Emily Aiken joined the Providence VA Medical Center in August 2016. Prior to joining PVAMC, she received both her BS, and MA, with honors in Neuroscience from Trinity College (Hartford, CT), where she was a Health Fellow and a member of the National Honor Society in Neuroscience (Nu Rho Psi). Additionally, Emily conducted research at Trinity College in the Cognitive Neuropsychology and Rehabilitation Laboratory, where she primarily focused on designing individualized cognitive rehabilitation therapies for acquired brain injury. Her background includes years of clinical research experience in prospective memory, schizophrenia, eating disorders, and pediatric neurology. During her CfNN tenure, she has served in a variety of coordinator roles for Focus Area 2 (FA2) leader, Noah S. Philip, MD. Emily is a member of the Society for Clinical Research Associates (SOCRA), is a Certified Clinical Research Professional (CCRP), and a 2020 graduate of the PVAMC Leadership Effectiveness, Accountability, and Development (LEAD) program. Emily’s research interests include:

– the use of non-invasive neuromodulation therapies for treating comorbid psychiatric disorders, such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and major depression
– the development of qualitative metrics/approaches for symptom evaluation and subsequent treatment selection
– improving quality of life through implementation of novel non-invasive, non-pharmacological, approaches for treating complex mental health disorders
– collaborating with clinical services to facilitate and integrate research into clinical care/practices (bench to bedside)

Matthew Borgia is a Biostatistician with a decade of experience at the Providence VAMC. His professional background includes community integration, amputation, prosthetic rehabilitation, national VA databases, psychometrics, and nonparametric statistics. His current protocols focus on upper limb amputees and prosthesis users. Matthew graduated with a masters degree in Biostatistics from Brown University in 2011.

Spencer received a BS in Applied Mathematics-Computer Science and an MS in Data Science from Brown University. Prior to joining CfNN, he was a research manager at Brown University for a VA-funded project involving the development of a visual prosthesis device for the blind, and has continued this work at the VA. Spencer is interested in leveraging machine learning and computer vision systems to improve assistive technologies.

McKenna graduated from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill in December 2018. Prior to joining the CfNN team in summer 2021, she worked on a study of dating violence in the court involved population at Rhode Island Hospital. She is interested in leveraging both technology and social factors to prevent the development of PTSD and other negative sequelae following trauma.

Sydney Brigido officially joined the Providence VA Medical Center as a Research Assistant in July 2019. She volunteered with CfNN during the previous year. Sydney received her BA in Psychology from Providence College (Providence, RI), where she was a member for the National Honors Society in Psychology (Psi Chi). While at Providence College, she focused her studies on personality psychology and conducted research investigating the development of empathy in elementary age children. Sydney has also volunteered at Butler Hospital with their Memory and Aging Program doing outreach for Alzheimer’s prevention. Her research interests include understanding posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in combat Veterans, as well as studying common comorbidities such as major depressive disorder (MDD) and substance use disorders. She is currently Virtual Reality (VR) Coordinator for the TAVRE Study.

Sarah Cavanagh received her B.S. in Integrative Neuroscience with honors from Fordham University. There she examined population-level differences in cortical visual representations correlated with aging and cognitive decline. Sarah joined the BrainGate team in the fall of 2019 and is currently a graduate research assistant at Brown University, Massachusetts General Hospital and the Providence VAMC. Her master’s thesis research involves (1) understanding the neural correlates of upper-extremity movement in healthy adults to inform the creation of a rehabilitative EEG-BCI for stroke patients with paresis and (2) analyzing the connection between upper-extremity kinematic metrics and longitudinal motor recovery in stroke patients with paresis.

Prior to working at CfNN, Sam was a CfNN FA2 Intern from the summer of 2020 through the winter of 2021. In 2021, she graduated Cum Laude from the University of Vermont (UVM) with a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience and minors in Chemistry and Religion.

While at UVM, she worked as a research assistant in the Ballif Lab; their research focused on the proteins Nck1 and Nck2 as possible compensatory proteins for proper brain development in the absence of Crk and CrkL (proteins critical for proper cortical layering).

Sam presented at the New England Psychological Association Annual Meeting in 2019, where she showcased her poster “Does the Presence of Borderline Personality Predict Lower Resilience After Controlling for the Presence of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder?” This poster was created in collaboration with Rhode Island Hospital and the MIDAS Project. Working with the MIDAS Project cemented her interest in mental health and working with patient populations.

John Davey joined the CfNN as a Senior Research Assistant in November 2019. Prior to coming on board, he received his BS in Neuroscience at the University of New Hampshire in 2015 and worked as a Clinical Research Assistant in the Emergency Departments at both Rhode Island Hospital and the University of Massachusetts Medical School. His research interests include Prosthetics and emerging technologies within the industry.

Christiana Faucher joined the Providence VA Medical Center as a Research Assistant in March 2020 after completing a Bachelor of Science with Honors in Cognitive Neuroscience at Brown University. Her research at Brown focused on the effects of risk aversion and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on reversal learning, relevant to fear and anxiety disorders. As a student intern at the Providence VAMC beginning in 2018, Christiana was able to collaborate on an ongoing research project exploring the potential use of tDCS to augment virtual reality exposure therapy for Veterans with PTSD. Currently, Christiana is interested in the novel ways that non-invasive brain stimulation (TMS, LIFU, tDCS, etc.) and other types of technology (MRI, EEG, etc.) can be leveraged to augment and or predict treatment outcomes for comorbid psychiatric disorders, such as major depressive disorder (MDD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Hannah Hallett joined CfNN as a Research Assistant in July 2019 after receiving her B.S. in Psychology with a minor in Biology and concentration in Neuroscience from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Prior to joining the PVAMC, she spent her undergraduate career in a Psychophysiology research lab focusing on how historical representations of trauma are represented at the cardiovascular level by threat and challenge states. Hannah’s research interests live at the intersection of mental health, neuroimaging, mindfulness, and holistic medicine. In essence, her focus in research is to integrate various modalities such as neuromodulation and other non-medication treatment options to ultimately help people renegotiate some of the challenges they face. Specifically, Hannah is interested in exploring the underlying neural mechanisms of conditions such as Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Depression.

Amy Harmon joined the Providence VA Medical Center a Research Assistant in August 2019 after receiving her B.S. in Biomedical Engineering from University of Rhode Island. As an undergraduate, she focused on software engineering, hardware engineering, and developing assistive devices for activities of daily living (ADLs). Currently, her interests at CfNN include helping Veterans with low vision or blindness as well as helping to reduce risk of Veteran suicide.

Debra Kelty joined the PVAMC in October 2019. She attended Rhode Island College for her BA in Sociology/Political Science and the University of Rhode Island for her Master’s of Public Administration (MPA). Previously, she worked with Linda Resnik, PT, PhD, FAPTA, on the DEKA Optimization Study (from 2009-2017) and returned to the VA to work with Dr. Resnik on a study focusing on understanding critical factors that are associated with the acceptance of upper limb loss.

Steven Magnanti provides leadership, education, and guidance to investigators, research associates, staff and students in his role as Core C leader. He oversees research related procedures in support of CfNN PIs and Project Coordinators and facilitates the continuity of care and access to care for CfNN’s complex study participants. Steven joined the CfNN in June 2020. Before joining CfNN, he served as a Health Systems Specialist and the Superintendent of the 143d Medical Group RI Air National Guard where he was responsible for managing medical administrative functions including medical support, medical operations, and professional development of the enlisted force. Steven has served over 20 years in the military and held various positions related to the sustainment of health and readiness of the RI Air National Guard population. In addition, he has 20 plus years of clinical experience in the areas of outpatient family medicine, emergency medical services and diagnostic cardiology. Steven holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from URI.

Isaiah Mansour joined the CfNN team in March 2021 to study mental health afflictions using and creating new technologies (magnetic stimulation, virtual reality, etc.). Originally, he studied marine biology and aquaculture at the University of Maine, earning his degree in 2018. He then leveraged transferable science and communications skills to fill professional roles in biomedical research (wound healing) and business development (biotechnology innovation) settings. With COVID-19, Isaiah decided to focus his scientific career on tangibly helping people. He has always been fascinated by the human mind, especially the relationship between brain physiology, thoughts and health and is excited to be a part of a group making real strides in research and treatment.

Chona McGrenery joined the Providence VA Medical Center as Program Support Assistant for CfNN in February 2020. Prior to joining CfNN, she was a Staff Assistant IV at Massachusetts General Hospital assisting the PT & OT Department leadership. Chona graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Commerce, Major in Economics from College of the Holy Spirit, Manila, Philippines. She worked at the Local Government Unit in the Philippines as a Revenue Officer before immigrating to the United States.

Sascha Morris received a BS in Neuroscience and Biology from Brown University. His undergraduate research aimed to understand neuromuscular control of flying mammals. He was also involved in projects on biologically inspired robotic modeling, as well as technology for concussion recognition. Since joining the CfNN, he has focused on data analysis and implementation of studies involving noninvasive neuromodulation as a therapy for affective disorders such as depression and PTSD. This research involves Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) alongside electroencephalography (EEG) for recording neural signals. Alongside members of both the CfNN and the Jones Lab at Brown University, Sascha studies patterns and signatures of brain activity from the macro-scale to biophysical level. This translational effort aims to understand neurological disorders and their treatment in order to ultimately improve rehabilitation for Veterans and all those affected.

Mimi Sevin is a Clinical Research Coordinator with 10 years of experience at Brown University, prior to joining CfNN in July 2015. Her professional background includes post-traumatic stress disorder, substance use disorders, personality disorders, intimate partner violence, virtual reality, neuroimaging, cardiovascular health and mindful self-compassion work. She is also a licensed clinical therapist with experience in individual as well as couples counseling working clinically with Veterans at the Providence VA Medical Center since 2013.

Eileen M. Small is a Research Program Manager with the CfNN. She joined the Center in August 2019. Eileen received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Counseling from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and a Master of Social Work degree from Smith College School for Social Work, Northampton, Massachusetts. She has twenty-five years of research experience in the areas of mood disorders in children and adults; nicotine addiction and treatment; and new approaches for treating schizophrenia and bipolar disorders. Eileen began her research career in the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at Brown University, working on clinical trials for the treatment of major depression and bipolar disorders. She has also worked at the Center for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine at the Miriam Hospital; the Transdisciplinary Research Group and Neuroimaging Lab at Butler Hospital; and in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. At UMass Medical School, she worked with a team helping to bring a form of Open Dialogue to the United States. Since joining the CfNN, Eileen has managed multiple projects for Focus Area 3 Leader, Dr. Linda Resnik.

Hannah Swearingen joined CfNN in July 2017 after receiving her B.A. in Neuroscience and German from Washington & Jefferson College, with interdisciplinary honors in Neuroscience. Her current research interests include using neuroimaging and computational approaches to investigate brain signatures of psychiatric disorders and treatment response. Hannah is also interested in leveraging scientific computing methods to develop best practices in data analysis and sharing in order to promote scientific reproducibility.

Krista Tocco joined the Providence VA Medical Center in October 2014 and currently works as a Research Coordinator with the CfNN. Prior to joining the PVAMC, she received her BA with honors in Biology with a Concentration in Neuroscience and Behavior and minor in Psychology at Assumption College (Worcester, MA). Her background includes clinical research experience in studying psychosocial treatments aimed at suicide prevention, PTSD, anger management, traumatic brain injuries, and seizure disorders. She also has worked on a multi-site study with Rhode Island Hospital and Brown University aimed at studying neuroimaging biomarkers in those with seizures disorders to predict treatment outcomes for nonpharmacologic treatment. Krista’s current interest include psychosocial treatments that address psychiatric disorders and the use of neuroimaging to aid in individualizing treatment.

Rachel Underwood joined the Providence VA Medical Center as a Research Assistant in August 2019. Prior to joining PVAMC, she received her BS in Neuroscience from Trinity College (Hartford, CT). During her time at Trinity she conducted literature review research at Hartford Hospital working to create an epilepsy/seizure database for doctors. Currently, her time is split working on two studies. Rachel is interested in Psychogenic non-epileptic seizure research.

Valerie Vogel joined the Providence VA Medical Center as a Research Assistant in December 2017. Prior to her joining the PVAMC, she received her BA magna cum laude in Psychology and minor in Business Administration at East Carolina University. Current research she is involved in focuses on identifying the effect of cognitive behavioral therapy on seizures and analyzing the neurophysiological brain changes associated with the treatment in individuals with seizure disorders.

Jake recently graduated from Carleton College with a BA in Cognitive Science and Philosophy. At Carleton, Jake contributed to research on psycholinguistics, cognitive psychology, and emotions/mental illness across cultures. His cognitive science thesis focused on the relationship between cognition and emotion, and his philosophy thesis considered the cross-cultural validity of DSM and ICD psychiatric classifications. Jake’s research interests lie at the intersection of affective science and clinical psychology.