Ann Marie Leonard Zabel

NEALAC Clinic and Curry College, USA

Title: Neurodevelopment Under Siege: The Impact of Trauma on Cognition, Emotion, and Learning

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Biography

Ann Marie Leonard-Zabel is a Full Professor of Psychology and Department Coordinator at Curry College in Massachusetts, USA. She presents nationally and internationally on topics such as substance use disorders, neuropsychology, brain health, forensic examining, violence and aggression, Long COVID, and autism spectrum disorders. She also directs an international private practice specializing in school neuropsychology, neuro-forensics, and brain health services for children and adolescents.

She has contributed chapters to professional textbooks and serves on several editorial boards in the fields of psychology and mental health. She has also helped develop national and international certification programs in mental health and autism spectrum disorders. Her professional work is informed by numerous licenses, certifications, diplomas, and fellowships in school psychology, school neuropsychology, disability analysis, brain health, forensic examination related to Long COVID, violence and aggression prevention, autism spectrum disorders, ADHD, youth addictions, and therapeutic interventions.

She is an active member of the United Nations Association of the USA (UNA-USA), serving as a Delegate and Champion for the Shot@Life campaign, an initiative of the United Nations Foundation that promotes global access to lifesaving vaccines. In 2026, she served on the planning committee for the UNA-USA International Women’s Day initiative and was unanimously elected as one of two Co-Chairs of the International Women’s Day Affinity Planning Committee. She also participated as a speaker and panelist for the Public Health segment and served as Lead Moderator for the Global Stability segment. In recognition of her humanitarian contributions, she was named a Global Goodwill Ambassador-USA by the Global Goodwill Ambassador Foundation.

She serves on the Board of Directors for the Learning Disabilities Worldwide Congress and has received Lifetime Achievement Awards from both the American Board of School Neuropsychology and the American Board of Disability Analysts in recognition of her contributions to the field.

At Curry College, she has received numerous honors, including the Person of the Year Award, Researcher of the Year Award, Excellence in Partnership and Collaboration Award, the Excellence in Scholarship Award, and four Curry Authors Awards.

Research Interest

This presentation examines youth trauma through a neurobehavioral and neurodevelopmental lens, integrating current research in brain–behavior relationships, developmental psychopathology, and trauma-informed neuropsychological practice. Trauma is conceptualized as a pervasive and developmentally disruptive experience that affects multiple domains of functioning, including emotional regulation, cognitive processing, executive functioning, memory, language, and social development.

Drawing upon empirical research in neuroscience, as well as DSM-5-TR and ICD-11 perspectives, the presentation highlights how traumatic stress alters neural circuitry involved in fear conditioning, stress regulation, and higher-order cognitive control systems. The discussion further explores the age-dependent manifestation of trauma symptoms across infancy, childhood, and adolescence, emphasizing how developmental stage influences clinical presentation and functional impairment. Special attention is given to complex trauma and its long-term impact on attachment, identity formation, and neuropsychological development.

Evidence-based assessment approaches are reviewed, including trauma-informed neuropsychological evaluation methods that integrate standardized measures, clinical interviews, and behavioral observations across multiple informants. Finally, the presentation examines evidence-based and culturally responsive interventions, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), school-based interventions, and global psychosocial support frameworks informed by World Health Organization and United Nations initiatives. The integration of assessment and intervention within educational and clinical systems underscores the importance of trauma-informed care in improving developmental, academic, and psychosocial outcomes for children and adolescents.

Objectives

By the end of this presentation, participants will be able to:

1. Explain the neurodevelopmental impact of trauma on brain–behavior relationships in children and adolescents, including effects on executive functioning, memory, attention, and emotional regulation.
2. Differentiate among single-event trauma, complex trauma, and PTSD across developmental stages, and describe age-specific symptom presentations from early childhood through adolescence.
3. Apply trauma-informed neuropsychological assessment principles, including the selection of appropriate screening tools, interpretation of multidomain functioning, and integration of behavioral observations and collateral data.
4. Evaluate evidence-based and culturally responsive interventions for youth trauma, including TF-CBT, EMDR, school-based supports, and global mental health frameworks informed by WHO and UN guidelines.