He has a private practice, is the founding director of a bilingual mental health clinic, and is on the Department of Psychology faculty at the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW).
Antonio E. Puente, a pioneering neuropsychologist, is recognized for his passion for inclusivity, particularly in psychological assessment for Spanish-speaking populations.
His work has broadened the understanding of psychology by integrating cultural and linguistic diversity into neuropsychological assessments" ([1]).Dr.
Puente was born during the Cuban Revolution and later immigrated to the United States with his family.
His experiences of displacement and adjusting to a new culture significantly influenced his work in neuropsychology, particularly his focus on immigrant communities.
He pursued his undergraduate degree at the University of Florida and later earned his Ph.D. from the University of Georgia, where he was initially met with challenges due to his English proficiency but was ultimately supported by faculty members who recognized his potential" [2] He is married to Linda Puente and has three children: Krista Puente Trefz, clinical psychologist in Stuart, Florida; Antonio Nicolas Puente, Chief Psychologist at George Washington University School of Medicine; Lucas Llanso Puente, Senior Data Scientist at SalesForce.
He founded and edited the journals Neuropsychology Review for ten years and Interprofessional Education & Practice for five years, and is the author/editor of 11 books, 95 book chapters, and 125 journal articles in Arabic, English, Italian, Spanish, and Russian.
Before joining the UNCW faculty in 1981, where he teaches brain and behavior, neuropsychology, and the history of psychology, Puente was a neuroanatomy professor at St. George's University School of Medicine in Grenada.
[5] Throughout his career, Dr. Puente focused on the neuropsychological assessment of overlooked populations, particularly bilingual individuals.
He founded the Neuropsychologists of the Spanish Language (NOSS) group in 1993 to promote culturally and linguistically appropriate treatment.
His later work involved advocating for the adaptation of neuropsychological tools, such as the Test of Memory Malingering (TOMM) and the MMPI-3, to be accessible to Spanish-speaking populations.
He spent 15 years as a representative to the American Medical Association's committee on Current Procedural Terminology.