Behavioral Research & Assessment in Neuropsychology (BRAIN) Lab

Openings: 2–3 new members join the lab annually.

Topics: This lab focuses on research in neuropsychology and clinical assessment. Current research topics include the influence of chronic marijuana use on cognition, the neuropsychological effects of sport-related concussion, and factors that influence the valid and reliable neuropsychological assessment of patients.

Dr. Hirst’s research has focused on factors that can impact the legitimacy of clinical neuropsychological assessment, such as the examinee’s motivation to perform well. She has identified motivational statements that can enhance cognitive performance in chronic marijuana users. Her research also identified that most people can guess, at levels significantly greater than chance, whether a photograph is of a cannabis user or a non-user, simply based on appearance – a phenomenon she refers to as the “jay-dar”.

As Dr. Hirst is interested in all topics related to neuropsychological performance (e.g., memory impairment, executive dysfunction), as well as the clinical process of neuropsychological assessment (e.g., standards of practice in using validity testing during assessment), she is also open to exploring diverse research ideas with students in her research lab.

These research projects allow students to gain a significant amount of neuropsychological assessment experience and training hours, as well as develop research skills in literature review, study design, subject recruitment and test administration, data entry and statistical analysis, conference presentations, and manuscript writing. Students are encouraged to conduct their own research projects and compete for awards and grants. Co- and eventual first-authorship on manuscripts is supported.

This training helps students become more independent researchers, with the goal of conducting original research and data collection for their dissertation projects. Please see Dr. Hirst's publications for examples of research studies and manuscripts students can contribute to.

Members of this lab are expected to demonstrate strong conscientiousness, excellent communication with lab supervisors and members, and a high degree of responsibility and accountability. Mentorship support is strong and lab goals are flexible to meet students’ needs.

How to Apply

Admission to the lab is dependent upon goodness of fit with the lab’s ongoing research, the applicant’s academic merit, and professionalism. Interested PAU students should submit the following items to Dr. Hirst by the PAU Research Lab Application due date:

1–2 page cover letter describing past research experience, interest in neuropsychology/assessment, specific projects in this lab they would like to contribute to, and additional research or clinical interests.
Curriculum vitae
Unofficial transcript
Writing sample (e.g., a graduate-level course paper)

Notification: Accepted students will be notified by email at the PAU Research Lab Notification date and time.

Current Members

Admitted 2019

Aubrey Deneen (Adeneen@paloaltou.edu) – Aubrey graduated from the University of Puget Sound in 2017 with a BA in Psychology and an emphasis in Neuroscience. She is currently a fifth-year Clinical Psychology PhD student in the Neuropsychology Area of Emphasis. Aubrey is primarily involved in the lab’s pediatric sport concussion study. Her clinical experience includes outpatient and inpatient neuropsychological assessment and cognitive rehabilitation. Currently, she is training at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center Acute Rehab track, working with individuals who have sustained traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, or burn injury. Aubrey is also interested in working with the athlete population, having been a competitive snow-ski racer herself. Her career goal is to continue inpatient acute rehabilitation work and ideally work with NCAA and professional sports leagues conducting neuropsychological testing for sport-related concussions.

Yelena Markiv (ymarkiv@paloaltou.edu) – Yelena received her BA in Psychology from UC Santa Cruz. She is currently a sixth-year doctoral candidate in Clinical Psychology with a major emphasis in Neuropsychology. She is completing her internship at the UCSD/VA Psychology Internship Training Program and will pursue a lifespan neuropsychology fellowship at the Chesapeake Postdoctoral Neuropsychology Training Consortium. Within the BRAIN Lab, Yelena is primarily involved in the pediatric sports concussion study. She is interested in neurorehabilitation and neuropsychological assessment across the lifespan. She has completed practica at the Palo Alto VA Geropsychiatry Community Living Center and UCSF Neurodevelopmental Assessment and Imaging Lab. Her career goal is to become a board-certified clinical neuropsychologist in a multidisciplinary medical setting.

Admitted 2020

Rachel Murley (rmurley@paloaltou.edu) – Rachel graduated from the University of Michigan with a BS in Research Psychology and Biology. She also earned an MS in Psychology from PAU’s online master’s program before transferring to the PhD program. She is currently a fifth-year Clinical Psychology doctoral candidate with an emphasis in Neuropsychology. Her current practicum is at Summit Center in Walnut Creek and she is completing a supplemental practicum at UCSF Neurodevelopmental Assessment and Imaging Lab (NAIL). Rachel’s primary focus in the BRAIN Lab is with the pediatric sports concussion database, though she has contributed to other projects. She is interested in research and clinical work with pediatric populations with neurodevelopmental disorders. Her long-term goal is to pursue a career as a pediatric clinical neuropsychologist in a hospital rehabilitation/trauma unit or academic medical center.

Jakob Hopper (jhopper@paloaltou.edu) – Jakob graduated from Portland State University with a BS in Psychology. He is a fifth-year PhD student at PAU. He has trained as a student therapist at the Sexual and Gender Identities Clinic at The Clinics @ PAU and at De Anza College. Currently, Jakob is at the San Jose Job Corps for his practicum and continues part-time therapy work at De Anza. He is in the LGBTQ+ and Trauma emphases at PAU. His main BRAIN Lab involvement is with cannabis research, and his broader interests include trauma and LGBTQ+ identities. His career goal is a blended practice in community mental health and private practice.

Haig Pilavjian (hpilavjian@paloaltou.edu) – Haig graduated from UC San Diego with a BA in Psychology (2015) and earned an MA in Psychology from Pepperdine (2017). Before PAU, he worked as a research assistant at the San Diego VA’s Military Sexual Trauma clinic, a volunteer on a national suicide crisis line, and a psychometrist at the Sports Concussion Institute and Nexus Clinical Solutions. He is now a fourth-year Clinical Psychology PhD student with a Neuropsychology emphasis. His dissertation involves item-level analysis of neuropsychological assessments assessing auditory comprehension and other domains. Haig has contributed to cannabis research and surveys on internship criteria changes post-COVID. His major focus is veterans, aiming to advance research on substance use, TBI, and to support the veteran community as a future neuropsychologist.

Admitted 2021

Julius Flowers (jflowers@paloaltou.edu) – Julius graduated from CUNY Silberman School of Social Work with an MSW and from CUNY Lehman College with a BA in Social Work and a minor in Psychology. He is also a licensed social worker. Julius is currently a fourth-year PhD student at PAU with a Neuropsychology emphasis. His practicum is at Palo Alto VA Medical Center in the Memory Clinic. His BRAIN Lab focus has included construct validity studies, performance validity testing, Asian American cultural sensitivity, neuropsychology burnout, ADHD studies, and the sports concussion database. His research interests include neurological pathology, sleep disturbance, and neurodiversity in mTBI, ADHD, and Autism Spectrum Disorder. Clinically, he is interested in working with adults and older adults with dementia, mTBI, and neurodevelopmental comorbidities. His goal is to become a board-certified clinical neuropsychologist primarily conducting research and assessments, with limited psychotherapy practice. He enjoys meditation and traveling.

Bradley Forbes (bforbes@paloaltou.edu) – Bradley received his BA in Psychology from the University of Michigan. He is currently a third-year PhD student at Palo Alto University, pursuing an emphasis in Health Psychology. Bradley’s primary research in the BRAIN Lab has focused on marijuana use, measuring functionality in chronic users. He is also researching neurological and psychological outcomes of COVID-19 among older adults. He is completing practicum placements at San Francisco Neuropsychology and UC Davis Alzheimer’s Research Center in Walnut Creek. Clinically, Bradley is interested in inpatient health psychology, focusing on connections between complex medical diagnoses and mental health. Outside the lab, Bradley is an avid cyclist and enjoys reading.

Ashlynn Steinbaugh (asteinbaugh@paloaltou.edu) – Ashlynn graduated from Portland State University with a BS in Psychology and a minor in Biology. She is currently a fourth-year Clinical Psychology doctoral candidate with an emphasis in Neuropsychology. Her practicum is at UCSF Pediatric Neuropsychology Program. In the BRAIN Lab, Ashlynn works on the pediatric sports concussion database and survey studies on cultural practices with Asian American patient populations and burnout among neuropsychologists and graduate students. Her research interests include professional practices and neuropsychological assessment in pediatric populations. Her long-term goal is to become a board-certified clinical pediatric neuropsychologist. Outside the lab, Ashlynn enjoys hiking, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.

Admitted 2022

Talamahe’a (Tarah) Tupou (ttupou@paloaltou.edu) – Tarah graduated from UC Riverside with a BA in Psychology and earned her MS in Psychology at PAU before transferring into the doctoral program. She is now a third-year doctoral student in Neuropsychology, currently placed at the PAVA: CLC Livermore Division. In the BRAIN Lab, Tarah works on cross-cultural neuropsychology and pediatric sports concussion projects. Her research and clinical interests include neurodegenerative disease, Indigenous populations, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities, and underserved groups. Tarah aspires to be a board-certified neuropsychologist working in assessment, research, and community outreach. She enjoys volleyball, singing, and traveling throughout the South Pacific.

Michael (Mickey) Ellis-Stockley (mellis-stockley@paloaltou.edu) – Mickey earned a BA in Psychology from Central Michigan University and an MA in Clinical Psychology from the University of Detroit. Before PAU, he worked at Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore as a registered psychology associate, coordinating a concussion recovery study in youth athletes. He is currently a third-year Clinical Psychology PhD student in Neuropsychology. Mickey is completing a practicum at Highland Hospital and supplemental practica at the Child Mind Institute and Stanford University School of Medicine. In the BRAIN Lab, he works on the sport concussion study, administering and scoring assessment batteries, and presenting research at conferences. His dissertation examines sport participation, executive functioning, and mood. He also contributes to studies on burnout and cultural sensitivity in neuropsychology. Mickey aspires to be a board-certified neuropsychologist specializing in acquired and degenerative brain conditions, with a special interest in athletes.

Daniel Baldini (dbaldini@paloaltou.edu) – Daniel earned his BA in Psychology with a research emphasis from the University of Nevada, Reno. He previously worked under a Nevada State Undergraduate Research Award, publishing a first-author manuscript in social psychology. After graduating, he volunteered in the BRAIN Lab, trained at UC Davis’s AIR Lab, and contributed at Stanford/Palo Alto VA’s Adamson Lab. He is now a second-year PhD student at PAU. Daniel’s career goal is to become a forensic neuropsychologist and expert witness in civil injury cases. His BRAIN Lab research centers on improving performance validity testing interpretation in neuropsychology.

Admitted 2023

Henry Sebastian Eve (heve@paloaltou.edu) – Henry is a second-year PhD student from Milan, Italy, on the Neuropsychology track at PAU. He earned a BA in Psychology with Honors from Boston University, contributing to research at BU and McLean Hospital/Harvard Medical School. He has worked with children, adolescents, and young adults with neurodevelopmental disorders in underserved Boston communities, as well as adults and seniors with neurocognitive impairments in brain injury rehab. In the BRAIN Lab, Henry studies cannabis effects on cognition, sports concussion, and burnout in graduate students. He aspires to be a board-certified lifespan neuropsychologist in academic medical centers. He enjoys cooking, music, sports, board games, and the outdoors.

Annie Lakhani (alakhani@paloaltou.edu) – Annie earned her BS in Biological Sciences with a minor in Applied Psychology from UC Santa Barbara. Before PAU, she worked on interventions for children with neurodevelopmental disorders and trauma-informed care, promoting access to mental healthcare. She is now a second-year doctoral student in Neuropsychology. In the BRAIN Lab, she collaborates on marijuana use, burnout, and sport concussion projects. Annie’s goal is to become a board-certified pediatric clinical neuropsychologist. Outside the lab, she enjoys the outdoors, spending time with friends, and her cat, Frankie.

Kiara Summers (ksummers@paloaltou.edu) – Kiara graduated from the University of San Diego with a BA in Psychology and minors in Spanish and Biology. She is a second-year PhD student in Neuropsychology. Her interests include trauma, TBI, neurodiversity, comorbidities, mindfulness, and cultural factors. In the BRAIN Lab, she works on sports concussion and assessment validity research. Kiara hopes to be a board-certified neuropsychologist serving marginalized communities. She enjoys trying new restaurants, comedy shows, and exploring the Bay Area.

Lillian Sayaovong Vang (lvang@paloaltou.edu) – Lillian earned her BS in Neuroscience (Pre-Medicine) from the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire. She worked as a mental health specialist at an inpatient adolescent psychiatric hospital and conducted research on reading interventions. She is now a second-year PhD student in Neuropsychology. In the BRAIN Lab, Lillian has worked on cultural sensitivity, marijuana use, burnout, and concussion studies, with special interest in Southeast Asian American and Hmong populations. Her career goal is to be a pediatric clinical neuropsychologist. She enjoys photography, volleyball, trying new foods, and time with friends.

Past Members

Admitted 2018

Jennifer Adler (jadler@paloaltou.edu) – Jen graduated with her PhD in Clinical Psychology from PAU in 2022 with the Neuropsychology Emphasis. She earned her BA in Psychology with minors in Sociology and Health from the University of Arizona. In the BRAIN Lab, she worked on the Sport Concussion Study and her dissertation examined test-retest reliability of neuropsychological assessments in youth athletes. She completed internship at Kaiser San Diego (Neuropsychology Track) and is now a postdoctoral fellow at UCSD/San Diego VA CESAMH, studying TBI and neurodegenerative disease. Her research interests include TBI, CTE, and mindfulness-based interventions for veterans.

Ryan C. Thompson, PhD (ryancthompson1@gmail.com) – Ryan is a Clinical Neuropsychology Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Virginia School of Medicine and Postdoctoral Scholar in the Virginia Alzheimer’s Disease Center. He earned his BA from Wake Forest University, MA from The College of William and Mary, and PhD in Clinical Psychology from PAU (Neuropsychology track). He trained at UCSF Memory and Aging Center, Stanford School of Medicine, and VA Palo Alto, and completed internship at Dartmouth Health/Geisel School of Medicine. His research spans performance validity, mTBI, and internship selection. His dissertation developed a composite validity score in youth athletes. He has authored publications and taught at PAU. Ryan also holds leadership roles in neuropsychology organizations (NAN, AACN, APS). His career goal is to be a board-certified clinical neuropsychologist, researcher, and professor.

Past Members

Admitted 2017

Sana Arastu (sarastu@paloaltou.edu) – Sana graduated from UC Santa Cruz in 2016 with a BS in Cognitive Science and a BA in Psychology. She is in her final year as a Clinical Psychology PhD student at PAU with a Neuropsychology emphasis, completing her pre-doctoral internship in neuropsychology and rehabilitation psychology at Baylor College of Medicine/TIRR Memorial Hermann. Her dissertation examined cultural factors in Asian Indian immigrants’ cognitive performance. She has completed practica at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, Palo Alto VA Memory Clinic, Stanford Neurocognitive Assessment Clinic, and Hume Center’s South Asian Community Health Promotions Center. Her long-term goal is to become a board-certified neuropsychologist specializing in rehabilitation, adjunct teaching, and advocacy for minoritized populations.

Sara Markuson (smarkuson@paloaltou.edu) – Sara graduated from the University of Montana with a BS in Psychology and in Communicative Sciences and Disorders. In the BRAIN Lab, she contributed to the youth sport concussion study. She completed practica at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland, UCSF Pediatric Brain Centers, and the UCSF Neurodevelopmental Assessment and Imaging Lab. She earned her PhD in Clinical Psychology with Neuropsychology emphasis at PAU, completed internship at Primary Children’s Hospital (Salt Lake City, UT), and is now a pediatric neuropsychology postdoctoral fellow at the Medical College of Wisconsin. She also teaches an undergraduate course at PAU. Sara’s research interests include pediatric populations with complex medical conditions. She enjoys running, skiing, hiking, and biking with her partner and dog, Lillie.

Naomi Kaswan, PhD (she/they – nkaswan@paloaltou.edu) – Naomi is a postdoctoral fellow in Neuropsychology at San Mateo Medical Center, where they provide assessments and interventions to adults and older adults, often via medical interpreters. Naomi earned their PhD in Clinical Psychology (Neuropsychology) at PAU and completed internship at the Hershel “Woody” Williams VA in Huntington, WV. Their dissertation examined the validity of neuropsychological assessment measures in youth athletes. Naomi’s interests include acquired brain injury, complex medical presentations, and culturally informed services. Outside of work, Naomi enjoys Renaissance Faires, cooking, and time with loved ones.

Felipe Granados (fgranados@paloaltou.edu) – Felipe earned a BA in Psychology from CSU Stanislaus. In the BRAIN Lab, he worked on cannabis use research and manuscript reviews. He aims to become a bilingual (Spanish-speaking) clinical neuropsychologist specializing in elderly Latinx populations with neurodegenerative disorders.

Admitted 2016

Colin Brown (cbrown1@paloaltou.edu) – Colin completed internship at James J. Peters VA (Bronx, NY) and residency at Bay Pines VA HCS. He is now a neuropsychologist at Bay Pines VA HCS.

Rachel Santiago (rsantiago@paloaltou.edu) – Rachel was a fifth-year student in the Neuropsychology emphasis, interested in older adults, Veterans, and brain injuries. She worked on the Sport Concussion study and a case study on cognitive performance after multiple concussions.

Jessica Watson (jwatson@paloaltou.edu) – Jessica completed the Neuropsychology emphasis and published work on cannabis effects and examiner expectancy. Her dissertation focused on pediatric concussion assessments. She was awarded the Edith Kaplan Scholarship by NAN’s Women in Leadership Committee in 2018.

Dylan Vaughn (dvaughn@paloaltou.edu) – Dylan earned his PhD in Clinical Psychology (Neuropsychology) at PAU and is now a postdoctoral fellow at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton (Canada). He provides assessments for psychiatric and neurological conditions. His research covers cannabis, concussion, expectancy effects, and neuropsychology methodology. Outside of work, Dylan enjoys birding and foraging in Canada.

Admitted 2015

Casey Conaboy (cconaboy@paloaltou.edu) – Casey completed the Neuropsychology emphasis and contributed to the Sport Concussion Study, with interests in how identities (e.g., socioeconomic status) influence concussion risk and recovery.

Admitted 2014

Alexis Rosen (arosen@paloaltou.edu) – Alexis completed her PhD in Clinical Psychology (Neuropsychology) at PAU, internship at Memphis VA, and fellowship at Patton State Hospital. She is now a clinical neuropsychologist at VA Northern California HCS (Martinez).

Zoe Quittner (zquittner@paloaltou.edu)

Admitted 2013

(Lauren) Taighlor Whittington (lwhittington@paloaltou.edu)

Richard Enriquez (renriquez@paloaltou.edu) – Richard earned his PhD in Clinical Psychology (DCMH emphasis) at PAU. He completed internship at San Jose State, residency at UC Santa Cruz, and is now a staff psychologist at UCSC. His interests include addiction, religion, mood/anxiety disorders, and LGBTQ populations. His dissertation explored religious affiliation and cannabis use.

Cecilia Han, PhD, ABPP-CN (drhan@brainbehaviorcare.com) – Cecilia is a board-certified neuropsychologist and founder of Brain & Behavior Care in Maryland. She provides neuropsychological and medico-legal services for adults with brain injuries and neuropsychiatric conditions. She completed internship at NYU Rusk Rehabilitation and fellowship at MedStar National Rehabilitation Hospital.

Anna Teague, PhD (ateague@paloaltou.edu) – Anna is a clinical neuropsychologist and Assistant Clinical Professor (Stanford Neurology). She evaluates adults with neurological and neurosurgical conditions and assists with clinical trials. She completed internship at Washington DC VA and fellowship at University of Virginia.

Julie Gretler (jgretler@paloaltou.edu) – Julie completed internship and fellowship in neuropsychology at the University of Missouri. Her interests include neurorehabilitation and assessment.

Admitted 2012

Stephanie Gade (stephanies@paloaltou.edu)

Laura Rathke

Louise Sodos, PhD (lsodos@paloaltou.edu) – Louise’s dissertation examined motivational statements and cognitive performance in cannabis users. She trained at Brooke Army Medical Center and is now an active duty U.S. Army psychologist.