Francisco I. "Frank" Perez
Francisco I. "Frank" Perez was born in Cuba and came to the U.S in 1961, when he was 13, as a refugee, alone without his parents and sisters. He became a United States citizen in 1969. He received his doctorate degree in clinical psychology/neuropsychology from the University of Florida in 1971. As a student, he took behavior analysis courses with Hank and worked with him in promoting the practice of precision teaching. He first joined the faculty at the University of Houston College of Education. He was a consultant with the Houston Independent School District and was involved in teacher’s training and implementation of precision teaching practices in the classroom systemwide.
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More Background
He then joined the faculty at Baylor College of Medicine, Department of Neurology and became the chief of neuropsychological services. His research focused on dementia and cerebrovascular disease. He received NIH funding for his behavior-based research in rehabilitating cognitively impaired individuals with brain disorders.
In 1980 he went into private practice as Behavioral Medicine Consultants of Houston, at the Texas Medical Center, practicing clinical psychology and neuropsychology. He continued his NIH funded research in behavioral approaches to cognitive rehabilitation. He is Board Certified by the American Board of Professional Psychology with a specialty in neuropsychology.
He is a strong supporter of the scientist-practitioner model of clinical practice. He collaborated with the University of Texas College of Nursing in Austin, as co-principal investigator on a NIH funded research project on behavioral approaches to cognitive rehabilitation in patients with Multiple Sclerosis. This project led to him and his co-investigator to be invited to his native Cuba to present at a conference at the CIREN Rehabilitation Hospital in Havana in 2016 and again in 2017.
He continued his involvement in academics. For 16 years he taught a graduate course at the University of Houston College of Education on the biological bases of behavior and taught at the University of Houston Clear Lake Campus graduate courses on Health Psychology.
Frank and his wife Ginny have been married since 1971. They have two grown children, daughter is a teacher and son is a radiologist, and 3 grandchildren. Frank is a member of the Board of Trustees at the Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies. He has served as a member of the Board of Directors at the Magnificat House in Houston, which aids the homeless.
Frank is now retired from clinical practice. He currently teaches a course on Occupational Health Psychology at the University of Texas Health Science Center Houston – School of Public Health. This is within the Total Worker Health program in occupational medicine.
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He enjoys photography, hiking and the outdoors. He particularly enjoys Big Bend and Olympic National Parks. Frank and Ginny truly enjoy the Pacific Northwest and the beauty of West Texas. Long-distance bicycling is a great medium for social and personal growth. Lifelong learning is a passion that fuels my brain.