Faculty

Alexa Whoriskey, MD
Residency Program Director

Dr. Whoriskey graduated from the University of Delaware Honors Program and from the University Of North Carolina School Of Medicine. She completed her residency at Harvard Longwood Psychiatry Residency Training Program and a fellowship in Public Psychiatry at Columbia University. Dr. Whoriskey joined Saint Joseph’s in 2019 in the role of Chief of Outpatient Services at the St. Vincent’s Hospital Westchester Division. She is now focused on her role as the Program Director as well as providing clinical care and supervision of the St. Vincent’s Harrison ACT team. She previously served as Medical Director at The Guidance Center of Westchester and Pathways to Housing, Inc. She loves being a community psychiatrist and working with people with severe and persistent mental illness utilizing shared decision making and harm reduction approaches. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family in outdoor activities such as skiing, sailing, and hiking.  She also loves to travel and cook.

Rachel Schoolcraft, MD
Faculty - Site Director, Saint Joseph’s Medical Center and Addiction Psychiatry

Originally from the Midwest, Dr. Schoolcraft has had a long-standing commitment to teaching and learning. She completed undergraduate degrees in biology and education and graduated from Ross University School of Medicine. She completed her psychiatry residency at Stony Brook University Medical Center and fellowship in Addiction Psychiatry at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. She has previously served as faculty in the Department of Family Medicine at New York Medical College and in Psychiatry at Mount Sinai School of Medicine and American University of the Caribbean. Prior to joining the Saint Joseph’s team, Dr. Schoolcraft worked at Bronx-Care Health Center where she served as Medical Director of the Life Recovery Center, Associate Director of the Division of Addiction Psychiatry, and Associate Program Director of the Addiction Psychiatry Fellowship.  Dr. Schoolcraft joined Saint Joseph’s in early 2022. She currently serves as the Medical Director of Addiction Services at Saint Joseph’s Positive Directions program and Attending Psychiatrist in the Mental Health Clinic at Saint Joseph’s Medical Center. She is passionate about psychiatry and teaching and enjoys cooking and creating meaningful experiences with her family.

Dean B. Harlam, MD
Faculty - Director of Psychiatry

Dr. Harlam graduated from Columbia University and from Albert Einstein College of Medicine.  He completed his residency at Albert Einstein and a fellowship in Inpatient Psychiatry at Cornell University Medical Center. After five years at Cornell’s Westchester Division, Dr. Harlam moved to St. Vincent’s Hospital Westchester, where he served as Director of the Partial Hospital, Associate Medical Director and Chief Medical Officer. He has been Director of Psychiatry at Saint Joseph’s Medical Center for eight years. When not working, Dr. Harlam enjoys spending time in Mattituck, on the North Fork of Long Island.

Christopher S. Aloezos, MD
Faculty – Addiction Psychiatry

Dr. Aloezos is an adult psychiatrist board certified in General Psychiatry and Addiction Psychiatry. He graduated from the West Virginia University and the University of Virginia School of Medicine. He completed adult psychiatry residency at Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Following residency, he completed fellowships in Administrative Psychiatry at Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and in Addiction Psychiatry at the NYU School of Medicine. While a psychiatry resident, he also attended a fellowship at the New York Psychoanalytic Society and Institute, to deepen his understanding of psychodynamic theory and practice. Dr. Aloezos joined Saint Joseph’s in 2019.  He currently serves as the Medical Director of Outpatient Addiction Recovery Services at St. Vincent's Hospital Westchester where he participates in clinical work, education, advocacy, and research. His hobbies include hiking, painting, and beekeeping.

John Douglas, MD, MBA, MS
Faculty – Addiction Psychiatry

Dr. John Douglas currently serves as Chief of Outpatient Services for St. Vincent's Hospital Westchester in Harrison, New York. In this role, Dr. Douglas oversees all outpatient mental health and addiction treatment services for St. Vincent’s Hospital.

Dr. Douglas is triple board certified in Psychiatry, Addiction Psychiatry, and Addiction Medicine. Before joining St. Vincent's Hospital, Dr. Douglas was the Medical Director of Westchester Jewish Community Services and Service Chief of the Outpatient Addiction Program for Silver Hill Hospital in New Canaan, CT.

Dr. Douglas completed his Addiction Psychiatry Fellowship at New York University School of Medicine where he worked at both Bellevue Hospital and the Manhattan VA Medical Center. He completed his General Psychiatry Residency at Emory University. While at Emory, he served as Chief Resident of Grady Memorial Hospital and President of the House Staff Organization for all Emory residents and fellows.

Prior to completing training in psychiatry, Dr. Douglas graduated medical school and obtained his master’s degree in Physiology & Biophysics, both from Georgetown University. In addition, he graduated from business school at University of California, San Diego where he obtained his Master of Business Administration. Dr. Douglas majored in Microbiology & Molecular Genetics during college and graduated from University of California, Los Angeles.

Maria Khan, MD
Faculty – Geriatric Psychiatry

Maria Khan, MD, is board certified in general psychiatry and is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. She completed her undergraduate studies at Binghamton University and received her Bachelor of Science after completing a double major in Biology and English. She was awarded her Doctor of Medicine from Ross University School of Medicine. Dr. Khan completed her training in General Psychiatry at New York Medical College-Westchester Medical Center, where she was intern of the year and Chief Resident. She then went on to complete her fellowship in Geriatric Psychiatry at Albert Einstein College of Medicine-Montefiore Medical Center. Dr. Khan joined St. Vincent’s Hospital, Westchester in 2019 as an outpatient provider. In addition to this, she is a consulting psychiatrist at Burke Rehabilitation Hospital.

Dr. Khan specializes in the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric disorders occurring in later life. She has expertise in the management of psychiatric manifestations of neurocognitive disorders. Her clinical interests lie in the utilization of cognitive assessment tools to help develop treatment plans, with a focus on improvement in quality of life and caregiver/care provider education and support. She is committed to the establishment and improvement of psychiatric care for the elderly population, with an emphasis on successful aging.

Anita Kulangara, MD
Faculty

Dr. Kulangara graduated from the University of Rochester and from St. George’s University School of Medicine. She completed a psychiatric residency program at Bergen New Bridge Medical Center, where she was chief resident of medical education. She joined St. Vincent’s Hospital Westchester recently, serving as a psychiatrist on the inpatient service. She likes dancing, but has a soft spot for Indian classical and folk styles, which she grew up learning. She likes attending live music concerts, traveling, and likes discussing development of characters from her favorite TV shows and films.

Shajiuddin Faraz Mohammed, MD, MPH
Faculty – Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Dr. Mohammed graduated from Deccan College of Medical Sciences in India, and Southern Connecticut State University. He completed a residency in adult psychiatry and a fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry at New York Medical College/Westchester Medical Center. He is a psychiatrist treating children, adolescents and adults at the St. Vincent’s Behavioral Health Center in White Plains, and also works as a child and adolescent psychiatrist at Jewish Child Care Association, Westchester Day Treatment Program. He is the current President-Elect of West-Hudson Psychiatry Society and is involved with APA. He is very much involved in the community and has been at the forefront of cyberbullying and its effect on the child and adolescents mental health. He is passionate about cricket and is an active member of Westchester local cricket team.

Nils Rosenbaum, MD
Faculty

Dr. Nils Rosenbaum is the current director of the Crisis Response and Prevention Team at St. Vincent’s Hospital Westchester. He has worked in community psychiatry and crisis response for his entire career. He worked with the Albuquerque Police Department for 15 years, until 2023, as the Medical Director of their Behavioral Sciences Division. He worked alongside detectives and tried to find peaceful therapeutic resolutions to potentially dangerous crises.  He was the winner of NAMI NM psychiatrist of the year award, has presented thorough the country. Among his publications, he and a detective co-wrote an article in the American Journal of Psychiatry.

Carlos Sotolongo, MD
Faculty – Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Dr. Sotolongo graduated from Wilkes University and from the Instituto Technologico de Santo Domingo. He completed his residency at Elmhurst Hospital and a fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Mount Sinai Hospital.   Dr. Sotolongo has been at St. Vincent’s Hospital Westchester since 2000.  He currently serves as the Clinical Director for the Outpatient Mental Health Service, Adolescent Partial Hospital Program, the EXCEL program ( Substance Abuse program for Adolescents), and the Latino Clinic at St. Vincent’s Hospital Westchester, a Division of Saint Joseph’s Medical Center. He is also an avid cyclist who has done several Century rides.

Sonia Velez, MD
Faculty

Upon graduating from Fordham University with a bachelor’s degree in Biology, Dr. Velez enrolled in the American University of the Caribbean for her medical studies. Ever in search of knowledge and education, Dr. Velez attended and graduated from Boston University School of Law. Following her graduation from law school, Dr. Velez decided to return to her first passion – Medicine. Dr. Velez completed her residency in Family Medicine at Saint Joseph’s Medical Center, where she served as a chief resident. Dr. Velez continued at the residency program as a core faculty member and in 2006 was appointed as the Program Director of the Family Medicine Residency Program. In addition to her work and dedication to medical education, Dr. Velez has become an integral part of the community in Yonkers, where she serves as a member of the Mayor’s Health Advisory Board for the City of Yonkers.

Tyler Wright, MD
Faculty

Dr. Tyler Wright is a board-certified psychiatrist with extensive experience in various mental health settings. He completed his medical degree at Tulane University School of Medicine and holds a Master’s degree in Public Health from Tulane.

He completed residency training at LAC+USC Medical Center and further specialized with a fellowship in Public and Community Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Dr. Wright has served as an attending psychiatrist on an inpatient forensic unit at a state hospital in Massachusetts, and as an attending in the emergency department at Massachusetts General Hospital. He is currently the Clinical Director of the Intensive Crisis Residence at St. Vincent’s Hospital Westchester.

He is passionate about increasing access to care for patients with mental illness and ensuring that individuals receive the comprehensive, compassionate care they deserve to achieve mental well-being.

Irwin Lubell, LCSW-R
Faculty - Psychotherapy

Mr. Lubell graduated from the State University of New York at Albany and from the Hunter College School of Social Work. He completed an externship in family therapy at the Philadelphia Child Guidance Center and a post-graduate training program in family therapy at the Bronx Psychiatric Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine.  Mr. Lubell joined St. Vincent’s in 2008.  He currently serves as Administrative Director of Outpatient Mental Health Programs at the St. Vincent’s Hospital Westchester Division of Saint Joseph’s Medical Center, where he oversees two outpatient mental health clinics, a partial hospital program and a personalized recovery oriented services program. His 40 years of professional experience has also included clinical and training roles in hospital and community-based settings throughout metropolitan New York City.  He has a strong professional interest in facilitating the systemic and individual changes needed to support creative program development and implementation, and is excited about playing a core role in helping Residents become effective and caring Psychiatrists.

In his leisure time, Mr. Lubell enjoys spending time with family, reading, listening to jazz and classical music, watching movies and streaming TV series, and finding adventurous new places to get a great meal!

Frank Brittan, LMHC, CASAC
Faculty – Psychotherapy

Frank Brittan has over 20 years of counseling and substance use program administration experience primarily working with dually-diagnosed patients in outpatient settings.  He is currently Administrative Director for Outpatient Addiction Services at St. Vincent’s Westchester.  He received his Masters of Science in Counseling from Pace University in May 2005 and became a CASAC in 2007. He began his counseling career at Graymoor-St. Christopher’s Inn in 2004 as a Track Counselor.  From 2008-2017, he was a Senior Addiction Counselor at St. Vincent’s Hospital- Westchester.  He became Clinical Director of the Outpatient Addiction Recovery Services program in 2018.

Mr. Brittan became a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in 2015 and has since owned his own private therapy practice focusing on patients and families presenting with Addiction, Mental Health and Men’s Trauma issues. He has been a featured guest on a PBS Addiction education series and given numerous presentations relating to Addiction and Men’s Trauma issues in the professional and general community. Mr. Brittan is a Westchester County Trauma Informed Care Champion and an Advisor to the Westchester County Department of Community Mental Health on matters relating to treatment in this region. Mr. Brittan is responsible for staff trainings in Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Family Therapy, Trauma Informed Care, Trauma and multiple other topics.

Mr. Brittan graduated from Cornell University in 1981 and received his Master’s In Management degree from Northwestern University-- J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management in 1983. He worked as an investment banker in various roles relating to syndicated leveraged lending culminating in his role as Managing Director-Head of Capital Markets for CIBC World Markets which he left in 2002.

Jen Spitz, DSW, LCSW-R
Faculty - Psychotherapy

Dr. Spitz completed a bachelor’s of science degree in social work from the New York University School of Social Work, a master’s degree in social work from the Columbia University School of Social Work and a doctor of social welfare degree from New York University’s Silver School of Social Work. She has had broad clinical and teaching experience.  In December 2019, after several years in academia, Dr. Spitz very happily returned to St. Vincent’s where she had worked in the early 90s as a brand new MSW. Recognizing the role St. Vincent’s played in grounding her professionally; Dr. Spitz has established the first graduate student MSW intern program in the Outpatient Mental Health Service (OMHS). Through partnerships with New York University, Fordham University, and Rutgers, OMHS has hosted 10 students since its inception.

Dr. Spitz joined St. Vincent’s just prior to the start of the pandemic.  She had the challenge of leading her team through an unprecedented public health crisis, and with her guidance the team continues to be more resilient every day. Dr. Spitz’s favorite activity is spending time with her family. She also enjoys reading and exercise.