Mateja de Leonni Stanonik, M.D., Ph.D.

Dr. de Leonni Stanonik is an Associate Professor of Psychology and a Resident/Fellow in Neurology at George Washington University in Washington DC. She holds a Bachelors of Art degree in German and Political Science, Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and Psychology, Masters Degree in Cognitive Psychology and Doctoral (Ph.D.) degree in Neurosciences. She also completed her M.D. degree as well as Postdoctoral studies in Neuroradiology at the University of Tennessee.

Dr. de Leonni Stanonik’s research at the University of Tennessee was focused on clinical neurology and cognitive neuroscience using functional neuroimaging methods in Neuroradiology and Nuclear Medicine.  At the George Washington University and Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, DC, she continues to investigate mechanisms for attention as well as working memory in patients with mild traumatic brain injury, Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and early Alzheimer’s disease (AD) as well as patients with Neurofibromatosis-1 using neuropsychological tests in addition to functional neuroimaging techniques: functional MRI, FDG-PET, and Loreta EEG.  In addition, dr. de Leonni Stanonik has been one of the key developers of theoretical models for biological substrates of consciousness.

Dr. de Leonni Stanonik has also been active in international and national governmental and civilian organizations.  She founded the National Chapter of Slovenia for Alzheimer’s disease International Organization, has fostered professional and organizational affiliation and collaboration between the George Washington University Dept. of Neurology and Neurosurgery with the Institutes for Neurology and Neurosurgery at the University Clinical Medical Center in Ljubljana.  Dr. de Leonni Stanonik works at the Center for Global Health, GWU, where she has proposed projects investigating the interplay between international medicine and politics, public health theory and practice, with focus on applying of health communication theories and principals of diplomacy to promote health behavior change in the international setting. 

In the community, Dr. de Leonni Stanonik volunteers with the World Red Cross as a Mental Health Specialist for Disaster Areas, works with the Capitol Hill Alzheimer´s Association chapter and the local chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association in her home country of Slovenia as a Lecturer for Neurodegenerative disorders and mental health where she emphasize the importance of screening, early detection, and early treatment of memory loss in the elderly as well as the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegerative problems.  She has been active in the Alzheimer’s disease International performing multicultural research as well as working in overcoming the cross-cultural barriers and de-stigmatization of psychiatric and neurodegenerative illnesses.

Dr. de Leonni Stanonik continuously combines her research with raising public awareness regarding diseases, which affect the central nervous system.  

Dr. de Leonni Stanonik serves as the Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors and Chair of the Committee on Governmental relations of the IVeH Foundation.  

Mateja de Leonni Stanonik, M.D., Ph.D.

Vice Chair
2150 Pennsylvania Ave, NW
Suite 7-106
Washington, DC  20037
202-333-5406 (ph)
202-741-2722 (fax)
Email: mateja@iveh.org