We are FAST
Meet the Team
Claire S. Ashbaugh, Ph.D.
Dr. Ashbaugh is a co-founder and co-director of FAST. She earned her Bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of Ottawa, followed by her Master's and Doctoral degrees in Clinical Psychology with a specialization in Forensic Psychology from Sam Houston State University.
Dr. Ashbaugh is a licensed psychologist in Washington State and New Mexico and holds mobility authorization through Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact (PSYPACT), which enables her to practice telepsychology across an expanding number of U.S. states and territories.
Dr. Ashbaugh has over a decade of experience as a forensic evaluator for criminal courts throughout Washington State. She is fluent in French and has significant experience collaborating with language interpreters. Through her independent practice, Dr. Ashbaugh provides neutral, fact-based expert opinions while considering the unique characteristics, experiences, culture, and societal context of each individual.
Julia E. McLawsen, Ph.D., R.Psych.
Dr. McLawsen serves as a co-founder and co-director of FAST. Dr. McLawsen earned a bachelor's degree in Psychology from Stanford University, a master's degree in Psychology from Seattle University, followed by a second master's degree and doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology, with an emphasis in Forensic Assessment, from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Dr. McLawsen is a licensed psychologist in Washington State, a Registered Psychologist in British Columbia (Canada), and maintains authorization through the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact (PSYPACT), which grants Authority to Practice Interjurisdictional Telepsychology (APIT) and Temporary Authority to Practice (TAP) in a growing number of U.S. states and territories.
Dr. McLawsen holds a clinical faculty appointment at the University of Washington’s School of Medicine, and previously, served as a clinical associate at Simon Fraser University. Through her independent practice, Dr. McLawsen provides psychological evaluations that guide legal decisions in immigration, criminal, civil, and administrative proceedings.
Jolene Simpson, Ph.D.
Dr. Simpson earned a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Washington, and a master’s degree and doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology with a specialization in Psychology and the Law, from the University of Alabama. Dr. Simpson completed a postdoctoral fellowship in forensic psychology through a partnership between the University of Washington and the Western State Hospital Center for Forensic Services (now the Gage Center for Forensic Excellence).
Dr. Simpson is a licensed psychologist with more than 14 years of experience conducting psychological evaluations for criminal courts across the State of Washington. Dr. Simpson’s work focuses on providing objective, high-quality, and evidence-based assessments that guide psycholegal decision-making.
Christopher D. Cadle, Ph.D.
Dr. Cadle has over 30 years of experience in the mental health field, including 15 years of postdoctoral experience, and ten years as a forensic evaluator. He serves as an expert witness, providing forensic psychological evaluations in criminal and civil matters.
Dr. Cadle earned a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Southwestern University and a master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of Houston at Clear Lake. He later earned a second master’s and doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the University of Louisville and completed a pre-doctoral internship at Western State Hospital in Tacoma, WA. He then completed a forensic psychology fellowship through the University of Washington School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry.
After training, Dr. Cadle worked as a civilian psychologist with the Department of Defense through Joint Base Lewis McChord (JBLM) at Madigan Army Medical Center. He returned to civilian employment and worked as a forensic evaluator for Washington State. He now works independently and exclusively as a forensic evaluator.
Dr. Cadle is licensed as a psychologist in Washington State and Texas and maintains authorization through the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact (PSYPACT), which grants Authority to Practice Interjurisdictional Telepsychology (APIT) and Temporary Authority to Practice (TAP) in over 40 U.S. states and territories.
Kendra Crowell, Ph.D.
Dr. Crowell earned her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Music Performance from the University of Evansville, and her Master’s and Doctoral degrees in Clinical Psychology with a specialization in Forensic Psychology from Palo Alto University. She completed a post-doctoral forensic psychology fellowship through the University of Washington School of Medicine at Western State Hospital.
Dr. Crowell is a licensed psychologist in Washington State and maintains authorization through the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact (PSYPACT), which grants Authority to Practice Interjurisdictional Telepsychology (APIT) and Temporary Authority to Practice (TAP) in a growing number of U.S. states and territories.
Dr. Crowell has over a decade of experience as a forensic evaluator, conducting psychological evaluations for criminal courts throughout Washington State. Through her private practice, she undertakes psychological evaluations for adults involved in criminal and civil proceedings.
Jill Rogstad, Ph.D., ABPP, L.P.
Dr. Rogstad obtained her undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin and a Master of Science degree in Psychology and Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the University of North Texas. During her graduate training, she worked on programmatic research focused on the development and validation of forensic assessment instruments and received clinical training in forensic evaluation through the Federal Bureau of Prisons at a medical center in Texas. Dr. Rogstad completed her predoctoral internship at the United States Medical Center for Federal Prisoners in Springfield, Missouri, and received additional specialized training in forensic assessment during a postdoctoral fellowship in forensic psychology at Mendota Mental Health Institute and Sand Ridge Secure Treatment Center in Wisconsin.
Dr. Rogstad has more than ten years of experience conducting forensic evaluations. She has been board certified in forensic psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology since 2020. She serves on the examination faculty for the American Board of Forensic Psychology, which evaluates forensic psychologists under consideration for board certification. Dr. Rogstad is licensed as a psychologist in Minnesota, and her Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact (PSYPACT) authorization allows her to practice telepsychology in various jurisdictions across the country. She maintains a part-time private practice conducting evaluations of court-involved adults and providing forensic training and consultation services. Additionally, she is employed as a clinical forensic psychologist with the Minnesota Judicial Branch, where she also serves as the Training Director of the Fourth Judicial District Psychological Services Postdoctoral Fellowship in Forensic Psychology and supervises and trains postdoctoral fellows in forensic assessment.
Krissie Fernandez Smith, Ph.D., ABPP
Dr. Smith has over 15 years of experience conducting forensic evaluations with court-involved youth and adults. She received her doctoral degree in clinical psychology with a forensic emphasis from Sam Houston State University and was board certified in forensic psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology in 2017. As a bilingual psychologist, Dr. Smith has worked with individuals who speak either English or Spanish.
Dr. Smith maintains a part-time private practice where she completes forensic evaluations of adults involved in criminal court and youth involved in the juvenile justice system. In addition, she is the Associate Director of the Cook County Juvenile Court Clinic, which is run through a partnership between Northwestern University and Cook County. She is licensed as a Clinical Psychologist in Illinois and holds mobility authorization through the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact (PSYPACT) which allows her to practice telepsychology in numerous jurisdictions within the United States.
Meredith Veltri, Ph.D., ABPP
Dr. Veltri is board certified in forensic psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology. She earned a Masters and Doctorate in Clinical Psychology with a forensic emphasis from Sam Houston State University. She completed her predoctoral training at the U.S. Medical Center for Federal Prisoners, after which she worked as a psychologist for the Federal Bureau of Prisons. She is the Director of Forensic and Specialized Assessment Services for Netcare Access in Columbus, Ohio, and directs Expert Evaluations, an independent practice.
Dr. Veltri conducts criminal forensic assessments, behavioral health evaluations, pre-employment assessments, evaluations regarding immigration matters (namely, N-648 certifications), pre-surgical evaluations (bariatric and transplant), consultation, and work product review. Her previous experience in the Bureau of Prisons lends specialized perspective in non-capital mitigation evaluations. Her testimony before the Ohio General Assembly facilitated legislation which she proposed and helped to develop. She is a member of the Association of Threat Assessment Professionals, and trains school districts, corporations, and mental health agencies in best practices in threat assessment. She served on a competency and sanity workgroup for the Ohio Supreme Court’s sentencing commission.
Dr. Veltri practices in Washington State and other Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact (PSYPACT)-participating states through her PSYPACT authorization. She also maintains licensure in Ohio and Colorado. To ensure best practices in telepsychology, she maintains a Telepsychology Competencies Credential (TCC) offered through The Trust and the National Register of Health Service Psychologists.
FAST Affiliates Lend Collaborative Expertise
FAST is honored to collaborate with specialist affiliates whose expertise ensures that our services align with the highest professional standards. These partnerships enhance FAST’s ability to address complex forensic questions and provide comprehensive, evidence-driven psycholegal evaluations.
Jude Bergkamp, Psy.D.
Dr. Bergkamp consults with FAST evaluators to ensure that they, and the methods they rely on, are culturally responsive.
Dr. Bergkamp is the Chair of the clinical psychology program at Antioch University Seattle, as well as clinical faculty in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington. He serves as President of the National Council of Schools and Programs of Professional Psychology (NCSPP), which includes almost one hundred professional psychology programs across the country. In addition, he serves on the American Psychological Association (APA) BEA/BPA Task Force on Doctoral Competencies in Health Service Psychology. He was trained in forensic and neuropsychology and has worked in the Washington State Department of Corrections, and currently as a forensic evaluator in the Office of Forensic Mental Health Services in Washington State. He is the recipient of the Psychologist of the Year 2019 from the Washington State Psychological Association and the Distinguished Alumni Award from Antioch University for his work on immigration reform in 2018. His current research interests include forensic cultural responsiveness, the exploration of social privilege as the flip side of oppression, and the role social privilege plays in psychotherapy.
Headshot coming soon
Megan Carter, Psy.D., ABPP
Dr. Carter, a forensic psychologist and nationally-recognized expert in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD), provides consultation to FAST evaluators on topics pertaining to FASD.
Since 2014, Dr. Megan Carter has been board certified in forensic psychology through the American Board of Professional Psychology, and is a diplomate of the American Academy of Forensic Psychology (AAFP). Additionally, Dr. Carter holds a faculty appointment at the University of Washington. Dr. Carter offers training to help mental health professionals understand how FASD affects individuals and their social support networks.
Dr. Carter graduated with her master’s degree in applied social psychology from Portland State University before completing another master’s degree and a doctorate in clinical psychology, with an emphasis on forensics, at Pacific University. In 2018, the Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers (ATSA) recognized her contributions by designating her as an ATSA Fellow. Dr. Carter maintains a private practice dedicated to forensic psychological evaluations and child welfare issues.
Julie Gallagher, Psy.D., ABPP
Dr. Gallagher consults with FAST evaluators to ensure they comprehensively consider an examinee’s developmental maturity, sometimes termed “youthfulness.”
Dr. Gallagher is a board-certified forensic psychologist and nationally recognized expert in developmental maturity in the juvenile and adult legal systems. She provides expert consultation to FAST evaluators, offering critical insights into the complexities of developmental maturity and neurodevelopmental disorders in forensic assessments.
Dr. Gallagher holds board certification in forensic psychology through the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP) and is a diplomate of the American Academy of Forensic Psychology (AAFP). She is licensed as a psychologist in Tennessee and maintains authorizations for interstate practice through the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact (PSYPACT), including the Authority to Practice Interjurisdictional Telepsychology (APIT) and Temporary Authority to Practice (TAP), which allow practice in a growing number of U.S. states and territories.
Dr. Gallagher has served in multiple national and state leadership roles in forensic psychology, including as a past president of AAFP and President-Elect and National Chair of Examinations for the American Board of Forensic Psychology (ABFP). Additionally, she consults for the Tennessee Board of Examiners of Psychology and serves on the Tennessee Psychological Association’s Ethics Committee. She currently runs an independent practice based in Nashville, Tennessee, where she evaluates adults and juveniles involved in the legal system, provides consultation to attorneys and other psychologists, and supervises students in Vanderbilt University’s doctoral program in clinical psychological science.
Dr. Gallagher earned her bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and her master’s and doctoral degrees in clinical psychology from Baylor University. She completed her clinical internship and forensic postdoctoral training at St. Elizabeths Hospital in Washington, DC. She previously served as the Director of Forensic Services at Child Study and Treatment Center, the state hospital for children in Washington State, where she also directed the forensic psychology fellowship program at the University of Washington School of Medicine.
Brett Parmenter, Ph.D., ABPP-CN
Dr. Brett Parmenter is pleased to provide neuropsychological consultation to FAST, which supports FAST's mission to deliver high-quality, timely forensic evaluations. Through this collaboration, Dr. Parmenter helps FAST evaluators comprehensively consider examinees' neuropsychological concerns. When examinees present with potential neuropsychological impairment, Dr. Parmenter consults with the FAST evaluators to identify pertinent domains of concern, develop tailored assessment strategies to explore clinical hypotheses, and interpret test results. This partnership helps FAST evaluators clarify how neuropsychological impairment may affect the examinee’s relevant psycholegal abilities, which enhances the utility and precision of FAST’s forensic evaluations.
Dr. Parmenter received her doctorate in Clinical Psychology from The University of Kansas after completing her internship at Yale University School of Medicine. She also completed a two-year fellowship in Clinical Neuropsychology at The University at Buffalo, State University of New York School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. Dr. Parmenter has been board-certified in Clinical Neuropsychology through the American Board of Professional Psychology/American Board of Clinical Neuropsychology (ABPP/ABCN) since 2009. She is on the Board of Directors for the American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology (AACN) and its Foundation, and is a Fellow in Division 40 (Clinical Neuropsychology) of the American Psychological Association.
Dr. Parmenter's clinical experience includes psychological and neuropsychological assessment, including working with people who have questions of cognitive difficulties associated with neurodegenerative, autoimmune, medical, and psychiatric conditions. She has worked extensively with individuals with traumatic brain injuries, having published and presented on this topic. She also has an interest in forensics, with experience in both civil and criminal cases. In addition to her work at Mt. Tahoma Psychological Services, Dr. Parmenter is a Clinical Professor at The University of Washington School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, as well as the official team neuropsychologist for Seattle's professional rugby team, the Seawolves. In her free time, Dr. Parmenter enjoys spending time with her family, running, reading, and meeting every dog with whom she comes in contact.
Forensic Psychiatry
FAST’s forensic psychiatry affiliate consults with FAST evaluators about topics that include psychotropic medication, medication-related prognosis, and potential medication-substance interactions. FAST’s forensic psychiatrist maintains board certification in Forensic Psychiatry, General Psychiatry, and Brain Injury Medicine. In addition to their role at FAST, they teach university courses, provide training and supervision, and serve as an expert in matters that include — but are by no means limited to — criminal and civil competencies, mental state at the time of an alleged criminal offense, standard of care, harassment, and fitness for duty.