Our Team
Director of RP-CNBI
Stanley Berent, Ph.D., Collegiate Professor of Psychology, Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan; Mental Health Service of VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System
Dr. Hampstead is a board-certified Clinical Neuropsychologist who earned his PhD in Clinical Psychology (Neuropsychology emphasis) from Drexel University. He is the Stanley Berent, Ph.D., Collegiate Professor of Psychology in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Michigan, Staff Neuropsychologist in the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, and Clinical Core Leader of the NIA funded Michigan Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. Dr. Hampstead’s research focuses on non-pharmacologic approaches to maximize cognitive functioning in older adults across the dementia spectrum. Specifically, he uses cognition oriented treatments and non-invasive brain stimulation to enhance cognition, typically within the context of a randomized controlled trial format. Dr. Hampstead integrates these techniques with functional and structural neuroimaging in order to predict treatment response, identify the neuroplastic changes following treatment, and plan/develop new interventions. Ongoing work integrates amyloid and tau positron emission tomography (PET) in order to better characterize participant characteristics associated with treatment response. He has maintained continuous federal funding for his work since earning his doctorate (15+ years), with most support from the Department of Veterans Affairs and National Institute on Aging.
Assistant Professor
Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan
Dr. Rahman-Filipiak completed undergraduate degrees in Psychology and Biology with a minor in Neuroscience at the College of Charleston in Charleston, SC. She completed her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Neuropsychology and Statistics from Wayne State University in Detroit, MI. Dr. Rahman-Filipiak also completed a graduate certificate in Aging and Urban Health from the Wayne State University Institute of Gerontology. Her clinical internship and postdoctoral residency in Neuropsychology were completed at the VA Ann Arbor Health Systems/University of Michigan Consortium. She joined the faculty at the University of Michigan Department of Psychiatry, Neuropsychology Section in 2018. Research interests include neuropsychological feedback and biomarker-based dementia risk disclosure, metacognition, and non-pharmacologic interventions for cognitive decline. Through both her work with the Michigan Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center and the RP-CNBI, Dr. Rahman-Filipiak collaborates closely with Dr. Hampstead and his team on ongoing research projects.
Assistant Professor
Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan
Dr. Iordan received his Ph.D. in Neuroscience from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He joined the Department of Psychology at the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor as a Postdoctoral fellow in 2016 and was promoted to Assistant Research Scientist in 2020. During this time he worked on the cognitive neuroscience of aging with a focus on cognitive training and network neuroscience. He received an Alzheimer's Association Research Fellowship (AARF) career transition award in 2020. Currently, Dr. Iordan is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry. Dr. Iordan's main research interest lies in advancing the diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementias by integrating research methods that enable us to: (1) experimentally influence brain states; (2) image brain structure, metabolism, and activity; and (3) model brain-wide interactions.
Robert Spencer, Ph.D.
Chief of the Neuropsychology Section at the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System
Dr. Spencer completed his doctoral degree in Behavioral Medicine/Clinical Psychology at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and internship & postdoctoral training in neuropsychology at the Ann Arbor VA. He has authored over 50 papers, book chapters and reviews. His clinical foci are in neuropsychological assessment, traumatic brain injury, geriatrics, and delivering timely and relevant feedback to patients and providers. His research examines issues related to assessment, traumatic brain injuries, and measurement theory.
Alex Bahar-Fuchs, Ph.D.
Clinical Neuropsychologist
Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne
Alex is a researcher and clinical neuropsychologist specializing in the field of cognitive aging, and the co-leader of the Cognitive Interventions Technologies and Evaluation Research Group in the Department of Psychiatry, the University of Melbourne. His earlier research focused on early detection of cognitive decline and dementia, and over the past decade mainly on the development and evaluation of non-pharmacological interventions aimed at primary and secondary prevention of cognitive decline and dementia. Alex’s research contributions have been recognized in the form of several awards, including a Churchill Fellowship, Alzheimer’s Australia Fellowship, and two consecutive Fellowships from the National Health and Medical Research Council. Between 2016 and 2019 he served as the Chair of the nonpharmacological interventions PIA of ISTAART. Dr. Bahar-Fuchs will use his expertise to contribute to the RP-CNBI on Dr. Hampstead’s NIA funded R-35 by leading efforts to further develop CogTale and establish robust training and mentoring in the area of non-pharmacologic interventions.
Sam Crowley, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan; Mental Health Service of VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System
Sam Crowley completed his B.S. in Psychology with a Biological Emphasis at the University of California, Davis. He completed his Ph.D. in Clinical and Health Psychology at the University of Florida. He completed his predoctoral clinical internship in Health Service Psychology at Emory University. He is currently a postdoctoral fellow at the VA Ann Arbor Health Systems/Michigan Medicine Consortium. His research focuses on investigating how biological and behavioral characteristics predict cognitive decline, as well as how these characteristics predict response to interventions for cognitive decline.
Brett Schneider, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow
Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan; Mental Health Service of VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System
Brett Schneider completed his undergraduate studies in Psychology and Biology at the University of Iowa. He completed his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a predoctoral internship in neuropsychology at the VA Maine Healthcare System. He is currently a first-year adult neuropsychology postdoctoral fellow in the VA Ann Arbor Health Systems/Michigan Medicine Consortium. His areas of research include the effectiveness of tDCS to modulate neural networks and evaluating neurostimulation as an intervention for aging populations.
Eileen Robinson, RN-BC, M.P.H., CCRC
Research Program Manager
Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan
Eileen is an board-certified Gerontological nurse, with a strong background in leadership and clinical research. She has worked in acute care, long-term care and outpatient settings . Eileen is a certified clinical research coordinator, and is the former chair of the Association of Clinical Research Professionals certification examination committee. She has worked in clinical research for over 25 years, and began her research career coordinating clinical trials of dementia drugs. Eileen has been a clinical instructor in geriatric nursing as well as adjunct faculty, teaching clinical research at the University of Michigan School of Nursing. She joined the RP-CNBI in 2020. Eileen has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Madonna University and a Master of Public Health from Wayne State University. In her free time, she enjoys travel and spending time with her dog, Carl.
Stephen Schlaefflin, B.S.
Research Supervisor
Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan
Stephen graduated from the University of Michigan with a B.S. in Biomolecular Sciences and a minor in Astronomy in 2015. He joined the RP-CNBI in 2016 as the project lead for the Non-invasive brain stimulation for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) study. Stephen returned to the RP-CNBI in May 2021 as the Research Supervisor for the Stimulation to Improve Memory (STIM) study. Stephen plans to pursue a master’s degree in clinical research administration in the near future and continue gaining experience with non-invasive brain stimulation and clinical trial management. Outside of work, Stephen enjoys playing disc golf, reading, backpacking, and playing with his Boston Terrier, Tilly.
Mateo Lopez, B.A.
Clinical Reserach Coordinator
Department of Psychiatry, University of Michiga
Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan
After graduating with a BA in Molecular and Cellular Biology with a concentration in Neurobiology from the University of California, Berkeley in December 2019, Mateo joined the Computational Psychiatry, Neuroimaging, and Sleep Lab at Stanford School of Medicine. At Stanford, he led studies that looked at the relationship between sleep and neural biomarkers in the maintenance and treatment of neuropsychiatric symptoms. He joined the RP-CNBI in November 2022. He plans to apply to neuroscience and clinical science graduate programs and continue to gain experience in clinical translational neuroscience research. Outside of research, he enjoys reading, discovering new music venues, and going out salsa dancing.
Tony Moceri, B.S.
Imaging Project Coordinator
Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan
Tony graduated from Michigan State University in December 2021 with a B.S. in Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience and joined the RP-CNBI in May 2022. He plans on expanding his knowledge of neurodegenerative diseases and disorders, as well as becoming more proficient in neuroimaging analysis and processing. Tony plans to stay with the RP-CNBI while exploring potential graduate programs in the field of neuropsychology, focusing on neuromodulation and hoping to eventually work in a clinical setting. In his free time, Tony enjoys spending time with his cat ‘Ale’, as well as writing music and running. He has also begun to learn Italian, and hopes to learn at least 2 more languages.
Ashley Harrie, B.A.
Research Technician Intermediate
Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan
Ashley graduated from Washington University in St. Louis in May of 2020 with a major in Anthropology and a minor in Biology. She joined the RP-CNBI in January of 2021 to explore her interest in clinical research and interventions before applying to medical school. Her professional interests broadly encompass the intersection of culture and medicine, in addition to the interplay between mental health and substance use. She was promoted in August 2022 to the Research Technician Intermediate position. In her free time, Ashley enjoys exploring different cultures through their cuisines and culinary traditions, as well as running and is currently training to complete her first full marathon.
Mary Lesniak, B.A.
Research Technician Associate
Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan
Mary graduated from University of Michigan Dearborn with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a minor in European History and Women’s and Gender Studies in April of 2021. Mary joined RP-CNBI working on the STIM+ study in July of 2021 to gain more experience in neuropsychology research and interventions before pursuing a doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology with a Neuropsychology focus. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, cooking, gaming, and listening to true-crime podcasts.
Victor Di Rita, B.S.
Research Technician Associate
Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan
Victor graduated from Michigan State University in May 2021 with a B.S. in Behavioral Neuroscience and a minor in Philosophy. At the RP-CNBI, Victor works on STIM and PCN. He is interested in the development of personalized treatment plans for individuals with dementia through the concurrent use of tDCS and cognitive rehabilitation tasks. He plans to go to medical school to pursue a MD/PhD.
Megan Schumer, B.S.
Research Technician Associate
Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan
Megan graduated from University of Iowa in May 2021 with a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience and minors in Psychology and Chemistry. She joined RP-CNBI in August 2021 to gain research experience in preparation for pursuing a PhD in Neuroscience, focusing on neurocognition in neurodivergent populations. In her free time, she enjoys reading horror and sci-fi, playing video games, and doing yoga.
Carine El Jamal, M.A.
Research Technician Intermediate
Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan
Carine completed her undergraduate degrees in Psychology and Political studies at the American University of Beirut in 2019. She received her MA in Clinical Psychology from Columbia University in 2021. She joined the RP-CNBI in August 2021 to gain experience in the field of neuropsychology, particularly neuropsychological testing and brain stimulation interventions. Carine plans on pursuing her doctorate degree in Clinical Psychology. In her free time, Carine enjoys reading, exercising, traveling, and learning about different cultures.
Jesica Pedroza, M.S.
Research Area Specialist Associate
Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan
Jes graduated from the University of Michigan with a B.S in Biology and a Master’s in Tropical Medicine from the University of Barcelona. She has worked both locally and internationally to address health disparities and is passionate about providing health education given a population’s unique characteristics. Jes is bilingual in English and Spanish, with specialized language skills in medical terminology. She joined the RP-CNBI in early 2021. In her free time, she and her family enjoy hiking with their dog Carlos, spending time at the local library and traveling based on cuisine.
Gianna Tunzi, B.S.
Research Technician Associate
Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan
Gianna graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2021 with a B.S. in Neuroscience and a minor in Global Health. She joined the RP-CNBI in November 2021 to gain research experience before pursuing a graduate Neuroscience degree. Her research interests include the development of interventions for neurological and psychiatric disorders. In her free time, Gianna enjoys watching movies, playing guitar, and painting.
Kelsi Broich, B.S.
Research Technician Associate
Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan
Kelsi graduated from Michigan State University in 2020 with a Bachelor’s degree in psychology and a minor in cognitive science. She joined the RP-CNBI in February of 2022 working on the Stimulation to Improve Memory (STIM) study to gain experience in neuropsychological research and interventions before pursuing a doctoral degree in clinical psychology. In her free time, she enjoys exercising, traveling, and watching crime documentaries
Shoshanah Machlay
Research Technician Associate
Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan
Shoshanah is a recent graduate from the University of Michigan, studying Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience, as well as Spanish. She joined the RP-CNBI in September 2021 as a volunteer to learn everything she could about neuropsychology while gaining experience in the field. She was hired shortly after graduation in 2022. She plans to attend a clinical psychology PhD program and specialize in clinical neuropsychology. She is interested in researching neurodegenerative diseases and TBIs, and using what she learns to help patients by working with them one-on-one in a clinical environment. In her free time, Shoshanah enjoys doing aerial gymnastics and knitting.
Gabrielle Lincoln, B.S.
Research Technician Associate
Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan
Gabrielle graduated from the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor in May 2022 with a B.S. in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience and a minor in Gender and Health. She joined the RP-CNBI team shortly after graduating to explore her interests in neuropsychology and cognitive aging. Gabrielle plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology with a specialty in neuropsychology. Her research interests include memory and aging, neurodegeneration, and psychopathology. In her free time, she enjoys cosmetology, true crime, music, and exercising.
Madelyn Eckel, B.S.
Research Technician Associate
Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan
Madelyn graduate from Grand Valley State University in May 2022, double majoring in Behavioral Neuroscience and in Psychology as well as a minoring in applied statistics. Madelyn joined the RP-CNBI in June of 2022 to gain more research experience and learn more about what she would like to focus her neuropsychology career on. She hopes to eventually enter into a Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program with a neuropsychology focus. In her free time, she enjoys reading, playing board/card/video games, and hanging out with her cat Zoey!
Emily Noyer, B.A.
Research Technician Associate
Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan
Emily graduated from The University of Michigan – Ann Arbor August 2022. She majored in Biopsychology, Cognition and Neuroscience and minored in Linguistics. She joined RP-CNBI after graduation to gain research experience and explore her interests in cognition and aging. Emily plans to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in neuropsychology. Her research interests include psycholinguistics, aphasia, aging, and interventions for neurodegenerative disorders. Outside of work, Emily enjoys rock climbing, traveling, backpacking, reading, cooking and spending time with friends.
Volunteers
Charlotte Moss
Undergraduate Research Volunteer
Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan
Charlotte is an undergraduate student at the University of Michigan and plans to graduate in 2023 with a B.S. in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience. She is extremely interested in pursuing a career in neuropsychology and began volunteering at the RP-CNBI in February 2021. She is completing her Honor’s Thesis this year under the mentorship of Dr. Hampstead and Dr. Crowley. In her free time, Charlotte enjoys cheering for Michigan’s football and basketball teams, exercising, and spending time outdoors.
Joshua Lin
Undergraduate Research Volunteer
Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan
Joshua is currently pursuing his B.S. degree in Neuroscience at the University of Michigan with plans to attend medical school. He joined the RP-CNBI in October 2021 to gain experience with non-invasive brain stimulation and neuropsychological testing as well as exposure to neurologically affected populations. Besides research, Joshua enjoys skateboarding, playing basketball, exploring Ann Arbor, and hopes to expand his musical expertise to drumming.
Loryn Davidson
Undergraduate Research UROP Volunteer
Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan
Loryn is currently pursuing her bachelor's degree in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology with a minor concentration in Gender and Health at the University of Michigan. Loryn intends to enter medical school after her undergraduate studies and wishes to gain experience with neuropsychological testing in individuals on the ADRD spectrum by volunteering with the RP-CNBI team. In her free time, Loryn enjoys reading, baking, watching movies, and spending time with friends.
Sophia Meguid
Undergraduate Research UROP Volunteer
Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan
Sophia is pursuing her B.S. degree at the University of Michigan. She plans to attend medical school in the future. She is deciding between Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience and Molecular, Cellular, Developmental Biology as a major. She would like to minor in Women and Gender Studies. She is a member of the University of Michigan Varsity Dance Team and is involved in clubs focused on reproductive justice and mental health. She joined the RP-CNBI in October 2022 to better understand neurodegenerative diseases and to explore novel treatment options. In her free time, Sophia learns American Sign Language and volunteers.
Alexandra Sweitzer
Undergraduate Research UROP Volunteer
Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan
Alexandra is an undergraduate student at the University of Michigan pursuing a B.S. in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience. After graduating in 2025, she plans to attend medical school to further develop her interests in neuroscience and psychology. Alexandra volunteers with Michigan Medicine in the Trauma Burn Center, works on the marketing team for a pre-medical association, and mentors Ann Arbor middle school girls in STEM to give them a better sense of the fields they may enter in the future. She joined the RP-CNBI team in October 2022 in order to gain exposure to neuropsychology and neurodegenerative diseases by researching behavioral changes in patients with MCI after learning about their results in regard to Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) or Dementia Alzheimer’s Type (DAT). In her free time, Alexandra enjoys trying new restaurants with her friends, learning how to play the ukulele, and hanging out with her dog, Bo.