George Ellis, MD

Dr. Anthony Finch is a graduate of the New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center General Psychiatry residency and the Duke University Geriatric Psychiatry fellowship programs; he is board certified in Psychiatry by the ABPN. Dr. Finch was born and raised in New York and now lives in North Carolina. Dr. Finch specializes both in psychiatric medication management and various forms of psychotherapy. He believes that effective psychiatric treatment requires attention to multiple domains, including the establishment of a strong doctor/patient relationship, the development of a sound understanding of who the patient is as an individual, and a comprehensive assessment of spiritual and biological factors contributing to mental health. As such, Dr. Finch's practice includes both pharmacological and psychotherapeutic interventions that aim to treat the whole person on an individualized basis. He sees patients of all ages, specializing in older adults, and treats all psychiatric conditions. Dr. Finch received the 2023 Distinguished House Staff Award from the New York Weill Cornell Medical Center Alumni Council; this is awarded to one graduating house staff member from each department annually for excellence during training. He has conducted research on depression and PTSD, published a number of papers in peer-reviewed journals, presented posters at conferences, and written a chapter for a book on medical education. He practices in both English and German.

Dr. Maria Teresa Carvajal is an adult, child, and adolescent psychiatrist. She is originally from Guayaquil, Ecuador, and is bilingual in Spanish and English. Dr. Carvajal earned her medical degree from Universidad de Guayaquil in Ecuador. She then participated in a medical program at The William J. Harrington Training Program for Latin America and the Caribbean, at Jackson Memorial Hospital, an affiliate of the University of Miami in Florida. Afterwards, she completed her adult psychiatry residency at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Bronx Care Health System, and her fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry at Northwell Health in New York. She has experience working in various settings, including inpatient, outpatient, and emergency departments. Dr. Carvajal has submitted and presented work to the American Psychiatric Association and has also collaborated on a book publication. Dr. Carvajal has experience treating children and adults with anxiety, depression, OCD, PTSD, ADHD, dementia, etc. She utilizes medication management in conjunction with emotional and supportive therapy in 30-minute follow-up visits. She is passionate about her work and understands the impact of mental illnesses in daily life activities and in the family system. She will work with each patient in an individualized manner and will tailor personalized treatment plans that may include pharmacological treatment. In addition, Dr. Carvajal may recommend including a therapist in your care team to provide the best outcome.‍

Dr. Dodd, a Board-Certified psychiatrist, graduated from the University of Georgia Honors Program with a B.S. in Chemistry, and earned her M.D. from the Medical College of Georgia. During her psychiatry residency in Greenville, SC, she was chief resident and gained extensive experience through moonlighting. She joined the faculty of Gateway’s Savannah residency program in 2021, where she served as Assistant Program Director, and continues to teach residents and students as an Assistant Professor at Mercer University and the Medical College of Georgia. In her community psychiatry practice, she specialized in Assertive Community Treatment, worked with First Episode Psychosis programs, a forensic Diversion-Reentry clinic, telehealth, and outpatient psychiatry, particularly serving graduate students, professionals, and their families in the Savannah area.

Dr. Dodd fosters a comfortable environment for patients at any stage of treatment. As a passionate educator, she enjoys providing psychoeducation and supportive therapy to help patients understand themselves, their relationships, and their motivations.

Dr. Dodd tailors treatment to each individual’s goals, preferences, and strengths. She uses her expertise in diagnosis and pharmacology to optimize care, monitor treatment success, and maintain progress, with the ultimate goal of helping patients feel and function at their best.

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Elizabeth Shaffer, MD, is an accomplished psychiatrist specializing in child and adolescent psychiatry. She earned her M.D. degree from St. George's University School of Medicine and holds a Bachelor of Science in Child Development from Appalachian State University where she graduated summa cum laude. Dr. Shaffer's passion for working with children and families developed during her involvement in a pre-K Head Start Program in Rural North Carolina. She completed her General Psychiatry Residency and Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship at Jerry M. Wallace School of Osteopathic Medicine at Campbell University. Dr. Shaffer obtained ABPN Board Certification in General Psychiatry in 2023 and is working towards Board Certification in Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. Dr. Shaffer has received honors and awards for her contributions to psychiatry, including the Laughlin fellowship through The American College of Psychiatrists and Resident of the Year at Cape Fear Valley Health System in 2022.Her areas of interest focus on neurodevelopmental disorders such as ADHD, Autism, and Intellectual Delay. Dr. Shaffer is affiliated with professional organizations like AACAP and APA, demonstrating her commitment to professional development. Dr. Shaffer is dedicated to promoting mental health awareness and family and patient psychoeducation. Dr. Shaffer emphasizes a joint decision-making approach to treatment options and utilizes local resources to provide wrap-around support. Dr. Shaffer is a respected psychiatrist known for her excellence, compassion, and innovative approach to mental health care. Her extensive education, accolades, research contributions, professional affiliations, and community involvement reflect her commitment to making a positive impact in her patients' lives and the broader community.

Dr Cardiel- Sam is Board Certified in both General Psychiatry and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. He completed undergraduate training at University of Miami followed by medical school at St. Georges University. He has completed Residency in Psychiatry at Bergen New Bridge Medical Center and fellowship training for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Penn State University.  

His training in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry has given him a unique perspective on mental illness. He has found that these conditions rarely start in adulthood, but rather, are a product of multiple factors and years of lived experience. For this reason, Dr Cardiel- Sam approaches his patients through a trauma informed lens; an acknowledgement of the unique story and challenges that each individual has faced. He is comfortable treating a wide variety of psychiatric conditions including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, ADHD and many more.

Working with Dr Cardiel- Sam, you can expect holistic and collaborative psychiatric treatment. He believes that medication along with therapeutic treatment should fit seamlessly into a patient’s life, with minimal inconvenience. He strives to empower patients in shared medical decision making, making time to explain risks/benefits and alternatives for treatment.

Dr. Andrews is a board-certified psychiatrist who received his medical degree from Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed his psychiatric residency at the University of Texas Health – San Antonio. Since graduating from medical school, Dr. Andrews served in the United States Air Force for over a decade, first as a Flight Surgeon and later as the Medical Director for mental health and substance abuse clinics overseas. In these roles, he provided medical support to Air Force personnel, their family members, and veterans. These invaluable experiences in high-pressure environments strengthened his desire to support the psychological challenges of individuals in a myriad of situations.

Outside of patient care, Dr. Andrews remains active in continuing education, ensuring the latest scientific advancements inform his practice. With a background grounded in medical excellence, military service, and clinical psychiatry, he brings a steady, knowledgeable, and compassionate presence to the healing process.

Dr. Andrews offers comprehensive psychiatric care to adults seeking support for mental health challenges. Whether you are experiencing stress, depression, panic attacks, sleep issues, or difficulty focusing, he provides a warm, nonjudgmental space to explore your concerns and work collaboratively on a treatment plan that aligns with your goals and values. He offers both medication management and a combination of psychotherapy techniques tailored to each patient’s unique needs for effective and lasting outcomes.

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