Women in Neuropsychology

Dr. Rachael Ellison is currently serving a three-year term as the Chair for the Division 40 Women in Neuropsychology (WIN) committee. Dr. Ellison is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Illinois Institute of Technology. She also works as a clinical neuropsychologist in private practice through Chicago Neuropsychology Group, conducting neuropsychological evaluations and cognitive rehabilitation. Dr. Ellison completed clinical internship through the UCSD/VA San Diego Healthcare System (with specialized rotations in neuropsychology, TBI, cognitive rehabilitation, and PTSD), and post-doctoral fellowship in clinical neuropsychology through Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital, while also engaging in post-doctoral research at Northwestern University throughout my fellowship. She completed her doctoral degree in Clinical/Community Psychology at DePaul University focused on reducing systemic injustice and improving the lives of marginalized individuals/groups (e.g., through research on racial privilege, increasing openness to diversity and cultural competence, engaging individuals and groups from privileged backgrounds in social justice work). Dr. Ellison’s current research merges her background and interest in social justice/community psychology with neuropsychology.

Katherine Bangen is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at University of California, San Diego (UCSD); Research Health Scientist at the VA San Diego Healthcare System (VASDHS); and neuropsychologist at the UCSD Center for Brain Health and Memory Disorders. She is board certified by the American Board of Clinical Neuropsychology. She received her doctoral degree from the San Diego State University/UCSD Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship in geriatric mental health at the UCSD School of Medicine, as well as a fellowship in traumatic brain injury and cognitive rehabilitation at the VASDHS. Her research aims to better understand the functional and structural brain changes that occur in normal aging, mild cognitive impairment, and dementia. Her current projects utilize neuropsychological and multimodal neuroimaging tools to elucidate vascular contributions to Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Dr. Bangen’s research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health, VA Clinical Services Research and Development, the Alzheimer’s Association, and the Dana Foundation. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, cooking, and spending time with her family.

Dr. Stella Kim is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurology at the UTHealth Neurosciences/McGovern Medical School in Houston, Texas. She completed her doctoral degree in clinical psychology at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, with her dissertation focused on the impact of sleep on memory among individuals with mild traumatic brain injury. She completed her predoctoral internship through the VA Connecticut Healthcare System in West Haven. She subsequently completed her postdoctoral fellowship at Baylor College of Medicine, with specialization in adult clinical neuropsychology. She is primarily a clinician, with interests in assessing various types of dementia as well as movement disorders. She also serves as a clinical supervisor to doctoral students, medical students, and postdoctoral fellows. She is an active member on the board of directors for the Houston Neuropsychological Society, including positions as past Secretary and current President. During her free time, she can be found exploring the diverse food scene that Houston has to offer.

Dr. Kelsey Thomas is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at University of California, San Diego (UCSD) and Research Health Scientist at the VA San Diego Healthcare System (VASDHS). She completed her doctoral degree at University of Florida and completed her predoctoral internship and postdoctoral fellowship at VASDHS/UCSD. Her research aims to better understand the neuropsychological profiles in preclinical Alzheimer’s disease and the best approaches for capturing subtle cognitive declines. She is also interested in the cognitive changes associated with diabetes and other vascular risks, and integrates Alzheimer’s disease biomarkers, including plasma biomarkers, in her work. Dr. Thomas’s research has been funded by the VA Clinical Services Research and Development, National Institutes of Health, and the Alzheimer’s Association.

Dr. Erin Sullivan-Baca is an early career neuropsychologist working in a private practice in Plano, TX as well as Post Acute Medical Rehabilitation hospitals of Allen and Richardson, TX. She is also an adjunct professor at the University of North Texas (UNT), where she teaches a graduate assessment course. Dr. Sullivan-Baca received her doctorate from UNT and completed her internship and residency at the VA medical centers of Dallas and Houston. She continues to be actively involved in women's epilepsy research in collaboration with neurologists in Houston and across the VA Epilepsy Centers of Excellence. Dr. Sullivan-Baca is also a member of APA Division 35 (SPW)'s Reproductive Issues Committee. Outside of work, she is an avid runner and triathlete as well as a high school rowing coach.

Dr. Alyssa Arentoft is a licensed Clinical Neuropsychologist and an Associate Professor at California State University, Northridge (CSUN). She is co-director of the CSUN Clinical Psychology MA program and teaches undergraduate and graduate courses. She directs the ACENT research lab, and her NIH-funded work investigates neuropsychological functioning, health disparities, and health risk behaviors in adults with HIV as well as in adolescents. Dr. Arentoft obtained her PhD in Clinical Psychology, specializing in Neuropsychology, at Fordham University. She completed her predoctoral internship at the West Los Angeles VA Healthcare Center and her 2-year postdoctoral fellowship in Clinical Neuropsychology at UCLA.

Erica Dawson, PhD, ABPP completed her doctoral degree at the University of Cincinnati, predoctoral internship at the Ann Arbor VA Healthcare System, and two-year postdoctoral fellowship in clinical neuropsychology at the University of Michigan. She is now an associate professor at The Ohio State University, where she serves as Director of the Neuropsychology Division and Director of the Neurocognitive Wellness and Behavior Program. Her clinical interests are varied but largely focus on adults with cancer and primary brain tumors. Research interests are clinically-applied and relate primarily to improving patient outcomes, especially in cancer.