Melissa c. Blackwell, psy. D

CLINICAL EXPERIENCE

August 2013 – Present NeuroBehavioral Associates

Columbia, Maryland Clinical Psychologist/Neuropsychologist

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  Conduct comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations with children, adolescents, and adults with a range of congenital and acquired neurological disorders, developmental and intellectual disabilities, and learning, emotional and behavioral disorders
  
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  Generate neuropsychological reports and provide feedback to families on assessment results and clinical recommendations based on individual’s pattern of strengths and weaknesses
  
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  Provide school consultation and liaison services and collaborate with teachers and IEP team members to facilitate implementation of school-based interventions and accommodations
  
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  Conduct independent evaluations regarding psychological and cognitive capacities raised in a legal forum
  
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  Provide expert witness services
  
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  Provided neuropsychology supervision to masters and doctoral level practicum students
  

Sept 2011 – Aug 2013 The Hospital for Sick Children (APPCN Member Program)

Toronto, Ontario, Canada Department of Psychology

Neuropsychology Post-Doctoral Fellow

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  Conducted both comprehensive and focused neuropsychological evaluations with children and adolescents with various congenital and acquired central nervous system disorders, including populations with intellectual disabilities, with rotations in epilepsy (Epilepsy Surgery Program and Epilepsy Classroom), hematology/oncology, sickle cell disease, metabolic genetics, and neonatal follow-up clinics
  
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  Conducted neuropsychological assessments within a minor adult neuropsychology rotation with adults with epilepsy, movement disorders, and dementia conditions
  
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  Conducted medical/educational history reviews and semi-structured clinical interviews with families
  
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  Generated neuropsychological reports and provided psychoeducation and feedback to patients and families on assessment results and clinical recommendations based on individual’s pattern of strengths and weaknesses
  
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  Provided verbal and/or written consultation to referring physicians and other clinical staff
  
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  Provided school consultations and collaborated with teachers and IEP team members to facilitate implementation of school-based interventions and accommodations
  
• 
  Worked on a grant-funded research project investigating the effectiveness of an empirically-validated cognitive remediation program for children with intractable epilepsy
  
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  Received specialty training and certification in CogMed coaching
  
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  Completed three research posters that were presented at international conferences, submitted a manuscript for publication, and preparing several other manuscripts for publication in peer-reviewed journals
  
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  Provided neuropsychology training and supervision to pre-doctoral practicum students, research assistants, and psychometrists
  
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  Attended and presented cases and training lectures at weekly grand rounds, case conferences, and multidisciplinary Epilepsy and Sickle Cell Disease team meetings
  
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  Attended specialty didactics in neuropsychology, neuroscience and health psychology lecture series, journal club
  

Sept 2010 – Aug 2011 Henry Ford Health System (APA-Approved Internship Program)

Detroit, Michigan Neuropsychology Division of the Department of Psychiatry

Pre-Doctoral Intern

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  Conducted both comprehensive and focused neuropsychological assessments with children and adolescents with various congenital and acquired central nervous system disorders, with rotations in inpatient epilepsy unit, general outpatient neuropsychology, and multidisciplinary center for autism and developmental disabilities
  
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  Differentially diagnosed suspected seizure disorders, assisted in accurate localization of seizure focus, and monitored neurocognitive response to treatment on a multidisciplinary inpatient epilepsy monitoring unit
  
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  Conducted medical/educational history review and semi-structured clinical interviews with families
  
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  Generated neuropsychological reports and provided psychoeducation and feedback to parents on assessment results, including clinical recommendations based on child’s strengths and weaknesses
  
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  Generated neuropsychological reports used in a legal forum
  
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  Provided verbal and/or written consultation to referring physicians and other clinical staff
  
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  Collaborated with teachers and IEP team members to facilitate implementation of school-based interventions and accommodations
  
• 
  Participated on an inpatient adult psychiatry consultation and liaison service doing medical chart reviews, providing differential diagnoses and brief treatment interventions based on behavioral and psychosocial problems associated with acute and chronic medical conditions, and giving feedback to referring physicians
  
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  Provided neuropsychological assessment training and supervision to psychometrists and rotating medical students
  
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  Attended and presented cases at weekly grand rounds and case conferences, as well as specialty didactics in a neuropsychology lecture series, journal club, neuroscience lecture series, neuroanatomy series, in-vivo ECT observations, and brain cutting
  

Sept 2009 – Aug 2010 Children’s National Medical Center Pediatric

Rockville, Maryland Neuropsychology Program

and Washington, DC Advanced Pre-Doctoral Extern

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  Conducted comprehensive neuropsychological assessments with children and adolescents with various congenital, neurodevelopmental, and acquired central nervous system disorders, with rotations in hematology and oncology, epilepsy, executive functioning clinic, and SCORE concussion clinic
  
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  Assisted in conducting semi-structured clinical interviews with patients and families
  
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  Administered, scored, and interpreted neuropsychological tests and generated neuropsychological reports
  
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  Assisted in providing verbal and/or written feedback to parents, school staff, and referring physicians on assessment results and clinical recommendations
  
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  Received special training working with the deaf and hard of hearing as part of a multidisciplinary cochlear implant team
  
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  Attended weekly grand rounds, case conferences and neuropsychological seminars
  

March 2004 – Aug 2010 Main Street Mobile Treatment Associates, Inc.

Reisterstown, Maryland Mobile Treatment Counselor

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  Provided weekly in-home therapeutic services to children with internalizing and externalizing disorders and their families, as well as to adults and geriatric adults with chronic mental illness and/or chronic medical conditions that preclude them from leaving home
  
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  Used a wide range of therapeutic techniques including, but not limited to: cognitive-behavioral, solution-focused, psychodynamic, client-centered, and family therapy
  
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  Provided case management services, as needed
  
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  Assisted in training newly hired mobile treatment therapists
  
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  Attended regular supervision with a licensed psychologist, as well as multidisciplinary team meetings, grand rounds, and trainings
  
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  Drove and assisted the treating psychiatrist on visits to mobile treatment clients for medication management, both in providing support to clients and in organizing necessary paperwork
  

Sept 2008 – Aug 2009 Kennedy Krieger Institute Department of Neuropsychology

Baltimore, Maryland Pre-Doctoral Extern

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  Conducted comprehensive neuropsychological assessments and generated integrated reports on a diverse population of child and adolescent clients, who varied in demographics and medical, neurodevelopmental, attentional, academic, intellectual, social, emotional and/or behavioral concerns, as well as provided feedback and recommendations to clients’ families
  
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  Received specialty training working in a brain injury clinic with children and adolescents who recently sustained mild to moderate traumatic brain injuries
  
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  Participated in inpatient neurorehabilitation sessions and multidisciplinary team meetings
  
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  Compiled and presented case reports at outpatient neuropsychology grand rounds
  
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  Attended weekly neurology, epilepsy, and inpatient traumatic brain injury case conferences, and seminars
  

May 2007 – Aug 2007 Walter Reed Army Institute

Washington, DC Pre-Doctoral Extern

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  Conducted clinical interviews and neuropsychological assessments with a diverse population of men and women serving in the military and their children with diagnoses including traumatic brain injury, ADHD, intellectual and learning disabilities, and co-occurring mood and anxiety disorders
  
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  Generated neuropsychological reports and assisted in providing feedback and recommendations to clients and their families
  
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  Observed weekly psychotherapy sessions via live telecommunication with soldiers located at various army bases and acted as co-therapist in designated sessions
  

Sept 2006 – June 2007 Gaudenzia Intensive Treatment Program

Baltimore, Maryland Pre-Doctoral Extern

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  Worked in a Baltimore City prison-based treatment program with incarcerated males with substance abuse and dependence with dual psychiatric and/or neurodevelopmental diagnoses
  
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  Conducted comprehensive psychological assessments within the prison setting that included cognitive, emotional, and objective and projective personality assessments, as well as pre- and post- substance abuse and forensic/criminality assessment tools to assist in treatment planning and monitoring of treatment outcome
  
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  Generated psychological evaluation reports and provided feedback to clients and their treatment teams
  
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  Provided weekly individual therapy
  
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  Facilitated family therapy sessions and several different therapy groups, including cognitive-behavioral, anger management, job readiness, and self-help groups, with a focus on substance abuse interventions and strategies for reintegration into the community
  
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  Utilized a cognitive-behavioral treatment approach while conceptualizing clients using an integrative approach that emphasized a psychodynamic understanding of the individual
  
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  Served in consultative role, training counselors on neurobiology and various treatment conceptualizations of addiction
  
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  Presented case reports at weekly multidisciplinary team meetings
  

Aug 2005 – Aug 2006 Main Street Community Mental Health Center

Reisterstown, Maryland Intake Coordinator

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  Collected referral information for prospective community mental health center clients
  
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  Contacted insurance companies to obtain treatment authorizations
  
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  Completed necessary administrative tasks, including sharing intake information with mental health professionals, communicating with referring agencies, and scheduling appointments
  

Aug 2004 – July 2005 Loyola Clinical Center

Baltimore, Maryland Graduate Extern

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  Assisted in administering, scoring, and interpreting comprehensive batteries of psychological and neuropsychological tests
  
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  Provided weekly individual and/or family therapy with a child and adolescent population who had various mood and anxiety disorders, as well as clients who had a diagnosis of ADHD
  
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  Developed and co-facilitated weekly social skills group to school-age children who had social and/or behavioral difficulties
  
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  Conducted weekly parent training sessions as part of a community outreach initiative
  
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  Observed via live video feed numerous psychotherapy, psychological testing, and feedback sessions with a diverse population of community mental health clients
  

Aug 2003 – Dec 2004 Humanim – Behavioral Support Services (BSS)

Columbia, Maryland Behavior Technician

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  Administered, scored, and interpreted various expressive and receptive language measures and behavioral inventories and used these assessment results to inform treatment plans
  
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  Developed behavior management programs for adults and children with pervasive developmental and/or intellectual disabilities, many with co-occurring Axis I mental disorders, who have been served though a Maryland Medicaid waiver grant
  
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  Implemented in-home programs in academic/vocational skills, social skills, coping skills, and other adaptive living skills to adults and children with developmental disabilities as a member of a multidisciplinary treatment team
  
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  Conducted in-home behavior management and parenting skills trainings
  
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  Participated in pertinent treatment meetings and trainings
  

Jan 2002 – Aug 2003 Community Services for Autistic Adults and Children (CSAAC) –

Rockville, Maryland Intensive Early Intervention Unit

Behavior Technician

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  Provided in-home individual therapy 2-3 times per week to children with autism using Applied Behavior Analysis to enhance language, social/play, academic, and independent living skills
  
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  Incorporated the Picture Exchange Communication System in order to improve overall compliance and communication
  
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  Collected, entered, and interpreted data on clients’ behaviors
  
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  Presented client information at weekly clinic team meetings
  

Aug 1998 – Aug 2000 Lovaas’ Home-Based Treatment

Baltimore, Maryland Behavior Technician

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  Provided in-home individual therapy to a young boy with autism using Lovaas’ Applied Behavior Analysis in order to enhance his language, social/play, academic, and independent living skills
  
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  Collected, entered, and interpreted data on child’s behaviors
  
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  Communicated with child’s parents regarding his progress to help generalize his skills learned in one-on-one sessions
  

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

Sept 2011 – Present The Hospital for Sick Children

Research Co-Investigator

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  Work on a grant-funded research project examining the effectiveness of an empirically-validated cognitive remediation program for children with intractable epilepsy
  
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  Completed three research posters that were presented at international conferences, submitted a manuscript for publication, and preparing several other manuscripts on neuropsychological and treatment outcomes in children with intractable epilepsy or rare genetic syndromes for publication in peer-reviewed journals
  

Completed Aug 2011 Argosy University, Washington DC

Clinical Research Project/Dissertation

Longitudinal MRI Correlates of Parent Ratings of Working Memory in Healthy Children based on Age and Sex
June 2009 – Aug 2010 Comprehensive Developmental Services

Reisterstown, Maryland Research Assistant

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  Conducted literature reviews on research related to the construct and criterion-related validity of the Test of Memory Malingering (TOMM) with forensic clients with developmental disabilities
  
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  Coded and entered data related to assessing the TOMM’s validity
  

Aug 2004 – May 2005 Loyola College in Maryland

Graduate Research Assistant

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  Edited research studies prior to publication on variables related to romantic attachment and homosexuality
  
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  Coded and entered research database information
  
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  Attended all research team meetings
  

Aug 2003 – Aug 2004 Loyola College in Maryland

Master’s Thesis

The Relation between College Student Stress and Romantic Relationship Quality: The Moderating Role of Attachment Style
Jan 2003 – Dec 2004 Humanim – Behavioral Support Services (BSS)

Research Assistant

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  Performed literature reviews on standardized assessments and behavioral interventions used with persons with developmental disabilities
  
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  Performed data collection, transcription, and entry for BSS database on variables related to clients with developmental disabilities to measure and improve treatment outcomes
  

Aug 2002 – May 2003 University of Maryland Baltimore County

Undergraduate Research Assistant

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  Collected data in participants’ homes via semi-structured interviews, standardized testing and questionnaires on variables related to adult and infant attachment, as well as cognitive and psychosocial development in low socioeconomic status families
  
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  Trained in and performed Bayley Scale of Infant Development (BSID) and Adult Attachment Interview (AAI)
  
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  Coded and entered research database information
  
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  Attended relevant trainings and weekly research team meetings
  

RESEARCH PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS

Levinson, M., Blackwell, M., and Culotta, V. (2014, November). Neurobehavioral and

Neurocognitive Profile of an 8-Year-Old Male with a 17q12 Microdeletion. Poster

presented at the 34th Annual National Academy of Neuropsychology (NAN) Conference, Fajardo, Puerto Rico.

Blackwell, M. (2014, October). School Success for Struggling Learners: Practical Strategies for

ADHD, Anxiety, and Lack of Focus. Invited lecture at Cornerstone Academy, Mt. Airy, MD.

Culotta, V. and Blackwell, M. (2014, August). Gender, Learning, and Behavior in the Classroom: A

Neuroscience Perspective for Behavioral Intervention. Invited lecture at Torah Institute, Owings Mills, MD.

Kerr, E. N., Blackwell, M., Alavie, N., and Riches, M. (in press). Effectiveness of Direct Instruction

in Remediating Phonological Processing In Students with Intractable Epilepsy. Epilepsy & Behavior.

Kerr, E. N., Blackwell, M., Rommens, J. M., and Durie, P. R. (in press). Evaluation of Contextual

Factors Impacting Health Outcomes of Families of Children with Shwachman Diamond

Syndrome: A Matched-Control Cohort Study. Health and Quality of Life Outcomes.
Blackwell, M. and Kerr, E. N. (2013, June). Adaptive independence difficulties in children with

intractable epilepsy on the Scales of Independent Behavior – Revised (SIB-R). Poster

presented at the 30^th Annual International Epilepsy Congress (IEC) Conference, Montreal,

Canada.
Kerr, E. N., Blackwell, M., and Alavie, N. (2013, June). The impact of intervention on working

memory in children with intractable epilepsy: Preliminary results from a repeated measure

study. Poster presented at the 30^th Annual International Epilepsy Congress (IEC) Conference,

Montreal, Canada.
Blackwell, M., Kerr, E. N., Rommens, J. M., and Durie, P. R. (2013, February). Psychosocial

protective factors within families of children With Shwachman Diamond Syndrome. Poster

presented at the 41^st Annual International Neuropsychological Society (INS) Conference,

Waikoloa, Hawaii.

Blackwell, M., Sanz, J. H., DeMatt, E., Hartman, A. L., & Salorio, C. F. (2010, February). Behavioral difficulties after left and right hemispherectomy. Poster presented at the 38^th annual International Neuropsychological Society (INS) Conference, Acapulco, Mexico.
Sanz, J. H., Blackwell, M., DeMatt, E., Hartman, A. L., & Salorio, C. F. (2010, February). Behavioral predictors of quality of life following hemispherectomy surgery. Poster presented at the 38^th annual INS Conference, Acapulco, Mexico.
Blackwell, M. (2009, April). Alzheimer’s dementia versus pseudodementia. Poster presented at

the 9^th annual Cognition and Affect Campus Poster Session (A. August-Fedio), American School of Professional Psychology at Argosy University, Washington, DC, Arlington, Virginia.

Blackwell, M. (2009, November). The effects of chronic stress on the brain. Poster presented at

the 3^rd annual Medical Psychology Campus Poster Session (K. Johnson), American School of Professional Psychology at Argosy University, Washington, DC,

Arlington, Virginia.

TEACHING EXPERIENCE­­

June 2009 – Aug 2009 Argosy University, Washington, DC

Teaching Assistant

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  Assisted professor in doctoral level social psychology course
  
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  Reviewed and graded weekly assignments and discussion postings related to social psychology
  

Jan 2008 – Apr 2008 Argosy University, Washington, DC

and Jan 2009 – Apr 2009 Teaching Assistant

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  Assisted professor in two doctoral level child and adolescent psychopathology courses
  
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  Met with all students to supervise course-related presentations
  
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  Conducted exam review sessions to help students better understand course material
  

Sept 2008 – Dec 2008 Argosy University/Washington, DC

Teaching Assistant

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  Assisted professor in doctoral level adult psychopathology course
  
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  Conducted two-hour lecture on eating disorders
  
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  Graded and provided feedback to students on weekly homework assignments, essay exams, and research papers
  

Sept 2004 – Dec 2004 Loyola College in Maryland

Teaching Assistant

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  Assisted professor in doctoral level course on the principles and practices of psychotherapy
  
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  Conducted weekly therapy role play sessions to facilitate development of students’ psychotherapy skills
  
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  Graded and provided feedback to students on homework assignments, essay exams, and research papers
  

AWARDS/HONORS

2005 Who’s Who in American Universities and Colleges

2002 – 2003 Summa Cum Laude

Psi Chi National Honor Society in Psychology, President

Phi Beta Kappa

Phi Kappa Phi

Golden Key International Honor Society

Outstanding Graduating Senior Award

Distinguished Achievement Award for Psychology

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

2011 – Present National Academy of Neuropsychology (NAN) – Associate Member

2009 – Present International Neuropsychological Society (INS) – Associate Member

2003 – Present American Psychological Association (APA) – Member

2003 – 2005 Maryland Psychological Association for Graduate Students (MPAGS) – Convention Chair and Member