HNS Committees

Committees & Associations

The Awards Committee centralizes the management of HNS awards. HNS currently grants the following awards: 2 major awards (Lifetime Achievement in Cultural Neuropsychology Award; Mentorship in Cultural Neuropsychology Award), 2 poster awards (HNS Award for Outstanding Special Interest Poster; HNS Award for Outstanding Research Poster by a Trainee), and 2 student awards (Student Research Award; Internship Fees Award). The Committee also oversees the Fellows Program.

Communications Committee

The Communications Committee establishes, monitors, and improves communications between HNS, its members, and individuals within the general public who are interested in promoting the competent practice of neuropsychology with Spanish-speaking populations. In this way, the Committee seeks to establish an effective process for information-sharing and community outreach. Primary responsibilities include website development/maintenance, social media management, and the creation, review, and dissemination of HNS materials.

Conference Committee

The Conference Committee is tasked with organizing the HNS Conference, which is held biennially either as a freestanding event or in conjunction with the National Academy of Neuropsychology (NAN), International Neuropsychological Society (INS), or American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology (AACN) Annual Meetings.

Liaison Committee

The Liaison Committee serves as an initial and consistent point of contact between HNS and other regional, national, and international neuropsychology organizations in order to a) facilitate clear lines of communication between the leadership of HNS and those of other neuropsychology organizations, b) develop strategic partnerships, c) provide resources and consultation on socio-cultural and linguistic issues in neuropsychology, and d) promote inter-organizational collaboration. Committee members serve as liaisons to various organizations, including the National Academy of Neuropsychology (NAN), the Clinical Neuropsychology Specialty Council (CNS), the InterOrganizational Practice Committee (IOPC), the International Neuropsychological Society (INS), the American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology (AACN), and the American Board of Clinical Neuropsychology (ABCN).

Membership & Elections Committee

The Membership Committee seeks to enhance the experience of current HNS members and to promote new membership. The Membership Committee creates networking opportunities and organizes events to encourage members to cultivate professional and personal relationships with the goal of developing new collaborations among members and to recruit new members.  The Membership Committee also reviews applications and determines the eligibility of prospective HNS members, as well as those of members who wish to apply for Fellow Member status. Lastly, the Committee oversees the nominations and elections process.

The Membership Committee welcomes members with creative minds who enjoy facilitating communication and collaboration among our members, and organizing fun and out-of-the-box events!

The Mentoring and Education Committee a) encourages Spanish speakers to become neuropsychologists, b) encourages neuropsychologists to develop competency in the assessment of Spanish speakers, c) mentors HNS members in attaining board certification, and d) provides mentoring opportunities to HNS members.

Science Committee

The Science Committee aims to broaden the scientific impact of HNS by promoting a) the development and implementation of rigorous, ethical, and culturally-proficient research in neuropsychology among Hispanics/Latinos and members of other underrepresented groups, b) the dissemination of knowledge gained from research to HNS members, the scientific and psychological community, and society at large, and c) the incorporation of research into  clinical neuropsychology practice and other relevant applied disciplines. 

Social Justice & Advocacy Committee

The Social Justice and Advocacy Committee (SJAC) aims to improve accessibility of neuropsychological/psychological evaluations and education among Latinx populations with neurodevelopmental, psychiatric, and/or neurological conditions within and outside of the United States. SJAC also advocates for equitable and culturally sensitive neuropsychological/psychological services for Latinx populations.

The Student Association supports the goals and mission of HNS as it relates to trainees and increases visibility and awareness of HNS activities within its student members. The Association also provides training, mentorship, and leadership opportunities for students to further their professional development.

Subcommittees & Task Forces

Continuing Education Subcommittee

The Continuing Education Subcommittee was established in 2020 and is tasked with a) obtaining continuing education granting through the American Psychological Association and b) CE program development, including reviewing potential CE programming in order to award CE credits for HNS events.

Practice Subcommittee

The Practice Subcommittee was established in 2020 and is focused on professional practice issues, such as updates on billing/payor issues, collaboration with other neuropsychological entities that focus on practice issues, and development of recommended approaches with Latinx populations.

Fundraising Task Force

The Fundraising Task Force was established in 2020 with the goal of centralizing and developing a fundraising program for HNS.

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DELIA SILVA, PSYD, ABPP

Dr. Silva’s parents immigrated from Panama and Chile to the United States, and she was born and raised in melting pot that is New York City. She grew up speaking Spanish at home and feels fortunate to have grown up in an environment where cultural diversity was the norm, not the exception.

During her training to become a neuropsychologist, Dr. Silva was often asked to work with Spanish-speaking patients, though most training sites did not have supervisors who also spoke Spanish or had sufficient cultural knowledge relevant to Latinx populations. She joined HNS as a student and found mentorship and training resources that helped her gain competency in providing neuropsychological services to these patients. Dr. Silva has served on the HNS Board as Member-at-Large (2014-2016) and Secretary (2019-2022). She has also been involved with several committees over the years and is currently serving as the Chair of the Information Technology (IT) Committee. She views HNS as the main organization to promote development of professional resources and scientific advancements in neuropsychology that are specific to Latinx groups; she is honored to help the organization in any way she can. 

Dr. Silva is the owner of Pacific Neurobehavioral Clinic, PC, a group practice in San Diego, California that offers neuropsychological evaluation and psychotherapy services to adults with various neuropsychiatric conditions. She engages in clinical and civil forensic work and oversees the clinic operations.

Educational, training and professional experiences include:

  • Doctorate in Clinical Psychology – Florida Institute of Technology
  • Post-doctoral fellowships – Fullerton Neuropsychological Services, St. Jude Medical Center (one year; neurorehabilitation) and University of California San Diego (one year; clinical neuropsychology)
  • Staff neuropsychologist at Sharp Memorial and Grossmont hospitals from 2009-2012
  • Board certified through the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP) in Clinical Neuropsychology
  • Qualified Medical Evaluator (QME) for the state of California
  • Treasurer and Current Chair of California Psychological Association-Division 8 (Neuropsychology)

In her spare time, Dr. Silva enjoys playing and making music (piano and electronic instruments; she recently took up learning how to play the theremin), playing tennis, karaoke, and spending time with family and friends.