Risa Nakase-Richardson

Dr. Richardson is a clinical neuropsychologist with 17-years of experience working in TBI neuro-rehabilitation in both clinical and research capacities. She is a Fellow of the National Academy of Neuropsychology and American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. She is an Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of South Florida, and Investigator at the VA Health Services Research & Development (HSR&D) Center of Innovation on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (CINDRR) and Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center in Tampa FL. She has 59 publications in peer-reviewed journals and over 150 presentations at national and international conferences. Her primary area of interest has been in rehabilitation outcome following TBI. Her work has led to development of new assessment instruments for use in early neurobehavioral recovery, development and preliminary evaluation of program interventions for managing sequelae of severe brain injury including sleep disorders, and phenomenologic studies that have helped contribute to the empirical base of understanding the diagnostic distinctions among syndromes of impaired consciousness. She has served in various research roles including principle investigator, co-investigator, research director, and project manager on TBI grants from VA Rehabilitation Research and Development, VA Health Services Research and Development, General Dynamics Health Solutions Subcontract to the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center, National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, and National Academy of Neuropsychology. She has active roles within the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine, including Chairperson for the Military and Veteran Networking Group, and Chairperson for the Disorder of Consciousness Task Force within the Brain Injury Interdisciplinary Group. As well, within the TBI Model Systems program of research, she Co-Chairs 3 Special Interest Groups (Disorder of Consciousness, VA Collaboration, and Sleep). Prior to employment within the Department of Veterans Affairs, Dr. Nakase-Richardson served as Assistant Training Director and Training Director of an Association of Postdoctoral Programs in Clinical Neuropsychology (APPCN) approved Neuropsychology Postdoctoral Fellowship with specialized training in the full continuum of care for persons with acquired brain injury starting with ICU assessment through community re-integration.

WORLD CONGRESS PRESENTATIONS

The Minimal Competency Guidelines for Rehabilitation of Persons with Disorders of Consciousness

Extending our Knowledge of Long-Term Outcomes After Severe TBI: Three DOC TBI Model System Studies