N2N Executive Board
Taylor Schmitt, PhD
N2N Founder & Director
Pronouns: she/her
Dr. Taylor Schmitt is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Neuropsychology Program at the University of Michigan, Department of Psychiatry. She earned her bachelor’s degree at DePaul University and her PhD in Clinical Psychology at Saint Louis University, including a predoctoral internship at the University of Oklahoma, and her postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Michigan. Taylor is passionate about advocacy and using outreach and science to elevate voices of individuals from historically underrepresented and marginalized groups. Her research focuses on equitable training and education practices in psychology and neuropsychology, patient-centered care practices, impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health in students and marginalized communities, and cognitive and behavioral outcomes following deep brain stimulation for patients with Parkinson’s disease.
In her free time, Taylor enjoys hanging out at coffeeshops, crafting, dancing, reading, and getting together with friends and family. She also loves spending time with her pets, including her beagle (“Boomer”) and albino corn snake (“Alfredo”).
Cady Block, PhD
N2N Co-Director
Pronouns: she/her
Dr. Cady Block is a neuropsychologist and associate professor at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida. She completed her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Old Dominion University, followed by a PhD in Medical-Clinical Psychology at the University of Alabama – Birmingham. She completed a predoctoral internship at the University of Oklahoma School of Medicine, and postdoctoral fellowship at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. Though highly active in clinical and scholarly endeavors, Dr. Block has a particular passion for working with neuropsychology students and trainees at all levels. She is highly involved in multiple national and international neuropsychology organizations, having previously served as Chair of both the student and early career committees of the Society for Clinical Neuropsychology (SCN), in addition to other roles within the International Neuropsychological Society (INS), National Academy of Neuropsychology (NAN), American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology (AACN), and Clinical Neuropsychology Synarchy. She is a recipient of numerous awards including the Early Career Service Award (NAN), Presidential Citation Award (SCN), Early Career Champion Award from the American Psychological Association (APA), and the Raymond Fowler Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Professional Development of Graduate Students (APAGS). She is the editor of the text The Neuropsychologist’s Roadmap: A Training and Career Guide (APA Press) and co-editor of the upcoming text Medical Neuropsychology: A Systems-Based Approach (Guilford Press).
Libby DesRuisseaux, MS
N2N Administrative Coordinator
Pronouns: she/her
Libby DesRuisseaux is a doctoral student at the University of Utah working under the mentorship of Dr. Yana Suchy. She grew up in a small town in Maine and graduated from Tufts University in 2018. She then worked as a clinical research coordinator for 2 years in an Alzheimer’s Disease clinical trial unit at Massachusetts General Hospital during her gap years. Libby’s current research focuses on improving the sensitivity of current cognitive assessment methods. Specifically, she is investigating intra-individual variability in performance as an indicator of subtle cognitive weakness and future decline in older adults. She is passionate about her service work, particularly in supporting students from underrepresented and minoritized backgrounds in their pursuit of a career in neuropsychology. Libby also serves as a Co-Chair of the AACN Relevance 2050 Student Pathways Subcommittee.
In her free time, Libby loves to hike, ski, read, travel, and spend time with friends and family.
Leah Talbert, MS
N2N Treasurer
Pronouns: she/her
Lynette Abrams-Silva, PhD
Executive Board Member-at-Large
Pronouns: she/her
A board-certified clinical neuropsychologist and native New Mexican, Dr. Abrams-Silva was born and raised in Albuquerque and licensed in both New Mexico and Illinois. She provides both clinical and forensic neuropsychological evaluations for diverse conditions affecting adults. Her areas of particular interest include epilepsy, traumatic brain injury, complex medical conditions, and cultural issues. She earned her doctorate degree in clinical psychology from the University of New Mexico and her pre-doctoral internship and 2-year post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Chicago and University of Illinois at Chicago, respectively. Prior to her current work as Director of Neuropsychology Training at the University of New Mexico Hospital System, she was an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, serving concurrently as Director of Assessment for the Parkland Hospital Psychology Service. She continues to pursue an interest in the mentorship and supervision of developing neuropsychologists, as well as engage in a wide variety of professional activities, including serving within the American Board of Clinical Neuropsychology (ABCN).
David M. Lechuga, PhD
Executive Board Member-at-Large
Pronouns: he/him
Dr. Lechuga is in private practice. He is married with two children and two grandchildren. He is Latino (Mexican American) and Asian American (Filipino). He is the consultant for the Los Angeles Kings, LA Football Club, LA Galaxy, the Angel City Football Club, and Rugby FC Los Angeles. He is past-president of the California Psychological Association, past-president of the Hispanic Neuropsychological Society, and past-chair of CPA’s Division of Neuropsychology. He is the administrative director of HNS. He is a clinical instructor and supervisor at the UCLA Semel Institute and the UCLA Center for Hispanic Neuropsychiatric Center for Excellence. Dr. Lechuga is a fellow of APA (Div. 40), HNS, NAN, and the Sports Neuropsychological Society. He is board certified in clinical psychology and rehabilitation psychology from the American Board of Professional Psychology and neuropsychology from the American Board of Professional Neuropsychology. Dr. Lechuga is also a co-founder and co-facilitator of the Cultural Neuropsychology Council.
Julie Suhr, PhD
Executive Board Member-at-Large
Pronouns: she/her
Dr. Suhr is Professor and Director of Clinical Training in the Department of Psychology at Ohio University, where she has been since 1997. She is currently a Fellow of the Society for Clinical Neuropsychology and of the National Academy of Neuropsychology. She is currently Editor-in-Chief for the American Psychological Association journal Psychological Assessment. She also serves as Associate Editor for the Journal of Clinical & Experimental Neuropsychology, Action Editor for Psychological Injury and Law, and is on the boards for The Clinical Neuropsychologist. Her research lab’s motto is “keep the psychology in neuropsychology.” She has authored or coauthored over 120 peer reviewed journal articles, numerous book chapters, and 3 books, 2 focused on psychological assessment and diagnosis. She is currently the president elect of Division 40 (Society for Clinical Neuropsychology) of APA. In her spare time, she likes to knit, play tennis and pickleball, bike, and run half marathons.
Committee Chairs
Ronnise Owens, MS, MPH
Outreach Committee Chair
Pronouns: she/her
Ronnise Owens is a 5th year doctoral student in the Mercer University College of Health Profession’s Clinical Psychology PsyD program and a neuropsychology intern at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. She is an alumna of Spelman College and received her Master of Public Health degree from Mercer University College of Health Professions. Her doctoral research is focused on evaluating neurodevelopment, cognitive functioning and clinical management in children with epilepsy. She is also interested in addressing social determinants of health in neurological populations, neuropsychological practice within minority communities and reducing disparities within academic and community settings. Ronnise is also an advocate and educator for mental health awareness within minority communities and is involved in the intentional recruitment and retention of underrepresented minority students in the field of psychology and neuropsychology. In addition to her service on the New2Neuropsychology Committee, she is a rotating member for KnowNeuropsychology and a committee member of AACN Student Pipeline Subcommittee. At the community level, Ronnise is the founder of Break the Silence. Join the Conversation., a mental health awareness organization to educate minority and faith-based communities on the importance of eradicating the stigma and recognizing warning signs in one’s mental health. Since September 2018, Ronnise has conducted numerous workshops within Black churches, community organizations, schools, university campuses, and regional conferences.
Amanda Wisinger, PsyD
Student Engagement Committee Chair
Pronouns: she/her
Amanda Wisinger is a second-year neuropsychology postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Rehabilitation Psychology & Neuropsychology at TIRR Memorial Hermann/Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at UTHealth Houston. She completed her APA-accredited predoctoral internship on the neuropsychology track at the University of Florida Health Science Center and received her doctorate from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology – Chicago Campus. Amanda’s clinical interests include neuropsychological assessment of adults and older adults with acquired injuries (e.g., TBI, stroke) and/or neurological illnesses (e.g., epilepsy, brain tumors). She also has interests in rehabilitation psychology, adjustment to injury-related disability, and cognitive rehabilitation interventions. Her research interests include improving outcomes for people living with acquired injuries, as well as understanding the efficacy of cognitive rehabilitation interventions as treatments for cognitive dysfunction following various neurological conditions. She is passionate about service to the field of neuropsychology and has held many leadership positions in local, national, and international organizations. In her free time, she likes watching true crime documentaries and trying new restaurants.
Grace J. Goodwin, MS
Student Engagement Committee Vice Chair
Pronouns: she/her
Grace Goodwin is a fifth-year doctoral student in the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program with a focus in neuropsychology. She earned her bachelor’s degree at Loyola Marymount University, completed post-baccalaureate research at Stanford University and UC Berkeley, and earned her master’s degree at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Her research uses network analysis and machine learning methods to better characterize neurobehavioral symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Grace is passionate about diversifying the field of neuropsychology, and she has enjoyed mentoring UNLV undergrads from minoritized backgrounds who are interested in pursuing graduate studies in psychology. In addition to her work with N2N, Grace has served on the American Psychological Association of Graduate Students (APAGS) Science Committee, National Academy of Neuropsychology Student & Post-Doctoral Resident Committee (NANSPRC), and the Society for Clinical Neuropsychology (SCN) Division 40 Presidential Task Force on Marketing SCN.
In her spare time, she enjoys rock climbing, mountain biking, and trying to convince her cat, Bagel, to love her.
Allison del Castillo Payne, MA
Resource Development Committee Chair
Pronouns: she/her
Allison del Castillo Payne is a 5th year doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology PhD program at Loyola University Chicago. Her interest in neuropsychology began as a sophomore at Georgetown University, where she stumbled upon a course on neuropsychology. It was through this course that Allison found her passion for neuropsychology and for reducing barriers to accessing the field. Prior to graduate school, Allison was a clinical research coordinator at Children’s National Hospital for two years, coordinating studies examining neuropsychological functioning in children and adolescents with neurofibromatosis type 1, cancer, and hemophilia. Her current research at Loyola University Chicago focuses on neuropsychological, family, and peer factors associated with psychosocial adjustment, medical self-management, and the transition to adult healthcare in youth and young adults with spina bifida. In her free time, Allison enjoys cooking (particularly Cuban food as an homage to her Cuban roots), reading, dancing, and spending time with friends and family.
Milena Gotra, PhD
Program Evaluation Committee Chair
Pronouns: she/her
Milena Gotra is currently a first-year postdoctoral fellow at the University of Michigan. Her path to neuropsychology started with two years of community college, after which she transferred to complete her bachelor’s degree in psychology. She completed a terminal master’s degree in clinical counseling at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, followed by a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and internship at West Virginia University. Her clinical interests are in epilepsy and other neurosurgical populations, as well as working with interpreters and developing culturally appropriate test batteries. Her current research focuses on cognitive and behavioral outcomes in patients undergoing epilepsy surgery and her graduate work has focused on biological predictors of divergent cognitive profiles in psychosis spectrum disorders.
Oluwaseun Ogunleye, MA
Program Evaluation Committee, Technical Lead
Pronouns: she/her
Oluwaseun Oyindamola Ogunleye is a Master’s student in Educational Studies with a concentration in Educational Equity, Justice and Social Transformation at the University of Michigan. She is dedicated to investigating inclusion in education, particularly the inclusion of underrepresented groups, and conducting an intersectional study of education, organizational theory and other social cultural topics. She is committed to using her ability to engage with diverse communities, contribute to research initiatives, and implement inclusive practices in supporting the organization’s goals and objectives. When she is not working, she is either learning a new language or exploring diverse cuisines.
Accessibility
crys hardy, BSed, MS
Accessibility Consultant
Pronouns: they/them
crys hardy is a neuropsychology trainee at Mercer University’s College of Health Profession – Clinical Psychology PsyD program. Their research interests include centering equity in healthcare and include the creation of novel neurocognitive screenings, assessments, and clinical strategies for culturally-linguistically marginalized folx. They are also interested in neural mechanisms of linguistic cognitive processes in brain diseases and the misdiagnoses of intellectual and learning disabilities in linguistically marginalized communities. Additionally, crys is a licensed mental health therapist, certified sign language interpreter, a communal holistic healing practitioner, and an accessibility consultant with New2Neuropsychology.
N2N Advisory Board
The N2N Advisory Board is comprised of members with representation across several organizations, including:
- American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology
- Asian Neuropsychological Association
- Hispanic Neuropsychological Society
- International Neuropsychological Society
- Know Neuropsychology
- Navigating Neuropsychology
- Queer Neuropsychological Society
- Society for Black Neuropsychology
- University of California, Los Angeles
- University of Michigan
Current N2N Advisors include:
- Anthony Stringer, PhD, ABPP-CN
- Carol Persad, PhD, ABPP-CN
- Courtney Ray, PhD, MDiv
- crys hardy, BSed, MS
- Jenny Peraza, PsyD, ABPP-CN
- Jeremy Grant, PhD
- John Bellone, PhD, ABPP-CN
- Kristen Votruba, PhD, ABPP-CN
- Maria Wedin, PhD
- Matthew Calamia, PhD
- Octavio Santos, PhD
- Paola Suarez, PhD
- Ryan Van Patten, PhD, ABPP-CN
- Shehroo Pudumjee, PhD
Past N2N Advisors include:
- Alex Tan, PhD
- Anny Reyes, PhD
- Cady Block, PhD, ABPP-CN
- Jesús O. Barreto Abrams, PhD
- Nick Thaler, PhD, ABPP-CN