Neumann’s Dr. Ramona Palmerio-Roberts sees herself an an actor on stage when she’s teaching — and no, she doesn’t teach theater. Instead, she’s an enthusiastic, lively and dramatic… psychology professor. 
To Dr. Palmerio-Roberts, the key to learning is engaging her students. So when it’s time to teach about, say, borderline personality disorder, she won’t merely list signs and symptoms on the blackboard — she’ll assume the roles of patient and clinician. Dr. Palmerio-Roberts uses voices, gestures, facial expressions and body movements to show students how the two individuals might interact.
Thanks to her background in clinical psychology, Dr. Palmerio-Roberts, a Florida native, has plenty of real-life stories to tell and act out.
“Instead of just lecturing and doing a Power Point, the stories are real attention-getters,” said Dr. Palmerio-Roberts who teaches courses in psychopathology, addiction, interpersonal dynamics and motivational interviewing (a technique used by clinicians to help individuals overcome addiction).
Dr. Palmerio-Roberts didn’t always know her passion was psychology. She considered majoring in athletic training and nutrition before discovering the field that has become her life’s passion.
“I often tell my students — especially the ones who are undecided about their major — ‘Don’t worry, it’ll come to you at some point.’”
A little known fact about Dr. Palmerio-Roberts: She was once an accomplished competitive gymnast who dreamed of earning a college scholarship in the sport. But a bad fall in high school ended her gymnastics dream. The experience taught her resilience, a strength that has helped her in her clinical work and in the classroom.