Dr. McDonough founded Psychological Diagnostic Evaluations of New York, PC in 2015 in order to provide high-quality, evidence-based assessment services to the Long Island community. She specializes in psychological assessment for the purpose of identifying  learning disabilities and other disorders that interfere with achieving full academic potential. Her mission is to help parents understand why their children struggle and what can be done to help their children succeed. In addition to clinical practice, Dr. McDonough has served in academic roles training clinical and school psychology graduate students in psychological assessment at both St. John’s University and Rutgers University. Dr. McDonough co-edited Contemporary Intellectual Assessment (4th Ed.) , the second-most widely used text in school psychology assessment courses, and has co-authored numerous book chapters in the field of learning disability assessment.  Dr. McDonough also served as the director of a diagnostic center affiliated with a school for students with dyslexia and other learning disabilities. She presents locally and nationally to school-based professionals on topics related to psychological assessment and learning disabilities.   She is a licensed psychologist in New York (2011) and New Jersey (2017) and possesses the Authority to Practice Interjurisdictional Telepsychology. Dr. McDonough graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2009 with a PhD in School Psychology after completing an APA-accrediated internship at MercyFirst. Dr. McDonough has also completed the Post-Graduate Specialization in Neuropsychology at Fielding Graduate University. 

Dr. Hurley earned her Psy.D. in School Psychology from St. John’s University. She is a licensed New York State psychologist and nationally certified school psychologist. Dr. Hurley has worked as a school psychologist for a local district for the past several years and currently serves as an adjunct professor at Adelphi University. Dr. Hurley specializes in psycho-educational assessment including the identification of autism spectrum disorder, specific learning disorders, emotional and attention disorders, and executive functioning deficits. She strives to offer therapeutic clients a supportive and collaborative evaluation environment to identify short- and long-term goals while using individualized, evidence-based strategies to meet these goals successfully. In addition to her clinical and assessment practice, Dr. Hurley supervises psychology interns, provides training to graduate level interns, and has been invited to present at local schools, agencies, and professional conferences. Dr. Hurley is a member of the American Psychological Association, the New York Association of School Psychologists, and the National Association of School Psychologists. Dr. Hurley has presented at national conferences including the New England Psychological Association, the New York Association of School Psychologists, and the National Association of School Psychologists. Dr. Hurley has also completed the Post-Graduate Specialization in Neuropsychology at Fielding Graduate University. 

Dr. Pzena is a licensed psychologist and certified school psychologist in New York State. She obtained her Psy.D. in School Psychology from St. John's University, and has been working as a school psychologist and CSE chairperson at a local high school on Long Island for the last few years. Dr. Pzena specializes in the assessment of adolescents and adults to identify learning disabilities and attentional disorders. She has experience conducting comprehensive evaluations that can help determine if clients may require accommodations in high school or for college, post-graduate or professional examinations. Therapeutically, Dr. Pzena was also trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) at the Albert Ellis Institute, and built her experience working with adolescents and adults who struggled with anger management, oppositional behavior, and conduct issues.

Dr. Megan Doyle specializes in the treatment of mood, anxiety, and behavioral disorders, including issues resulting from trauma. She is trained in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and trauma-focused CBT. Dr. Doyle enjoys working with individuals of all ages, as well as helping caregivers provide support to children. She works in partnership with her clients to develop an understanding of the problem and create goals for treatment.

Dr. Doyle began her career at the NYU Child Study Center, working with families affected by the attack on the World Trade Center. After earning her Psy.D in School Psychology from St. John’s University, Dr. Doyle worked as a school psychologist in districts on Long Island. She is highly trained in psycho-educational assessment, including the identification of specific learning disorders, emotional and attention disorders, and autism spectrum disorder. Dr. Doyle left the field of school psychology to raise her three children, and has returned to the clinical setting where she began her career.

Dr. Doyle has participated in research on trauma and PTSD related to child physical abuse, sexual assault, and bereavement as well as school-based issues such as bullying and cyber-bullying. She has presented her work locally and at the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT) and the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS).

Melanie Popovits earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from St. John’s University. She is earning her doctoral degree in School Psychology at Adelphi University.  She is a passionate learner who has experience in a variety of settings working with individuals on the Autism Spectrum.  After having the opportunity to work within mental health settings abroad in Sri Lanka and Argentina, Melanie embraces the individuality and diversity of each client with whom she has the opportunity to work. Melanie has presented at national conferences including the Eastern Psychological Association and the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP). Her current research project involves best practices in engaging immigrant parents in their children’s education within the school system. Melanie has served and continues to be a lead teaching assistant for intellectual assessment courses and a departmental assistant in her graduate program. She currently serves as the chapter secretary for Adelphi University’s Student Affiliates in School Psychology. Her therapeutic approach includes supporting individuals with disabilities in achieving greater independence and learning daily living skills. Her mission is to work in partnership with her clients to gain an understanding of their learning and use their strengths to create goals to help them reach their highest potential.