Medical Director

Neal Anzai, M.D., brings more than 20 years of experience to our program. He is board certified in General, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, has directed eating disorder inpatient and outpatient programs in California and Hawaii, and has participated in the recovery of approximately 4,000 individuals with anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.

Dr. Anzai's psychiatry residency training took place at the University of California, Davis and Stanford Medical Center. He also did a Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship at U.C.L.A. Neuropsychiatric Institute. His special interest has been in the Eating Disorders: Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa.

Before joining Alta Bates Summit Medical Center, Dr. Anzai served as medical director of Hawaii's largest child and adolescent psychiatry clinic, and as assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Hawaii. Dr. Anzai was chief of Psychiatry at the Kapi'olâni Medical Center for Women and Children and an editorial reviewer for the Journal of the Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. He also maintained a busy outpatient practice primarily serving anorexic and bulimic patients, and has served as an examiner for the Adult, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Board Examinations.

Dietitian

Tommy Gendzwill is a registered dietitian with a bachelor’s degree in dietetics from Michigan State University. He completed his dietetic internship at the State University of New York at Buffalo and earned a master’s degree in nutrition science there as well. Prior to joining Alta Bates Summit Medical Center, Tommy provided medical nutrition therapy and nutrition counseling in inpatient and outpatient settings as well as nutrition education in the community.

Dietitian

Nicole Klawitter completed both her bachelor’s degree and didactic internship at San Francisco State University. Nicole strengthened her love of nutrition and commitment to helping others through a yearlong study abroad program in South Africa, where she learned about the needs of the culture and developing effective nutrition programs within local communities. Nicole has worked as a clinical dietitian at Alta Bates Summit Medical Center since 2009 and currently works with clients in the PHP Eating Disorder Program. Nicole supports her patients through individual meal plan support, nutrition education groups and therapeutic meal experiences to help clients break down the distortions around eating behaviors with effective strategies and evidenced-based information.

Program Manager

Janet Han has worked both internationally and locally in various nursing capacities, from crisis nurse to administrative nursing supervisor. She earned her nursing degree from Shanghai Medical University, where she was part of the psychiatric team that founded the country’s first suicide hotline. Alongside Dr. Anzai, Janet developed our inpatient EDO program in 2007. In 2011 she extended her managerial role to the EDO PHP, assisting coordinators, dietitians and our medical team in all administrative matters.

Group Psychotherapist

Catherine Debon is a group psychotherapist who has worked at Herrick since 1997 and practiced yoga since 1986. She includes principles of psychosomatics and neurosciences when leading yoga groups. She also teaches at JFK University in the eating disorder certificate program.

Group Psychotherapist

Bri Byrne is passionate about working with adults and adolescents struggling with body image distortion, compulsive behaviors, depression and anxiety. Personal and professional experience with eating disorders has helped Bri develop her approach, which focuses on insight, honesty and necessary behavior change. Bri earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Claremont McKenna College, and she received her master’s degree from University of San Francisco. Bri is a licensed marriage and family therapist with experience in eating disorder treatment at all levels of care.

Group Psychotherapist

Abby Whiteside received her bachelor’s degree from Connecticut College and her master’s degree in clinical psychology from San Francisco State University. As a licensed marriage and family therapist, Abby has worked with adolescents and adults with eating disorders at the PHP, IOP and outpatient levels of care. She works to promote insight into the roots of an individual’s disorder while also encouraging behavior change necessary for sustainable treatment results.

For information on the Outpatient Eating Disorder Program, call (510) 204-4569.

For information on the Inpatient Eating Disorder Program, call (510) 204-4405.