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2008 PAN Conference
“FACING THE FUTURE WITH OPTIMISM” - March 28, 2008
Presenters
Nina Wall-Coté is the Director for the Bureau of Autism Services, Office of Developmental Programs, Department of Public Welfare. As an advocate, Ms. Wall-Coté was a founding member and President of the Pennsylvania Action Coalition for Autism Services (PACAS), a statewide board of autism advocacy chairs and directors representing various regions of Pennsylvania. She also served as a Board Member of Pennsylvania Protection and Advocacy (PP&A), where she represented the perspective of the autism advocacy community and challenges faced by families living with autism throughout the Commonwealth. Prior to her current appointment, Wall-Coté was invited to be one of three Managing Co-Chairs of The Secretary of Public Welfare, Estelle B. Richman’s Autism Task Force of Pennsylvania in May of 2003. Ms. Wall-Coté and the Bureau of Autism Services are actively working to implement and integrate the recommendations of the Autism Task Force Report, while creating a parallel service delivery structure that better serves individuals and families living with autism.
Anthony L. Rostain, MD, MS, is a Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania. He is currently the Director of Education for the Department of Psychiatry at Penn and oversees both medical student and resident education in psychiatry. Dr. Rostain’s clinical focus is “lifespan developmental neuropsychiatry” which includes patients of all ages with autism spectrum disorders, ADHD, Tourette Syndrome, Learning Disabilities (verbal and nonverbal) and related social learning disorders. He treats patients at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the University Of Pennsylvania Department Of Psychiatry. Dr. Rostain is the Director of the Adult Development Disorders Unit at the Penn, which includes the Adult ADHD Treatment and Research Program and the Adult Social Learning Disorders Program. He is also Co-Director of The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Pediatric Neuropsychiatry Program. Dr. Rostain’s research interests have focused on improving clinical outcomes for patients with neuropsychiatric disorders of all ages, and in creating effective service systems for these patients and their families.
Scott Robertson, 27, is a Ph.D. Candidate in the College of Information Sciences & Technology at Penn State University. His research at Penn State focuses on how online technology can support the college transition for autistic students. This focus was influenced by Scott’s personal experiences as an autistic individual. Since graduating from undergraduate studies in computer science at Rensselaer in 2003, Scott has become an active self-advocate for the autism community. He frequently speaks nationwide about topics concerning autism, disabilities, and bullying challenges to schools, conferences, and groups. In 2007, Scott presented the opening keynote and moderated an autistic self-advocate panel on college transition at the Penn State National Autism Conference. Scott serves as the vice president of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network and as a board member of ASCEND Group, the Asperger Syndrome Alliance for Greater Philadelphia. He has participated on advisory committees for Pennsylvania’s state Bureau of Autism Services and organizes a social group for autistic teens.
Vincent Varrassi has been the Campus Director of the Regional Center for College Students with Learning Disabilities at Fairleigh Dickinson University since 1999. His career in Public Education spanned 27 years during which he was a taught in regular and special education teacher and serves as Learning Disabilities Teacher-Consultant and the Supervisor of Special Education for a Regional High School District in North Jersey. He has served on the executive boards of the North Jersey Special Education Administrators Association and the NJ Association for College Admissions Counseling.
Lori Shery is president and founder of Asperger Syndrome Education Network (ASPEN) and the parent of a 21-year-old-son with Asperger Syndrome. Established in 1997, ASPEN® provides education, support and advocacy to individuals and families whose lives are affected by autism spectrum disorders and is the model for other state and national parent advocacy organizations. As a parent advocate, Ms. Shery provides school-related parent consultation and staff training and is a frequent conference.
Margaret J. Kay, Ed.D. NCSP, DABPS is a licensed psychologist, a Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP) and a Diplomate of the American Board of Psychological Specialties with Forensic Specialization in Educational and School Psychology. She has testified as an expert witness in State and Federal courts and in Educational Due Process hearings for school-age children with Non-Verbal Learning Disabilities (NLD), Asperger’s Syndrome and Autistic Spectrum Disorders. She is also a provider for the PA Office of Vocational Rehabilitation and works with OVR and school districts to provide vocational transition planning for individuals with autistic-spectrum disorders. Dr. Kay has been in private practice since 1980 and is often relied upon to perform Independent Educational Evaluations (IEE’s) and adult neuropsychological evaluations.
Ira M. Fingles Esq. has devoted his legal career to the representation of individuals with disabilities and their families. He has provided legal representation to individuals with disabilities in a variety of areas, including educational rights for children with disabilities, benefits and services for adults with disabilities, guardianship, and estate planning. He has argued precedent-setting cases in federal and state court, and before administrative agencies in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Mr. Fingles has written extensively on topics related to disability law and has presented to disability groups across the nation. Ira is Immediate Past President of the Autism Society of America, Greater Philadelphia Chapter, and currently serves on the board of directors.
Linda Wong Esq. is one of the Delaware Valley’s best-known authorities on employment and civil litigation, with a long track record of excellence in public and private practice. She has extensive experience in representing individuals with disabilities in employment matters in the United States District Courts, the state courts of PA, NY, and NJ, as well as various administrative courts. Ms. Wong has taught graduate level courses on employment law, is a frequent author on employment law and trial strategy, and has appeared in national media. She is a member of the Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, and Washington, D.C. bars.
J. Russell (“Russ”) Ramsay, Ph.D., is a licensed psychologist, Assistant Professor of Psychology in Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania, a senior staff psychologist at Penn’s Center for Cognitive Therapy, and faculty member in the Penn Adult ADHD (of which he is Associate Director) and Social Learning Disorders programs. Dr. Ramsay earned his B.A. in psychology (with departmental honors) from the University of Miami in 1988 and his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the Pacific Graduate School of Psychology in Palo Alto, CA. He completed his predoctoral internship at CPC Behavioral Healthcare in Monmouth County, NJ, and postdoctoral training program at Penn’s world-renowned Center for Cognitive Therapy. Dr. Ramsay’s clinical and research interests have focused on cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) for “complex” clinical problems, including adult ADHD and AS/HFA, with a focus on transition to adulthood issues.
Edward S. (“Ted”) Brodkin, M.D., is a co-founder and a faculty member of the Penn adult Social Learning Disorders Program. He is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, a board certified psychiatrist, and attending psychiatrist at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. He received his A.B. Magna Cum Laude from Harvard University in 1988 and his M.D. from Harvard Medical School in 1992. He completed an internship in pediatrics and residency in psychiatry at Yale, as well as postdoctoral fellowships in neurobiology research at Yale and in genetics research at Princeton University. His current research is focused on the neurobiology of social behaviors relevant to autism. Dr. Brodkin’s area of clinical specialization is in AS/HFA. He is particularly interested in transition to adulthood issues, with a focus on developing treatments to help individuals on the autism spectrum in gaining and retaining employment.
Cindy B. Schneider has been a special educator and consultant for 27 years and a children’s theater director at a local community theater for 20 years. Ms. Schneider combines her two passions - theater and autism - to develop drama and music workshops designed to teach social cognition to individuals with AS and HFA. Her book, Acting Antics, was published in 2007 by Jessica Kingsley Publishing, with a foreword written by Dr. Tony Attwood. Now retired from public education, Ms. Schneider operated the Acting Antics Arts Center outside of Downingtown PA, where children, teens and adults participate in drama and music workshops designed to teach social cognition skills, and to develop a viable interest in a sustainable leisure time activity.
Jane Thierfeld Brown is Director of Student Services at the University of Connecticut School of Law and has worked in Disability Services for 28 years. Dr. Brown’s main research interests are students with Asperger Syndrome (AS) in higher education and students with disabilities in high stakes graduate programs. She consults at many higher education institutions and is a frequent keynote speaker at conferences on AS. Her book, “A Professional Guide to Students with Asperger’s Syndrome in Higher Education,” is to be published in 2008. She has three children, the youngest being a 15-year-old son on the spectrum.
Peter Gerhardt currently serves as president of the Organization for Autism Research. He has authored and co-authored articles and sections of books on the needs of adults with autism spectrum disorder and has presented nationally and internationally on these topics. Dr. Gerhardt currently serves on numerous professional advisory boards as well as serving on the Board of Directors of GRASP. Previous professional positions include serving as executive director for the Nassau Suffolk Services for Autism and director of the Division of Transition and Adult Services at the Douglass Developmental Disabilities Center at Rutgers University. Dr. Gerhardt received his doctorate from Rutgers University Graduate School of Education.
Lou Chance, M.S., serves as the Program Coordinator for Chester County PA’s PAAL Program (Preparing Adolescents for Adult Life). Mr. Chance has his Masters degree in Psychology from Penn State University and has directed the PAAL program since its inception
Gloria Satriale serves as the Community Coordinator for Chester County PA’s PAAL Program (Preparing Adolescents for Adult Life). She is president of Mission for Educating Children with Autism (MECA), the founding organization of the PAAL program. Gloria is currently enrolled in the Toulouse Graduate School of the University of North Texas, Department of Behavior Analysis. She is the parent of a 16 year old with autism.
Dr. Eric Mitchell has been working therapeutically with ASD and other disorders in children and families since he was a teenager. After graduating from the University of Vermont, he moved on to Rutgers University, where he began research in cultural competence. He then continued this research at the University of Pennsylvania during his doctoral studies. He accepted a post-doctoral position specializing in ASD and related disorders with emphasis on cutting edge ABA interventions with eclectic service delivery. With several years of experience as a psychologist, educator, evaluator, school psychologist, consultant, and administrator, Dr. Mitchell is currently active as a consulting psychologist around the Philadelphia area, has published articles on ASD, and has designed and implemented programs specializing with ASD around the Philadelphia area. Through his work, he strives to build collaborative partnerships between families, school, university, mental health agencies, professionals, and others in the ASD community.
Herman Axelrod, Ph.D., is the executive director of the Green Tree School, an approved private school in Philadelphia. The school serves students who are seriously emotionally disturbed and children who are on the autistic spectrum. Green Tree School also provides an early intervention program for children aged three to five with developmental delays, and a partnership program that reaches out to provide training, consultation, and program development around the region. Green Tree has its own wraparound program. Dr. Axelrod previously worked for the School District of Philadelphia as a teacher and administrator, and was an Assistant Professor of Special Education at Penn State University.
Annie Steinberg, M.D., is a pediatrician and child and adolescent psychiatrist with clinical faculty appointments in both the Departments of Psychiatry and Pediatrics at The University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. For nearly 20 years, she has worked at The School of Medicine and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). Since September of 2006, Dr. Steinberg has been in the private practice of psychiatry and consults to schools and community based mental health agencies. She is a former Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholar and Picker/Commonwealth Scholar, having focused on issues related to vulnerability, resilience and childhood and developmental disabilities.
Paul McCarty is executive director of the Intra-Governmental Council on Long-Term Care. The mission of this agency is to study the long-term care system in Pennsylvania from a funding, operational and consumer perspective. The council makes recommendations to the governor on ways to streamline administration of the system and develops a full spectrum of options for consumers and their families. McCarty has worked for more than 25 years in fields including dementia, long-term care, adult day care services, elder abuse, senior employment, and elder nutrition.
David Gates, Esq., has been representing families and adult consumers regarding issues involving Medical Assistance and other forms of health insurance since 1976. He has worked for the Bucks County Welfare Rights Organization, Bucks County Legal Aid, State Sen. Roxanne Jones, and the National Health Law Program in Washington DC. Since 1991, Mr. Gates has worked for the Pennsylvania Health Law Project representing persons with developmental and behavioral disabilities and their families under a grant from the PA Developmental Disabilities Council. He is currently the Managing Attorney of the Health Law Project’s Harrisburg Office. He was a member of DPW’s Autism Task Force and DPW’s Autism Waiver External Advisory Committee. He has presented at numerous conferences on autism throughout Pennsylvania.
Annemarie Clarke, Ph.D., is the Corporate Officer for Behavioral & Developmental Services at Special People in Northeast, Inc. (SPIN, Inc.) where she oversees an array of educational, behavioral, and residential services for children and adults with developmental disabilities and co-occurring mental health diagnoses, including autism. She is also a license-eligible, Pennsylvania Certified School Psychologist who conducts diagnostic evaluations with preschool children suspected of or diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders.
Roy Diamond currently serves as the President of Autism Living and Working (ALAW), which focuses on housing, supportive services, employment and educational opportunities for adults with autism in Pennsylvania. Mr. Diamond's son, Jacob, is 17, and has autism and epilepsy. Mr. Diamond has worked for 30 years in the arena of affordable housing financing and production. In this capacity, he has supported the development of over $750 million in affordable housing and commercial revitalization development, largely within Pennsylvania. He owns two businesses, Diamond & Associates, which provides real estate development services, and Multifamily Management Services, which provides property management services.
Jim McFalls has been with Ken-Crest Services for 25 years in a variety of roles. He came to Ken-Crest as the Clinical Director of the River Crest Center, then became the Director of all Residential programs, and is currently the Director of Youth & Adult Services. Mr. McFalls is a licensed psychologist and behavior specialist with over 30 years of experience in helping people with developmental disabilities and challenging behaviors. He has served on Behavior Intervention Advisory Committees for the County of Philadelphia and the State of Delaware and has been national co-chair of The Association for People with Severe Handicaps’ (TASH) Positive Approaches Committee. Mr. McFalls is a Fellow of The American Association on Mental Retardation (now AAIDD) and has written and presented widely on a variety of topics in the treatment of people with challenging behaviors.
Lisa King obtained her Master’s Degree in Education from the College of William and Mary and has worked with students with disabilities in K12 and postsecondary education environments for 20 years. As a Disability Specialist in higher education she has worked extensively with students with Asperger Syndrome and other autism spectrum disorders, AD/HD, learning disabilities and psychiatric disabilities. Ms. King is also a private consultant on transition and accommodation issues for students on the spectrum and is a frequent presenter on topics related to best practices for working with students on the spectrum in higher education settings.
G. Ruth Kukiela Bork is the Dean and Director of the Disability Resource Center at Northeastern University. Her professional involvement in disability affairs and advocacy spans 34 years, pre-dating both the American's with Disability Act and its predecessor Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 promulgated in 1977. In 1973, Dean Bork procured matching funding from two private foundations to develop and establish support services for students with disabilities at Northeastern University. She subsequently co-founded the Inter-Campus Committee for Handicapped students in 1973 (now known as AHEAD in New England) and was also a founding member of the parent organization, the Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD), in 1977. Dean Bork has written and spoken on a wide range of disability-related topics ranging from employment of students with disabilities, international students with disabilities, the coordination and provision of support services in higher education, and high school to college transition of students with disabilities. Her current interests in research are students with head injuries and students with Asperger’s syndrome.
Ari Ne'eman is the Founding President of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, a nonprofit organization of adults and youth on the autism spectrum. He is currently studying Political Science and Economics at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County as a Sondheim Scholar of Public Affairs. As an adult with Asperger Syndrome, Mr. Ne’eman has been active in the autistic culture, neurodiversity and disability rights movements for a number of years. He first became involved in self-advocacy as a high school student, arguing for his own inclusion and access to high-level academic coursework. He later became involved in disability and education policy advocacy. Mr. Ne’eman serves as the Policy Workgroup Leader for the Youth Advisory Council to the National Council on Disability, the Public Policy Chair for the New Jersey Coalition for Inclusive Education, and is a member of the Steering Committee of the New Jersey Olmstead Implementation and Planning Advisory Council. In his capacity as President of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, he organizes social/support networks for youth and adults on the autism spectrum, promotes self-advocate involvement in the policymaking process, and regularly presents and advises on issues relating to ASD, disability policy, special education and the neurodiversity movement.
Shelley Silverman has a bachelor's degree in Rehabilitation Education from Penn State and is a CRC. She is the Vocational Evaluator as well as the Admissions Coordinator for United Cerebral Palsy of Philadelphia. Shelley has been in the field for 30 years.
Susan Schoenberger has a Master's Degree in Counseling from Chestnut Hill College. She is the Director of the Adult Services Programs for United Cerebral Palsy of Philadelphia. Susan has been in the field for 30 years.
Lorraine Wolf, Ph.D., is the Director of Disability Services at Boston University. She holds a doctorate in clinical neuropsychology from the City University of New York and has over 20 years of experience working with children, adolescents and adults. She has taught experimental psychology, assessment, and neuropsychology at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Dr. Wolf has published and presented extensively on issues for students with attention and learning disorders, psychiatric disabilities, and autism spectrum disorders. She holds faculty appointments in psychiatry and in rehabilitation sciences at Boston University. She was a co-editor of Adult Attention Deficit Disorders: Brain Mechanisms and Life Outcomes (2001, New York Academy of Sciences), is the senior co-editor of Learning Disorders in Adults: Contemporary Issues published by the Psychology Press in March of 2008, and is the senior co-author of Asperger Syndrome in Higher Education: A Professional Guide, to be published by Autism Asperger Publishing Company in 2008. Dr. Wolf’s research interests include the neuropsychology of attention disorders and effective services for students with autism spectrum and other psychiatric disabilities in higher education.