About the Arizona Psychiatric Society
why belonging to your progressional organization is important
- APS is a strong voice in Arizona Legislature and at the state regulatory agencies - advocating for the profession and our patients.
- APS provides representation of psychiatry at the Arizona Medical Association.
- APS participates and provides leadership in coalitions with other mental health professionals, patient, and family groups in advocating for access to quality care, ending stigma and discrimination against patients and psychiatric treatments.
- Coalitions that APS participates in include the Interprofessional Behavioral Health Association of Arizona, the Arizona Coalition for Insurance Parity, and the Arizona Healthcare Advocacy Coalition. APS offers quality CME programs through scientific meetings.
- APS represents Arizona psychiatrists in matters before the American Psychiatric Association
- APS provides its members with the opportunity to have input and participation through committees positions of leadership. APS is your advocate and your representative in these challenging times. Without a strong and unified organization, who else will advocate for the interests of psychiatry?
ARIZONA PSYCHIATRIC SOCIETY 2023-2024 EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
President: Gagandeep Singh, MD
President-Elect: Nicholas Ahrendt, MDVice President: Srinivas Dannaram, MDTreasurer: Margaret Balfour, MD, PhDSecretary: Brenner Freeman, MDCo Resident-Fellow Member Representatives:
Cassandra Haworth, MD
Chase Crookham, DO, and Magnolia Swanson, MD
APA Assembly Representatives:
Jason Curry, DO (serves term concluding 2024)
Jasleen Chhatwal, MBBS, MD (two-year term concluding 2024)Payam Sadr, MD (one-year term concluding 2024)
Stephen "Larry" Mecham, DO Past President
The Society thanks these members for their leadership.
we invite you to contribute to leadership
The work of the Arizona Psychiatric Society is achieved through the efforts and contributions of many different Committee Chairs and their supporting committee members. Members are invited to join and contribute to committees of interest; contact the Society to be added. The Committees of the Society and their current Chairpersons are as follows:
APS Delegates to the Arizona Medical Association House of Delegates: (Open)
Communications: Varun Monga, MD, Chair
Disaster Mental Health: Chair (Open)
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI): Jasleen Chhatwal, MBBS, MD, Chair
Early Career Psychiatrists: Srinivas Dannaram, MD, and Nathan Jones, MD, Co-Chairs
Education: Gagan Singh, MD, Chair
Ethics: Jehangir (Jay) B. Bastani, MD, Chair
Forensic: Jack Potts, MD, and Scott Kirkorsky, MD, Co-Chairs
Legislative: Don J. Fowls, MD, Chair
Membership: Nicholas Ahrendt, MD Chair
Nomination: Gurjot Marwah, MD, Chair
Resident-Fellow Member (Co-Chirs)
Chase Crookham, DO - UACOM-Phx
Cassandra Haworth, MD - Creighton
Magnolia Swanson, MD, -UACOM-Tucson
Women's Group: Bahar Altaha, MD, Chair
Celebrating our members
Chase was born and raised in Phoenix, AZ, and attended ASU for a bachelor’s degree in business then attended KCUMB for medical school in Kansas City. He was excited to return home to AZ when he found out he'd been matched with UACOM – Phoenix for his psychiatry residency.
He was first drawn to the field of psychiatry during his years in medical school as he found the psychiatric subject matter and the patients to be the most engaging and interesting of all his studies. He quickly came to realize that without a healthy mind, one is unable to thoroughly experience life constructive way. He wanted to be the person to help those struggling with mental illness as he found these cases and experiences to be the most rewarding in medicine.
Dr. Crookham said he has been lucky enough to have been matched at a great psychiatric residency program where he gets to learn from great mentors and colleagues every day. He believes his passion for psychiatry along with the relationships he's developed with his colleagues and mentors will carry him to be a lifelong learner and devoted psychiatrist for his future patients.
He was first drawn to the field of psychiatry during his years in medical school as he found the psychiatric subject matter and the patients to be the most engaging and interesting of all his studies. He quickly came to realize that without a healthy mind, one is unable to thoroughly experience life constructive way. He wanted to be the person to help those struggling with mental illness as he found these cases and experiences to be the most rewarding in medicine.
Dr. Crookham said he has been lucky enough to have been matched at a great psychiatric residency program where he gets to learn from great mentors and colleagues every day. He believes his passion for psychiatry along with the relationships he's developed with his colleagues and mentors will carry him to be a lifelong learner and devoted psychiatrist for his future patients.
Meghan is a graduate of Lincoln Memorial University, DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine.
She received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Denver in French and Biology with a concentration in Cognitive Neuroscience.
She is currently a chief resident at UACOM-Tucson in her final year of psychiatry training and will be starting a fellowship in Addiction Medicine at the University of Arizona, Tucson in July.
Her professional interests include physician mental health, adult consult liaison and addiction psychiatry.
In her personal time, she enjoys home design projects, spending time with family, learning about plants, and exploring new places.
She received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Denver in French and Biology with a concentration in Cognitive Neuroscience.
She is currently a chief resident at UACOM-Tucson in her final year of psychiatry training and will be starting a fellowship in Addiction Medicine at the University of Arizona, Tucson in July.
Her professional interests include physician mental health, adult consult liaison and addiction psychiatry.
In her personal time, she enjoys home design projects, spending time with family, learning about plants, and exploring new places.
Dr. Hintze is currently honeymooning in Japan! Congratulations!!
Danny is originally from Phoenix. Graduated from Brophy, ASU, and UA Tucson Medical School. His background is in economics, philosophy of science, and rational decision-making.
He was drawn to psychiatry because of the conceptual complexity and the profound impact even relatively simple pharmaceutical, medical, and psychotherapeutic interventions can have to empower patients and their families.
As a mentor, he wanted to recognize the many people within the Arizona Medical Community, particularly at UA Tucson, Valleywise, and within organized medicine who have worked to protect and promote medicine as a joyful, compassionate, and healing experience for patients and for all of us who help care for them.
Danny is originally from Phoenix. Graduated from Brophy, ASU, and UA Tucson Medical School. His background is in economics, philosophy of science, and rational decision-making.
He was drawn to psychiatry because of the conceptual complexity and the profound impact even relatively simple pharmaceutical, medical, and psychotherapeutic interventions can have to empower patients and their families.
As a mentor, he wanted to recognize the many people within the Arizona Medical Community, particularly at UA Tucson, Valleywise, and within organized medicine who have worked to protect and promote medicine as a joyful, compassionate, and healing experience for patients and for all of us who help care for them.
ARIZONA PSYCHIATRIC SOCIETY past presidents
Otto L. Bendheim, M.D. 1960-1961Warren S. Williams, M.D. 1961-1963T. Richard Gregory, M.D. 1963-1964Boris Zemsky, M.D. 1964-1965 Hal J. Breen, M.D. 1965-1966Joseph M. Green, M.D. 1966-1967Irene M. Josselyn, M.D. 1967-1968Hubert R. Estes, M.D. 1968-1969Richard H. Bruner, M.D. 1969-1970Thomas F. Kruchek, M.D. 1970-1971David S. Burgoyne Sr., M.D. 1971-1972Marshall W. Jones, M.D. 1972-1973Harold D. Haeussler, M.D. 1973-1974William B. Haeussler, M.D. 1974-1975Edward S. Gelardin, M.D. 1975-1976Hugo L. Cozzi, M.D. 1976-1977Robert F. Meyer, M.D. 1977-1978James E. Campbell, M.D. 1978-1979Stuart M. Gould, M.D. 1979-1980Elliot M. Heiman, M.D. 1980-1981Stephen V. Shanfield, M.D. 1981-1982Jerry A. Biggs, M.D. 1982-1983Robert C. Shapiro, M.D. 1983-1984Dennis C. Westin, M.D. 1984-1985John H. Jarvis, M.D. 1985-1986James G. Hill, M.D. 1986-1987Robert P. Bevan, M.D. 1987-1988Eugene J. Kinder, M.D. 1988-1989
James M. Campbell, M.D. 1989-1990David S. Burgoyne II, M.D. 1990-1991
Stuart W. Hollingsworth, M.D. 1991-1992Kevin J. Leehey, M.D. 1992-1993Stephen S. Brockway, M.D. 1993-1994Michael H. Stumpf, M.D. 1994-1995Lauro Amezcua-Patino, M.D. 1995-1996David S. Burgoyne II, M.D. 1997-1998Glenn Lippman, M.D. 1998-1999Lisa Jones, M.D. 1999-2000David J. Coons, M.D. 2000-2001James M. Campbell, M.D. 2001-2002Bradley Johnson, M.D. 2002-2003David W. Leicken, M.D. 2003-2004Thomas N. Crumbley, M.D. 2004-2006Jeffrey L. Schwimmer, M.D., M.P.H. 2006-2007Stephen O. Morris, M.D. 2007-2008Jack L. Potts, M.D. 2008-2009Elizabeth A. Kohlhepp, M.D. 2009-2010Michael E. Brennan, M.D. 2010-2011Gretchen Alexander, M.D. 2011-2012Tariq M. Ghafoor, M.D. 2012-2013Joanna K. Kowalik, M.D., M.P.H., 2013-2014Payam M. Sadr, M.D., 2014-2015Roland Segal, M.D., 2015-2016Gurjot Marwah, M.D., 2016-2017Aaron Wilson, M.D., 2017-2018Mona Amini, M.D., 2018-2019
Don J. Fowls, M.D., 2019-2020
Jasleen Chhatwal, M.B.B.S., M.D., 2020-2022
Stephen Larry Mecham, DO, 2022-2023