Advisory Board

Sherry Skyler Kelly, PhD, is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Clinical Neuropsychologist with more than 30 years of experience in the field of child development. She is the founder of PositiviTeens® workshops that bring together the science of Neuropsychology with the powerful evidence-based strategies of Positive Psychology.

Dr. Kelly completed her undergraduate degree in Social Education at Boston University and holds multiple Masters degrees in Psychology from New York University and Yeshiva University. She earned her PhD in Clinical Health Psychology from Yeshiva University in New York. Dr. Kelly completed an APA internship in Child and Adolescent Psychology at the University of Minnesota Medical School and Clinics. She was a National Cancer Institute Fellow and National Institute of Health (NIH) Fellow in Psycho-Oncology, as well as Neuropsychology, at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. She has also been an instructor of clinical medicine at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Weill-Cornell Medical School. Most recently, Dr. Kelly was a founding board member of Autism After 21, a Boca Raton based non-profit program of support, education, and skills training for young adults with special needs.

Leslie Korn, PhD, MPH, LMHC is a renowned integrative medicine clinician and educator specializing in the use of nutritional, herbal and culinary medicine for the treatment of trauma and emotional and chronic physical illness. She is known for her dynamism and humor as a speaker. She has provided over 50,000 hours of treatment in private practice for diverse populations. Her clinical practice focuses on providing clients effective alternatives to psychotropics. She completed her graduate education in the departments of psychiatry and public health at Harvard Medical School and her life training in the jungle of Mexico where she lived and worked alongside local healers for over 25 years. She directed a naturopathic medicine and training clinic facilitating health, culinary and fitness retreats. She is licensed and certified in nutritional therapy, mental health counseling, and bodywork (Polarity and Cranial Sacral and medical massage therapies) and is an approved clinical supervisor. She introduced somatic therapies for complex trauma patients in out-patient psychiatry at Harvard Medical school in 1985 and served as a consultant in ethnomedicine to the Trauma Clinic, Boston. She is the former clinical director and faculty of New England School of Acupuncture and faculty at the National College of Naturopathic Medicine.

She is the author of the seminal book on the body and complex trauma: Rhythms of Recovery: Trauma, Nature and the Body (Routledge, 2012), Nutrition Essentials for Mental Health (W.W. Norton, 2016), Eat Right Feel Right: Over 80 Recipes and Tips to Improve Mood, Sleep, Attention & Focus (PESI, 2017), Multicultural Counseling Workbook: Exercises, Worksheets & Games to Build Rapport with Diverse Clients (PESI, 2015) and The Good Mood Kitchen (W.W. Norton, 2017). She was a founder of the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork, a Fulbright scholar in Herbal Medicine and an NIH-funded scientist, in mind/body medicine. She is an approved clinical supervisor and is the research director at the Center for World Indigenous Studies where she designs culinary and herbal medicine programs with tribal communities engaged in developing integrative medicine programs.

Timothy P. Kowalski, MA, CCC-SLP is a licensed speech-language pathologist specializing in social-pragmatic communication deficits and internationally known expert on Asperger Syndrome. His Orlando practice has seen clients from Europe, South America and throughout the USA. He regularly consults to schools on best practices for students identified or suspected of having Asperger syndrome and provides school-wide district in-services. He is a guest lecturer at universities and colleges and is also a consultant for forensic cases involving Asperger syndrome. Mr. Kowalski has worked in a variety of psychiatric healthcare delivery systems including in-patient and outpatient psychiatric hospitals, sex-offender units, and school-based settings. He obtained his Master’s degree in Speech Communications from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland and earned his Bachelor’s degree in Communication Disorders from Southern Connecticut State College in New Haven. Mr. Kowalski is the author of eight books on Asperger syndrome and social difficulties: Understanding Emotions; Me, Myself and You; Asperger Syndrome Explained; Social-Pragmatic Success for Asperger Syndrome and Other Related Disorders; Are You In The Zone?, Conversational Effectiveness, My Playground Problem, The Source for Asperger’s Syndrome, and an article Assessing Social Communication in Asperger Syndrome.

Mr. Kowalski is the current President-Elect of the Florida Speech-Language-Hearing Association, and a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, and the Inter-American Teacher Network. He is the recipient of the 2020 “Outstanding Service Award” and the “2010 Clinician of the Year Award” offered by the Florida Association of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists and the FLASHA nominee for the ASHA Louis M. diCarlo Award for Recent Clinical Achievement. He also holds the “TEAMS 2000 Speech-Language Pathologist of the Year” award for his work with Autism in the four-countywide greater Orlando, Florida metropolitan area and has served on the Board of Directors for the Greater Orlando Chapter of the Autism Society of America and the Center for Independent Living in Central Florida. He regularly presents on a wide variety of issues relative to Asperger syndrome and social-pragmatics at national and international seminars.

Dr. Paul Langlois, APN, PhD, CCRN, CCNS, is a critical care clinical specialist in the Surgical, Medical, Neurologic, Burn, CCU and Trauma ICUs of Cook County Hospital, Chicago. Drawing on over 40 years of experience assessing and managing patients with life-threatening diseases, Dr. Langlois provides advanced-level training to nurses, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, respiratory therapists and physicians. Dr. Langlois is committed to providing the highest quality of care to patients through advanced education. His presentations are evidence-based, timely and provide participants with numerous case studies to facilitate critical thinking. As a bedside clinical nurse specialist, he has developed several institution-wide protocols for the multidisciplinary assessment and management of the infectious disease and multi-system organ failure patient. His presentations are enthusiastically delivered and offer highly practical tips that help make the most challenging concepts easy to understand. Linking knowledge to clinical practice is the goal of every education program.

Nanette Lavoie-Vaughan, MSN, ANPCP- DNP, is an adult nurse practitioner and currently practices in Raleigh, NC, focusing on geriatric and psychiatric care in long-term care. She has over 30 years of experience, including long term care, acute care, primary care and home health. She received her MSN from Florida State University and her DNP from Vanderbilt University. Nanette earned a Cultural Dementia Care from Stanford University and has presented nationally and internationally to various interdisciplinary audiences on various geriatric diagnoses/treatments, dementia, pain management, and caregiver concerns. She is the author of Eldercare: The Comprehensive Guide to Caregiving and a new evidence-based clinical practice guideline for the non-pharmacological management of behavioral problems in dementia. Her knowledge and research has been recognized through published work in Clinics of North America and in book chapters and online continuing education modules. Additionally, Nanette serves as an expert witness for law firms on cases related to her field of expertise.

Kirsten Lind Seal, PhD, LMFT holds an MA in Counseling Psychology and a PhD in Couple and Family Therapy from the University of Minnesota.  Dr. Lind Seal teaches Ethics at two universities and conducts trainings on Ethics and Cross-Cultural issues nationally and internationally. Dr. Lind Seal’s research has been published in Psychology Today, Journal of Marital and Family Therapy and Family Process.  She has published several case studies and an ethics-focused “In Consultation” piece in the Psychotherapy Networker and has reviewed for The Journal of Critical Psychology, Counselling and Psychotherapy (UK).

She has a completely virtual private practice where she works with individuals, couples and family, and offers ethics consultations to colleagues.  She has been interviewed as a content expert by MPR, CNN.com, and the Minneapolis Star Tribune and has for the last 10 years has been a regular on-air contributor on Relationship Reboot, a weekly segment on relationships on WCCO TV’s Channel 4 (CBS Twin Cities).  

Cindi Lockhart, RDN, LD, IFNCP, is board-certified as an integrative and functional nutrition practitioner with over 27 years in professional practice. She has trained nutrition, fitness, and medical practitioners throughout most of her career, yet maintains a personal practice with clients/patients as she believes that the only way she can effectively educate and inspire other practitioners is through her own practical experience with clients. In addition to educating on how Food is Medicine, Cindi also specializes in coaching clients and practitioners on the importance of managing stress, optimizing sleep, proper exercise and movement, and reducing exposure to environmental toxins. Cindi has extensive expertise in women’s health issues including hormonal imbalances, infertility, thyroid dysfunction, autoimmunity and gut health.

Amy Marlow-MaCoy, LPC, focuses her practice on treating complex and developmental trauma in adults raised in narcissistic, emotionally immature, and toxic families of origin. She also provides supervision and consultation for clinicians wishing to deepen and grow their strengths in working with survivors of narcissistic abuse. She is the author of the Amazon best-selling book The Gaslighting Recovery Workbook: Healing from Emotional Abuse (Callisto Media, 2020). Amy has advanced training in multiple trauma treatment models, including IFS, EMDR, and brainspotting. She earned her master’s degree from Temple University.

Judith Matz, LCSW, ACSW, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with over 30 years of experience as a therapist, speaker and author. She has dedicated her professional life to helping thousands of people overcome their struggles to make peace with food, their bodies and themselves through counseling, groups, workshops, presentations, and consultation. She is the author of three books related to eating and weight issues: Amazon #1 bestseller The Diet Survivor’s Handbook, Beyond a Shadow of a Diet and Amanda’s Big Dream, a children’s book that helps kids to pursue their dreams – at any size!

David Mays, MD, PhD, is a licensed physician in the state of Wisconsin. He is Board Certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. He has a dual appointment as a clinical adjunct assistant professor in the University of Wisc. Dept. of Psychiatry and Department of Professional Development and Applied Studies.

He is a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, member of the Wisconsin Psychiatric Association, and a member of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law. Over his career, Dr. Mays has practiced psychiatry in a variety of settings, including an HMO, an assertive community treatment program, private clinical and forensic practice, and as the clinical director of the forensic program at the Mendota Mental Health Institute.

Dr. Mays has received numerous awards for his teaching and clinical work, including the Distinguished Service Award from the Alliance on Mental Illness in Dane County, the Exemplary Psychiatrist Award from the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the Exceptional Performance Award from the Wisconsin Health and Family Services, the Outstanding Professional Award from the Wisconsin Association on Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse, and the Outstanding Mental Health Professional Award from the Wisconsin National Alliance on Mental Illness. He is a highly sought-after presenter on numerous topics in mental health, including psychiatric diagnosis and treatment, personality disorders, suicide and aggression risk management, mainstream and alternative treatments in psychiatry, and the biology of ethics.

Avidan Milevsky, PhD, LCPC, has over 20 years of experience specializing in the broad application of cognitive behavioral interventions for multiple client difficulties. He is an associate professor of psychology at Ariel University and a psychotherapist at The Center for Mental Health in Bet Shemesh, Israel. He also serves as a psychotherapist at Wellspring Counseling in Towson, MD.

His clinical research has produced over 100 conference presentations, more than 30 papers in peer-reviewed journals, and six books including Will I Ever be Happy Again, Understanding Adolescents for the Helping Professional, and Sibling Issues in Therapy.

Dr. Milevsky has lectured to audiences in the United States, Canada, South America, Europe, and the Middle-East on various topics including cognitive behavioral interventions for individual and family issues, parenting, sibling relationships, and the intersection between spirituality and mental health.

He has been interviewed by national media about his work including stories in The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Associated Press, Real Simple, and Allure magazine. Additionally, Dr. Milevsky is a columnist for Psychology Today and The Huffington Post on well-being issues. He has been a guest expert on TV and radio including an appearance on Public Radio International’s “The Takeaway.”

Nancy Morgan combines her passion for excellence and her expertise as a registered nurse certified in wound care (WCC) to inspire others to make a difference in the lives of patients with wounds and ostomies. She started her career as a home health aide, where she saw her first pressure ulcer. From there, she obtained her CWOCN and worked as a wound consultant in various hospitals, nursing homes, rehab centers, and long-term acute care hospitals, and in home health care settings. She identified an urgent need to improve the knowledge base of clinicians doing wound care at the bedside. Her focus then shifted to wound care education program development.

In 2002, she, along with her business partner, Donna Sardina, formed the Wound Care Education Institute. The Wound Care Education Institute offers over 100 comprehensive skin and wound care training programs at various locations across the U.S. To date, over 16,000 clinicians have been taught by WCEI, making this unique group of specialists the largest network of wound care professionals in the United States. Forever committed to multidisciplinary education, these programs are offered to RNs, LPNs, MDs, PAs, NPs, PTs, PTAs, and OTs.

Making a difference for patients by the provision of quality wound care at the bedside is the guiding principle behind the company Nancy formed. As a professional educator, she is highly sought after as a speaker guaranteed to excite the crowd with her easy-to-understand presentation style and passion for translating evidenced based standards into daily practices. Many refer to Nancy as a "Wound Care Rock Star." Come and see why for yourself.

Tammy Nelson, PhD, is a licensed psychotherapist in private practice, a relationship expert and international speaker, an author, a faculty member and teacher with a Doctorate in Philosophy in Clinical Sexology. She is a Board Certified Sexologist, a Diplomate of the American Board of Sexologists, a Licensed Professional Counselor, an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist, a Registered Art Therapist, a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor, a Certified Imago Relationship therapist and an Advanced Imago Clinician. Dr. Tammy is the author of several books including Open Monogamy: A Guide to Co-Creating Your Ideal Relationship Agreement (2021), Integrative Sex & Couples Therapy: A Therapist's Guide to New and Innovative Approaches (2020), The New Monogamy: Redefining Your Relationship After Infidelity (2013), Getting the Sex You Want: Shed Your Inhibitions and Reach New Heights of Passion Together (2008), and What's Eating You?: A Workbook for Anorexia and Bulimia (2004). She is also a TEDx speaker, host of the podcast The Trouble with Sex, and Director of the Integrative Sex Therapy Institute.

David D. Nowell, PhD, is a clinical neuropsychologist in private practice in Northborough, Massachusetts. He offers consultations to patients on an inpatient rehabilitation unit and is an adjunct instructor in neuropsychology to graduate students in the Clark University psychology program. He serves as a physician advisor with the University of Massachusetts Medical School Disability Evaluation Service where he was the former clinical director of the Learning Disability Assessment Program. Dr. Nowell writes a popular blog at Psychology Today on motivation and time management and speaks internationally to clinicians on such topics as executive functioning, non-medication management of ADHD, and applying findings from Positive Psychology.

Leigh Odom, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, CDP, CADDCT, is an associate professor of speech-language pathology at Western Carolina University. She has been practicing as a speech-language pathologist for nearly 15 years almost exclusively with families affected by neurogenic communication disorders. As the lead academic and clinical instructor of neurogenic content in her department, Dr. Odom has been teaching both graduate and undergraduate neurogenic courses since 2008. Dr. Odom is a Certified Dementia Practitioner and a Certified Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Care Trainer, frequently collaborating with families and healthcare providers to improve dementia care as a dementia care trainer and support group facilitator. She has published nearly 20 articles in peer-reviewed research journals, and has led numerous trainings at state and national professional conferences. Dr. Odom is a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, the Academy of Neurologic Communication Disorders and Sciences, and the North Carolina Speech-Hearing-Language Association.

Monica has worked with individuals with autism and other special needs and their families for over 30 years. She is Co-founder and Executive Director of the Celebrate the Children School (CTC) in Denville, NJ serving students from more than 70 school districts. CTC was the first school using the Developmental Individual Relationship-based (DIR-FCD) approach to be state-approved for students ages 3-21. Monica is also the Executive Director of the Profectum Foundation, a global online DIR-FCD training and certification resource for professionals and parents. Monica enjoys teaching others how to use the DIR-FCD Model in educational settings all over the world. Additional accomplishments include speaking engagements and participation in television, network specials, and news articles (including a TIME Magazine cover story in 2006) across the USA, Wales, and Amsterdam.

Sheetal Parikh OTD, OTR/L, CAS, is an Occupational Therapist with 19 years of experience working with children and adults in a variety of settings and with a variety of diagnoses. In the last 14 years, Dr. Parikh has primarily worked in the school setting with children and adolescents diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), sensory processing disorder (SPD), attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), genetic disorders, neurological disorders, and developmental delays. Dr. Parikh has also worked in a pediatric medical day care, adult rehabilitation hospital, acute care hospitals, sub- acute rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, and home care.

Dr. Parikh is the founder and owner of SPOT Therapy, LLC, a company that specializes in providing Occupational and Physical Therapy services in public and private schools. Dr. Parikh is also an adjunct professor in the Masters and Doctorate Occupational Therapy programs at the University of the Sciences (USciences) in Philadelphia, PA.

Lane Pederson, PsyD, LP, C-DBT, has provided Dialectical Behavior Therapy training and consultation to over 8,000 professionals in the United States, Australia, Canada, and Mexico. A real-world practitioner, Dr. Pederson co-owns Mental Health Systems, PC (MHS), one of the largest DBT-specialized practices in the United States with four clinic locations in Minnesota (www.mhs-dbt.com). At MHS Dr. Pederson has developed Dialectical Behavior Therapy programs for adolescents, adults, people with dual disorders, and people with developmental disabilities. He has served as clinical and training directors, has directed practice-based clinical outcome studies, and has overseen the care of thousands of clients in need of intensive outpatient services.

Dr. Pederson’s Dialectical Behavior Therapy publications include: The Expanded Dialectical Behavior therapy Skills Training Manual, 2nd Edition (PPM, 2017); Dialectical Behavior Therapy: A Contemporary Guide for Practitioners (Wiley, 2015); and Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Training in Integrated Dual Disorder Treatment Settings (PPM, 2013).

Notable organizations he has trained for include Walter Reed National Military Hospital, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the Ontario Psychological Association, and Psychotherapy Networker. Dr. Pederson currently serves on the advisory board for the doctorial counseling program at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota and is a peer reviewer for Forensic Scholars Today.

Amy Pershing, LMSW, ACSW, is the Founder of Bodywise, the first binge eating disorder (BED)-specific treatment program in the United States, founded in 1995. She is the Director of Pershing Consulting, which offers training to clinicians treating BED around the world. Amy is also the creator of "Hungerwise™," a 9-week program for ending chronic dieting and weight cycling using the Attuned Eating And Movement approach, offered nationally online. Based on over 30 years of clinical experience, Amy has pioneered a treatment approach for BED that is strengths-based, incorporating Internal Family Systems, somatic trauma techniques, Attuned Eating and Movement, and a Health at Every Size philosophy. Amy lectures internationally and writes extensively on the treatment of BED and her own recovery journey for both professional and lay communities. She has been featured on radio, podcast, and television speaking about BED treatment and recovery, relapse prevention, weight stigma, and attuned eating and movement. She is a founding member and Past Chair of the Binge Eating Disorder Association (BEDA), and is the winner of BEDA's Pioneer in Clinical Advocacy award. She is the author of the book Binge Eating Disorder: The Journey to Recovery and Beyond as well as many articles and chapters about BED treatment and advocacy.

Lisa Weed Phifer, D.Ed., NCSP, CYMHS, is a nationally-certified school psychologist, certified Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinical Specialist, and author who has a well-established career supporting school-based mental health and social emotional learning for children and adolescents. Phifer's work has focused on integrating cognitive-based therapy (CBT) and core social emotional competencies into practical, child-focused activities. She has presented across the U.S. and internationally to educators, clinicians, and parents, on topics of CBT, trauma-informed practices, and social emotional learning. She is the lead author of the CBT Toolbox for Children & Adolescents (PESI, 2017), Parenting Toolbox (PESI, 2018) and the Trauma-Informed Social Emotional Toolbox for Children & Adolescents (PESI, 2020). Additionally, she is published in the School Mental Health Journal and contributed to both editions of Supporting and Educating Traumatized Children (Rossen, 2020).

Catherine M. Pittman, PhD, HSPP, is a professor of Psychology at Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, IN. Dr. Pittman is the author of the popular book Rewire Your Anxious Brain: How to Use the Neuroscience of Fear to End Anxiety, Panic, and Worry. She has a background in cognitive behavioral therapy, neuropsychology, fear-conditioning research, and treated anxiety-based disorders in clinical practice for over 25 years.

Catherine’s experience makes her uniquely qualified to provide a clear understanding of neuroscience and how that informs the selection and application of successful anxiety treatment strategies. She regularly presents workshops at national conferences and national webinars on anxiety treatment, and is an active member of the Public Education Committee of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America.

David M. Pratt, PhD, MSW, is a New York State Licensed Psychologist with 40+ years’ experience working with children, adolescents and families. Dr. Pratt is in private practice at the Western New York Psychotherapy Services in Amherst, NY and a trainer with PESI, Inc. He is presently on faculty with the University at Buffalo, School of Social Work, Office of Continuing Education and a member of New York State, Office of Mental Health Advisory Board on Evidence-Based Treatments for Youth. He was the Principal Psychologist at the Western New York Children’s Psychiatric Center, Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the University at Buffalo and Adjunct Professor/Lecturer, University at Buffalo Counseling, School and Educational Psychology department.

Dr. Pratt has conducted numerous trainings in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy at local, state, national and international forums. He is the author of CBT Toolkit for Depressed, Anxious and Suicidal Children and Adolescents (PESI Publishing, Inc., 2019) and Advanced CBT Toolbox for Children and Adolescents: Promoting Resilience, Positive Emotions and Personal Growth (in press, PESI, Publishing, Inc.).

Karen Pryor, PhD, PT, DPT, ND, CH, CFPS, CPRCS, has practiced for 40 years in the field. Dr. Pryor is an international speaker and owner of Health Sphere Wellness Center, an integrative therapy clinic in Jasper, TN. Involved with orthopedic, chronic pain patients, she developed neuroplasticity techniques that are used in a wide variety of settings including orthopedic hospitals, out-patients clinic, home health, assisted living centers and nursing homes, to advance neurological-orthopedic programs. She is an author of a book teaching Neuroplasticity techniques. Dr. Pryor serves on several boards, including the Tennessee State University Physical Therapy School and Nashville State Community College. In 2010, she received the President's Volunteer Service Award for her contributions to advanced treatment by President Barack Obama. In addition to her pioneering neuroplasticity work, Dr. Pryor has served as an adjunct professor at Tennessee State University Occupational Therapy School, and Volunteer State Community College Physical Therapy Assistant program. She is a clinical instructor for several universities and colleges. With her years of experience and passion for complete wellness, Dr. Pryor advances a more expansive view of how to integrate therapy throughout the lifespan by using neuroplasticity techniques.

Marcella Raimondo, PhD, MPH, is a passionate and spirited clinical trainer speaking from her heart on social justice and eating disorders since 1995. Dr. Raimondo is a psychologist in Kaiser Permanente's eating disorder clinic in Oakland and runs a private practice. In 1997, Dr. Raimondo worked with About-Face, a nonprofit organization that addresses media impact on body image, serving as the Director of Media Literacy until 2005. Today she is on the About-Face Board of Founders and a consultant. Dr. Raimondo is on the Advisory Board for the Association of Size Health and Diversity (ASDAH), on the Advisory Board of Eating Disorder Recovery Support (ERDS) as Past President and serves as Co-Chair of the Academy of Eating Disorders Diversity Equity and Inclusion committee. Dr. Raimondo recovered from anorexia nervosa over 20 years ago. Her recovery and her martial arts training inspire her dedication to multicultural body nurturance and community celebration.