Vindia G. Fernandez, Ph.D. | PSY28365
Founder and Clinical Director
Dr. Fernandez obtained her Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Houston where she studied pediatric neuropsychology and completed research on the neuroanatomical markers of dyslexia. She completed her APA-accredited internship and postdoctoral fellowship at the UCLA Semel Institute. Her specialty training includes working with children, adolescents, and young adults with neurodevelopmental issues including autism, epilepsy, ADHD, and learning disabilities as well as schizophrenia-spectrum disorders. Dr. Fernandez has also worked closely with the UCLA PEERS Program and developed a passion for teaching social skills to neurodiverse youth. In 2017, Dr. Fernandez founded the Center for Pediatric Neuropsychology in part to address the growing need for culturally and linguistically appropriate evaluations for Latino/a children. She is the director of pediatric neuropsychology at the UCLA Cultural Neuropsychology Program and collaborates with the Los Angeles Department of Mental Health on program development and training.
Elina Veytsman, Ph.D. | PSY34449
Licensed Psychologist
Dr. Elina Veytsman is a licensed psychologist and nationally certified school psychologist. She is the Director of Clinical Services at the UCLA PEERS Clinic, where she facilitates social skills, career skills, and dating skills programs for adolescents and young adults with autism spectrum disorder and their parents, and trains mental health professionals and educators in the implementation of these programs. Additionally, Dr. Veytsman conducts private individualized social skills, career skills, and dating skills coaching for teens and young adults with a range of social challenges. Dr. Veytsman earned her PhD in School Psychology at UC Riverside, where she studied the experience of youth with developmental disabilities and their parents during their transition into adulthood. She completed her doctoral internship at The Help Group, where she specialized in providing therapy and parent training, and conducting diagnostic assessments for neurodiverse youth in school and outpatient settings. Dr. Veytsman has over 10 years of experience working with neurodiverse youth and families across school, clinical, and research settings. She specializes in supporting teens, young adults, and their parents, in achieving their social, professional, and independence goals.
Chanel Nettle, M.A.
Social Skills Coach & School Psychology Associate
Chanel is a third-year doctoral student in the School Psychology program at UC Riverside. Chanel previously earned her B.A. in Psychology with a double-minor in Applied Developmental Psychology and Disabilities Studies from UCLA. At UCLA, Chanel was a research assistant at the Childhood Anxiety, OCD, and Tic Disorders program and was a child development intern at UCLA's Early Childcare and Education center. After graduating, Chanel worked at UCLA as the clinic coordinator and research lead for UCLA's Parenting and Children's Friendship program and a therapist for UCLA's Early Childhood Partial Hospitalization program. She is currently a graduate student researcher at the UCR SEARCH Family Autism Resource Center, a free autism assessment clinic for Latino families in the Inland Empire.
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Guadalupe Heredia, B.S.
Administrative Assistant
Guadalupe is a recent UCLA graduate with a B.S. in Psychobiology. At UCLA, she was a part of the Program for Excellence in Education and Research in the Sciences. She volunteered through Hearts Over Hands as a “Big Sib,” mentoring and providing virtual supplementary education for children throughout the pandemic. Guadalupe was also a member of the UCLA Association of Students in Child Development, where she expanded her understanding of the field and gained additional experience working with children. Guadalupe wants to pursue a Ph.D. in clinical child and adolescent psychology.