Biography
My formal education includes a master's degree in counseling psychology from the University of North Texas and a doctoral degree in school psychology (minor in pediatric neuropsychology) from Texas Woman's University. My doctoral dissertation is titled Cognitive Factors and Symptom Expression in Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Investigation of Cognitive Phenotypes and Central Coherence Performance in Relation to Symptomatology. This research required an in-depth understanding of a variety of cognitive tests, their theoretical underpinnings, and test-specific interpretive considerations. My formal education included applied assessment and intervention experiences in the following settings: a federal correctional institution; a university counseling center; government agencies; public schools. My work in the public schools has included cognitive, academic, behavioral, emotional, developmental, and educational evaluations as well as counseling and consultation services. I have coordinated a multidisciplinary autism assessment team including a speech therapist, educational diagnostician, and occupational therapist. My assessment work has required the interpretation of cognitive tests, integration of cognitive results with other sources of assessment data, consideration of exclusionary factors and variables related to culture and diversity, and the use of assessment results to design social, emotional, behavioral, and educational interventions. In the public schools, I have worked with individuals from 2 to 22 years of age. My other applied experiences have included children, young adults, and adults including individuals with dual diagnoses. These experiences afforded me opportunities such as: designing and implementing intervention programs; training direct-care staff to implement intervention programs with fidelity; participating in multidisciplinary planning meetings; collaborating with psychiatrists and monitoring medication outcomes; participating in human rights decision-making for individuals with developmental disabilities and dual diagnoses.