&
            Graduate School of Education

Present
The 5th Annual Early Childhood Conference:
Autism and Developmental Disabilities,
Understanding and Intervention
Friday   April 27, 2007  8am – 4pm

This event has already occurred. Stay tuned for details on the 2008 conference!

Faculty

Dr. Susan Chinitz is a psychologist with specialties in the areas of infant mental health and developmental disabilities in infancy and early childhood.  She is the Director of the Early Childhood Center and the Center for Babies, Toddlers and Families at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine where she is an Associate Professor of Clinical Pediatrics.  Dr. Chinitz is Co-President of the New York Zero to Three Network. 

Dr. Ivy Feldman is a clinical psychologist specializing in child psychology. She is the Educational Director of the  McCarton School for children with autism spectrum disorders.

Dr. Eileen Flicker has been a teacher, childcare director, curriculum coordinator, college professor, program developer, and educational and mental health consultant. She currently works in schools where she facilitates differentiated instruction and social skills groups.

Dr. Gilbert Foley is Associate Professor of School-Clinical Child Psychology at Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology and serves as Consultant Clinical Director of the Model/Demonstration Infant Mental Health Project. Dr. Foley is co-editor with Dr. Jane Hochman of Mental Health in Early Intervention.

Dr. Joann Galley is currently Director of School Psychology Services in the John A. Coleman School at the Elizabeth Seton Pediatric Center, where she works with medically fragile children who have multiple disabilities.  She is also an Adjunct Professor at Fordham and Pace Universities, teaching graduate and undergraduate psychology students.  She has over 10 years of experience as a Neuropsychologist specializing in early intervention, evaluations, treatment plans, rehabilitation and bereavement counseling. 

Dr. Janet Hoffman is an educator, teacher-trainer, licensed clinical social worker, consultant, and an adjunct assistant professor in early childhood education at Teachers College, Columbia University, and a school social worker at The Heschel School.

Ms. Carolina Kaiser is an outstanding presenter and Certified Teacher and Child Facilitator from The Son-Rise Program® at the Autism Treatment Center of America in Sheffield, Massachusetts. Ms. Kaiser works daily with families from across the globe to help parents see their children's limitless possibilities.  (www.option.org )

Ms. Anne Roland Lee joined the Celiac Disease Center in March 2002, after spending several years as an adjunct professor at Westchester Community College and Queens College. At the Celiac Disease Center she takes care of both adult and pediatric patients as well as being involved in celiac disease research.  Dr. Lee has developed the educational materials on the gluten free diet for the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University.

Dr. Cecelia McCarton is a Professor of Clinical Pediatrics at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. She is the founder and director of the McCarton Center for Developmental Pediatrics and the Executive Director of the McCarton School for children with autism spectrum disorders.

Dr. Barbara Mowder is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, the Founder of the Association of Early Childhood and Infant Psychologists (AECIP), and the current Editor of the Journal of Early Childhood and Infant Psychology (JECIP). She contributes to the professional literature in child development, early childhood, and professional psychology. (www.aecip.org)

Dr. Molly Nozyce is the Director of the Neurodevelopmental Service at Jacobi Medical Center and Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Yeshiva University. She specializes in the evaluation and assessment of children with developmental, behavioral and academic difficulties and she provides training in those areas for pediatricians and psychologists. Dr. Nozyce has been involved in autism training for the State of New York and currently offers the State training in the screening and evaluation of children referred for the Early Intervention Program.

Dr. Geraldine Oades-Sese, is an Adjunct Professor at Fordham University’s Graduate School of Education and a nationally certified school psychologist. Her assessment experience includes evaluating developmentally delayed, multiply-handicapped, and medically-fragile infants, children, and adolescents for special education services as well as providing cognitive behavioral and play therapies. Currently, she is conducting research to determine resilience among at-risk preschool children and adolescents from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. She has taught graduate-level courses on Integration of Assessment Techniques and Clinical Practicum that utilizes evidence-based interventions at Fordham University.

Dr. Richard Solomon is the founder and Medical Director of The PLAY Project located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He was Clinical Associate Professor & Section Chief of Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics at the University of Michigan and has over 15 years experience working with children with autistic spectrum disorders. A colleague of Stanley Greenspan’s, he is a board member of the Interdisciplinary Council of Developmental and Learning Disorders (ICDL). (www.playproject.org)

Dr. Mara Tabares has been in private chiropractic practice in Danbury and Stamford, CT since 1999. She is Advanced Proficiency Rated in Activator Methods Chiropractic Technique. She specializes in the care of families, pregnancy and children. 

Dr. Gil Tippy has been the Assistant Director/Clinical Supervisor of Rebecca School for the year prior to its opening and for its first year up until the present.  He has been an adjunct professor at CW Post University for many years, teaching at the Doctoral, Masters and Undergraduate levels.  He has supervised Masters Level Special Education Teachers in their Autism Student Teaching experiences, and was a classroom teacher for 13 years.  He maintains a private practice in Oyster Bay, Long Island. (www.rebeccaschool.com)

Dr. Sharon Vallone specializes in maternal health and pediatric chiropractic care.  She brings her enthusiasm for chiropractic care as well as her love of children and 20 years of field experience.  She is the Chair of the Board of Kentuckiana Children’s Center in Louisville, KY, a non- profit organization that has provided chiropractic and integrated health services to children with special needs and their families.

Ms. Kim West is a mother of two and a Licensed Certified Social Worker-Clinical (LCSW-C) who has been a practicing child and family social worker for more than thirteen years. Known as The Sleep Lady® by her clients, she has helped more than a thousand tired parents learn to listen to their intuition, recognize their child’s important cues and behaviors, and gently create changes that promote and preserve his or her healthy sleep habits. West is the author of “GOOD NIGHT, SLEEP TIGHT: The Sleep Lady’s Gentle Guide to Helping Your Child Go to Sleep, Stay Asleep and Wake Up Happy.” (www.sleeplady.com)