Meet Our Team
At Inspired Psychiatric Care, we are committed to working with dedicated professionals who come from a broad range of experience and education. Our providers often participate in or hold leadership roles in professional organizations. They also contribute to articles in leading journals, host webinars and make presentations at conferences.
Subbu J. Sarma, MD
Psychiatrist, Board Certified in Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine
Dr. Subbu J Sarma, a native of Chicago, brings a patient-centered approach to his work. He attended Rockhurst University in Kansas City, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry in 1995. Despite his love for science, two of his favorite subjects included philosophy and theology. He then attended St. Louis University Medical School where he earned his Doctor of Medicine degree in 1999. Following that, he completed a four-year psychiatry residency at The Chicago Medical School.
While in medical school, Dr. Sarma developed an interest in the mechanisms by which medications, including psychotropics, provide benefit. He also grew to appreciate that every individual has a unique background and a variety of medical and social elements which can be important when considering their treatment regimen. He strives to understand the overall background of his patients’ history, not just limited to psychiatric conditions. This is sometimes referred to as a “bio-psycho-social” model.
Dr. Sarma is board certified in addiction medicine. His interest in substance use disorders was sparked in 2005 when he attended a conference introducing a novel medication used in the treatment of opioid use disorders. He has worked in many facets of psychiatry, including hospital settings, geriatric outpatient settings, nursing homes and eating disorder programs. He limits his practice to serving only adults because that is where his greatest experience has been.
Psychiatric services provided through CARECONNEXT LLC, a Kansas professional limited liability company, doing business as Inspired Psychiatric Care.
Elizabeth Blanchard Hills, PMHNP-BC, Clinical Director
Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Elizabeth Blanchard Hills brings a broad range of experience and maturity to her role as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP). After earning a master’s degree in journalism (MSJ) from Northwestern University in 1988, she was an award-winning television medical reporter for ten years. This was followed by five years as a corporate trainer and several entrepreneurial pursuits related to health care.
In 2008, she returned to college to become an RN/BSN and worked at the bedside on a variety of units (ICU, PCU, Telemetry, Ortho Neuro and Psych) for seven years. In 2018, she completed the PMHNP program with honors at Vanderbilt University. She was immediately hired by Heartland Behavioral Health, a children’s hospital in Nevada, MO, where she had done part of her clinical training during her Vanderbilt education.
Ms. Blanchard Hills also served on the staff of the Behavioral Health department at Samuel U. Rodgers Health Center in Kansas City, MO, where she treated patients across the lifespan (children, adolescents, adults and older adults) for a variety of mental health conditions including anxiety, depression, PTSD, OCD, bi-polar and schizophrenia.
Ms. Blanchard Hills is on the legislative committee of the Kansas State Nurses Association and serves as a member at large for the Kansas Chapter of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association.
When treating her patients, Ms. Blanchard Hills uses a combination of talk therapy and medication management. She is a specialist in trauma therapy using Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and a proponent of other non-medication options such as lifestyle changes and nutritional supplements.
Glenda Hernandez
LSCSW (KS), LCSW (MO)
Glenda Hernandez provides a unique perspective to her role as a social worker. She came to the United States from Mexico at the age of 10, and she is bilingual in Spanish and English. She has also served in the United States Army Reserve (USAR) since 2004, including a 10-month deployment to Iraq in 2017.
Since obtaining a Master of Social Welfare (MSW) degree at the University of Kansas in 2014, Glenda has continuously enhanced her therapeutic skills with more than a dozen different certifications and specialized workshops on trauma, suicide, substance abuse, and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR).
Much of Glenda’s professional experience has revolved around teenagers, suicidal ideation, sexual abuse and other forms of trauma such as robberies, shootings and combat violence. Before becoming a licensed clinical social worker, Glenda was a Family Support Specialist in Lenexa, KS for the Kansas Children’s Services League.
Her first role after earning an MSW in 2014 was as a bilingual practitioner for the The Family Conservancy in Kansas City, KS. After returning from her deployment in Iraq, she joined Vibrant Health in Kansas City, KS as a behavioral health specialist. Vibrant Health is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FHQC) which provides high-quality health care for the community, regardless of socio-economic obstacles.
Glenda prefers to work with teenagers and adults of any age. She is excellent at addressing anxiety, depression, PTSD, suicidal thoughts and other trauma such as sexual abuse and domestic violence.
Given her military background, she also identifies well with veterans.
Christina Layton, PMHNP-BC, FNP-BC
Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner
Christina Layton radiates energy, commitment, and curiosity. She is not only a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, but also a family nurse practitioner. She has traveled extensively, even as a nurse educator in the east African country of Uganda. She dedicated her entire year in 2020 as a bedside nurse for COVID-19 patients in New York and Texas.
Christina’s diverse experiences and educational background lend her a valuable perspective in her capacity as a psychiatric nurse practitioner.
“I pride myself on the compassion that I provide to my patients,” she says. “They often tell me that they feel heard and validated after talking with me, which is my ultimate goal. I want my patients to feel supported.”
Practicing the same self-care that she recommends to her patients, Christina leads a rich and rewarding personal life. She competes in triathlons, camps, hikes, and travels.
She gave birth to her first child, a daughter, in 2021. She and her family like to travel and take their two dogs (a Goldendoodle and a Bernedoodle) to the dog park.
Jennifer Cooper Nobo, LSCSW
Jennifer Nobo attended K-State for her undergraduate degree in psychology with a minor in women’s studies. She then completed her Master’s in Social Work at the University of Kansas. She is a K-Stater at heart, but Jayhawks usually forgive her for that.
“I honestly could not imagine a more gratifying career,” Jennifer says. “I get to witness people in their most vulnerable states and the growth that can come from that vulnerability when they have the right tools in place. Getting to play even a small role in someone else’s growth is an honor.”
Jennifer tends to focus on teens, young adults, and millennials (born between 1981 and 1996) who are struggling with eating disorders, anxiety, depression, and bi-polar disorder. “I welcome clients from all ethnicities, sexual orientations and gender identification backgrounds,” Jennifer says. “I look at the whole person, including the role of nutrition, the physical body, and mental health.”
Among the therapeutic interventions that Jennifer uses are Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). She also uses Eye-Movement Desensitization and Re-Processing (EMDR) to address trauma.
Jennifer and her partner are dog people who enjoy raising their Great Dane and Pit Mix, while often adding a foster dog into the mix from the local shelter. Fitness is also a big part of her life, and she takes a “health at every size” approach finding movement that she enjoys. Joyful movement often looks like hiking with her partner or learning new skills like long boarding.
Michael Nobo, LSCSW
Michael Nobo grew up in Topeka, KS and both of his parents were therapists. In 2009, he was planning to attend medical school. In that same year, however, Michael’s father passed away. During the memorial service, Michael learned from one of his father’s clients that his father had significantly changed that person’s life. Inspired by this, Michael changed his course of study from medicine to social work and therapy.
In 2014, Michael obtained a Master’s in Social Work from the University of Kansas. He has worked in a variety of non-profit mental health organizations since then, primarily in administration. He also continued his work as a therapist, sharpening his skills around integrative and holistic approaches. Michael is one of the few therapists in Kansas City who specializes in eating disorders and the relationship between food and mental health. His work integrates not only talk therapy but also an emphasis on movement, nutrition, sleep, and breath work.
In 2020, Michael completed training to become a Certified Integrative Mental Health Professional (CIMHP), which improved his understanding of Complementary and Alternative Medicine. He specializes in treating eating disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), anxiety and depression. He has expertise in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Eye-Movement and Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) for the treatment of trauma-related experiences. Michael is also fluent in Spanish and able to provide services in English or Spanish.
Elli Jones, APRN-NP, PMHNP-BC, AGACNP-BC
Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
When Elli Jones was nine years old, she moved with her family from Vietnam to California. She obtained her BS in Nursing from Grand View College in Des Moines, Iowa. She later followed that with a Master of Science in Nursing at St. Luke’s College of Health Sciences in Kansas City, MO. She worked as a nurse practitioner in neurology for many years before obtaining her post master’s certificate as a psychiatric nurse practitioner in 2022.
“I became a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner due to my love of learning about mental health,” Elli says. “After working as a neurology nurse practitioner and recognizing how mental health can affect all aspects of our being, my desire to learn and help patients who struggle with mental health disorders grew and I knew I had to pursue my passion.”
Elli, who is bi-lingual in English and Vietnamese, sees adolescents ages 13+ and all adult ages. From a talk therapy perspective, Elli specializes in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
“The most gratifying part of my work,” Elli says, “is to see my patients improve from treatments, both pharmacological and non-pharmacological.”
Tierra Lindsey, PMHNP-BC
Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Before becoming a psychiatric nurse practitioner, Tierra Lindsey worked almost 9 years as an RN in psychiatric settings. Her most extensive experience is with children and adolescents, but she has also worked with adults and in substance detoxification. She obtained her nursing degree from The University of Kansas in 2014, and her master’s degree as a psychiatric nurse practitioner from UMKC.
“Since I was a child, I have always had the desire to help people,” Tierra says. “While obtaining my bachelor’s degree, my favorite courses were psychology, sociology and human growth and development. I am fascinated by how the mind and body work together.”
Tierra takes a holistic approach to treatment and considers the physical, mental, emotional, social, ethnic, and spiritual needs of each client. She says, “ I strongly believe that every client, no matter what race, ethnicity, gender, age, socio-economic status or sexual orientation/gender identification deserves to be seen and heard and act as a partner in their own care.”
Tierra says she is a “Kansas girl at heart,” having been raised in Kansas City, KS. She now lives in the Northland of Kansas City, MO with her husband and three children.
“I enjoy date nights with my husband, reading, Pinterest surfing, binge-watching a TV series, and creating memories with my family through travel.”
Graduate Students may be Participating
Elizabeth Blanchard Hills, PMHNP is a former corporate trainer herself and believes strongly in giving back to the community through mentorship of graduate students who are working to complete their graduate work to become psychiatric nurse practitioners. These students are thoroughly vetted and come from highly reputable institutions such as Vanderbilt (her alma mater), KU, UMKC, Wilkes University and others. We reserve the right to have a graduate student(s) participate in your care while supervised directly by Elizabeth.
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