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Robert M. Anthenelli, M.D. • Director
Dr. Anthenelli is a Professor and the former Interim Chair, Executive Vice Chair, and Vice Chair for Veterans Affairs, respectively, in the UC San Diego (UCSD) Department of Psychiatry where he directs the Pacific Treatment and Research Center (Pac-TARC).
He earned his baccalaureate degree from the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, and his medical degree from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He completed his internship in internal medicine at Mercy Hospital in Baltimore, and his psychiatry residency training at UCSD and the San Diego Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Additional post-doctoral training included a two-year fellowship in addiction psychiatry research funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Dr. Anthenelli was formerly a Professor of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine where he founded and directed the Center for Treatment, Research & Education in Addictive Disorders and the Addiction Sciences Division. He also directed the Substance Dependence Program at the Cincinnati VA which was awarded the Department of Veterans Affairs, Undersecretary for Health’s Award as a Clinical Program of Excellence in Substance Abuse and was selected as a National Tobacco Cessation Clinical Resource Center.
Professor Anthenelli has been selected among the Best Doctors and Top Psychiatrists in America. He serves on the editorial advisory boards of the Journal of Addiction Medicine and Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.
The overarching theme of Dr. Anthenelli’s research is to develop improved treatments for tobacco, alcohol, and stimulant (methamphetamine and cocaine) use disorders by better understanding the neurobiology of the disorders. He is the author or co-author of over 260 peer-reviewed articles, book chapters and published abstracts. Support for his research is provided by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institute on Drug Abuse, University of California Office of the President’s Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program, and various industry sponsors. -
Benjamin McKenna, Ph.D. • Clinical Psychologist
Dr. McKenna is an Assistant Clinical Professor in the UC San Diego Department of Psychiatry and a Staff Psychologist at the Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System where he serves as Coordinator for the Mood Disorders Clinic.
He received his B.S. in Psychology from the University of Arizona. In 2011, he earned a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology with a specialization in Neuropsychology from the SDSU/UCSD Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology and completed a pre-doctoral internship at the University of Arizona Medical Center. Following his doctoral training, Dr. McKenna completed a Veterans Affairs Advanced Fellowship in Mental Illness Research and Treatment before joining the Translational Methamphetamine and AIDS Research Center on a NIDA-funded T32 Postdoctoral Fellowship for Training in Research on Addictions in Interdisciplinary NeuroAIDS.
Dr. McKenna joined Pac-TARC in 2015. His overarching research interests are to better understand 1) the neurobiology and associated cognitive functions impacted by substances of abuse, and 2) interactions between addictions and other mental illnesses. His research interests are aimed at improving treatments in patients with comorbid mental health and substance use diagnoses. -
Carla Marienfeld, M.D. • Study Physician
Carla Marienfeld, MD, DFAPA, FASAM is board-certified in psychiatry, addiction psychiatry, and addiction medicine, and she is a Clinical Professor at the University of California San Diego where she is the Medical Director of the Substance Treatment and Recovery (STAR) Program and the Program Director for the UCSD Addiction Psychiatry Fellowship.
She has authored or co-authored over three dozen peer reviewed articles, book chapters, practice guidelines, and invited commentaries, and she edited two books: Motivational Interviewing for Clinical Practice and Absolute Addiction Psychiatry Review: An essential board exam study guide.
Dr. Marienfeld completed a fellowship in addiction psychiatry and residency training in psychiatry at Yale. She earned a medical degree with honors from Baylor College of Medicine. During her residency, she was chief resident of psychiatry and founded (and later led as junior faculty) the Yale Global Mental Health Program. She earned a medical degree with honors from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. She is active in many professional organizations, including the American Society of Addiction Medicine, the American Association of Addiction Psychiatry, and the American Psychiatric Association.
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Nancy McGinley, MD, MPH • Study Physician
Nancy R. McGinley, MD, MPH, is board-certified in psychiatry and in child & adolescent psychiatry. She is also board-eligible in addiction psychiatry, having completed her addiction psychiatry fellowship at the University of California San Diego in June 2024. Dr. McGinley then joined UCSD’s Department of Psychiatry in August 2024 as an attending physician in the Substance Treatment and Recovery (STAR) Program, where she enjoys seeing patients, supervising residents/fellows, and will be starting her role as Assistant Clinical Professor later this fall.
Dr. McGinley earned her bachelor’s degree from Duke University, her master’s in public health from The George Washington University, and her medical degree from the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Chicago. During medical school, she was selected to be part of their Urban Medicine Program, a four-year longitudinal experience that prepares students to graduate as physician leaders who aspire to ameliorate health inequities. She completed her psychiatry residency at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, then came to UCSD for her child & adolescent psychiatry fellowship, where she served as chief fellow, and addiction psychiatry fellowship.
Dr. McGinley is most passionate about working to end the stigma that often surrounds mental illness and substance use in racial/ethnic minoritized communities. She also has a special interest in the intersection between childhood trauma and early substance use in adolescents. -
Cassandra Henrickson, M.A.S. • Clinical Research Coordinator
Cassandra Henrickson received her M.A.S. in Clinical Research and B.S. in Cognitive Science at the Universityty of California – San Diego. Her Master’s thesis investigated whether cognitive-sparing stereotactic radiosurgery better preserves memory function in patients with brain metastases. Her general research interests span the neuroscience of behavioral and addiction disorders, neuroimaging, social cognition, and neurodegenerative diseases.
After graduating in 2024, Cassandra joined Pac-TARC as a Clinical Research Coordinator to work on a federally funded trial assessing treatments for substance use disorders. -
Lalin Ozyazgan B.A., B.S. • Staff Research Associate
Lalin earned her B.S. in Clinical Psychology and B.A. Ethnic Studies at UC San Diego. As an undergraduate, she volunteered in several research labs, including working on the NCANDA study determining the effects of alcohol and other substance use on the adolescent brain, and how varying brain characteristics predict future alcohol use problems.
Upon graduating in 2020, Lalin continued working with the NCANDA team as a Lab Assistant. She later joined the HBCD consortium site at UCSD as a Staff Research Associate, studying various environmental and genetic factors that influence fetal and early child development. Lalin became a part of the Pac-TARC team in April 2024 and coordinates an NIAAA-funded study exploring potential sex differences in drug sensitivity and stress response.Lalin hopes to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology studying the development of substance use disorders in adolescents and young adults.
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Mary Miles, B.A. • Lab Assistant
Mary Miles received her B.A. in psychology from Point Loma Nazarene University. Having previously worked in the Social Psychology and Influence lab at Point Loma, Mary studied the Perceptions of the Performance of Individuals who Experienced Adverse Childhood Experiences, as well as the Perceptions of High and Low Socioeconomic Status Individuals, and Its Effects on Aggression Towards Them.
Mary has presented her research at the Western Psychological Association research conference in 2023. She also worked as a research methods and statistics TA at Point Loma Nazarene University. She also was president of PSI CHI, the International Honor Society in Psychology, at her school. Her research interests primarily lie in substance abuse, trauma, and attachment theory. Mary hopes to earn her PhD in Clinical Psychology.
Upon graduation, Mary joined Pac-TARC as a student intern, where she was then hired on as a Laboratory Assistant II in April 2024, working on the NIAAA-funded study. -
Karissa Weekes • Student Intern
Karissa is a fourth-year undergraduate student at Point Loma Nazarene University, majoring in psychology. She is currently a member of a research team at Point Loma, looking at marriage and divorce. She has presented her research at the 2024 Western Psychological Association research conference. After graduation, she hopes to pursue a career in psychology or education, working with children and families.
Outside of Pac-TARC, she has participated in the International Psychology Honor Society (PSI CHI), is a developmental psychology TA, and directs five children/visiting outreach ministries at her university. -
Alison Wong • Student Intern
Ms. Wong is a fourth year undergraduate student at the University of California San Diego. She is currently majoring in public health with a concentration in medical sciences. After graduation, she hopes to pursue a career in psychology or psychiatry through graduate school or medical school.
Outside of PAC-TARC, she has also volunteered at other psychology/psychiatry related research facilities associated with UCSD and the VA.