Our Team
Yuval Neria, PhD
- Director of PTSD Research Program
- Professor of Medical Psychology (in Psychiatry and Epidemiology) at CUMC
Dr. Neria is Professor of Medical Psychology at the Departments of Psychiatry and Epidemiology at Columbia University Medical Center and Director of the PTSD Research and Treatment Program at the New York State Psychiatric Institute. Dr. Neria grew up in Israel and personally experienced the effects of war. He is the recipient of the Medal of Valor, equivalent to a medal of honor. Dr. Neria has studied the effects of trauma across different contexts, including wars and disasters, and has been involved in developing and testing innovative treatments for PTSD.
John Caleb Markowitz, MD
- Professor of Clinical Psychiatry
Dr. Markowitz is a Research Psychiatrist at the New York State Psychiatric Institute and Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City. He is a psychiatrist specializing in research and clinical practice with nearly thirty years of experience, and is an expert in psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy for mood, anxiety, and personality disorders.
Franklin R. Schneier, MD
- Special Lecturer, Columbia University Irving Medical Center
Franklin Schneier, M.D. is a Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and Research Scientist in the Anxiety Disorders Clinic at New York State Psychiatric Institute. Dr. Schneier's research has focused on the diagnosis and treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder, social anxiety disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder. He has conducted clinical trials establishing the efficacy of medication and cognitive- behavioral therapy treatments and has used brain imaging to evaluate brain function in anxiety disorders and depression.
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Doron Amsalem, MD
- Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychiatry
Dr. Amsalem is a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, an Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychiatry in the Department of Psychiatry at Columbia University, and a Research Scientist at New York State Psychiatric Institute. Dr. Amsalem developed programs for medical students and psychiatry residents at Yale University and Sheba Medical Center in Israel. His research focus is stigma reduction, specifically in the areas of psychosis, depression and PTSD. Currently, he investigates interventions to reduce stigma and enhance treatment engagement in youth. He is interested in developing and implementing brief videos, aiming to direct at-risk youth into treatment earlier in the course of mental illness.
Maja Bergman, PhD
- Assistant Professor of Clinical Medical Psychology (in Psychiatry)
Dr. Bergman is an Assistant Professor of Medical Psychology (in Psychiatry) at Columbia University and the lab’s Director of Clinical Training. In addition to her own research and clinical work she is responsible for training and supervision of the lab’s clinical staff. Maja has over fifteen years of clinical experience working with traumatized individuals and families, and her current research is focused on development and testing of mind-body interventions in the prevention and treatment of trauma related disorders.
J. Arturo Sanchez-Lacay, MD
J. Arturo Sanchez-Lacay, MD is a Research Psychiatrist at the New York State Psychiatric Institute and Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons. Dr. Sanchez-Lacay joined the Anxiety Disorders Clinic in 1992 and has worked extensively in all research protocols and clinical projects, including trauma, depression and anxiety disorders.
Rony Kapel-Lev-Ari, PhD
Rony Kapel-Lev-Ari, PhD, is a clinical psychologist and postdoctoral fellow at Columbia University Department of Psychiatry and the New York State Psychiatric Institute. Her research focuses on trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), including prior work across diverse populations examining risk and resilience factors that shape trauma trajectories. Her current work integrates implementation science and digital phenotyping, testing the use of passive smartphone data to enable continuous, personalized assessment of PTSD and broader mental health symptoms, with a focus on real-world clinical implementation, monitoring, and treatment personalization.
Dana Katsoty,PhD
Dana Katsoty, PhD, is a visiting Postdoctoral Fellow at Columbia University Department of Psychiatry and New York State Psychiatric Institute.
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Keren Popovich, MSW
Keren Popovich is a Clinical Social Worker and a psychoanalytic psychotherapy trainee with over a decade of clinical experience in mental health. Her work focuses on trauma resulting from complex life events and terrorism, with particular emphasis over the past two years on the psychological impact of the October 7 war and its long-term consequences. She recently joined the PTSD Research Lab at Columbia University, directed by Prof. Yuval Neria.
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Samantha Jankowski, PhD
Dr. Jankowski is a Clinical Psychologist and T32 Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Department of Psychiatry at Columbia University and the New York State Psychiatric Institute. Her research focuses on improving care for trauma‑exposed youth with psychosis and using digital tools to shift public perceptions of mental illness and enhance treatment engagement. She has specialized clinical training in psychosis and trauma‑focused interventions and collaborates with coordinated specialty care programs across New York State to advance trauma‑specific approaches in early psychosis.
Gabriella Jacobs, BA
Gabriella is a volunteer on the PTSD Research and Treatment Program team. She is currently participating in the digital phenotyping and PTSD research and taking part in additional projects in the lab. Gabriella will receive her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology through the Tel Aviv University / Columbia University Dual Degree Program in 2027. She has worked for mental health organizations in New York City and Israel. She previously served in the Search and Rescue unit of the Israeli Defense Forces which inspired her to treat soldiers with PTSD.
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S. Ryan Jacobus, MS, RN
S. Ryan Jacobus is a doctoral candidate in Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Practice at Columbia University School of Nursing. He holds a Master of Science in Global Health Equity and is focused on mental health from a global perspective, with a specific interest in trauma care. He is also a part of the International East Africa Psychology Conference group.
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Matthew Ryba, BS, USMC (ret.)
- Program Manager
Matthew is the Program Manager for the PTSD Research and Treatment Team and Man o’ War Project. Matthew oversees the lab’s community relationships, networking, study recruitment, fundraising, program development and grant writing. He is a decorated Marine Corps combat veteran of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, with over a decade of experience in military trauma and psychology research. Matthew has degrees in Psychology and Philosophy from Fordham University.
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