Dana graduated with a Masters/PhD in Clinical Neuropsychology (University of Western Australia) in 2005 and has since maintained active roles in clinical neuropsychology practice, education and research. She commenced her first academic appointment in 2007 at Monash University, and in 2018 took up a position as Senior Lecturer in Clinical Neuropsychology in the School of Psychology and Public Health at La Trobe University. She leads the eNACT (Neurorehabilitation And Clinical Translation) Research Group, which focuses on innovative neuropsychological rehabilitation techniques to improve the lives of brain injury survivors, and enhancing clinical implementation of and clinician competence in these evidence-based interventions. Dana founded and directed the Neurorehabilitation Clinic at the Monash Psychology Centre from 2014-2018 to provide evidence-based brain injury rehabilitation to the community, world-leading clinical training for doctoral students who learned to deliver these interventions, and a clinical and pedagogical research program. In recognition of this initiative, Dana was awarded the 2017 Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Teaching Excellence, the 2017 Dean’s Award for Excellence in Education (Innovation in Teaching), and the 2016 Australasian Society for the Study of Brain Impairment (ASSBI) Clinical Innovation Award. She is an Associate Investigator with the NHMRC Moving Ahead CRE in Brain Recovery and a Future Leader with the CRE in Stroke Rehabilitation and Brain Recovery. In 2017 Dana led the development of BRAINSPaN, a multidisciplinary network of clinicians and researchers in the brain impairment field.
Experience
2018–present
Senior lecturer, School of Psychology & Public Health, La Trobe University
2007–present
Honorary Senior Research Fellow, Monash-Epworth Rehabilitation Research Centre
2016–2018
Senior lecturer, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University
2007–2015
Lecturer, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University
Education
2005
University of Western Australia, MPsych (Clinical Neuropsychology) & PhD
Publications
2017
Feasibility and efficacy of brief computerized training to improve emotion recognition in premanifest and early-symptomatic Huntington's disease, Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society
2017
Cognitive Behavior Therapy to treat sleep disturbance and fatigue following traumatic brain injury: a pilot randomized controlled trial, Archives of Physical Medicine & rehabilitation
2017
Role of valued living and associations with functional outcome following traumatic brain injury, Neuropsychological Rehabilitation
2017
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for post-stroke fatigue and sleep disturbance: a pilot randomised controlled trial with blind assessment, Neuropsychological Rehabilitation
2017
Do smartphones have the potential to support cognition and independence following stroke?, Brain Impairment
2017
Exploring predictors of treatment outcome in Cognitive Behavior Therapy for sleep disturbance following Acquired Brain Injury, Disability & Rehabilitation
2016
Efficacy of Motivational Interviewing and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Anxiety and Depression Symptoms following Traumatic Brain Injury, Psychological Medicine
2016
Smartphones as assistive technology following traumatic brain injury: A preliminary study of what helps and what hinders, Disability & Rehabilitation
2014
Are Cognitive Screening Tools Sensitive and Specific Enough for Use After Stroke?: A Systematic Literature Review, Stroke
2014
Delivery of psychological interventions by clinical neuropsychologists: Current practice in Australia and implications for training, Australian Psychologist
2014
Development and predictors of psychological adjustment during the course of community-based rehabilitation of traumatic brain injury: A preliminary study, Neuropsychological Rehabilitation
2013
Validity of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales in assessing depression and anxiety following traumatic brain injury, Journal of Affective Disorders
2013
Factor structure of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales in individuals with traumatic brain injury, Brain Injury
2012
A cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) programme for anxiety following moderate-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI): Two case studies, Brain Injury
2012
Development of a motivational interviewing programme as a prelude to cognitive behaviour therapy for anxiety following traumatic brain injury, Neuropsychological Rehabilitation
2012
Motivational interviewing and cognitive behaviour therapy for anxiety following traumatic brain injury: A pilot randomised controlled trial, Neuropsychological Rehabilitation
2012
Exploring variables associated with change in cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) for anxiety following traumatic brain injury, Disability & Rehabilitation
Grants and Contracts
2017
Telehealth delivery of memory rehabilitation following stroke
Role:
CIA
Funding Source:
Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences
2017
Telehealth delivery of memory rehabilitation following stroke
Role:
CIA
Funding Source:
National Stroke Foundation
2017
Development of a group facilitation competency checklist
Role:
CIA
Funding Source:
Monash University
2016
Pilot randomised controlled trial comparing computer-based memory training and compensatory memory rehabilitation in acquired brain injury
Role:
CIG
Funding Source:
Epworth Research Institute
2016
Memory rehabilitation initiative
Role:
CIA
Funding Source:
Department of Health, Victorian State Government
Professional Memberships
Australian Psychological Society (APS)
APS College of Clinical Neuropsychologists
Australasian Society for the Study of Brain Impairment (ASSBI)