Saranya Sundaram Patel, PhD
Chair
Saranya Sundaram Patel, Ph.D. is a clinical neuropsychologist at OneRehab in Dallas, Texas. She completed her neuropsychology postdoctoral fellowship and predoctoral internship in adult/geriatric neuropsychology at Emory University School of Medicine, where she remains adjunct faculty. She holds a master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling from UT Southwestern and earned her Ph.D. in clinical psychology, with an emphasis in neuropsychology, at Palo Alto University. Her research focuses on identifying non-invasive biomarkers, compensatory neural mechanisms, culturally sensitive neuropsychological measures, and rehabilitation strategies to improve diagnostic detection, progression, and functionality in neurodegenerative diseases, particularly in underserved and culturally diverse populations. In her spare time, she enjoys watching sports and spending time with her family.
Miranda Chang, MA
Miranda Chang is a PhD student in the Clinical Psychology Program (Neuropsychology Track) at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia. She is passionate about hippocampal-based processes such as episodic memory, pattern separation, and spatial navigation, as well as how cognitive dysfunction influences the way in which we remember. At the University of Toronto, she has also conducted several interventions using a digital reminiscence platform, the HippoCamera, to improve real-world autobiographical memory, spatial memory, and quality of life in older adults. Her MA work focused on the prevalence and correlates of subjective cognitive decline in older adults with a remote history of mild traumatic brain injury from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging. She is completing practicums with adults and older adults experiencing complex mental illness (e.g., schizophrenia) and neurocognitive disorders. Clinically, she is interested in cognitive rehabilitation for neurodegenerative diseases, medical conditions, and neurological conditions (e.g., epilepsy). In her free time, she enjoys reading the latest bestsellers, spending time outdoors, and going on long road trips.
Vaishali Phatak, PhD
Dr. Phatak is an associate professor is the Department of Neurological Sciences (DONS) at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. She joined DONS in 2017 after ten years at the University of Washington. She completed her postdoctoral training in 2007 at the Mayo Clinic and her PhD at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2005. She is a board-certified neuropsychologist through the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP-CN) and is a member of the Asian Neuropsychological Association (ANA), the American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology (AACN), the International Neuropsychological Society (INS). Her research interests include social determinants of health and behavioral interventions in neurodegenerative disease.
Maddy Pontius, MA
Maddy is a doctoral student in clinical psychology, specializing in rehabilitation and neuropsychology, at the University of Denver. Her research interests include neuropsychological performance and rehabilitation interventions among individuals with acquired brain injuries, particularly in culturally diverse populations, veterans, and justice-involved individuals. At the University of Denver, Maddy is the lead research assistant and lab coordinator for a research team studying traumatic brain injury in the criminal legal system. She is also currently conducting a study on traumatic brain injury, cognitive performance, and psychosocial comorbidities among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Clinically, Maddy is interested in neuropsychological assessment within rehabilitation settings for individuals with brain injury, spinal cord injury or disorder, and polytraumatic injuries, as well as neurodegenerative disorders. In her free time, she enjoys practicing yoga and playing with her dog, Mac.
Kah Hui Yap, PhD
Kah Hui Yap is a clinical neuropsychologist based in Malaysia. He completed his clinical master’s degree at Leiden University in the Netherlands and earned his PhD at the National University of Malaysia. His doctoral research focused on a clinical trial addressing spinocerebellar ataxia 3. In addition to his clinical training, he has developed a special interest in neurodegenerative diseases and dementia. He is currently practicing in the private sector and is also involved in higher education, teaching undergraduate and postgraduate (clinical and research) psychology students. He has been an invited speaker at international and local events, including the 4th Parkinson & Movement Disorder Teaching Course (2023), organized by the Movement Disorder Council Malaysia. Currently, he is leading a research series of music-based programs for dementia in collaboration with a multidisciplinary team of mental health professionals and musicians. This initiative aims to enhance the quality of life for people living with dementia through social prescribing.