This panel will include 5-6 addiction psychiatrists working in diverse areas of the field who will share information about their career trajectory, career advice and answer questions from the audience. Our target audience is trainees, early career attendees and anyone considering new career routes within the field. We will have addiction psychiatrists working in private practice, academics, the VA, and research as well as diversity in gender, race/ethnicity and age to provide a wide breadth of experiences in the field. Each panelist will spend 5-10 minutes describing their career then we will have 30-45 minutes for question and answer (Q&A) with the audience. Moderators for the panel will have prepared questions to guide the Q&A portion and allow the audience to ask their own questions. At the beginning of the session a live online survey of 2 questions asking what the audience would like to hear most about including practice types and career-related advice will help to guide the Q&A portion to maximally benefit the attendees.
Danae DiRocco, MD, Chairperson
Danae DiRocco, MD, MPH is board-certified in General and Addiction Psychiatry. She is the Associate Medical Director of Addictions at the Cuyahoga County Corrections Center. She supervises psychiatry residents, addiction medicine fellows, and addiction psychiatry fellows at this location treating dual diagnosis incarcerated patients. She is also Site Director for MetroHealth for the city-wide Addiction Psychiatry Fellowship in partnership with University Hospitals and Cleveland Clinic. Her interests include health inequities, structural competency in medicine, and combating stigma in addiction and mental health.
Chun Tong, MD, Presenter
With a compassionate approach and a dedication to holistic care, Dr. Chun Tong, MD is a board-certified psychiatrist specialized in addiction committed to helping individuals overcome substance use disorders and achieve lasting recovery. Dr. Tong earned his medical degree and completed psychiatry residency as chief resident at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School (formally known as UMDNJ), followed by a fellowship in addiction psychiatry at Mount Sinai West/Morningside.
Dr. Tong has extensive experience in treating a wide range of addiction-related issues, including alcohol dependency, opioid use disorder, and co-occurring mental health conditions. Additionally, Dr. Tong provides comprehensive care for general psychiatric conditions such as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. Utilizing evidence-based treatments and personalized care plans, Dr. Tong works closely with patients to address the underlying causes of both addiction and general mental health issues, supporting their journey toward healthier, fulfilling lives.
In addition to clinical practice, Dr. Tong is actively involved in research and advocacy, striving to advance the field of addiction psychiatry and improve access to quality care. Dr. Tong is an active member and co-director of membership committee at the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry (AAAP), and frequently presents at national conferences on topics related to addiction treatment and mental health. Dr. Tong remains active in providing education and didactic at his previous training program at Rutgers, Mount Sinai, and the newly-form internal medicine residency program at The Valley Hospital.
Outside of work, Dr. Tong enjoys recording podcasts for the AAAP on various topics in addiction psychiatry, and video gaming.
Ayana Jordan, MD, PhD, Presenter
Ayana Jordan, MD, PhD, is an endowed Barbara Wilson Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry, Addiction Psychiatrist and Associate Professor in the Department of Population Health at New York University (NYU) Grossman School of Medicine. As Principal Investigator for the Jordan Wellness Collaborative (JWC), she leads a research, education, and clinical program that partners with community members to provide optimal access to evidence-based treatments for racial and ethnic minoritized patients with mental health disorders.
Through her multi-faceted work, she provides addiction treatment in faith settings, studies health outcomes for people with opioid use disorder in the carceral system, and trains addiction specialists to provide culturally-informed treatment.
Dr. Jordan is dedicated to creating spaces and opportunities for more people of color, specifically Black women in academia who are vastly underrepresented. She has numerous peer-reviewed publications, has been featured at international conferences, and is the proud recipient of various clinical and research awards. The fundamental message of equity and inclusion has informed her research, clinical work, and leadership duties at NYU and beyond.
Manassa Hany, MD, Presenter
Director, Addiction Psychiatry Fellowship, Mount Sinai Program
Robert Rymowicz, DO, Presenter
Robert Rymowicz is a Board Certified Addiction Psychiatrist, he attended medical school at Western University of Health Sciences, and completed his residency training in psychiatry at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, where he served as chief resident. Robert completed the Psychoanalytic Association of New York's fellowship in psychoanalysis during his final year of residency training, and then obtained further subspeciality training at UCLA, where he completed a fellowship in addiction psychiatry. Robert serves on the American Psychiatric Association's Political Action Committee, and as the treasurer of the Arizona Psychiatric Society.
Christine LaGrotta, MD, Presenter
Dr. LaGrotta is an addiction psychiatrist in the Supportive Recovery Services clinic at the James J Peters Bronx VA Hospital and an Assistant Clinical Professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. She is the site training director for psychiatry residents. She completed residency training at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center/Case Western Reserve University and addiction fellowship at Mount Sinai St. Luke’s Roosevelt.