✉️ care@freedomketaminecenters.com | 🌐 Washington DC & Orlando
📱 (301) 235-9022 | Mon - Fri: 8am - 8pm | Sat - Sun: 8am - 6pm
Our Medical Team
Experienced Double-Board Certified Physicians & Dedicated Clinical Specialists
Physician Leadership
Aubrey Verdun, MD
Freedom Ketamine Infusion Centers Founder and Medical Director Aubrey Verdun, MD is a double-board certified anesthesiologist and pain management physician. He completed his Anesthesiology residency at The University of Chicago Hospital and his Pain Management Fellowship at Johns Hopkins University.
Currently, Dr. Verdun works under the Wounded Warrior Pain Care Initiative at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC) servicing military populations and high ranking government employees with acute and chronic pain management needs. He has helped develop and maintain outpatient ketamine infusion protocols for patients suffering from depression and chronic pain.
Dr. Verdun believes ketamine is most effective long term when coupled with psychotherapy.
The results following ketamine infusion treatments are amazing. I watched people go from severe catatonic depression and not eating to walking around, eating, and joking with people while in the hospital. This is truly an amazing experience to watch, visualize, and be a part of. This is why I founded Freedom Ketamine Treatment Centers. I entered medicine to help change and influence lives. Ketamine has been the largest impact I’ve seen delivered on one’s life in such a quick time span. Truly amazing.
Edward Park, MD
Dr. Park obtained his Medical Degree from the Uniformed Services University and completed his residency in anesthesiology and fellowship in pain medicine.
He currently splits his time between the operating room caring for patients under anesthesia and as a pain management physician, managing chronic pain conditions.
His experience with ketamine infusions is extensive, ranging from use as an anesthetic and pain adjunct in surgical cases, severe chronic pain conditions to depression and mood disorders.
He has a passion to help patients who may otherwise feel that all hope is lost with his knowledge and expertise.
To some medicine is an interest and profession but taking care of patients is my passion. I would love the opportunity to care for you or your loved one!
Donna Johnson Harvey, MD
Dr. Johnson brings nearly thirty years of medical training to our team, having worked in medical systems and hospitals across the country.
Currently, Dr. Johnson Harvey splits her time between care at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and our Bethesda and Maryland offices, while consulting with healthcare practices nationwide to share her love of patient engagement and advocacy.
In her career, she also helped with the development and execution of ketamine protocols within the Department of Defense, was instrumental in the collaboration between behavioral health and anesthesiology services to implement this service for our military and wounded warrior population, aiming to use ketamine therapy for refractory pain, depression, and PTSD.
Being a resident of the DMV myself, I look forward to providing our community with the life-changing care ketamine infusion therapy can provide. This treatment method is only gaining traction nationwide for its safe and effective treatment for mood and mental health disorders, and I’m proud to be part of the Freedom team bringing this care to our local community.
Ali Turabi, MD
He spent 14 years active duty and is currently in the US Army Reserve.
Colonel Turabi’s military career began when he was accepted into medical school at the Uniformed Services University located on Naval Support Activity, Bethesda, MD. He then completed an anesthesiology residency at Walter Reed Army Medical center.
Upon completion of his residency, he served as a Trauma Anesthesiologist at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Europe Regional Medical Command. Colonel Turabi was deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and was assigned as Chief Anesthesiologist for the 710th Medical Company (Area Support) as part of the Role 2E Joint NATO Hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan. He served on the Kabul golden hour offset surgical team (GHOST) team.
Following his deployment, he was assigned to Madigan Army Medical Center located on Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state. He developed and implemented ketamine infusion protocols for Walter Reed military medical center and Landstuhl Regional medical center (Germany).
Emily Mercado DNP
Emily Mercado is a professional nurse with experience in emergency departments, telemetry, cardiac step-down, intermediate and progressive care units, and pain management. In her time serving in the United States Navy, Emily was a Corpsman and Dental Assistant, learning key care skills and medical experience. She earned her BSN from the University of Maryland, and is her BSN to Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AG-ACNP) program at UMD.
Nursing & Clinical Staff
Anike Akinbulumo RN
Nurse on Staff
Anike Akinbulumo is a Registered Nurse with a background in Emergency Departments and Telemetry. With several years of experience as a travel emergency department nurse, Anike is continuing her education, and currently in school studying for her BSN. She’s planning to complete her degree in September 2024. Anike is licensed in four states (including Maryland and Virginia, among others) and brings a compassionate, upbeat attitude to our team.
Tashaniyi Byrd RN
Nurse on Staff
Tashaniyi Byrd is a Registered Nurse with over ten years of experience in medicine, including in intensive care units and psychiatric facilities. After earning a BSN from Towson University, Tashaniyi is currently continuing her education, studying to become a psychiatric and mental health Nurse Practitioner. With a passion for mental health and diverse experience across departments, we’re proud to have her kind, knowledgeable professionalism as part of our practice.
Rachel Leopold, FNP-BC
Nurse on Staff
Rachel Leopold is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner. She earned her Master of Science in Nursing from George Mason University in 2024, after receiving her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Radford University in 2015.
Rachel began her nursing career in emergency care, where she developed a commitment to providing timely, high-quality treatment in fast-paced clinical settings. She is especially passionate about mental health care and is dedicated to helping patients achieve their fullest potential through holistic, empathetic, and patient-centered care.
Kelley Banya BSN, RN, CEN
Nurse on Staff
Kelley Banya is a registered nurse with her BSN from Chamberlain University. She has 3 years of medical oncology experience as well as 7 years of working in the ER where she took care of adult and pediatric patients as a certified emergency nurse. Kelley has received many awards while working as a nurse such as the Great Catch Award and Daisy Award. She is highly skilled at starting IVs as well as safe medication administration. She values her privilege to care for her patients, no matter who they are or where they are in life. Kelley is a strong patient advocate and is always eager to help her patients.
Complementary Care & Wellness
Freedom IV Hydration Centers operates alongside Freedom Ketamine Treatment Centers providing infusion services to the DMV since 2016.
If you're looking for the same personalized patient care with hydration, immunity, and beauty infusions/injections, visit our website today.