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Dr. Nirbhay Singh is Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Health Behavior at the Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia, USA. His research interests include mindfulness, behavioral and psycho-pharmacological treatments of individuals with disabilities, and assistive technology for supporting individuals with severe/ profound and multiple disabilities. He is the Editor-in-Chief of two journals: Mindfulness and Advances in Neurodevelopmental Disorders, and Editor of three book series: Mindfulness in Behavioral Health, Evidence-based Practice in Behavioral Health, andChildren and Families. He has over 700 publications, including 25 books. His most recent book (with Joshua Felver) which will be published this year is: Mindfulness in the Classroom: An Evidence-Based Program to Reduce Disruptive Behavior and Increase Academic Engagement.
Sarah Russell is a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst and Licensed Behavior Analyst who has been working in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis since 2001. Sarah has worked in a number of capacities across a variety of settings and ages with various disabilities. Sarah’ works as a full-time consultant with Aspire, LLC where she provides direct service, training, oversight, parent training, and program development to individuals with ASD. She also works as a full-time lecturer for The Sage Colleges Center for ABA and Autism where she also oversees the Clinical Practicum. Sarah has published research, has presented at state and national conferences, and has won awards including SCAS therapist of the year, Outstanding Student, and Outstanding Adjunct. In her spare time, she enjoys being outdoors, going to concerts, and spending time with friends, families, and dogs.
Dr. Lori L. Finn is a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA-D) and a New York State Licensed Behavior Analyst (LBA). She is an assistant professor and department chair of the Center of Applied Behavior Analysis (CABA) at the Sage Colleges. Dr. Finn has provided clinical services and overseen the provision of services for children and adults with autism, developmental disabilities, and psychiatric disorders for more than 25 years. She has presented original research and workshops on applications of applied behavior analysis at regional, national, and international conferences and has published her work in peer-reviewed journals. She is currently on the editorial board of the International Journal of Developmental Disabilities. Her research interests include staff and parent training, performance management, restraint reduction, and online learning.
Dr. Kendra Thomson is an Associate Professor in Applied Disability Studies at Brock University in St. Catharines, Ontario, a Doctoral-level Board Certified Behavior Analyst, and a clinician-scientist in the Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto. Kendra completed a post-doctoral fellowship at York University with Dr. Jonathan Weiss, the Canadian Institute of Health Research Chair in Autism Spectrum Disorders Treatment and Care Research. She earned her Ph.D. in Psychology (specialization in Applied Behaviour Analysis) University of Manitoba 2011, her MA in Psychology (Lifespan Development) from Brock University in 2007, and her Honour’s undergraduate degree in Psychology from the University of Manitoba in 2005. Kendra began applied clinical research in 2002 with adults with an intellectual and/or developmental disability (I/DD). She is currently conducting community-based research that focuses broadly on translating evidence-based strategies to assist those providing support to people with I/DD with the goal of improving overall quality of life.
Dr. Cheryl Davis is a licensed and certified behavior analyst as well as a special education teacher who received her PhD from Endicott College in Applied Behavior Analysis. Dr. Davis is a Professor of Practice at The Sage Colleges, as well as owner of 7 Dimensions Consulting, LLC and co-developer of SupervisorABA. She received a Masters of Science Degree in Intensive Special Education from Simmons College in Boston, MA after attending The University of Connecticut where she received a bachelor’s degree in Human Development. Dr. Davis then pursued her BCBA, while working in a world renown ABA school. With over 20 years of experience working with children and families with autism, developmental disabilities, and related disorders, Dr. Davis specializes in effective programming for clients in need, online teaching, active responding and skill acquisition. She has had experience as a teacher, job coach, home therapist, residential supervisor, public school consultant, staff trainer and professor. Dr. Davis has extensive experience in developing training topics for both parents and teaching staff. She has provided professional development trainings to over two thousand teaching staff
Laura Stolfi is a certified Special Education teacher with over 20 years of experience. She is also a Board Certified and NYS Licensed Behavior Analyst with a broad background in the field of psychology and special education, with specific training and expertise in the field of applied behavior analysis. Ms. Stolfi is currently working as part-time lead faculty for Capella University, a consultant in public school settings and working with families affected by ASD. Previously, Ms. Stolfi was the Director of the Achieve Degree, an online bachelor’s degree for students who are academically capable, but who would find attending a traditional college campus environment prohibitive. In addition, Laura is an adjunct professor for the Center for Applied Behavior Analysis (CABA) at Russell Sage College. Laura has also been a classroom teacher, consulted for both the public and private school sector, provided staff and parent training, presented at conferences and has implemented a program for children with special needs at her local gym.
Dr. Laura Gormley (BCBA) is the programme director on the BA in Montessori Education (Honors) at Saint Nicholas College, Dublin. This academic programme is specifically designed to prepare student teachers to implement an inclusive educational framework, with an emphasis on supporting children with additional educational needs. Dr. Gormley is also an adjunct lecturer on the MSc in Psychology (Applied Behaviour Analysis) at Trinity College Dublin and the Director of Education at an early intervention preschool for children with autism. She has worked in the field of intellectual and developmental disabilities for over 12 years and her current research focuses on training frontline staff in evidence-based practices, so they are ideally placed to support clients in achieving a quality of life commensurate with peers.
Dr. Justin Leaf is the Co-Director of Research and Director of Training for Autism Partnership Foundation. Justin received his doctorate degree in Behavioral Psychology from the Department of Applied Behavioral Science at the University of Kansas. Currently, Justin leads the research team at Autism Partnership Foundation, which conducts research nationally and internationally. His research interests include examining methods to improve social behaviors for children and adolescents with autism and developing friendships, comparing different teaching methodologies, evaluating parameters of reinforcement, and evaluating long term outcomes for individuals diagnosed with autism. Justin has over 80 publications in either peer reviewed journals, books, or book chapters and has presented at both national and international professional conferences and invited events. Justin also recently edited a book entitled Handbook of Social Skills and Autism Spectrum Disorder: Assessment, Curricula, and Intervention. Justin is an Associate Editor for Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.
Ms. Mary Rosswurm, MBA, started her career as a speech therapist. She joined LittleStar, a not for profit provider of applied behavior analysis therapy, in 2004 as the director then took 18 months off in 2008-2009 to spend time in Massachusetts and serve as the executive director of a Department of Education approved school for children with autism. She returned to LittleStar as the executive director in the fall of 2009. As an active member in the autism community, Mary was appointed to the Indiana Commission on Autism in 2005 and served five terms until the Commission ended in 2013. Mary has served on the Board of Directors for ASAT (The Association of Science in Autism Treatment) and is the founder and past vice president and president of InPEAT (Indiana Providers of Effective Autism Treatment) a membership organization for Indiana autism service providers, which was founded in 2014. In 2017, LittleStar was named Provider Advocate of the Year by Autism Speaks. Currently, Mary is serving as a board member for CASP (Council of Autism Service Providers) and is the chairperson of the annual conference committee. Mary is active on Instagram, sharing encouraging and educational videos about being a parent with autism on her channel, LifeWithaSideofAutism.
The IJDD publishes scientific articles on work dealing with different approaches to the habilitation problems of people with an intellectual disability. The Journal covers the entire spectrum of intellectual disabilities, and is concerned with definitions, IQ, genetic predisposition, evaluation of abilities, learning interventions, challenging behaviour, medication, attitudes to death and bereavement, sexuality, legal aspects, WHO, NICE and other governmental guidelines, care in the community, advocacy, stress and coping strategies for families and carers - though this is not an exhaustive list. The unifying theme is that all of these aspects should be of practical help for those with intellectual disabilities or those caring for persons with intellectual disabilities. Emphasis is placed on the practical implications of the work of educationists, instructors, nurses, occupational and other therapists, psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers, whether taking place in a hospital setting or in community care.
Dr. Salmons is co-editor of the International Journal of Developmental Disabilities and a trustee of the British Society for Developmental Disabilities, the owner of the IJDD. Brian received his Ph. D. in genetics in 1984 from the Imperial Cancer Research Fund Laboratories, London U. K. After post-docs in Switzerland and the USA, he received his habilitation from the Ludwig-Maximillians University in Munich. He worked as a research scientist in molecular genetics and virology for many years in Germany and Austria before moving to Singapore. Today he is CEO of the biotech company, Austrianova, that develops encapsulation technologies for, among other things, cell and gene therapies for serious diseases. He joined the editorial board of the independently published British Journal of Developmental Disabilities in 1994 and became the editor in 2006, together with Prof. Arturo Langa, overseeing the renaming of the journal to the International Journal of Developmental Disabilities (IJDD) and it’s move to its current home at the publisher Taylor and Francis.
Professor Arturo Langa MD, MRCPsychProf Langa has over 30 years’ experience working for the NHS in the UK and is a Visiting Professor at the University of the Highlands and Islands. Following medical school completed at Yale University teaching hospitals, he undertook psychiatric training in the UK and the US. Prof Langa is a member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists and specialises in psychiatric disorders in people with intellectual disabilities. He is involved in medical training as an Educational Supervisor for junior doctors. With an interest in Patient Safety, he is an experienced international speaker as well as a published author and book editor. Together with Dr Salmons, Prof. Langa is Co-editor of the International Journal of Developmental Disabilities (IJDD). He also sits on the Editorial Boards of several leading international journals. Prof Langa sits on the Boards of Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh, Scotland and NHS National Services Scotland.
Please note that all times are given as Eastern Standard Time (New York time)
