Archives: Staff Members

Holds our staff members and staff memberspecific data

Felix Matos Padilla, M.D.

Felix Matos Padilla, M.D., Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, joined the Department on July 11, 2022. Dr. Matos completed his Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship at University of Buffalo from 2020-2022, his Psychiatry residency at BronxCare Health System in Bronx, New York, during 2017-2020, where he was Resident of the Year (PGY3), and his MD Summa Cum Laude at the Univeridad Iberoamericana, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, from 2010-2016.

Vincent Kennedy, D.O.

Vincent Kennedy, D.O., Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, joined the Department on August 1, 2022.  He is Clozapine REMS certified and has attained a Buprenorphine Waiver. Dr. Kennedy completed a Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship at the University of California-Davis in 2021-2022, and his Psychiatry residency at University Hospital and Medical Center, Tamarac, Florida, from 2017-2021, where he was Chief Resident. He attained his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine at Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, CA, from 2013-2017, his Master of Public Health with an emphasis in Epidemiology in 2012 from the University of California – Irvine, and his Bachelor of Science from Georgetown University in 2010.

Usman Hameed, M.D.

Specialties

Child & Adolescent Psychiatry

Professional Education

Fellowship, Psychiatry, Child & Adolescent
SUNY Upstate Medical University, College of Medicine, Syracuse - 2008

Residency, Psychiatry
SUNY Upstate Medical University, College of Medicine, Syracuse - 2006

M.B., B.S.
Allama Iqbal Medical College, Pakistan - 2000

M. Ahmad Hameed, M.D.

Dr. Hameed is the Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute (PPI) interim Medical Director.

He graduated from Allama Iqbal Medical College. Dr. Hameed completed his residency at SUNY Health Science Center in Syracuse, New York. He serves on Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute’s Medical Executive Committee as President. Dr. Hameed is board certified in psychiatry.

Jolene Hillwig-Garcia, M.D.

Dr. Hillwig-Garcia graduated from Penn State University College of Medicine, where she also completed her Adult Psychiatry Residency and a Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship.

Fauzia Mahr, M.D.

Dr. Mahr graduated from Allama Iqbal Medical College. She completed her residency at the University of Texas Health Science Center – Houston and the Milton S Hershey Medical Center.

Dr. Mahr’s specialty is adolescent and child psychiatry.

Christopher A. Petersen, M.D.

Dr. Petersen graduated from the Medical College of Georgia, School of Medicine. He completed his residency and fellowship at the University of Michigan Hospitals and Health Centers.

Dr. Petersen is board certified in psychiatry and adolescent and child psychiatry.

Lidija Petrovic-Dovat, M.D.

Dr Lidija Petrovic-Dovat graduated in 1992 from MD, Medical School of Novi Sad, Yugoslavia and completed her Fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 2006 at UW, Madison and Psychiatry Residency, 2001-2004, at UCLA/SFV Psychiatry Training Program, Los Angeles, CA She is Board Certified in Psychiatry and Neurology/ Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and General Psychiatry.

In 2009, Dr Petrovic-Dovat received the Best Doctors in America award and has been published in the American Journal of Physiology and BBA (Biochemica et Biophysica Acta)

Her areas of interest are Childhood Anxiety Disorders, Depression and Bipolar Disorders

Dr Petrovic-Dovat is Assistant Professor at the Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute Department of Psychiatry.

Erika Saunders, M.D.

Dr. Erika Saunders is Chair for the Department of Psychiatry; Director of the Mood Disorder Program and Gerald B. Shively and Robert Y. Tan Professor at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and Penn State College of Medicine.

Dr. Saunders completed her residency in adult psychiatry, as well as a research fellowship in mood disorders at the University of Michigan Medical Center. She earned her medical degree from the University of Iowa College of Medicine. Board-certified in psychiatry, Dr. Saunders’ clinical and research interests include bipolar disorder and mood disorders. Dr. Saunders’ work has been recognized nationally, and she is active in the Society for Biological Psychiatry, the American Society Clinical Psychopharmacology, the International Society for Bipolar Disorders, and the American Psychiatric Association.

Dr. Saunders is a fellow of the American College of Psychiatrists and is a fellow of the American Psychiatric Association.

Dr. Saunders has been awarded a Dean’s Award for Excellence in Teaching and a PSU Resident Teaching Award.