Experts on Campus

Chair of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of South Carolina's Arnold School of Public Health, is known for his research and expertise in the linguistic underpinnings of reading and spelling, including orthographic and morphological awareness.

Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics at the Medical University of South Carolina, is a leading authority in the field of ADHD. Dr. Barkley is a clinical scientist, educator, and author of Taking Charge of ADHD- The 12 Best Principles for Management as well as numerous articles and books.

Portia Bates, independent consultant and former Director of Professional Development at Morgan State University, is a provider of professional training in the area of diversity and inclusivity.

 A mathematics teacher educator at the University of Louisville, Kentucky. She has written many articles and books related to K–12 mathematics education, including the popular Elementary and Middle School Mathematics: Teaching Developmentally and the related three-book series, Teaching Student-Centered Mathematics.

A speaker, presenter and author of When Kids Can’t Read, What Teachers Can Do who frequently presents to elementary, middle and high school teachers providing them comprehension strategies for struggling readers. Ms. Beers is a former President of the National Council of Teachers of English and is currently the Senior Reading Advisor to Secondary Schools for Reading and Writing Project at Columbia University’s Teachers College. www.heinemann.com/authors/1804.aspx

A licensed Psychologist who currently has a private practice in Towson, MD. He joined the Integrated Health Program at the University of Texas. He worked at the Anxiety Treatment Center of Austin where he treated people of all ages using cognitive behavioral therapy.

A Psychologist, professor at The Harvard Medical School and author is noted for his expertise on motivation, resilience, and self-esteem in children and adolescents. He has received numerous awards for his work. www.drrobertbrooks.com

An educational consultant and Director of The Carraway Center for Teaching and Learning in Nashville, Tennessee, is a specialist in brain-based teaching and learning strategies. www.carrawaycenter.com

A CE trains teachers in executive function strategies to use in the classroom. She has developed 3 schools for children with special learning needs and currently directs one of them, the Ave Maria Preparatory School in Bradenton, FL.

A practicing neuropsychologist, Director of NeuroBehavioral Associates, and frequent speaker, providing consultation to children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders such as Dyslexia, ADHD, and Autism Spectrum Disorders. Dr. Culotta is co-author of the book School Success for Kids with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders. www.nbatests.com

Director of Developmental Cognitive Neurology at the Kennedy Krieger Institute, is a research scientist, author of over one hundred scientific research papers, and Professor of Neurology, Pediatrics and Psychiatry at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

A psychologist whose studies are clarifying the role that intellectual strengths and personality traits play in educational achievement. She taught math and science at the high school level prior to joining the faculty of the University of Pennsylvania in 2007, where she is currently an associate professor in the Department of Psychology. - See more at: http://www.macfound.org/fellows/889/#sthash.yFpUFY...

An Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Georgetown University, speaker and author, is an expert on reading, learning and the brain. http://csl.georgetown.edu/members/faculty/EdenG.ht...

An internationally renowned speaker and author in the field of learning disabilities. He has authored six books on learning and emotional disorders in children. He evaluates children in private practice at the Monocacy Neurodevelopmental Center in Frederick, MD, and consults with numerous school districts throughout the country. Dr. Feifer has authored two tests on diagnosing learning disabilities in children; the FAR and the FAM, both published by PAR.

A Developmental Specialist and Play Therapist who holds a practice helping children develop social skills training and effective communication both in the home and school environments.

Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Eye to Eye and the author of Thinking Differently: An Inspiring Guide for Parents of Children with Learning Disabilities.

A professor of psychology for the State University of New York College at Cortland. He is a New York State certified school psychologist with 28 years experience in schools. He has been teaching courses in learning disabilities and educational psychology since 1994. David is a reading researcher and the author of two books on reading, Essentials of Assessing, Preventing, and Overcoming Reading Difficulties, and Equipped for Reading Success, and is a co-editor of a third, Reading Development and Difficulties: Bridging the Gap Between Research and Practice.

Dr. Stephanie A. Flores-Koulish, Associate Professor of Curriculum and Instruction at Loyola University of Maryland, is an expert in critical media literacy and digital citizenship.  In addition to being an Associate Professor, Dr. Flores-Koulish is also the Director of the Curriculum and Instruction Program at Loyola.

An entrepreneur, author of The Dyslexia Empowerment Plan, and the inventor of the Intel Reader.® As a speaker, Foss connects with audiences on a personal level, inspiring and empowering them to connect with their inner entrepreneur and to use their skills to realize their full potential.

Co-Director of the MIT Clinical Research Center and Director of the Martinos Imaging Center at the McGovern Institute and holds faculty appointments in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Science and Technology at MIT. He is an expert on the brain mechanisms of human cognition, including memory, thought and emotion. His work includes neuroimaging studies on adults and children with different brain disorders including schizophrenia, depression, Alzheimer's disease and dyslexia.

Dr. Kenneth Gelfand, Director of Outpatient Psychology Services at Mount Washington Pediatric Hospital, holding a clinical appointment in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, specializes in ADHD, anxiety, autism-spectrum disorders and ODD in children.

Dr. Simone Gibson, Assistant Professor in the department  of Teacher Education and Professional Development at Morgan State University, specializes in the preparation of black pre-service teachers and in issues of literacy and equity.

On November 14, 2012, author and speaker on various psychological topics, including problems with attention, focus, stress and worry. His national best sellers, Driven to Distraction (Pantheon, 1994) and Answers to Distraction (Pantheon, 1995), discuss attention deficit disorder in children and in adults. He also created The Hallowell Center for Cognitive and Emotional Health. The Center treats individuals with ADHD/ADD, anxiety, dyslexia, memory dysfunction and other conditions. www.drhallowell.com 

Zaretta Hammond, award- winning author of the book entitled, Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain, has twenty-five years of experience as a teacher, researcher, and consultant who presents nationally on equity.  www.ready4rigor.com

A senior education correspondent at American RadioWorks Reports, part of American Public Media.  She has been working in public media for more than two decades as a reporter, producer, editor, news director, and program host. Emily has produced several documentaries focusing on dyslexia, including “Hard to Read: How American schools fail kids with dyslexia” and “At a Loss for Words: How a flawed idea is teaching millions of kids to be poor readers.”

Dr. MaryEllen Hanover, a licensed psychologist and certified school psychologist, assesses and treats children with learning disabilities, ADHD and other neurodevelopmental disorders.

An assistant professor of educational technology at Loyola University Maryland. Her research interests center inquiry on young people attending high-poverty, majority-minority public schools, technology use, and civic engagement in online and offline spaces. Prior to working in higher education, Dr. Heath taught secondary social studies in Baltimore County Public Schools.

Founder and director of The MINDset Center. She has been in private practice for over a decade. She specializes in the identification and treatment of anxiety disorders, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder, depression, and behavioral disorders. Dr. Hessler is trained in cognitive-behavioral and applied behavioral therapy for the treatment of children, adolescents, and adults.

Holistic Life Foundation, a Baltimore-based nonprofit organization, is committed to nurturing the wellness of children and adults in underserved communities. The Foundation helps children develop their inner lives through yoga, mindfulness, and self-care. https://hlfinc.org

LeDerick Horne is a  spoken-word poet, presenter, founding board chair of the  Eye to Eye organization, tireless advocate for all people with disabilities, and co-author of Empowering Students with Hidden Disabilities: a Path to Pride and Success.

Dr. Patricia Jennings, Professor of education at the University of Virginia’s  Curry School of Education and Human Development, is an internationally recognized leader in the fields of social and emotional learning and mindfulness in education. She is the author of Mindfulness for Teachers; Simple Skills for Peach and Productivity in the Classroom, The Trauma-Sensitive School: Building Resilience with Compassionate Teachers, and Mindfulness in Teaching and Mindfulness in the pre K-5 Classroom: helping Students stress Less and Learn More.

David A. Kilpatrick, Ph.D., is a Professor Emeritus of Psychology for the State University of New York at Cortland. He is a New York State certified school psychologist with 28 years of experience in schools. He has been teaching courses in learning disabilities and educational psychology since 1994. David is a reading researcher and the author of two books on reading, Essentials of Assessing, Preventing, and Overcoming Reading Difficulties, and Equipped for Reading Success, and is a co-editor of a third, Reading Development and Difficulties: Bridging the Gap Between Research and Practice. Dave is also an associate editor of The Reading League Journal.

Specializes in the treatment of childhood anxiety and selective mutism, with an interest in interventions research. A graduate of Duke University in 1999, she received her M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Massachusetts. Following a clinical internship at Duke University Medical Center, she joined Johns Hopkins as a post-doctoral fellow, completing the program in 2006.

Assistant Professor of Education at Stevenson University, math specialist and consultant, and a national presenter who has repeatedly presented at the NCTM conference, has taught from elementary to the graduate level. www.stevenson.edu

A Johns Hopkins trained, board certified and licensed child and adolescent psychiatrist who is a nationally recognized expert in psychopharmacology.  Dr. Labellarte’s current practice centers around consultation and ongoing treatment of children and adolescents with complicated stories and complex psychiatric presentations. He utilizes psycho-pharmacotherapy, parent-management training, and other evidence-based treatment approaches.

A consultant, author, expert and lecturer on learning differences. He has presented at numerous universities, agencies and organizations including Harvard, Georgetown, National Center for Learning Disabilities, Council for Exceptional Children and Children with Attention Deficit Disorder. He is the 2009 recipient of the Learning Disabilities Associations of America’s Samuel Kirk award. www.ricklavoie.com

A Maryland Licensed Psychologist with a broad background providing assessment, therapy and consultation services in a variety of settings, including public and private schools, hospitals, and clinics. Her practice includes a focus on identifying areas of strength as well as areas of need, working collaboratively with families, schools, and other professionals, and developing realistic and individualized recommendations that translate easily to real-world settings. http://janiceleporepsyd.com/_/Home.html

A Speech Language Pathologist and Psychology Associate, has been in the education field for over 40 years. In addition to testing and acting as a case manager between families, schools, and other service providers, she serves on the board of the Hearing and Speech Agency of Baltimore.

Child Neuropsychologist, Research Assistant, Associate Professor and Associate Director of Neuropsychology at the Kennedy Krieger Institute, is a leader in the research on the relationship between brain development and childhood disorders, including ADHD, dyslexia, movement disorders, sleep apnea, and prenatal alcohol exposure. www.kennedykrieger.org

Margaret G. McKeown, PhD, is Clinical Professor Emerita of Education at the University of Pittsburgh. Before her retirement, she was also a Senior Scientist at the University's Learning Research and Development Center. Her work addresses practical, current problems that classroom teachers and their students face. She has conducted research in the areas of learning, instruction, and teacher professional development in reading comprehension and vocabulary. Dr. McKeown is a recipient of the Outstanding Dissertation Award from the International Literacy Association, is a Fellow of the American Educational Research Association, and was inducted into the Reading Hall of Fame. She is coauthor of books including Bringing Words to Life, Second Edition; Creating Robust Vocabulary; Robust Comprehension Instruction with Questioning the Author; and Vocabulary Assessment to Support Instruction.

Roby Marcou, M.D., was among the first group of physicians to become board certified in Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics.  She has developed an international following over more than 30 years of practice in both the US and in South-East Asia. She founded a Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics clinic in Singapore and served as an Adjunct Professor and Senior Consultant at the National University Hospital Child Development Unit in Singapore. Most unusually, for a number of years, Dr. Marcou was a part-time middle school teacher at the Jakarta International School and brings that unique perspective to her work.

Dr. Marcou earned her undergraduate degree at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, studied medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and completed her pediatric residency at the Stanford University Hospitals.

Ali Michael works with schools and organizations across the country to help make research on race, Whiteness, and education more accessible and relevant to educators. Ali is the author of Raising Race Questions: Whiteness, Inquiry and Education (Teachers College Press, 2015), winner of the 2017 Society of Professors of Education Outstanding Book Award.  She is co-editor of the bestselling Everyday White People Confront Racial and Social Injustice: 15 Stories (2015, Stylus Press) and the bestselling Guide for White Women who Teach Black Boys (2017, Corwin Press). Ali sits on the editorial board of the journal Whiteness and Education.  In addition to her work as the Co-Founder and Director of the Race Institute for K-12 Educators, Ali teaches in the Diversity and Inclusion Program at Princeton University as well as the Equity Institutes for Higher Education from the University of Southern California.  Ali’s article, What do White Children Need to Know About Race?, co-authored with Dr. Eleonora Bartoli in Independent Schools Magazine, won the Association and Media Publishing Gold Award for Best Feature Article in 2014. When she is not writing, speaking, or training, Ali is striving to be an anti-racist co-parent to two amazing young kids. www.alimichael.org

A licensed and board-certified behavior analyst (BCBA), author, special educator, and consultant to schools internationally.  Since 2000 she has worked with students who struggle with mental health issues and challenging behavior in public school systems.  She specializes in training staff and creating behavior intervention plans for students who demonstrate explosive and unsafe behavior. 

Jessy Molina, Director of Diversity, Equity, and Social Justice at Friends School of Baltimore focuses on diversity and inclusivity and the power of debate and discussion.

A licensed psychologist who currently has a private practice in Towson, MD. He works with individuals, couples, and families, and facilitates Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction classes. He is the founder and director of Mind-Body-Health Associates. He has developed and facilitated on-going mindfulness stress management programs for universities and clinics.

A Professor of English at Georgia State University and is the author of Adolescent Literacy: Turning Promise in to Practice. Professor Probst is a respected authority who focuses on reading instruction, and on engagement and literary analysis to help teachers assist struggling readers. www.heinemann.com/authors/56.aspx

Clinical Psychiatrist, Associate Professor at The Harvard Medical School, international speaker and author, is an authority on attentional issues and the impact of exercise on mood, body, and brain. His latest book is Spark. www.johnratey.com

A national advocate for dyslexia. He graduated from U.C. Berkeley and spent a year as a visiting scholar at Harvard University. He is an author and entrepreneur. John shares his personal experience with dyslexia. John Rodrigues is a consultant, speaker, and education specialist. He is the author of High School Dropout to Harvard.

Nationally certified Sexuality and Family Life Educator, provides training and consultation on human sexuality curriculum to faculty and parents throughout the United States. Her articles and commentary appear in numerous publications. www.sexandsensibility.net

An Professor of Special Education at Johns Hopkins University, School of Education. She is an expert on writing strategies and Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD). Dr. Sandmel travels nationally to present on SRSD and writing strategies. http://education.jhu.edu/faculty/faculty_and_staff...

A clinical neuropsychologist and is on the faculty of Harvard Medical School in the Department of Psychiatry. He specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of children and young adults with learning disabilities, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and other special needs. In addition to his clinical and educational work, Dr. Schultz serves as an international consultant on issues related to the neuropsychology and appropriate education of children and young adults with special needs. http://www.jeromeschultz.com/

A distinguished Professor Emeritus at the University of Illinois at Chi­cago where he was Founding Di­rector of the UIC Center for Literacy. Previously, he was director of reading for the Chicago Public Schools. He is author/editor of more than 200 publications on literacy education. His research emphasizes the connections between reading and writing, literacy in the disciplines, and improvement of reading achievement.

Speech Language Pathologist, is an expert in language, literacy, and executive function and the co-author of EmPOWER, a Strategic Approach to Teaching Expository Writing. www.architectsforlearning.com

One of the world’s leading experts on adolescence, is the Distinguished University Professor of Psychology at Temple University, and the author or editor of 17 books. Steinberg’s research has focused on a range of topics, including adolescent brain development, risk-taking and decision-making, family and peer relationships, school achievement, and juvenile justice.

Clinical Neuropsychologist, Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at George Washington School of Medicine, author and lecturer is an authority on brain based learning, motivation, ADHD, and the effects of stress and sleep deprivation on the brain. www.stixrud.com

President of the International Dyslexia Association, Director and Pediatrician of the The Tridas Center for Child Development and Clinical Assistant Professor in Family Practice at the University of South Florida School of Medicine, is a specialist in the diagnosis and management of developmental, behavioral and learning disabilities. He is an expert on executive function and has presented across the nation on this topic. www.thetridascenter.com

The founder, president and CEO of Learning By Design’s SPELL/SPELL-Links products and services that provide teachers, parents, and students with a complete, research-based solution for improving word study skill. www.learningbydesign.com

A board-certified neurologist in Santa Barbara, California, has combined her 15 years as a practicing adult and child neurologist with her teacher education training and years of classroom experience. Dr. Willis travels nationally and internationally giving presentations, workshops, and consulting while continuing to write books for parents and educators. She is an authority in the field of learning-centered brain research and classroom strategies derived from this research. http://www.radteach.com/

Toni Woodlon, Owner of EdAlly Consulting, partners with individuals, groups, and organizations to positively shift culture through reflection, meaningful discourse, and shared learning experiences. Toni’s work to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initially began in schools and non-profits, and has shifted to span industries, as she has recognized that all people benefit from more diverse, equitable, and inclusive spaces.

Toni has a Master of Education degree in Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment, a Doctor of Education degree in Educational Administration and Leadership. Toni founded EdAlly Consulting to spur positive social change in organizations and partner with others to help create a more just world.  https://edallyconsulting.com/

National educational consultant, author and international speaker was one of the first National Board Certified Teachers in America. Mr. Wormeli’s work in differentiated instruction in the classroom is used all over the world. www.nmsa.org