EXPERT ALERTS
- Evidence-Based Counseling and Coaching Over Conventional Therapy and Medication
- Heart Health and the Consumption of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages
EXPERT ROUNDUP: AUTISM
MEDIA JOBS
- Corporate Reporter - NYC
- Web Editor - NYC
- Web Producer - Arlington, Va.
- Reporter - Lima, Ohio
- News Reporter - Salinas, Calif.
OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES
- Interesting Expert of the Week, Autism Edition
- Freelance Focus: How to Pitch a Column, Part 1
- Grammar Hammer: Daylight Saving Time Travel
- Tool Spotlight: Boomerang for Gmail
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EXPERT ALERTS
Expert Alerts are listings of ProfNet members who are available to discuss timely news topics. If you are interested in interviewing any of the experts, please contact their media representative at the end of the listing. You can also find Expert Alerts online at bit.ly/pncalerts
Choosing Evidence-Based Counseling and Coaching Over Conventional Therapy and Medication
Kelly Burris, Ph.D.
CEO
Burris Institute
“Evidence-based counseling empowers clients seeking help in regard to PTSD, weight loss, ADHD, anorexia, bulimia, addiction, substance abuse or relationship issues to see and feel their progress once they have started working with a counselor. One can start by simply looking up evidence-based counseling on Google or request to see the data of an evidence-based counselor or coach, and then be sure to ask: 1) What was measured? The single thing all human behavior has in common is one's emotional state, so measuring the emotional state is at the top of the list. 2) Why is it measured? There is a wide range of emotions that constitute a depressed state and it is important to know if these measurements are consistent with depression. 3) How was the data collected? Only the client can accurately convey how they feel and if they are getting better. Therefore, data must be generated by the client. Observational, subjective, analytical data from a counselor or therapist is no longer legitimate unless it is backed up with data from the client."
Burris is the author of nine books on human behavior, developer of the evidence-based Subconscious Restructuring process and CEO at Burris Institute. Burris Institute certifies SR counselors and coaches in the evidence-based Subconscious Restructuring process.
Bio: www.burrisconnect.com/user/kelly-burris-...
Profile: www.profnetconnect.com/burris-institute
Expert Contact: K@KellyBurris.com
Heart Health and the Consumption of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages
Dr. Adam Seidner, MPH
Medical Director
Medical Meetinghouse in New London, Conn.
Seidner is available to comment on the recent Circulation study, which claims men have an increased risk of heart disease with the daily consumption of soda: "It is important to note that the study does not show cause and effect, and assuming the consumption of soda as the sole cause of heart disease is inaccurate. When evaluating heart health, it is important to take all aspects of one’s health into consideration, not just one habit. It is likely that many of the people in the study had several health habits impacting their heart health."
As a practicing physician, Seidner can share more information about ways men and women can stay heart-healthy with a balanced, active lifestyle and without eliminating any one food or beverage.
News Contact: Kathryn Ritzinger, Kritzinger@ccapr.com
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EXPERT ROUNDUP: AUTISM (42 experts)
Following is a list of experts who can discuss various aspects of autism for Autism Awareness Month in April. Photos of some of the following experts are available on ProfNet Connect. You can view them here: bit.ly/AclxH1
Susan Senator
Director of Autism Adult Services and Outreach
Community Colleges Consortium for Autism and Intellectual Disabilities (CCCAID)
Senator is an author, journalist, public speaker and mother of three boys, the oldest of whom is 22 and severely autistic. Senator likes to say: “With autism, never say ‘never.’” Her latest novel "Dirt: A story about gardening, mothering, and other messy business" (Stellated, 2011) features a severely autistic young man as one of the main characters. Senator is also the author of two nonfiction autism parenting books: "Making Peace With Autism: One Family’s Story of Struggle, Discovery, and Unexpected Gifts" (Trumpeter, 2005), and "The Autism Mom’s Survival Guide (For Dads, Too!): Creating a Balanced and Happy Life While Raising a Child with Autism" (Trumpeter, 2010). She has written articles and essays on disability, education, parenting and living happily for The New York Times, The Washington Post, Boston Globe, Exceptional Parent Magazine, Family Fun, and Education Week. Her writings took her to a state dinner at the White House in honor of Eunice Kennedy Shriver and the Special Olympics in 2006.
Website: www.susansenator.com
Expert Contact: susan@susansenator.com
Michael Yudell, Ph.D., MPH
Assistant Professor
Drexel University School of Public Health
Yudell is a researcher in the fields of ethics, genomics and history of public health. His work focuses on the history, risk communication and ethics of autism spectrum disorders, as well as emergency preparedness, vaccines and the history of the race concept in biology. He is currently writing a book about the history of autism, and has previously published two books on the mapping of the human genome. He also serves on the Ethics of Vaccines Project and is a member of the Newborn Screening Advisory Board in the Department of Health in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Yudell received his Ph.D. and MPH degrees in sociomedical sciences from the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, MPhil in American History from the City University of New York, and B.A. in history and Soviet studies from Tufts University.
Website: www.philly.com/philly/blogs/public_healt...
News Contact: Rachel Ewing, raewing@drexel.edu or +1-215-895-2614
Dr. Huda Zoghbi
Director of Autism Research at the Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital
Marvin Fishman Chair in Pediatric Neurology Research
Professor, Baylor College of Medicine -- Department of Pediatrics, Molecular and Human Genetics, Neurology and Neuroscience
Investigator at Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Dr. Zoghbi is the 2011 recipient of the Gruber Neuroscience Prize and is well recognized as a leading researcher in the area of synaptic dysfunction disorders. In a report published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, Zoghbi and her colleagues describe the network that identifies hundreds of new interactions among proteins encoded by genes associated with autism spectrum disorder. See "Genes provide landmarks on the road of autism." For more info: bit.ly/zpVUMR
Website: www.nri.texaschildrens.org
News Contacts: Cherri Carbonara, +1-713-524-8170 or Judi Martin, +1-713-299-5619
Michael Aman, Ph.D.
Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry, Director of Research
The Ohio State University Nisonger Center in Columbus, Ohio
Aman is an experimental psychologist, collaborator and principal investigator on a number of pharmacological and behavioral studies. He is a professor of psychology and psychiatry, and he is coordinator of The Ohio State University doctoral program in intellectual and developmental disabilities. He has been extensively involved in the development of standardized rating instruments, including the Aberrant Behavior Checklist and the Nisonger Child Behavior Rating Form.
Websites: psychmed.osu.edu and nisonger.osu.edu
Bio: psychmed.osu.edu/bios/aman.htm
News Contact: Gina Bericchia, gina.bericchia@osumc.edu or +1-614-293-3737
L. Eugene Arnold, M.D., M.Ed.
Professor of Psychiatry
The Ohio State University Nisonger Center in Columbus, Ohio
Dr. "Gene" Arnold is a child psychiatrist, educator, professor emeritus of psychiatry, and a principal investigator in the psychopharmacology and related research program at The Ohio State University Nisonger Center.
Websites: psychmed.osu.edu, nisonger.osu.edu and bit.ly/w19AHL
Bio: psychmed.osu.edu/bios/arnold.htm
News Contact: Gina Bericchia, gina.bericchia@osumc.edu or +1-614-293-3737
Dr. Barry Birnbaum
Special Education Specialization Coordinator for the Ph.D. in Education Program
Walden University's Richard W. Riley College of Education and Leadership
Birnbaum specializes in special education, assistive and adaptive technology for people with special needs, and child advocacy. He is an expert on methods of identifying and teaching exceptional children and has worked with children with autism for years. Birnbaum is familiar with both conventional and nonconventional treatments, and can discuss trends and progress that has been made through the years within the spectrum, as well as the changing roles taken by teachers, parents, siblings, etc.
Profile: www.profnetconnect.com/barrybirnbaum
News Contact: Tamara Chumley, tamara.chumley@waldenu.edu or +1-443-627-7495
Gary Blumenthal
President and CEO
Association of Developmental Disabilities Providers, based in Framingham, Mass.
Blumenthal is a nationally recognized expert on intellectual and developmental disabilities, and related policy positions. He served as the executive director of the President’s Council on Mental Retardation for President Clinton, and was appointed by President Obama to the National Council on Disability.
Twitter: @massaddp
News Contact: Jon Tapper, jtapper@melwoodglobal.com or +1-617-292-0051
Dr. Gary Clark
Chief of Pediatric Neurology and Developmental Neuroscience at Texas Children's Hospital
Professor of Pediatric Neurology at Baylor College of Medicine
The Autism Center at Texas Children's Hospital is a multidisciplinary effort of neurology and developmental neuroscience in collaboration with the departments of psychiatry, psychology and developmental pediatrics. Working together under the direction of Dr. Clark, the team conducts an extensive evaluation to form a diagnosis and plan of intervention and therapy.
Website: bit.ly/wosA0O
News Contacts: Cherri Carbonara, +1-713-524-8170, or Judi Martin, +1-713-299-5619
Dr. Kim Dean
Assistant Professor, Special Education
Arcadia University
"Teaching a kid on the spectrum feels like folding a fitted sheet. It doesn't line up neatly, it feels like there is not one right way to do it and trying to make it look like the flat sheet makes you feel kind of incompetent. However, isn't the fitted sheet a miracle? Its bunchy irregularity is, in fact, the thing that makes it such a valuable asset."
Dr. Dean is coordinator of the five-year program in special education at Arcadia University. She has a Ph.D. in school psychology, and for more than 11 years has been working and researching in the area of social development, social skills training and school consultation. Her research interests are in the use of imitation as an intervention tool in improving the social responsiveness of young children with language and social impairments.
Expert Contact: deank@arcadia.edu
Caroline DiBattisto, M.D.
Behavioral Developmental Pediatrician
Georgia Health Sciences Children's Medical Center in Augusta, Ga.
"Autism now affects one in every 110 children in the United States, with the average age at diagnosis being 4 1/2 years. But the prognosis is much better if a child is diagnosed as early as possible so he or she can begin therapies to help with language and social interaction. The sooner a child is diagnosed and treated, the better. Early intervention can make a big difference in your child's development and readiness for school."
DiBattisto can discuss the danger signs of autism, including repeating words or phrases over and over; getting upset by changes in routine; and avoiding eye contact and wanting to be alone.
Website: bit.ly/xrsp5E
News Contact: M. Denise Parrish, mparrish@georgiahealth.edu or +1-706-721-9566
Caroline Eggerding, M.D.
Vice President of Clinical Services, Chief Medical Officer
Bancroft in Haddonfield, N.J.
“Our best model for a compassionate, inclusive society is one in which all are respected, valued members. Those with autism bring unique challenges but also unique gifts to the community -- just as all of us do. Compassion and inclusion need to be taught and modeled in order to be incorporated into our value system. Including those with challenges, whether autism, a physical disability, or a mental-health problem, strengthens our social fabric and makes us better.”
Eggerding is vice president of clinical services and chief medical officer of Bancroft, a leading nonprofit service provider for people with autism, brain injuries and other intellectual or developmental disabilities. She's also chairperson for the New Jersey Governor’s Council for Medical Research and Treatment of Autism. Eggerding is active at the state level, which is especially significant given that New Jersey has one of the country’s highest incidences of autism. (In New Jersey, one in 94 children is diagnosed with the disorder, versus one in 110 children nationwide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.) She is available to discuss such topics as the proposed new definition of autism, best practices in treating autism and Asperger's syndrome, challenges for families, the latest genetic research on autism, the biology of autism, developmental pediatrics, emergency-responder training, medications related to autism, person-centered planning, and other autism-related topics.
Websites: www.bancroft.org and www.facebook.com/BancroftOrg
Twitter: @BancroftOrg
News Contacts: Margot MacKay, mmackay@brownsteingroup.com or +1-215-735-3470, ext. 144, or Julie Walsh, jwalsh@bnh.org or +1-856-348-4006
Dr. Richard Evans
Associate Professor of Teacher Education
Angelo State University
Evans specializes in special-needs education. He holds a Ph.D. in educational psychology from Texas A&M University. Among Evans’ publications are: “Functions of self-injurious behaviors in students with mental retardation" in Beyond Behavior; and “Reading Enabled: Intensive Help for Low-Skilled Students with Behavior Issues," based on a presentation at the CCBD International Conference in 2009. He also presented guest lectures, including: “Characteristics of Individuals with Learning Disabilities -- Beyond the Medical Module” to Radford University; “Best Practices in Reading Based on the Characteristics and Challenges of Special Needs Students” at the 7th Annual Statewide Evaluation Project Conference in Corpus Christi, Texas; “Accommodation vs. Modification: Is there a Difference? Should There Be?” at the 26th International Conference on Learning Disabilities in Las Vegas; and “Characteristics of Special Needs Students and Reading” at the 29th Annual HouMet (Houston Metropolitan Area Diagnosticians Association) conference in Houston.
Expert Contact: Richard.Evans@angelo.edu
Gary Feldman, M.D.
Medical Director
Stramski Children's Developmental Center at Miller Children’s Hospital Long Beach
"If you can identify autism early, and you can provide intense behavioral and speech therapies, you can dramatically change the outcome."
News Contact: Cayla Jackson, cjackson2@memorialcare.org or +1-562-933-2802
Thomas Frazier, Ph.D.
Research Director
Cleveland Clinic Center for Pediatric Behavioral Health and Center for Autism
Research foci include studies attempting to better understand autism symptoms and diagnosis, including recent work examining proposed DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum disorder. Frazier is conducting the first-ever prospective study of a genetic risk tool that may help to improve early diagnosis of autism.
News Contact: Abbey Linville, linvila@ccf.org or +1-216-213-2844
Ellen Giarelli, EdD, MS, CRNP
Associate Professor
Drexel University College of Nursing and Health Professions.
Giarelli is an advanced-practice nurse who has more than 15 years' experience as a principal investigator (PI) conducting research with patients, family members and health care providers, including multiple intervention studies. For the past decade, she has studied the lifelong medical, psychological and social problems, and the health care needs of people with genetic disorders diagnosed in childhood that require lifelong enhanced surveillance and self-management. Study populations include individuals with autism spectrum disorder. She is editor of the new book "Nursing of Autism Spectrum Disorder: Evidence-Based Integrated Care across the Lifespan," to be published in April by Springer Publishing. This will be the only text, to date, that addresses the nursing care of people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by examination-professional nursing skills applied to the specific problems arising from the delivery of health care to people with ASD.
News Contact: Rachel Ewing, raewing@drexel.edu or +1-215-895-2614
Aleza Greene
Clinical Assistant Professor and Director of the Autism Support Program
University of Arkansas
“With the right support, college students with autism spectrum disorders can be happy, productive and successful.”
Expert Contact: asgreene@uark.edu
Dr. Martha Herbert
Assistant Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School and Pediatric Neurologist at Massachusetts General Hospital
“The idea that autism is a disorder of the body that we can improve upon and even reverse is revolutionary. But it scientifically explains so many of the recovery stories that some doctors and parents tell. A flood of science is catching up with these clinical successes. Thinking about autism in this way requires a revolution -- a revolution in the way parents think about their child, in the way doctors make predictions about a child’s future, in the way teachers and therapists approach a child’s capabilities, in the way scientists investigate autism, and in the way our entire society promotes health and human potential and builds a healthier world."
Herbert is the director of the TRANSCEND Research Program at Massachusetts General Hospital, and author of "The Autism Revolution: Whole Body Strategies For Making Life All It Can Be" (March 27, 2012, Random House/Ballantine Books hardcover, in conjunction with Harvard Health Publications). She sits on the Scientific Advisory Committee of Autism Speaks, and is a consultant to a number of other autism organizations. Herbert can provide science-based, cutting-edge strategies for removing the key physical and environmental triggers that can negatively impact the body -- certain foods, environmental toxins, viruses and bacteria, sensory overload, and stress -- and providing supports the child needs, so that the cluster of symptoms that produce or worsen the autistic state can be dramatically reduced or eradicated.
Website: www.autismrevolution.org
News Contact: Bruce Bobbins, bruce_bobbins@dkcnews.com or +1-212-981-5190
David L. Holmes, Ed.D
Chairman/CEO at Lifespan Services, LLC, based in Princeton, N.J.
Fellow at U.S. Rehabilitation Services Administration
Radio Talk Show Host of "Adults with Autism: Today!"
Lifespan Services is a full-service consulting company established to help families and individuals with autism and related disabilities get what they need and what they are entitled to have. Holmes is board certified in forensic science, behavioral science and psychology. He is a certified/licensed chief school administrator, supervisor, principal and teacher. He is immediate past president and founder of The Eden Family of Services and the longest standing chairman of the Panel of Professional Advisors of the Autism Society of America. He has served on the faculties of numerous universities, most recently on the psychology faculty at Princeton University. He has been a featured guest on many TV and radio shows, including National Public Radio’s "Talk of the Nation," CNN's "House Call," The Discovery Channel and CBS News' "Weekend Journal." Holmes is a national award-winning author of numerous books, book chapters and articles; most notably, "Autism Through the Lifespan: The Eden Model." Holmes was nominated in 2007 and served as a fellow to the 32nd Federal Institute on Rehabilitation Issues (IRI) in Washington, D.C.
Radio show website: autismone.org/radio
Website: www.lifespanservicesllc.com
Expert Contact: davidlarsonholmes@msn.com
Eileen Howard Boone
Senior Vice President of Community Relations
CVS Caremark
Boone can discuss some of the innovative programs that support children with autism that CVS Caremark helps fund and why the company has chosen to focus on supporting children with disabilities as part of its overall CSR focus. CVS Caremark supports children with disabilities through its All Kids Can program.
News Contact: Lynda Curtis, lynda.curtis@rfbinder.com or +1-781-559-0423
Felicia Hurewitz, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Psychology
Drexel University College of Arts and Sciences
Hurewitz specializes in developmental psychology, sentence processing, language acquisition, autism spectrum disorders, numerical cognition and dyscalculia, and computerized interventions for learning. She serves as the director of the Autism Support Program at Drexel University, a program providing peer mentoring and other support services for college students on the autism spectrum. She has published numerous articles in peer-reviewed journals, and presented research on autism and child development at conferences nationwide. Hurewitz received her Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Pennsylvania; and completed postdoctoral research at the Rutgers Center for Cognitive Science, and at the Institute for Research in Cognitive Science at the University of Pennsylvania. She received a B.A. in linguistics from the University of Michigan.
News Contact: Rachel Ewing, raewing@drexel.edu or +1-215-895-2614 Cell: +1-215-298-4600
Marcel Just
D.O. Hebb Professor of Psychology
Carnegie Mellon University
Just provides an explanation for some of autism's mysteries -- from social and communication disorders to restricted interests -- and gives scientists clear targets for developing intervention and treatment therapies. Just used brain imaging and computer modeling to show how the brain's white matter tracts (the cabling that connects separated brain areas) are altered in autism, and how these alterations can affect brain function and behavior. The deficiencies affect the tracts' bandwidth (the speed and rate at which information can travel along the pathways). These findings build on Just's influential 2004 "Frontal-Posterior Underconnectivity Theory of Autism," which first discovered and explained that the synchronization of the activation between frontal and posterior brain areas is lower in autism.
"The brain's processing of social information is performed by a network of areas, some of which are frontal, and some of which are posterior. This tells us where the problem lies in autism. We can now focus on designing therapies that attempt to either improve the white matter -- something we have already proven is possible through behavioral interventions -- or help the brain develop work-around strategies."
News Contact: Shilo Rea, shilo@cmu.edu or +1-412-268-6094
Gilbert Kliman, M.D.
Medical Director
The Children's Psychological Health Center, Inc., in San Francisco
"Children with autism are not merely a set of chemicals, habits, conflicts or symptoms to be metabolically altered, behaviorally retrained or psychoanalytically interpreted. Society -- especially parents, caregivers and teachers -- can gain important psychological support, skills and wisdom through reflective interaction and thought-encouraging, nurturing and caring treatment."
Kliman is senior life Fellow and diplomate for the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry; distinguished life Fellow and diplomate for the American Psychiatric Association; and certified psychoanalyst for children, adolescents and adults for the American Psychoanalytic Association.
Website: www.childrenspsychological.org
Expert Contact: Geralyn Lederman, glederman@apsa.org
Ami Klin, Ph.D.
Director of Marcus Autism Center
Chief of the Division of Autism and Developmental Disabilities at Emory University School of Medicine
Klin is an expert on autism research and treatment. His primary research activities focus on the social mind and the social brain, and on aspects of autism from infancy through adulthood. These studies include novel techniques such as the eye-tracking laboratories, co-directed with Warren Jones, which allow researchers to see the world through the eyes of individuals with autism.
Klin is the Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar Professor and Chief of the Division of Autism and Developmental Disabilities at Emory University School of Medicine, and Director of the Marcus Autism Center -- Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.
News Contact: Lindsay Graham, Lindsay.graham@choa.org or +1-404-785-6748
Mary London
CEO
Easter Seals Tri-Counties
The Ventura County, Calif., location of Easter Seals Tri-Counties is changing the way autism programs and devices are used with students. London can discuss how the state of California now requires ABA autism treatment and how iPads are representing a potential breakthrough with autism treatment (and how the team at Easter Seals Tri-Counties incorporates iPads into their programs). She can also talk about her company's plans for a full-service outdoor development center. Easter Seals Tri-Counties has a number of projects in the works -- including a recent partnership with United Cerebral Palsy of SLO for a joint pediatric clinic. They also have a number of new projects and initiatives in the works.
Website: www.eastersealstc.org
News Contact: Lisa Layne, llayne@nelsongilmore.com or +1-310-376-0296, ext. 23
David Mandell, ScD
Associate Professor, Psychiatry and Pediatrics
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
“The goal of my research is to improve care for children with autism and their families by developing successful interventions at the individual, provider and system levels to decrease the age at which children with autism are recognized and enter treatment, and to improve the services and supports available to them and their families.”
Bio: www.med.upenn.edu/cmhpsr/faculty_mandell...
Expert Contact: mandelld@mail.med.upenn.edu
Rosemarie Manfredi, Psy.D.
Assistant Professor and Academic Coordinator of ASD Programs
Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia
Manfredi can speak on a variety of topics, including neuropsychology of autism spectrum disorders (the relationship between the brain and behavior), neuropsychological and functional assessments for individuals with autism spectrum disorders, appropriate treatments for children and young adults with autism spectrum disorders, evidence-based practices in autism spectrum disorders, and collaborative treatment approaches for autism spectrum disorders.
News Contact: Lisa Mixon, mixonl@chc.edu or +1-215-753-3664
Areva Martin
Co-founder
Special Needs Network
Martin is a nationally recognized autism and special-needs advocate, author of "The Everyday Advocate: Standing up for Your Child With Autism," mother of an autistic child and an attorney. Martin is also co-founder of the Special Needs Network, a nonprofit that provides resources to thousands of underprivileged families in the Los Angeles area who have a special-needs child, and has been a strong proponent for making legislative change regarding insurance coverage for families with an autistic child. She is a regular legal and autism/special-needs expert on "Dr. Phil," and has been featured or participated in dozens of media stories on autism.
Website: www.specialneedsnetwork.org
News Contact: Leslie Garson, lesliegwpr@sbcglobal.net
John Molteni, Ph.D., BCBA-D
Director of Autism Center
Hospital for Special Care in New Britain, Conn.
Molteni can address questions regarding diagnostic evaluations, therapeutic intervention and the role of applied behavioral analysis in the treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorders; questions regarding suspected causes, incidence rates and prevalence; and the need for more trained professionals in the field, as well as specific training programs being offered.
Dr. John Molteni is also an Assistant Professor and Director of the Institute for Autism and Behavioral Studies and Program Director of Special Education at Saint Joseph College. Dr. Molteni is a licensed psychologist and a doctoral level Board Certified Behavior Analyst who has developed instructional and behavioral programs for children, adolescents and young adults with autism and related disabilities.
Twitter: @HospSpecialCare
Expert Contact: JMolteni@hfsc.org
Rosemary E. Mullaly, Esquire, JD
Program Coordinator of Chestnut Hill Autism Initiative Network
Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia
Mullaly is the coordinator of the Chestnut Hill Autism Initiative Network (CHAIN) and a special education mediator for the Pennsylvania Office for Dispute Resolution. From 2007-2010, she served as special education legal counsel to the Pennsylvania Department of Education. In 2003-2007 and 2010-2011, she was a Commonwealth of Pennsylvania special-education hearing officer assigned to 100+ due process matters. She works as an educational consultant and presents legal seminars to public school professionals, parents and attorneys throughout Pennsylvania. From 1991-2000, Mullaly represented districts throughout Pennsylvania in special-education matters developing extensive knowledge of claims under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. She is also an experienced advisor on special-education funding, IEP development and transition to adult life planning for individuals with autism spectrum disorders. She received her B.A. magna **** laude from St. Joseph’s University, and her law degree **** laude from Boston College Law School.
News Contact: Lisa Mixon, mixonl@chc.edu or +1-215-753-3664
Craig J. Newschaffer, Ph.D.
Professor and Chair of the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, and Director of the A.J. Drexel Autism Institute
Drexel University School of Public Health
Newschaffer is an epidemiologist studying the causes of autism spectrum disorders. He directs the Early Autism Risk Longitudinal Investigation (EARLI), an NIH Autism Center of Excellence project following a cohort of mothers of children with autism at the start of subsequent pregnancies in order to reveal environmental and genetic autism risk factors. Newschaffer also leads a project for NIH’s National Children’s Study evaluating streamlined approaches to confirming autism cases in a research study setting, which could also have eventual application for autism diagnosis in the community. He is a member of the Science Advisory Board for Autism Speaks and serves on the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program’s Autism Research Program Integration Panel. He is a fellow at the American College of Epidemiology, received his Ph.D. in epidemiology from The Johns Hopkins University, and S.M. in health management and policy from the Harvard School of Public Health.
News Contact: Rachel Ewing, raewing@drexel.edu or +1-215-895-2614
Happi Olson
Sales and Marketing Manager
Creative Kidstuff
At the end of March, Creative Kidstuff will launch a selection of sensory and developmental products specifically for children on the autism spectrum with the help of St. David’s Center for Child & Family Development. Unlike other outlets that offer a selection of “autism toys,” the Creative Kidstuff team received training from St. David’s clinicians who identified specific ways the sales team can interact with families and friends of children with autism spectrum disorder, so the perfect product is chosen every time. The website includes some of the questions staff may ask to pick the perfect gift.
Website: www.creativekidstuff.com/autism.html
News Contact: Becca Bijoch, Becca@lolaredpr.com or +1-763-350-8593
Paul Patterson
Neurobiologist
"A great deal of research has shown that vaccinations for children do not increase the risk for autism or other mental disorders. More attention should be paid to the maternal immune response to infection rather than to childhood vaccinations. Maternal infection increases the risk for autism or schizophrenia in the offspring. The CDC recommends flu vaccination for all pregnant women because getting the flu during pregnancy is not good, but in my view it is not really clear that maternal vaccination is totally safe either."
Dr. Patterson can present research that can reverse autism and schizophrenia symptoms in mouse models of these diseases. He can also discuss how infection of pregnant women increases the risk for autism or schizophrenia in their offspring. In his new book, "Infectious Behavior" (MIT Press), Patterson examines the involvement of the immune system in autism, schizophrenia and major depressive disorder.
News Contact: Shirley Sandler, shirley.sandler@newmancom.com or +1-617-202-4112
Eric Peacock
Founder and CEO
MyAutismTeam, the flagship social network of MyHealthTeams in San Francisco
“Almost 1 million families are impacted by autism today, but many parents feel alone and overwhelmed as they try to find the support, local providers and services that their child needs."
MyAutismTeam provides emotional support from other parents who are in the same shoes, a quick and easy way to share experiences and learn what others do for their own kids (like therapies, special programs and activities), and the ability to find local autism providers and autism-friendly businesses. Through the integration of local listings and recommendations, social media platforms and crowdsourced information, MyAutismTeam makes it easy for consumers and those they care for to find an online support network and best providers near them.
Twitter: @MyAutismTeam
News Contact: Sylvie Tongo, myhealthteams@atomicpr.com or +1-415-593-1400
Elizabeth Reeve, M.D.
Child Psychiatrist
HealthPartners in St. Paul, Minn.
Reeve is co-author of "The Survival Guide for Kids with Autism Spectrum Disorders (And Their Parents!)" (Free Spirit Publishing, April 2012). She contributes her medical knowledge and her experiences as a mother of a son who has autism. As a child psychiatrist at HealthPartners, her clinical work focuses primarily on children and adults with developmental disabilities. In addition to her research and patient care, Reeve is involved in teaching, speaking in the community to educate others in the field of developmental disabilities and helping young adults with autism spectrum disorders transition into college and the workforce. She lives in Minneapolis.
News Contact: elizabeth.a.reeve@healthpartners.com
David Richman
Director
Burkhart Center for Autism Education and Research at Texas Tech University
Richman researches the assessment and treatment of problem behavior, as well as family resiliency, parenting stress and familial quality of life.
"It is important to understand that people with autism are not defined by their disability and medical diagnosis. Disabilities are just another form of diversity. We can enhance the diversity of experiences for our students and employees by exposing them to one of the largest minority groups: people with disabilities. Typically, college students are warm and welcoming to this. Including people with developmental disabilities on college campuses has been done successfully on other campuses around the country. Changing attitudes about people with autism or other disabilities is the best way to acknowledge autism awareness."
Burkhart Center facilitates social interaction between young adults with or without disabilities on Texas Tech's campus.
Website: bit.ly/zYdpSp
News Contact: Leslie Cranford, leslie.cranford@ttu.edu or +1-806-834-2693
Michelle Rowe, Ph.D.
Executive Director and Professor of Health Services
The Kinney Center for Autism Education and Support
"Nearly every day, something important is written that may contribute to the understanding of autism. New literature always comes with criticism. Respectful discussions are an important part of the scientific process and the exchange of information among all parties is critical to effective treatment. Parents can help scientists to develop better methodologies and scientists can help parents to determine whether or not they are being fully objective. This is fundamentally about helping individuals with autism. Although there are many parents, teachers, physicians, therapists, government officials and researchers working collectively in a respectful and trusting environment, we still have more to do. We must allow for differences of opinion and remain open-minded about the fact that autism is most likely caused by a complex combination of factors and triggered by different things for different children. While we are waiting for science to identify its causes, we still need to live our lives, cope with the impact and support one another."
Website: kinneyautism.sju.edu
News Contact: Kelly Welsh, kwelsh@sju.edu +1-610-660-1385
"SheKnows Where the Other Sock Went"
SheKnows.com
SheKnows.com is currently working on the "Autism Speaks" campaign with Toni Braxton, Michael Costello of "Project Runway" and fashion photographer Nigel Barker on raising awareness through fashion.
Website: wheretheothersockwent.sheknows.com
News Contact: Christina Halper, christina@victorypublicrelations.com or +1-732-496-1118
Lisa Shulman, M.D.
Associate Professor of Clinical Pediatrics
Director of Rehabilitation, Evaluation and Learning for Autistic Infants and Toddlers at Einstein
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Shulman is a developmental pediatrician with special expertise in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and learning disabilities. Her research interests include early identification of autism, healthcare disparity in autism diagnosis and management, and complementary and alternative medicine usage in autism. Shulman directs Einstein’s Infant and Toddler Services at the Children’s Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center (CERC), which provides family-based diagnostic assessment of young children who have or are suspected of having developmental delays. She also directs CERC’s Rehabilitation, Evaluation and Learning for Autistic Infants and Toddlers at Einstein (RELATE), a special unit for diagnosing and managing children with autism.
Here’s a recent video of Shulman explaining key development milestones: www.einstein.yu.edu/video/default.asp
News Contact: Kim Newman, kimberly.newman@einstein.yu.edu or +1-718-430-4137
Heidi Tringali, MS, OTR/L
Owner
Tringali Occupational Therapy Services in Charlotte, N.C.
Tringali specializes in pediatric, school-based occupational therapy services. She works individually with children, provides support and education to families, and consults to school faculty to ensure that each child’s fullest potential is realized. She is passionate about maximizing the individual potential in every child, and her goal is to ensure that all children are able to give their optimum performance in the classroom.
Tringali has practiced as an occupational therapist for more than 18 years. Prior to starting her private practice, she worked in a variety of pediatric, geriatric and psychiatric settings. She specializes in clinical education, program development and pediatric therapy services. Tringali is also certified in Handwriting Without Tears, a developmentally based handwriting program for children.
Website: bit.ly/wIiaB3
Expert Contact: Heidi@charlotteot.com
Elizabeth Verdick
Author
Verdick is co-author of "The Survival Guide for Kids with Autism Spectrum Disorders (And Their Parents!)" (Free Spirit Publishing, April 2012). She is the author of more than 30 books for toddlers, teens and every age in between. She has been writing books since 1997, the year her daughter was born. Her two children, now ages 14 and 10, are the inspiration for nearly everything she writes. In "The Survival Guide for Kids with Autism Spectrum Disorders (And Their Parents!)," she writes from the perspective of a mother with a son on the spectrum and a passionate advocate for kids and parents in the autism community. She lives with her family and five pets near St. Paul, Minn.
Expert Contact: ElizabethHope@msn.com
Rondalyn Whitney, PhD, OT/L
Whitney specializes in pediatric psychopathology. She worked most recently as research coordinator for the Kennedy Krieger Institute Center for Autism and Related Disorders where she initiated and developed a breakout Web-based social-skills curriculum for children with high-functioning autism and related disorders. She served as a consultant to school districts in California, including Cupertino, Morgan Hill and Los Lamitos; regarding curriculum development, staff training, treatment and program development. Whitney was also the owner and clinic director of The Lighthouse Project in San Jose, which specialized in the treatment of children with neurocognitive disorders such as nonverbal learning disability (NLD), autism, Asperger’s disease and related disorders. Whitney is the author of "Nonverbal Learning Disorder: Understanding and Coping with NLD and Asperger’s" and writes prolifically on the barriers to living life to its fullest. She is an expert on sensory processing, social skills programs and quality of life for families raising children with a disability. Her perspective on family-centered clinical intervention and understanding of methodologies appropriate for patient-centered inquiry has afforded her entry onto distinguished research teams, most recently working at the Center for Autism and Related Research. Her research areas of interest include telehealth, pediatric psychopathology, family quality of life and emotional disclosure. She has held professional leadership roles for over 20 years.
Website: rondalynwhitney.com
Expert Contact: whitneyrondalyn@gmail.com
Patricia Wright, Ph.D., MPH
National Director of Autism Services
Easter Seals (national, Chicago and Pittsburgh)
Easter Seals raises awareness for people living with autism.
"The effects of autism can be greatly reduced if children are diagnosed at a young age. Early detection gives children that critical window of opportunity and access to early intervention services and treatment, because the earlier the treatment begins, the better the outcomes. It’s important for children at risk of developmental delays, autism or other disabilities to get the treatment and therapy the need before the age of 5."
Wright educates people on autism through presentations and autism training around the world. Her personal mission is to offer the support that makes it possible for individuals with autism to lead meaningful, happy and productive lives.
Twitter: @Easter_Seals
Website: www.easterseals.com
News Contact: Kirsten Barnfield, kbarnfield@easterseals.com or +1-312-551-7147
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MEDIA JOBS:
Following are links to job listings for staff and freelance writers. You can view these and more job listings on our Job Board: bit.ly/pncjobboard
- Corporate Reporter - NYC
- Web Editor - NYC
- Web Producer - Arlington, Va.
- Reporter - Lima, Ohio
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See more listings here.
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OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES:
Following are links to other news and resources we think you might find useful. If you have an item you think other reporters would be interested in and would like us to include in a future alert, please drop us a line at profnetalerts@prnewswire.com
- INTERESTING EXPERT OF THE WEEK, AUTISM EDITION: ProfNet Director Maria Perez interviews Susan Lynn Perry, host of "The Mother Cub Show: All About Autism" on WorldTalk Radio and VoiceAmerica, and mother to a son with autism: bit.ly/y3kSwN
- TOOL SPOTLIGHT: BOOMERANG FOR GMAIL: ProfNet Editor Jason Hahn takes a look at Boomerang for Gmail, a browser plug-in that allows users to control when they send, receive and are reminded of emails: bit.ly/wflVQk
- FREELANCE FOCUS: HOW TO PITCH A COLUMN, PART 1: ProfNet Director Maria Perez interviews humorist and freelancer Michele "Wojo" Wojciechowski: bit.ly/wjm6V2
- GRAMMAR HAMMER: DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME TRAVEL: ProfNet Editor Grace Lavigne reviews how to correctly reference time zones in writing: bit.ly/yiEYJi
