Pennsylvania Psychiatric Society Council

Upcoming PaPS Council Meetings

​Saturday, December 11, 2021

Members may attend all Council meetings. Please contact the office at 800-422-2900 for details. 

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2021-2022 ​Pennsylvania Psychiatric Society Council Members

Executive Committee

Chapter Councilors and Presidents

​President:
Dhanalakshmi Ramasamy, MD, DFAPA

Immediate Past President:
Richard R. Silbert, MD, DLFAPA

​President Elect:
Hope S. Selarnick, MD, DFAPA

Vice President :
Kavita K. Fischer, MD, FAPA
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Treasurer:
Usman Hameed, MD, DFAPA
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Secretary:
Kawish Garg, MD, FAPA

​Other Representatives Working for You
APA Assembly Representatives
Mary Anne Albaugh, MD, DFAPA
Hector Colon-Rivera, MD
Daniel P. Neff, MD, FAPA
Nazanin E. Silver, MD
Robert E. Wilson, MD, PhD, FAPA

APA State Legislative Representative, APA Alternate Delegate to the AMA, APA Public Affairs Representative, PAMED Specialty Leadership Cabinet Representative, Representative PAMED House of Delegates
Kenneth M. Certa, MD, DLFAPA

Early Career Psychiatrist (ECP) Representative
Heather John, MD

Editor, Pennsylvania Psychiatrist
Edward C. Leonard, MD, DLFAPA

Resident Representative
Michael Chen, MD

Central Chapter
President: Irakli Mania, MD
Councilors: Shiv S. Aggarwal, MD
Kathleen Dougherty, MD, DFAPA
M. Ahmad Hameed, MD, DFAPA​​

Lehigh Valley Chapter
President: Courtney H. Chellew, DO
Councilor: M. Aly Rifai, MD, FAPA

Northeastern Chapter
President: Atika Zubera, MD
Councilor: Richard E. Fischbein, MD, DLFAPA

Western Chapter
President: Gianpiero Martone, DO, MPH
Councilor: Dennis Borczon, MD

Philadelphia Chapter
President: Holly J. Valerio, MD
Councilors: Leon E. Cushenberry, Jr., MD
Rachel M. Talley, MD
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Pittsburgh Chapter
President: Mark Matta, DO
Councilors: Henry M. Fourcade, MD
Gary N. Swanson, MD

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Together, We Can Secure Our Profession
Are in you interested in increasing your investment in your profession? It's not all about finances. By serving on a PaPS committee, even on your own schedule, you contribute to the collective strength of the Society. Utilize your strengths and interests! Consider participating in one of these committees:

Clinical
The Clinical Committee monitors policies proposed by the Pennsylvania Departments of Corrections, Drug and Alcohol Programs, Education, Health and Human Services, reviews bills introduced in the Pennsylvania General Assembly, and makes recommendations to the Government Relations Committee and PaPS Council on issues related to substance use, older adults with mental health issues, and VA/State Hospitals. The current chair of the committee is Mary Anne Albaugh, MD.

Education
The Education Committee develops and conducts the Society's annual patient safety/risk management CME program. Our current chair is Rajnish Mago, MD.

E​thics
​The Ethics Committee reviews ethical complaints, investigates possible ethical violations, renders decisions in each case as to what, if any, sanctions are needed, makes recommendations to the PaPS Council, and informs the APA as to the findings in each case as per the APA's publication The Principles of Medical Ethics with Annotations Especially Applicable to Psychiatry. The committee chair is Kathleen Dougherty, MD.

Government Relations
The Government Relations Committee monitors bills introduced in the Pennsylvania General Assembly and makes recommendations to the PaPS Council on legislative and regulatory issues affecting the specialty and healthcare public policy. Kenneth Certa, MD and Ahmad Hameed, MD co-chair these efforts.

Membership
The Membership Committee develops and implements membership recruitment and retention programs, makes recommendations to the PaPS Council on dues relief requests, and makes recommendations to the PaPS Council on Distinguished Fellow candidates. Robert Wilson, MD and current Vice President Kavita Fischer, MD, FAPA serve as co-chairs.

Social Media Task Force
This is a new task force reviewing options for PaPS social media. If you are interested in social media, contact the office to get involved.