Giancarlo Ferruzzi, MD
CPAN Psychiatrist
Dr. Ferruzzi has 25 years of experience as child and adolescent psychiatrist. He is board certified in child, adolescent and adult psychiatry. He specializes in mood, anxiety and ADHD conditions in the inpatient and outpatient setting.
Jennifer Randow, MS, NCC, LCDC, LPC-S
Supervisor
Jessica Sandoval, MD
CPAN Psychiatrist
Dr. Sandoval has 10 years of experience in child and adolescent psychiatry. She is board certified in child, adolescent and adult psychiatry. Dr. Sandoval has experience working in the community with underserved/underrepresented populations. Her clinical interests are in trauma/PTSD.
Jose Yakin, PMHNP-BC
Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner-BC
Jose Yakin is a bilingual Spanish speaking first generation Mexican American and a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. He completed his graduate studies at UT Health San Antonio in August 2022, receiving his Doctor of Nursing Practice degree with high honors. Directly afterwards, Jose became board certified as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP-BC) in September 2022. Prior to this provider role, Jose’s work experience includes practicing as a Registered Nurse (RN) for over 8 years. His last 6 years as a RN, he worked at a local pediatric and adult emergency department. Jose’s time in the emergency setting has given him a clear understanding of the importance of mental health and that of early life behavioral interventions.
Joseph Blader, PhD
CPAN Director
Dr. Blader holds the Meadows Foundation and Semp Russ Professorship in Child Psychiatry at UT Health SA. He has held clinical and academic positions at the Northwell Health system in New York, the NYU Child Study Center, Stony Brook University School of Medicine, and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He’s had research and service grants from the National Institutes of Health and other private and government organizations and has published extensively in medical journals and textbooks. Area of specialty has been young people who experience emotional dysregulation leading to social and behavioral problems, including aggression.
Juliana Juarez
Research Area Specialist- Intermediate
Juliana Juarez graduated from Texas State University with a B.A. in Psychology in 2019. She has worked with children and adolescents since graduating, and worked as a Behavioral Health Specialist at Children’s Hospital Colorado from 2021-2024. She is passionate about her work with children and adolescents in the mental health field, and is excited to be part of the CTRN team at UT Health San Antonio. In her free time, Juliana enjoys attending concerts, kickboxing, and playing the piano.
Kaitlyn Luperchio, MS, LPC, LCDC
Licensed Professional Counselor, Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor
Kaitlyn completed her graduate work at UT-San Antonio and has extensive experience working with children in the school system. Having been a paraprofessional, teacher and counselor for grades K to 12, she has had the opportunity to aid students in many unique academic and social challenges. Her most recent work has been in jail diversion programs, where she gained experience in judicial systems and effects of trauma in the prison population. Kaitlyn is also a nationally certified Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapist. She has eight years of experience counseling adults and children with anxiety, depression, trauma, and family conflict. In her free time, Kaitlyn enjoys going to the movies, working in the yard and spending time with family.
Kristen McElroy, MS, LPC, LCDC
Licensed Professional Counselor, Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor
Kristen is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor with experience in a variety of settings including Community Mental Health, Crisis Assessment, Substance Use Disorder Treatment, Collegiate Recovery, and Managed Care. She has worked with children, adolescents, and adults using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and Motivational Interviewing. In her current role, she is focused on working with adolescents experiencing substance use concerns while also addressing underlying factors such as depression, anxiety and other social, emotional, and behavioral difficulties.
Kristina Fields, MS, LMFT
TCMHCC Program Manager
Kristina joined the Department Psychiatry and Behavioral Health in 2013 and has since served in clinical, research, and administrative roles. Kristina’s clinical background includes working with children, families, and individuals with concerns that include depression, anxiety, ADHD, relational conflict, trauma, and life transitions. Her research experience has allowed her to work with specialized populations including growing families, active military members, and veterans.
Lourdes Durham, LPC-S, RPT-S
Supervisor
Lourdes Durham has been working with children, adolescents, adults, and families since 2008. She has experience working in acute inpatient hospitals, residential and outpatient programs, and private practice as a therapist. Lourdes has served in leadership roles for residential facilities for at-risk youth in foster care and in juvenile probation, and adult females with severe history of trauma. She has also had the privilege to work with active-duty service members and veterans in residential treatment for PTSD and substance abuse. Lourdes has been a Registered Play Therapist since 2011 and has experience working with children ages 3 and up with a variety of issues, trauma being her main focus. Lourdes is trained in EMDR, CPT, PE among other modalities. Lourdes joined UT Health San Antonio in 2023.