Meet Our Clinicians

Tian Duke-Sui, M.D. is a Child, Adolescent, and Adult Psychiatrist. Dr. Duke-Sui is the Medical Director of Family Psychiatry Practice & Associates (FPPA). He completed his General Psychiatry Residency at the University of Florida and his Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship at the University of North Carolina.

Dr. Duke-Sui practices evidence-based medicine that utilizes the most current research in providing diagnostic assessments, medication management, individual psychotherapy, and consultative evaluations for children, adolescents, adults, and seniors. Dr. Duke-Sui values the collaborative care model to create a patient-centered team that incorporates patient goals. Dr. Duke-Sui strives to provide an exceptional quality of care while integrating a multidisciplinary approach to meet the unique physical and behavioral health care needs for individuals with complex medical and psychiatric histories.

Dr. Duke-Sui completed his General Psychiatry Residency at the University of Florida where he treated children, adolescents, adults, and seniors. He saw patients in the inpatient setting at UF Shands Hospital and UF Health Psychiatric Hospital in addition to the outpatient setting at UF Health Springhill's multispecialty medical facility where he saw patients in the adult psychiatry clinic, adult neurodevelopmental disorder clinic, and child/adolescent psychiatry clinic. He also treated patients with co-existing anxiety, mood, and impulse control disorders with Parkinson’s Disease and other neurodegenerative disorders in the movement disorder clinic at the Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases. As part of the collaboration with the Neurology and Neurosurgery services at the Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases, Dr. Duke-Sui also provided psychiatric evaluations for deep-brain stimulation (DBS) procedure candidates. During General Psychiatry Residency, Dr. Duke-Sui provided inpatient diagnostic clarification and treatment for military veterans in the dual-diagnosis substance abuse and mental health unit at the Malcom Randall VA Medical Center in Gainesville, Florida.
During his Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship at the University of North Carolina Hospitals, Dr. Duke-Sui trained at the nationally acclaimed TEACCH Center (Treatment and Education of Autistic and related Communications Handicapped Children) in Chapel Hill. Dr. Duke-Sui has expertise in management of medically complex neurodevelopmental disorders and their intersection with comorbid anxiety disorders, mood disorders, psychotic disorders, rare genetic disorders, and their often-comorbid chronic health conditions. Dr. Duke-Sui provided both medication management and psychotherapy at the UNC Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Clinic as well as the UNC Neurodevelopmental Disorders Clinic in Chapel Hill. In addition, Dr. Duke-Sui brings his experience of collaborating closely with a team of physicians, psychologists, and social workers at the UNC Child and Adolescent Outpatient Program in Raleigh to provide longitudinal weekly parent and child / adolescent psychotherapy.
Dr. Duke-Sui enjoys exploring the intersection of technology and the mental-health space. In 2019, he presented a workshop in San Francisco for the annual American Psychiatric Association (APA) conference on topic of Influence of Mainstream Social Media and Social Movements on Mental Health Issues (Duke-Sui T, Bindshedler A, Knudson C, Korah T., May 2019). At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Duke-Sui was selected to be part of the Department of Psychiatry’s technical peer support team to help implement the use of telehealth in its clinics in the University of Florida health system. During his fellowship at the University of North Carolina, Dr. Duke-Sui developed virtual tours for the UNC General Psychiatry and Child & Adolescent Programs.
Dr. Duke-Sui is committed to improving access to community mental health resources. He received the Mark W. Herbold Memorial Award for displaying the ability to overcome tremendous obstacles in life during his medical education at the University of Florida College of Medicine and continues to provide care for the community where he practices. In 2021, Dr. Duke-Sui helped create the Wake County Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDDs) / Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) clinic in Raleigh. Dr. Duke-Sui and members of the Wake County IDD/ASD clinic team presented on the topic of evidence-based approaches to improving care of autistic and developmentally disabled individuals in the emergency department setting at the WakeBrook Behavioral Health Facility in 2022.
If you would like to schedule an appointment with Dr. Duke-Sui, please contact the friendly and courteous front staff at (919) 233-4131.

Richard Ortegon, M.D. is a board-certified adult psychiatrist and brings a wealth of experience and compassion to his role at Family Psychiatry Practice & Associates. Completing his residency at the esteemed University of Connecticut, Dr. Ortegon honed his skills across diverse patient demographics, spanning children, adolescents, young adults, and veterans. His extensive training included stints at prestigious institutions such as Boston Medical Center, Bournewood Hospital, UConn Health, Hartford Hospital, St. Francis Hospital, and Duke Regional Hospital.

As an inpatient psychiatrist and consulting psychiatrist on medical units, Dr. Ortegon adeptly stabilized individuals grappling with severe depression, mania, various forms of psychosis, and medically related causes of mental health conditions. He is renowned for his meticulous attention to detail in crafting comprehensive discharge plans, ensuring a seamless transition to outpatient care for patients and their families. Many have attributed their improved quality of life and successful reintegration into society to Dr. Ortegon's unwavering dedication and expertise.
Beyond his hospital work, Dr. Ortegon has made meaningful connections with patients through various clinics, including the UConn Child and Adolescent clinic, the VA hospital in Newington, Hartford Behavioral Health serving the Spanish-speaking community, and UConn's adult mood disorder clinic. His holistic approach to care emphasizes collaboration with patients and their families, integrating therapy and medication management to address anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and substance use disorders.
By empowering patients to actively participate in their treatment plans, Dr. Ortegon fosters a sense of agency and understanding that transcends symptom management. Dr. Ortegon finds profound fulfillment in guiding patients and their families through the labyrinth of symptoms and stressors, instilling hope and motivation for a brighter future. He excels at assisting young adults navigate transitional difficulties and is committed to facilitating their personal, social, and academic growth with empathy and expertise.
If you are looking to manage your mental health and improve your quality of life, please reach out to our exceptional front desk staff at (919) 233-4131 to schedule you or your child’s appointment with Dr. Ortegon today!

John Lakas PMHNP-BC is a Board-Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner with extensive experience in child, adolescent, and young adult mental health care. He is dedicated to providing comprehensive, patient-centered psychiatric services that emphasize holistic, evidence-based care.

John earned his Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner from East Carolina University and his Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Prior to becoming a PMHNP, he gained invaluable experience as a Certified Pediatric Nurse at UNC Neuroscience Inpatient Psychiatric Units for over six years, working closely with multidisciplinary teams to deliver high-quality mental health care. His background in pediatric medicine includes five years as a Pediatric Medicine Nurse at UNC Children’s Hospital.

John’s journey into nursing was a second career, following a successful tenure as a middle and high school Math and Science teacher in Wake County Schools, Fort Collins, CO, and Greeley, CO. This unique blend of education, mentorship, and clinical practice gives him a distinctive approach to mental health care, enabling him to connect meaningfully with patients and families.
John draws from proven therapeutic models to shape his holistic approach to mental health care. He integrates principles from Peplau’s Interpersonal Relations Theory, Jean Watson’s Theory of Human Caring, Siegel’s Interpersonal Neurobiology, Engel and Sulmasy’s Biopsychosocial-Spiritual Model, Delaney’s Interpersonal Nursing Process, and the Salutogenic and Ecological Models. These frameworks guide his understanding of human experience and well-being, helping patients find paths that align with their values and hopes. John believes deeply in the power of collaboration—working alongside patients, families, and a diverse array of professionals, including Occupational Therapists, LCSWs, Psychologists, Therapists, Teachers, PAs, NPs, Psychiatrists, and Chaplains. His guiding principle, “It takes a village,” underscores his commitment to team-based care.
John specializes in integrated mental health care for children, adolescents, and young adults, using innovative therapeutic modalities to engage patients and build trust and rapport. He effectively incorporates approaches such as play therapy, art therapy, horticulture therapy, narrative therapy, storytelling, spiritual practices, values-based counseling, scaffolding techniques, and games. Passionate about helping patients and families connect to their values and expand their views of mental well-being, John believes in meeting individuals where they are to discover the root of behaviors and cultivate growth.
If you're looking for a holistic, compassionate, and evidence-based approach to mental health care, John Lakas, PMHNP-BC, is here to help you thrive.

Alissa Duke-Sui, R.N. is a Registered Nurse and the Practice Manager at Family Psychiatry Practice & Associates (FPPA). She has been in the healthcare field since 2009, beginning her career as a Paramedic in both rural and urban emergency medical services in Michigan. In 2017, she earned her Registered Nurse certification and joined the University of Florida Hospital, where she specialized in critical care within the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit and the Surgical Thoracic Intensive Care Unit. Her expertise included the management of patients with chronic heart failure, multisystem organ failure, and those undergoing pre- and post-heart and lung transplantation.

In 2019, Nurse Duke-Sui transitioned to the field of psychiatry, serving at the University of Florida’s inpatient psychiatric hospital. In this role, she provided comprehensive care for children, adolescents, and adults with complex psychiatric conditions, including mood disorders, acute mental health crises, anxiety, ADHD, and autism spectrum disorders.

In 2020 Nurse Duke-Sui joined the University of North Carolina Hospital, where she provided specialized care for patients experiencing acute psychotic episodes. She also played a key role in the treatment of individuals with eating disorders, postpartum depression and psychosis, adolescent mental health conditions, and psychiatric disorders related to COVID-19.
During the pandemic, she temporarily returned to the Intensive Care Unit, utilizing her critical care expertise to support the treatment of critically ill patients while continuing to pursue her passion for psychiatry. She served as a strong advocate for patients and their families navigating the acute stress and challenges brought on by the pandemic.
Nurse Duke-Sui also contributed to the Psychiatric Consult Liaison Service at Duke Regional Hospital as a Behavioral Health Rounding Nurse. In this role, she worked closely with medical nursing teams and ancillary staff to enhance the care of patients with psychiatric concerns in a medical setting, effectively integrating her dual expertise in medicine and psychiatry.
At Family Psychiatry Practice & Associates, Nurse Duke-Sui is dedicated to ensuring high-quality patient care by coordinating treatment plans, addressing patient inquiries, and facilitating seamless communication between healthcare providers to support the well-being of individuals and families.

Lee Davis, LCMHC-A, CRC is an associate Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor and Certified Rehabilitation Counselor in the state of North Carolina. Lee believes in approaching counseling from a person-centered perspective where the client is seen as the expert in their own lives. He uses a wide range of evidence-based practices specifically tailored to each client’s needs, goals, and preferences to help facilitate the most desired outcomes. Lee believes in working in collaboration with the client and incorporating the client’s feedback to assist in the therapeutic process. Lee primarily works with older children, adolescents and adults.

Lee completed his master’s degree in clinical rehabilitation and mental health counseling at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2023. Prior to his master’s degree he spent years working as an EMT, in an inpatient psychiatric hospital, and in a behavioral health emergency department. He has an array of experience in multiple settings within the mental health field, and he has been able to use those experiences to best serve his clients. Due to his work as an EMT, he has a passion for first responders and conducted research while in his master’s program looking into methods that build resilience in individuals and decrease the likelihood of developing PTSD. Lee is committed to improving access to mental health resources for first responders and providing psychoeducation.

Lee also has a passion for athletes who are struggling with motivation and performance related anxiety. While receiving his bachelor’s degree in psychology at North Carolina State University, he was a member and team captain for the NCAA wrestling team. He went on to compete professionally in the hopes of making a world and Olympic team where he was a multiple time U.S. Open All-American and World Team Trial qualifier. He has experience working with athletes on how to mentally prepare, train, and compete at a high level. In his free time Lee coaches youth and high school wrestlers to compete throughout the state and country. He has coached multiple state champions and high school All-Americans in wrestling.

Daniel Montenegro, is a dedicated and experienced Psychology Intern currently completing his Ph.D. in School Psychology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. With over 15 years of experience in mental health, Daniel is deeply committed to supporting neurodivergent youth and their families through diagnostic, consultative, and treatment services tailored to individuals with diverse abilities and needs.

Before entering his doctoral program, Daniel provided psychometric testing services for more than a decade in various children’s hospitals throughout the Southeast. As a doctoral student, he has completed advanced training rotations in the Duke Autism, Neuropsychology, and Neurodevelopment Clinics. A bilingual Latin American, Daniel has a strong passion for working with multicultural populations, focusing on culturally responsive care. His research, which has been published in peer-reviewed journals, explores the influence of culturally mediated factors on autism diagnosis and treatment.

Since relocating to North Carolina in 2017, Daniel has played a pivotal role in advancing autism diagnostic services. At Duke Children’s Hospital, he established a specialized clinical service for children with complex co-occurring conditions, including Fragile X syndrome, encephalopathy, Rett syndrome, and Angelman syndrome. He later joined the Duke Pediatric Neuropsychology Clinic, where he provided comprehensive assessments and interventions for children with complex medical conditions, such as congenital heart defects, traumatic brain injuries, and blood disorders.
Through his doctoral training, Daniel gained valuable experience in an ABA-based school for children with autism, where he provided early intervention parent coaching informed by applied behavior analysis (ABA). He has extensive experience delivering emotional and behavioral support and intervention strategies for individuals from early childhood through young adulthood.
As he completes his final year of training, Daniel is eager to build collaborative, long-term partnerships with families—supporting them not only at the beginning of their diagnostic journey but also through life’s many transitions. He is committed to fostering resilience and empowering individuals to thrive at every stage of development.

Casey Calhoun, PhD is a Licensed Psychologist at Family Psychiatry Practice & Associates (FPPA). Dr. Calhoun received his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from UNC-Chapel Hill, after completing his internship at the Charleston Consortium Psychology Internship Program (Medical University of South Carolina/Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center). He completed his postdoctoral fellowship at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) and subsequently served in faculty positions at MUSC and UNC Chapel Hill. He is a current faculty member in the UNC School of Education, and prior to joining FPPA, he operated an independent private practice that was awarded “Best Mental Health Service Provider” by Raleigh’s Midtown Magazine.

Dr. Calhoun provides therapy and psychological assessment services for children, teens, and adults. His clinical approach is grounded in evidence-based practices and tailored to meet the unique needs of each client, ensuring services are both personalized and effective. Guided by psychological theory and the latest research advances, Dr. Calhoun works collaboratively with clients to reveal the underlying cause of life challenges and identify targets for intervention that will lead to lasting improvements in overall well-being. Embracing a multidisciplinary approach, Dr. Calhoun is committed to partnering with other professionals to provide integrated, comprehensive care that maximizes positive outcomes for his clients.
Throughout his doctoral training at top-ranked programs, Dr. Calhoun worked in various specialty and generalist clinics, developing expertise in assessing and treating a wide range of diagnostic presentations, such as ADHD, learning disorders, anxiety, depression, PTSD, and adjustment-related challenges. Upon receiving his PhD in Clinical Psychology from UNC Chapel Hill, Dr. Calhoun served as a clinician and supervisor in an outpatient trauma clinic at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). He later worked as the Attending Psychologist at the UNC Child and Adolescent Inpatient Program. For the past three years, Dr. Calhoun has provided therapy and assessment services out of his own private practice, where he offered training opportunities for doctoral students through partnerships with local school districts.
Throughout these experiences, Dr. Calhoun has become skilled in differential diagnosis and treating individuals presenting with comorbid and complex symptom presentations. Even more, he has learned the importance of adapting assessment and therapy approaches to meet the unique needs, abilities, preferences, and goals of each client. In his work with other healthcare providers and community partners, Dr. Calhoun has witnessed the remarkable impact of collaborative, integrative care. This ultimately led Dr. Calhoun to join the FPPA team, where he could work with other dedicated healthcare professionals to more comprehensively attend to clients’ mental health needs.
As a researcher, Dr. Calhoun has published articles articulating how biological, cognitive, social, and developmental factors combine to affect mental health. He has also published research studies that examine these biopsychosocial interactions directly, demonstrating how simultaneous consideration of multiple systems provides a more complete understanding of why some individuals are at greater risk of mental health challenges than others. Dr. Calhoun has published over 30 peer-reviewed articles in reputable research journals along with several professional development manuscripts and book chapters to support students and early-career professionals. He has served as a Co-Investigator or Consultant on numerous federally funded research projects, conducting lab-based research, leading development of a self-help app for victims of mass violence events (Transcend), and contributing to two online training courses for clinicians (TF-CBTWeb2.0, CBTiWeb).
Dr. Calhoun teaches courses on psychological assessment and intervention at UNC Chapel Hill, and he mentors doctoral students in conducting psychological research. He also currently serves on the Board of Directors for Helping Give Away Psychological Science (HGAPS), which is a national, non-profit organization dedicated to disseminating psychological science through generating and sharing resources on empirically-based psychological assessment and intervention.
If you would like to learn more about the services offered by Dr. Calhoun or schedule an appointment, please contact the FPPA front desk at (919) 233-4131.

The receptionist Chelsea always has a smile on her face and is welcoming when we arrive. It is a wonderful practice, great location and great employees! - M.S.

As a (scattered, busy, over-scheduled, overwhelmed, over-extended) neurodivergent mom with neurodivergent kids, FPPA has been huge benefit to my family. Everyone from the front desk staff to the providers is kind and approachable, and it's apparent that they really care about their patients. - M.O.

Above all, their skills as a psychiatrist are simply outstanding. Their expertise and knowledge were evident in every interaction. They were able to guide me through challenging times with an ease that speaks volumes about their experience in the field. - D.P.

Our Mission

Our mission is to provide superior, comprehensive and integrative mental health services for children, adolescents and adults. Our programs, treatments, and care plans are designed to meet the needs of the individual within the context of the family, community and environment.

We are always here to listen! Please reach out to our friendly reception team to ask questions about services provided to see if FPPA is the right fit for you and your family!

Our Commitment To You

FPPA is committed to bringing talented, extraordinarily trained professionals with diverse backgrounds and experiences into our practice. Within our offices we have the convenience of frequent and intensive collaboration to provide superior, comprehensive services to our patients. With patient permission, we also maintain close relationships with local pediatricians, family physicians, other medical specialists, schools, clergy and other mental health professionals, and enjoy the interdisciplinary discussions that produce a truly individualized plan for change for each of our clients.

Each of our clinicians is specialized in treating children, adolescents and/or adults. Additionally, each professional has their own subspecialty areas of expertise. Overlapping areas of expertise allow for second opinions and comprehensive treatment.