EdRev 2010 Speaker Bios

Richard D. Abbey, Ph.D.,Clinical Neuropsychologist, Abbey Neuropsychology Clinic
Richard D. Abbey, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical neuropsychologist.  He provides neuropsychological evaluations for infants, children, and adults.  His research focuses on learning disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and the neurocognitive effects of cancer treatments.  Dr. Abbey is the director of neuropsychological services at Abbey Neuropsychology Clinic.  He holds faculty appointments at Stanford University School of Medicine and Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford.

Dominique Baudry, MS., Ed
Dominique Baudry, MS., Ed, received extensive training from Michelle Winner's Center for Social Thinking. She served as a clinician at the center in the summer of 2004. Dominique received her Masters in Special Education from Bank Street College in New York City. She has spent 22 years in the classroom with special needs and mainstreamed students. Dominique currently runs a private practice in Laurel Village, a vibrant neighborhood in San Francisco.

Joan Bisagno, Ph.D., Assistant Vice Provost & Director, Office of Accessible Education, Stanford University
Dr. Joan Bisagno is the Assistant Vice Provost and Director of the Office of Accessible Education and Scwhab Learning Center at Stanford University.  She holds a doctorate in clinical psychology, masters degree in learning disabilities, and elementary, secondary, special education, and supervisory/administrative teaching credentials.  Dr. Bisagno has more than 25 years experience working in the fields of education and mental health in private practice, clinic, hospital, and school settings. She has also taught college course in
psychoeducational assessments.

Connie Chiba, Ph.D. ,Associate Director, Disabled Students’ Program, University of California, Berkeley
Connie Chiba, Ph.D. is the Associate Director at the Disabled Students’ Program at the University of California, Berkeley. She coordinates and provides services to students with learning disabilities, attention deficit disorder, and autism spectrum disorders and has extensive experience and background assisting students with learning disorders
transition into college.

Paul Vincent Hippolitus, Director, Disabled Students’ Program, University of California, Berkeley
Mr. Hippolitus is currently the  Director, Disabled Students’ Program, University of California, Berkeley. A program, which provides legally mandated accommodations to over 850 students with disabilities. Previously he was Director, Disabled Students Program, California State University, East Bay provides legally mandated accommodations to over 500 students with disabilities. He has also served as Director of Program Management Division Office of Disability Employment Policy for the U.S. Department of Labor and as the Director of the Office of Plans, Projects and Services, U.S. Presidents Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities. As a Commissioned Officer, U.S. Navy Mr. Hippolitus served as division officer on board the USS America (CVA-66); and, the USS Perkins (DD-877), with two tours in Vietnam.

Paul Hippolitus received a MA at The George Washington University, Disability Secondary/Post Secondary Educational Programming a B.A. Marquette University, Political Science.

Tom Merrell, Director & Disability Specialist, USF Student Disability Services
Tom Merrell has worked in the field of disability service provision for over 15 years and is a graduate of Santa Clara University where he received his Master's degree in Special Education. Prior to coming to USF, he worked as a special educator and teacher trainer for the Santa Clara County Office of Education in San Jose, CA., and Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA. Tom's teaching and research interests include educating at-risk and gang-identified youth; accommodations, documentation, transition, and assessment of adults with LD & ADHD; and program evaluation, including retention of students with disabilities.

Judy Burgio, R.Ph., C.N.
Integrative Health Specialist and NutritionistJudy Burgio, R.Ph., C.N., the founder of HealthSynergyTM. is an Integrative Health Specialist and Nutritionist in private practice in Mill Valley, California, for over 18 years. She combines her expertise as both a pharmacist and a Board Certified nutritionist in a unique way that reflects her passion for optimal health and life-balance. Because information is not enough to create change, Judy is also a trained life-coach which enables her to help facilitate change with her clients. She believes that true healing occurs from the inside out, and works enthusiastically with clients toward bringing their actions into alignment with their vision, values and goals. She operates as a partner to her clients in a process that enhances their ability to make change and achieve desired goals.

Judy is a frequent, dynamic and inspirational public speaker, and has served as a consultant and educator to corporations, community groups and individuals for over 18 years. She shares some of the latest thinking about health, combined with techniques for ensuring change. She is a member of The Institute of Noetic Sciences, NANP – National Association of Nutrition Professionals,  and The Life Extension Foundation.Judy Burgio is a graduate of the State University of New York at Buffalo with a B.S. in Pharmacy, and the National Institute of Nutritional Education, as a Licensed Certified Nutritionist.

Wendy Byrnes
Wendy Byrnes currently serves as the Admissions Coordinator for College Living Experience in Monterey, CA.  She is a well-known advocate and trainer with more than 15 years working in the area of disability rights, education and empowerment.  Wendy has presented to thousands of parents and professionals across the state and country and continues to be widely quoted in the media as a strong parent voice.  She has been heavily involved in the creation of curricula, program design and teaching aimed at both supporting and assisting transition age youth so that they make confident and successful strides toward independence.  Wendy is also the very proud mother of an 18-year-old son whom continues to be a lively inspiration for her work.

Devora S. Depper, Ph.D., Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychology, Department of Psychiatry, UCSF
Devora S Depper Ph.D. is an Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychology in the Department of Psychiatry, UCSF. For over 30 years she has maintained a private practice in San Francisco focusing on providing assessment and treatment for children and adolescents, and their families.

Glen R. Elliott, Ph.D., M.D. Chief Psychiatrist and Medical Director, Children’s Health Council
After obtaining his Ph.D. and M.D. through the Stanford Medical Scientist Training Program, Dr. Elliott spent several years working on research policy first at the Institute of Medicine/National Academy of Sciences in Washington, D.C., and then at the Division of Health Policy Research and Education at Harvard. Upon completing training in general psychiatry at McLean Hospital/Harvard and in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Stanford, Dr. Elliott joined the Stanford faculty in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in 1986. He was Director of The Children’s Center at Langley Porter at UCSF from 1989 to 2006, when he retired as an Emeritus Professor of Clinical Psychiatry. In July 2006, joined Children’s Health Council (CHC), where he serves as Chief Psychiatrist and Medical Director. He also is a Professor of Clinical Psychiatry (Affiliated) in the Stanford School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences.

Dr. Elliott has a longstanding interest in improving the diagnosis and treatment of severe psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents. He has been involved at a national level in helping to call the nation’s attention to the need for more research on these disorders, serving as Vice-Chair for an Institute of Medicine study that resulted in a child mental health research initiative at National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). As a clinician and as a researcher, Dr. Elliott strives to clarify the appropriate use of psychoactive medications in relieving the distress of children and adolescents with severe mental illnesses while minimizing risks to their immediate welfare and long-term development. Specific disorders of interest include autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression, and bipolar disorder. In 2006, he authored Medicating Young Minds, a book for parents facing that difficult decision.

Dr. Lou Falik
Professor  Falik is  Emeritus Professor of Counseling at San Francisco State University (USA) and a senior scholar focusing on training, research, and professional  development at the international Feuerstein Institute (formerly, the International Center for the Enhancement of Modifiability—ICELP) in Jerusalem, Israel. He has trained and collaborated since 1985 with the eminent Professor Reuven Feuerstein in the development and dissemination of his theories on cognitive modifiability and practical implementations.  He is author and co-author of  a number of books and research papers on  dynamic assessment (LPAD), the Feuerstein Instrumental Enrichment (FIE) program, and  mediated learning experience.   He is a clinical and educational psychologist with extensive experience with the training and application of FIE and the LPAD in child, adolescent, and adult populations, focusing on both learning disabilities and academic performance and enhancement objectives.

Dr. Steve Foreman
Dr. Foreman is a Child and Adult Psychiatrist who has been in practice in San Francisco for over twenty-five years. He is currently president of the San Francisco Psychotherapy Research Group. He has conducted research on the process and outcome of psychotherapy with adults and children. Dr. Foreman has published numerous clinical and research papers and has lectured internationally on the subject of psychotherapy. He has recently finished his first book, for parents and professionals, Breaking the Spell, Understanding Why Kids Do the Very Thing That Drives You Crazy.

Karen Grites, M.S., Center for Community Education Director, Children's Health Council
Karen has worked in the field of special education for over 35 years as a teacher and educational
diagnostician. Her current focus on training parents and teachers underscores the belief that the adults in a child’s life hold the ultimate capacity for positive change.

Tuck Geerds, M.A., Educational Consultant Specializing in Language Processing Difficulties
Tuck Geerds has over 26 years of experience working with students with specific learning disabilities, especially dyslexia. She has been a teacher and a school administrator at Charles Armstrong School, a landmark school which addresses the needs of students with dyslexia.  Tuck is a member of the Board of Trustees at Stanbridge Academy.  She has spoken at local, regional and international conferences, at community organizations, colleges and universities and at over 200 independent, public and parochial schools in the San Francisco Bay Area. Tuck currently is an educational consultant and continues to work with parents, students, teachers and school administrators.

Nina Ghiselli, Psy.D., Systemwide Director of Disability Services
Dr. Nina Ghiselli is a psychologist in private practice, Director of Disability Services at Alliant International University, and adjunct professor in psychology and education. You can learn more about Nina at www.DrNinaG.com

Janet Green Babb, M.S., P.T., Developmental Progressions
Janet is a pediatric physical therapist with a private practice in San Francisco. She provides services for children and their families from birth through young adults with a range of diagnosis from mild developental delay to severe neurological disability. She is the physical therapy consultant to UCSF Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Janet has recently lectured about the early signs of autism. She is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Southern California where she studied with Jean Ayres.

Edward M. Hallowell, M.D.
Edward (Ned) Hallowell, M.D., a child and adult psychiatrist and graduate of Harvard College and Tulane Medical School, is the director of The Hallowell Center in Sudbury, Massachusetts.  He was a member of the Harvard Medical School faculty from 1983 until he retired from academics in 2003 to devote his full professional attention to his clinical practice, lectures, and the writing of books.  He has authored eighteen books on various psychological topics, including attention deficit disorder, the power of the human connection, the childhood roots of happiness in life, methods of forgiving others, dealing with worry and managing excessive busyness.

Shelly Hansen, Licensed Speech Therapist and Founder of “Think Social East Bay”
Shelly Hansen is a licensed speech therapist and founder of “Think Social East Bay,” a private clinic offering social thinking groups for ages pre-k thru adult.  Shelly has worked exclusively with children, teens, and adults with social cognitive deficits for over seven years and trained for three years under the guidance of Michelle Garcia Winner at The Center for Social Thinking in San Jose, CA. Working with students of all ages has provided Shelly the opportunity to observe how challenges in social communication change with age as communication becomes more nuanced.  In order to provide our students with the necessary tools to navigate their ever-changing environment we must teach them the social thought process behind the social skill. In other words, the social thinking precedes the social skill. The philosophy behind this “social thinking” therapeutic approach maintains that learning the social thinking process helps our bright students generalize social skills into new and different environments and contexts. The social thought process behind the skill must be taught first.

Julia Harris, OTR/L, Pediatric Private Practice, San Francisco
Julia Harris is a Pediatric Occupational Therapist in a San Francisco based private practice.  She works with children and their families one on one in the clinic, as well as school screenings and educational in-services for teachers and parents.  The focus of treatment includes Gross and Fine Motor Skills, Visual Processing Functions, Sensory Processing and Self Regulation.

Shelley Haven, ATP, RET, Independent Assistive Technology Consultant & Trainer
For the past 23 years, Shelley has helped individuals with physical, sensory, cognitive, and learning challenges unlock their potential with assistive technology. She is a certified Assistive Technology Professional and previously directed AT resources and services at Stanford University. Currently in private practice, Shelley works with schools, educators, and families with a focus on technology for learning differences and ADHD.

Ana Homayoun, Founder of Green Ivy Educational Consulting and Author of That Crumpled Paper Was Due Last Week: Helping Disorganized and Distracted Boys Succeed in School and Life
Since founding Green Ivy Educational Consulting, Ana Homayoun has become a nationally recognized innovator of motivational organization and time-management strategies for junior high and high school students. In addition to her individualized consulting services, she is a frequent writer and lecturer on child and adolescent issues. A graduate of Duke University, she also holds a Master's Degree in Counseling from the University of San Francisco.

Tiphanie Kaufmann, MS, CCC, SLP, Co-Director of SPEECH, Inc.
Ms. Kaufmann is a graduate of the University of California Santa Barbara and received her Master of Science degree from Utah State University.  She specializes in developmental disorders, early intervention, motor speech disorders and communication strategies for academic settings.

Todd Lambert, Feuerstein Mediated Learning Experience
Todd Lambert is certified in  all levels of the Instrumental Enrichment (IE) programs, both the Standard and Basic versions, Tactile IE, Level 1 of the Learning Propensity Assessment Device (LPAD), and Level 1 of Training for Trainers. He also completed 6 week internship at the International Center for the Enhancement of Learning Potential (ICELP) in Jerusalem, Israel where he was supervised directly by Professor Feuerstein. As an Educational Therapist in private practice, Lambert uses Feuerstein’s Instrumental Enrichment (FIE) Programs to work with clients who range in age from the very young to the elderly and whose diagnoses and/or labels hinder their ability to benefit directly from exposure to formal and informal learning situations. Todd completed two undergraduate degrees in French and Theater Arts. Currently he is a doctoral candidate and will complete his Level II Training for Trainers in June 2010. 

Brenda McBride, Product Manager, Learning Disabilities
HumanWareBrenda McBride comes to us from Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada and she is one of North America’s preeminent experts on assistive technology. She is also a person who uses assistive technology to address her learning disability. Since the emergence of assistive technology more than 15 years ago, it has become an intricate part of her life. She has worked ten years with adults, children and professionals within the learning disability community, overseeing the office and development programs to help individuals who have fallen through the cracks. Brenda has been involved on the international, national, provincial and local levels to address the needs of individuals with disabilities. She has spoken at CSUN, ATIA, Closing the Gap, TRLD, IDA, LDAC, Springboard and LDA America etc.

Brenda brings a wealth of personal and professional experience involving the world of learning disabilities. She shares her experiences with individuals she meets at conferences, presentations, webinars and workshops. She will also share how, as an adult, she uses technology to accommodate her own learning difficulties.

Jane McClure, Educational Psychologist, McClure, Mallory & Baron
Jane McClure holds an M.A. in Counseling Psychology from UC Santa Barbara and is a Licensed Educational Psychologist (LEP 1605). Prior to moving with her family to the Bay Area, she was the school psychologist and college counselor at a K-12 independent school in Santa Barbara. She began working as an educational consultant in 1983 where the focus of her work was, and continues to be, on college counseling and conducting psychoeducational evaluations. Jane has been a partner at McClure, Mallory & Baron for more than 20 years.

Jonathan Mooney
Jonathan Mooney is a dyslexic writer and activist who did not learn to read until he was 12 years old. He is a graduate of Brown University’s class of 2000 and holds an honors degree in English Literature. Jonathan is founder and President of Project Eye-To-Eye, a mentoring and advocacy non-profit organization for students with learning differences. Project Eye-To-Eye currently has 20 chapters, in 13 states working with over 3,000 students, parents and educators nation wide.

Jahna Pahl, MA.
Jahna Pahl, MA., is a social skills educator with a private teaching practice in San Francisco.  She has many years of experience leading groups for children, adolescents and adults.  Jahna combines her advanced training in social thinking and social skills education with her background in drama, counseling and group facilitation to create a playful, low-stress social learning environment for her students.

Stephanie Pass, Ph.D.  Clinical Psychologist., Private Practice, San Francisco
Stephanie Pass, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist in private practice in San Francisco. She specializes in the treatment of children, including those with neurodevelopmental disorders (autistic spectrum, sensory and regulatory, and learning differences).  Dr. Pass consults with teachers and families at preschools and elementary schools, and works closely with speech therapists, occupational therapists, special education teachers and other specialists. She presents widely on child development and treatment, and DIR / Floortime, and is on the faculty of the Interdisciplinary Council of Developmental and Learning Disorders (ICDL).

Judith W. Paton, M. A., FAAA, Audiology - Pediatric and Adult
Judith Paton is an audiologist in private practice in San Mateo who specializes in CAPD.   She has over thirty years experience in testing and determining best treatments for this varied disorder, and has done extensive consulting and in-service education.  Ms. Paton earned her degrees from Stanford University, BA in Psychology and MA in Audiology and Speech/Language Pathology.  She is also a trained AIT (Auditory Integration Training) provider.

Katie Pengilly, MA, CCC, SLP, Co-Director of SPEECH, Inc.
Ms. Pengilly is a graduate of the University of California Santa Barbara, where she received a bachelor of arts degree, and Northwestern University, where she received a Masters of Arts degree. She also completed doctoral work at the University of California at San Francisco Medical Center. Ms. Pengilly specializes in neurongenic communication disorders.

Brendan Pratt, Ph.D. , Licensed Psychologist, PSY17794, Pediatric Neuropsychologist
Dr. Pratt is a licensed psychologist who specialized in psychological evaluations, educational advocacy and school placement assistance. In 2000, he and his wife co-founded a clinic in Los Altos to help children to lead more fulfilling lives. They now have five child psychologists who provide individual, couples and family therapy in addition to evaluations. More information is available at www.prattcenter.com.

Raj Puran, Technical Marketing Engineer, Intel
Raj Puran is the technical marketing engineer for Intel’s Digital Health Group. He has been involved in the development and implementation of the Intel Reader for two years.

Terry Regan, MA
Highly motivated and accomplished educational therapist and learning specialist with many years experience as a teacher, trainer and counselor.  Mr. Regan specializes in developing 1:1 strategies to manage learning challenges and students’ response to curriculum. Mr. Regan is a successful coach and mentor in a variety of academic support settings and currently works with post bac students at San Francisco State University, conducting assessments and evaluations,  and working with students to fine tune their approach to academic performance. Additionally, he has a private practice working with a wide range of students—from high school to college. Mr. Regan is also a successful AD/HD coach and facilitates a problem solving group for young adults for CHADD. Currently, he is in training for Feurstein Mediated Learning program.

Jennifer H. Selke, Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley, Social Skills Programs
Dr. Jennifer H. Selke is a summer camp director, school psychologist, and faculty member at UC  Berkeley.  She created and runs an integrated job-training summer camp at UC Berkeley for teens with social skills deficits. Dr. Selke is a school psychologist at a public middle school and has a private practice running social skills groups throughout the year. Very involved with technology, Dr. Selke helps small businesses and non-profits learn to utilize social media and web-based applications.  She also speaks at national conferences on teacher/staff training, youth development, organizational management, and technology.

Alan Siegel, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Assistant Clinical Professor, UC Berkeley
Alan Siegel, Ph.D. has conducted psychoeducational, neuropsychological, psychological, and forensic evaluations of children and adults for 27 years and has evaluated children from over 100 different public and private schools and from 15 school districts in Northern California and young adults from dozens of colleges and graduate schools  in the United States and Canada. As part of the evaluation process, he has successfully helped students obtain academic and test accommodations from elementary through high school, college and graduate school and for professional examinations in law, medicine, and business. He is Assistant Clinical Professor, UC Berkeley, Psychology Department, and Adjunct Faculty at Alliant University/CSPP. He was the supervising psychologist at the Child Development Center at California Pacific Medical Center. He practices in Berkeley and San Francisco.

Nancy Singer, Ph.D., Assistant Director, Admissions &  Recruitment
SALT Center at the University of ArizonaMy name is Nancy Singer. As Assistant Director for Admissions and Recruitment my responsibilities include supervising the daily operation of the SALT Admissions Office, chairing the SALT Scholarship Committee, coordinating the SALT orientation program, and traveling throughout Arizona and the United States on recruiting trips.  I enjoy talking about SALT programs and services with high school counselors, special education teachers, and transition coordinators, and helping them prepare their students for a successful transition from high school to postsecondary education.

I grew up in the Chicago suburbs and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing from Millikin University. I also have a Master’s degree in College Student Personnel from Bowling Green State University. In August 2009 I graduated from the University of Arizona with my Ph.D. in Higher Education. My dissertation research focused on the culture of college access professionals.
I have worked my entire professional career in higher education with 16 years of experience in community colleges in California. Most recently I served as Director of the Tucson GEAR UP Project, a college access program serving students in the Sunnyside and Tucson Unified School Districts.  The college search and selection process is exciting, but can be stressful for both students and their families as they search for the “right fit” for their students. I look forward to working with prospective students and their families, and helping students make a successful transition to the University of Arizona and the SALT Center.

Jan Tuber, Assistive Technology Specialist, Parents Helping Parents' iTECH Center
Jan Tuber is an Assistive Technology Specialist (Learning Disabilities) at Parents Helping Parents, a Parent Training and Information Center. She is married and the mother of two college students, both of whom have learning differences.  Her daughter is a freshman at Landmark College in VT. Jan has a B.S. degree in Human Development from the University of California, Davis and an M.A. in Rehabilitation Counseling from Gallaudet University.  She has extensive experience working with special populations, including a career as an Enabler Counselor at a Community College, and knows American Sign Language.  Jan has been with PHP since 2005.

Robert M. Tudisco, JD, Executive Director of the Edge Foundation
Robert M. Tudisco, JD, is the Executive Director of the Edge Foundation, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide specialized coaching services to college students with AD/HD and co-occuring conditions.  He is a practicing attorney, author and adult diagnosed with AD/HD.  He is a former member of the National Board of Directors of CHADD and ADDA.  Robert is the expert legal columnist for ADDitude Magazine and a regular contributor to Attention Magazine where he sits on its Editorial Advisory Board.

Rosalie Whitlock, Ph.D., Executive Director, Children's Health Council
Dr. Whitlock has over thirty years’ experience in assessing and treating children facing learning differences and disabilities. As head of Charles Armstrong School for 11 years and as a board member for the International Dyslexia Association, Dr. Whitlock is a leader in the field. She holds her Ph.D. in Diagnostic Prescriptive Education.

Gwen J. Wong, OTR/L
Gwen is an occupational therapist in private practice in San Francisco providing services from babies through young adults. Gwen's work occurs in the context of their families, school and community. She works with a range of developmental disorders including autism spectrum disorder, learning disabilities, motor delays, and challenges with self-regulation. In addition to a variety of treatment techniques used in the field, she has specialized in facilitating non-verbal problem solving and applying principles of yoga. She graduated from the University of Illinos and has an ongoing affiliation with the Child Development Center, California Pacific Medical Center.