Richard Weinfeld directs Weinfeld Education Group, LLC. In addition to advocacy work, Mr. Weinfeld does extensive parent and staff training and consults with schools about appropriate programming for all students. He has long been an advocate for quality educational programs for all students.  Twenty-six years of his thirty-year career, with Montgomery County Public Schools, were spent in a variety of leadership roles in special education. Mr. Weinfeld has expertise in working with students with a wide range of disabilities including learning disabilities, autism spectrum disorders and emotional disturbance. He served as Montgomery County’s first full-time coordinator of programs for students who are simultaneously gifted and learning disabled. Mr. Weinfeld’s books include Smart Kids with Learning Difficulties: Overcoming Obstacles and Realizing Potential; Helping Boys Succeed in School; School Success for Student’s with Asperger’s Syndrome; and Special Needs advocacy Resource Book. He has also authored several articles on a variety of special education topics. He was co-host of a weekly Internet radio show, “Teach Your Children Well: Hot Topics in Education,” on www.voiceamerica.com.

Mr. Weinfeld presents at numerous national conferences. He has instructed at Johns Hopkins University,served on the Maryland State Department of Education's Gifted Advisory Committee, and served on the board of directors for the Association for Educators of Gifted Underachieving Student (AEGUS). 

Mr.Weinfeld received his Masters degree from Trinity College and is certified in early childhood and elementary education, special education, administration and supervision. 

Mike Blanchard, PsyD has been a practicing psychologist for over 14 years. During this time, he has worked in public school settings as well as in private practice settings providing comprehensive psychological services to individuals ranging in age from 3 through adulthood.

Dr. Blanchard has a Masters of Science and Certificate of Advanced Study in School Psychology and a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology. He currently is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist in Virginia and the President of the Northern Virginia Academy of Clinical Psychologists. Dr Blanchard specializes in psychological and psychoeducational testing as well as individual, group, and family therapy with children, adolescents, and families. Dr. Blanchard also brings a unique perspective to his clinical practice due to his background working in various school systems. He can provide consultation and coaching to families seeking support in assisting their children with school related concerns.

Dr. Blanchard is also a sought after speaker on topics including diagnosing depression in children and adolescents, mental health oriented crisis management in schools and other non-profit agencies, family based interventions for aggressive children, and special education supports available to children, adolescents, and young adults. He has presented workshops for the Virginia Psychological Association, the Fairfax County Partnership for Youth, and for Northern Virginia regional school psychologists.

Dr. Rukhsana M. Chaudhry is a Licensed Bilingual (Spanish) Clinical Psychologist. She specializes in the assessment and treatment of children, adolescents, and adults.  Dr. Chaudhry earned her Bachelor's degree from the George Washington University in Washington D.C. and her Master's degree in Clinical Psychology at Pepperdine University in Los Angeles, California.  She completed her doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology at the George Washington University in Washington D.C. and her formal Internship in Clinical Psychology with a six-month specialized rotation in Clinical Neuropsychology at Saint Elizabeth's Hospital in Washington D.C..  She completed post-doctoral training at private outpatient settings and post-graduate advanced training at Harvard University, Massachusetts General Hospital specializing in Trauma and Recovery.   

Dr. Chaudhry maintains her private practice in Washington, D.C. and serves as a consultant and psychologist to local school systems, the district government, and the court system.  She currently serves as a liaison to the American Psychological Association’s Committee for International Relations in Psychology on behalf the Division of Psychoanalytic Psychology (39).  She is an active member of the Association of Psychoanalysis, Culture, and Society. She is currently a training fellow at the Washington school of Psychiatry.  She has also completed fellowships at the Baltimore -Washington Institute for Psychoanalysis and the Washington Center for Psychoanalysis.

Dr. Chaudhry works with children, adolescents, and adults with a wide range of disorders including learning disorders, developmental disabilities, Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), mental retardation, developmental trauma histories, and social/emotional problems.  Dr. Chaudhry's experience and current practice includes individual, group and couple's psychotherapy focusing on interpersonal process with special attention paid to trauma histories as well as providing bilingual comprehensive psychological, neuropsychological, and psycho-educational evaluations.

Dr. Stefanie Consolla is a clinical psychologist who is licensed in Maryland. She has worked in the field of psychology as a therapist, researcher, and psychological examiner since 1999. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Villanova University (summa cum laude) and then earned her Masters and Ph.D. degrees in Clinical Psychology from George Mason University.

Dr. Consolla has worked in a variety of settings including residential programs, community mental health centers, and hospitals. She also completed her postdoctoral training in the Trauma Disorders program at Sheppard Pratt Hospital and has since worked as a supervisor, consultant, and psychologist.  Dr. Consolla's training and experience include individual, group, family, and couples therapy as well as comprehensive psychological, neuropsychological, and educational evaluations. She has maintained a private practice in Rockville since 2009.

Dr. Walter E. Dunson, Jr. is the executive director of The English Code Language Training System, an educational services company that provides language remediation and other services to dyslexics and other students with language acquisition difficulties. As an educational consultant, he has more than twenty years of experience working with students with dyslexia and other language-based learning differences in one-on-one and small group tutorials. He is recognized for his knowledge of learning disabilities, dyslexia, and English phonology and morphology.

Dr. Dunson is a former member of the Board of Directors of the International Dyslexia Association (Houston Branch) and the author of three books: The English Code: A Forensic Approach to Mastering the Language, The English Code: Student's Manual, and The English Code: Grammar Directory. In September of 2009, Dr. Dunson unveiled The English Code Language Training System, a 20-disc CD collection that enables dedicated parents to provide language remediation to their own children in the comfort of their homes. Dr. Walter Dunson is a member of The International Dyslexia Association and The Learning Disabilities Association of America.

Paula Elitov earned her B.A. degree in psychology and a master’s degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Rochester and her doctorate in Clinical Psychology and Education from the University of Michigan. She specializes in psychoeducational assessment of children and young adults as well as therapy with children and families.  She has special interest in learning disabilities, autism spectrum disorders and nonverbal learning disabilities.  She has worked in a variety of diagnostic and treatment settings including university based diagnostic settings, inpatient hospital settings, outpatient diagnostic settings and more recently in private practice. 

She is interested in helping families use the results from psychoeducational evaluations to understand the connection between cognitive abilities and educational achievement and to use the assessment process to make good decisions about educational interventions, school placement and other supportive interventions. 

While working with the Montgomery County School system for thirty years, Robert Felton has been a teacher of students with learning disabilities, intellectual disabilities, and emotional disturbance. He was the county's first coordinator for students with cognitive disabilities.

In the role as coordinator, Mr. Felton was an important player in working with various organizations and companies to establish integrated worksites for students with developmental delays. He worked to extend the transition process beyond the world of work to develop resources to allow individuals with developmental delays to have a safe, stable home in which to live; to have access to a variety of places to engage in meaningful activities; to have a social network of meaningful relationships; and to have a level of personal choice that enhanced the quality of their lives to allow them to be safe and healthy.

Following his role as coordinator he became Supervisor of special education. During this time, he was noted for his strong efforts to advocate for the inclusion of students with a variety of disabilities in their home school, in general education classrooms, with appropriate supports.

Since retirement, Mr. Felton has been President of Pathways to Learning, an organization focused on teaching to the brain and promoting the transition of students with developmental delays into the world of adulthood. He conducts workshops on teaching with an emphasis on using movement, breath and touch to help focus the attention of the brain for teachers working with students with special needs in pre-school. In addition, he conducts training sessions for school staff on creating an inclusive school culture to address the needs of diverse learners.

Mr. Felton holds a BA in English from Elon University. He has a Masters in Special Education from Virginia Commonwealth University and Advanced Certification in Special Education Administration and Supervision from Virginia Tech University. He is certified as a special education administrator and supervisor, a special education teacher K-12 and a general education teacher of English in Maryland.

Jennifer Engel Fisher is the Assistant Director of Weinfeld Education Group. She earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and her master's degree in Special Education from Johns Hopkins University.

Jennifer taught for six years in Howard County, MD, working both as a special education inclusion teacher and self-contained teacher serving a variety of populations including persons with ADHD, LD, Asperger’s Syndrome, and students with emotional disturbance.  Jennifer worked for two years at a private school in DC, as a learning specialist consulting with teachers to support students with a wide variety of special needs. Her expertise in a variety of methodologies, such as the Orton-Gillingham method, allows her the broad knowledge needed to work with a variety of students. She serves as an advocate for students in elementary through high school. 

One of Jennifer specialties is organizational coaching for students, especially those with Executive Functioning difficulties. She also consults with schools, providing them with methods of meeting the needs of their student population by providing them with training on effective instructional strategies and methodologies. Jennifer teaches a graduate-level advocacy course through Catholic University as well as conducts parent trainings on the IEP Process for Montgomery County Parent Academy. She also works with area special education private schools on teacher training and curriculum writing.

Jennifer is the co-author of Take Control of Asperger’s Syndrome:  The Official Strategy Guide for Teens with Asperger’s Syndrome and Nonverbal Learning Disorders. She is currently working on her second book, Take Control of Dyslexia and other Reading Disabilities.  Both books are with Prufrock Press.

Jennifer lives with her husband and two children outside Washington, DC.

Amy is a certified leadership coach specializing in career and leadership coaching and founder of Next Game Plan.  Amy has created a career exploration and transition coaching program to help clients find their best fit in the workplace.

Amy's clients create their own career playbook through the exploration of their personality, strengths, culture, skills and values.  She combines coaching with assessments to help clients achieve a new level of understanding and clarity, on a much deeper level than they could obtain on their own.  Through discovery and powerful questioning, clients obtain new awareness, see new possibilities, and find their own passions.  Clients report greater motivation, productivity and satisfaction in their life after being coached.

In addition to working with clients individually, Amy has created and led career exploration and transition workshops for people mid-career, teens and young adults in the Washington, DC area.  She also leads workshops for corporate, nonprofit and governmental clients on Myers-Briggs, career management and leadership development and speaks publicly on "Getting into your Career Zone."

Amy is one of a select few career coaches recommended by the Wharton Alumni Career Management Office.  She has worked with a wide variety of clients including Fortune 100 executives, government leaders, graduate business student, and high school students.   Amy has followed her own playbook with over 20 plus years of corporate, small business, and nonprofit experience, including Merrill Lynch; Biden for President; Booz, Allen & Hamilton; and as director of a DC-based nonprofit. Her background includes leadership roles in management, finance, sales and operations.

Her education includes an MBA from Wharton Business School, a Masters degree in Counseling from Johns Hopkins, and leadership coaching certification through Georgetown University.  She is a PCC ICF certified coach and certified in a variety of assessments including Myers-Briggs, Strong Interest Inventory, Leadership Circle 360, and EQ-i.  Amy has been married for 22 years and has four children ages 19, 17, 14 and 10.

M. Ann Goode has a M.Ed. from Auburn University (AL) in Mental Health Counseling and a B.A. from Incarnate Word College (TX) in Psychology. She previously worked as a clinical and public health dental hygienist in Tennessee and Texas before her career change.

Ann has been a high school counselor for twenty-six years (MCPS) and she has had a private practice for three years that focuses on college and career planning for students grades 7-12. Some of her consultation services include assistance with high school transition and academic management, college planning and postsecondary options, career awareness and planning, strategies that enhance academic success, suggestions for scholarship searches and summer enrichment programs, college recommendations for students with learning disabilities and ADD, and preparation for postsecondary admission requirements.

Ann's passion for assisting students with college and career goals has extended to speaking at teen and adult community forums, presenting professional development seminars at conferences, making guest appearances on radio and television programs, contributing to professional and family newsletters and magazines, and serving as a consultant to the College Board and Columbia University.

Shanna Hirsch, M.Ed., BCBA is a behavior intervention specialist. Shanna brings over 10 years of experience educating and working with individuals with special needs in a variety of contexts. Prior to joining the Weinfeld Educational Group, Shanna was an Applied Behavior Analysis Program Coordinator for DC Public Schools, Special Education inclusion teacher at Napier Enhanced Option Elementary School in Nashville, Tennessee, and secondary Special Education teacher at Pathways Academy, a non-public school run by McLean Hospital in Belmont, Massachusetts, for students with Asperger's Syndrome and related disorders. 

Her areas of expertise include staff training, implementation of systematic screening to identify students with and at risk for behavior disorders, functional assessment based interventions, expanding social skills with peers, and bringing Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) into general education classrooms. Shanna has presented her research at local and national conferences.

Shanna holds a Bachelor of Science in Social Work from the University of Vermont and a Master of Education in Special Education with a focus in behavior disorders from Vanderbilt University.

_Tom Holman has worked in infant-toddler early intervention programs, therapeutic nursery schools, inpatient and day hospital programs, outpatient clinics, a psychiatric halfway house for adults, and was director of a residential treatment program for young boys. He is in private practice in Montgomery Village, MD, and specializes in children and families. He has a special interest in developmental disorders, particularly autism, and has worked with and learned from autistic people since 1978. He is on the faculty and steering committee of the Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy Program of the Washington School of Psychiatry. He regularly attempts to play the saxophone.

Marcy Jackson is a Certified Program Planner, experienced in producing prosperous programs for varied industries including education, staffing, telecommunications and non-profits. She has held leadership positions playing and integral role in managing professional development, budgets, and business development strategies specifically marketing, sales and performance evaluation. She focuses her 16 years of experience toward the growing of Weinfeld's School Selection Service, called Spectrum, an invaluable tool that helps families scale their school choices by providing expert analysis on the quality of select public and private schools, their programs, resources and services.

Mrs. Jackson holds a Bachelor's Degree in International Studies and Management from Towson University, and holds the honor of Outstanding Woman of the Year. She holds numerous certifications and consistently engages in continued education experiences. She has worked with multiple organizations to affect international and cultural relations, including the Japan-America Society of Washington, DC, and has published research in Japan.

Following her advocacy work for cultural diversity, Marcy turned to education as a means to influence collaboration through behavior change. Most recently, she completed IISC's Facilitative Leadership® Train the Trainer and is an approved trainer with the Maryland State Department of Education. She now serves as part of a select trainer cadre of Montgomery College's Facilitative Leadership Faculty through the Center for Performance and Organizational Development, training college administrators, staff and faculty. She is a uniquely talented certified trainer and facilitator, described as "fearless, compassionate, and engaged in the process of facilitative leadership".

Applying these valuable skills, Marcy has personally advocated for appropriate placement, services and accommodations successfully over the past 10 years in FCPS and MCPS while making significant contributions within the school environment as a participant on the Baldrige Improvement Team's Special Education Committee, classroom volunteer, and contributor of effective teaching strategies. Marcy has completed all requirements for the Special Needs Advocacy Training Institute in an effort to help other parents effectively reach students' goals.

Hayley Jacobson serves as an educational consultant, helping parents of special needs students to identify and seek out appropriate services for their children. Her other areas of expertise include working with students to identify and teach appropriate strategies to improve executive function weaknesses and to improve self-advocacy skills. In addition, Hayley provides coaching support to students with ADHD, provides guidance to parents on school advocacy issues, and has co-facilitated ADHD support groups for children.

In addition to her professional work, Hayley is the mother of two children with ADHD and has advocated successfully on their behalf for many years at the elementary and middle school levels.

Her professional training includes coursework under the direction of Dr. William Stixrud focusing on understanding the neuropsychology of learning and identifying best practices and strategies for helping students with various learning differences and executive function weaknesses. Hayley has also trained with Jodi Sleeper-Triplet as an ADHD coach specializing in teens and adolescents. She is a member of CHADD and regularly attends lectures and conferences to keep up with the latest developments in the areas of ADHD, learning differences and educational advocacy.

Prior to her current work, Hayley worked in the technology field as a writer/analyst, corporate trainer and recruiter. Hayley holds a BA in Applied History from Carnegie Mellon University and a MS in Business from Johns Hopkins University.

_Dr. Joette James is a licensed psychologist and clinical neuropsychologist. She completed her doctoral degree in clinical psychology at Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois, her internship at Harvard Medical School/Boston Children’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, and a two-year postdoctoral fellowship in pediatric neuropsychology at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, DC. Dr.

James is currently an Assistant Professor in the Departments of Pediatrics and Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at George Washington University. Clinically, her area of specialization is in the diagnosis and neuropsychological assessment of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Dr. James has obtained research reliability on both the Autism Diagnostic Observations Schedule (ADOS) and the Autism Diagnostic Interview- Revised (ADI-R). Her research interests include executive-functioning in individuals with high-functioning Autism and Asperger's Syndrome and the development of psychosocial interventions for this population. Dr. James also has extensive experience in the neuropsychological evaluation of children, adolescents and adults with specific learning disorders, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, executive functioning problems, and neurological disorders such as brain tumors, traumatic brain injury and epilepsy.

Dr. James currently serves as the chief inpatient and outpatient neuropsychologist at HSC Pediatric Center, a sub-acute rehabilitation facility in Washington, DC that is affiliated with Children’s National Medical Center.

Linda Layne is an educational consultant and a Nationally Certified Educational Diagnostician. She has worked in New Jersey public school education for 30 years as a general education teacher, special education teacher, reading specialist, and learning disabilities teacher consultant. As a case manager, Ms. Layne has extensive experience conducting psycho educational evaluations, developing IEPs and has been an advocate both in an out of the classroom.

She is familiar with a broad range of disabilities and, as such, understands modification options necessary during the evaluation process as well as in the classroom.  This is particularly important when testing children who may need an adaptive evaluation technique such as Downs syndrome and Cerebral Palsy. She has experience working with children grades 4th -12th with special needs such as; Learning Disabilities, Executive Functioning, ADHD Autism, Aspergers, Downs syndrome, Tourettes & Emotionally fragile within the general education population.

Ms. Layne frequently extends her expertise beyond the classroom, delivering educational seminars to parents, faculty, and student audiences.  Some of her topic presentations include; learning disabilities, school diversity, Tourettes Syndrome, reading, non verbal learning disabilities, and understanding IEPs.

Ms. Layne holds a masters in reading from Montclair State University and a B.A. from William Paterson University. Her undergraduate work included a double major in Regular Education and Special Education. Her Masters in Reading encompasses both the role of a Reading Specialist and Reading Teacher. In addition, Ms. Layne has certifications as a Learning Disability Teacher Consultant and Supervisor.

Dr. Lisi Levisohn is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Developmental Neuropsychologist. She received her degrees from Harvard and Boston University, and her clinical training at Children's Hospital Boston and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. She has worked in private practice for the past 10 years, specializing in learning, attention and social cognition in children and adolescents. She has special interests in Asperger Syndrome and Nonverbal Learning Disorder as well Giftedness and Twice-Exceptional students.

As a neuropsychologist, she approaches evaluations with an eye for the underlying processes affecting a child's learning and development, and provides educational recommendations which incorporate this knowledge. Following the evaluation, Dr. Levisohn also meets with students in order to help them understand their learning style, build their confidence, and develop strategies for school.

Twenty-one years ago, Paul began his career in special education as a one-to-one aide for a student with autism in Virginia. Later, he became the vocational coordinator for students with developmental disabilities at this first school. He has been a special education teacher for students with autism, emotional disturbance, and juvenile offenders in both public and private programs.  Paul worked for eight years at Sheppard Pratt Health System supervising nine special education schools for students with autism throughout the State of Maryland.

Currently, Paul is an educational consultant for families and school systems in Maryland and Virginia. Paul also serves as a research associate for the University of Maryland in College Park where he teaches courses on autism, classroom management, social communication and supervises graduate students in their practicum placements. Paul has presented at many conferences both nationally and internationally on educating students with disabilities whom exhibit significant behavioral difficulties.

Tamara Marder, Ph.D., BCBA-D is a licensed psychologist in Maryland and the District of Columbia and a board certified behavior analyst (BCBA-D).  She specializes in working with children with autism and other developmental delays with an emphasis on reducing challenging behaviors and teaching appropriate, functional behaviors. 

Dr. Marder received her degrees from the University of Pennsylvania and Lehigh University and completed pre-doctoral internship training at Kennedy Krieger Institute and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.  She has worked in the field of applied behavior analysis since 1994 and has extensive experience working with children, families, and schools.  

Dr. Marder is the program coordinator for the Masters Programs in Severe Disabilities and Autism within the Department of Special Education at Johns Hopkins University School of Education. Prior to her current position, Dr. Marder worked in a variety of settings including; Autism and Behavior Services director for Achieve Beyond, director for the Autism Outreach and Consultation Services, a division of Ivymount Outreach Programs, Inc., and director of the Autism Program at the Ivymount School.  Dr. Marder has presented at numerous local and national conferences and has demonstrated expertise delivering staff training and professional development workshops.

Dr. Amy Pacos is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Clinical Neuropsychologist. She specializes in the assessment and treatment of children, adolescents, and their families. Dr. Pacos earned her Bachelor's degree from Allegheny College in Meadville, PA with a double major in Psychology and Education. She earned her Master's and Doctoral degree (Psy.D.) from the American School of Professional Psychology-Washington, DC Campus. During her graduate career, Dr. Pacos trained at several local settings including, Children’s National Medical Center, Mount Washington Pediatric Hospital, Walter Reed Army Medical Center and several private practice settings. She completed a one-year formal Internship in Clinical Psychology and Pediatric Neuropsychology at the Children’s Hospital in Michigan and a two-year formal Postdoctoral Fellowship in Clinical Neuropsychology at two local private practice settings.

Dr. Pacos is the co-founder and co-owner of Clinical Neuropsychology Services, a private practice in Arlington, Virginia. She is an active member of the National Academy of Neuropsychology, the American Psychological Association – Division 40 (Neuropsychology), International Neuropsychology Society (INS), Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), and the Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD) organization.

Dr. Pacos works with children and adolescents with a wide range of disorders. She specializes in neuropsychological evaluation and treatment planning for clients with learning disorders, developmental disabilities, Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), mental retardation, brain injuries, seizures, toxin or chemical exposure, genetic disorders, and social/emotional problems. Dr. Pacos also does evaluations for the court, local schools, and several governmental agencies.

Dr. Pacos' goal is to provide parents with a complete understanding of their child's cognitive, academic, and social-emotional functioning. Dr. Pacos offers individually tailored recommendations and interventions to meet each child's unique needs. She remains a resource for families throughout the evaluation process and is available to families after the evaluation is complete for consultation and yearly progress checks. Additionally, Dr. Pacos offers therapy services (on a limited basis) to address specific behavioral and emotional challenges.

_JoAnn M. Pellegrino has a M.S. from University of Wisconsin-Madison in Communicative Disorders and a B.S. in Special Education from Peabody College of Education of Vanderbilt University, formerly Peabody College for Teachers.

JoAnn has been a speech language pathologist for more than thirty years (Treatment and Learning Center and The Ivymount School) and she has had a private practice for twelve years with an emphasis on young children. She is especially interested in the areas of social cognition and dyspraxia and how these disorders and others impact communication development in early childhood. She is PROMPT trained to the Bridging Level.

Janet Price is the Director of Transition and Speech & Language Services for the Weinfeld Education Group, and manages the Discovering Your Future program for young adults seeking alternatives between high school and college or the working world. Janet is the co-author of Take Control of Asperger's Syndrome: The Official Strategy Guide for Teens with Asperger's Syndrome and Nonverbal Learning Disorder (Prufrock, 2010) Janet holds a B.A. in International Affairs from The George Washington University.

Following a decade of service in the U.S. State Department that included overseas travel as part of the White House delegation for two U.S. Presidents, Janet found a new use for her skills in negotiation and diplomacy when her son was identified as gifted and learning disabled. She successfully advocated for appropriate placement and services to fit his unusual learning profile, and soon set out to help others do the same. From 2002-2003 she served as a Board Member of the Montgomery County, Maryland, Gifted and Talented/Learning Disabled (GT/LD) parent advocacy network. Janet helped to organize the 2003 "Diamonds in the Rough" conference on GT/LD issues, co-sponsored by MCPS, the GT/LD Network, Montgomery College, and AEGUS and attended by over 400 educators, parents and professionals. Janet has conducted workshops for the Montgomery County Recreation Department focusing on organizational skills as they apply to parenting and household management. Janet is the co-moderator of a popular internet forum dedicated to Nonverbal Learning Disorder, and writes a special education column for Examiner.com.

Since joining the Weinfeld Education Group, Janet's advocacy practice has focused on gifted/learning disabled education and autism spectrum disorders including Nonverbal Learning Disorder, Asperger's Syndrome, Pervasive Developmental Disorder and High Functioning Autism. Janet has conducted teacher in-service seminars on Nonverbal Learning Disorder, and adapting curriculum materials for students with Autism Spectrum Disorders, and has participated in a top-to-bottom curriculum review for a Washington, D.C. area private school for students with special learning needs.

Dr. Shapiro was an undergraduate at Michigan State University.  He received his Medical Degree in 1982 from George Washington University.  He did his Pediatric Residency Training at Children’s Hospital National Medical Center in Washington, D.C.  For thirteen years, he practiced General Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine in Silver Spring, Maryland. Since 1998, he has practiced Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics in Rockville, Maryland.  He has also run parent coaching groups in behavior management and served as consultant to the District of Columbia Public Schools Autism Program.

Dr. Shapiro is Board Certified in Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine.  He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, a Member of the Society for Behavioral and Developmental Pediatrics and an Assistant Clinical Professor at The George Washington University School of Medicine.  He is married and has four children.

Marla B. Shapiro, Ph.D., N.C.S.P. received her BA from the University of Virginia and completed graduate training in School Psychology and Developmental Neuropsychology at Georgia State University.  Her pre-doctoral internship (residency) was completed in the DeKalb County, GA public schools, the GSU Transition Program for children with acquired and traumatic brain injuries, the Emory Clinic Center for Learning and Attention Disorders, and the Emory Clinic Summer Day-Treatment Program for children with severe behavior disorders.  She was awarded the Kirk Dornbush Fellowship in Developmental Neuropsychology, which involved clinical and applied research programs at GSU and Egleston Children’s Hospital (now Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta).

She has worked in public and private settings - first as a certified school psychologist, and later as a licensed psychologist and pediatric neuropsychologist - since 1991.   In addition to work with public schools, she has worked with federally funded reading research teams exploring reading disabilities across the lifespan and in Atlanta, Boston, New Haven, and Toronto, in addition to clinical research with children with ADHD, cancer, NF1, mTBI, and sports-related concussions.  She has taught graduate students in counseling, clinical psychology and school psychology, and supervised pre- and post-doctoral trainees in pediatric neuropsychology.  She spent many years as a volunteer with Camp Sunshine, a camp for children with cancer, in addition to providing staff training workshops to day camps in the metro Atlanta area.

Prior to opening a private practice here in Maryland, Marla held appointments as an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Psychiatry at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Pediatric Neuropsychologist at the Children’s National Medical Center and SCORE Concussion Clinic.  She has also directed the Office of Accommodated Testing for the MCAT and continues to serve as a Consultant to the College Board.  She is also a Credentialed ImPACT Consultant, providing concussion management for the Washington Freedom of the Women's Professional Soccer League and DC United (Major League Soccer).

Marla is currently licensed as a Psychologist in Georgia and Maryland.  She is also a Nationally Certified School Psychologist.  She currently serves as a member of the Women in Leadership committee of the National Academy of Neuropsychology (NAN), and as the Secretary for the local GT/LD Network.  In her spare time she enjoys spending time with family, creating fused glass, and competing in local triathlons with Team Fight in support of the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults.  She also serves on the local organizing committee for 24 Hours of Booty, the 24 hour cycling event of the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

Dr. Stephan M. Silverman is the Director of Psychological and Behavioral Services for the Weinfeld Education Group. He is a Licensed Psychologist in Maryland and a Maryland Certified School Psychologist. He worked as a School Psychologist in the Montgomery County School System from 1978 to 2008 and has maintained a private practice in Maryland since 1975.

Dr. Silverman earned his Master's and Ph.D. degrees from Emory University. He specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of children, adolescents, and adults with attention deficits, learning disabilities, and low incidence developmental disorders, including autistic spectrum disorders He also works with young adults in life transitions.

Dr. Silverman has served as a field-training supervisor for graduate students from a number of universities. He provides workshops to a wide variety of parent, educator, and professional groups nationally. Dr. Silverman is a co-author with Rich Weinfeld of "School Success for Kids with Asperger's Syndrome". He is the lead author of "School Success for Kids with ADHD" with Dr. Jacqueline Iseman and Sue Jeweler and is the co-author with Dr. Iseman and Ms. Jeweler on "101 School Success Tools for Students with ADHD" .

Currently Dr. Silverman coordinates educational, psychological and neuropsychological testing services for JSSA as part of the JSSA’s agreement with the Weinfeld Group. In addition to testing services, Dr. Silverman also coordinates behavioral management services for the Weinfeld Group.

Linda E. Spencer, Ph.D., is a Speech-Language Pathologist licensed in the state of Maryland and certified by the American Speech-Language Hearing Association. She received her degrees from Southern Illinois University, Northwestern University, and the University Of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. She has taught and provided clinical supervision to students in training at Northwestern University and Loyola College (now Loyola University) in Baltimore. She has practiced as a Speech-Language Pathologist in public schools in Illinois and Iowa, as well as hospitals in Maryland.

In her private practice, Dr. Spencer provides evaluations in the areas of social communication, speech, language, and the processing and language bases of reading and written language. The objective of each evaluation is to obtain a comprehensive profile of a student’s strengths and challenges in a broad range of skills that support successful communication and use of language for social and education purposes, including non-linguistic factors that support or hinder language learning. Recommendations for intervention and other supports consider a child’s needs for social communication as well as mastery of educational curriculum. Her areas of interest and expertise include Specific Language Impairment/Language Disability, Autism Spectrum Disorders and Reading Disability/Dyslexia.

Annie Stutts, M.A.Ed., is an educational consultant in Washington DC.  She has served a wide range of in-home, early childhood center, school based, and government agency clients within the fields of early intervention, program development, education and policy.  Annie’s focus is on implementing systematic screening to identify students with or at risk for behavior disorders in early intervention, as well as best practices while educating children with developmental delay or autism spectrum disorder. She also provides support and guidance to families and parents of children with special needs.

Annie was a special education teacher and a behavior therapist for several years before stepping out of the classroom. She is best known for her work as the Autism Coordinator under Washington, D.C. Public School’s Chancellor, Michelle Rhee and the Deputy Chancellor for Special Education, Dr. Richard Nyankori.

In just under 2 years, Annie improved programming in the preschool autism classrooms and cut the number of lawsuits against the District’s program in half.  Annie created the first “Autism Team” for the District, hiring Board Certified Behavior Analysts and experienced teachers from all over the nation. With this team, she was able to bring about the first in-home family-training program for parents of young children with autism, as well as monthly District wide professional development geared around educating children with autism, and creating the first state of the art life skills center located in Cardozo High School. During her time with DCPS, Annie was awarded Mayor Fenty’s “Employee Spotlight” with DC Insider.

Annie received her Masters in Special Education from The Catholic University of America. 

Helaine Zinaman, M.Ed. is a graduate of American University, majoring in  Elementary Education and the University of Maryland with a double major in  Learning Disabilities and Gifted Education. She retired from Prince George's County Public Schools after 32 years serving as a special and gifted education  teacher, gifted education coordinator, and administrator. She was the Talented
and Gifted (TAG) Magnet Coordinator for 11 years from the onset of the magnet program at Glenarden Woods Elementary School, where more than 250 gifted magnet students attended. Subsequently, Helaine worked in the TAG Office where she was a TAG Specialist and then the TAG Supervisor for the whole school system. She has presented at local, state, and national conferences. Helaine is the recipient of a Senate of Maryland Official Citation and a Proclamation from the County Executive for accomplishments in gifted education in 2005. She is listed in Who's Who Among America's Teachers and Who's Who Among America's Women.

In her retirement, Ms. Zinaman is continuing her passion for education and advocating for gifted, twice exceptional, and early childhood students. Helaine is the Executive Director of the Maryland Educators for Gifted Students (MEGS), an organization which supports and provides professional development for teachers and administrators working with gifted students. She serves on the Maryland State Advisory Council on Gifted and Talented Education and is the co-chair of the Public Awareness sub-committee. Specializing in early childhood, lead Helaine to volunteer at Feynman School, a school for bright pre-k through grade 1 students. She has been working with the Weinfeld Education Group,  providing services for early childhood, gifted, twice exceptional students and  their parents.

 Weinfeld Education Group, LLC     104 Northwood Avenue, Silver Spring, Maryland 20901     301.681.6233     Fax 301.593.3333     Email rich@weinfeldeducationgroup.com