Get to Know Our Staff

William Weaver
William Weaver, MBA
CEO/Managing Director
UHS Group CEO for Louisiana
Chief Executive Officer at Brentwood Hospital since 2013, William Weaver commands 30 plus years of progressive experience in the behavioral health field. Mr. Weaver is a hands-on executive that places high regard on ensuring patients and staff are treated with the best possible care in a compassionate environment. In 2019 he took on the role of Group CEO for UHS of Delaware, Inc. adding Louisiana and Western Arkansas operations to his management portfolio. Prior to his career in administration, he was previously licensed as a social worker and certified as an addiction treatment professional while serving in direct patient care roles.

In addition to his significant professional career, Mr. Weaver currently serves on the board of directors for St. Luke’s Episcopal Mobile Medical Ministry and he is an active member of the Rotary Club of Shreveport, Committee of One Hundred Shreveport/Bossier, St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral. Community involvement is an initiative he leads at Brentwood which includes quarterly hands-on projects supporting agencies like The Renesting Project, Care Setting Continuum Workgroup, Highland Restoration Association, and Community Renewal International as well as sponsorship of 40 different not-for-profit agencies. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Behavioral Science from Athens State University and a master’s degree in Business Administration from Samford University. Mr. Weaver is married and he and his wife have 7 children.

Keeley Verges
Richard Bennett
COO
A behavioral health executive with 30 years of progressive experience in clinical, regulatory, business development and administrative functions, Richard Bennett joined Brentwood Hospital as Chief Operating Officer in January 2023. Mr. Bennett has a successful career in managing multi-site operations through rapid growth and process change. His background includes start-ups, expansion, and turnarounds. He is highly skilled in compliance and program development with a record of improving and sustaining patient and financial outcomes. Working as a mental health technician as an undergraduate, Mr. Bennett discovered an empathy and passion for behavioral health that led to academic and career paths. His early exposures to multiple treatment milieus and modalities forged his committed to patient and staff centered approaches to ensuring consistent, quality care in safe and compassionate settings.

Ravon Dominique
Ravon Dominique, RN
Chief Nursing Officer
Ravon Dominique, RN, oversees the nursing department at Brentwood Hospital. She received her undergraduate degree in Nursing from Grambling State University and is currently pursuing her master’s degree in Health Care Administration.

Ravon joined the Brentwood Hospital team in October 2008 and served in a number of positions before her promotion to Chief Nursing Officer in 2017. In 2011 Ravon was awarded Nurse of the year at Brentwood Hospital. Ravon is the proud mother of four and has the best job in the world.

Talicia Johnson
Talicia Johnson Gaskin, MHA
Human Resources Director
Talicia Johnson Gaskin oversees the facilities personnel management functions. She received her undergraduate degree from Centenary College, and her Master’s in Health Administration from Louisiana State University-Shreveport.

Talicia joined the Brentwood team in February 2007 and served in various facility roles before her promotion to Human Resource Director. She is a proud wife and mother of two sons and enjoys managing nearly 400 Brentwood employees.

Keeley Verges
Crystal Sellars, RN
Director of Intake
Crystal has been a team member at Brentwood Hospital since 2015, where she began as a nurse. In 2017 she became our Patient Advocate and Nurse Navigator. In this role Crystal worked closely with patients and their families, from arrival until discharge by providing a point of contact at the hospital, and a friendly voice that patients and their families can count on. In 2022 Crystal took on a new role as the Director of Intake, providing that same friendly voice for patients to reach out to in their time of need. Crystal is a graduate of the Nursing School at Northwestern State University.

Keeley Verges
Chandra James, M.A.
Director of Patient Advocacy
Chandra James joined the Brentwood Hospital team as a Discharge Planner and Intake Counselor (PRN) before transitioning into her current role as the Director of Patient Advocacy. Chandra is an ambitious professional with over 20 years of extensive leadership, management, education, and mental health experience. Chandra has a heart for people, as she is a true servant leader, which is demonstrated in her current role. Chandra’s’ mission as the Director of Patient Advocacy is to advocate, educate and connect. She desires to be the voice, as she advocates on behalf of the patients as well as educating them of their rights while receiving treatment and connects patients to all available resources.
Chandra is a graduate of Grambling State University with a bachelor’s in Criminal Justice and her Master’s in Education from the University of Phoenix.

Kamala Glenn-Taylor LMFT, CCTP 1, C-DBT
Director of Clinical Services
Kamala Glenn-Taylor is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and holds certifications as a Certified Dialectical Behavior Therapist and Certified Clinical Trauma Professional. She has worked in psychiatric and addiction/ cooccurring disorder fields as a clinician and administrator for the majority of her career, working in residential, inpatient and outpatient treatment settings. She has been an employee of UHS since 2016 working in various roles. She is the author of “The Journey to Healing: Reaching People with a Desperate Cry Eight Coping Skills for Healing.”

Alexandra Drake
Lisa Baker, APRN, FMHNP-BC
Lisa Baker is a board certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, as well as a Certified Addiction Registered Nurse-Advanced Practice-BC. Lisa earned her undergraduate degree from University of La. in Monroe in 1993. In addition, Lisa earned a Masters of Science in Nursing from McNeese State University in 2015. Lisa also holds Masters degrees in Business Administration and Healthcare Management from University of Phoenix, 2014 and earned the distinction of Doctor of Philosophy from Louisiana Baptist University, 2017. Lisa graduated with honors from all the above universities. Lisa is also member of Sigma Theta Tau, Louisiana Nurse Practitioners’ Association, American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, the Red Cross and is a volunteer for crisis management with the Red Cross. She Currently sits on two committees, the LANP membership committee and the LNPF scholarship committee.

Lisa treats patient of all ages with various mental health needs. Lisa utilizes a holistic approach to mental health and wellness and collaborates with an extended health care team to encompass the physiological, and spiritual needs, which promotes balance and integration to enhance the patient’s outcomes and promote success in treatment.

Guy Brannon
Guy E. Brannon, M.D.
Dr. Brannon completed his undergraduate training at Louisiana State University in Shreveport where he studied biological sciences. He completed his medical degree and psychiatric residency at Louisiana State University Medical while also serving as chief resident. He was voted Teacher of the Year 2001-2002 at Louisiana State University Health Science Center in Shreveport.

Dr. Brannon has helped facilitate more than 80 clinical drug trials involving such illnesses as anxiety, bipolar disorder, depression, dementia, insomnia, and schizophrenia. He has authored numerous articles, which have appeared in Psychosomatics, The Journal of Depression and Anxiety, The Journal of Pain and Symptom Management and on eMedicine.com.

Daniel Feeney
Daniel Feeney, M.D.
Medical Director
Col. Feeney was assigned to Barksdale AFB in July 2006. He was the Element leader of the Life Skills Support Center before becoming the Flight Commander of Behavioral Health Services Flight (now the Mental Health Flight) in April 2007. He experienced his second deployment to Baghdad, Iraq from August 2007-February 2008 augmenting the Army Mission in the International Zone in Support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Col. Feeney received the Army Commendation Medal in partial recognition of his accomplishments during his last deployment. Col. Feeney pinned on the rank of Full Colonel May 16, 2009, and he honorably retired from the Air Force October 1, 2012.

Col. Feeney joined the Brentwood Hospital team on July 9, 2012, as the Adolescent Program Director and Employed Psychiatrist. He recently was promoted to become Brentwood Hospital’s Medical Director on September 1, 2013.

Col. Feeney is a fellow member of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) and a member of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law (AAPL). He is quadruple board certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN) in General Psychiatry with Added Qualifications in Forensic Psychiatry, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine.

Alexandra Drake

Connie Hale, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, PMHNP-BC
Connie Hale received her undergraduate degree with the distinction of summa cum laude in 1993, and her Master of Science in Nursing degree in 2001 from Northwestern State University. She obtained her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree in 2010 from The University of Alabama, and completed a post master’s certificate in psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner in 2019. She is dual certified in both family and psychiatric mental health care. Her previous practice includes family and occupational care, running a nurse led cardiology clinic for underserved populations, serving as a board member for the Louisiana Association of Nurse Practitioners, and working in higher education where she taught many nurse practitioner students and served as the Director of Graduate Studies and Research at Northwestern State University of Louisiana. Dr. Hale is a member of various nursing and psychiatric organizations, has published in professional journals, and continues to teach and mentor graduate students, including new nurse practitioners at Brentwood Hospital. Dr. Hale treats psychiatric and mental health conditions throughout the lifespan using a holistic approach that includes both pharmacological and non-pharmacological measures to meet patient goals. Her inpatient focus is child and adolescent psychiatry, but she treats patients of all ages in her outpatient practice.

Alexandra Drake

Dr. Janice Hollier
Dr. Janice Hollier is a graduate of the Louisiana State University Health Science Center. She completed her Psychiatry Residency at LSU – Shreveport and is currently board certified in General Psychiatry. Dr. Hollier currently holds a faculty position with the Department of Psychiatry at LSU – Shreveport. Dr. Hollier is a devoted Psychiatrist who is committed to bettering the Mental Health Community in Shreveport.

Kay Kennedy
Parker Jones, M.D.
Dr. Parker Jones completed his undergraduate training at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, where he studied biological sciences. He completed his medical degree and psychiatric residency at Louisiana State University Medical in New Orleans.

Kay Kennedy
Kathryn Kennedy, M.D.
Dr. Kennedy completed her medical degree and psychiatric residency at Louisiana State University Health Science Center in Shreveport, LA. Before that, she obtained an undergraduate Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, LA. She has had specialty training in ECT from Duke University and is certified in Addiction Medicine. Dr. Kennedy has over 20 years of experience in adult and geriatric psychiatry.

Alexandra Drake

Dr. Kimberly Loveless
Dr. Kimberly Loveless joined the Brentwood Hospital team on August 24, 2021 after 23 years in the military. She is a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine and graduate of University of North Texas Health Science Center in 2009. After completing her residency at the University of Texas San Antonio, she served the United States Air Force as a psychiatrist for 8 years. She was he Mental Health Element Chief and Medical Review Officer at Little Rock Air Force Base. She moved to Barksdale Air Force Base in July 2020 and became the Medical Director of Mental Health. She also had the opportunity to help people with addictions at both Air Force bases while serving as the Alcohol and Drug Prevention and Treatment Program Director and Medical Director.

Dr. Loveless is board certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN) in General Psychiatry. She is a member of the Louisiana Psychiatry Medical Association (LPMA), American Psychiatry Association (APA), Anxiety and Depression Association of America (AAA) and International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS).

Olufemo Ogundeji
Olufemi Ogundeji, M.D.
Dr. Ogundeji joined the Brentwood Medical Staff in November of 2014. Before Brentwood, Dr. Ogundeji completed his Bachelor of Medicine/Surgery degree at the University of Ilorin, Kwara State Nigeria. He completed his graduate training and received a Masters of Public Health from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He went on to complete his Adult Psychiatric Residency at Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia and a Fellowship in Addiction Psychiatry at Bronx Lebanon Hospital in Bronx, New York.

Dr. Ogundeji is affiliated with the American Psychiatric Association, National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians, American Public Health Association and a Member of the International AIDS Society.

Alexandra Drake

Kristy Parker, APRN, PMHNP-BC
Kristy Parker, APRN, PMHNP-BC – Kristy Parker is a board certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, receiving her undergraduate degree in 2003 from Northwestern State University and earning her Masters of Science in Nursing from Northwestern State University in 2021. In addition to working with families in women’s health she also worked as an educator in secondary and higher education, spending a substantial amount of time with children and adolescence. Her inpatient focus is in child and adolescent psychiatry but treats patients across the lifespan in outpatient services. Kristy belongs to Sigma Theta Tau and enjoys the opportunity to assist patients in meeting their mental health needs.

Alexandra Drake

Swathi Parvataneni, MD
Dr. Swathi Parvataneni attended medical school at Mahadevappa Rampure Medical School in India. She then completed her psychiatric residency and child and adolescent fellowship at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in Shreveport.

Alexandra Drake

Rebecca Pistorius, MD
Rebecca Pistorius, MD, grew up in Shreveport and attended Centenary College of Louisiana where she graduated summa cum laude. She then attended LSUS and earned a master’s degree in counseling psychology. Dr. Pistorius completed medical school at LSUHSC-New Orleans School of Medicine, then returned home to Shreveport for her residency training. She completed both a residency in general psychiatry and a fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry at LSUHSC-Shreveport where she served as chief resident.
Dr. Pistorius enjoys working with all ages and diagnoses. She strives to be nonjudgmental and thorough in her evaluations and treatments as she provides individuals with hope. She enjoys the opportunity to manage high acuity levels of mental illness and see patients dramatically improve and stabilize during the course of their treatment. She is board certified through the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.
Her care philosophy is to treat her patients as she would her own family, and to provide hope and encouragement throughout the treatment process.

Suresh Sabbenahalli
Suresh Sabbenahalli, M.D.
Dr. Suresh graduated from the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in Shreveport, where he served as chief psychiatric resident. Before his psychiatric residency, he worked as a primary care physician and anesthesiologist in India, as well as in the Caribbean Islands. Dr. Suresh earned his medical degree and advanced medical degrees in India and has over 20 years of clinical experience. Dr. Suresh was specially trained at Emory University on ECT and Trans Magnetic Stimulation (TMS).

Manish Saran
Katherine E. Smith, M.D.
Dr. Smith is a graduate of the LSU Health Shreveport School of Medicine. She completed her General Psychiatry Residency and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship at LSU Health Shreveport as well. After graduating in 2014, she joined Brentwood Hospital as a child and adolescent psychiatrist. She is Board Certified in General Psychiatry and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Since 2019, Dr. Smith has been the Clinical Site Director for Medical Students, Residents, and Fellows at Brentwood Hospital, and she will be the Program Director for the Psychiatry Residency Program which is a collaboration between Brentwood and the sponsoring institution Willis Knighton Health System, and is anticipated to begin in summer of 2024. Dr. Smith resides with her family in Shreveport.

Keeley Verges
Michael Smith M.E. BCBA
LBA
Michael actively advocated for persons with Autism starting Grace Respite, a ministry to children with intellectual disabilities and their families at the church he pastored in 2009. He volunteered in the ministry, alongside his family for many years before deciding to leave his pastorate and return to school to study Applied Behavioral Analysis with an emphasis in ASD.
Michael Smith is a Board-Certified Behavioral Analyst. He provided Applied Behavior Analysis therapies to children with Autism and their families for over 5 years in the Shreveport/Bossier area before joining Brentwood Hospital as the (ASD unit?) Program Director in November of 2022.
Michael received his undergraduate degree from East Texas Baptist University, he obtained his master’s in education from Southwestern Baptist Theological Semi.

Alexandra Drake

Dr. John Wagner
Dr. John Wagner is a graduate of the LSU Health Shreveport School of Medicine. He completed a General Psychiatry Residency and a Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship at LSU Health Shreveport as well. He is Board Certified in General Psychiatry and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Prior to his medical career, Dr. Wagner served in the United States Army as a commissioned officer.

Jennifer Allums
Jennifer Allums, MSW
Business Development Representative
Jennifer Allums is the Business Development Representative covering the Shreveport, Bossier City, Mansfield, Zwolle, Many, Coushatta, and Natchitoches areas. She has been with Brentwood Hospital in various roles since 1999. While working at Brentwood Hospital, Jennifer has gained experience in business development, intake and social services. Jennifer received her bachelor’s degree in Child Life and Family Studies from Louisiana Tech University, and her master’s degree in Social Work from Louisiana State University.

Allie Ritter
Allie Crawford, MBA
Business Development Representative
Allie Crawford joined the Brentwood Hospital team in March 2015. Since then she has served as the representative for South Louisiana, covering the greater Lafayette, Baton Rouge, Lake Charles, New Orleans, Hammond, Houma, and Thibodaux areas. In addition to Business Development, Allie is also responsible for managing our website and various social media accounts. Allie received both her bachelor’s degree in Public Relations and her master’s degree in Business Administration from The University of Louisiana Lafayette.

Sara Dubberly
Sara Dubberly, BS
Business Development Representative
Sara Dubberly serves as our hospital’s Business Development Representative for the Shreveport, Bossier City, Minden, Springhill, Homer, Vivian, Oil City areas and some east Texas territories as well. She has been on staff at Brentwood Hospital since 2004, having started out in our intake department, where she worked for four years. Sara also serves as the nursing home liaison in the Shreveport and Bossier City areas, where she focuses on the senior population. Sara received her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from the Louisiana State University Shreveport.

Cynthia Long
Cynthia Long, MA
Business Development Representative
Cynthia joined the Brentwood Hospital Business Development Team in 2018. She serves as a liaison to the East Texas area, including Longview, Nacogdoches, Lufkin, and Henderson. Cynthia has been working in various roles in the healthcare industry since 2009. Cynthia received her master’s degree in Education from Sam Houston State University.

Tami Lewis
Angie Thompson BA,ADC
Business Development Representative
Angie first joined the Brentwood team in 1997. She served as Activities Director for our Partial Hospitalization Program where she focused on teambuilding and ROPES Course group activities and as Intake Coordinator for a satellite behavioral health unit. In 2008 she joined the Business Development team, where she served as our North Louisiana Representative until 2014. In 2020 Angie returned to the Brentwood Hospital team as Business Development Representative for Northeast Louisiana, covering Monroe and surrounding areas and the state of Mississippi. Angie has gained experience in teambuilding, business development, intake and new program development. Angie received her Recreation Certification from Louisiana Tech in Ruston and Psychology Degree from the University of Louisiana in Monroe.

Tami Lewis
Daniel Talley
STAR Program Liaison

Daniel Talley joined the Brentwood team in 2022 as the National Liaison for the STAR Program for Uniformed Services. A native of the Shreveport-Bossier area, Daniel has decades of serving as, and working with, our Nation’s Military, First Responders and their families. Daniel joined the Marine Corps and served in Operation Iraqi Freedom/ Enduring Freedom, serving with 1st MLE/ 1st ANGLICO as a Forward Observer, supporting allied Tier I maneuver elements. After the Marine Corps Daniel returned home and continued to serve our local community by pursuing a career in law enforcement. During his tenure in law enforcement, he served in the Corrections Division, Patrol K9, SWAT, Criminal Apprehension Unit, Investigations, and was a Regional Academy Instructor. Daniel holds numerous instructor-level certifications through his time as a Marine and Law Enforcement Officer. He is currently working towards his Master’s Degree in Behavioral Health and Sciences, with an emphasis in trauma.