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Biography

Dr. Twamley earned a BA in Social Ecology at UC Irvine and a PhD in Clinical Psychology from Arizona State University. She completed her clinical psychology internship and postdoctoral fellowship at UCSD and joined the faculty of the Department of Psychiatry in 2003. She is a faculty member in the SDSU/UCSD Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology (clinical neuropsychology track); a faculty member of the Stein Institute for Research on Aging (SIRA) at UCSD; Co-Director of the UCSD Research Fellowship in Geriatric Mental Health; the Director of the Clinical Research Unit of the Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health (CESAMH) at the VA San Diego Healthcare System; and a VA Rehabilitation Research and Development Research Career Scientist.

Research Interests

Dr. Twamley's research focuses on bridging neuropsychology and interventions for individuals with severe mental illness, history of traumatic brain injury, or other cognitive impairments. Current intervention studies focus on compensatory cognitive training (see smartlab.ucsd.edu and www.cogsmart.com). Other research interests include cognitive impairment and disability in homeless individuals, the neuropsychology of everyday functioning, cognitive impairment in PTSD, and the use of technology to improve cognition. Dr. Twamley’s research has been funded by NIMH, VA, Department of Defense, National Science Foundation, and the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation (NARSAD).

Clinical Focus

Dr. Twamley is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in neuropsychological assessment, cognitive rehabilitation, and supported employment. Dr. Twamley is particularly interested in community-based interventions that help individuals with severe mental illness or other cognitive impairments reach their highest potential social and occupational functioning. She supervises neuropsychological assessment at the St. Vincent de Paul Village Family Health Center.

Diversity

Dr. Twamley is committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion in research and training. She believes that a diverse research group improves science by including multiple perspectives, lived experiences, and research interests, and recognizes that systemic racism has prevented many people from pursuing careers in science. She aims to increase diversity in her research group by actively recruiting trainees and staff from minoritized groups.