Expert Staff & Consultants
Our goal is to continue to provide progressive and cutting-edge mental health services to those in our care. To that end, we have created our Clinical Specialty Board comprised of some of the best child and adolescent psychiatrists and advocates in the country. These professionals will contribute their extensive expertise to the development of our soon to come Children’s Center programs’ designs and therapeutic content. They will also serve as on-going consultants to aid us with especially challenging treatment situations.
Clinical Specialty Board
Bennett Leventhal, M.D.
Dr. Leventhal is an internationally known expert in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Professor of Psychiatry at University of Chicago and University of Illinois at Chicago for thirty one years, Dr. Leventhal is the National Advisor to Easter Seals, Chair of the Medical Licensing Board of the state of Illinois, Advisor to the ABC News Medical Board and the Autism Society of America. Dr. Leventhal is the Director of the Center for Child Mental Health and Developmental Neuroscience at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He is also the Clinical Supervisor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Service and the Forensic Child and Adolescent Psychiatry program at the University of Illinois. Dr. Leventhal has been the PI for three 5,000,000 grants for The Autism Project of Illinois. Dr. Leventhal has authored or co-authored more than 200 publications.
Virginia Susan Villani, M.D.
Dr. Villani is the Medical Director of Kennedy Krieger School Programs at the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore. Kennedy Krieger is widely regarded as the preeminent autism program in the nation. Previously the Clinical Director of Child and Adolescent Program at McLean Hospital and the Senior Child Psychiatrist at the Forbush School(Shepard Pratt Health System), Dr. Villani is a member of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Council and a reviewer of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
Robert Kowatch, M.D.
Dr. Kowatch is a Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics as well as the Director of Psychiatric Research at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. He has Diplomat status in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry with the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology as well as the American Board of Sleep Medicine. He is a member of the Professional Advisory Council for the Child and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation. Dr. Kowatch is an editor for the Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology, Current Psychiatry and Bipolar Disorders: Reviews and Commentaries. He has authored or co-authored more than 80 publications.
Brooke Whitted, JD
Brooke Whitted is a nationally recognized expert in Educational and Mental Health law. He is the senior partner of Whitted, Cleary and Takiff. Mr. Whitted is the President of the Leslie Shankman School Corporation which runs the University of Chicago Orthogenic School and the University of Chicago Hyde Park Day School. He also is a member of the Community and Residential Services Authority. Mr. Whitted is an instructor at the University of Illinois at Chicago Medical School’s Department of Psychiatry.
Raul Almazar, RN. MA
Mr. Almazar was named Interim Deputy Director of Mental Health for the State of Illinois in January of 2008. He also serves as a faculty member for the Office of Technical Assistance for the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors. Mr. Almazar has served as the Director of Nursing and/or a Hospital Administrator for Elgin Mental Health Center and Chicago Read Mental Health Center.
Our entire continuum of care is staffed by multi-disciplinary treatment teams consisting of:
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists
- Therapists
- Nurse Managers
- Charge Nurses
- Program Coordinators
- Program Specialists
- Behavioral Health Technicians
- Expressive Arts Therapists
- Psychologists
- Medical Physicians
- Case Managers
- Assessment & Referral Staff
Attending Child & Adolescent Psychiatrists
- Joseph P. McNally, M.D., Medical Director
- Amar Chawla, M.D.
- Maria Estrada, M.D.
- Conchita Gavino, M.D.
- Ahmed Hussain, M.D.
- William F. Puga, M.D.
- Christopher Sinnappan, M.D.
- Charlesetta Shelton-Scott, M.D.
- Barbara Twardowski, M.D.
Joseph P. McNally, M.D., Medical Director
Medical School
Graduated in 1991 from the Loyola Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, Illinois
Post Graduate Training
- University of Michigan Hospitals and Health Centers, Specialty – General Psychiatry
- University of Chicago Hospitals, Specialty – Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Areas of Interest/Expertise
- Complex cases
- Pervasive Developmental Disorders
- Trauma
- Forensic Cases
Experience:
Dr. Joseph McNally has over 10 years of experience, and is certified with the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. Currently, Dr. McNally is the Medical Director of Streamwood Behavioral Healthcare System, where he has worked 9 of his 10 years.
Amar Chawla, M.D.
Medical School
Graduated in 1978 from Gandhi Medical College, Bhopal India
Post Graduate Training
- Norwich Hospital, University of Connecticut, Specialty – General Psychiatry
- Michigan State University. Specialty – Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
- Children’s Memorial Hospital, Northwestern University, Specialty – Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Areas of Interest/Expertise
- ADHD
- Autism
- Bipolar Disorders
Experience:
Dr. Amar Chawla has over 15 years of experience and is currently an attending psychiatrist at Streamwood Behavioral Healthcare System, where he has worked 4 of his 15 years.
Maria Estrada, M.D.
Medical School
Graduated in 1991 from the University of the Philippines College of Medicine, Manila, Philippines
Post Graduate Training
- Lutheran General Hospital, Specialty – Adult Psychiatry
- Children’s Memorial Hospital, Specialty – Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
- Northwestern University, Specialty – Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Areas of Interest/Expertise
- Autistic Spectrum Disorders
- ADHD
- Mood Disorders
- Anxiety Disorders
Experience:
Dr. Maria Estrada has over 14 years of experience and is currently an attending psychiatrist at Streamwood Behavioral Healthcare System, where she has worked 6 of her 14 years.
Conchita Gavino, M.D.
Medical School
Graduated in 1973 from the University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center, Quezon City, Philippines
Post Graduate Training Illinois State Psychiatric Institute, Specialty – General Psychiatry
Areas of Interest/Expertise Diagnostic Assessments and Treatment of Adolescents
Experience:
Dr. Conchita Gavino has over 20 years of experience, and is certified with the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. Currently, Dr. Gavino is the Director of the Adolescent Girls Program at Streamwood Behavioral Healthcare System, where she has worked 10 of her 20 years.
Ahmed Hussain, M.D.
Medical School
Graduated in 1983 from Osmania University, Hyderbad, India
Post Graduate Training
- Harvard Medical School, Specialty – General Psychiatry
- University of Chicago, Specialty – Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Areas of Interest/Expertise Adolescent Bipolar Disorders
Experience:
Dr. Ahmed Hussain has over 12 years of experience, and is certified with the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Adult, Child and Adolescents. Currently, Dr. Hussain is the Medical Staff President and Director of the Adolescent Boys Program at Streamwood Behavioral HealthcareSystem, where he has worked 5 of his 12 years.
William F. Puga, M.D.
Medical School
Graduated in 1985 from the University of Illinois at Chicago
Post Graduate Training
- Lutheran General Hospital, Specialty – General Psychiatry
- Medical College of Virginia, Specialty – Child Psychiatry
Areas of Interest/Expertise
- Bipolar across the life span
- Complex Psychopharmacology
- Medical / Psychiatric Interface
Experience:
Dr. William Puga has over 17 years of experience, and is certified with the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. Currently, Dr. Puga is the Director of the Child/ACT Program at Streamwood Behavioral Healthcare System, where he has worked 7 of his 17 years.
Christopher Sinnappan, M.D.
Medical School
Graduated in 1993 from the University of Illinois at Chicago
Post Graduate Training
- Institute for Juvenile Research, University of Illinois, Specialty – General Psychiatry
- University of Chicago Hospitals, Specialty – Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Areas of Interest/Expertise
- Diagnostic Assessments
- ADHD
- Treatment of Juvenile Sex Offenders
Experience:
Dr. Christopher Sinnappan has over 10 years of experience, and is certified with the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. Currently, Dr. Sinnappan is an attending psychiatrist at Streamwood Behavioral Healthcare System, where he has worked 3 of his 10 years.
Charlesetta Shelton-Scott, M.D.
Medical School
Graduated in 1983 from Meharry Medical College, School of Medicine
Post Graduate Training
- GW Hubbard Hospital – Meharry Medical College, Specialty - Family Medicine
- GW Hubbard Hosptial – Meharry College, Specialty - Psychiatry
- Yale Child Study Center, Specialty – Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Barbara Twardowski, M.D.
Medical School
Graduated in 1989 from Bialystok Akademia Medyczna, Bialystok, Poland
Post Graduate Training
- Chicago Medical School – Specialty, General Psychiatry
- University of Illinois, College of Medicine – Specialty, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
