Experience

PACIFIC NEUROSCIENCE INSTITUTE FOUNDATION

• United States
• Non-profit Organizations
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Senior Research Scientist

  • Apr 2021 - Present

  Work alongside clinician-scientists at the Pacific Brain Health Center to bridge the gap between the translational research pipeline and full clinical implementation.Spearhead the Pacific Neuroscience Institute Foundation’s new Neuroimaging Core, which will provide neuroimaging-based biomarkers for clinical trials research. Develop and write new research protocols and grant applications. Promote PNIF through public speaking and educate the public about brain health through outreach. Current Research • Efficacy of coaching in preventing cognitive decline in patients with MCI and AD using a precision medicine driven, multi-modal lifestyle intervention. • Efficacy of simultaneous aerobic exercise and a novel, mobile compensatory skills training to prevent cognitive decline in patients with aMCI. • Understanding how immune-exposure, reproductive history, childhood stress and other important developmental factors impact inflammation and tauopathy in women with Alzheimer’s disease. • Efficacy of psychedelic-assisted therapies in treating addiction. Show less



Pacific Brain Health Center/Pacific Neuroscience Institute

• Senior Program Manager

  • Jan 2019 - Present

  Multidimensional role, broadly operationalized as the development and implementation of novel research and clinical trials conducted at the Pacific Neuroscience Institute’s Pacific Brian Health Center (PBHC) which aim to promote brain health and wellness. Developed and implemented new programming for research studies and oversaw development of technology required for programming for research studies. Hired and supervised the clinical trials team. Oversaw the recruitment, retention, and data capture of participants engaged in PBHC research studies. Show less


LiveCoach
• United States
• Technology, Information and Internet
• 1 - 100 Employee
• Brain-Based Coach

  • Jan 2016 - Dec 2020


Peak Brain Institute

• United States
• Wellness and Fitness Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Assistant Clinical Director/ Brain-Based Coach

  • Jan 2018 - Jan 2019

  Transformed day-to-day operations and data management for a national, multi-site and fast-paced neurofeedback clinic. Developed a new daily operations and data-management application using Zoho Creator. Application maintained customer charts, automatically sent daily surveys to customers and integrated their responses with their charts. The system also created a client portal so customers to see progress and their personal brain data. Resulted in daily updates to the staff including automated instructions that improved neurofeedback protocol selection. Supervised a smooth data migration and staff transition to new daily operations and data-management system. System adopted by four clinics in two states. Spearheaded a new coaching program which integrated customer goals with their personal brain data. Integrating coaching tools with day-to-day customer interactions increased customer awareness of intervention benefits and satisfaction with services. Managed staff and technicians and trained them in the use of simple coaching tools related to goal setting. Show less



SMRTIMAGE

• United Kingdom
• Cosmetics

• Data Scientist

  • Nov 2014 - 2016

  Offered advanced fMRI expertise to pharmaceutical and clinical trial companies such as Pfizer and Parexel. These included experimental design, data quality control, maintaining equipment needed to present cognitive tasks in a magnetic environment, data collection an analysis. Design fMRI experiments and plan analyses in a Phase 0 clinical trial study. Tested whether new psychiatric medications were affecting planned brain targets in psychiatric populations. Resulted in strong evidence that a Schizophrenia medication geared at treating cognitive symptoms was impacting cognitive centers in the bain. Managed a staff of 6 technicians. Worked closely with clinical trial company to integrate fMRI data and other clinical data collection. Show less



UCLA Department of Psychiatry

• Assistant Research Neuroscientist

  • May 2008 - Jun 2014

  Managed 22 research studies and 12 researchers associated with a $3.5M NIH Technology Development Award. Studies focused on study real-time functional imaging (mind reading). Created a new laboratory environment, assisted in the selection of personnel, managed the physical and intellectual resources, and instructed students and postdoctoral research fellows in neuroimaging techniques. The resulting lab environment attracted an exceptional, multi-disciplinary team.Balanced workloads and priorities for a staff of research professionals conducting functional MRI and EEG research studies. Fostered a cohesive, collaborative approach to multi-disciplinary scientific research by understanding the ideas and skills of researchers from several very different scientific disciplines. Ensured that the work maintained relevance to both how the brain works and clinical applications.Applied machine learning tools like support vector machines (SVM) and cluster analysis to multi-modal brain data (PET, s/fMRI and EEG) to create cutting-edge clinical applications. One study focused “mind-reading” technology. Specifically, we developed a tool that identified craving level using whole brain data analyzed and presented as feedback within 2 seconds. Also developed a computer assisted diagnostic (CAD) tool for diagnosing Epilepsy using standard clinical EEG, MRI and PET data.Co-authored 9 original manuscripts in 3 years. Show less

• Postdoctoral Fellow/ Data Analyst/ Data Scientist

  • Sep 2007 - Dec 2009

  Co-authored a funded $4.5M NIH Research Grant on Sex Difference in Adolescent Brain Development.Authored 2 and co-authored 3 original manuscripts on adolescent brain development in 2 years.Created a private Cloud-based neuroimaging pipeline for data storage, distribution and analysis saving more than 400 man-hours annually.



University of California, Los Angeles - Ahmanson-Lovelace Brain Mapping Ct (BMC)

• Graduate Student

  • Jan 2001 - Aug 2007

  Created a better, working prototype of a new MRI compatible smoke delivery device. The schematics, limitations, and my solutions were published online. Harvard currently uses a working version based on these. Project had $4M of NIH funding Planned and implemented fMRI and psychophysics experiments to better understand time perception and multi-sensory integration. Wrote and defended my doctoral dissertation and was awarded a Ph.D. Created a better, working prototype of a new MRI compatible smoke delivery device. The schematics, limitations, and my solutions were published online. Harvard currently uses a working version based on these. Project had $4M of NIH funding Planned and implemented fMRI and psychophysics experiments to better understand time perception and multi-sensory integration. Wrote and defended my doctoral dissertation and was awarded a Ph.D.



University of California, Los Angeles - Aging and Memory and Hatos Research Cts

• Staff Research Associate II

  • Sep 1997 - Feb 2000

  I assisted with aging and memory researcher and author Gary Small, MD when he was building his research center. I balanced Neuroimaging responsibilities and high volume clinical administration. • Staff Recruitment: Successfully recruited two research assistants. Each were successful and retained by the center for more than one year. Responsible for job descriptions, posting, interviewing the candidates and training the staff, once hired. • Project Manager: Established procedures and policies for participant recruitment, tracking, and data completion for a large-scale, placebo controlled clinical study on the drug Celebrex. • Earned four promotions in first year, tripling salary. • Marketing: Increased recruitment through aggressive ad campaigns in Senior Life, Los Angeles Times, National Public Radio, and CNN. • Fundraising: Supported a $100K fundraising gala and auction sponsored by Janssen-Cilag by entertaining Janssen reps and representing lab to attending professors. Event so successful Janssen agreed to fund following year’s event. Show less