COUNSELLING
Tony Attwood
Tony Attwood is a practicing Clinical Psychologist who specializes in the field of Asperger’s Syndrome. For the last 25 years he has met and worked with several hundred individuals with this syndrome, ranging widely in age, ability and background.
Diane Bahr
Diane Bahr is a visionary with a mission. For more than 30 years, she has treated children and adults with feeding, motor speech, and mouth function problems. While she is a speech-language pathologist by training, she has also honed her skills as a feeding therapist, published author, international speaker, university instructor, and business owner. Diane co-owns Ages and Stages®, LLC with her husband and business manager Joe Bahr. She is also a mother and a grandmother.
Jed Baker, Ph.D
Jed Baker, Ph.D. is the director of the Social Skills Training Project, an organization serving individuals with autism and social communication problems. He is on the professional advisory board of Autism Today, ANSWER, YAI, the Kelberman Center and several other autism organizations.
Ronald Caissie
Health Coordinator, KEEN Education Foundation President, Ultimate Progress Mediation Former military officer and parent of daughter with autism. He formed a disability management company focusing on the effects of trauma on the livelihood of victims and grew it to over 30 offices with his partner. After selling the business he began Ultimate Progress Mediation and Counselling which focuses on children of all abilities and families endeavoring to save his clients’ time, money and sanity during separation and relationship breakdowns, helping people come to mutual agreements and leave on a positive note. Ron has a BA, BSW, MEd in counseling and a PhD.
Elizabeth K. Gerlach
Elizabeth King Gerlach is an award-winning author who lives in Oregon with her husband and black Labrador. She is the mother/stepmother to four great young men. Her latest efforts include two children’s books. For the book “One Lucky Flower,” Gerlach has teamed up with illustrator and designer JeanYates to create a story filled with courage and cupcakes. “Apples for Cheyenne: A Story About Autism, Horses and Friendship,” was illustrated by Kim Miller, a young woman with autism.
Julie Matthews
Julie Matthews, BS NC is a globally respected nutrition expert, accomplished author, and inspirational educator. Her guidance is backed by fifteen years of clinical experience and scientific research with complex neurological and physiological needs; particularly autism and related disorders. Julie has lectured in more than 60 cities across three continents. She’s been on television, radio, newspaper, blogs/podcasts and more, published scientifically referenced articles in journals and websites. She’s beenfeatured by Price-Pottenger, honored by the National Association of Nutrition Professionals, sits on two scientific advisory boards including the Autism Research Center, consulted to a soon-to-be-published university research study, and is a Certified Nutrition Consultant with a successful practice in San Francisco.
Barry Prizant
Barry M. Prizant, PhD, CCC-SLP, is among the world’s leading authorities on autism, and is recognized as an innovator of respectful, person-and family-centered approaches for individuals with autism and neurodevelopmental disabilities. With more than forty years of experience as a scholar, researcher, and international consultant, he is an adjunct professor at Brown University, a certified speech-language pathologist and director of Childhood Communication Services, a private practice. Barry is coauthor of The SCERTS Model: A Comprehensive Educational Approach, now being implemented in more than a dozen countries.
LEGAL ADVOCACY
Louis H. Geigerman
Mr. Louis H. Geigerman has been a professional advocate since 1995 when he founded National ARD/IEP Advocates. In late 2006 he founded College Disability Advocates in order to assist college students with special needs in acquiring reasonable accommodations from their educational institutions. In the fall of 2007 he became a part-time paralegal with the Philpot Law Office, P.C. He has logged over 7500 hours in IEP and Section 504 meetings, over 400 hours in mediations and resolution sessions and over 500 hours in due process hearings. He is a charter member of the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA) and the Texas Organization of Parents Attorneys and Advocates (TOPAA).
Marianne Jesser
Marianne Jesser is a Special Education Advocate with over fifteen years of experience working with families and school districts in Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego Counties. She completed the Special Education Advocate Training (SEAT) program, a project funded by the US Department of Education and offered through USC’s Center for Excellence with Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) in 2008 and was awarded a Certificate for completing 115 hours of coursework and 115 hours of supervised internship with a Special Education Attorney. She is also a member of the Council of Parent Advocates and Attorneys (COPAA). She recently became a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) and volunteers monthly with her foster child, for whom she holds educational rights.
Julie Matthews
Julie Matthews, BS NC is a globally respected nutrition expert, accomplished author, and inspirational educator. Her guidance is backed by fifteen years of clinical experience and scientific research with complex neurological and physiological needs; particularly autism and related disorders. Julie has lectured in more than 60 cities across three continents. She’s been on television, radio, newspaper, blogs/podcasts and more, published scientifically referenced articles in journals and websites. She’s beenfeatured by Price-Pottenger, honored by the National Association of Nutrition Professionals, sits on two scientific advisory boards including the Autism Research Center, consulted to a soon-to-be-published university research study, and is a Certified Nutrition Consultant with a successful practice in San Francisco.
Samuel Levine, LL.M, JD
Professor Samuel J. Levine 2010 is professor of law and director of the Jewish Law Institute. He previously served as professor of law at Pepperdine University School of Law, and he has served as the Beznos Distinguished Professor at Michigan State University College of Law. He has published more than fifty law review articles and book chapters, and he has lectured throughout the United States on the subjects of legal ethics, Jewish law, criminal law, law and religion and constitutional law.
RECREATIONAL
Coach David Igliori
Hi, I’m Coach David Igliori, owner and trainer at iFlextrain Gym. I have been into health and fitness for over 40 years. Fitness trends come and go, but I pride myself with mixing the basics with what’s trending now. My specialty is working with kids and young adults who have ASD. I also train men and women in their 40’s and up who are looking to get back to their past or new fitness levels. It’s never too late to start looking and feeling better!
Judith Muir
Judith Muir M.M. M.AmSAT., is a professional musician, award-winning music educator, and certified teacher of the Alexander Technique. Judith’s interest in the relationship between music and healing was originally sparked while she was studying at Coventry School of Music. After her first Alexander Technique lesson, she experienced greater improvements to her playing than anything prompted by her clarinet teacher. As a result, she became a certified Alexander teacher, obtained a degree in music therapy, and has trained for the past twenty years in the Diamond Path of Life with holistic medical pioneer John Diamond M.D.