Alumni

Bryana Weimer

Bryana Weimer is a Child-Adolescent Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Fellow at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). She is an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse and board certified Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner specializing in the assessment and treatment of children and adolescents living with various psychiatric disorders. She earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree at the University of San Diego while concurrently completing the Nurse Practitioner Training Program at UCSD, training under the supervision of esteemed professionals in the field. During her time in UCSD’s NP Training Program, she conducted an evidence-based project on controlled substance agreements in adult outpatient psychiatry and presented her findings at the 2024 California Association of Nurse Practitioner conference. Ms. Weimer began her professional journey after earning her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Seattle University, gaining experience as a Registered Nurse in the areas of psychiatric crisis stabilization, inpatient psychiatry, and residential detox treatment. She is committed to providing high-quality, evidence-based mental health care to children, adolescents, and families in a supportive and empathetic environment. Her approach intentionally integrates therapeutic interventions with pharmacological treatment, emphasizing strong partnerships with both patients and their families to deliver individualized and holistic care during such a pivotal time. Ms. Weimer is honored to be a part of UCSD’s Psychiatry team and is dedicated to promoting the mental health and resilience of the children and families she serves.

Caleb Norton

Dr. Caleb Norton, originally from Wisconsin, joins UCSD following the completion of his Doctor of Nursing Practice at Oregon Health and Science University. For the past several years Caleb has worked as a nurse in the Psychiatric Emergency Services at Unity Center for Behavioral Health and at Hooper Detox Stabilization Center in Portland, Oregon. His interest in medicine began in 2015 during an internship with Grand Canyon National Park Search and Rescue and his passion for mental health grew while working at a residential substance use disorder treatment center in Flagstaff Arizona. Dr. Norton has a particular interest in the complex interaction of environment, genetics, exposure to developmental trauma, behavioral programming, and resilience and how these factors contribute to mental health in the child and adolescent population.

Camille Nawawi

As a graduate of UCSF’s Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner MSN program, I have gained valuable experience through clinical training. This has further enhanced my clinical judgment and knowledge, allowing me to provide holistic and evidence-based practice to those faced with various mental health challenges. While I have had the privilege of working with individuals of all ages, my primary interest lies in working with children and adolescents. I recognize the importance of early intervention and support for young people and their families, as it can have a profound and lasting positive impact. I am deeply committed to advocating for mental health awareness and providing compassionate patient-centered care to those facing mental health challenges, driven by the belief that every individual deserves to be heard, supported, and empowered.

Sigrid Brost

Sigrid Brost is a passionate mental health professional who has been working in psychiatry at Children's Hospital in Minnesota and at Eating Recovery Center in Denver. She graduated in 2020 with her registered nursing degree from St. Catherine University in Saint Paul Minnesota. She graduated from Regis University in Denver with her Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Degree in 2024. She is passionate about the importance of adolescent mental health education and care as well as reaching underserved populations. She finds inspiration and motivation from the resiliency of children she has cared for in the past. She is committed to creating a safe mental health care environment where everyone feels safe. During her free time, she also enjoys hiking, spending time with her family, and traveling to new places.

Brianna Swanson

Brianna Swanson was born and raised in San Diego, where she obtained her first Bachelor's Degree in Kinesiology from San Diego State University. During her time there, she conducted research with bionic exoskeletons and spinal cord injury patients, working closely with nurses at the VA. Discovering a passion for helping individuals in need, she pursued an accelerated Bachelor's of Science in Nursing at the University of Rochester, in Rochester, New York. Throughout her nursing career at Scripps Health, she gained experience in medicine and oncology nursing, neurological, surgical, trauma intensive care (NST ICU), and post-operative recovery units. During the COVID-19 pandemic, her experiences in the ICU, coupled with her own mental health struggles and those of her patients and coworkers, deeply impacted her and solidified her desire to specialize in psychiatry. She obtained her Master's of Science in Nursing - Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner degree from California State University San Marcos. Brianna has a keen interest in community mental health, consult-liaison psychiatry, and women's reproductive mental health care. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, cooking, spending time with her family and dog, attending concerts, and reading.

Judy Park

I am honored to join the UCSD PMHNP Fellowship and serve the San Diego community with other mental health professionals. I have had the privilege of working as a nurse, precepting new nurses, and mentoring students on an acute inpatient psychiatric unit. Much of the unit population consisted of unhoused patients who not only suffered from severe mental illness and comorbid substance abuse, but also from broader stressors due to trauma, housing insecurity, and pinched resources. As a PMHNP, I am committed to partnering with patients in their care while honoring their agency. My broader interests include integrative psychiatry and psychotherapy.

Noah Pacis

Noah Pacis is a board-certified psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) from Southern California. He received his Master of Science in Nursing from Vanderbilt University and has completed additional educational experiences through the Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training program and the Vanderbilt Program in Interprofessional Learning—both of which have significantly reinforced his passion for working with underserved communities and his drive to promote collaborative approaches to patient care. Noah is a recipient of the 2024 American Psychiatric Nurses Association Board of Directors Student Scholarship. Prior to his journey in nursing, he received his Bachelor of Arts from Princeton University, having completed a concentration in Chemistry and a certificate in Materials Science and Engineering. In his free time, Noah enjoys playing tennis, learning pickleball, surfing, snowboarding, and practicing viola. He is honored and excited to be joining the University of California, San Diego, as part of this new cohort of PMHNP fellows.

Leslie Laine

Leslie Laine is a dedicated Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner who graduated from California State University San Marcos with a master’s degree. She received her Bachelor of Nursing from The Ohio State University and is a proud member of the Sigma Theta Tau Honor Society of Nursing. With experience in various psychiatric settings, Leslie has worked in rehabilitation and detox centers, correctional facilities, inpatient units, and community settings. Before transitioning to nursing, she earned a degree in Biology and worked in Geographic Information Systems for many years. Outside of her professional life, Leslie enjoys spending time with her family, which includes two dachshunds, a cat, and chickens. She enjoys traveling and is an avid listener of the Carlat Report.

Sucdi Hassan

Sucdi Hassan is a recent graduate of California State University, San Marcos, where she earned her Master of Science in Nursing and was awarded the California Psychiatric Education Capacity Expansion (PECE) Grant. Her graduate thesis focused on exploring the relationships between smartphone addiction and negative emotional states. Now board certified by the ANCC, Sucdi is excited to explore her passions in the field, which include the early identification of psychosis and relapse prevention, mood disorders, addiction, and increasing access to mental health care for individuals from underserved and underrepresented populations. She has over seven years of experience as a registered nurse, specializing in neurological, surgical, and trauma critical care and perioperative nursing. Her dedication and exceptional service in nursing have earned her repeat nominations for the Nurse of the Year award at Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla. As a San Diego native, Sucdi enjoys exploring new cafes, traveling, video games, and spending time with her three cats, Joker, Coco, and Layla. She is excited to be joining the new cohort of Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Fellows in the adult track this upcoming October.

Mark Crawford

Mark Crawford is a recent graduate of the California State University San Marcos PMHNP program with a Master's degree. He graduated with honors and was invited to be inducted into the sigma theta tau honor society for nurses. He earned his Bachelor's in Nursing from the University of Delaware and has accumulated over 12 years of nursing experience, focusing on emergency, trauma, emergency psychiatry, and inpatient psychiatry. Throughout his career, Mark has developed a passion for providing care to psychiatric patient populations. He has held various professional roles, including chairing the system-wide Nursing Research Council, running the Nursing Grand Rounds program for his health system, and participating in unit-based quality improvement workgroups such as the Psychiatric Behavioral Response Team and Workplace Violence De-escalation Workgroup Committee. Additionally, Mark has volunteered with various community organizations supporting LGBTQ+ individuals. He is passionate about psychotherapy, mindfulness, trauma, addictions, LGBTQ+ mental health disparities, and the unique intersectionality of these factors in psychiatric care. In his free time, Mark enjoys traveling, cooking, exploring restaurants in San Diego, hiking, snorkeling, studying, and playing video games. Mark is excited to join the UCSD Adult Community PMHNP fellowship training program and learning all that he can. He looks forward to partnering with patients on their mental health journeys.

Joanna Ciafone

I am a recent graduate of Yale School of Nursing and a board-certified psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner. Prior to studying at Yale, I completed master’s and doctoral degrees in psychology and neuroscience at Newcastle University in England. As both a researcher and a provider, I am passionate about providing evidence-based clinical care and building collaborative, compassionate relationships with clients. In my free time, I enjoy hiking, yoga, and meditation.

Isabella Asamsama

Kristina Isabella Asamsama completed her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Walla Walla University and served as the Senior Class President. She furthered her education with a Master of Science in Nursing specializing in Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) at California State University San Marcos, graduating with honors. Over the past eight years as a certified medical oncology and palliative care nurse at Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla, Isabella has witnessed firsthand how poor coping mechanisms, psychosocial distress, and adjustment disorders can significantly impact patient recovery. This experience fueled her interest in psychiatry and dedication to improving the quality of life for her patients by collaboratively working with them to address their physical and mental health needs. She recently completed the University of California San Diego’s PMHNP student internship, where she worked in various clinical settings with transitional-aged youth and adults with mild to severe mental health illnesses and co-occurring substance use disorders or psychosocial concerns that affect their medical care. Her interests in psychiatry include early psychosis, trauma-related conditions, palliative care and resilience, and consultation-liaison psychiatry. In her free time, Isabella enjoys reading, hiking, traveling, and attending concerts.

Rachelle Pace

Rachelle Pace, DNP, is native to the Pacific Northwest and earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Pacific Lutheran University. She then commissioned into the Army Nurse Corps and spent eight years as an active-duty officer. Her nursing experience includes medical-surgical, operating room, and case management for wounded warriors. Rachelle graduated with a doctorate degree as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner from the University of San Diego in 2023 and was a prior trainee of the UCSD Psych NP Training Program. Clinical areas of interest include mindfulness, exercise, and adverse childhood events within the psychiatric setting.

Christy Chung

Suemin was born in Norman, OK and lived in San Jose, CA and Houston, TX before settling in Greensboro,NC where she spent the majority of her childhood. She obtained her BA in Psychology and Medicine, Health, and Society at Vanderbilt University, where she received the Jum C. Nunnally Honors Research Award for her research on eating disorders and racial/ethnic identity and culture. After graduating, Suemin continued on to do COVID research at UNC Chapel Hill before returning to Vanderbilt to complete her MSN. In her free time she enjoys being outdoors, doing puzzles, and learning how to rock climb.

Sydney Roscoe

Sydney was born and raised in Youngstown, Ohio where her family still lives. She received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Youngstown State University in 2017. Following graduation, she completed a nurse residency program through Mercy Health St. Elizabeth’s Hospital with a focus in intermediate care. Her nursing experience, thereafter, primarily includes the intensive care unit as a registered nurse, including St. Elizabeth’s Mercy Health, UMPC Mercy, and Scripps Mercy Health. In 2023, Sydney graduated with her Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree, specializing as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner through the University of San Diego. During her studies, she was a member of the UCSD Nurse Practitioner Psychiatric clinical training program. She currently belongs to the American Nurses Association. A few fun facts: she loves her two doodle puppies, eating pizza, listening to music, and watching college football with her family (Go Buckeyes!).)

Unique Whitehurst

Unique Whitehurst is a Board Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner from Long Beach, CA. She earned her B.S. in psychology with a minor in chemistry from South Carolina State University, and her BSN and MSN from Duke University. Upon her acceptance to Duke, she was selected as a HRSA-sponsored Health Equity Academy II Scholar and committed her nursing career to addressing the relationship between social determinants of health, health disparities and health equity, specifically in the specialty of psychiatry and mental health. While attending Duke, she partnered with the American Heart Association, Duke Health Cardiology, and Lincoln Community Health Center to conduct research aimed at decreasing the burden of health disparities for African American men with hypertension. She was also selected as a fellow in both the inaugural cohort of the Race and the Professions Fellowship hosted by the Duke Kenan Institute of Ethics and the Duke Grad Engage Fellowship. She currently serves on the Racial Equity Advisory Council to the Duke Board of Trustees and is a SAMHSA/ANA Minority Fellow. She has co-authored two publications. She is a member of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, American Psychiatric Nursing Association, American Society of Addiction Medicine, American Nurses Association, and Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society.

Victoria Brown

Victoria is a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and has experience treating pediatric and adult populations with a variety of psychiatric disorders. Ms. Brown received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Boston College, where she graduated with a minor in hispanic studies. She subsequently completed the Vanderbilt University Medical Center Nurse Residency program and specialized in the behavioral health track at Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital. Ms. Brown has worked as a Registered Nurse in emergency department, acute mental health outpatient and inpatient psychiatric settings. She earned her Master of Science in Nursing from Regis College and had rotations with diverse populations, where she obtained skills in pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment modalities. Ms. Brown gained experience in the community health setting treating adults with serious mental illness and dual diagnosis; She received further clinical training in child and adolescent psychiatry and cognitive behavioral therapy as a PMHNP intern and research assistant. Ms. Brown is co-author to a peer-reviewed research publication in Spring of 2022, on the metabolic profile of lumateperone, which was presented at the American Psychological Association (APA) Spring 2022 Annual Conference and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) Fall 2022 Annual Conference. Ms. Brown is a member of the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing and other professional affiliations include the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), American Nurses Association (ANA), and American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA).

Matthew Wietzke

Mr. Wietzke has been a registered nurse for over a decade and a newly board certified PMHNP. He obtained his Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Cal State San Marcos graduating summa cum laude in 2013. He has worked as an ER nurse at Sharp Grossmont, VA Hospital San Diego, and Kaiser Perrmanente San Diego Medical Center and also worked as a Critcal Care Transport Nurse. In 2023, Mr. Wietzke graduated from Cal State San Marcos with his Master of Science in Nursing - Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. While in the program he participated in UC San Diego's Nurse Practitioner Training Program treating patients with various mental health conditions. He also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Managerial Economics from UC Davis. In his free time, Mr. Wietzke likes to work out at the gym and mountain bike.

Page Coleman

Page Coleman (she/her) is a board-certified psychiatric nurse practitioner and Texas native. After earning a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a minor in Neuroscience from Texas A&M University, she completed a Master of Science in Nursing at The University of Texas at Austin, where she was a HRSA Integrated Behavioral Health Scholar. While completing her nurse practitioner training at various sites such as juvenile detention centers, pediatric outpatient clinics, and community based mental health centers, Page worked as a registered nurse on an inpatient psychiatric unit for children and adolescents. As a PMHNP, Page enjoys working with youth and their families to deliver evidence based and patient centered psychiatric care across various settings in San Diego.

Maybelle Wong

Maybelle is a Board Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. She completed her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, and earned her Master of Science in Nursing graduate degree, specializing in psychiatric advanced nursing practice from Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science in 2022. She graduated with honors and an accolade of receiving the Dean’s Leadership Award. She utilizes evidence-based practices combined with clinical experience, observation, multidisciplinary collaboration, and a biological-psychological-social-spiritual approach to healing and healthcare. Clinical areas of interest include destigmatization, integrative and innovations in mental healthcare, existential psychotherapy, trauma informed care and suicide prevention. She is also a certified yoga practitioner, who enjoys nature and traveling.

Ashley Golden Giorgi

Ashley Golden Giorgi is a master’s prepared advanced practice registered nurse joining us at University of California San Diego Department of Psychiatry as a Post- Graduate Community Psychiatry Nurse Practitioner fellow for the upcoming 2023-2024 cohort. Giorgi completed a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven and Suffolk University in Boston. At that time, she was inducted into the Beta Beta Beta Biological Honors Society and served as the chapter’s Vice President. Giorgi earned a Master of Science in Nursing with a focus on Leadership in Diverse Settings from The University of Texas at Austin and is a proud Texas Longhorn and Texas Ex. At UT Austin, Giorgi was inducted into the Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Honor Society. #whatstartsherechangestheworld Following this, she earned her post-master's Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Certificate through the University of Cincinnati. Giorgi started working in healthcare as a certified ophthalmic surgical assistant in New England. Here, she uncovered a passion to work collaboratively with the represented disciplines to identify individuals whose sensory deficits contributed to diminishing quality of life, and consequently affecting their mental health. In addressing the mind, body and spirit as one, Giorgi takes a whole health approach utilizing both the art and science of medicine in psychiatry. As a nurse, Giorgi has always worked in mental health and psychiatry settings including inpatient psychiatric hospital units for pediatric, adolescent, adult, and geriatric individuals, including veterans at the VA. In rural Texas, she worked at a residential treatment facility for pediatric and adolescent individuals experiencing neuropsychiatric and neurobehavioral complications. She has experience with multiple traditional and progressive therapies for treatment-resistant depression including electroconvulsive therapy, esKetamine, Ketamine, and Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation. Giorgi provides professional service not only in a work environment but also is active within the community through volunteer positions with NAMI, and Dell Medical School among others. She serves on the application review committee as a health leadership apprentice, mentor, and alumnus with Dell Med. Giorgi seeks to broaden the depth and breadth of her expertise through continuing education and research activities. She holds a number of certifications within mental health including Mental Health First Aid Provider, Reproductive Mental Health Specialist with the VA, and committee member in Women’s Health at the VA La Jolla. Giorgi enjoys an active and healthy lifestyle. She enjoys building professional relationships with her patients and enjoys learning about their lives outside of their diagnosis. Currently residing in Encinitas with her husband who is also a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner working in addiction medicine in the San Diego community. They enjoy a balanced life with their daughter and two Labrador retrievers spending time in nature and finding ways to integrate this into their daily lives in a meaningful way.