Women's Behavioral HealthCARE. Clinical Care Advocacy Research Education
StudiesVision and MissionPublicationsLocationStaffResourcesFAQ
Staff. Meet our Friendly Staff

the Staff of WBHC


Find out more about our research studies, how to enroll, and how they could benefit you and your child.

Click here to email us,
or call (800) 436-2461

Katherine L. Wisner, M.D., M.S.
Director

Katherine L. Wisner, M.D., M.S., has been involved in clinical work and research since the mid-1980’s. Prior to her medical training, she achieved a Master’s Degree in Nutrition. Dr. Wisner did a pediatrics internship, is board-certified in both adult and child psychiatry, and completed a 3-year postdoctoral training program (NIAAA-funded) in epidemiology. Her early faculty work focused on the development of a clinical research program in infant mental health. Dr. Wisner’s research has been NIMH funded since she completed her post-doctoral training in 1988. She served on NIMH grant review sections continuously from 1994 to the present. Additionally, Dr. Wisner completed an applied ethics fellowship and was a founding member of the NIMH Data Safety and Monitoring Board. Dr. Wisner is only the second American to be elected President of the Marce International Society for the study of Childbearing Related Disorders. Her major interest area is women’s health across the life cycle with a particular focus on childbearing. She is a pioneer in the development of strategies to distinguish the effects (during pregnancy) of mental illness from medications used to treat it (Wisner et al, JAMA 282:1264-1269, 1999; MHR01-60335, Antidepressant Use During Pregnancy). She has described methods for evaluating serum levels of drugs and metabolites in breastfed infants whose mothers take antidepressants. In recognition of her work, she was a participant in activities related to the FDA Committee to Revise Drug Labeling in Pregnancy and Lactation, a committee member for the National Children’s Study (Stress in Pregnancy), a consultant to the CDC Safe Motherhood Initiative and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Report Perinatal Depression: Prevalence, Screening Accuracy and Screening Outcomes. Dr. Wisner was elected to membership in the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology in 2005. She received the Dr. Robert L. Thompson Award for Community Service from Healthy Start, Inc., of Pittsburgh in 2006 and the Pennsylvania Perinatal Partnership Service Award in 2007 from the State of Pennsylvania. Additional career highlights include: Dr. Wisner was the first American psychiatrist to collect serum from mothers and their breastfed infants for antidepressant quantitation as a technique to monitor possible infant toxicity. She published the only two placebo-controlled randomized drug trials for the prevention of recurrent postpartum depression and showed that a serotonin selective reuptake inhibitor was efficacious. With her leadership of a subcommittee of the American Psychiatric Committee on Research on Psychiatric Treatments, the first comprehensive model of risk-benefit evaluation for treatment of depression during pregnancy and breastfeeding was published (Wisner KL et al, Am J Psych 157:1933-1940, 2000). Dr. Wisner is a strong advocate for development of somatic non-drug treatment options for depression during childbearing to increase the choices available to women, such as omega-3 fatty acids, other nutrients, and bright light therapy. She performed the first comparative drug study for postpartum depression, which was funded by NIMH and published in Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology. She is the senior author of the first chapter on psychiatric illness to be published in any major American obstetrical text, Obstetrics: Normal and Problem Pregnancies, 2007, edited by Steve Gabbe and colleagues. Dr. Wisner’s activities in health services/public health have resulted in the first comprehensive NIMH funded demonstration project for screening for postpartum depression (10,000 deliveries/year in Pittsburgh, PA).

 

Dorothy Sit, M.D. Psychiatrist

Dorothy Sit, M.D.
Psychiatrist

Dorothy Sit, M.D. is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, board-certified psychiatrist with special interest in women's mood disorders, their diagnosis, treatment, and impact on mother-infant interactions, along with the possible role that hormones may play in such illnesses.  She was awarded a Young Investigator Award from the National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression to study the psychiatric outcomes of women seen for family planning.  She has pilot funds from the University of Pittsburgh Office of Research, Health Sciences CMRF New Investigator Award, and the School of Medicine GCRC CREFF Award to study the effects of menstrual cycles on mood symptoms in Bipolar disorder.

 

 

Christopher Famy, M.D.

Christopher Famy, M.D.
Psychiatrist

Christopher Famy, M.D. completed his undergraduate, medical school, and residency training at the University of Washington in Seattle. He is board certified in both family medicine and psychiatry with subspecialty board certification in addiction and psychosomatic medicine. His interests include the treatment of mood disorders and addiction in pregnant and postpartum mothers. In addition to his work as a clinical investigator at Women's Behavioral HealthCARE, he was appointed Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic and medical director of Magee Counseling Services located at Magee-Womens Hospital. After work, he enjoys running, biking, and yoga.

 

 

Mary Mcshea

Mary McShea
Program Manager

Mary is the Program Manager at Women’s Behavioral HealthCARE. She has a masters degree in Counseling from Gannon University and has spent the past 17 years at WPIC working in Mood and Anxiety Disorders. Mary is experienced in providing clinical services and managing research protocols.

 

 

Carolyn L. Hughes, LSW
Senior Research Principal

Carolyn Hughes is a senior principal with Women's Behavioral HealthCARE.  She is a Nationally Licensed Masters Level Social Worker, with 15 years of experience in working with women with mood and anxiety disorders.  Carolyn specializes in working with women that are pregnant or in the postpartum period.  She has worked as a clinician for both Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, as well as for Magee Women's Hospital of UPMC.  In her spare time, Carolyn enjoys flea market shopping.

 

 

David Rizzo

David Rizzo, LCSW
Senior Research Principal

David is a clinician with Women’s Behavioral HealthCARE. After receiving his MSW from Boston College he was employed for St. Vincent Hospital/Fallon Health Care in Worcester, MA. His tenure at WPIC, which began in 1999, has included child and adult care in both inpatient and outpatient settings and his more recent research endeavors. Clinical areas of interest include mood and anxiety disorders as well as grief and bereavement. In his spare time, David enjoys exploring new adventures in the outdoors.
 

 

 

Rebecca Zoretich
Senior Research Principal

Becky is an experienced clinician with 20+ years of experience in behavioral healthcare.  She has worked in research for the past 10 years.  Her areas of clinical interest include women’s health issues and grief and bereavement.  Becky has a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and a Master’s degree in Counseling. In her free time, she enjoys taking care of her 2 dogs, gardening and playing bridge.

 

 

Michelle L. Costantino, MHA

Michelle L. Costantino, MHA
Senior Research Principal

Michelle is a senior research principal at Women’s Behavioral HealthCARE. She received her Bachelor’s degree from Penn State University in Human Development and Family Studies and her Master’s degree in Health Administration from the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health. Her research experience has been in late-life mood and anxiety disorders at Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic and Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri. She enjoys running and spending time with her family and friends.

 

 

Rachel San Pedro, LSW

Rachel San Pedro, LSW
Senior Research Principal

Rachel is a clinician with Women’s Behavioral HealthCARE. After receiving her MSW from the University of Pittsburgh, she worked as an inpatient psychiatric social worker. Her research experience started in 1999 at WPIC and has included studies on borderline personality disorder, eating disorders, and childhood trauma. In her free time, Rachel enjoys spending time with friends and family and salsa dancing.

 

 

Andrea Confer

Andrea Confer
Research Project Assistant

Andrea received her Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Westminster College in 1998. She has been working in the research field for 10 years. She started working in child and adolescent depression and anxiety research here in Pittsburgh, and then spent some time working in Bipolar research at Case Western Reserve University. She enjoys spending her free time with her husband, her two daughters and her puppy.

 

 

Elizabeth Nuhfer
Research Specialist

Elizabeth is the Research Specialist at Women’s Behavioral HealthCARE for the clinical trial entitled Transdermal Estradiol for Postpartum Depression. She has a masters degree in research psychology from the University of Strathclyde and is currently working towards a second masters in counseling at Chatham University.

 

 

Alicia Detweiler
Research Specialist

Alicia is a Research Specialist at Women’s Behavioral HealthCARE. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh and has worked on various research projects within UPMC and the University of Pittsburgh. 

 

 

Adrienne Genovese
Research Specialist

Adrienne is a Research Specialist at Women’s Behavioral HealthCARE. She received her bachelor’s degree in Communication Arts and Psychology from Allegheny College, and is currently completing post-baccalaureate studies at the University of Pittsburgh in pre-medical sciences. In her spare time, she enjoys vacations to warm and sunny places, and spending time with friends and family.   

 

 

Karen Schomer

Karen Schomer
Research Assistant III

Karen has involvement with recruitment of our participants, as well as clerical duties.  Karen’s prior research experience was at the Maternal Health Project, a research study addressing maternal substance use and child development.  She is currently taking courses at Community College of Allegheny County and working toward a degree to become a registered nurse.  In her spare time, Karen enjoys boating with her husband Jerry, and taking long walks with her two dogs, Max and Cody.

 

Jonathan Weingarden

Jonathan Weingarden
Research Assistant

Jon does work with the database, system administration and as a research assistant. He graduated with a BA in Psychology from Denison University where he did research in Behavioral and Health Psychology. Jon is an amateur Luthier, building guitars. During his free time, Jon enjoys recording and listening to music, as well as playing guitar.

 

Alexandra Illes
Research Assistant

Alex is a Research Assistant at Women’s Behavioral HealthCARE. She received her bachelor’s degree in Public and Community Health from the University of Maryland, and is currently applying to Masters of Public Health programs. In her spare time, she enjoys working out, spending time with friends, and travelling.

 

Samantha Gainor

Samantha Gainor
Student Employee

Sam is a student employee at Women's Behavioral HealthCARE. In addition to screening women for post-partum depression, she schedules participants for follow-up calls and enters the studies' data. She is currently attending the University of Pittsburgh and is pursuing her degree in English Writing. Sam loves to play volleyball competitively and enjoys singing and writing poems.

 

 

Alonna Grigsby

Alonna Grigsby
Pitt Work Study Student

Alonna Grigsby is a Senior at the University of Pittsburgh and has been working with Women's Behavioral Health Care since her Freshmen year. She is double majoring in Psychology and Communications and hopes to start a career in the Psychology field after she graduates.

 

 

Andreea Gallagher

Andreea Gallagher
Systems Programmer/Analyst

Andreea received her Bachelor in Computer Science from the University of Pittsburgh. Her responsibilities include the development and maintenance of the WBHC research databases as well as system administration duties. In her spare time, Andreea enjoys family time with her husband and two puppies, and her hobbies include painting, cooking a variety of cuisines and learning new technologies.