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Mark G. A. Opler, PhD, MPH Executive Director
Dr. Mark Opler has been involved in neuroscience and psychiatric research since 1991. He specializes in the development and analysis of biological and behavioral measures of exposure and effect. His research focuses on the etiology and treatment of schizophrenia and other psychiatric disorders. He has published and presented the findings of his work at numerous scientific and professional conferences and has provided consultation to the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry on study design, methodology, investigator training, and data analysis. He currently serves as Senior Associate for The PANSS Institute, managing and directing the development of new and ongoing training programs in the PANSS and related instruments. Dr. Opler is a NARSAD Young Investigator Awardee, and is currently a research fellow at Columbia University. He received his BS at SUNY Stony Brook and his MPH and PhD from Columbia University. He is also a graduate of the Psychiatric Epidemiology Training Program at Columbia. 
Gil Zalsman, MD Senior Clinical Associate Dr. Zalsman is a child psychiatrist and the Director of the Child and Adolescent Division at Geha Psychiatric Hospital in Israel and holds the title of Lecturer at the Sackler School of Medicine at Tel Aviv University. Dr. Zalsman’s research has focused on psychosis, suicidal behavior, and research on the genetics of adolescent mental disorders. He has further expertise in the conduct of clinical research interviews in child and adolescent populations and has completed several research fellowships at the Yale Child Study Center and in the Department of Psychiatry at Columbia University. While conducting research in the United States and Israel, Dr. Zalsman has received funding from public and private sources to support his work. He has served as Senior Clinical Associate for the PANSS Institute for the past year and has led training at investigator’s meetings around the world.
 Dr. Larry Yang, PhD Director of Global Affairs Dr. Yang currently serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Epidemiology at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. His training and expertise in psychometrics and measurement issues is directly relevant his work with the PANSS Institute. Dr. Yang received his Ph.D. from Boston University with a specialization in Clinical Psychology, completing his clinical internship at Massachusetts Mental Health Center/ Harvard Medical School. He is also a graduate of the NIMH funded Psychiatric Epidemiology Training Program. Dr. Yang has received over half a dozen fellowships and awards during his graduate, post-graduate, and professional career, including the National Security Education Plan-Graduate International Fellowship to validate a psychosocial instrument to assess schizophrenia in Beijing, China from 1998-2000. He recently received a 5-year mentored research scientist award (K-01) from the National Institutes of Mental Health to examine how socio-cultural factors- in particular, family environment and stigma- relate to course of illness of schizophrenia in Chinese immigrant populations.
Anupma V. Dhingra, MPH Director of Training & Operations Ms. Dhingra is currently involved in psychiatric epidemiology research at New York State Psychiatric Institute and intervention research and treatment at the Bronx Psychiatric Center. Her work focuses on etiology, risk factors, and of psychiatric disorders, namely, affective disorders and schizophrenia. Her research is devoted to preserving the integrity of research in cross-cultural settings and understanding cross-cultural issues of mental health in ethnic populations. She has presented to audiences on the design of culturally appropriate study instruments and cross-cultural issues in Global Clinical Trials. Ms. Dhingra has been a member of Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Honor Society since 2003. She completed her Bachelor's degree at Smith College and her Master's of Public Health at Columbia University. 
Evgenia Ivanova, MA, MS Assistant Director of Global Affairs Ms. Ivanova has been involved in psychology and counseling since 1996. She has worked as a clinical social worker at the First Psychiatry Hospital of Moscow, and has applied her clinical experience to advance global research and clinical trials methodology. She has published the results of her research on the relationship between community and mental health and has taught both sociology and psychology. Ms. Ivanova joined the PANSS Institute as Assistant Director for Global Affairs, leading training programs for Russian PANSS raters. Ms. Ivanova has a Master's degree in Clinical Psychology and is completing her PhD in Sociology at the Moscow State University, Russia. 
Sun Hui Cho, MA Assistant Director of Training Ms. Cho has been involved in teaching, counseling services, and children's health for over a decade. During this time, she has served as a guidance counselor and leader in settings around the world. She has been involved in project management, community mental health research, and has also had the opportunity to teach at various levels from grade five through post-graduate studies. She has been involved in professional translation work since 2002. Ms. Cho joined the PANSS Institute as a Lead Training Coordinator and expert on Korean language and culture, providing consultation for training Korean-speaking PANSS raters. Ms. Cho earned her M.A. in Counseling at Covenant Theological Seminary and has been involved in longitudinal research at Columbia University and Washington University-St. Louis. 
James Lefkowitz, BA Film/TV Media Director James Lefkowitz is a graduate of New York University's Tisch Film School of the Arts. Prior to joining the PANSS Institute as Media Director, he has worked with major production companies including E!, New Line, PBS, Sony, Miramax, NHK Japanese TV, ZDF German TV, and Sci-Fi Channel. He brings a wealth of international experience to TPI, having worked in countries such as Korea, India, Russia, Cuba, Mexico, Haiti, Jamaica, Italy, France, the UK, and in dozens of locations throughout the US. His credits include the production of several feature films and documentaries. With experience in all fields of media, Mr. Lefkowitz directs TPI's media development efforts, from live event broadcasting to production of the highly acclaimed "PANSS Training" DVD Series. |
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