Donald J. Bearden, PhD, Pediatric Neuropsychologist, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine. Dr. Bearden is a supervisor for the pediatric neuropsychology rotation. He received his doctorate from Georgia State University. He completed his internship at Semel Institute, University of California, Los Angeles and his fellowship at Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School. Dr. Bearden’s interests include pediatric epilepsy, complex neurological disorders, sickle cell disease, and associations among pain and emotional and neurocognitive problems in children and adolescents.
Cady Block, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Neurology, supervises interns on the geriatric neuropsychology rotation. Dr. Block received her PhD in 2014 from the University of Alabama-Birmingham. Along with her interests in neuropsychology training and education, including contributing to the current neuropsychology training taxonomy, Dr. Block's clinical and research interests include pre/post-surgical evaluations, language mapping, epilepsy, and neuro-oncology.
Alyssa Braaten, PhD, ABPP/CN, Assistant Professor, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, is a primary supervisor for the neuropsychology track interns for their long-term psychotherapy cases. She also serves as a staff neuropsychologist at the Atlanta Veterans Healthcare System. Dr. Braaten received her Ph.D. in 2007 from Nova Southeastern University and completed her internship and fellowship at Emory School of Medicine. Her primary research interests are in neuropsychological functioning post-stroke and memory disorders.
Elyssa Gerst, PhD, Adjunct Assistant Professor of Rehabilitation Medicine and Staff Neuropsychologist in the Department of Neuropsychology, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, supervises interns on the pediatric neuropsychology assessment rotation. Dr. Gerst received her PhD in 2017 from the University of Houston. She completed her internship at Children’s Hospital Colorado and postdoctoral residency in clinical neuropsychology at Children’s National Health System. Dr. Gerst’s clinical and research interests include cognitive development in children with complex medical histories, the impact of congenital or acquired neurological disorders on neuropsychological functioning and supporting optimal concussion recovery in children and adolescents.
Felicia Goldstein, PhD, ABPP/CN, Professor, Department of Neurology, is a primary supervisor for the geriatric neuropsychology rotation. Dr. Goldstein specializes in the neuropsychological evaluation of patients with Alzheimer's disease and vascular cognitive impairment. Clinical research interests include the contribution of vascular comorbidities to disease features and progression in both normal and pathological aging, including patients with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease.
Michelle Haddad, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, supervises the adult inpatient neuropsychology minor rotation. She conducts neuropsychological assessments and brief psychotherapeutic intervention with inpatients undergoing comprehensive medical rehabilitation, as well as follow-up outpatient neuropsychological assessments. Dr. Haddad received her Ph.D. in 2017 from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Her research interests include the development of novel neuropsychological measures for use with inpatient rehabilitation populations, as well as predicting ecological outcomes of inpatient rehabilitation.
Sabrina Hickle, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, is a supervisor in the adult outpatient neuropsychology major rotation. Dr. Hickle received her Ph.D. in 2019 from Georgia State University in the joint Clinical Psychology and Neuropsychology & Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience programs. Her interests are in long term outcomes from acquired brain injuries (particularly brain tumor, stroke, and traumatic brain injury), as well as use of network-based neuroimaging methods to understand the mechanisms through which these injuries result in variability in cognitive, emotional, and psychosocial outcomes.
David J. Marcus, PhD, ABPP/CN, Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine and Senior Pediatric Neuropsychologist at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, is a supervisor for the child neuropsychology rotation. He received his doctorate in Child Psychology from the University of Minnesota in 2005. Dr. Marcus’s areas of interest include pediatric epilepsy, spina bifida, and genetic and metabolic disorders.
Susan McManus Lee, PhD, ABPP/CN, Pediatric Neuropsychologist at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, is a supervisor for the child neuropsychology rotation. She also serves as the Associate Director of Internship for the Neuropsychology Track. She received her doctorate from Georgia State University in 2012 in the joint Clinical Psychology and Neuropsychology & Behavioral Neurosciences programs. Dr. Lee’s clinical and research interests pertain to functional outcomes following acquired brain injuries, as well as acute assessment and intervention to improve neurobehavioral outcomes and academic success.
Anastacia Nichols, PsyD, Assistant Professor, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, supervises interns on the adult neuropsychology intervention rotations. She is the Director of Cognitive Rehabilitation Therapy within the Division of Rehabilitation Neuropsychology and the Director of Neuropsychology for the Emory Healthcare Veterans Program. Dr. Nichols received her PsyD in 2017 from Georgia School of Professional Psychology. She completed her internship at the Bay Pines VAHCS and postdoctoral residency in clinical neuropsychology at Emory University School of Medicine. Dr. Nichols’ clinical and research interests include cognitive rehabilitation therapy program development and evaluation, integration of technology and cognitive rehabilitation, neuropsychological diagnostic subtyping, and neuropsychological assessment and intervention in military veteran populations.
Suzanne Penna, PhD, ABPP/CN, Associate Professor, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, and Director of the Division of Neuropsychology and Behavioral Health within the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine is a supervisor in the adult major rotation. Dr. Penna received her Ph.D. in 2005 from Georgia State University. Her interests are in recovery from traumatic brain injury and neuropsychological functioning in medical conditions, notably neuroendocrine disorders and HIV.
Kindell Schoffner, PsyD, Pediatric Psychologist at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, is a supervisor in the pediatric rehabilitation psychology rotation. She received her doctorate from Argosy University in 2003. Dr. Schoffner works with the psychosocial needs of patients on the Children’s Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit and in the Day Rehabilitation Program.
Kayci Vickers, PhD, Instructor, Department of Neurology, supervises interns on the geriatric neuropsychology rotation. Dr. Vickers received her PhD in 2019 from Drexel University and completed her internship and postdoctoral residency in clinical neuropsychology at Emory University School of Medicine. Along with her interests in neuropsychology training and education, Dr. Vickers’ clinical and research interests include aging and dementia, digital assessment techniques for neurodegenerative disorders, and the use of technology in cognitive rehabilitation.