studying the psychosocial and medical challenges this population faces.
Dr. Scheidler is deeply involved in medical education and curriculum development. As the CL Fellowship Training Director, he is dedicated to implementing innovative teaching methods, including the development of an innovative fellowship training structure as well as incorporation of a hybrid didactics calendar in collaboration with the CL psychiatry program at the University of Indiana.
When asked what he values most about working with the CL team at UNC, Dr. Scheidler shared, “I love the collegial environment, the ability to collaborate on complex and fascinating cases, the support and engagement of colleagues, and the ability to work with wonderful trainees.” These qualities, along with the supportive team dynamic, keep him committed to the division. Outside of work, Dr. Scheidler enjoys spending time with his family, including his two children and two dogs, cooking, and watching collegiate athletics (Go Heels! Go Blue!).
Dr. Donald L. Rosenstein, MD (he/him), is a Professor of Psychiatry and Medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he directs the Comprehensive Cancer Support Program and serves as Vice-Chair for the Division of Hospital Psychiatry. He earned his undergraduate degree in psychology from Wesleyan University and his medical degree from Northwestern University School of Medicine, completing his psychiatry residency at Yale University.
Before joining UNC in 2009, Dr. Rosenstein was the Clinical Director of the National Institute of Mental Health and Chief of the Psychiatry Consultation-Liaison Service at the National Institutes of Health. He is Past-President of both the Academy of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry and the American Psychosocial Oncology Society. His research focuses on cancer survivorship and the psychosocial aspects of advanced cancer, including the Widowed Parent Project, which supports parents who have lost spouses to cancer.
At UNC, Dr. Rosenstein supervises CL fellows and residents, particularly in psycho-oncology, and collaborates on research addressing financial toxicity in cancer care. He values the collaborative and supportive environment of the CL Psychiatry division, which fosters both professional growth and personal fulfillment.
Selected Publications:
Dr. Sarah L. Laughon, MD (she/her) is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry, the Director of the Inpatient Adult Consultation Liaison (CL) Service at UNC-CH, and has been a part of the CL division since 2015. She completed her medical education at the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University and her residency and fellowship training at UNC-Chapel Hill. Dr. Laughon specializes in psychiatric care for critically ill patients, with a specific interest in burn and transplant patients
Dr. Laughon is highly engaged in education, focusing on resident and fellowship training. As the CL Service Director, she leads various educational efforts, including the development of the UNC CL Service Handbook, which serves as a comprehensive resource for CL care. She also participates in research with publications focusing on burn psychiatry.
She values the collaborative, fast-paced environment and enjoys working with a dedicated, smart and fun team. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her dog, family and friends, and jumping rope.
Selected Publications:
Alissa Hutto, MD
Assistant Service Line Leader
Dr. Alissa Hutto, MD (she/her), is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at UNC and has been a part of the CL division since 2023. She completed her medical education, residency, and fellowship at UNC. Dr. Hutto’s clinical focus includes working with ICU patients and patients with acute/chronic pain, and providing care for Spanish-speaking populations. As part of her clinical work, Dr. Hutto serves as a supervisor in the Consultation Liaison Training Clinic and in as co-located psychiatrist in the UNC Pain Management clinic.
Dr Hutto is actively involved in the education of medical students, residents, and fellows. In addition, she has a strong interest in clinical informatics, including natural language processing, machine learning, and health information exchange. She was a member of the Clinical Informatics residency track at UNC and is an Epic Super User, allowing her to leverage the EMR to optimize patient care.
When asked what she values most about UNC CL Psychiatry, Dr. Hutto states: “I was raised a Tarheel and stick around for the people of North Carolina and the patient-centered spirit at UNC. The CL division is the best group of colleagues I could ever ask for; they are funny, caring, and always supportive.” Outside of her professional life, Dr. Hutto enjoys making hot sauce and running.
Selected Publications:
General CL Faculty
Dr. Brandon Goodman, MD (he/him) serves as an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Medical Director of the UNC Acute Telepsychiatry Service, and Co-Director of the UNC Physician’s Assistant Behavioral Health Course. He has been a part of the UNC CL division since 2021. Having completed his medical training at UNC, Dr. Goodman currently focuses on inpatient CL psychiatry and emergency psychiatry and has previously worked in integrated care clinics for with chronic illness such as HIV, sickle cell anemia, and chronic pain. His clinical focus is enriched by his interest in integrating his formal training in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) into his clinical practice.
In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Goodman is deeply involved in medical education, where he oversees the medical student clerkship students and acting interns on the inpatient CL service. He is interested curriculum innovation, including efforts to incorporate generative AI to enhance student learning. His engagement with psychotherapy research further highlights his dedication to broadening the field to improve patient-centered care outcomes.
What Dr. Goodman enjoys most about working at UNC is the opportunity to collaborate with a community of “smart, driven, kind-hearted colleagues.” In his spare time, Dr. Goodman enjoys spending time with his wife and two young children and building elaborate Lego sets.
Selected Publication:
Dr. Nate Sowa, MD PhD (he/him) serves as a Clinical Associate Professor and Associate Vice Chair of Virtual and Integrated Care for UNC Psychiatry. He has been a part of the UNC CL division since 2018. A graduate of UNC for his medical training, Dr. Sowa completed his CL fellowship at the University of Washington. His expertise spans collaborative and integrated care, with a clinical focus on telepsychiatry and treating adults with complex medical conditions such as cystic fibrosis.
Dr. Sowa’s commitment to teaching innovative care models is evident in his role in creating and attending in the Psychiatry Consultation Clinic, a novel clinical model of outpatient psychiatric consultations for primary care physicians at UNC. He is also engaged in health services research, further highlighting his dedication to improving mental health care delivery systems.
When asked what he values most about UNC CL Psychiatry, Dr. Sowa states: “The CL division at UNC is the most collaborative group of clinicians I know. It is a community of well-trained, thoughtful clinicians, researchers, and educators, who are dedicated to providing outstanding patient care and training for learners of all types.” Outside of his professional life, Dr. Sowa enjoys gardening, hiking, and spending time with his family.
Selected Publication:
Dr. Zev Nakamura, MD (he/him) serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at UNC and Medical Director of Research and Statewide Engagement for the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Support Program. He has been a part of the UNC CL division since 2019. He completed his medical education at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, followed by training and fellowship at UNC. Dr. Nakamura’s expertise lies in neuropsychiatry and psycho-oncology, with a clinical focus on primary and metastatic brain tumors.
Dr. Nakamura is actively involved in supervising CL fellows, including through his role as the supervising physician in the psycho-oncology training clinic, and has been PI or Co-I on multiple clinical trials, furthering his research in cognitive-enhancing interventions in oncology and other medically complex populations. His role in the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Support Program highlights his commitment to improving the quality of life for cancer patients.
When asked what he values most about UNC CL Psychiatry, Dr. Nakamura emphasizes the family-like, close-knit feel of the division, noting the strength of the community and its dedication to both patient care and research. Outside of work, Dr. Nakamura enjoys recreational softball and taking family trips to the beach.
Selected Publications:
Dr. Rebekah Nash, MD PhD (she/her) is an Assistant Professor and Consultation-Liaison (CL) psychiatrist, engaging in both clinical care and research. She has been a part of the UNC CL division since 2018. She completed her medical education at the UNC School of Medicine and her residency and fellowship at UNC Hospitals. Dr. Nash’s clinical interests include solid organ transplantation, and advanced heart failure therapies. Her involvement in both research and clinical care reflects her commitment to improving outcomes for these patient populations. As a part of her clinical work, Dr. Nash is an attending in the outpatient CL/transplant psychiatry training clinic and on the inpatient psychiatry consult team.
In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Nash receives funding from the NIMH and Foundation of Hope, which allows her to dedicate a significant amount of her time to research. She is specifically interested in risk factors and underlying genetic mechanisms impacting the incidence of psychiatric co-morbidities, as well as overall outcomes, following solid organ transplant.
What Dr. Nash values most about working at UNC is the people—her colleagues provide a sense of camaraderie and collaboration that makes her time at UNC especially fulfilling. Outside of work, Dr. Nash enjoys riding her bike and spending quality time with her family.
Selected Publication:
Dr. Gary J. Gala, MD FACS, is a founding member of the UNC Consultation Liaison Psychiatry division and previously served as the Vice Chair of Clinical Affairs for UNC Psychiatry. He has been a part of the division since 2006. He completed his medical education at the Brown Dartmouth Program in Medicine, followed by training at UNC. Dr. Gala’s clinical expertise spans multiple areas, including bioethics, burn and trauma injury, and cardiovascular psychiatry. His clinical focus primarily revolves around providing psychiatric care for medically ill patients, transplant patients, and burn patients. As a part of his clinical work, Dr. Gala is a long-time attending in the Consultation Liaison Training Clinic at UNC.
In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Gala is deeply committed to medical education. He is actively involved in teaching medical students and residents, including a collaboration with a new psychiatry residency program in Wilmington, NC. He also meets regularly with CL fellows to support their educational development.
What Dr. Gala enjoys most about being part of the UNC CL Psychiatry team is the people. He appreciates the collaborative and supportive environment that allows him to engage with both patients and colleagues in meaningful ways. Outside of work, Dr. Gala enjoys reading and philosophizing.
Dr. Jonny Gerkin, MD (he/him) serves as an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at UNC. He completed his medical education at the Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine, followed by residency and fellowship training at the University of North Carolina. With 14 years as an attending in UNC’s CL Psychiatry division, Dr. Gerkin has cultivated expertise in managing complex patient needs, including those with HIV, chronic pain, and complex trauma.
Dr. Gerkin’s clinical interests include the adaptation of Trauma-Focused Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to general psychiatry medication management and consultation-liaison psychiatry. He has consistently engaged in scholarly work and the creation of educational materials on the integration of ACT and mindfulness in various areas across medicine. Dr. Gerkin also plays an active role in medical education, serving as a faculty director for the UNC Physician Assistant Training Program’s Behavioral Health curriculum. He recently provided consultation that led to the creation of a new community and military general psychiatry program in NC, and currently co-directs their didactics program while continuing to provide consultation services to the residency.
What Dr. Gerkin values most about working in UNC CL Psychiatry is the collaborative environment, which he believes fosters both personal and professional growth. He shares, “We are a family who enjoys working together to care for patients with complex psychiatric and medical needs.” Outside of work, he enjoys playing the guitar and coaching his sons’ sports teams.
Dr. Christine Flicek, MD (she/her) serves as an Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at UNC and the Director of Integrated Care. She has been an attending in the CL division since 2021. She completed her medical education at Texas A&M School of Medicine, followed by her residency and CL fellowship at UNC. Dr. Flicek’s clinical roles include working in collaborative and integrated clinics, veteran psychiatry and addressing a variety of mental health concerns in patients with co-morbid medical conditions. She spends time on the inpatient CL services, providing additional expertise in psycho-oncology.
Dr. Flicek is an attending physician in several interdisciplinary clinics, where she collaborates closely with primary care or specialty clinicians, social workers, and at times pharmacists, to ensure comprehensive patient care. She finds working in these collaborative settings deeply rewarding, as they increase access to mental health care in a variety of medical settings. She also serves as an attending in the Psychiatry Consultation Clinic, a training clinic that provides psychiatric consultation to primary care providers at UNC.
When reflecting on her experience at UNC, Dr. Flicek cites the strong mentorship and support from her colleagues as one of the main reasons she loves being part of the team. In her free time, she enjoys traveling to visit family and friends, as well as spending time outdoors with her dogs and family.
Dr. Erica Hatch, MD (she/her), is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at UNC. She has been on faculty in the CL division since 2022. She completed her medical education at Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University and went on to complete her residency and CL fellowship at UNC. Dr. Hatch specializes in burn and trauma injury, and critical care psychiatry, with a clinical focus on both burn and transplant patients.
Dr Hatch’s work also extends to seeing both adult and pediatric patients on the Acute Telepsychiatry Service, a consultation-based model of care based in rural emergency rooms and medical hospitals around the state of NC. Outside of consultation work, Erica also provides TMS and esketamine therapy as a part of the Interventional Psychiatry group at UNC.
When asked what she values most about UNC CL Psychiatry, Dr. Hatch emphasizes that “CL provides the opportunity for constant learning and is never boring. I love the supportive culture of our CL group. ” In her free time, she enjoys baking pastries and traveling.