Uptown Research Institute Logo Banner

John G. Sonnenberg, PhD
President & Investigator
jsonnenberg@uptownresearch.com
(773) 989-8313

John G. Sonnenberg, PhD, earned both Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Clinical Psychology from Northwestern University and is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist. He founded Uptown Research Institute in 2001 and has served as Principal Investigator on over 100 clinical trials, researching with and consulting to pharmaceutical companies. He publishes in peer-reviewed journals and maintains particular expertise in cognition and schizophrenia. Additionally, he serves as Volunteer Faculty at Northwestern University’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences.

Michael Jutovsky, M.D.
Medical Director & Investigator
mjutovsky@uptownresearch.com
(773) 989-8313 Ext. 130
 
Tapan Parikh, MD, MPH
Psychiatrist
tparikh@uptownresearch.com
(773) 989-8313 Ext. 130

Tapan Parikh, MD, MPH Bio coming soon!

Diane Cohen, JD
Chief Operating Officer
dcohen@uptownresearch.com
(773) 989-8313 Ext. 127

Diane Cohen, JD, is returning to Uptown Research as its Chief Operating Officer after serving in an operations and marketing capacity 12 years ago. Coming most recently from the not-for-profit sector, she has more than 25 years experience in all aspect of operations including project management, team leadership, marketing,fundraising, human resources, finance, and facilities oversight. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and her law degree from Loyola University.

Gwen Jacobs, RN, MS, CCRC
Senior Clinical Research Nurse
gjacobs@uptownresearch.com
(773) 989-8313 Ext. 112

Gwen Jacobs, RN, MS, CCRC, earned her bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Michigan. She has over two decades of research experience having served as a Research Nurse at Uptown Research Institute since 2001. She also serves on advisory boards for pharmaceutical companies.

Alecia E. Halstead, MD, MBA
Sub-Investigator | Rater | Clinical Research Coordinator
ahalstead@uptownresearch.com
(773) 989-8313 Ext. 119

Alecia E. Halstead, MD, MBA, earned her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Loyola University at Chicago along with a Gender Studies minor. She earned her medical degree from Atlantic University School of Medicine and her Master of Business Administration in Health Care Management from Davenport University. Dr. Halstead currently serves as a Sub-Investigator, Rater, and Clinical Research Coordinator in neuroscience clinical trials.

Jennifer Rohde
Clinical Research Coordinator
jrohde@uptownresearch.com
(773) 989-8313 Ext. 114

Jennifer Rohde Jenny received her Bachelor of Science degree from DePaul University and has worked in the mental health field since 2017. She has worked as a counselor at different residential treatment centers, as well as a guidance specialist for those seeking mental health services. Jennifer first started here as our Intake & Office Manager, but is now promoted to the position of Clinical Research Coordinator.

Stephen J. Schneider, LCPC
Regulatory Coordinator
sschneider@uptownresearch.com
(773) 989-8313 Ext. 116

Stephen J. Schneider, LCPC, earned his Bachelor of Science degree at Illinois State University, and his Master of Arts in Counseling at Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio. He has worked in the mental health field since 2002, having served as a family therapist, mental health counselor, and a team leader on an intensive care psychiatric unit. Currently, he serves as a Clinical Research Associate at Uptown Research, where he coordinates client intake and community outreach.

Kenneth T. Alferes
Intake & Recruitment Coordinator
kalferes@uptownresearch.com
(773) 989-8313 Ext. 123

Kenneth T. Alferes Kenny received his Bachelor of Science degree in Actuarial Science, with a minor in Finance, from Roosevelt University. He has over ten years of customer relations experience. Kenny is our Intake & Recruitment Coordinator, which consists of front-end administrative duties, and recruiting for current and upcoming studies.

Melissa Schiffman, MBA
Director of Finance and Analytics
mschiffman@uptownresearch.com
(773) 989-8313 Ext. 122

Melissa Schiffman, MBA, earned her Bachelor of Science in Economics from The University of Iowa and then completed a Master of Business Administration from the DePaul University Kellstadt Graduate School of Business. She has worked over fifteen years in both public and private accounting, ranging from not-for-profit, regulatory, manufacturing, and business consulting. She currently serves as the Controller at Uptown Research.