General Directory
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Harold S. Koplewicz, MDPresident
Child Mind InstituteHarold S. Koplewicz, MD, is one of the nation’s leading child and adolescent psychiatrists. He is widely recognized as an innovator in the field, a strong advocate for child mental health, and a master clinician. He has been repeatedly recognized in America’s Top Doctors, Best Doctors in America, and New York Magazine’s “Best Doctors in New York.” He is also the founding president of the Child Mind Institute.
Dr. Koplewicz was Director of the Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research (NKI) from 2006-2011, the third person and the first child and adolescent psychiatrist to hold that position since the institution's founding in 1952. At NKI he expanded the research portfolio to include Child and Adolescent research, established the Emotional Brain ...
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Stephen Hinshaw, PhDCo-Chair
Scientific Research CouncilFormer Chair, Department of Psychology; Professor of Psychology; Editor, Psychological Bulletin
University of California, BerkeleyClinical Professor of Psychiatry
University of California, San FranciscoStephen Hinshaw, PhD, a leader in the field of developmental psychopathology, investigates the earliest signs and progression of childhood psychiatric disorders, particularly attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Dr. Hinshaw is a professor and former chair of the Department of Psychology at UC Berkeley, a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the former president of the Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology. He is editor of Psychological Bulletin, the most cited journal in the field of general psychology, and recently authored The Triple Bind: Saving Our Teenage Girls from Today’s Pressures. He also authored The Mark of Shame: Stigma of Mental Illness and an Agenda for Change and The Years of Silence Are Past: My Father’s Life with Bipolar ...
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Matthew State, MD, PhDCo-Chair
Scientific Research CouncilProfessor of Child Psychiatry and Psychiatry; Professor of Genetics; Co-Director, Yale Program on Neurogenetics; Deputy Chairman for Research in the Department of Psychiatry
Yale University School of MedicineMatthew State, MD, PhD, is a leading child psychiatrist whose laboratory focuses on identifying and characterizing the genes and genetic mechanisms involved in the development of childhood psychiatric disorders. His research has placed special emphasis on understanding the contribution of gene mutations to Tourette’s disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and a range of pervasive developmental disorders, including autism. Dr. State’s lab was the first to identify mutations in the gene SLITRK1 in Tourette’s disorder—work that was cited by Science Magazine as a top scientific breakthrough of 2005. A master clinician, Dr. State sees patients, supervises Yale residents and fellows at a community mental health center, and serves as the psychiatric consultant for a residential treatment facility for teens and young adults with autism.
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Dominick Auciello, PsyDNeuropsychologist, Learning and Development Center
Child Mind InstituteDominick Auciello, PsyD, is a leading neuropsychologist with extensive expertise providing neuropsychological assessments to children, teens, and young adults with learning and psychiatric issues. A solid diagnostician, he is widely respected for his knowledge of how neuropsychological evaluations relate to a child’s school and home environments. He specializes in designing individualized education plans that connect kids with varying personalities, learning styles, and mental health conditions to their classroom activities. His education plans are based on the most current science we have on learning and interventions, and his reports are comprehensive, easy to understand, and contain recommendations that can be implemented by teachers and parents. Among the conditions Dr. Auciello has extensive experience diagnosing and treating are dyslexia, autism spectrum disorders, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD ...
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Roy Boorady, MDSenior Director, Psychopharmacology Service
Child Mind Institute
Roy Boorady, MD, is one of the nation’s foremost experts in the diagnostic evaluation and psychopharmacological treatment of children and adolescents. A leading child and adolescent psychiatrist, he is known for his judgment and sensitivity in coordinating, monitoring, and adjusting treatment plans that include the use of medications. He is also distinguished for his skill and commitment to treatment decisions guided by sound scientific research and the needs of individual patients.Dr. Boorady came to the Child Mind Institute in September 2010 after serving for eight years as the clinical director of the NYU Child Study Center’s Psychopharmacology Service and an assistant professor of child and adolescent psychiatry at the NYU School of Medicine. Before then, his reputation grew as an attending physician ...
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Jerry Bubrick, PhDSenior Director, Anxiety & Mood Disorders Center; Director, Intensive Pediatric Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders Program
Child Mind Institute
Jerome Bubrick, PhD, is a nationally renowned cognitive and behavioral psychologist who specializes in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). He is widely recognized for developing one of the world’s most intensive pediatric programs for OCD, and over the past decade he has been a pioneer in the cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) treatment of children and teens with OCD and related anxiety disorders. A dedicated advocate for children and their families, Dr. Bubrick is a significant public voice educating parents and teachers about the fear at the roots of anxiety—and how it’s effectively treated.As a clinical assistant professor of child and adolescent psychiatry at the NYU School of Medicine, Dr. Bubrick founded and served as the clinical director of the NYU Child ...
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Dena Buchalter, PhD, NCSPPediatric Neuropsychologist, Learning and Development Center
Child Mind InstituteDena G. Buchalter, PhD, NCSP, is a pediatric neuropsychologist with extensive experience in the assessment of children from early childhood through young adulthood. As an associate neuropsychologist she brings several years of training in developmental, neuropsychological, social-emotional, and educational assessment. Dr. Buchalter has conducted functional behavioral evaluations in school settings, created behavior intervention plans for students, and supported teachers on methods for implementing these structured plans in the classroom. Dr. Buchalter also specialized in early childhood intervention screenings and provided teacher education and a parent support group for families of children with autism spectrum disorders. Her experience in school settings has helped her become an effective advocate for children who require additional educational services.
Dr. Buchalter has previous experience working with children in the Blue ...
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Rachel Busman, PsyDClinical Psychologist, Anxiety and Mood Disorders Center
Child Mind InstituteRachel Busman, PsyD, is a clinical psychologist specializing in the evaluation and treatment of anxiety and mood disorders in children and adolescents. Dr. Busman has extensive experience providing cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to children, teenagers, and young adults struggling with psychiatric disorders, school difficulties, and behavioral problems. She has specific interest and expertise in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder, separation anxiety, specific phobias, and selective mutism.
Dr. Busman joins the Child Mind Institute after working at the Behavioral Health Center at Westchester Medical Center for 8 years. She began as a staff psychologist in the pediatric inpatient unit, where she was instrumental in developing the clinical program and establishing a caring and collaborative environment. She became program director of the Adolescent Inpatient Unit in 2008 ...
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Judy Cameron, PhDMember
Scientific Research CouncilProfessor of Psychiatry
University of PittsburghSenior Scientist; Affiliate Scientist; Professor of Behavioral Neuroscience
Oregon National Primate Research CenterJudy Cameron, PhD, a renowned researcher of stress and resilience, has devoted her career to understanding how stressful experiences interact with genetic factors and can affect cardiovascular, reproductive, and immune functions, as well as the development of mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression. She has tracked the developmental course of monkeys to uncover what makes some individuals more sensitive and others more resilient to stress—work that has profound implications for the development of prevention and early intervention programs for human physical and mental health. A major figure in the field of behavioral neuroscience, she continues to lead research that may one day enable clinicians to identify which individuals are most vulnerable to stress-sensitive diseases.
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F. Xavier Castellanos, MDMember
Scientific Research CouncilBrooke and Daniel Neidich Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry; Professor of Radiology; Director of Research; Director of the Phyllis Green and Randolph Cowen Institute for Pediatric Neuroscience
NYU School of MedicineF. Xavier Castellanos, MD, a renowned neuroscientist, has devoted his career to developing innovative research techniques to deepen our understanding of both healthy and pathological brain processes. Dr. Castellanos is the vice-chair of research in the NYU Child Study Center, director of Center's Phyllis Green and Randolph Cowen Institute for Pediatric Neuroscience, Brooke and Daniel Neidich Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and professor of radiology and physiology and neuroscience at the NYU School of Medicine. Prior to joining the NYU faculty, Dr. Castellanos worked for 10 years as a staff physician and chief of the ADHD Research Unit at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). As co-chair of the American Psychiatric Association Workgroup on ADHD and Disruptive Behavior Disorders, he is a ...
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Rachel Cortese, MS, CCC-SLPSpeech-Language Therapist
Child Mind InstituteRachel (Eckenthal) Cortese, MS Ed, MS CCC-SLP, a licensed speech-language therapist, specializes in the evaluation and treatment of young children and adolescents with communication disorders including speech production problems, language difficulties and associated conditions, like learning disorders. She is certified by the American Speech & Hearing Association (ASHA) and is a New York state certified teacher of speech and language disabilities. Ms. Cortese comes to the Child Mind Institute with over 9 years of combined classroom, clinical, and alternative therapeutic experience.
Ms. Cortese has interest and expertise in the evaluation and treatment of young children with late onset of language development, specific language impairment (SLI), stuttering, and communication impairments associated with neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism and Down syndrome. She also has clinical experience working with ...
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Cameron Craddock, PhDDirector of Imaging
Child Mind InstituteCameron Craddock, PhD, is an internationally recognized neuroimaging researcher who brings extensive knowledge of MRI image acquisition and analysis methods to the Child Mind Institute in support of several research initiatives. Dr. Craddock will lead work in the Center for the Developing Brain aimed at creating innovative experimental approaches to understanding how brain function and structure are impacted by mental illness and neurodevelopment.
Dr. Craddock has been involved with the Child Mind Institute's research projects from their inception, including the NKI Rockland Sample, Open Neuroscience Initiatives, and the ADHD-200. He is a recipient of the NARSAD Young Investigator Award from the Brain and Behavior Research Fund for his project on real-time fMRI neuro-feedback in depression, which investigates the role of network dysregulation in depression ...
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Matthew Cruger, PhDSenior Director, Learning and Development Center
Child Mind InstituteMatthew M. Cruger, PhD, a leading clinical psychologist, has extensive experience conducting neuropsychological testing, cognitive assessments, and other evaluations for gifted children as well as those with learning difficulties, autistic disorders, and ADHD. A strong advocate for children and teens with special education needs, Dr. Cruger provides empirically supported treatments that improve emotional functioning and bolster academic achievement.
Dr. Cruger came to the Child Mind Institute in September 2010 after practicing for nine years at the NYU Child Study Center’s Institute for Learning and Academic Achievement. During his tenure at the Institute, he spearheaded a program to help teens with learning difficulties transition to college and was involved in the initial efforts to provide an evidence-based treatment for improving children’s organizational skills. He ...
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Steven G. Dickstein, MDPediatric Psychopharmacologist
Child Mind InstituteSteven G. Dickstein, MD, is a child and adolescent psychiatrist with extensive experience diagnosing and treating the full range of psychiatric disorders. He is expert at administering psychopharmacological treatment in concert with psychotherapeutic interventions, with the goal of maximizing the potential of his patients. A "triple boarder" trained in pediatrics, psychiatry, and child and adolescent psychiatry, Dr. Dickstein brings valuable and uncommon insight to the treatment of the whole child, with particular attention to the interplay of physical and psychiatric illness.
For Dr. Dickstein, the most critical aspect of helping his patients and their families is to understand their particular strengths and the obstacles that stand in the way of success. By targeting effective treatments to specific diagnoses and symptoms he works to foster development ...
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Matthew Doherty, MEngEndeavor Scientist
Child Mind InstituteMatthew Doherty brings to CMI's Endeavor Scientist program a wealth of experience in machine learning, software engineering, and technology leadership, as well as a passion for advocating for children.
Matthew graduated MIT in 2007 with both a BS and MEng in computer science. As a graduate student at the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, he helped to develop a novel gene caller using conditional random fields. He began his professional career at the pioneering software radio firm Vanu, Inc., where he devised software-based backend systems to support the growing data demands of modern smartphones. He then founded Fina Technologies, Inc., a successful startup that models financial data with machine learning techniques.
He currently holds a position on the board of directors of the ...
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Melanie A. Fernandez, PhD, ABPPDirector, Parent-Child Interaction Therapy Program
Child Mind InstituteMelanie A. Fernandez, PhD, ABPP, is a clinical psychologist who specializes in the treatment of children’s behavioral problems, particularly attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and oppositional defiant disorder. She has provided psychological evaluations and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) to hundreds of children and adolescents. As one of fifteen master trainers in parent-child interaction therapy endorsed by PCIT International, she also has unique experience working with parents to improve their children's social behavior, self-esteem, organizational skills, and academic competence. Dr. Fernandez is a board certified psychologist with a specialty in clinical child and adolescent psychology.
Dr. Fernandez came to the Child Mind Institute in September 2010 after serving as an assistant research scientist and clinical assistant professor of psychology at the NYU Child Study Center’s ...
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Nathan A. Fox, PhDScholar in Residence
Child Mind InstituteNathan A. Fox comes to the Child Mind Insitute as a Scholar in Residence from the Department of Human Development at the University of Maryland, College Park, where he is appointed Distinguished University Professor, the highest academic honor bestowed by the university.
Dr. Fox has completed research on the biological bases of social and emotional behavior, developing methods for assessing brain activity in infants and young children during tasks designed to elicit a range of emotions. His work is funded by the National Institutes of Health where he was awarded a MERIT award for excellence of his research program examining social and emotional development of young children. He is one of three Principal Investigators on the Bucharest Early Intervention Project.
Dr. Fox has served as ...
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Ilean HellandAssistant to the President
Child Mind InstituteIlean Helland is Assistant to the President, Harold S. Koplewicz, MD, and has managed his offices for the past 10 years, which includes not only the Child Mind Institute but also The Nathan Kline Institute, NYU Child Study Center and his office of External Affairs at NYU Langone Medical Center. Prior to joining forces with Dr. Koplewicz, she managed the production office and personal properties of the director Mike Nichols for many years. She was Merchandising Director and Regional Advertising Director for Modern Bride Magazine and West Coast Editor for Seventeen Magazine and marketing consultant to such firms as L’Oreal International, General Mills, Waterford Crystal and Angelo Donghia, and was Junior Fashion Events Director for a chain of 19 department stores in Southern California ...
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Jamie Howard, PhDDirector of the Stress and Resilience Program; Clinical Psychologist, Anxiety and Mood Disorders Center
Child Mind InstituteJamie M. Howard, PhD, is a clinical psychologist specializing in the evaluation and treatment of anxiety and mood disorders in children and adolescents. Dr. Howard will lead the Child Mind Institute's Anxiety and Mood Disorders Center trauma response group. Her expertise in treating post-traumatic stress and adjustment disorders across the lifespan is a product of dedication to the most current and effective interventions, combined with her passion for helping children and families adjust to difficult and unexpected life experiences.
Dr. Howard has extensive experience providing cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to children, teens, and young adults suffering from a range of anxiety disorders, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). She has received specialized training in multiple innovative treatments, including trauma focused-CBT, cognitive processing therapy, and ...
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Michelle Kaplan, LMSWClinical Evaluator
Child Mind InstituteMichelle S. Kaplan, LMSW, is a graduate of the Silver School of Social Work at New York University and a member of the National Association of Social Workers. During her graduate studies, she completed social work field placements in preventive family counseling, and in an outpatient child and adolescent mental health clinic.
Ms. Kaplan has worked in community mental health centers and at several therapeutic summer programs for children with psychiatric and learning disorders. She has experience with organizations such as the Brooklyn Bureau of Community Service's Bedford Stuyvesant Family Center, the Big Apple Day Program, and Ramapo for Children, a residential summer program for children with special needs.
Prior to beginning her graduate studies in social work, Michelle received an undergraduate degree in ...
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Sherine Khalil, MPAChief Operating Officer
Child Mind InstituteSherine F. Khalil, MPA, guides the Child Mind Institute’s strategic and operational leadership decisions, establishing goals and implementing key initiatives as the organization expands both domestically and internationally. Her day-to-day management efforts and oversight of all policy and financial matters ensure that the CMI effectively accomplishes its mission to integrate clinical services, research, and educational outreach in child mental health. Ms. Khalil brings a wealth of experience from her previous position as director of research administration at the NYU Child Study Center. During her tenure, she played a key role in establishing the NYU Child Study Center as the second independent department of child and adolescent psychiatry in the United States. She managed the recruitment, hiring, and promotion of both clinical and research faculty ...
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Ranjit Khanuja, MCSResearch Programmer
Child Mind InstituteRanjit Khanuja holds a master’s degree in Computer Science with a focus on natural language processing, information retrieval, and speech recognition from Johns Hopkins University in Maryland, where he also served as a programming instructor. Prior to completing his master’s degree, Mr. Khanuja worked as a systems engineer on a core-banking system at the Tata Consultancy Services in India. Before joining the Child Mind Institute, Mr. Ranjit interned at Boston Scientific, a products, technologies, and services for less-invasive medical specialties corporation in Minneapolis. At Boston Scientific Mr. Khanuja provided proof of concept for an arrhythmia learning algorithm. He also worked at GCE Cloud, a leader in the development of innovative technology solutions, where he developed financial management software for the United States Department ...
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Laura Kirmayer, MAAssociate Psychologist, ADHD and Disruptive Behavior Disorders Center; Fellow, Selective Mutism Program
Child Mind InstituteLaura Kirmayer, MA, is a clinical psychologist with experience in behavior therapy. Laura joins the Child Mind Institute after completing her degree at The New School for Social Research where she held externships at New York-Presbyterian Hospital-Weill Cornell Medical Center, Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center, Beth Israel Medical Center, and the Child Mind Institute. At the Child Mind Institute, her clinical efforts included interventions in young people with ADHD, disruptive behavior disorders, autism, and anxiety and mood disorders. Prior to this training, she received a master's degree in social work from the University of Pennsylvania.
Most recently, Ms. Kirmayer completed an internship at Columbia University Medical Center where she provided individual, group, and family outpatient therapy to children and adolescents in the Pediatric Psychiatry Department of ...
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Rachel Klein, PhDMember
Scientific Research CouncilFascitelli Family Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry; Director, Institute for Anxiety and Mood Disorders
NYU School of MedicineRachel Klein, PhD, a renowned researcher, has devoted her career to studying treatments for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), learning disorders, anxiety disorders, and depression. Her longitudinal studies have demonstrated the need for early identification of childhood psychiatric disorders, large-scale prevention programs, and individualized treatment plans. As director of the NYU Child Study Center’s Anita Saltz Institute for Anxiety and Mood Disorders, Dr. Klein has mentored many of the nation’s leading researchers in child and adolescent psychiatry. She has been a key contributor to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual and is currently at work on the next revision, the DSM-V, due out in 2013. Her many honors include the Joy and William Ruane Prize for Research in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and a National ...
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Donald F. Klein, MD DScSenior Scientific Advisor
Child Mind InstituteDonald Klein, MD, DSc, has been a dominant figure in the field of treatment science and a prime mover in the improvement of diagnosis and our understanding of psychiatric illness for over half a century. His pioneering work applying both psychological and pharmaceutical approaches to therapy has become standard procedure in the treatment of psychiatric disorders and chronic emotional distress. Dr. Klein is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Psychiatry at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, former director of research at the New York State Psychiatric Institute, a research psychiatrist at the Nathan Kline Institute of Psychiatric Research, and a Senior Scientific Advisor at the Child Mind Institute.
As Senior Scientific Advisor at the Child Mind Institute, Dr. Klein works with Michael P ...
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Steven Kurtz, PhD, ABPPSenior Director, ADHD and Disruptive Behavior Disorders Center; Director, Selective Mutism Program
Child Mind InstituteSteven Kurtz, PhD, ABPP, is one of the nation’s leading clinicians in the treatment of children’s behavioral problems and disorders, particularly attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and the social anxiety disorder selective mutism (SM). He is a widely respected clinical researcher and child psychologist, one of fifteen master trainers in parent-child interaction therapy endorsed by PCIT International, and a dedicated advocate for children with special needs.
As an assistant professor in the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the NYU School of Medicine, Dr. Kurtz founded and served for 10 years as the clinical director of the NYU Child Study Center’s Institute for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity and Behavior Disorders. He was also the founding co-director of the NYU Child Study Center’s ...
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Joseph LeDoux, PhDMember
Scientific Research CouncilProfessor of Neuroscience and Psychology
NYU Center for Neural ScienceFounder & Director, The Emotional Brain Institute
Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric ResearchJoseph LeDoux, PhD, is one of the nation’s leading neuroscientists. His groundbreaking research has deepened our understanding of the brain mechanisms underlying emotion and memory, opening the door to new treatments, specifically behavioral therapies, for children and adults with anxiety disorders. Dr. LeDoux is founding director of the Emotional Brain Institute and director of The Center for the Neuroscience of Fear and Anxiety at NYU’s Center for Neural Science. He is the author of The Emotional Brain: The Mysterious Underpinnings of Emotional Life and The Synaptic Self: How Our Brains Become Who We Are, in addition to numerous scholarly articles. His many honors include the 2005 Fyssen International Prize in Cognitive Science.
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Ruth Lee, MEd, ET/PSenior Educational and Learning Specialist and Director of Clinical Outreach
Child Mind InstituteRuth M. Lee, MEd, ET/P, is a professional educational therapist, a licensed special educator, and a Wilson certified reading instructor. Ms. Lee specializes in evaluation, analysis, and individualized educational intervention for children and adolescents with learning disabilities and other learning challenges. She has extensive experience conducting academic and literacy evaluations and has been a staunch advocate for students, particularly those needing accommodations and modifications in the classroom.
In practice, Ms. Lee offers children, adolescents, and adults a wide range of intensive, individualized interventions designed to remediate learning problems. She focuses on creating and implementing treatment plans that utilize information from a variety of sources including each client's social, emotional, psycho-educational and neuropsychological context. She also has extensive experience writing individual education programs (IEPs ...
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Bennett Leventhal, MDDeputy Director
Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric ResearchIrving B. Harris Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Emeritus
University of ChicagoBennett Leventhal, MD, is widely recognized for his leadership and expertise in fostering career development and training programs as well as collaborative research networks that focus on everything from molecular genetics to community service and public health. His direction and vision have led to the creation of nationally prominent clinical research programs that continue to shape how we study childhood psychiatric disorders. Dr. Leventhal has championed initiatives to advance research on the molecular genetics of autism, the prenatal origins of disruptive behavior disorders, and the brain mechanisms that interfere with social functioning. He also helped establish a global network of scientists who are currently investigating the origins of mental health disorders that emerge during the first few years of life.
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Qinyang LiData Analyst
Child Mind InstituteQinyang Li is a graduate student in Neuroscience and Behavior at University of Georgia in Athens and holds a master’s degree in Psychology from Peking University in Beijing. In his past graduate studies he used fMRI to examine the ways in which clinicians respond to borderline personality disorder and employed electroencephalography (EEG) to explore neural mechanisms of visual perceptual grouping. Before joining the Child Mind Institute, Mr. Li served as the research assistant in the Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience Laboratory at the University of Georgia, designing and conducting behavioral and neuroimaging experiments on cognitive inhibition, motor control, and emotion perception in healthy controls as well as patients with schizophrenia and aniridia. In addition to his work in neuroscience, Mr. Li has a background in ...
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Vasco Lopes, PsyDClinical Psychologist, ADHD and Disruptive Behavior Disorders Center
Child Mind InstituteVasco Lopes, PsyD, is a licensed clinical psychologist and certified school psychologist with expertise in the evaluation and treatment of children and adolescents with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), disruptive behaviors, aggression, severe temper tantrums, and emotional dysregulation. He has experience treating children through various modes of intervention including parent management training, cognitive behavior therapy, and school consultation. Guided by empirically-supported interventions, Dr. Lopes believes that treating disruptive behaviors and ADHD in children is most effectively accomplished by working closely with parents and teachers to create supportive, structured home and school environments that enable children and adolescents to reach their full potential.
Dr. Lopes comes to the Child Mind Institute after completing a clinical fellowship in the Pediatric Emotion Regulation Laboratory (PERL) at Fordham University. Dr ...
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Catherine Lord, PhDMember
Scientific Research CouncilDirector, Institute for Brain Development
New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Cornell Medical College and Columbia University Medical CenterCatherine Lord, PhD, is widely known for her groundbreaking longitudinal studies of children with autism. Her work has been key in the development of diagnostic tools that are now used worldwide to identify children on the autism spectrum. Dr. Lord is a senior scientist at the Center for Human Growth and Development and a professor of psychology and psychiatry at the University of Michigan, where she has conducted research on the neurobiological, genetic, and environmental causes of autism. Her recent work on a follow-up study of teens diagnosed with autism at age two is providing new insight into the course of autism and the effectiveness of treatments.
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Bruce McEwen, PhDMember
Scientific Research CouncilHead of the Harold and Margaret Milliken Hatch Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology; Alfred E. Mirsky Professor
The Rockefeller UniversityBruce McEwen, PhD, a prominent neuroscientist, leads research on the effects of sex, stress, and hormones on the brain. In 1968, his laboratory discovered adrenal steroid receptors in the hippocampus—a truly seminal discovery. His current research focuses on how stress affects particular areas of the brain, including the amygdala, prefrontal cortex, and hippocampus. He is also investigating how brain regions differ between men and women. Dr. McEwen’s research has significantly deepened our understanding of how the brain changes over the course of development, from childhood to old age, and it continues to shine new light upon the causes and progression of psychiatric illnesses, particularly post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.
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Elizabeth McIntyre, MBADirector of Development
Child Mind InstituteElizabeth ("Betsy") McIntyre directs all development operations for the Child Mind Institute, establishing and overseeing the strategy, planning, growth and management of the development department. Supervising a 6-person development team, she plays a leadership role in the successful execution of CMI's fundraising initiatives, including the annual benefit, other annual appeals, corporate partnerships, foundation giving, and the capital campaign. Prior to joining the Child Mind Institute Betsy was a senior consultant at CCS Fundraising, and she brings years of social sector, management and consulting experience to her role. While at CCS, she worked with an array of organizations, including the Child Mind Institute, the Ramaz School, Broward Center for Performing Arts and NYU Langone Medical Center. Prior to pursuing her MBA and joining CCS, Betsy ...
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Michael P. Milham, MD, PhDDirector, Center for the Developing Brain; Senior Research Scientist; Pediatric Psychopharmacologist
Child Mind InstituteMichael P. Milham, MD, PhD, is an internationally recognized neuroscience researcher, a gifted and caring clinician, and the founding director of the Center for the Developing Brain at the Child Mind Institute. Dr. Milham's innovative research techniques signal a sea change in the field and a revolution in discovery science.
Dr. Milham joined the Child Mind Institute after holding the Leon Levy assistant professorship of child and adolescent psychiatry at the NYU School of Medicine, and the associate directorship of the Phyllis Green and Randolph Cowen Institute for Pediatric Neuroscience at the NYU Child Study Center. He is also a research psychiatrist at the Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research of the New York State Office of Mental Health.
As cofounder of the ...
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Caroline MillerEditorial Director
Child Mind InstituteCaroline Miller is a veteran magazine, newspaper and website editor who was editor in chief of New York magazine for more than 7 years, and co-founder and editor in chief of Newser, a 4-year-old curated news web site that draws 2 million unique visitors a month. She teaches magazine writing at the Arthur J. Carter Journalism Institute, a graduate program at New York University.
Miller's magazine experience also includes stints as editor in chief of Seventeen and Lear's. Earlier, she was executive editor of Variety and culture and features editor at Newsday. Her first daily newspaper experience was at the Ithaca Journal, where she was a reporter, city editor, and then editorial page editor.
With her husband, Eric Himmel, Miller edited SEPTEMBER 11 ... -
Daniel Pine, MDMember
Scientific Research CouncilChief, Section on Development and Affective Neuroscience; Chief, Emotion and Development Branch; Chief of Child and Adolescent Research in the Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program
National Institute of Mental HealthDaniel Pine, MD, is one of the nation’s foremost experts on mood and anxiety disorders. His research has shaped our understanding of how key brain structures such as the amygdala and prefrontal cortex change over time and play critical roles in illness and health. He has also led studies to broaden our knowledge of the biological commonalities and differences among psychiatric disorders in children, adolescents, and adults. A leader in the development of diagnostic tools and treatments for childhood psychiatric disorders, Dr. Pine has published hundreds of scientific papers and chaired the Food and Drug Administration’s Psychopharmacology Drug Advisory Board. His many honors include the Blanche Ittelson Award from the American Psychiatric Association for outstanding research contributions to the field of child psychiatry ...
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Elizabeth PlanetExecutive Vice President & Chief Strategy Officer
Child Mind InstituteElizabeth Planet directs the Child Mind Institute's strategic and long-range planning, and is responsible for the organization's expansion through significant collaborations and mergers. Elizabeth has more than 10 years of senior management experience in mission-driven organizations. She came to the Child Mind Institute from the American Jewish Committee, where she was responsible for oversight and management of 26 regional offices across the United States. Before joining AJC's senior staff, she was Vice President and Director of Special Projects at The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, where she was responsible for driving the organization's research and policy recommendations into action in legislatures, state agencies, and public and private institutions around the country. Elizabeth's work at CASA ...
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Anna RachlinResearch Assistant
Child Mind InstituteAnna Rachlin is a recent graduate of Harvard University where she studied Molecular and Cellular Biology and French. She is passionate about research as demonstrated by her wide array of previous research positions, but is most interested in the cellular and genetic bases for mental health and illness. While at Harvard, Ms. Rachlin gained basic research experience at the Pasteur Institute in Paris studying the cellular mechanism behind multidrug resistant bacteria and acquired clinical research experience designing and conducting a study on sleep regulation using an Actiwatch feedback system in the Department of Sleep Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital. Prior to joining the Child Mind Institute, she worked at McLean Hospital for two years studying the impact of sex differences on the neurobiological ...
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Alan Ravitz, MD, MSSenior Pediatric Psychopharmacologist; Senior Director of Forensic Psychiatry
Child Mind InstituteAlan Ravitz, MD, MS, a leading child and adolescent psychiatrist, is one of the nation’s foremost experts in the diagnostic evaluation and treatment of children and teens with psychiatric disorders. He has extensive experience collaborating with families, helping them to determine when and how medication can safely and effectively be included in a child’s treatment. He has provided psychopharmacological and psychotherapeutic treatment to thousands of children, adolescents, and adults over the past 30 years.
A widely respected forensic psychiatrist, Dr. Ravitz also has exceptional expertise working with families and the legal system to help ensure that divorce, custody disputes, and other kinds of family dysfunction don’t interfere with children’s ability to get the mental health care and support they need. As ...
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David Rivera, CMA, MBADirector of Finance
Child Mind InstituteDavid Rivera, CMA, MBA, is the Director of Finance for the Child Mind Institute and the Child Mind Medical Practice. He is responsible for all aspects of budget planning, accounting, financial audit and compliance, operating budgets, cash and asset reporting, and daily financial operations. David directs the design and implementation of budget modeling and projection tools to support and advance the Child Mind Institute's strategic goals. David is in charge of creating/updating financial policies and procedures. He also serves as liaison to the Board Finance and Audit committee.
Prior to coming to the Child Mind Institute, David was the Senior Director/ Controller for the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI), a global non-profit research organization. At IAVI he was responsible for financial statement preparation ...
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Mary Rooney, PhDClinical Psychologist, ADHD and Disruptive Behavior Disorders Center
Child Mind InstituteMary Rooney, PhD, is a clinical psychologist specializing in the evaluation and treatment of ADHD and co-occurring behavioral, anxiety, and mood disorders. She has expertise in providing empirically supported interventions designed to improve peer and family relationships, organizational skills, and academic performance in children and adolescents with ADHD. A strong advocate for those with attention and behavior problems, Dr. Rooney is committed to developing and providing comprehensive, cutting edge treatments tailored to meet the unique needs of each child and adolescent. To this end, Dr. Rooney works closely with parents and teachers to create supportive, structured home and school environments that enable children and adolescents to reach their full potential.
Dr. Rooney comes to the Child Mind Institute in June 2012 after serving as a ...
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Michael Rosenthal, PhDPediatric Neuropsychologist
Child Mind InstituteMichael Rosenthal, PhD, is a pediatric neuropsychologist with expertise in the evaluation and treatment of children and adolescents from pre-school through early adulthood. He is specialized in diagnostic, developmental, and neuropsychological evaluations of children with ADHD, executive dysfunction, learning disabilities, social cognitive weaknesses, and emotional/behavioral challenges. Dr. Rosenthal is also an expert in the identification and management of children when complex questions exist about autism spectrum disorders and concussion or mild traumatic brain injury.
Dr. Rosenthal is widely recognized for his clinical acumen, diligence, attention to detail, clear and timely reports, and ability to connect with even the most guarded or challenging children and adolescents. He is dedicated to child mental health advocacy and to ensuring that children and families have access to the ...
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Neal Ryan, MDMember
Scientific Research CouncilProfessor of Psychiatry
University of PittsburghNeal Ryan, MD, is one of the nation’s leading experts on pediatric mood and anxiety disorders. He has led large-scale studies of behavioral changes in children and adolescents diagnosed with mood disorders, and he has investigated the effectiveness of medications and various other treatments, including innovative cognitive-behavioral therapies. Dr. Ryan’s ongoing studies of the pharmacological treatment of unipolar and bipolar depression in adolescents have inspired many graduate students to pursue careers in child and adolescent psychiatry. He is currently principal investigator on a large NIMH-funded project titled “Psychobiology of Childhood Anxiety and Depression.” He has co-authored numerous scholarly articles and remains an important public voice on the causes and treatment of mental health disorders in children and adolescents.
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Gail Saltz, MDHealth Editor
Child Mind InstitutePsychiatrist, psychoanalyst, columnist, bestselling author, and television commentator Gail Saltz, MD, has been called "a voice of wisdom and insight in a world of confusion and contradictions" by Tom Brokaw. Dr. Saltz is a regular health, sex, and relationship contributor to The Today Show. In addition, she is the mental health contributor for Woman's Day Magazine and is the emotional wellness expert for iVillage.com.
A Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry at The New York Presbyterian Hospital Weill-Cornell School of Medicine, Dr. Saltz is a psychoanalyst with The New York Psychoanalytic Institute and the Health Editor of the Child Mind Institute. She has a private practice on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.
Dr. Saltz hosts a series at the famed 92nd Street Y ... -
Ken Schuster, PsyDAssociate Neuropsychologist, Learning and Development Center
Child Mind InstituteKenneth Schuster, PsyD, is a pediatric neuropsychologist specializing in the evaluation and treatment of learning and behavioral disorders. Dr. Schuster has extensive experience conducting diagnostic evaluations and in-depth neuropsychological, developmental, educational, and personality assessments in children as young as 18 months and across the life span. He is also experienced conducting functional behavioral assessments (FBA) and implementing response to intervention (RTI). A former educator, Dr. Schuster understands the importance of being a strong educational advocate. His unique perspective enables him to effectively translate test results into reports that provide children, parents, and teachers with practical, realistic, and individualized home- and school-based interventions and services.
Dr. Schuster comes to the Child Mind Institute after completing an APA-accredited pre-doctoral internship in neuropsychology and rehabilitation at the NYU ...
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Susan J. Schwartz, MAEdLearning and Educational Specialist
Child Mind InstituteSusan J. Schwartz, MAEd, is a national expert in child development, reading and literacy, learning disorders, and the development of language skills and higher-level reasoning skills in children and adolescents. A dedicated advocate for children with special needs, she has been on the forefront of interdisciplinary approaches to evaluating and treating those with reading, writing, math, and organizational difficulties, as well as nonverbal learning disorders. She is also a significant public voice on learning accommodations and special education services in our schools.
Ms. Schwartz came to the Child Mind Institute in September 2010. She previously served as the clinical director of the NYU Child Study Center’s Institute for Learning and Academic Achievement and as a clinical assistant professor of child and adolescent psychiatry at ...
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Sharad SikkaResearch Programmer
Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric ResearchResearch Programmer
NYU School of MedicineVolunteer Research Programmer
Child Mind InstituteSharad Sikka holds a master's degree in computer science from Johns Hopkins University and has an extensive background in computer engineering. In addition to his work at the Child Mind Institute, Mr. Sikka is a research programmer at the Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research and the Phyllis Green and Randolph Cowen Institute for Pediatric Neuroscience at New York University's School of Medicine. Mr. Sikka has designed and implemented The Configurable Pipeline for Analysis of Connectomes (C-PAC), 3D brain image viewing software, and substantial research databases. In addition, Mr. Sikka is an active contributor to Nipype and Pydicom, open source frameworks for fMRI data preprocessing. Mr. Sikka has expertise in multiple programming languages and infrastructures, including Python, Java, C++, C, Perl, and ...
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Ron J. Steingard, MDAssociate Medical Director; Senior Pediatric Psychopharmacologist
Child Mind InstituteRon J. Steingard, MD is a nationally known and respected child psychiatrist, a service innovator and an ardent and steadfast advocate for children. Dr. Steingard has been a leader in the field with over 30 years of experience in child psychiatry. Dr. Steingard is an expert in the diagnosis and treatment of children and teens with behavioral and psychiatric problems. He has worked with, written about, and conducted research regarding children with a variety of behavioral and psychiatric problems. The focus of his research has been on ADHD and depression in children, but he has also done extensive work with children and adolescents with bipolar disorder, autism spectrum disorders, OCD, anxiety disorders and eating disorders.
Dr. Steingard comes to the Child Mind Institute and to ...
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Regina Sullivan, PhDMember
Scientific Research CouncilResearch Scientist, The Emotional Brain Institute
Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric ResearchResearch Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
NYU School of MedicineRegina Sullivan, PhD, is a widely respected research scientist whose groundbreaking studies show how early experiences can affect the developing brains of children. Her research has demonstrated that early childhood trauma can alter the structure and functioning of the amygdala, the area of the brain that controls emotional regulation and learning, and her most recent work highlights the importance of a caregiver’s presence in determining how the infant brain processes trauma. Among her most intriguing findings is that parenting practices may ameliorate the effects of trauma on the developing brain. Dr. Sullivan lectures widely and has published articles in numerous books, peer-reviewed journals, and professional publications.
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Dawn ThomsenChief Outreach Officer
Child Mind InstituteDawn Thomsen directs the public education mission and communications program for the Child Mind Institute. She brings a breadth of knowledge and experience from her work launching and scaling brands for private and nonprofit organizations. Ms. Thomsen came to the Child Mind Institute from Criterion Ventures, a national firm focused on the use of entrepreneurial principles to create and manage ventures that create social change. In her dual role as venture director and director of marketing, she led product development and communications for start-up ventures undertaken by the Women’s Funding Network, Lutheran Services in America, SJF Advisory Services, and Women Effect Investments. She also designed and implemented Criterion Ventures’ own communications efforts. Ms. Thomsen was previously senior brand manager for Planned Parenthood Federation of ...
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Amie TkaczykDirector of Clinical Administration
Child Mind InstituteAmie Tkaczyk manages the clinical program at the Child Mind Institute by providing strategic oversight and administrative support and planning. She develops reporting tools and interprets financial and patient satisfaction data used to guide the clinical program and ensure the Child Mind Institute can reach its goals of providing mental health services to all families, regardless of their ability to pay. Tkaczyk came to the Child Mind Institute from Lloyd Group, a boutique information technology consulting firm, where she gained in-depth experience in the decision making processes and growth strategies of a medium-sized entrepreneurial business. She held several roles in her time at Lloyd Group, with responsibilities including implementing new systems and processes, providing staff training and development, and monitoring and reporting sales, financial, and ...
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Natalie Weder, MDPediatric Psychopharmacologist
Child Mind InstituteNatalie Weder, MD, is a child and adolescent psychiatrist with extensive experience diagnosing and treating the full range of psychiatric disorders. She is an expert in the areas of risk, resilience, and mood and anxiety disorders in children and adolescents.
Dr. Weder joins the Child Mind Institute after serving as a Leon Levy Research Assistant Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the NYU Child Study Center. There, in addition to maintaining a busy clinical practice, she conducted research in collaboration with the Yale Department of Psychiatry, examining the interaction between genes and environment in children exposed to traumatic stress. She also had the opportunity to teach and mentor child and adolescent psychiatry fellows, psychiatry residents, and medical students.
Dr. Weder completed a National Institute ...
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Zhen Yang, PhDPost Doctoral Fellow
Child Mind InstituteDr. Zhen Yang holds a PhD in Behavioral Neuroscience from University of New Mexico, a Masters in Science in Cognitive Psychology from Southwest University in China, and a Bachelors in Psychology from Hunan Normal University in China. In Dr. Yang's doctoral studies, she uses high density EEG to examine human brain processing. She also uses rodent models to understand how environmental stress and maternal influence jointly shape offspring's development. Dr. Yang conducts research at the Mind Research Network, in New Mexico, where she uses fMRI to examine the neural substrates of spatial orienting and selective attention in healthy controls as well as patients with schizophrenia and mild traumatic brain injury. She also uses DTI to examine the diffusion abnormalities in pediatric mild traumatic ...
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Chao-Gan YanResearch Scientist
Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric ResearchVolunteer Research Scientist
Child Mind InstituteChao-Gan Yan received his PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience from State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning at Beijing Normal University, where he completed his dissertation on resting state fMRI network studies. Dedicated to the resting state fMRI-related fields, he has published about 20 peer-reviewed journal articles, created a data processing pipeline software, DPARSF, and is in charge of maintaining a data processing toolkit, REST (restfmri.net). He has also received multiple awards for his scholarly endeavors including Outstanding Young Scholar Award by the Ministry of Education in China, Academic Award for Tomorrow's Star by GlaxoSmithKline and Outstanding Graduate Award by Beijing Normal University. He is an academic reviewer for scientific journals including Human Brain Mapping, NeuroImage, PLoS ONE, and Neuroscience Letters. In addition ...
