Donald J. Bearden, PhD, ABPP/CN, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and 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 PhD degree from Georgia State University. 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.
Laura Blackwell, PhD, ABPP/CN, is a senior pediatric neuropsychologist at Children’s’ Healthcare of Atlanta and an Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Emory University School of Medicine. Dr. Blackwell supervises interns in the pediatric neuropsychology major rotation at the Center for Advanced Pediatrics. Dr. Blackwell received her PhD degree in 2013 from the University of Miami. Her clinical interests include acquired and traumatic brain injuries as well as concussion. Her research interests include understanding outcomes following pediatric brain injury and examining biological markers of injury and exploring their potential role in both treatment and recovery.
Liselotte De Wit, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, supervises interns in the adult outpatient neuropsychology major rotation at the Emory Rehabilitation Hospital (ERH) as well in the adult neuropsychology intervention rotations at both ERH and the Shaffer Cognitive Empowerment Program. Dr. De Wit received her PhD degree in 2022 from the University of Florida. Her clinical and research interests pertain to behavioral interventions and predictors of functional and behavioral health outcomes in neurological conditions including neurodegenerative disease.
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 degree in 2017 from the University of Houston. 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 adult/older adult neuropsychology rotation. Dr. Goldstein received her PhD degree from Emory University. 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. Dr. Haddad received her PhD degree in 2017 from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Along with clinical interests in assessment and brief psychotherapy with inpatients undergoing medical rehabilitation, 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.
Susan McManus Lee, PhD, ABPP/CN, Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine and 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 PhD degree 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.
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 PhD degree 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.
Stella Nelms, PhD, ABPP, Assistant Professor & Director of Health Psychology in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, supervises interns in adult neuropsychology intervention. Dr. Nelms received her Ph.D. in 2006 from the University of Texas at Austin. Her major interests are in the areas of chronic illness/pain, and racial/ethnic disparities in medical care.
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 degree in 2017 from Georgia School of Professional Psychology. Her 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, Division of Neuropsychology and Behavioral Health within the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, is a supervisor in the adult major rotation. Dr. Penna received her PhD degree 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.
Jessica Saurman, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Neurology, supervises interns on the neuropsychology rotation in adult neurology, specifically in the Emory Stroke Clinic. Dr. Saurman received her PhD degree in 2020 from the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs. Her clinical and research interests broadly include identification and characterization of post-stroke cognitive impairment, with an emphasis on monitoring change over time and the use of digital assessments to identify individuals at risk for cognitive post-stroke cognitive impairment early in the recovery process.
Yuri Shishido, PhD, ABPP/CN, Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Neurology and Pediatric Neuropsychologist at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, supervises interns in the pediatric neuropsychology major rotation at the Emory Center for Advanced Pediatrics. Dr. Shishido received her PhD degree in 2018 from Georgia State University. Her clinical interests include neuroimmunology and stroke populations and her research focuses on the role and measurement of executive function as a mechanism underlying neurocognitive outcomes among complex medical populations.
Kayci Vickers, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Neurology, supervises interns on the geriatric neuropsychology rotation. Dr. Vickers received her PhD degree in 2019 from Drexel University. 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.