Compassion Neurohealth was founded by leaders with experience spanning military leadership, advanced neuroscience research, and clinical medicine. Our team is committed to delivering precision brain-based treatments with compassion, integrity, and scientific rigor.
Compassion Neurohealth was founded by two West Point graduates who experienced brain injury from very different paths—one on the battlefield and one on the football field. Their shared mission is to bring advanced neuroscience and compassionate care to patients seeking better solutions for depression, traumatic brain injury, PTSD, and other neurological conditions.
Co-Founder & Chief Science Officer Stanford-trained neuroscientist | 20+ peer-reviewed publications | Former UT Southwestern Assistant Professor
Dr. Russ Toll is a neuroscientist and Army veteran whose work focuses on advancing precision treatments for brain-based disorders including depression, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and addiction. He earned his PhD in Bioengineering from Stanford University, where he developed deep expertise in transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), electroencephalography (EEG), and Precision Brain Mapping techniques including MRI.
Dr. Toll has more than a decade of experience in neuromodulation, Precision Brain Mapping, and clinical trials research, and he has personally conducted hundreds of TMS treatment sessions. His work bridges advanced neuroscience with real-world clinical care, helping translate cutting-edge brain science into treatments that improve patients’ lives.
Following his academic training, Dr. Toll served as Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, where he conducted research on mood disorders and addiction and helped train the next generation of physicians. In this role he also instructed medical students and psychiatry residents in TMS protocols and neuromodulation techniques. Dr. Toll has authored or contributed to more than 20 peer-reviewed scientific publications in leading neuroscience and psychiatry journals.
Dr. Toll graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 2005 and served as a combined armor-infantry platoon leader in Iraq’s Diyala River Valley. His battalion received the Valorous Unit Award for extraordinary heroism during their 14-month deployment in the “Triangle of Death.”
After Iraq, Dr. Toll served as a casualty officer supporting the families of wounded and fallen soldiers. Those experiences, along with time spent visiting wounded service members recovering from blast injuries at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, motivated his commitment to advancing neuroscience and improving care for patients suffering from brain injury and mental health disorders.
Dr. Toll later left his academic role at UT Southwestern to dedicate himself full-time to Compassion Neurohealth, where he leads the clinic’s scientific strategy and development of precision brain-based therapies.
Dr. Bryan Kromenacker, M.D., Ph.D. is an interventional psychiatrist specializing in advanced, neuroscience-driven treatments for depression, anxiety, PTSD, and other mood disorders. He brings a unique combination of clinical expertise and deep research experience in cognitive neuroscience to deliver highly personalized, precision-based care.
Dr. Kromenacker earned both his Doctor of Medicine and Ph.D. in Cognition and Neural Systems from the University of Arizona. He completed his psychiatry residency on the research track with a focus in interventional psychiatry at UT Southwestern Medical Center, one of the nation’s leading institutions for psychiatric innovation.
His clinical approach blends evidence-based psychiatry with cutting-edge neuromodulation, including Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), medication management, and therapy. He is particularly focused on helping patients who have not responded to traditional treatments achieve meaningful, lasting recovery.
Dr. Kromenacker’s work has been recognized nationally. His honors include:
Beyond clinical care, Dr. Kromenacker has authored and contributed to numerous scientific publications in areas such as psychosis, neuroscience, and physiological biomarkers, reflecting his commitment to advancing the field of psychiatry through research.
He also serves as volunteer faculty at UT Southwestern, where he mentors trainees and supports ongoing research in depression and psychotic disorders.
At Compassion Neurohealth, Dr. Kromenacker plays a key role in delivering precision TMS and advanced brain-based therapies, including care for veterans and patients with treatment-resistant conditions. His philosophy is grounded in the belief that:
A diagnosis does not define a person—treatment should remove barriers so patients can reconnect with who they truly are.
Interventional Psychiatrist
Bret Petkus is a West Point graduate, former Army officer, and healthcare entrepreneur dedicated to expanding access to innovative neuroscience and medical technologies. As Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Compassion Neurohealth, Bret leads the organization’s strategy, partnerships, and operations with a focus on bringing advanced brain-based therapies to patients who have not found relief through traditional treatments.
Bret graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, where he was a three-year starter on the Army football team. After graduation, he served as a Field Artillery officer in the United States Army and completed demanding leadership training including Airborne School and Ranger School.
Following his military service, Bret began his healthcare career with Ethicon Endo-Surgery, a pioneering division of Johnson & Johnson focused on minimally invasive surgical technologies. He later joined Inamed Corporation, where he helped scale the company during a period of rapid growth as its innovative surgical technologies expanded worldwide.
Bret later became a co-founder of a pioneering surgical center that became the first freestanding surgery center in the world to earn “Center of Excellence” designation from the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery in partnership with the Surgical Review Corporation. Through this work, he helped advance quality standards, refine clinic operations, and expand access to surgical care for patients suffering from obesity and metabolic disease.
Building on that experience, Bret went on to help grow the field of specialty medical nutrition for patients undergoing medical and surgical weight-loss treatment, supporting physicians and healthcare providers focused on improving metabolic health outcomes.
Bret’s connection to neuroscience became personal when he later discovered that he had likely suffered a traumatic brain injury while playing football at West Point. Seeking answers, he reached out to fellow West Point graduate and neuroscientist Dr. Russ Toll. Their conversation led to an unexpected discovery—they both lived in Southlake, Texas.
The two met locally and quickly realized they shared a common mission: to combine advanced neuroscience with compassionate clinical care to help patients suffering from depression, traumatic brain injury, PTSD, and other brain-based conditions.
That partnership became Compassion Neurohealth.
Today, Bret focuses on building the infrastructure, partnerships, and operational strategy that allow Compassion Neurohealth to bring precision brain-health technologies—including EEG-guided brain mapping and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)—to patients seeking new solutions for complex neurological and mental health conditions.
His work continues to be driven by a simple goal: to combine innovation, science, and compassionate care to restore hope for patients and their families.
Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer West Point Graduate | Army Veteran | Healthcare Entrepreneur
Heidi Toll is a certified pediatric registered nurse with extensive clinical experience caring for patients in some of the nation’s leading medical centers. As Chief Nursing Officer of Compassion Neurohealth, she oversees patient care protocols and clinical operations, ensuring every patient receives compassionate, high-quality care throughout their treatment journey.
Heidi began her nursing career specializing in pediatric oncology, serving patients and families at Baylor Scott & White Health, El Camino Health, and Stanford Children’s Health. Pediatric oncology demands extraordinary compassion, resilience, and attention to detail—qualities that Heidi consistently brought to her work while supporting children and families through some of the most challenging moments of their lives.
While at Stanford Children’s Hospital, Heidi served on the hospital’s float team, gaining broad clinical experience across multiple departments and patient populations. This role strengthened her ability to adapt quickly to complex clinical situations and deliver high-quality care in dynamic medical environments.
Heidi later pursued a unique nursing opportunity as a Guest Health Nurse at Disneyland, where she provided medical care for guests experiencing a wide range of conditions—from minor injuries to acute medical emergencies.
She also serves as a nurse with Disney Cruise Line, delivering care in a maritime medical setting where clinical judgment, adaptability, and emergency response skills are essential.
When she is not at sea, Heidi brings her extensive nursing experience to Compassion Neurohealth, where she plays a critical role in ensuring safe, compassionate care for patients undergoing advanced neuroscience treatments.
Maddie Otterson is a TMS technician with a strong foundation in both psychological and biomedical sciences. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Neuroscience from Oklahoma State University and is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering at the University of North Texas, where she is further developing her expertise in brain-based technologies and data-driven approaches to healthcare.
Before joining Compassion Neurohealth, Maddie spent three years working as a behavior therapist for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, where she provided individualized care and support to help children and their families build essential life and communication skills. At the same time, she volunteered as a crisis counselor with The Trevor Project, supporting LGBTQIA+ youth as a crisis counselor. These experiences shaped her ability to connect with people from diverse backgrounds and reinforced her commitment to compassionate, patient-centered care.
While counseling and behavioral therapy was fulfilling, Maddie recognized that her strengths were rooted in science and problem-solving. This realization led her to pursue training in biomedical engineering, with a focus on translating neuroscience into clinical care.
At Compassion Neurohealth, Maddie helps in delivering transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) treatments, where she combines technical precision with empathetic care. She is passionate about helping patients achieve meaningful progress, and she is extremely grateful and excited about the opportunity to contribute to innovative, evidence-based treatments that improve mental health and quality of life.
Identification of current or former employment at external institutions/organizations does not constitute their endorsement of Compassion Neuroscience. Compassion Neuroscience is an independent nonprofit organization and is not affiliated in any way with any external organization.
Our team combines scientific rigor with compassionate care to help patients suffering from depression, traumatic brain injury, PTSD, and other neurological conditions find new paths to healing.
Des is an expert logistician, leader, and paratrooper. She has managed the global supply chain for Green Beans Coffee, finances for Pacific Pulmonary Services, and operations at Amazon. She enlisted in the Army as a parachute rigger in the 12th Special Forces Group and then became an officer. Her accomplished career includes State Department operations in Iraq, California Deputy State Inspector General, and Task Force Division Chief at the Pentagon. A native French speaker, she served as the US Army liaison to France. She performed the difficult duties of a casualty officer exceptionally well, guiding families through tragedy with compassion and professionalism. She also brings previous nonprofit board experience.
Crystal received her PhD is Health Psychology and Neuroscience while working with veterans from Desert Shield and Desert Storm. She did her postdoctoral fellowship in Psychiatry studying biological markers of depression. She is a Principal Investigator at a local hospital and she holds faculty positions in Bioengineering, Psychiatry, and Psychology at tier 1 research universities in the region where she studies patients with neurological and psychological conditions. She specializes in various forms of magnetic resonance imaging as well as electro- and magnetoencephalography. Broadly, Crystal investigates biosignatures of disease and treatment prediction using behavior and brain function. Crystal is an accomplished endurance athlete and aspiring NASA astronaut candidate.
