Training Office Welcome

Welcome to the SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University Department of Psychiatry Office of Training!

SUNY Downstate is one of the largest health science centers in the United States. Downstate is rooted in a century-old tradition of teaching, patient care and research. Originally founded in 1860, Downstate today is the center for academic medicine in Brooklyn. It is the seventh largest medical school in the nation, with schools of nursing, health related professions and graduate studies.

The General Psychiatry Residency Training Program is a four-year accredited educational program and as the only university-based program in Brooklyn it is also the largest with a total of 48 residents training in general psychiatry. Our residents are trained at various outstanding clinical sites in Brooklyn including: University Hospital at Downstate, Kings County Hospital Center, Brooklyn Veterans Administration Medical Center, South Brooklyn Health Hospital, and Kingsboro Psychiatric Center. Together, these sites offer the residents a diverse patient population to treat and an exposure to every facet of mental health treatment.

The Department of Psychiatry has a rich history in community psychiatry, dynamic psychiatry, psychopharmacology, neuroscience and research. We are now at the forefront of psychiatric research with both the Center for Excellence for Alzheimer's Disease and the Institute for Genomic Health.

Like the borough of Brooklyn itself, we pride ourselves on the diversity of our residents. Applicants to the program hail both from across the United States and across the world. The resident classes here at SUNY Downstate are a mix of US medical graduates and International Medical Graduates—American citizens who have completed medical school abroad and others who are foreign nationals on visas. We believe that the diverse array of patients we serve benefit greatly from this cultural and ethnic diversity.

Residents here at SUNY Downstate also have the invaluable experience of teaching the medical students. Because we are grounded in a medical school-setting, our residents are integral in teaching medical students, an experience that enriches the learning experience for both. Universally lauded by our students and residents. Research is expected as well, and our protected one-month rotation in the PGY2 year is the springboard for this endeavor. Didactics are comprehensive and built into all four years of training. We are committed to community psychiatry. Not only do all of our residents gain experience assessing and treating individuals with mental illness who are homeless but most "give back" to the community by volunteering at the Brooklyn Free Clinic, the annual NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Walk, the annual AFSP (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention) Walk or other initiatives.

The academic and clinical rigor of our program, along with its focus on research, produces graduates with impressive CVs who go on to compete for highly sought after fellowships, academic positions, hospital appointments, community employment or private practice work. We take pleasure in having launched some of the most talented and exemplary psychiatrists both here and abroad. We hope that exploring our website will give you more detailed information about our training program. Thanks for visiting and don't hesitate to contact us directly. As we say to our new recruits: "Welcome to the family."

Program Director
Adult Psychiatry Residency Training Program

About Me

A proud alum of SUNY Downstate, Dr. Mirza is a dedicated educator, clinician, and early-career leader in the field of psychiatry. His work at Kings County and SUNY Downstate has been recognized for clinical excellence and has earned him teaching awards. He is a dual board-certified psychiatrist with fellowship training in Forensic Psychiatry.

Dr. Mirza graduated cum laude from St. John’s University with a degree in Biology and received his medical degree from the American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, where he was on the Dean’s List and honored for his research presentations. He completed his Adult Psychiatry residency at SUNY Downstate, where he served with distinction as a Chief Resident. During this time, he played a pivotal role in improving residency processes and enhancing the clinical education experience. He also served as Chair of the Graduate Medical Education Committee Resident Forum, a resident representative on the GME committee, as well as a member of the Wellness Committee, demonstrating a keen interest in fostering a supportive environment for residents. After residency, Dr. Mirza completed a Forensic Psychiatry fellowship at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, where he strengthened his passion for public sector mental health.

Dr. Mirza returned to SUNY Downstate as Associate Program Director following his fellowship training. He has maintained active clinical roles at both Kings County Hospital, where he supervises residents in the Adult Walk-In Clinic, and at the Veterans Affairs Hospital in Brooklyn, where he serves as an Emergency Psychiatrist. His portfolio of work as APD included site directorship of services at KCH, and rotation development of several residency experiences including the forensics rotation, Kingsboro State Psychiatric Center, and the transition to the Pain and Palliative Care CL experience at the Brooklyn VA.

As Program Director, Dr. Mirza will lead the Psychiatry Residency Program in its ongoing mission to provide high-quality education, promote resident well-being, and strengthen the program’s commitment to innovative psychiatric care and scholarship. His deep knowledge, passion for mentorship, and dedication to advancing psychiatry serve as his guiding force.

Associate Program Director
Adult Psychiatry Residency Training Program

About Me

Dr. Irons is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University in Brooklyn New York and a full-time attending psychiatrist with the NYC Health + Hospitals Domestic Violence Shelter Mental Health Initiative. She earned her Doctor of Medicine degree at Eastern Virginia Medical School and is also a proud alum of SUNY Downstate, completing her Adult Psychiatry Residency and Chief Residency here. While in residency, she received a certification in psychodynamic psychotherapy for adults through the Psychoanalytic Association of New York’s Psychodynamic Psychotherapy Certification Program. In her role as a Clinical Assistant Professor at SUNY Downstate, she participates in committees, presents didactics and lectures, and mentors medical students. Outside of her clinical and academic duties, she is a member of the NYC Health and Gender-Based Violence Working Group with other health professionals in the NYC Mayor’s office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence, is involved in the advocacy committee of The Association of LGBTQ+ Psychiatrists, and is a member of the executive committee of the Brooklyn Psychiatric Society: a District Branch of the American Psychiatric Association. She has been invited to participate in various workshops and lectures institutionally, locally, and nationally on topics ranging from Graduate Medical Education; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; working with trauma survivors, intergenerational communication in clinical learning environments, and Transgender Healthcare. She has published several academic articles and has presented original research at local, regional, and national conferences.

Department Administrator
Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

About Me

Dr. Kino (Dr. Keenz) Williams is an award-winning academic medical administrator and Graduate Medical Education (GME) leader with more than 23 years of experience in academic medicine, healthcare operations, accreditation, and performance improvement. Nationally recognized for advancing ACGME accreditation success, workforce well-being, leadership development, and organizational excellence, Dr. Williams has led transformative initiatives across multiple clinical and academic departments at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University.

Currently serving as Department Administrator for the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at SUNY Downstate, Dr. Williams oversees administrative, financial, academic, and operational strategy for the department’s clinical, physician practice, research, and educational missions, including four accredited training programs. Dr. Williams is also Founder and Principal Consultant of Dr. Keenz Consulting LLC, providing expertise in GME administration, accreditation readiness, coordinator development, operational optimization, and academic leadership strategy.

A respected national speaker and thought leader in academic medicine, Dr. Williams has presented at ACGME, AHME, AADPRT, AROPC, and other professional conferences on topics including professional development, coordinator leadership, wellness, quality improvement, and workforce engagement. Dr. Williams also played a key role in establishing SUNY Downstate’s Residency Program Coordinators’ Forum and institution-wide wellness and professional development initiatives.

Dr. Williams holds a Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) in Human & Organizational Leadership from Touro Worldwide University, along with graduate and undergraduate degrees in business and human resources. Professional credentials include C-TAGME, CPHQ, and PHR certifications, with additional expertise in healthcare quality, strategic operations, artificial intelligence applications, and organizational leadership.

Passionate about health equity, mentorship, and community engagement, Dr. Williams co-founded the UHD/RPCF Community Healthy Lifestyle Fair, helping provide thousands of community health screenings and wellness resources throughout Brooklyn. Dr. Williams’s leadership and service have been recognized through numerous honors, including the ACGME Debra L. Dooley GME Program Coordinator Excellence Award and the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Professional Service and recognition as a Men of Distinction honoree by the New York Regional Chapter of the National Association of Health Services Executives (NAHSE).

Residency Administrator
Adult Psychiatry Residency Training Program

About Me

Audra is a Brooklyn native and a member of SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University and the Department of Psychiatry since 2008.  Audra was a Staff Assistant for her first 7 years at Downstate in the Adult Psychiatry outpatient office alongside our Faculty and Residents.  In 2016, she became the Psychiatry Clerkship Coordinator in the Undergraduate Education role where she further developed leadership and interpersonal skills.  Audra played an important role in the Undergraduate Medical Education developing many procedures and strategies from her position that is used by all clerkships.  Audra’s knowledge and professional work integrity was apparent when in 2019 she took on an added clerkship for the Department of Surgery as the interim coordinator.  Managing the two clerkships with a student roster of more than 80 for 5 years has prepared her for her role as the Department of Psychiatry Resident Coordinator.  Audra transitioned to the Resident Coordinator role in early 2023 and has made a seamless transition. 

Department Chair
Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

About Me

A proud Downstate alum, Dr. Reinhardt is a distinguished academic psychiatrist, dedicated educator, and nationally recognized leader in geriatric psychiatry. As a board-certified psychiatrist and geriatric psychiatrist, he has devoted his career to advancing the care of older adults through clinical innovation, interprofessional education, and community partnerships with a deep commitment to fair access to care and a representative healthcare workforce.

Dr. Reinhardt has served Downstate for over a decade in multiple leadership roles: Clinical Advisory Dean, Director of the Division of Geriatric Psychiatry, Director of the Geriatric Psychiatry Fellowship Program, Director of the Center of Excellence for Alzheimer’s Disease (CEAD), and Program Director of the federally funded Brooklyn Initiative to Develop Geriatrics Education (BRIDGE). Under his direction, the CEAD expanded its clinical volume. It now serves thousands of patients and caregivers annually while providing invaluable hands-on training to medical students, physician assistant students, residents, and geriatrics fellows.

Most recently, Dr. Reinhardt’s leadership of the BRIDGE program secured a $5 million HRSA grant to expand New York’s geriatrics workforce and strengthen partnerships with community healthcare sites, including Kings County Hospital and Brownsville Multiservice Family Health Center. Through BRIDGE, he has overseen the training of more than 1,500 healthcare learners and delivered interprofessional sessions reaching over 8,000 participants. His programming is widely recognized for its focus on community empowerment and culturally responsive care.

As a committed educator, Dr. Reinhardt has served on the College of Medicine’s Appeals Committee, Professionalism Committee, and Middle States Steering Committee, and as Course Director for Primary Care II: Geriatrics and Palliative Care, where he transformed and expanded the curriculum in the post-pandemic era. He often tells his advisees that his favorite role is Clinical Advisory Dean, mentoring medical students on their journey to career success.

Dr. Reinhardt’s scholarly contributions span late-life psychotic disorders, dementia care, and frailty in older adults. He is a past recipient of the HRSA K Award, the Geriatric Academic Career Award. He is also a member of the Global Center for AI in Mental Health (GCAIMH), a partnership between SUNY and the United Nations. He is actively pursuing grant funding to harness AI in Alzheimer’s disease care and caregiving.

His numerous honors include selection to the inaugural Future Leaders in Geriatric Psychiatry Program of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry (2023), Outstanding Medical Educator for the Clinical Years (2023), Educational Service of the Year for the Psychiatry Residency Program (2019-2020 and 2023-2024), and the Fort Greene Council’s Impact Award (2022). He has recently completed a Master’s in Education of the Health Professions at Johns Hopkins University.

As Chair, Dr. Reinhardt will lead the department in strengthening clinical services, expanding research, and advancing innovative, community-rooted education models.