Meet the Speakers
 | Peter J. Weiden MD is an internationally recognized expert on schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders. Dr. Weiden graduated from Swarthmore College with a BA in chemistry and received his MD at SUNY Stony Brook, and psychiatric residency at Payne Whitney Clinic/New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center. His career focus on schizophrenia started during residency after a research elective on treatment of drug-induced movement disorders, which quickly turned into a broader schizophrenia-focused career mission.
Dr. Weiden was Professor of Psychiatry at SUNY Downstate Medical Center from 1999-2007 where he was interim Chair from 2001-2003, next Professor of Psychiatry at UIC Medical Center from 2007-2014. He then joined the pharmaceutical industry between 2016-2023, having worked on Clinical Development and Medical Affairs on new medications for schizophrenia. Since April 2023, Dr. Weiden has returned to academic life at Stony Brook University Medical Center. | | Ulyee Choe, DO currently serves as the Director of the Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County since September 2015. He also serves as the County Health Systems Statewide Medical Director since April 2022. He is board certified in both internal medicine and infectious diseases and is a Collaborative Faculty Member - Associate Professor with the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine.
He is a graduate of the University of Florida where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in microbiology and received a Doctorate in Osteopathic Medicine from Nova Southeastern University in 2005. He completed his residency and fellowship at the University of South Florida (USF) Health 2011. Prior to his appointment in Pinellas, Dr. Choe served as Director of the Florida Department of Health in Polk as well as Interim Director of the Florida Department of Health in Hardee County. Dr. Choe is a member of multiple state and local organizations and boards, including vice-chair Physician Workforce Advisory Council.
|  |  | Justin Pope, JD joined PRMS in 2014. Mr. Pope is responsible for researching emerging risk management issues, creating online content, speaking on risk management topics, and providing advice to individual providers through the Risk Management Consultation Service. As a law student, he focused primarily on international, administrative, and food law. During his final year at Howard, Mr. Pope gained additional insight into the FDA’s regulatory process while serving as a research assistant to his professor. He has also interned as a legal assistant for both the Ft. Monroe Garrison Office of the Staff Judge Advocate and the Office of the Naval Inspector General, researching and writing on a variety of legal issues. Mr. Pope received his Bachelor of Arts degree in International Affairs from the University of Virginia and his Juris Doctor degree from the Howard University School of Law. | | Donna Vanderpool, JD is responsible for the development and implementation of risk management services for PRMS. Ms. Vanderpool has developed expertise in the areas of telepsychiatry, HIPAA, and forensic practice, and has consulted, published, and spoken nationally on these and other healthcare law and risk management topics. She has contributed most recently to the following psychiatric texts: Textbook of Forensic Psychiatry, 3rd ed. (APPI), Gun Violence and Mental Health (APPI), and Mental Health Practice in a Digital World (Springer). She also has co-edited and contributed chapters to several other clinical textbooks. Prior to joining PRMS in 2000, Ms. Vanderpool practiced criminal defense law, taught business and legal courses, and spent eight years managing a general surgical practice. Ms. Vanderpool received a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Management from James Madison University. She also earned a Master of Business Administration degree and Juris Doctor degree from George Mason University. |  |  | Gregory Pontone, MD, MHS is the Professor and the Division Chief of Aging, Behavioral, and Cognitive Neurology and Co-director of the Fixel Neuropsychiatry Program in the Department of Neurology at the University of Florida. After completing a medicine internship and residency training in psychiatry at Johns Hopkins, Dr. Pontone completed a two-year fellowship in geriatric psychiatry and movement disorders focusing on Parkinson’s disease through the Clinical Research Program of the Morris K. Udall Parkinson’s Disease Research Center. He also completed a fellowship in Clinical Trial Methods in Neurology sponsored by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. He is board certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and has an added certification in the specialty of Geriatric Psychiatry. He is an editorial board member for the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry and Parkinsonism & Related Disorders. He has been a member of the Parkinson Study Group (PSG) since 2008. He currently serves on the Scientific Review Committee and as the chair of the Cognitive/Psychiatric Working Group. His clinical and research interests focus on cognitive and psychiatric symptoms in Parkinson’s disease. | | Christopher Rienas, MD is a double board-certified psychiatrist in general psychiatry and addiction psychiatry. He serves as the Chair and Medical Director of Behavioral Health at HCA Florida JFK North Hospital and is the Associate Program Director for the psychiatry residency program. Dr. Rienas earned his medical degree from the University of Miami and completed both his General Psychiatry and Addiction Psychiatry training at the University of California, San Francisco. Specializing in addiction and the treatment of complex co-occurring disorders, Dr. Rienas is committed to advancing psychiatric education and clinical practice. His presentation will examine the challenges and key considerations in prescribing controlled substances from a psychiatrist’s perspective. |  |  | Michelle Lanspa, DO, MBA, received her medical degree, as well as a Master’s of Science in Nutrition, from Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine and is currently completing her psychiatry residency with Memorial Healthcare System in Hollywood, FL. She intends to specialize in reproductive psychiatry and in nutritional psychiatry. She completed her undergraduate studies at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, majoring in Science and Technology in International Affairs with a concentration in International Public Health. She spent the next seven years living in Europe, working as a project manager and grant writer for the Italian anti-human trafficking nonprofit organization the Tampep Association, in partnership with the European Commission and the United Nations. Dr. Lanspa has also completed an MBA through IE Business School in Madrid, Spain, with concentrations in Corporate Social Responsibility and Social Entrepreneurship. Dr. Lanspa served for 5 years on the Board of the Broward Human Trafficking Coalition and continues to be an active volunteer with the organization, educating the community on sexual exploitation and advocating for survivors. She is currently working on research regarding neuroinflammation, mood disorders, and hormone regulation. | | Zachary Zimko, DO is a Licensed Osteopathic Physician in the state of Florida. He graduated Cum Laude from the University of Delaware in 2012 with a B.S. in Neuroscience and Minors in Medical Humanities, Medical Diagnostics, and Biology. He graduated from Rowan School of Osteopathic Medicine in 2016 with a Doctorate in Osteopathic Medicine. He graduated his Psychiatry Residency at Largo Medical Center in 2020 and was Chief Resident in his final year. He is Board Certified in Psychiatry through the AOA. He co-founded his practice Bywater Mental Health in 2021 and is an Assistant Professor at USF Health, Morsani College of Medicine’s GME program at Largo Medical Center. He is a member of the Pinellas EMS Advisory Council. His hobbies include cooking, home-brewing and spending time with his Wife, Children, and Corgis (Luna & Lilly). |  |
For more information on our Spring CME Meeting, please see the Spring Meeting Webpage.
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