The Team

Dianne Hezel, PhD is a licensed clinical psychologist and a clinical researcher in the Anxiety Disorders Clinic at the New York State Psychiatric Institute. Dr. Hezel earned her undergraduate degree from Georgetown University and her PhD in clinical psychology from Harvard University. She completed her clinical psychology internship at Cornell Medical College/New York Presbyterian Hospital where she received extensive training in cognitive behavioral therapy across a number of disorders. She has also received clinical training at various other sites including the Massachusetts General Hospital, McLean Hospital, and the British Columbia Children’s Hospital. Dr. Hezel’s research interests focus on cognitive factors associated with OCD and anxiety disorders. As Program Manager of the Center for OCD and Related Disorders, Dr. Hezel oversees the coordination of various lab projects and serves as a clinical researcher and supervisor. 

Michael Wheaton, PhD is a clinical researcher in the Anxiety Disorders Clinic at the New York State Psychiatric Institute. After completing his undergraduate degree at Cornell University, Dr. Wheaton received his PhD in clinical psychology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr. Wheaton completed his clinical psychology internship at the University of Illinois at Chicago where he received advanced training in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for adults and children with mood and anxiety disorders. Dr. Wheaton has received training at various other treatment facilities, including the UNC-Chapel Hill Anxiety and Stress Disorders Clinic and Central Regional Hospital in North Carolina. Dr. Wheaton's research interests focus on the mechanisms underlying OCD and related disorders and his doctoral dissertation, which explored the psychophysiological correlates of hoarding disorder, was supported by a research grant from the International OCD Foundation. 

Stephanie Grimaldi, PhD, is a postdoctoral fellow in the Anxiety Disorders Clinic at the New York State Psychiatric Institute. Dr. Grimaldi earned her undergraduate degree from St. John’s University, master’s degree from Teachers College Columbia University, and PhD in clinical psychology from Hofstra University. She has trained in various research and clinical settings including the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Center for OCD and Related Disorders at NYSPI, Zucker Hillside Hospital at Northwell Health, and completed her predoctoral clinical internship at the James J. Peters VA Medical Center. Dr. Grimaldi has extensive experience implementing cognitive behavioral therapy for the treatment of OCD, anxiety disorders, and PTSD. Her research interests include examining sensory intolerances in OCD and optimizing evidence-based treatments for OCD and anxiety disorders.

Eyal Kalanthroff, PhD is a visiting associate professor and licensed clinical psychologist in the Anxiety Disorders Clinic at the New York State Psychiatric Institute. After completing his PhD in clinical psychology and neuropsychology at the Ben-Gurion University (Israel) Dr. Kalanthroff continued to complete his post-doctoral training in the Anxiety Disorders Clinic at the New York State Psychiatric Institute. Currently, Dr. Kalanthroff is an associate Professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the head of the Clinical Neuropsychology Lab, and the head of the OCD research clinic at the university. Dr. Kalanthroff has received extensive training at various treatment facilities in Israel and in the US, working with patients with various anxiety disorders, PTSD, and OCD. Dr. Kalanthroff's research interest focus on: (a) understanding the underlying neuropsychological mechanisms of various psychopathologies (and transdiagnostic characteristics of psychopathologies), (b) understanding the underlying neuropsychological mechanisms of successful treatments (including psychotherapy and medication), and (c) developing easy to use technological tools that train basic cognitive processes that in turn improve treatment outcomes.

Gabriella Restifo-Bernstein, BA is a Research Coordinator in the Anxiety Disorders Clinic at the New York State Psychiatric Institute. Gabriella received her bachelor’s degree in psychology and neuroscience from Skidmore College in 2022. While there, she completed a research thesis in behavioral neuroscience investigating the impact of the pharmacological manipulation of distress on altruistic behavior. Gabriella is interested in pursuing a PhD or MD in the future.  

Dr. Page Van Meter is the Senior Data Manager for the Anxiety Disorders Clinic at NYSPI. Dr. Van Meter has a doctorate in Zoology from Michigan State University where she focused on neuroendocrine control of behavior and received training in relational database management. She works across many projects to develop plans to gather quality data to answer specific research questions and designing data input systems focused on ease of use for patients.

Arturo Sanchez-LaCay, MD, PhD, MA started at the Anxiety Disorders Clinic in 1987. He received his MD from the University of Puerto Rico, where he specialized in Child Psychiatry. He then received a Masters and PhD in Public Health in Epidemiology from Columbia University. Dr. Sanchez-Lacay is an Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry.