FACULTY

  Additional faculty information may be found in the

• U.Va. Physician's Directory (search by department), and the
• Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences faculty listing

Aaron, Jeffrey, Ph.D. (University of Virginia, 1998.) Commonwealth Center for Children & Adolescents. Clinical activities include psychological assessment of patients; individual, family and group psychotherapy; forensic evaluations; supervision of practicum students and postdoctoral fellow. Scholarly and research interests include PTSD in children and Forensic Psychology.

Baum, Lora D., Ph.D. (California School of Professional Psychology-Los Angeles, 1994.) UVaHS/Cancer Center, Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences. Clinical activities include individual and group psychotherapy to patients with cancer and their family members, cancer support groups (breast, gynecological-oncology), and consultation to staff. Treat side effects of cancer (e.g. nausea, insomnia, and pain) with self-regulation training in relaxation, guided imagery, and clinical hypnosis. Research and scholarly interests include designing psychological interventions for alopecia; group psychotherapy for adjusting to sexual issues following gynecologic cancer; and psychological sequelae of cancer survivorship.

Bender, Scott D., Ph.D. (University of North Texas, 2000.) UVaHS/Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Neuropsychology Assessment Laboratories. Clinical activities include neuropsychological assessment and consultation on various neurobehavioral disorders, consultation with rehabilitation teams. Scholarly and research interests encompass neuropsychological aspects of sports concussion, post-operative cognitive dysfunction, malingering, and neurodegenerative dementia.

Broshek, Donna K., Ph.D. (George Mason University, 1996.) UVaHS/Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, Neuropsychology Assessment Laboratories. Clinical activities include neuropsychological assessment of patients with epilepsy, mild head injury, sports-related concussion, other neurological disorders or general medical conditions, and candidates for organ transplant. Cognitive-behavioral and supportive psychotherapy is provided for student athletes.  Scholary and research interests include epilepsy, sports concussion, and organ transplant.

Collins, Thomas, Ph.D. (University of Virginia, 1990.) The Commonwealth Center. Clinical activities include psychological assessment; individual, family, and group therapy; consultation to staff and community agencies; parent consultation; Scholarly and research interests include assessment of frontal and prefrontal cortical functions; use of systemic therapies with individuals and families; and developmental disabilities.

Cooper, Peter F., Ph.D. (Memphis State University, 1981.) Commonwealth Center for Children & Adolescents. Clinical activities include psychological assessment of children and adolescents; individual and family therapy for children and adolescents; and consultation with treatment teams as well as community and professional agencies.

Cox, Daniel J., Ph.D. (University of Louisville, 1976.) UVaHS/Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, Behavioral Medicine Center. Clinical activities include assessment and treatment of GI conditions, diabetes, headaches, sexual disorders, and psychiatric conditions. Research and scholarly interests include Type I diabetes, ADHD, pediatric bowel disorders, and adults’ driving impairments. (ABPP, Clinical Psychology.)

Freeman, Jason R., Ph.D. (George Mason University, 1998.) UVaHS/Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, Neuropsychology Laboratories. Neuropsychological assessment of neurological or psychiatric disorder for adults, including assessment of head injury and concussion. Psychotherapy with individuals for adjustment disorders, performance anxiety, depression, relationship stress, and psychological impact of medical conditions. Research and scholarly interests include neuropsychological assessment and neurophysiological aspects of sports-related concussion, recovery of function in mild to moderate head injury, and cognitive disorder secondary to medical illness.

Gattis, Krista, Ph.D. (University of California, Los Angeles, 2005)  UVaHS Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences / Behavioral Medicine Center . WSH/Behavioral Consultant. Clinical activities include functional behavioral assessment and treatment of people with severe and persistent psychiatric impairments; consultation with treatment teams, staff, families, patients, as well as community agencies; development of behavioral interventions (i.e. individual behavioral treatment plans) and facilitation of psychosocial rehabilitation groups (i.e. cognitive rehabilitation, anger management for the developmentally delayed, organizational skills and community reintegration, mental illness education). Scholarly and research interests include research with couples and family relationships and the ties between physical and mental health, sexuality, and older adults.

Gonder-Frederick, Linda, Ph.D. (University of Virginia, 1985.) UVaHS/Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, Behavioral Medicine Center, Outpatient Psychiatry. Clinical activities include Behavioral Medicine Center outpatient services, Outpatient Psychiatry Cognitive-Behavioral Clinic, gastric bypass surgery psychological assessment, consultation services to Diabetes Community Network Nursing Staff, supervision of psychology and psychiatry residents.

Marcopulos, Bernice A., PhD. (University of Victoria, 1986.) WSH/Neuropsychology Laboratory. Clinical activities include psychological and neuropsychological assessment and treatment of patients with comorbid neurological and psychiatric illness; consultation with staff, family and patients. Develop cognitive interventions (e.g., memory training groups), computerized cognitive rehabilitation for hospital-wide psychosocial rehabilitation program. Research and scholarly interests include diagnosis of dementia in geriatric patients and rural elders with low levels of education; assessment and remediation of cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia, treatment implications of neuropsychological dysfunction in mentally ill, chemically addicted patients; assessment and treatment of TBI survivors with severe psychiatric and behavioral sequelae. (ABPP, Clinical Neuropsychology.)

McKeegan, Gerald F., Ph.D. (Nova Southeastern University, 1985.) WSH/Behavioral Consultation Team. Clinical activities cover functional assessment and consultation to all treatment teams in the hospital, direct care staff, community providers and families. Development, implementation, and evaluation of behavioral treatment plans directed toward the establishment and support of needed skills and behaviors for discharge and community adjustment. Scholarly and research interests include, among other things, behavioral assessment and its applications in psychiatric rehabilitation; single case designs in psychiatric settings; and training direct care staff in behavioral principles. (ABPP, Behavioral Psychology.)  

Daniel Murrie, PhD (University of Virginia, 2002). UVaHS/Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, Institute of Law, Psychiatry and Public Policy. Clinical duties involve forensic evaluation and consultation to the legal system.  Scholarly and research interests involve improving practice and policy related to forensic assessment, violence risk assessment, and assessment in the juvenile justice system. 

Pelton, Gary, Ph.D. (University of Virginia, 1990.) Commonwealth Center for Children & Adolescents. Clinical activities include assessment and treatment of children and families; and consultation with treatment teams, as well as community and professional agencies. Scholarly and research interest include nondirective play therapies; use of storytelling and metaphor in clinical interventions; and projective assessment.

Penberthy, Kimberly, Ph.D. (Virginia Commonwealth University, 1998; MA, Experimental Psychology, Wake Forest University, 1991) UVaHS/ Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, Center for Addiction Research and Education (CARE), Northridge Outpatient Psychiatric Services.  Clinical Activities include conducting and supervising psychological assessments, and treatments via cognitive behavioral and interpersonal therapy including the use of Cognitive Behavioral Analysis System of Psychotherapy (CBASP) for chronic depression, and bipolar disorders, as well as treatment of anxiety disorders, ADHD (adult and child), OCD, PTSD, psychological factors associated with GI disorders (IBS, Crohn's), personality disorders, and alcohol, substance dependence and co-morbid disorders, as well as smoking prevention.  Research interests include chronic depression, ADHD, especially as co-morbid with substance use disorders; physician-patient therapeutic alliance and transference; nonspecific and placebo effects of treatment, smoking and substance dependence and prevention.

Rawls, David, Ph.D. (University of Southern Mississippi, 1980.) WSH/Forensic Admissions Unit. Clinical activities include inpatient and outpatient forensic evaluations; inpatient therapy, treatment planning. Research and scholarly interests include forensic psychology topics.

FELLOWS

Campbell, Laura, Ph.D. (Vanderbilt University, 2007; Behavioral Medicine Fellow.) UVaHS/Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, Behavioral Medicine Center. Clinical activities include providing outpatient therapy for pediatric and adult patients with a variety of medical and psychiatric problems, including adjustment to chronic or life-threatening illnesses, mood and anxiety disorders, eating disorders, habit control problems, insomnia, and GI-related disorders; conducting pain and weight reduction surgery evaluations; providing consultation-liaison services to the pediatric oncology survivorship clinic.  Scholarly and research interests include psychosocial issues related to regimen adherence and glycemic control in patients with diabetes and the neurocognitive and psychosocial sequelae of pediatric cancer treatment. 

Chang, Grace, Ph.D. (University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2008; Forensic Psychology Fellow, 2008- present) UVaHS Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences- Institute of Law, Psychiatry, and Public Policy (ILPPP) and Western State Hospital (WSH). Clinical duties at ILPPP primarily involve outpatient forensic evaluations, including, but not limited to, trial competence, sanity, capital sentencing, risk/threat assessment, and not guilty by reason of insanity conditional release, and assisting in research and training activities within the forensic context. Clinical activities at WSH include inpatient forensic evaluations involving trial competence, sanity, and emergency treatment. Clinical interests include civil and criminal forensic evaluations and threat/risk assessment. Areas of scholarly and research interests encompass risk factors associated with threats posed toward legislators and credibility assessment.

Haium, Jason, Psy.D. (Pacific University, 2007; Behavioral Medicine Fellow) VaHS/Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, Behavior Medicine Center and WSH Behavioral Consultation Team. Clinical activities include: (1) Behavioral Medicine Center - Conduct pre-surgical psychological assessments and provide both long and short-term individual psychotherapy treatment for a variety of medical and psychiatric problems; (2) WSH Behavioral Consultation Team - Develop, implement, and evaluate treatment plans created for individuals with persistent and severe mental illness; provide consultation for hospital treatment teams, staff, patients, and families; facilitate staff training on psychological principles; and provide both group and individual psychotherapy treatment focused on symptom management. Research and clinical interests include chronic pain, substance abuse, anxiety, and severe and persistent mental illness.

Sanders, J. Forrest, Psy.D. (The School of Professional Psychology at Forest Institute, 2008; Neuropsychology Fellow) UVaHS Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, Neurocognitive Assessment Laboratory.  Clinical activities involve neuropsychological assessment of adults.  Clinical interests include criminal and civil forensic neuropsychological evaluation and assessment of comorbid disorders.  Areas of scholarly and research interests include assessment of malingering/effort and the Modified Stroop Paradigm.

Singh, Harsimran, Ph.D. (Royal Holloway, University of London, 2007; Behavioral Medicine Fellow) I completed my PhD in Health Psychology from University of London, UK. My doctoral thesis focused on psychological aspects of diabetes (including patient reported outcomes such as Quality of Life, treatment satisfaction and well-being), especially in people of South Asian origin (i.e. those from India, Pakistan or Bangladesh). Current research includes enhancing driving safety in people with diabetes, fear of hyperglycemia in people with diabetes, use of virtual reality driving simulators for driving assessment and rehabilitation. Other research interests include development of psychological measures for assessing psychological outcomes in chronic conditions, and ethnic and gender differences in chronic disease management.

Tussey, Chriscelyn, Psy.D. (Indiana University of Pennsylvania, 2007; Forensic Psychology Fellow, 2007-2008; Neuropsychology Fellow, 2008- present) UVaHS Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences- Neurocognitive Assessment Laboratory and Western State Hospital (WSH). Clinical duties at UVaHS primarily involve neuropsychological assessment of adults, including, but not limited to, head injuries, cerebrovascular diseases and accidents, degenerative neurological conditions, pre-surgical evaluations for epilepsy and organ transplant candidates, civil forensic neuropsychological testing, and learning disability assessment. Clinical activities at WSH include assessment with a primary focus on forensic neuropsychological evaluation, comorbid mental illness or substance abuse, and neurological conditions. Clinical interests include civil and criminal forensic neuropsychological evaluation, fitness for duty assessment, and the neurobehavioral sequelae of neurological diseases. Areas of scholarly and research interests encompass malingering, effort testing, and the role of neuropsychological evaluation in forensic contexts.

Vásquez, Desi A., Ph.D. (The University of Oklahoma, 2008; Behavioral Health & Technology Fellow.) UVaHS Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences - Behavioral Health & Technology (BHT) and Neurocognitive Assessment Laboratory.  Clinical activities include outpatient therapy for student-athletes dealing with issues related to eating disorders, relational difficulties, and mood disorders, as well as psychosocial evaluations for kidney, liver, and lung transplant candidates.  Clinical interests include assessment and therapeutic interventions for children with a history of abuse/trauma, or developmental and behavioral disorders, including autism spectrum disorders (ASDs).  Current research activities include behavioral Internet interventions for pediatric encopresis and adult insomnia.  Areas of scholarly and research interest include: behavioral intervention dissemination and uptake in rural, economically impoverished, and other medically underserved geographic areas (MUAs); child abuse and trauma; cost and economic evaluations of implementing behavioral interventions; health issues in adult men related to gender roles; and, statistical/methodological issues in standardized testing. 

Vaughan, Michelle D., Ph.D. (The University of Akron, 2007; Addictions/CARE Fellow) UVaHS Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, Addiction Studies. Clinical activities include assessment and diagnosis of individuals with substance use disorders and outpatient services using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Motivational Interviewing (MI) approaches. Clinical interests include sexual minority/LGBT issues, recovery from substance use disorders, self-harm behavior, and meditation/mindfulness. Areas of scholarly and research interests include personality, minority stress and health disparities (including substance use disorders) in LGBT populations, LGBT education/climate, positive psychology, and measure development.

Wartella, Jennifer E., Ph.D. (Virginia Commonwealth University, 2006; Addictions/CARE Fellow) UVaHS Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, Addiction Studies.  Clinical activities include diagnostic assessment and individual and/or group psychotherapy for participants in substance abuse treatment studies and clinical trials.  Scholarly and research interests include substance abuse in older adults, neuropsychological consequences of substance abuse, stress and coping in the critical care environment and behavioral medicine.

Wingler, Ilaina M., Psy.D. (ISPP-Chicago/Argosy University, 2003; Neuropsychology Fellow.) UVaHS Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, Neurocognitive Assessment Laboratory.  Clinical activities primarily involve neuropsychological assessment.  Clinical interests include traumatic brain injury, military psychology, and forensic neuropsychological evaluations, as well as treating anxiety disorders such as PTSD. Areas of scholarly and research interests include investigating mild traumatic brain injury, particularly blast injuries, as well as the relationship between mTBI, PTSD, and motivational factors. 

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