Casey Azuero, Ph.D., MPH, Associate Professor in the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, has been named Interim Division Director of Rehabilitation Psychology at Spain Rehabilitation Center (SRC). She replaces Dr. Amy Knight who previously held the position.
Dr. Azuero joined the Department of PM&R as an assistant professor in 2017 following her postdoctoral training at UAB in Rehabilitation Psychology under J. Scott Richards, Ph.D., ABPP. She is Board Certified in Rehabilitation Psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology.
In addition to her role in PM&R’s psychology department, she also consults for other specialties with the UAB Health System, including Trauma (TBICU, TBNU) Service, Surgery and Neurosurgery (NICU) Services, and Special Care Unit (SICU) Services.
Dr. Azuero received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Alabama and her Master in Public Health in Health Behavior and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). She completed an internship in clinical psychology at the UAB/Birmingham Veterans Administration Medical Center consortium.
Dr. Azuero’s clinical practice involves the assessment and treatment of adults with chronic conditions including spinal cord injury and other medical conditions. Her research has focused on understanding the utilization of mental health services and designing and testing novel intervention delivery methods.
Dr. Azuero’s passion for psychology can be noted nationally. She is currently a Spinal Cord Injury Medicine Consortium representative for American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine; a member of the Paralyzed Veterans of America Clinical Practice Guideline Committee; and an American Board of Rehabilitation Psychology (ABRP) Board practice sample reviewer. On the university level, Dr. Azuero is the Director of Wellness and Resident Professional Development as well as Training Director for the Rehabilitation Psychology Post-Doctoral Fellowship.
“I am very excited to take on this new leadership role in the department and have been humbled and hold deep gratitude for all of the support I have received from my colleagues so far. Under her leadership, Dr. Knight has grown our division and I look to continue the work of expansion and diversification moving forward,” stated Azuero.