Resume

• 2015

  Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

  Clinical Neuropsychology

  University of Houston

• 2012

  Bachelor of Arts (BA)

  National Institutes of Health (NIH) Scholar\n\nDirector of Outreach\n\t\tPsychology Mentoring Outreach and Education (PsyMORE) Program

  San\n\t\tDiego State University\n\nS.M.A.R.T. Club Executive Director\n\t\tStudent Mentored Academic Research Training (SMART) Club

  San Diego\n\t\tState University\n\nCalendar Production Chair\n\t\tMortar Board

  Senior National Honor Society San Diego State University\n\nSenate Committee Member: Student Research Committee \n\t\tDivision of Research and Graduate Affairs

  San Diego State University

  Psychology/Biology

  San Diego State University-California State University

• 2010

  Associate of Arts (A.A.)

  Psychology

  San Diego Mesa College

• Summer Academy to Inspire Learning (SAIL)

  Mentor

  Expanding Your Horizons

  Safe Zone Ally

  Safe Zones

  Research

  Neuropsychological Assessment

  Microsoft Office

  Mentoring

  Scientific Writing

  SPSS

  Statistics

  PowerPoint

  Protein Chemistry

  Public Speaking

  Data Analysis

  Fluorescence Microscopy

  JMP

  RT-PCR

  Community Outreach

  PCR

  Immunohistochemistry

  Microsoft Excel

  Higher Education

  Psychology

  The Effect of Interference on Temporal Order Memory in Premanifest and Manifest Huntington’s Disease.

  Adrianne Collazo

  Eva Pirogovsky

  Paul Gilbert

  Jodi Corey-Bloom

  Jodi Goldstein

  Diane Nicoll

  \nTemporal order memory was investigated in individuals diagnosed with manifest Huntington’s disease (HD)

  premanifest gene carriers for HD

  and controls. Participants completed a visuospatial temporal order memory task involving manipulations of the temporal separation between two spatial locations in a random sequence. Temporally proximal locations in the sequence were hypothesized to result in more interference compared to temporally distant locations. Premanifest gene carriers were significantly impaired compared to controls on proximal temporal separations but improved and matched controls on distal separations. HD patients improved as a function of increased temporal separation but demonstrated significant impairments across all separations relative to controls. The findings suggest that temporal order memory declines with increased interference during the premanifest stages of HD. In addition

  the data indicate that temporal order memory is impaired in manifest HD even when temporal interference is minimal. The findings identify a fundamental

  yet relatively unexamined

  processing deficit that may affect multiple cognitive functions and the execution of various daily living skills in individuals with HD. \n

  The Effect of Interference on Temporal Order Memory in Premanifest and Manifest Huntington’s Disease.

  Steven Paul Woods

  Erica Hodgson

  Michael Weinborn

  Romola S. Bucks

  Objective: Older adults commonly experience mild declines in everyday functioning and the strategic aspects of prospective memory (PM). This study used multiprocess theory to examine whether the strategic demands of retrieval cue type (event vs. time based) and delay interval length (2 vs. 15 min) influence the relationship between PM and activities of daily living (ADLs) in older adults. Method: Participants included 97 community-dwelling older adults recruited from the Western Australia Participant Pool. Participants were administered the Memory for Intentions Screening Test (MIST) and Prospective and Retrospective Memory Questionnaire (PRMQ) as part of a larger neurocognitive assessment. A knowledgeable informant completed the Activities of Daily Living Questionnaire (ADLQ)

  from which a cutpoint of ≥1 was used to classify participants into “ADL normal” (n = 37) or “mild ADL problems” (n = 60) groups. Repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) controlling for age was conducted with ADL group as the between-subjects factor and either MIST or PRMQ cue and delay scores as the within-subjects factors. Results: We observed a significant ADL group by PM interaction on the MIST

  with pair-wise analyses showing that the mild ADL problems group performed worse than ADL normal participants on the 15-min time-based scale (p < .001

  Cohen’s d = 0.71). No other MIST or PRMQ cue–delay variable differed between the two ADL groups (ps > .10). Conclusion: Findings indicate that decrements in strategically demanding cue monitoring and detection over longer PM delays may partly explain older adults’ mild problems in everyday functioning. Findings may inform neuropsychological interventions aimed at maintaining ADL independence and enhancing quality of life in older adults.

  Retrieval Cue and Delay Interval Influence the Relationship Between Prospective Memory and Activities of Daily Living in Older Adults

  Institute of Neuroscience University of Oregon

  Integrative Biology of Social Behavior

  San Diego Mesa College

  Cognitive Neuropsychology of Daily Life Laboratory

  Center for Healthy Aging and Neurodegenerative Disease Research Lab

  University of Houston

  The mission of the Cognitive Neuropsychology of Daily Life (CNDL) Laboratory is to conduct state-of-the-art research and teaching that translates ideas from the cognitive neurosciences into new ways to understand

  assess

  and improve the day-to-day lives of people with brain dysfunction.

  Graduate Research Assistant

  Cognitive Neuropsychology of Daily Life Laboratory

  Michigan State University

  Project: The Effect of Ovariectomy on Maternal Behavior and Anxiety \n\nResponsibilities: Performed vaginal cytology on female rats

  ovariectomies

  and brain extractions

  Conducted detailed observations of mother- litter interactions

  and elevated plus maze tests of\nanxiety

  Completed statistical analysis of maternal behavior and anxiety data using SPSS

  Undergraduate Researcher (REU)

  Integrative Biology of Social Behavior

  Eugene

  Oregon

  Project: Usher Type 2 Protein Localization and Retinal Cell Survival is Affected in a Zebrafish ush2a Mutant \n\nResponsibilities:\tConducted RNA Extraction

  First Strand DNA Synthesis

  Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR)

  Performed histology preparation protocols: Embedding & Tissue Fixation

  Utilized immunohistochemistry protocol; responsible for examining protein localization and neural retinal cell death using fluorescent microscopy

  Completed statistical analysis of cell death

  Undergraduate Research Assistant

  Institute of Neuroscience University of Oregon

  San Diego

  Responsibilities: Organized and facilitated workshops and review sessions; held regular office hours; prepared and graded daily homework assignments; provided input to professor regarding exam content; taught class in absence of professor (under supervision); served as student liaison between professor

  student

  and counselors of department; evaluated student progress; created education plans

  Instructional Assistant: Math Department

  San Diego Mesa College

  San Diego

  Project: The Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status as a Measure of\n\tCognitive Deficits in Premanifest Huntington’s Disease\n\nResponsibilities: Administer neuropsychological tests to individuals diagnosed with Huntington’s disease

  Score and enter data

  Analyze results using SPSS\n\nProject: The Effect of Interference on Temporal Order Memory During the Premanifest and Manifest Stages of Huntington’s Disease\n\nResponsibilities: Analyze data using SPSS

  Present findings at national conference

  Assist in preparation of submitted manuscript

  Undergraduate Research Assistant

  Center for Healthy Aging and Neurodegenerative Disease Research Lab

  Society for Neuroscience (SFN)

  American Psychological Association (APA)

  American Neurological Association

  Travel Awardee

  ANA: Top abstracts submitted to 139th annual meeting

  Mortar Board

  National Honor Society

  Psi Chi

  International Honor Society

  Vice Presidential Student Service Award

  Quest for the Best

  NIH-IMSD Scholarship Program Awardee

  National Institutes of Health - Initiative for Maximizing Student Development

  Phi Kappa Phi

  National Honor Society