Expert Details
Clinical & Forensic Psychology; Deaf Mental Health; Sign Language Interpreting & Accessibility; Forensic Evaluation & Expert Witness (Deaf Population); Public Health Research
ID: 735122
New York, USA
Expert founded and continues to lead a university-based center dedicated to mental health, sign language interpreting, and public health services, training, and research for the deaf population, including a nationally recognized, award-winning training program for deaf mental health trainees. Expert has authored more than 100 publications, delivered over 250 invited addresses internationally, made over 100 additional conference presentations, and served as principal investigator on 56 research grants totaling more than $6.5 million from federal, state, foundation, and university sources. Expert has also produced numerous training and public health education films, many in American Sign Language.
Expert is frequently engaged as a forensic evaluator and expert witness in criminal and civil cases involving deaf individuals, with experience in over 100 such matters, and has served in an appointed capacity as an independent mental health evaluator leading a state investigation into abuse allegations at a residential school for deaf and blind students. Expert is an active leader in national psychological and deafness-related professional associations, including having founded a national special interest section on deafness within a major psychological association, and has received numerous career and lifetime achievement honors recognizing contributions to psychology, mental health services, and public health in the deaf community.
Education
| Year | Degree | Subject | Institution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year: 1984 | Degree: Ph.D. | Subject: Clinical Psychology | Institution: SUNY at Buffalo |
| Year: 1983 | Degree: MA | Subject: Clinical Psychology | Institution: SUNY at Buffalo |
| Year: 1980 | Degree: BS | Subject: Biology/Psychology | Institution: Union College, Schenectady, New York |
Work History
| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| Years: 2016 to 2022 | Employer: Rochester Institute of Technology | Title: Professor and Associate Dean of Resarch (retired) | Department: National Technical Institute for the Deaf |
Responsibilities:Oversaw and expanded all research activities and training grants for the institute; conducted personal research and scholarly activities; responsible for utilization of a 23,000 sq. ft. research facility. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1990 to 2022 | Employer: University of Rochester School of Medicine | Title: Professor of Psychiatry | Department: Department of Psychiatry |
Responsibilities:Founded and directed a clinical/research/training center addressing mental health, sign language interpreting, and public health in the deaf population, including an award-winning practicum and internship program for deaf mental health trainees. Has published over 100 articles, books, and book chapters; served as principal investigator on 56 grants totaling over $6.5 million; delivered over 250 invited addresses domestically and internationally; and made over 100 conference presentations. Frequently consults to governmental agencies and regional/national/international deaf-serving programs, and is regularly engaged to conduct forensic evaluations and serve as an expert witness in criminal and civil cases involving deaf individuals. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1986 to 1990 | Employer: University of California San Franciso | Title: Psychologist | Department: Langley Porter Institute, Center on Deafness |
Responsibilities:Conducted over 150 psychological assessments and over 1,500 hours of psychotherapy; developed ASL vocabulary and verbal memory tests; conducted research on ASL translation and psychological testing; taught graduate-level courses in psychological testing; supervised interns; founded an international computer bulletin board on deafness and mental health. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1986 to 1986 | Employer: California School for the Deaf | Title: Consulting Psychologist | Department: |
Responsibilities:Performed psychological assessments; developed a sign-language suicide prevention training program for dormitory staff; provided classroom management supervision; developed behavioral interventions for food services staff. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1984 to 1986 | Employer: Netcare, Inc./Community Center for the Deaf | Title: Psychologist | Department: |
Responsibilities:Supervised and expanded mental health services for deaf clients; provided direct clinical services including assessments and psychotherapy; chaired the agency's Adverse Incidents Committee; provided training, consultation, and liaison services to agencies throughout the state. |
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Additional Experience
| Expert Witness Experience |
|---|
| Expert has served as an expert witness and forensic evaluator in over 100 criminal and civil cases involving deaf individuals, drawing on specialized clinical psychology expertise in language deprivation, communication access, and mental health assessment of deaf people. Expert has also been appointed by a state government as an Independent Mental Health Evaluator, leading a team to investigate and provide individual and systemic recommendations regarding a sexual abuse matter at a residential school for deaf and blind students. |
Career Accomplishments
| Associations / Societies |
|---|
| • American Psychological Association (APA) — Member; Fellow, Division 22 (Rehabilitation Psychology) • American Deafness and Rehabilitation Association (ADARA) — Member • National Association of the Deaf (NAD) — Mental Health Committee Chair, 1996–1998 (Member, 1994–1996) |
| Licenses / Certifications |
|---|
| Licensed Psychologist, New York (active) Licensed Psychologist, California (inactive) Licensed Psychologist, Ohio (expired) |
| Awards / Recognition |
|---|
| • Highest career-achievement award of a national deafness and rehabilitation association (typically for lifetime achievement) • Award for highest-rated presentation at a national deafness/rehabilitation biennial conference • Founder's award from a school for the deaf • Rehabilitation achievement award from a hearing/communication health organization • Achievement award recognizing a mental health center program, from a national psychiatric association • Diversity training excellence award from a national psychology postdoctoral/internship association • Career achievement award from a psychology association's special interest section on deafness • Finalist, national award recognizing a health education film production • Health care advocacy award from a state healthcare trustees association • Faculty mentor award from a medical school • National leadership award from an APA disability issues committee • Early-career distinguished contributions award from a national psychological association • Undergraduate honors: graduation Cum Laude with departmental honors in psychology; departmental academic prize; honor society charter member • Two civic honors received during youth/early adulthood (a service award and a citizenship medal) |
| Publications and Patents Summary |
|---|
| • 102 total publications, comprising: 33 peer-reviewed journal articles, 1 edited journal special issue, 3 books, 15 book chapters, 11 published conference proceedings, 6 letters/prefaces in peer-reviewed journals, 3 published abstracts, and 30 other publications — topics spanning deaf mental health, sign language interpreting practice and training, forensic evaluation of deaf individuals, psychological testing and assessment in American Sign Language, intimate partner violence in the deaf community, cochlear implantation ethics, and public health disparities affecting deaf populations • 22 produced films/instructional media (many in American Sign Language), including clinician training programs, public health education videos, and mental health skills-training adaptations for deaf audiences • 262 invited addresses and workshops (15 keynote addresses, 22 other international addresses/workshops, 90 national invited addresses, 136 state/local invited addresses), delivered across the U.S., Europe, Australia, Mexico, Taiwan, and elsewhere • 128 additional conference presentations and posters (97 presentations, 32 posters) • 56 grants as Principal Investigator (federal, state/county, foundation, and university sources) totaling over $6.5 million, plus service in supporting roles (project board member, research committee member/chair) on several additional multi-million-dollar federal grants |