Faculty
For those applying for Fall 2025 admission we are likely to admit students into labs focused on the following research areas:
- Aging and neurodegeneration, potential mentor Jacob Raber, Ph.D., for additional information see The Raber Lab.
- Early neurodevelopment, including infant neuroimaging and maternal-child mental health, potential mentor Alexander Dufford, Ph.D.
- Cognitive and biological risk factors for suicide in youth with mood disorders, potential mentor Rebekah Huber, Ph.D.
- Assessment, treatment, and predictive modeling of health outcomes and social determinants of health related to suicide prevention, PTSD, and TBI in Veterans and other populations, potential mentor Maya O’Neil, Ph.D.
- Physical, psychosocial, and cognitive health outcomes of pediatric critical care survivors, potential mentors Cydni Williams, M.D., MCR, Trevor Hall Psy.D., ABPdN, Pediatric Critical Care & Neurotrauma Recovery Program, and Amy Holley, Ph.D., Advancing Research in Pediatric Pain lab.
Core Faculty
Susanne W. Duvall, Ph.D. (core; Pediatrics) in Clinical Psychology from the University of New Mexico. Dr. Duvall is the Associate Director of Clinical Training for the Clinical Psychology PhD Program. Her expertise lies in neuropsychological evaluation and she enjoys working with children and young adults with special healthcare needs and sees patients through the Autism Program, the Pediatric Brain Tumor Program and the Child Development and Rehabilitation Center. Research interests include development of executive function and neurocognitive outcomes in many medically complicated populations (premature birth, childhood cancer and brain tumors and autism spectrum disorders). Dr. Duvall is also very interested in cultural and individual differences that impact coping, functional outcome, diagnosis and treatment in these populations.
Sydney Ey, Ph.D. (core; Psychiatry) Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Oregon Health and Science University, and a licensed clinical psychologist. Dr. Ey received her BA in Psychology from Yale University, her PhD in Clinical Psychology at the University of Vermont and completed her internship at Judge Baker Children’s Center/Boston Children’s Hospital. She taught and supervised graduate students and predoctoral interns at several graduate programs before coming to OHSU. Dr. Ey has a longstanding interest in promoting the well-being of learners and clinicians in the healthcare setting, serves on the OHSU Well-Being Leadership Team and has conducted research on help-seeking attitudes among medical trainees and utilization of wellness programs.
Amy Holley, Ph.D. (core; Pediatrics) in Clinical Child Psychology from Case Western Reserve University. Dr. Holley's expertise lies in the assessment and treatment of youth with chronic pain and their families. Research interests include how psychopathology and sleep disturbances influence pain-related disability in youth experiencing acute or chronic pain and the identification of mechanisms underlying the development of chronic pain. Dr. Holley is part of the Advancing Research in Pediatric Pain lab.
Jennifer Loftis, Ph.D. (core; Psychiatry/VA) in Behavioral Neuroscience and postdoctoral fellowship in Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, from Oregon Health & Science University; MA in Clinical Psychology, Fairleigh Dickinson University, New Jersey. Dr. Loftis possesses a unique set of experiences and resources that are ideal for bridging the interrelated disciplines of neuroscience, immunology and molecular biology to tackle mental health disorders from a comprehensive perspective. Her translational research program is focused on investigating the psychoneuroimmunological mechanisms contributing to substance use disorders and neuropsychological impairments (e.g., cognitive deficits and mood disorders) and how immunotherapeutic strategies can be used to treat these conditions. Read more about the Psychoneuroimmunology Research Team and the Methamphetamine Research Center.
Kristen Mackiewicz Seghete, Ph.D. (core; Psychiatry) in Clinical Psychology from the University of Colorado Boulder. Dr. Seghete's clinical expertise is in pediatric neuropsychological evaluations and working with women and children who have experienced interpersonal trauma. Her research is focused on neurobiological risk factors for psychopathology assessed primarily through neuroimaging, neuropsychological assessment, and behavioral tasks, and direct translational science that incorporates mechanistic studies and clinical trials. Dr. Seghete is interested in populations at heightened risk due to prior trauma or psychiatric histories, with a particular emphasis on understanding how periods of heightened neuroplasticity, particularly adolescence and the perinatal period, simultaneously confer vulnerability and potential for increased responsivity to intervention. While she has some ongoing work focused on adolescent cognitive brain development, current studies are primarily focused on cognitive and affective changes during the perinatal and postpartum period, including how opioid use may affect this trajectory, and translational studies of mindfulness-based interventions during pregnancy.
Leeza Maron, Ph.D. (core; Psychiatry) in Clinical Psychology (specialization in Neuropsychology) from the University of Florida. Dr. Maron is the Director of Clinical Training, and is also Director of the Adult Neuropsychology Clinic. She provides clinical and forensic neuropsychological evaluations to a broad range of patients with suspected neurocognitive disorders and provides student practicum experiences in that clinic as well. Research interests involve the development and implementation of novel neuropsychological paradigms to study executive dysfunction and attentional failures in those with ADHD and other psychiatric disorders, where she collaborates with Dr. Nigg and others.
Suzanne H. Mitchell Ph.D. (core; Psychiatry/Behavioral Neuroscience) in Biopsychology from State University of New York, Stony Brook. Dr. Mitchell's research uses neuroeconomic paradigms (behavioral economics, intertemporal choice, gain and loss discounting) to understand decision-making in healthy normal and patient samples. She is especially interested in how reward valuation processes are disrupted by psychiatric conditions as well as alcohol and substance use, resulting in more impulsive and risky choices, and the genetic and neurobiological causes of these disruption effects. Read more about Dr. Mitchell's lab and research at the Translational NeuroEconomics Lab.
Maya O'Neil, Ph.D. (core; Psychiatry/VA) in Counseling Psychology from the University of Oregon and completed her internship at the Portland VA. She is a VA Career Development Awardee and past AHRQ K Scholar at OHSU. Her research and clinical work focuses on PTSD, TBI, cognitive rehabilitation, and suicide prevention. She is a neuropsychologist at the VA on the Rural Telemental Health team, is the Co-Director for Research Training for the MIRECC Fellowship Program, and provides clinical and research supervision to practicum students and fellows. She is a quantitative methodologist, leads systematic reviews for the VA, and developed the PTSD-Repository with the National Center for PTSD. In addition to her CDA, she is PI of VA, DoD, and AHRQ grants on PTSD, TBI, and suicide prevention.
David Wagner, Ph.D. (core; Pediatrics) in Clinical Psychology from the University of Missouri. Dr. Wagner is the Research Director of the Novel Interventions in Children’s Healthcare (NICH) Program. His expertise lies in the identification and treatment of children and adolescents with chronic medical conditions (e.g., type 1 diabetes) who are experiencing health disparities. Research interests include the evaluation of multisystem, home- and community-based interventions for high-risk pediatric populations. He is also interested in the role of social risks on health outcomes, implementation science, and capturing the economic value of nontraditional behavioral health intervention models.
Sara Walker, Ph.D. (core; Psychiatry) in Clinical Psychology from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and postdoctoral fellowship in Clinical Neuropsychology from the University of Michigan. Dr. Walker provides clinical services to adults referred for comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations in the Adult Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic at OHSU. Research interests and activities are related to cognitive functioning and quality of life among individuals with cancer. Dr. Walker is also active in providing disaster mental health services and psychological first aid in the region.
Anna Wilson, Ph.D. (core; Pediatrics) Dr. Wilson conducts research on pain experiences in families and adolescents, with a focus on understanding intergenerational risk for chronic pain and identifying protective factors that might be targeted in prevention and treatment programs. She collaborates on projects related to the neurobiology of pain and the use of opioid medications in adolescents and young adults. She also provides behavioral assessment and treatment to children and adolescents through the multidisciplinary Pediatric Pain Management Clinic.
Associate Faculty
Karim Afzal, Ph.D., A.B.P.P. (associate; Psychiatry) in Clinical Psychology from Fielding Graduate University. He completed both his internship and residency at Hartford Hospital/Institute of Living. Dr. Afzal provides clinical services at OHSU’s Adult Psychiatry Outpatient Clinic. Dr. Afzal uses integrative and empirically based psychotherapies, which include cognitive-behavioral, psychodynamic, and existential therapies.
Kathleen Carlson, Ph.D. (associate; Public Health/VA) is an Associate Professor of Epidemiology at the Oregon Health & Science University-Portland State University School of Public Health, and a Core Investigator with the VA Portland Health Care System’s Health Services Research Center of Innovation. Dr. Carlson completed her BS degree at Oregon State University, and her MS and PhD degrees at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, focused on injury and violence epidemiology. Dr. Carlson’s research examines the spectrum of injury and violence prevention, from the epidemiology of intentional and unintentional injuries to the rehabilitation of military veterans with combat injuries and comorbid mental health disorders. Her current research grants examine gun violence and other firearm-related injuries, opioid-related injuries, and the short- and long-term functional outcomes of veterans’ traumatic brain injury. Dr. Carlson teaches and mentors MPH and PhD students in epidemiology and research methodology, and directs the health services research postdoctoral fellowship program at the Portland VA. She also leads the OHSU Gun Violence as a Public Health Issue Advisory Committee, an effort focused on using a public health lens to reduce firearm-related injury and death in Oregon and nationwide. Her leadership roles with national injury prevention organizations include serving on the Board of Directors for the Society for Advancement of Violence and Injury Research and with the Injury Control and Emergency Health Services section of the American Public Health Association.
Jason I. Chen, Ph.D. (associate; Psychiatry/VA) in Clinical Psychology from the University of South Florida. Dr. Chen is the Chair of the Curriculum Committee for the Clinical Psychology PhD Program at OHSU and an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry. He is also a Core Investigator at the VA HSR&D Center to Improve Veteran Involvement in Care (CIVIC) located with the VA Portland Health Care System. He is currently funded on a 5-year, VA HSR&D Career Development Award titled, "Enhancing Social Connectedness Among Veterans at High Risk for Suicide through Community Engagement," (CDA 18-185; IK2HX002787). His research lab, the Connecting Communities for Suicide Prevention Lab (CCSP), studies suicide prevention for high-risk populations with a focus on military veterans, community-based approaches, and help-seeking processes. Clinically, Dr. Chen provides supervision on suicide-specific interventions and adapting evidence-based psychotherapies to acute care and non-traditional settings.
Amanda Chiapa, Ph.D. (associate; Pediatrics) in Clinical Psychology from Arizona State University. Dr. Chiapa is the Division JEDI Associate Director and the transitioning director of the Pediatric Psychology Consult/Liaison Service at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital. She is passionate about helping reduce health disparities across marginalized or underserved populations. She has particular interests related to grief, anxiety, complex medical illness, and considering the role that social determinants of health may play in coping and managing illness and loss. Her research interests focus on program development and evaluation of interventions and educational efforts aimed at promoting well-being across patients, trainees, and providers in the health care setting.
Cyn Connais, L.P.C. (associate; Psychiatry)
Shanna Cooper, Ph.D. (associate; Psychiatry) is an Associate Professor and Clinical Neuropsychologist at the OHSU. She earned her doctoral degree in clinical psychology, specializing in neuroscience, from Temple University. She completed her internship and postdoctoral training, with specialization in neuropsychology, at VA San Diego / UC San Diego. At OHSU, she provides clinical and forensic neuropsychological evaluations to adult patients with a broad range of suspected disorders, supervises trainees in the Adult Neuropsychology Clinic, and is involved in teaching and training in the clinical psychology PhD program. Dr. Cooper’s research interests involve the interplay of cognition and emotion, particularly as it pertains to the development neuropsychological disorders; she is also currently serving as the study neuropsychologist for an adult epilepsy treatment RCT in the Department of Neurosurgery. Dr. Cooper is quite active in service to the profession, including through servant leadership positions with the Society for Clinical Neuropsychology, International Neuropsychological Society, and as Operations Coordinator for the Navigating Neuropsychology podcast (navneuro.com).
Lauren M. Denneson, M.S., Ph.D. (associate; Psychiatry/VA) in Social Psychology from Portland State University. Dr. Denneson is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Oregon Health & Science University and a core investigator with the VA HSR&D Center to Improve Veteran Involvement in Care at the VA Portland Health Care System. She is a social psychologist with training in health promotion and disease prevention. Her research primarily centers on suicide prevention, with special focus areas of patient-centered care and social determinants of health. One of her current projects is a national study examining gender differences in suicide risk, resilience, and recovery using a socio-ecological framework.
Nathan F. Dieckmann, Ph.D. (associate; School of Nursing) in Psychology/Decision Sciences from the University of Oregon. Dr. Dieckmann is an Associate Professor and is the director the Statistics Core in the School of Nursing. Areas of statistical expertise include structural equation modeling, longitudinal modeling, and psychometrics. Dr. Dieckmann also conducts basic and applied research in the decision sciences and risk communication. His current work is focused on how people understand and use uncertainty in a range of decision contexts. Other current areas of interest include understanding public perceptions of conflicting scientific information, when and why people trust predictive algorithms in health and beyond (e.g., artificial intelligence), and examining the causes and impacts of trust in science more generally.
Kevin Duff, Ph.D., ABPP-CN (associate; Behavioral Neuroscience)
Alexander Dufford, Ph.D. (associate, Psychiatry) is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at OHSU. He trained in developmental psychology and developmental cognitive neuroscience at the University of Denver and completed a postdoctoral fellowship focusing on infant neuroimaging and machine learning approaches at the Yale School of Medicine and Yale Child Study Center. Dr. Dufford is the director of the InterGenerational Neuroimaging (IGN) Lab at OHSU. The research goals of the lab are to understand the brain mechanisms underlying risk for psychopathology in the peripartum period and infancy using an intergenerational approach (both parent and child). The lab’s primary investigative tool is MRI in which the lab leverages large open-source MRI datasets as well as collects densely sampled and/or datasets with deep phenotyping. The lab’s parent-focused studies are driven by an interest in the brain changes across the postpartum period and how they may be associated with depression or anxiety. The lab’s child-focused studies are driven by an interest in early neural markers (such as in infancy) of internalizing disorders. In addition, the IGN Lab is interested in how interventions may buffer against risk for psychopathology for both parent and child and how this can be understood using neuroscientific methods.
Danny C. Duke, Ph.D. (associate; Pediatrics) in Clinical Psychology from the University of Florida. Dr. Duke has notable expertise (and research interests) in optimizing empirically supported treatment for youth anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and PTSD, through the Institute on Developmental Disabilities (IDD), Anxiety Treatment Clinic. He also has specialized expertise in the use habit reversal treatment (HRT) to address trichotillomania, tic/Tourette disorders (CBIT), and the body focused repetitive disorders. He holds a degree concentration in Pediatric Psychology, with clinical and research interests in improving youth and family adjustment to chronic health conditions, and optimizing the transition from pediatric to adult healthcare settings and health condition management (self-care), with particular interests in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes, and their families.
Alice Graham, Ph.D. (associate; Psychiatry) in Clinical Psychology from University of Oregon. Dr. Graham's research focuses on how the early environment influences developing brain systems and risk for mental health disorders. Her work employs MRI beginning in the neonatal period to characterize the developing brain. Her clinical interests lie in employing intervention to prevent or ameliorate effects of stress exposure on children and families. Learn more about Dr. Graham's research.
David W. Greaves, Ph.D. (associate; Psychiatry/VA) in Clinical Psychology from Brigham Young University. He is the Clinical Director of the Whole Health care model in the VA Portland Health Care System, and is the past Chief of Psychology and Administrative Director of the Mental Health & Clinical Neurosciences Division. Though most of his duties are administrative in nature, Dr. Greaves also provides clinical services in health psychology settings at the VA.
Rebekah Huber, Ph.D. (associate; Psychiatry) is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Center for Mental Health Innovation at Oregon Health & Science University. As a licensed psychologist, her research program focuses on informing evidence-based care and suicide prevention in youth with mood disorders. Dr. Huber’s research utilizes digital mobile technologies (e.g., actigraphy and ecological momentary assessment) and neuroimaging to identify cognitive and neurobiological risk factors for suicide in youth with bipolar disorder. Specifically, she investigates sleep, cognitive control, and functional connectivity to identify proximal and modifiable factors that can be targeted through interventions to reduce suicide risk and improve long-term outcomes.
Darren M. Janzen, Psy.D. (associate; Pediatrics) in Clinical Psychology from George Fox University. Dr. Janzen conducts comprehensive interdisciplinary diagnostic evaluations through the CDRC Child Development clinics. Areas of specialty include attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and learning disabilities.
Jeni Johnstone, Ph.D. (associate; Psychiatry) in Clinical Psychology from the University of Otago, New Zealand; Post-Graduate Diploma, Clinical Psychology, University of Canterbury, New Zealand; MA in Counseling Psychology, Santa Clara University, CA. As a clinician-scientist, Dr. Johnstone conducts clinical trials in integrative treatments (e.g., mindfulness and micronutrient supplementation) for ADHD, mood and behavioral issues in adults and children. She works with patients ranging in age from children through adults, and provides therapy to families in a Family Therapy Clinic.
Amy Kobus, Ph.D. (associate; Psychiatry) in Counseling Psychology from the University of Iowa. Dr. Kobus provides consultation and psychotherapy in the Adult Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic at OHSU. She has specialized training in health psychology, chronic pain management and primary care psychology. Her clinical interests are in the psychological aspects of medical illness, evidenced-based interventions, and impact of racism and culture on mental health. Dr. Kobus’ previous research has focused on chronic pain treatment, HIV and cervical cancer prevention within the Asian community using mixed-methods and community-based participatory research. Her current research interests are in identity and racial ethnic issues in adoption and understanding diverse populations through an equity and health disparities lens.
Miranda M. Lim, M.D., Ph.D. (associate; Behavioral Neuroscience) Dr. Miranda M. Lim, MD, PhD, is an Associate Professor in Neurology and Co-Director of the Oregon Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (OADRC; National Institute of Aging NIH P30 Center). She is cross-appointed as a Staff Neurologist and Director of Sleep & Health Applied Research Program (SHARP) at the VA Portland Health Care System, where she serves as Associate Director of Research and Co-Director of the VA Advanced Fellowship Program in Mental Illness Research and Treatment (MIRT) in the VISN20 Northwest Mental Illness Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC).
Dr. Lim earned a combined MD/PhD degree from Emory University in Atlanta in 2006 and completed a neurology residency at Washington University in Saint Louis in 2010, followed by fellowship and post-doctoral training in Sleep Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.
Notable scientific contributions include understanding mechanisms of social behavior in the monogamous prairie vole (Lim et al., Nature, 2004; Jones et al., Science Advances, 2019) and defining the role of sleep in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease (Kang, Lim et al., Science, 2009), traumatic brain injury (Lim et al., Science Translational Medicine, 2013), and Parkinson’s and related synucleinopathies (Elliott, Lim et al., Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology, 2023). Dr. Lim’s research has been supported by all 4 major federal research agencies (NIH, VA, DoD, NSF) as well as non-profit foundations to study how sleep impacts brain health and cognition across the lifespan in both rodents and humans.
Clinically, Dr. Lim delivers complex care at the Portland VA to Veterans with neurotrauma and sleep disorders. She is a Site PI for the North American Prodromal Synucleinopathy (NAPS) Consortium, an NIA-funded U19 multisite center for patients with REM sleep behavior disorder, a prodromal neurodegenerative disorder. Her ongoing clinical care and research are highly synergistic with other neuropsychologists affiliated with the OADRC, VA MIRECC, and NAPS Consortium, including Drs. Kevin Duff and Nathan Hantke.
Dr. Lim also serves on the Board of Directors for the national Sleep Research Society and on the Scientific Advisory Board for Applied Cognition, Inc.
Travis I. Lovejoy, Ph.D. (associate; Psychiatry/VA) in Clinical Psychology from Ohio University. Dr. Lovejoy's clinical expertise is in health psychology, behavioral medicine, and substance use disorders. His research interests include optimizing pain management in patients with co-occurring chronic pain, mental health, and substance use disorders, as well as HIV prevention in traditionally underserved populations.
Benjamin Morasco, Ph.D. (associate; Psychiatry/VA) in Clinical Psychology from Saint Louis University. Dr. Morasco provides clinical services in the specialty substance abuse treatment program at the VA Portland Health Care System, with a focus on treating non-substance-related addictive behaviors. His research interests are on improving the safety and effectiveness of pain management interventions, with a specialty interest in treating patients with co-occurring psychological and substance use disorders.
Bonnie J. Nagel, Ph.D. (associate; Psychiatry/Behavioral Neuroscience) in Clinical Psychology, with emphasis in Neuropsychology, from the University of Memphis. Dr. Nagel's clinical expertise lies in pediatric neuropsychological evaluation. Research interests include utilizing neuroimaging, as well as other biopsychosocial assessment techniques, to better understand neurodevelopment and risk for psychopathology (including addiction, depression, and suicidality) and comorbid medical disorders (e.g., chronic pain) during adolescence and young adulthood. Dr. Nagel is the Director of the Center for Mental Health Innovation. Read more about Dr. Nagel's Developmental Brain Imaging Lab.
Joel Nigg, Ph.D. (associate; Psychiatry) in Clinical Psychology from the University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Nigg's research focuses on the psychological mechanisms and causes in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). His broad program of research includes maternal-infant early life studies (with Elinor Sullivan), as well as studies of genetics, family factors, and personality and temperament from a longitudinal perspective.
Shannon Nugent, Ph.D. (associate; Psychiatry/VA) Dr. Nugent Nugent, PhD is an investigator at the VA Portland Healthcare System, Center to Improve Veteran Involvement in Care (CIVIC) and an Assistant Professor at Oregon Health and Science University in the Department of Psychiatry. Dr. Nugent’s research interests are in the areas of palliative medicine, psychosocial oncology, chronic pain, evidence synthesis, and improving access to health care for older adults. She is in her fourth year of a five-year Mentored Research Scholar Grant from the American Cancer Society, “Survivors of Head and Neck Cancer: Optimizing Pain Management.” In addition, she is a co-investigator on two VA HSR&D study that aims to qualitatively describe the health experiences of Gulf War Era Veterans or Long-COVID. She completed her PhD in Clinical Health Psychology from the University of Colorado Denver in 2015 and completed a two-year health services research fellowship with CIVIC in 2018.
Christopher Reigeluth, Ph.D. (associate; Psychiatry) in Clinical Psychology from Clark University. Dr. Reigeluth is an Associate Professor in the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. His areas of specialization include trauma, anxiety, mood disorders, externalizing presentations, and parent training. In addition to clinical work, Dr. Reigeluth supports the teaching and supervision of psychiatry fellows and clinical psychology doctoral students. His research has focused on masculinities and mental health and ways that dominant masculine gender socialization pressures can influence boys’ functioning and well-being. Dr. Reigeluth’s research currently focuses on treatment engagement of boys and men and treatment development using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).
Chris Stauffer, M.D. (associate; Psychiatry/VA) is an Oregon Health & Science University medical school graduate, psychiatrist, and addiction medicine physician. Dr. Stauffer's lab aims to maximize the benefits of therapeutic alliance and psychotherapy through the adjunct use of social psychopharmacology—such as oxytocin, MDMA, and psilocybin.
Donald Sullivan, M.D. M.A., M.C.R. (associate; Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine) Dr. Sullivan is an Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine and Division of Oncological Sciences of the Knight Cancer Institute at Oregon Health & Science University. He is an affiliate Physician-Scientist at the Portland VA Healthcare System in the Center to Improve Veteran Involvement in Care (CIVIC). Dr. Sullivan’s research focuses on improving the quality of life and value of care among persons with serious respiratory illness (e.g., lung cancer, respiratory failure, COPD) by enhancing the integration of palliative care. He is also interested in decision-making science and is developing an intervention to enhance shared decision-making among patients with lung cancer. Active large research grants as a principal investigator include a Research Scholar Grant from the American Cancer Society and an R01 from the National Institutes on Aging. Dr. Sullivan is actively involved in research mentorship within the Pulmonary Fellowship Program as the Program Lead for Clinical Research and is the Associate Director of the NIH KL2 Program at the Oregon Clinical and Translational Research Institute.
Elinor Sullivan, Ph.D. (associate; Psychiatry/Oregon National Primate Research Center) in Integrative Physiology from Oregon Health & Science University. Dr. Sullivan’s research examines the influence of the early environment on offspring behavioral and emotional regulation, with an emphasis on behaviors that relate to early precursors of mental and behavioral disorders including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorders, anxiety, and depression. She currently is directing a large new study following a new, large cohort of pregnant women and offspring from before birth to preschool, to track early prediction and mechanisms, in collaboration with Joel Nigg, Jennifer Loftis, and Hanna Gustafsson.
Alan Teo, M.D., M.S. (associate; Psychiatry/VA) is a physician-investigator and mental health services researcher. He is Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Oregon Health & Science University, and Director of Education and Core Investigator at the Center to Improve Veteran Involvement in Care (CIVIC) at the VA Portland Health Care System (VAPORHCS).
Dr. Teo’s works intersects the fields of health services, behavioral science, and social and cultural psychiatry. The overarching theme of Dr. Teo’s research is the role of social relationships in influencing mental health outcomes. He has a particular focus on insights and interventions that can mitigate loneliness and social isolation as a suicide prevention strategy.
In current and recent work funded by the VA, he conducted a randomized controlled trial of VA S.A.V.E., a form of “gatekeeper training” designed to help family and friends assist military veterans at risk for suicide, and he is also leading a pragmatic trial of Caring Contacts in older veterans who have chronic medical or psychiatric conditions and limited engagement in the VA. He also maintains interests in leveraging social media in health services research and recently has helped lead an evaluation of digital ads used in VA’s “Keep It Secure” suicide prevention campaign, which focuses on firearms safety. Finally, Dr. Teo is an international expert in a severe form of social withdrawal called hikikomori, about which more information is available on his webpage. He completed his education and training at Stanford University, University of California San Francisco, and University of Michigan.
Michael Vanderlind, Ph.D. (associate; Pediatrics) is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at OHSU. He earned his PhD in clinical psychology from Yale University and completed his internship and fellowship training at Weill Cornell Medicine where he specialized in pediatric neuropsychology. At OHSU, he works as a psychologist in the Pediatric Hematology-Oncology division, where he conducts neuropsychological evaluations and serves as the attending psychologist in the survivorship clinic. He is also the Associate Training Director of OHSU's predoctoral internship program in pediatric psychology. Within the CPP, Dr. Vanderlind is a pediatric neuropsychology practicum supervisor and teaches a course on child assessment. His research interests focus on the impact of psychological difficulty on cognitive functioning across a range of medical and psychiatric disorders.
Dorianne Wright, Ph.D. (associate; Psychiatry) in Clinical Psychology from the University of Oregon. Dr. Wright is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and a licensed psychologist in the Adult Psychiatry Outpatient Clinic at OHSU. Dr. Wright specializes in evidence-based treatments for anxiety, mood, and trauma-related disorders, including Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Prolonged Exposure (PE), and Exposure & Response Prevention (ERP).
Other Contributors
Christopher F. Anderson, Ph.D. (other contributor; Psychiatry/VA) in Clinical Psychology from Auburn University. Dr. Anderson is the Chief of Psychology at the VA Portland Health Care System and is also Program Manager for the Substance Use Disorder Treatment Program (SATP) and the PTSD Clinical Team (PCT). He consults with the Regional Liver Transplant Program, performing pre-transplant evaluations to determine candidate's risk of relapse post-transplant surgery.
James W. Carson, Ph.D. (other contributor; Psychiatry) in Clinical Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr. Carson has worked extensively with individuals suffering from persistent pain (back pain, fibromyalgia, cancer-related, multiple sclerosis, etc.), those with post-concussion/traumatic brain injury concerns, and patients referred for bariatric surgery consideration. He is an Associate Professor of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine in the School of Medicine at OHSU.
Kalin Clark, Psy.D., ABPP (other contributor; Gastroenterology and Hepatology)
Kurt A. Freeman, Ph.D. (other contributor; Pediatrics) in Clinical Psychology from West Virginia University. Dr. Freeman is the program director of the CDRC Behavioral Pediatrics Treatment Program, which focuses on toileting problems, tic and habit problems, and behavior problems in young children.
Sue Gritzner, Psy.D. (other contributor; Anesthesia) in Clinical Psychology from Pacific University. Dr. Gritzner specializes in the treatment of patients with chronic illness such as chronic pain and concussion. She is especially interested in evidence based approaches such as cognitive behavioral techniques and approaches that facilitate a relaxation response (compassion, guided imagery, relaxation, and meditation).
Hanna Gustafsson, Ph.D. (other contributor; Psychiatry) in Developmental Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr. Gustafsson's research explores prenatal and early life influences on children’s self-regulation and risk for psychopathology. Dr. Gustafsson has a specific interest in perinatal mental health and in identifying the biological and family-level mechanisms through which early life experiences influence children’s long term functioning.
Trevor Hall, Psy.D., ABPdN (other contributor; Pediatrics) is a Professor and Pediatric Neuropsychologist at OHSU. Dr. Hall is the Associate Director of the Pediatric Critical Care & Neurotrauma Recovery Program (PCCNRP) where he works to develop and effectively communicate an understanding of neurocognitive functioning in children and adolescents admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) for a brain related injury or illness, so that specific evidence-based treatment/intervention strategies can be developed with the goal of optimizing recovery. Dr. Hall works closely with Dr. Williams researching factors related to post-intensive care syndrome (PICS) that impact both pediatric patients (PICS-p) and their families (PICS-f). He primarily leads projects related to the development, validation, and methodological utilization of contemporary baseline and outcome measures.
Nathan Hantke, Ph.D. (other contributor; Psychiatry) in Clinical Psychology from Marquette University. Dr. Hantke's is a board certified clinical neuropsychologist with experience assessing cognitive problems in adults across a wide range of diagnoses. His primary research interests are in geriatric neuropsychology, and he also serves as the national Co-Director for the VA’s 27-site research fellowship program in mental illness research and treatment.
Michael A. Harris, Ph.D. (other contributor; Pediatrics) in Clinical Psychology from Alliant International University, San Diego. Dr. Harris is the director and founder of OHSU’s Novel Interventions in Children’s Healthcare (NICH) program. His research has involved the adaptation, implementation and evaluation of a family-based psychosocial intervention for adolescents with chronic conditions.
Thomas Kern, Ph.D. (other contributor; Anesthesiology) in Clinical Psychology from the University of Missouri. Dr. Kern specializes in helping patients manage chronic pain and other chronic conditions. He is the Director of Pain Psychology for OHSU's Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine (APOM).
Christina Low Kapalu, Ph.D. (other contributor; Pediatrics)
Mair Marsiglio, Ph.D. (other contributor; Transgender Health Program)
Angelica M. Morales, Ph.D. (other contributor; Psychiatry) Dr. Angelica Morales is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Oregon Health & Science University. She received a PhD in Neuroscience from the University of California, Los Angeles. She is also an Associate Editor at the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence. Throughout her career she has been passionate about understanding the mechanisms that underlie substance use disorders to inform the development of evidence-based interventions for prevention and treatment. She uses multimodal neuroimaging to assess brain structure, function, and chemistry, with the goal of understanding the role individual differences neurobiology play in the initiation, escalation, and maintenance of substance use disorders. Her research also focuses on identifying neurobiological factors the predict treatment outcomes.
Danielle Moyer, Ph.D. (other contributor; Pediatrics), in Clinical Psychology from the University of North Texas. Dr. Moyer practices primarily in the Doernbecher Gender Clinic and in association with the OHSU Transgender Health Program. She specializes in supporting transgender and gender diverse youth and their families.
Emily Olsen, Ph.D. (other contributor; Pediatrics) in Clinical Psychology from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Dr. Olsen provides neuropsychological assessment, consultation, and treatment for youth with developmental and medical complexity.
Jacob Raber, Ph.D. (other contributor; Behavioral Neuroscience) in Molecular Genetics and Virology from The Weizmann Institute of Science. Dr. Raber’s studies the aging brain and causes and mechanisms of neurological disorders and psychological disorders of aging, using both humans and in animal (non-human primate and rodent) models. Research targets include both specific molecular genetic targets, such as apolipoprotein E, and environmental factors, including irradiation, immunotherapy, a high-fat diet, environmental toxins, second-hand smoke, and other stressors. Based on what is learned in animal models, tests and treatment strategies are being developed to improve brain function in humans suffering from these conditions. Possible opportunities include collaborative efforts with Dr. Mitchell or Loftis in the context of aging, addiction, or viral infections as part of a co-mentored rotation or beyond. Read more about Dr. Raber’s research.
Kimberly Reynolds, Ph.D. (other contributor; Pediatrics) in Medical/Clinical Psychology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Dr. Reynolds is the Training Director of the Clinical Psychology Internship at OHSU and also provides psychological assessment and treatment to children with developmental disabilities and chronic medical conditions. Research activities relate to pediatric obesity, program development, and interprofessional training.
Andrew Riley, Ph.D. (other contributor; Pediatrics) in Clinical Psychology from Western Michigan University. Dr. Riley’s research interests focus on the integration of behavioral health services in pediatric primary care and the dissemination of simple and effective methods for improving common child behavior problems.
Stephanie Rodriguez, Psy.D. (other contributor; Psychiatry/VA)
Kimberly Spiro, Ph.D. (other contributor; Pediatrics) in School Psychology from the University of Oregon. Dr. Spiro co-directs the Novel Interventions in Children's Healthcare, which assists youth with chronic medical conditions and their families.
Jacklyn Stellway Beard, Psy.D. (other contributor; Pediatrics) in Clinical Psychology from Nova Southeastern University. Dr. Stellway specializes in caring for children and adolescents with gastrointestinal issues.
Cathleen Turnage, Psy.D. (other contributor; Pediatrics) is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at OHSU. She earned her PsyD in clinical psychology from Pacific University and completed her internship training Boston Children’s Hospital at Harvard Medical School where she specialized in pediatric psychology. She completed two post-doctoral fellowships, one at Holtz Children’s Hospital at the University of Miami and one at OHSU, both focusing on pediatric psychology. Currently, Dr. Turnage is primarily focused on providing outpatient assessment and treatment to children and adolescents seen in the Child & Adolescent Headache Clinic through Pediatric Neurology at OHSU. She also provides behavioral assessment and treatment to children and adolescents through the multidisciplinary Pediatric Pain Management Clinic. Dr. Turnage is a pediatric psychology supervisor for practicum students and pre-doctoral interns. Her research interests focus on the impact of chronic pain on youth, familial adjustment to children with chronic illness, familial factors associated with poor pain outcomes, non-pharmacological treatment of pediatric headache, and early identification of risk.
Cydni Williams, M.D., M.C.R. (other contributor; Pediatrics) is an Associate Professor and Pediatric Critical Care Physician at OHSU who specializes in pediatric neurocritical care (children with brain injuries and illnesses requiring intensive care unit admission). Dr. Williams is the Director of the Pediatric Critical Care & Neurotrauma Recovery Program (PCCNRP) where she leads a multidisciplinary team to help children and families journey through recovery from inpatient hospitalization to years after hospital discharge. Children who survive a PICU admission experience challenges not only associated with their primary ICU condition and concomitant treatment, but also a collection of physical, cognitive, emotional, and social symptoms. This assortment of symptoms has been named post-intensive care syndrome (PICS) and can impact both pediatric patients (PICS-p) and their families (PICS-f). Dr. Williams has expertise in patient outcomes after critical care including PICS and sleep disturbances, both providing clinical care and leading research focused in these areas.