Clinical Research Assistant, HITSS

Shania Baldwin graduated from Wellesley College in 2021 with a B.A. in Neuroscience with a concentration in Cognitive Neuroscience as well as a B.A. in Africana Studies. While at Wellesley, she studied the role of the immune system and neurotransmitters on adult neurogenesis. As an avid sports lover and collegiate athlete interested in studying brain trauma, she joined the Stern Lab in August of 2021 as the Research Assistant of the Head Impact and Trauma Surveillance Study (HITSS).

Study Coordinator, DIAGNOSE CTE Research Project

Tess graduated from the University of Connecticut in 2018 with degrees in Psychology and Human Development & Family Science. Since graduating, she has worked on several diverse clinical research projects focused on treating and diagnosing chronic disease in children, and examining long term risk and resilience for psychopathology across development. She joined the ADRC in June of 2021 as a Study Coordinator for the DIAGNOSE CTE Research Project.

Clinical Research Assistant, DIAGNOSE CTE Research Project

Minna Holleck graduated from Georgetown University in 2022 with a B.S. in Biology of Global Health and minors in Science, Technology, & International Affairs and Business Administration. She also played squash for Georgetown and played cello in the GU orchestra. As an undergrad, she worked on research projects including a clinical study analyzing Covid-19 vaccine immune responses and Chronic Kidney Disease research. Minna joined the DIAGNOSE CTE Research Project in December of 2022 as a Clinical Research Assistant and is excited to get to work!

Research Assistant, Alzheimer’s Disease Clinical Trials Program

Ina graduated from Boston College in 2022 with a B.S. in Biology and a concentration in Physiology. Throughout her undergraduate career, Ina has worked for a diverse variety of labs including research in molecular Chemistry, HIV pathology, and yeast cell Biology. She pursued her interests in Neurology as a clinical researcher for Multiple Sclerosis at two locations in the Boston area. Ina joined the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center in July of 2022 as a Clinical Trials Research Assistant.

Study Coordinator, Alzheimer’s Disease Clinical Trials Program

Alexa graduated from Union College in Schenectady, NY with a B.S. in Neuroscience. Following graduation, she coordinated multiple clinical trials which investigated the physiology of post-bariatric hypoglycemia. Having developed a strong interest in neuropsychology during her undergraduate studies, she implemented a study which looked into the cognitive implications of this condition. Alexa obtained her M.S. in Human Physiology with a focus in Neuroscience at Boston University and joined the ADRC in June 2022 as a Study Coordinator.

Recruitment & Retention Coordinator, HITSS

Matt graduated from the University of Massachusetts Amherst with a B.S. in Sports Management. He joined the Stern Lab in May 2021 as Recruitment & Retention Coordinator for the Head Impact and Trauma Surveillance Study (HITSS) following a career in the front offices of three Major League Baseball organizations. During his time in MLB, Matt worked in communications roles for the Miami Marlins, Seattle Mariners and Boston Red Sox, most recently serving as Senior Director of Communications for the Marlins. In addition, he is a certified Physical Education teacher and is an advocate for youth sports.

Clinical Research Assistant, Alzheimer’s Disease Clinical Trials Program

Olivia graduated from Colorado College in 2021 with a B.A. in Psychology with a focus on Neuropsychology. As an undergraduate, Olivia contributed to multiple research projects while volunteering for the Alzheimer’s Association. Since graduating, she has worked as an ABA Therapist with children with autism spectrum disorder and joined the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (ADRC) at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine in May of 2022 as a Clinical Trials Research Assistant.

Postdoctoral Associate, DIAGNOSE CTE Research Project and HITSS

Tahlia Bragg (she/ella) is a Postdoctoral Associate at Stern Lab working in the DIAGNOSE CTE and HITSS studies at the BU CTE Center. She completed her doctorate in Clinical Psychology at Fielding Graduate University, based in Santa Barbara, CA, in 2022. Most recently, she was a Psychology Intern at The Center for Multicultural Training in Psychology (CMTP) at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine & Boston Medical Center where her clinical foci were providing behavioral and psychotherapeutic interventions in systems-based care for children and families. She has an extensive clinical and research background in Clinical Neuropsychology, with emphases on racial disparities in neuropsychology that impact Black-identified communities. As a founding member and inaugural president of the Black Student Association at Fielding Graduate University, she guided the organization into more inclusive programming and education within the university. With nearly 20 years of research experience, she has contributed to numerous research projects in academia and the private sector. In addition to her research responsibilities, Dr. Bragg is also providing clinical care in the Memory & Aging Disorder Clinic at Boston Medical Center.

Graduate Assistant, DIAGNOSE CTE Research Project and HITSS

Diana is a Fulbright Scholar from the 2021 cohort, a Ph.D. student in the Graduate Program in Neuroscience at Boston University. She graduated with honors with a BSc in Psychology and a MSc in Neuroscience from the Universidad Nacional de Colombia in Bogotá. After graduation, she worked as a neuropsychologist and study coordinator studying the disruption of brain connectivity in patients with impaired consciousness after acute brain injury at ICU. Before joining the Graduate Program in Neuroscience, she was a trainee at the Physiology of Cognition Lab at the University of Liège where she developed a passion for French, Belgian beer, and functional connectivity disruption of large-scale human brain networks. Diana joined the Stern Lab in January of 2022, as a rotation student for the DIAGNOSE CTE Research Project.

Research Fellow, DIAGNOSE CTE Research Project

Suzan graduated from Utrecht University (The Netherlands), where she obtained her degree in medicine in 2018. After two years of work as a physician at different neurology departments, she started her PhD trajectory at the Alzheimer Center Amsterdam in 2020. Here, she established the first cohort in the Netherlands with patients at risk for CTE: the NEwTON cohort. She has been responsible for the whole preparation and setup of this study, including the setup of an autopsy brain donor program in collaboration with the Netherlands Brain Bank. Suzan joined the Stern Lab in September 2022 and works as a Research Fellow for the DIAGNOSE CTE Research Project.