New2Neuropsychology

Alison’s Story

Being raised primarily by her grandparents, lapses in memory and troubles with mental health were not uncommon in her household. As she grew to recognize these difficulties, as well as her desire to help individuals in similar circumstances, clinical neuropsychology increasingly became a field of interest. She is particularly interested in subjects including chronic illness, neurodegenerative conditions, and cognitive aging. As a person of colour, a first-generation student, and a person with lived experience with mental illness and disability, she also understands the need to address inequalities within both academia and the healthcare system at large. As such, she strives to assist students of all backgrounds in achieving their aspirations.

Fun Fact: Alison participated as a main-roster member of a women’s only esports team during her first year of graduate school.

Professional Interests:

1. Working with adults and older adults experiencing chronic illness and/or cognitive decline
2. Adult psychoeducational assessment

Education:

1. University (Bachelor’s degree): Simon Fraser University
2. Graduate School (MSc-PhD): University of Victoria

Current Organizational Affiliations:

1. Project Students for Higher Education Opportunities and Representation in Training
2. Alzheimer’s Association International Society to Advance Alzheimer’s Research and Treatment
3. New2Neuropsychology
4. Asian Neuropsychological Association
5. American Psychological Association
6. Women in Cognitive Sciences Canada
7. Canadian Psychological Association

Good Topics for Consultation:

1. Navigating graduate school as a marginalized student
2. Applying to clinical neuropsychology programs in Canada

Andrea’s Story:

Andrea’s “I want to become a clinical neuropsychologist” moment was while working with a neuropsychologist who did neuropsychological assessments of Spanish speakers on death row. As part of the evaluation, the neuropsychologist would test the inmate’s neurocognitive functioning and travel to the inmate’s hometown to collect collateral information from family members (regarding neurodevelopment, family history, exposure to pesticides, etc.). Together with the neuropsychologist, she would review the data the neuropsychologist gathered, as well as previously conducted neuropsychological reports and available school, medical, and legal records. This is when she truly began appreciating the biopsychosocial model for understanding an individual’s functioning and behaviors.

In her spare time, Andrea loves to spend time outdoors with her husband and 10-year-old pup, Savannah.

Fun Fact: Andrea was introduced to the field of neuropsychology by her older sister, who is also on the journey of becoming a clinical neuropsychologist. 

Professional Interests:

1. Cognitive aging
2. Behavioral interventions
3. Health disparities, particularly working with the Latinx population

Education/Training Locations:

1. Bachelor’s in Psychology: University of North Carolina Wilmington
2. Master’s in Psychology:  University of North Carolina Wilmington
3. Currently a 6th year doctoral student at the University of Florida on internship at the James A. Haley VA

Current Organizational Affiliations:

1. Hispanic Neuropsychological Society
2. Cultural Neuropsychology Council 
3. New2Neuropsychology 

Karen’s Story

Dr. Karen A. Dorsman earned her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. She completed her pediatric clinical neuropsychology and adult neuropsychology and rehabilitation internship through the APA-accredit program at UT Southwestern Medical Center. Dr. Dorsman’s dissertation explored risk and protective factors related to adaptive functioning in children with 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome. Her primary areas of interest include neurodevelopmental neuropsychology and culturally responsible neuropsychological evaluations. She is also passionate about multidisciplinary research focused on brain health inequities. In her free time, Dr. Dorsman enjoys dancing, baking, walking, Pilates, spending quality time with friends, and eating.

Fun Fact: Karen is a dancer at heart. When she lived in the Bay Area, California, she danced with the group “Chavalos: Danzas por Nicaragua.”

Professional Interests:

1. Working with children and adults with neurodevelopmental disorders
2. Health equity
3. Cultural responsiveness

Education/Training Locations:

1. College (Bachelor’s degree): Universidad Católica del Uruguay
2. Graduate School (PhD): UT Southwestern Medical Center
3. Internship Year: UT Southwestern Medical Center
4. Postdoctoral Fellowship: Children’s Medical Center in Dallas

Good Topics for Consultation:

1. How to network professionally
2. What is the difference between mentorship and sponsorship, and how do I find those resources? 
3. How do you make the most out of supervision? 

Ronnise’s Story

After constantly juggling between the idea of medical school vs. a clinical psychology program, Ronnise began her journey with the intention of becoming a pediatric psychologist. However, this quickly changed when she was introduced to assessment and had her first practicum experience in a neuropsychology department at a children’s academic medical center. It was as if her two loves collided, medicine and psychology in the most unique way. Ronnise often says, “I love neuropsychology because I get to be a detective, constantly trying to help solve questions to better help families make sense of their child’s weaknesses related to their medical diagnosis.” She also enjoys incorporating intervention for children with medical conditions to help them conquer day to day life challenges. In the community, Ronnise is involved in community advocacy to decrease stigma within minority communities. In her personal life, Ronnise loves fitness, ice cream, and watching crime shows. She enjoys spending time with her friends, family, and trying out new restaurants.

Professional Interests:

1. Working with children with medical conditions
2. Working in a pediatric rehabilitation setting
3. School and community health disparities impacting children

Education/Training Locations:

1. College (Bachelor’s degree): Spelman College
2. Graduate School (MPH): Mercer University
3. Graduate School (PsyD): Mercer University (current student)
4. Internship Year: Nationwide Children’s Hospital at the Ohio State University (current)

Good Topics for Consultation:

1. Tips for applying to graduate school
2. Tips for applying to internship
3. Conversations related to being a minority trainee in the field of neuropsychology
4. Support in developing your personal and professional identity as a person of color in the field of neuropsychology

Savannah’s Story:

Savannah was first introduced to neuropsychology in college when she attended a presentation about the neural correlates of emotional expression in dancers. This piqued her interest in brain and behavior relationships and set her on the course to clinical neuropsychology. In her clinical psychology graduate program, she found an interest in dementia diagnosis through neuropsychological assessment.  While Savannah was never particularly interested in becoming a therapist, she found a love for couple’s therapy. As a neuropsychologist she hopes to carry this interest forward to interventions and care for families dealing with challenges related to aging and dementia. In her personal life, Savannah has two cats (Zion and Shuri). She enjoys dancing, lifting weights, hiking, cooking, and music.

Fun Fact: Savannah was a professional ballet dancer between college and Graduate school.

Professional Interests:

1. Working with older adults with dementia or other cognitive weaknesses
2. Couples and family interventions and supports for coping with cognitive decline.
3. Health disparities

Education/Training Locations:

1. College (Bachelor’s degree): Pomona College
2. Graduate School (PhD): Palo Alto University
3. Internship Year: Raymond G Murphey VA Medical Center
4. Postdoctoral Fellowship: Michigan Medicine at University of Michigan

Good Topics for Consultation:

1. What does neuropsychology look like in community mental health, an academic medical center or VA hospital?
2. I’m interested in end of life care, how can neuropsychology fit in?
3. I’m interested in therapy and neuropsychology but feel like I have to choose, what do I do?

Tasha’s Story:

Tasha’s interests in the brain and behavior began in college where she studied a variety of subjects including behavioral neuroscience, linguistics, computer science, and philosophy. She discovered the intersection of these disciplines was a field called cognitive science, so she pursued a major in psychology with minors in cognitive science and neuroscience. After college, she moved to Chicago for a research assistantship during which she ran grant-funded clinical drug trials with humans. It was in this research lab that she was first exposed to the field of neuropsychology. She chose to begin a graduate program in clinical psychology with a specialization in neuropsychology to develop skills in cognitive assessment of adults with complex medical problems. Additionally, she completed her dissertation with a focus on patients living with chronic pain and broadened her interests to encompass pre-surgical cognitive evaluations. During fellowship, she plans to deepen new areas of specialization including assessment of patients with movement disorders (e.g., Parkinson’s disease) and epilepsy.  

Fun Fact: Tasha loves traveling and has been to a variety of countries in Europe and Asia. She studied abroad in Berlin, Germany in college and lived in Zürich, Switzerland for a year in high school. Most recently, she traveled to Iceland and Norway after completing her PhD.

Professional Interests:

1. Working with adults who have neurological or medical problems 

1. Cultural neuropsychology & working with interpreters (non-English evaluations) 

1. Health disparities

Education/Training Locations:

1. College (Bachelor’s degree): Carleton College (Northfield, MN)

1. Graduate School (PhD): Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science (North Chicago, IL)

1. Internship: Minneapolis VA Medical Center (Minneapolis, MN)

1. Postdoctoral Fellowship: Cleveland Clinic (Cleveland, OH)

Current Organizational Affiliations:

1. AACN Board of Directors Student Representative

1. Society for Clinical Neuropsychology (SCN) Ethnic Minority Affairs Committee

1. National Academy of Neuropsychology (NAN) Student and Postdoc Resident Committee

1. Asian Neuropsychological Association (ANA) INS 2023 Taiwan Task Force

1. New2Neuropsychology