About Us

Peter Thompson, M.D.

• Psychiatry Department Chair
• Professor
• Director, Southwest Brain Bank
• Mood Disorders Division Chief
• Board Certification: American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology

Profile:

Peter M. Thompson, M.D., M.S., is a professor and the Hunt Family Endowed Chair of Psychiatry. He serves as the director of the Southwest Brain Bank and chairman of the Department of Psychiatry at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso. Dr. Thompson’s academic career is dedicated to developing improved treatments for moods disorders and educating the next generation of psychiatrists. He completed his psychiatry residency at Tufts University/New England Medical Center and psychobiology fellowship at the University of California at San Diego.

Dr. Thompson founded the Southwest Brain Bank in 2003 and has published his research findings on brain molecular changes in mood disorders, schizophrenia, and alcohol dependence. This work has been supported by both philanthropic organizations and the National Institute of Mental Health.

In his time as chairman of the Department of Psychiatry at TTUHSC El Paso, the department has greatly increased its collaborations with community partners. These partnerships focus on reducing barriers to care and educating medical students and residents how to treat mental illness while incorporating language and cultural values of the border population.

Sarah Martin, M.D.

• Medical Director, TCMHCC at TTUHSC El Paso
• Director, Psychiatry Residency Training
• Assistant Professor
• Child and Adolescent Division Chief
• Board Certification: American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Profile

Dr. Sarah Lynette Martin has been diligent in building a varied and fulfilling professional career. She began her journey at UC Santa Cruz, where she completed her bachelor’s degree. Soon after graduating, she served as a community services specialist in the Peace Corps for two years. Upon her return from the Peace Corps, Dr. Martin was awarded a health professions scholarship by the United States Army to attend Tulane School of Medicine and subsequently completed her residency at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Dr. Martin went on to complete a fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry prior to transferring to Ft. Knox, where she served as the chief of behavioral health for four years and successfully deployed to Camp Bucca, a detainee facility in Iraq. Dr. Martin completed her military service at Ft. Bliss in El Paso, Texas, and went on to serve for two years in a civilian role as the chief of the Child and Family Behavioral Health Service.

Dr. Martin currently serves the community of El Paso through her involvement with Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, both as an assistant professor and as the chief of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. More recently, Dr. Martin is developing the El Paso hub of the Texas Child Mental Health Care Consortium through her role as medical director. In her role, Dr. Martin is actively working to improve behavioral health access for children and adolescents, and is reshaping the availability of resources for our current and future primary care providers and child and adolescent psychiatrists through several initiatives spanning 16 counties in Southwest Texas.

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Cecilia De Vargas, M.D.

• Associate Professor
• Psychiatry Program Director, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship Program

Profile

Dr. Cecilia De Vargas is an associate professor at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso’s Department of Psychiatry, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Currently, Dr. De Vargas is the program director of the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship and dedicates most of her professional hours to supervision of fellows, residents, and medical students in inpatient, outpatient, and community rotations. She also participates in the Child Psychiatric Access Network (CPAN), providing consultation to pediatricians and other primary care professionals on assessing, diagnosing, and treating children and adolescents with mental health comorbidities.

Dr. De Vargas received her medical education at the Universidad del Valle in Cali, Colombia, followed by training in general psychiatry and child and adolescent psychiatry when she moved to the United States. Dr. De Vargas has board certification in psychiatry and child and adolescent psychiatry and has been with the department for over 20 years. Dr. De Vargas’ main professional interests include medical and mental health effects of childhood trauma experiences and resilience in pediatric psychiatric groups, mental health problems in unaccompanied minors who migrate to the U.S., innovative ways to treat children and adolescents with resistant depression and risk for suicide, and evidence-based interventions in children who have been traumatized, among other things. She is passionate about disseminating a trauma-informed care and practice to all trainees to promote a safe, stigma-free, compassionate and collaborative method of caring for children, adolescents and their families.

Aisha Shariq, M.D.

• Assistant Professor, Psychiatry
• Associate Program Director, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship
• Director, Child and Adolescent Division, Transmountain campus

Profile

Dr. Aisha Shariq is an assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso and is a child and adolescent psychiatrist. She teaches medical students, child and adolescent psychiatry fellows, and psychiatry residents. She also serves as the psychiatry director at the El Paso County Juvenile Justice Center. Dr. Shariq is involved with the Texas Child Mental Health Care Consortium on several projects. She provides psychiatric consultation to primary care providers treating children with mental illnesses and treats school children through the Texas Child Health Access Through Telemedicine (TCHATT) program.

Dr. Shariq finished medical school at Fatima Jinnah Medical College in Pakistan. She completed her residency and fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso. Dr. Shariq is a diplomat of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and has a special interest in treating childhood mood disorders.

In addition to Dr. Shariq’s clinical and education activities, she participates in research projects studying youth depression and suicide, and developing improved treatments for these disorders.

Sarah Michael, M.D.

• Associate Professor, Psychiatry
• Medical Director, TCHATT

Profile

Dr. Sarah Michael is a child and adolescent psychiatrist and currently serves as the Texas Child Health Access Through Telemedicine (TCHATT) medical director. Dr. Michael completed her undergraduate degree at Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts, where she majored in Health: Science, Society, and Policy. She served as coordinator for an after-school program for Waltham public schools.

After graduating, she attended Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, where she continued to participate in creating health-related programming for low-resource schools in Houston. She completed her general psychiatry residency at New York University Medical Center, and a child and adolescent fellowship at Northwestern University/Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago.

Dr. Michael is committed to increasing access to mental health care and is particularly interested in building school-based services. Other interests include global mental health and neurodevelopmental disorders.

Adrianne Harrel, M.S.

• Program Manager, Telemedicine
• CPAN, TCHATT

Profile

Adrianne Harrel serves as the project manager for telemedicine implementation at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso. Originally from California, Harrel completed her Bachelor of Arts in child development, concentrating in social and community settings at California State University Sacramento. Harrel developed a passion for working with children and adolescent programs while supervising a rural Central California grant for migrant children engagement and enrichment. In 2013, she relocated to Lubbock, Texas, where she completed her Master of Science in clinical rehabilitation counseling at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. Harrel is an integral member of the El Paso Hub for the Texas Child Mental Health Care Consortium (TCMHCC). She brings over seven years of experience overseeing and expanding state and federal grants and programs from her contributions to the Department of Rural and Community Health at TTUHSC in Lubbock. Harrel is excited to combine her interests in supporting the growth and development of children while incorporating technological advances in telemedicine in El Paso.

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Paulina Rodriguez

• Unit Manager
• CPAN, CPWE, TCHATT

Profile

Paulina Rodriguez joined the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso team in 2015. She has served in multiple roles within TTUHSC El Paso. Through her own merit, she has gained knowledge in different areas while fulfilling her responsibilities and proactively using her experience to excel in functions with a positive attitude. Rodriguez displays a willingness to perform her duties while also influencing her peers with her leadership style. Rodriguez serves as a program coordinator of the Child Psychiatry Access Network (CPAN). Her duties involve internal administration and external support services. Rodriguez is excited and motivated to participate in a program that involves the improvement of youth mental health in her community.

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Jillian Longway, M.S.N., R.N., ARNP, CPNP-PC, PMHS

• Director of Education and Research Development, CPAN

Profile

Jillian Longway (she/her) is the Director of Education & Research Advancement for the Child Psychiatry Access Network (CPAN) at the Texas Tech Health Sciences Center, El Paso Department of Psychiatry. She is also Pediatric Nurse Practitioner and a Pediatric Primary Care Mental Health Specialist with over 9 years of experience working as a primary care provider. This experience brings a unique perspective to her position with CPAN, which is a program specifically designed to support primary care providers in managing mental health conditions for pediatric and adolescent patients. Additionally, she is currently completing her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree, working with the CPAN team on a project to increase children's access to mental health treatment in a 16 county region of far West Texas.

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Noemi Armendariz, B.B.A.

• Section Supervisor, CPAN, TCHATT

Profile

Noemi Armendariz is a section supervisor for Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso's Child Psychiatry Access Network (CPAN) and Texas Child Health Access Through Telemedicine (TCHATT) programs. A Denver native, she enjoys the mountains and hiking. She received her B.B.A in marketing with a focus in international business from the University of Texas at El Paso. Noemi has a passion for working in the health care industry and has over five years of experience as support staff in a clinical setting. Her academic interests are in health administration with a personal interest to further her education.

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Carolina Jimenez

• Program Coordinator, CPAN

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Lauren Hernandez

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Hanna Garza, Ph.D., LPC, CAMF

• Program Director, TCHATT

Profile

Dr. Garza serves as the clinical director for Texas Child Health Access through Telemedicine (TCHATT), at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso. She holds a Master of Science in mental health counseling, a Master of Science in psychology, and a Ph.D. in psychology from Walden University. Dr. Garza is a licensed professional counselor, a certified trauma therapist, and a certified anger management facilitator.

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Melissa Carrasco, LPC-S

• Senior Mental Health Clinician, TCHATT

Profile:

Melissa Carrasco is a licensed professional counselor and has been a lifelong resident of El Paso, Texas. She has experience in working with the geriatric community, adults, and children and adolescents in many areas, including autistic/sensory integration. She has worked in private practice, and in inpatient and outpatient environments at the El Paso Psychiatric Center and Atlantis Health Services, respectively. Carrasco is currently on her sixth year as a volunteer with the Ysleta Independent School District and most recently joined Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso to work with children and adolescents as part of the Texas Child Health Access through Telemedicine (TCHATT) program.

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Jesus Campos, LPC

• Senior Mental Health Clinician, TCHATT

Profile

Jesus A. Campos is a senior mental health clinician with the Texas Child Health Access through Telemedicine (TCHATT) program at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, and is a licensed professional counselor in the state of Texas. His education includes a bachelor’s degree in social work from the University of Texas at El Paso and a master’s degree from the University of Phoenix. Campos’ experience includes working as a social worker with Project Redirection at the YWCA, and he worked as a therapist for the El Paso Psychiatric Center, 2 Love 1, and Upbringing. Campos was born and raised in El Paso and plans to retire in the city when the time comes.

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Krystal Ayala, B.B.A.

• Program Coordinator, TCHATT

Profile

Krystal Ayala graduated from the University of Texas at El Paso with her bachelor’s of business administration with a major concentration in international business and is obtaining her MBA at UTEP. Ayala has developed strong leadership goals over her 13 years of managerial experience and has worked for various Fortune 500 companies. Her experience includes project management, budget planning, development, strategizing and implementing company goals to maintain metrics, inventory, financials, and cash flow turnaround and has experience in drafting managerial reports to track productivity and performance standards.

Ayala is the program coordinator for the Texas Child Health Access through Telemedicine (TCHATT) program at Texas Tech University Health Science Center of El Paso. Ayala is the front-line of service for parents, counselors and clinicians. She provides administrative and operational support to patients and her peers. She is excited to be part of such a wonderful initiative that helps bring attention and education to mental health issues among children throughout her community.

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Vanessa Martinez

• Program Coordinator, TCHATT

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Crystal V. Carrillo

• CMA, Medical Clinic Supervisor
• CPAN | TCHATT | RTY

Profile

An El Paso native, Crystal V. Carrillo is the medical clinic supervisor at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso. In this position, Carrillo proudly assists her peers and contributes a positive patient experience trough her enthusiasm, passion and ambitions. Carrillo displays a genuine attitude to learn and is self-motivated. She contributes to her current position by coordinating meetings, scheduling patients, and fulfilling daily tasks to allow her peers to effectively provide mental health services to youth in the community. She is dedicated, reliable and sociable. Carrillo’s resourcefulness ensures a smooth operation of the clinic. She is committed to providing excellence in services and applies her medical assistant certification from Vintage College to streamline a patient’s experience. In her free time, Carrillo enjoys spending time with her family and watching the Dallas Cowboys.

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Lourdes Zuniga

• PSS
• TCHATT

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Alejandro Fornelli, Ph.D.

• Senior Research Associate

Profile

Dr. Alejandro Fornelli is a senior research associate with diverse experience and knowledge in academic research, publishing, management, and mentoring, and has worked on many research projects. Dr. Fornelli obtained his Ph.D. degree in August 2016 from Universidad Popular Autónoma de Puebla (UPAEP). Most notably, Dr. Fornelli has been a part of and published studies that focus on consumer behavior, sensory marketing and organizational intelligence.

Dr. Fornelli dedicates his time to strengthen the Youth Depression and Suicide Research Network (YDSRN) and Childhood Trauma Research Network (CTRN) studies. Humanism and loyalty are important values for Dr. Fornelli, and he seeks to establish and provide all his expertise to the institution. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his family, and playing racquetball and golf.

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Caitlin Chanoi, B.S.

• Analyst II

Profile

Caitlin Chanoi graduated with great distinction, summa cum laude and university honors from the University of Texas at El Paso. Chanoi earned her B.S. in biology with a concentration in biomedical science. At UTEP, Chanoi served in a number of leadership roles and completed several research projects in various subjects outside of science. She joined Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso in 2021. Chanoi is excited to be working as a research analyst serving on the Youth Depression and Suicide Research Network (YDSRN) and Childhood Trauma Research Network (CTRN) studies led by UT Southwestern Medical Center and Dell Medical School, respectively. Through these projects, Chanoi hopes to be part of an initiative that will significantly impact and improve the understanding of youth mental health issues in Texas. Chanoi seeks to further her education and pursue a medical degree. Chanoi feels confident in her future endeavors as she will use her experience and knowledge gained from her peers at TTUHSC El Paso to make a change in her community.

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Daniela Dominguez

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