Neuropsychology Postdoctoral Fellows

I am from the Chicagoland area and have been in the Midwest my whole life. I completed my Bachelor of Science degree in psychology at Bradley University in Peoria Illinois with a minor in English Literature and Neuroscience. During my training at Bradley University, I got to work with a pediatric neuropsychologist which began my journey into this field. From there, I completed my graduate training at Ball State University in Muncie Indiana and graduated with my Ph.D. in School Psychology with a specialization in pediatric neuropsychology. I completed two years of practicum in neuropsychology and an advanced counseling practicum at Ball Memorial Hospital Cancer Center working with patients and families navigating. I completed my doctoral internship at Burrell Behavioral Health in Springfield MO, a community mental health outpatient organization where I specialized in neuropsychology and pediatric populations. My Clinical interests are pediatric oncology, Sickle Cell Anemia, HIV/AIDS, and methods to improve quality of life and reintegration strategies. Some fun facts about me: I have 7 birds (I am a bird lover) and one very hyperactive puppy, my guilty pleasure is binging Bravo shows, I enjoy baking especially if chocolate is involved, and I love hiking.

After completing my undergraduate and master’s degrees at Arizona State University, I was employed at the Barrow Neurological Institute at Phoenix Children’s Hospital (PCH) in Neurodevelopmental research. During that time, I discovered my passion for the developing brain, and I was inspired to pursue further education. I completed my doctorate at Northern Arizona University and spent several years working with youth. Some of my most impactful training experiences have been obtained through PCH where I completed a practicum in Developmental Pediatrics conducting neurodevelopmental evaluations, as well as two years of advanced practicum in Neuropsychology, serving patients with complex medical conditions including, cancer and blood disorders, epilepsy, genetic disorders, in-utero substance exposure, TBI, cardiovascular conditions, and movement disorders, amongst others. Most recently, I completed a doctoral internship at the University of New Mexico (UNM) School of Medicine where I did inpatient and outpatient clinical work. A focus of my neuropsychological training has also been to gain more experience in providing pre-and post-surgical evaluations for epilepsy treatment and brain tumor resections. Being culturally diverse myself and my well-rounded clinical experiences with multicultural families in Arizona and New Mexico have provided me with invaluable lessons in cultural humility and providing care. At St. Jude, I plan to continue this practice to understand the complexities of diversity within the city to provide care to linguistically and culturally diverse patients and their families. To practice self-care, I enjoy going to the gym, spending time with family and friends, watching Netflix shows, and learning new recipes. 

I was born and raised in Oklahoma and graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a B.S. in psychology, summa cum laude. I attended graduate school at Washington State University and received my PhD in clinical psychology with a focus on pediatric populations. I completed my clinical internship in child clinical psychology at the University of Kansas Medical Center - Wichita. I have completed a variety of practica focused on pediatric neuropsychology. In addition to my clinical endeavors, I am engaged in research and have received numerous grants allowing me to explore brain development and the impacts of early brain insults and injury. Outside of work, I am a new mom, and I enjoy spending time with my husband and daughter. In my free time, you'll usually find us doing something outdoors, playing board games, or exploring Memphis!