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Baton Rouge Team

Meet Our
Baton Rouge Team

At The Maples, each teen girl is supported by a team of board-certified psychiatrists, licensed therapists, addiction medicine specialists, pediatricians, dietitians, and 24/7 nursing staff, all working together to help her and her family heal.

Administrative Leaders

Sierra is a Registered Nurse, BSN with 17 years of experience caring for the Behavioral Health Population and 6 years in an administrative role. Sierra is a Psychiatric and Substance Abuse healthcare champion with experience supporting and implementing psychiatric care facility mission, vision, and core values. Sierra has always been passionate about providing holistic care to adolescents in need of Behavioral Health Resources, which led to joining The Maples team. Before coming a member of the Maples Team, Sierra worked as the Chief Nursing Officer at Ochsner Rehabilitation Hospital in Jefferson Parish, LA, providing oversight of a 56-bed unit, collaborating…

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Katelyn is a licensed clinical social worker with extensive experience supporting individuals navigating emotional dysregulation, trauma, and complex mental health challenges. With specialized training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Katelyn brings a structured, compassionate, and evidence-based approach to helping clients build a life worth living. Katelyn is passionate about adolescent mental health and understands the unique developmental, emotional, and relational challenges teens face. Her leadership ensures that each resident receives individualized, strengths-based care within a highly structured and validating environment. Under her direction, the clinical team delivers evidence-based treatment that emphasizes skills development, emotional safety, and family involvement. Outside of…

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Psychiatrists

Dr. Thompson is a native of Chicago, Illinois. She earned her medical degree from The Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2009. After learning about the disparity in the mental health system that was still present years after Hurricane Katrina, Dr. Thompson felt compelled to help bridge this gap so she moved to New Orleans to complete her General Psychiatry Residency at Tulane University. After falling in love with the people and culture in Southeastern Louisiana she then stayed at Tulane and completed a Fellowship in Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, where she served as Chief Resident from 2013-2014. Upon completion…

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Dr. Williams trained at LSU/Ochsner for residency and has completed fellowships in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Addiction Psychiatry, and is a distinguished fellow in the American Society of Addiction Medicine. In the past, Dr. Williams spent over a decade as the Director of Psychiatry at Children’s Hospital in New Orleans treating patients, their families and educating medical students, adult residents, and fellows. He is a gratis associate professor with LSU in the department of Psychiatry. He has lectured throughout the state and has completed board certifications in Psychiatry, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine, continuing his work with…

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Donna Fargason, M.D., a native of West Monroe, Louisiana, attended medical school and completed her Residency in Psychiatry and her Fellowship in Child & Adolescent Psychiatry at LSU New Orleans. She has lived in Baton Rouge for 20 years and has been a practicing psychiatrist at Family Focus, LLC where she is the owner and manager. Dr. Fargason became interested in equine therapy about eight years ago and became certified at that time through EAGALA. She has continued with other certifications from other organizations since that time, gleaning knowledge from multiple practitioners throughout the years. She has seen the benefit…

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Therapists

Born and raised in Louisiana, Zadiee Waller is a dedicated, Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). Zadiee graduated from Louisiana State University with both her Bachelors and Masters of Social Work. There she honed her skills and deepened her love of social work. She completed her graduate internship at The Maples, which focused on adolescents and provided invaluable experience. Zadiee is committed to fostering a supportive and empowering environment for all her clients. When not at The Maples, Zadiee enjoys spending time with her friends, family, and her dog, Willow. She also loves running and reading, which help her stay balanced…

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Chris has worked in the counseling field for over 15 years in the private school system. He has been in private practice as an LPC since 2015 and  a certified sex therapist since 2018. He has an MA from Southeastern LA University in Counselor Education and an MA in Theology from Notre Dame School of Theology. His unique skill set often helps him help clients navigate the often hostile intersection of faith and sexuality. Chris has worked extensively with individuals and families and is dedicated to the work he does. Southeastern Louisiana University, Masters in Counseling Education Notre Dame School…

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Dr. Manton is a Licensed Professional Counselor-Supervisor and formerly Certified School Counselor in the state of Louisiana and a National Certified Counselor. She has practiced in a variety of settings, including inpatient, community, and university facilities as well as serving as a school counselor for six years, providing academic and social-emotional support for students in grades 9-12. Currently, she has a private practice where she sees individuals, couples, and families ranging from ages 14 to adults. She is also a counselor educator and supervises Provisionally Licensed Professional Counselors. At the Maples, Dr. Manton provides family therapy services, helping residents and…

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Medical Team

Melissa Roy, M.D. is a native of Metairie, Louisiana. She received her Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences from Louisiana State University. She received her Doctor of Medicine degree from Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans. Dr. Roy completed her pediatric residency at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans where she also served as Chief Resident. She is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics in both Pediatrics and Pediatric Hospital Medicine. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Dr. Roy serves as the Program Director of the Our Lady of…

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Nursing

Tessa is a Licensed Practical Nurse with over 25 years of nursing experience in the medical field, with the last 9 years in mental health and addiction.

She has been with The Maples in Baton Rouge since the beginning stages and was very instrumental in helping launch our Hammond location. Tessa believes we write our own story, the past doesn’t define who we are, and nobody is too broken. Her purpose is to help them be a better version of themselves through encouragement, self love, and confidence.

CPR Instructor
CPI Instructor
EMR Certified

Dietitian

Melissa Landry has been a Registered Dietitian for 19 years. She is a graduate of Louisiana State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nutrition and Dietetics, and completed her Dietetic Internship at Southern University. She is certified in ServSafe, Quorum Lean Healthcare Leadership and Adult Weight Management. Melissa has had experience working with nutritional needs of mental health and substance abuse for 11 years.

Licensed Registered Dietitian
Southern University, Didactic Program in Nutrition and Dietetics
Louisiana State University, B.S. in Nutrition and Dietetics
Specializing in food service management

Support Team

Maple is the official house hound for The Maples Baton Rouge. She was adopted at a local shelter and was born with the natural ability to make people smile. Outside of protecting The Maples, she specializes in:

Zoomies
Begging for Treats
Face Kisses
Receiving Belly Rubs
Jumping on Furniture

Zepelin is a big dog with an even bigger heart! He might look huge, but he’s as gentle as a teddy bear. Zepelin was crowned King of the Friends of the Animals Strolling for Strays in 2024. Zepelin makes appearances at all three Maples locations! He’s great at sitting quietly, giving soft snuggles, and just being there when you need a friend. Zepelin knows that sometimes, just having a big, fluffy buddy nearby can make a tough day feel a little easier. His favorite things? Ear scratches, slow walks, making kids smile—and chasing squirrels (but only when he’s off duty)!

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Travis Weisbrod is a certified exercise physiologist who specializes in working with mental health and behavior change. He has worked in the mental health treatment field for the last 10+ years and first began working in health and fitness 20 years ago.  Travis, a California native who now calls Baton Rouge home, completed his master’s degree from LSU in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Clinical Exercise Physiology. As a certified exercise physiologist, strength and conditioning specialist, and behavior change specialist, Travis uses evidence-based methods to help improve symptoms and outcomes for patients with a variety of mental health conditions. He…

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Ryan is a graduate of Southeastern Louisiana University’s Masters of Counseling program with a focus on family counseling. Ryan has been a practicing clinician since 2012. He is a Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor, and a Nation Certified Counselor, specializing in addiction and family counseling. Ryan has developed family programs through education, led development of chemical dependency program literature, and is an active supervisor for Provisional counselors entering the field. He has been focused on counseling professionals facing family issues, addiction, and working closely with state monitoring boards such as the Louisiana state board of nursing, Louisiana state board of physical…

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Kimberlee Hedrick is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Board Certified Diplomate in Clinical Social Work (BCD) and Certified Group Psychotherapist (CGP) who has been in private practice in Baton Rouge for over 20 years providing individual, group and family psychotherapy. She specializes in treating both males and females struggling with disordered eating including Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia, and Binge Eating Disorder, as well as body image disturbance and underlying mood disorders.  Her strong belief in an authentic, compassionate and relational approach provides the underpinnings of her treatment philosophy as she strives to empower others to live “a life worth living.”…

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Administrative Team

JT Odell graduated from Louisiana State University in May 2020 with a B.S. in Psychology. He has been working as an administrative assistant since 2020. JT likes to think of his role as alleviating whatever workload he can from our clinicians, so that they can focus on what’s most important – our clients. He is in charge of visitation scheduling, evaluation tracking, and helping out with discharge planning.

JT is passionate about youth mental health and feels lucky to be a part of The Maples

Louisiana State University, B.S. in Psychology

Allowing individuals and families to address their needs in a safe, nurturing environment, providing an increased level of self-esteem, self-worth and emotional regulation.

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