Women in Neuropsychology

Nina Guerra is a fourth-year doctoral student in Clinical Psychology at The Chicago School in Dallas, TX. Her clinical interests center on the intersection of neuropsychological assessment and rehabilitation in adults and older adults with acquired injuries, such as traumatic brain injury (TBI) and stroke. As a bilingual clinician, Nina is dedicated to increasing access to culturally responsive services for Spanish-speaking populations. Her research explores the integration of mindfulness-based interventions into TBI rehabilitation, particularly within the veteran population. As a military veteran herself, Nina is deeply committed to fostering mentorship, advocacy, and leadership within the field of neuropsychology. She currently serves on the Media Committee for the Cultural Neuropsychology Council, helping to amplify diverse voices in the profession. In her free time, Nina enjoys spending time with her family, hiking with her dog, and horseback riding.

Daya Grewal is a fifth-year clinical psychology PhD candidate at Palo Alto University, completing the neuropsychology and trauma areas of emphasis. She has completed neuropsychology-focused practicum training at academic medical centers and VA systems, where she conducts comprehensive evaluations for adult and older adult populations. Her clinical interests include neuropsychological assessment, cognitive rehabilitation, and delivering culturally responsive, trauma-informed care. Daya’s early clinical work at a Perinatal Rehabilitation Facility and Planned Parenthood shaped her commitment to understanding how women’s health intersects with psychopathology. Her research focuses on trauma’s impact on neuropsychological functioning, cognitive reserve in aging women, and health disparities among female Veterans. Her dissertation, defended in Spring 2025, examined how interpersonal trauma affects cognitive functioning and overlaps with the neurocognitive profile of ADHD. Daya was awarded the 2024 WIN DEI and Advocacy Award and the Christine Blasey Ford Scholarship. She has held several leadership roles, including President of her university’s Psi Chi chapter and Student Council Member for the Western Psychological Association. As a WIN Student Committee Member, she is committed to advancing gender equity and mentorship in the field.

Leah Talbert is a postdoctoral fellow at the VA San Diego Healthcare System (VASDHS), where she specializes in traumatic brain injury (TBI) and provides neuropsychological assessment and cognitive rehabilitation to adults and older adults with acquired brain injuries (e.g., TBI, stroke) and neurological illnesses (e.g., multiple sclerosis, epilepsy). She completed her APA accredited predoctoral internship in neuropsychology through the VA San Diego/University of California, San Diego (UCSD) Psychology Internship Program and earned her doctorate in clinical psychology from Brigham Young University. Her research investigates autonomic nervous system dysfunction as a mechanistic and predictive factor in TBI recovery, leveraging large-scale datasets to inform precision rehabilitation strategies. Clinically, Leah has worked across inpatient, outpatient, and residential settings, serving diverse populations with neurological, psychiatric, and medically complex conditions. She is also deeply committed to advocacy efforts promoting health equity and culturally responsive care in neuropsychology, and she actively contributes to initiatives supporting the leadership, visibility, and mentorship of historically excluded groups in the field.

Nika is a third-year Clinical Psychology PhD student at Wayne State University concentrating in neuropsychology and statistics. Their research focuses on the effects of childhood adversity and trauma on post-injury outcomes for individuals with moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury, and how assessment and intervention can improve rehabilitation outcomes. They are an advocate for equitable care for women and gender-diverse individuals in psychology and are passionate about increased visibility, access, and mentorship for transgender and nonbinary individuals in clinical psychology. In their free time, they enjoy practicing yoga, rock climbing, cooking, and spending time outdoors.

Maria is a third-year doctoral student in Clinical Psychology at Mercer University. Her clinical interests include neuropsychological assessment of older adults, cognitive rehabilitation therapy, and chronic pain. Her research interests include investigating health equity issues and access to neuropsychological care across the United States. She is passionate about increasing representation in neuropsychology and is a DEI consultant with CORE Perspectives on multiple projects including the APA Multicultural Guidelines revision. In her free time, she runs a calligraphy business and serves on the national leadership team for a non-profit serving Muslim youth.

Dr. Celina McDowell is a postdoctoral fellow at the UC San Diego School of Medicine. She earned her doctorate from Boston University’s Clinical Psychology PhD program and completed her predoctoral internship in Clinical Psychology at the Alpert Medical School of Brown University (Neuropsychology Track). Her research focuses on understanding how lifestyle and health factors may influence cognitive decline risk with age. She has specialized interests in sleep, physical activity, and endocrine aging, and how these factors interact to contribute to sex differences in Alzheimer’s disease risk and prevalence. She has also contributed to multiple projects examining disparities in dementia risk among minoritized groups. Clinically, she is passionate about the diagnosis and treatment of age-related neurocognitive disorders. She previously served on the Equity and Inclusion Committee at BU and on the Society for Clinical Neuropsychology (SCN) Public Interest Advisory Committee (PIAC) Diversity Subcommittee. As part of her role in WIN, she also serves as the current EJI Liaison. In her free time, she enjoys baking, camping and hiking, and spending time with her family.