PATHS Team

Jesse Martinez, Jr., MD

Dr. Martinez attended medical school at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, Texas. He then traveled to Birmingham, Alabama, where he became a Psychiatry resident at UAB Hospital, a teaching hospital of the UAB School of Medicine. After residency, he continued his training at UAB as a Child and Adolescent Psychiatry fellow. Dr. Martinez joined the faculty of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology at UAB in July 2016, as an assistant professor and serves as the Director of Child Psychiatry Clinical Services at Children’s of Alabama.

Vinita Yalamanchili, MD

Dr.Yalamanchili completed her psychiatric residency at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas, and completed her fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at UAB. She has been working as a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist since 2008. Dr. Yalamanchili has been Board Certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology since 2007 and Board Certified in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry since 2012. She enjoys teaching medical students and was the Associate Training Director of the Adult Psychiatry Training Program at UAB. She enjoys working with children and adolescents of all ages and diagnoses. Dr. Yalamanchili joined the PATHS team to provide consultation services to PATHS participants.

Connie Chang, MD

Dr. Chang completed her adult psychiatry residency at Delaware Psychiatric center and her child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship at Jefferson University.  She is Board Certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in both adult psychiatry and child and adolescent psychiatry.  She enjoys working with children and adolescents of all ages and diagnoses.  She joined the faculty of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology at THE University of Alabama in Birmingham to teach the next generation of adult and child psychiatrists. Dr. Chang joined the PATHS team in order to improve access to mental health services as well as to provide consultation and telemedicine services for PATHS participants.

Nina Reynolds, PhD

Dr. Reynolds is a pediatric psychologist at Children’s of Alabama Behavioral Health Ireland Center, as well as an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at UAB. She received her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Duke University and her doctoral degree (PhD) in Medical-Clinical Psychology from UAB. She completed her residency at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center in pediatric health psychology and returned to UAB for fellowship in the Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology. Dr. Reynolds has been a psychologist at Children’s since 2016. She specializes in providing mental/behavioral health services to children hospitalized for medical conditions (e.g., seizures, diabetes, GI conditions), as part of an effort to provide comprehensive care for youth with chronic illness and their families. Dr. Reynolds joined the PATHS team to provide consultation in child/adolescent mental health and serves on our Behavioral Health Project ECHO hub team.

Nashedra Barry, PhD

Dr. Barry received her PhD in Educational Psychology from Mississippi State University with a focus on School Psychology.  She completed an APA accredited clinical internship with John’s Hopkins school of medicine followed by a two year post-doctoral fellowship.  During this time, she trained at the Kennedy Krieger Institute focusing on the treatment of disruptive behavior disorders and other common concerns associated with early childhood.  Dr. Barry also has extensive experience working to support children and families with autism and other developmental disabilities as well as a range of other presenting concerns.  Dr. Barry joined Children’s of Alabama as a psychologist in 2022 and currently provides telemedicine services for the PATHS program.

Chelsea Taylor, PhD, LPC, NCC

Dr. Chelsea Taylor received her doctoral degree in Developmental Psychology with a specialization in child and adolescent development from Walden University in August of 2023. She has worked in the field of child development for eight years beginning in the Alabama Early Intervention System back in 2015. She is also a Licensed Professional Counselor by the Alabama Board of Examiners in Counseling and a National Certified Counselor by the National Board of Certified Counselors. She joined the Alabama Department of Mental Health Office of Infant & Early Childhood Special Programs as an Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant (IECMHC) in February of 2023 providing mental health consultation in a variety of settings to include First Class Pre-K and early intervention. Her areas of expertise include autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, trauma, and developmental disabilities.

Casey Barnes, LICSW

Casey Barnes is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and serves as a Care Coordinator on the PATHS team. Barnes received her BSW and MSW from the University of Alabama. She has over 15 years of combined experience in higher education in the roles of student services and adjunct faculty at the University of Alabama and University of Alabama at Birmingham. Barnes also has experience in the areas of developmental and intellectual disabilities, foster care, and mental health. She joined the PATHS team to provide consultation and care coordination services to participants.

Debra Bruns, PhD, MSPH, PMHNP-BC

Dr. Bruns holds a Ph.D. in Health Sciences with an emphasis in International Health and Epidemiology. She completed a residency with the National Research Service Award (NRSA) Institutional Research Training Grant (T32) in Outcomes Research at the University of Alabama – Birmingham. Along with a Master of Science in Nursing she holds a Master of Science in Public Health and a post master’s certificate in Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. She is a tenured professor at The University of Alabama teaching in graduate nursing programs. Dr. Bruns' research focuses on mental health of women and children, primary prevention of mental illnesses, and maternal mortality. She is a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner providing care to patients in the Psychiatric Emergency Department.

Dr. Bruns joined the PATHS team to provide consultation services to PATHS participants in order to support the psychiatric needs of children and adolescents in Alabama. She also serves on our Behavioral Health Project ECHO hub team.

Matt Foster, MA, LPC, NCC

Matthew Foster is a graduate of the University of Alabama at Birmingham with a Masters of Education in Counseling with a concentration in community agency counseling. He is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a National Certified Counselor by the National Board of Certified Counselors. Foster has been with Children’s of Alabama since 2018, serving as a therapist working with children and adolescents through the Emergency Room as a member of the Psychiatric Intake Response Center (PIRC). Foster has an extensive history of working with children and adolescents in Alabama and previously served as a Program Director for a Residential Program for over 20 years prior to coming to Children’s of Alabama.

Meghan Dreher, BS

Meghan Dreher received her bachelor’s degree in political science from Kennesaw State University and went on to obtain her paralegal certification from Emory University. With a solid background in corporate litigation, she honed her skills over several years in the legal arena. She has years of experience in corporate litigation. After taking time off from the legal field to raise her three children, Meghan diversified her expertise into management roles. Most recently she played a pivotal role in the growth and organization of a clothing designer’s business, overseeing operations and staff development. Excited for new challenges, Meghan has joined the PATHS team as a Project ECHO Coordinator.

Helen Hardy, MS, RDN, LD

Helen Hardy is a clinical registered dietitian who specializes in nutrition related to eating disorders, weight management, prediabetes, diabetes, PCOS, and pediatric growth disorders. Helen has experience in primary care, endocrinology, and adolescent health clinics at Children’s of Alabama where she is currently working. After attending graduate school at the University of Utah where she attained her Masters in Nutrition and Physiology in 2022, Hardy was a LEPN trainee (Leadership Education in Pediatric Nutrition) where she received 10-month specialty training and supervision through the University of Alabama at Birmingham in pediatric medical nutrition therapy. She also has experience teaching community nutrition and group exercise classes in hopes of providing preventative care to at risk populations. Hardy is passionate about translating nutritional science into practical applications to help others grow into who they were uniquely designed to be. Hardy joined the PATHS team to provide consultation and telemedicine services for our participants.
 

Margo M. Harwell, LICSW, PIP

Margo Harwell is a licensed independent clinical social worker and serves as the Director of the PATHS program. She received a BME degree from Georgetown College in Kentucky, and her MSW from Louisiana State University. She has a broad background in working with families and children, and for several years, provided social work services in the field of adoption and foster care. Harwell later served as the Director of Domestic Services with an adoption and foster care organization in the Birmingham area, managing programs within the department, and supervising a team of social workers. In 2013, Harwell joined Children’s of Alabama as the Coordinator of the Early Intervention Program, providing program management and staff supervision. She also carried a small caseload of families as a service coordinator in the program. In years past, she also offered individual counseling services in a small private practice. Since February 2024, she has worked in the Behavioral Health Department at Children’s of Alabama as the Director of PATHS, also overseeing the development and implementation of Behavioral Health Project ECHO education events for PATHS participants.

Arista Rayfield, PhD

Dr. Rayfield received her doctoral degree in Clinical and Health Psychology from the University of Florida in 1997. She completed her APA accredited internship at the Consortium of the Medical College of Georgia’s Department of Psychiatry and Health Behavior, and the Psychology Service at the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Augusta, Georgia. Dr. Rayfield also completed a post-doctoral fellowship in Pediatric Psychology at the University of Florida in the Department of Psychiatry. Dr. Rayfield was a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Kansas Medical Center from 1998 until 2000. In 2001, Dr. Rayfield joined Children’s of Alabama as a psychologist in the Children’s Behavioral Health Division. She has experience with a wide range of ages and presenting problems. Particular areas of interest include behavioral treatment of conduct problems in preschool children, adherence to medical regimens in children and teens with chronic illnesses and weight management. Dr. Rayfield joined the PATHS team to provide consultation and telemedicine services for our participants.

Allison Battaglia, PhD

Dr. Battaglia received her doctoral degree in School Psychology from the University of Southern Mississippi in 2017. She completed her APA accredited internship at the Nebraska Internship Consortium in Professional Psychology at the Munroe-Meyer Institute’s Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders in Omaha, Nebraska. Dr. Battaglia also completed a post-doctoral fellowship in Psychology at Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders in Columbus, Ohio. She was a staff psychologist at Glenwood from 2019 until 2021. In 2021, Dr. Battaglia joined Children’s of Alabama as a psychologist in the Children’s Behavioral Health Division. She enjoys working with children with a wide range of presenting concerns. Dr. Battaglia has experience working with children with autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, behavioral disorders, anxiety, school difficulties, and feeding problems.

Staci Smith, LICSW

Staci Smith is an Alabama native and Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker. She graduated from UAB in 2009 with a BS in Psychology and from the University of Alabama in 2012 with her MSW. During her last year of graduate school, she received the Vulcan Scholar award and completed her internship in Washington, D.C. with Voice’s for America’s Children. Prior to joining Children’s of Alabama Behavioral Health in 2019, she worked for JBS Mental Health Authority serving as the Juvenile Court Liaison for St. Clair County. Smith has served as the Chair and Co-Chair of St. Clair County’s Multiple Needs Child Facilitation team and as a member of the Children’s Policy Council. She has also taught skills labs as adjunct faculty for the University of Alabama School of Social Work. Smith joined the PATHS team to provide consultation and care coordination services and serves on our Behavioral Health Project ECHO hub team.

James Wagner, LPC-S

James Wagner is a graduate of the University of Montevallo with a Masters of Education in Counseling with a concentration in community agency counseling. He is a Licensed Professional Counselor – Supervisor by the Alabama Board of Examiners in Counseling and a National Certified Counselor by the National Board of Certified Counselors. Wagner has been with Children’s of Alabama since 2008, serving as a primary therapist working with children and adolescents with acute psychiatric needs. His areas of interest include mood disorders, disruptive behavior disorders, ADHD and behavior management. Wagner joined the PATHS team to provide consultation and telemedicine services for our participants.

Kristin Adams, BS

Kristin Adams is the Project ECHO Coordinator for the PATHS program. She received her bachelor’s degree in Health Education and Exercise Science from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She has years of experience in human resources, employee wellness, and event planning. She uses her experience from previous positions as the liaison between the PATHS Hub Team and our program participants. She joined the PATHS team to coordinate all activities related to Project ECHO including participant registration, curriculum planning, data collection, CME promotion and program growth.