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Meet Our Experts
Lisa Ackerman
A native of California, Lisa has worked in the retail and real estate site selection for almost 20 years. Lisa was a co-founder of Integration Technologies and AnySite Software which was sold to MapInfo Corporation in 2003. Working with customers like Wal-Mart, Burger King and Shell Oil, Lisa has consulted and sold large solutions for planning and managing the site selection process.
In 1999, Lisa and her husband Glen received the news that their 2 ½ year old son had been diagnosed with autism. At the time it was the recommendation from multiple physicians that the family find “institutional placement” for their son. Refusing to even consider this, they began their research to find answers for their son. One year later they launched a parent support group in their home with 10 families who were living with autism. As a result of this dedicated group, TACA was founded.
In March 2004, Lisa retired from her real estate career to assume a full-time volunteer role as Executive Director for TACA. She transitioned from volunteer to a full time professional capacity in July 2008 managing a national non-profit organization headquartered in Irvine, Calif. From a grass roots beginning in Southern California, under Lisa’s leadership approximately $16MM has been raised to help fund TACA’s mission and over 55,000 families across the nation have been served.
Lisa Ackerman
Tim Adams, Esq
Tim is the President and CEO of Adams & Associates APLC, a disability rights law firm. He received his Bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Irvine and Juris Doctorate degree from Pepperdine University School of Law. He is admitted to practice as an attorney in California, in the United States District Courts—Central, Southern and Eastern Districts of California, as well as before the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. He has served as an adjunct professor and Associate Director of the Special Education Advocacy Clinic, Pepperdine University School of Law.
He has served as a Board member for the University of California, Irvine Child Development School and The Children’s School, and is an Ambassador for The Autism Community in Action (TACA). He has also served on the Board of Advisors for an education data startup called Schoolie, Inc., (acquired by Great Schools) an online tool which helps families across the nation make informed choices on K-12 education.
In 2017, he co-founded Walls that Unite, a non-profit that provides educational experiences in low-income communities in the United States and Mexico.
Tim is also a member of Gen Next, an invitation-only organization of successful individuals dedicated to learning about and becoming engaged with the most pressing challenges facing future generations — including global security, education reform, and economic opportunity. The collective influence of its national network of civic-minded leaders empowers bold and innovative solutions to these challenges.
Tim Adams, Esq
Marc Ang
Marc Ang is a Financial Planner and Advisor, currently with Prudential Financial. His practice is dedicated to serving families with special needs providing expertise in the areas of estate planning (including high net worth considerations), tax liabilities, planning for the rising costs of long term care, as well as the nuances around government benefits for special needs families. Previously, he worked as an Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapist and founded/operated an educational services company dedicated to children with special needs. Watching children he worked with from his previous career grow up to become adults, he got involved with TACA due to a desire to make a positive impact on infrastructure around adults with autism, and helping them live full meaningful lives. He is currently based out of Santa Monica, California, but has clients from all over the country. Previously, Marc was an Assistant Vice President at Credit Suisse in Private Banking and Wealth Management, based in New York. Marc has a Bachelors Degree from Pepperdine University and a Masters Degree from Columbia University.
Marc Ang
Julie Buckley, MD
A graduate of the University of Miami School of Medicine, the Jackson Memorial Hospital/University of Miami Pediatric Residency Program and most recently the Institute for Functional Medicine’s Certified Practitioner Program, Dr. Buckley developed an abiding interest in Autism Spectrum Disorders when her daughter regressed into the world of autism at four years of age. She developed a similar interest in breast cancer when she developed it herself in 2009. Using an integrative/functional medicine approach to both diseases, both mother and daughter have had dramatic recoveries. As a result of these successes, this approach has been implemented into her unique and diverse practice in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. Author of the books Healing Our Autistic Children (2009), Breast Cancer: Start Here, (2014), and Youth Sports: Start Here (2016) and international speaker on autism and related disorders, she has also developed a patented antioxidant formula for peri-vaccination and peri-oxidative stress use. Dr. Buckley has founded the HealthyUNow Foundation, a 501c3 non-profit foundation dedicated to creating Healthy Living treatment and residential facilities for individuals and their families impacted by autism. She has also co-founded Healing Autism Academy, an online learning platform for families impacted by autism. In addition, she sings chorally, SCUBA dives, and enjoys diverse activities with her family and adult children.
Julie Buckley, MD
Eric Chessen, MS
Eric Chessen, M.S., is the Founder of Autism Fitness™. An exercise physiologist with an extensive background in behavior support, Eric has spent almost 20 years developing successful fitness and adapted PE programs for the ASD and Neurodiverse population. Eric is the creator of the PAC Profile™ Method, The Autism Fitness™ Certification, and is the Director of Neuroadaptive Programming for Inclusive Fitness. He consults with schools, organizations, and parents worldwide. A near lifelong New Yorker, Eric now resides and works in Charlotte, NC where he lifts heavy things and practices Brazilian Jiu-jitsu.
Eric Chessen, MS
Cori Clements
Cori lives in the St.Louis area with her husband and 3 beautiful children. Her oldest two boys are affected with Autism and PANS/PANDAS. Being a mother of 2 on the spectrum has created a learning journey she never dreamed she would be living. Over the years she has gained knowledge through many doctors appointments and her fellow Autism mothers on helpful protocols to keep her sons moving toward a better quality of life. She has been a TACA mentor mom since 2017 and loves helping others navigate their journey. In March of 2019, she opened IonCleanse Therapy by Cori, a small health and wellness business that focuses on detoxification in her hometown.
Cori Clements
Kara Darling
Kara Darling is the Practice Manager and the Research Leader at Lighthouse Complex Care. She is one of the Lighthouse Complex Care founders. Kara has been in a Patient Navigator role since 2002 when she licensed as a Midwife in Arkansas and ran a busy practice encompassing both her own freestanding birthcenter and homebirth services. In addition to her BA in Medical Anthropology, she is a Licensed Medical Interpreter in the Spanish Language and holds a Patient Navigator Certificate from the Colorado School of Public Health. Kara has three complex medical kiddos of her own that have driven her to search for better ways and more effective systems to help complex patients. She has a special interest in neuroimmune disorders and also in the gifted community's predisoposition to inflammatory conditions. She has been presenting at PGR since 2013 and SENG since 2014 as well as for various local and regional Autism Conferences.
Kara Darling
Debbie Dobbs, Esq
Debbie Dobbs was born in New Jersey and moved to Sandy Springs when she was in middle school. She has a Business Administration Bachelor’s degree and a Masters of Science degree in Management and Organizational Behavior from Georgia State University. Prior to the birth of her son, Debbie worked for over 20 years in the healthcare industry, managing and consulting with medical practices. When her son was born with medical complications, he required intensive early intervention and special education services. After experiencing firsthand how important parental advocacy skills are, she obtained her advocacy training from the Georgia Advocacy Office’s Parent Leadership Support Project. She has also had training from Wrightslaw, COPAA, and NSEAI.
For the past 15 years, Debbie has been working as an experienced advocate for special needs students. As the sole owner of Debbie Dobbs Advocacy, she works with families to help them acquire educational and financial resources. Debbie assists parents by attending school meetings and helping to create solid educational plans for children with all types of disabilities and food allergies. She helps with all aspects of special education, including eligibility meetings, IEP’s, 504’s, manifestation determination meetings, and developing behavioral intervention plans. She also helps parents with Katie Beckett Medicaid Deeming Waiver Applications and guides them to numerous financial and provider resources. In addition to her private advocacy work in Debbie Dobbs Advocacy, she is the sole owner of Edly IEP Consulting and Advocacy. Edly’s mission is to ensure that families learn and use very helpful special education resources and assistance. In addition to training and workshops, they match families to special education advocates.
Please obtain a copy of Debbie’s funding and resource document called ‘Navigating the Maze’ which provides lists of governments waivers, private grants and scholarships, and numerous non-profit and government resources at https://www.debbiedobbs.com
Please email her at office@debbiedobbs.com.
You can also connect with her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/DebbieDobbsAdvocate and www.facebook.com/EdlyAbilityLove.
Debbie Dobbs, Esq
Dane Fliedner, M.D., MPH, FAAP, IFMCP, FMAPS, ABoIHM
Dr. Fliedner is Chief Medical Officer at Lighthouse Complex Care. He is a board-certified general pediatrician with a diverse medical background before starting his functional medicine practice. He became interested in integrative medicine when his children were struggling with chronic illnesses that were not being adequately addressed by the conventional allopathic model. He is an Institute of Functional Medicine Certified Practitioner, a Fellow of the Medical Academy of Pediatric Special Needs (MAPS) as well as Board Certified from the American Board of Holistic, Integrative Medicine. He currently practices in an urgent care setting, as well as consulting with families for complex medical conditions including autism, asthma, allergies, gut imbalances, and more. Dr. Fliedner is fluent in Spanish.
Dane Fliedner, M.D., MPH, FAAP, IFMCP, FMAPS, ABoIHM
Dawnmarie Gavin, RN, BSN, AT-ACP
Dawnmarie Gaivin, RN, BSN, AT-ACP is the co-founder of Empowered2 as well as the founder of Transcending Apraxia, an S2C and purposeful motor skill clinic based in north county San Diego, CA. With a strong foundation in co-regulation and sensory processing as a DIR/Floortime® providers and a registered S2C Practitioner, she has combined that with her credential as an Assistive Technology Specialist (AT-ACP) to support individuals’ access to reliable communication. She is also the proud mother of two autistic teenagers, Evan (a nonspeaker) and Trey (a minimal speaker). Her children have inspired her specific passion to support non- and minimal speakers in finding their voice and developing the skills to live as authentically and autonomously as possible.
Dawnmarie Gaivin, RN, AT-ACP, S2C Practitioner
Darlene Hanson
Darlene Hanson has her Masters of Arts in Communication Disorders from Whittier College in California. She is currently the Director of Communication Services with the non-profit REACH, in Southern California. Darlene works with individuals, their support teams, and their families to build communication. Her professional experiences have included work in the public schools and private practice. As a speech and language pathologist Darlene conducts assessments in the areas of speech, language, and augmentative communication. She has been working with individuals with severe communication impairments since her under graduate program at Chapman College (1980). Darlene has included Facilitated Communication Training in her assessments and practice since 1991. Over the course of the years she has taught at Chapman University, presented at local, state and national conferences, and conducted trainings on Autism, Augmentative Communication strategies, and Facilitated Communication Training throughout the United States. Through REACH, formerly known as WAPADH, Darlene has been instrumental in organizing multiple national conferences on Facilitated Communication known as the “West Coast Symposium...”. She is also one of a group of Master Trainers for Facilitated Communication Training, and assisted with the writing of the Best Practice Standards for Facilitated Communication Training distributed through the Institute for Communication and Inclusion of Syracuse University. Darlene has co-authored research and articles on communication for those with severe communication impairments, and is a co-author of Investigation of Authorship in Facilitated Communication, (Journal of Mental Retardation, Aug. 1996).
Darlene Hanson
DJ Jeyaram, Esq
DJ Jeyaram is the principal attorney and founder of Jeyaram & Associates, P.C., a firm dedicated to helping special needs families get clear, accurate and practical estate planning and guardianship advice. DJ provides advice not only as an attorney but as a parent of his wonderful kids Kai (ASD, Williams Syndrome) and Emmy. With 23 years of experience DJ’s experience includes formerly serving as a Georgia Administrative Law Judge with the Office of State Administrative Hearings which presides over Medicaid Waiver appeals.
DJ Jeyaram, Esq
Dana Johnson PhD, MS, OTR/L
Dr. Dana Johnson, Ph.D., MS, OTR/L is a cofounder of Empowered2, owner of Interplay Therapy Center, and Founder of Invictus Academy Tampa Bay, a non-profit private school for students with sensory-motor differences. Dr. Johnson has a Master’s Degree in Occupational Therapy and a Ph.D. in Child and Adolescent Mental Health and Development and has worked with individuals with motor and sensory differences for over 15 years. Her private practice opened in 2010 and has grown to serve children, adolescents, and adults with motor and sensory differences, including autism, apraxia, sensory integration disorders, and other developmental disabilities.
Dana Johnson, PhD, MS, OTR/L
Gail Ludwig, M.A.
Gail Ludwig, M.A. has been an RDI® Program Certified Consultant since 2008 and is the Director of RDI® programs at Therapeutic Approach to Growth.
She is passionate about RDI® and how participation in the program can change lives! She has many years of experience working with families with children of all ages as well as guiding adults using RDI® principles. She strongly believes in a developmental approach that gives people a second chance to build social/emotional foundations. Her emphasis is on giving individuals with special needs the opportunities we all have to build strong relationships and learn from each other. Her philosophy is based on establishing a trusting relationship with her clients and supporting them in a way that considers their needs and ability to receive feedback. She is a very caring person and works hard at supporting her clients to achieve their maximum potential.
Gail Ludwig, M.A.
Julie Logan, DC
Dr. Julie Logan, DC practices with Dr. Anju Usman at True Health Medical Center in Naperville, IL. She is a fully MAPS trained and certified physician and specializes in working with children with the symptoms of Autism, ADD/HD, PANDAS/PANS, food sensitivities, thyroid problems, methylation defects, GI issues, allergies, and environmental illnesses. She applies both biomedical as well as chiropractic principles of restoring optimal health to her patients. She has successfully battled some of these conditions and problems in her own health as well as resolving the symptoms of autism in one of her own children. This has given her a heart to help others who are suffering from the same.
Julie Logan, DC
Elizabeth McCoy, Esq
Elizabeth McCoy has been a licensed Attorney in California since 1997, practicing primarily in the area of special needs trusts, conservatorship, and estate planning for families who have a child with Autism or other special needs. Mrs. McCoy earned her Juris Doctor from Washington University School of Law. During law school, she was the Jan Adam Zuckerman scholarship recipient, and a staff member for the Washington University Journal of Urban and Contemporary Law. Since 1988, Mrs. McCoy has also been a licensed Landscape Architect. Prior to practicing law, she produced landscape architectural plans for Disney theme parks and 5-star Ritz Carlton and Marriott hotels throughout the world. Mrs. McCoy has been a proud supporter of TACA since 2006.She lives in North San Diego County with her husband Mike and two sons Atticus and August.
Elizabeth McCoy, Esq
Mary Margaret Burch MSN, FNP-BC
Mary Margaret is a Board Certified Family Nurse Practitioner and Registered Nurse. Prior to becoming a nurse Mary Margaret spent fifteen years in Social Services providing case management services to a wide variety of populations. Before joining Lighthouse Complex Care, she spent several years in an integrated family care practice providing primary and complex care to patients from birth through adulthood. Additionally, she spent six years in an acute care hospital system as a registered nurse and later as a nurse clinician providing clinical education.
Mary Margaret’s interest in Integrative Medicine began with the birth of her two children who were diagnosed and treated for multiple complex needs. She grew to value the importance of utilizing an integrative approach to caring not only her own children, but for her own patients as well.
Mary Margaret Burch MSN, FNP-BC
Sarkis K. Mazmanian
Medical microbiologist Sarkis K. Mazmanian is leading research into how the gut microbiome impacts and communicates with the immune and nervous systems. His work is specifically focused on how this two-way internal communication highway, known as the “gut-brain axis,” influences complex diseases of the brain, such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases. Sarkis has received numerous awards including the MacArthur Foundation “Genius” award and Discover Magazine’s “Best Brains in Science.” Currently the Luis & Nelly Soux Professor of Microbiology in the Division of Biology and Biological Engineering at the California Institute of Technology, Sarkis is also a founder of two biotech companies and the proud mentor of countless students and postdoctoral fellows who have gone on to successful independent careers in medicine, industry, and academia.
Sarkis K. Mazmanian
Joey Mazzacane, MS, BCBA
Joey Mazzacane, MS, BCBA
Ashley Milito, M.A.
Ashley Milito earned her B.A. in Psychology at Kean University and her M.A. in Forensic Psychology at Argosy University. During her master’s degree program, she engaged in research focused on the benefits of re-entry programs to reduce the rates of recidivism in America. Over the last several years, she has worked with children in the welfare system and ensuring the security, proper education and overall wellness measures, and adequate care of children who have been placed in out-of-home care. She has been a part of the Beacon College team since 2020 as an Assistant Director of College Transition Programs. She navigates both students and parents through the transitions from high school into college. This includes identifying authentic self-awareness, implementing executive functioning skills, and identifying how to manage setbacks for a healthy adjustment in college. Ashley plans to continue her education in the near future by obtaining a PsyD in Clinical Psychology with a concentration in Neuropsychology.
Ashley Milito, M.A.
Netsanet Mulugeta, MSN, CPNP-PC, DNPc
Netsy is a Board Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner and one of the Lighthouse Complex Care founders. She has spent over fifteen years in the medical care of the pediatric population. She is currently a doctoral candidate, concentrating her research on autism and underlying medical conditions.
Before she came to Lighthouse Complex Care, Netsy worked on a multidisciplinary team that evaluated, diagnosed, and coordinated care for Pediatric patients in Craniofacial and Plastic Surgery at Children's Hospital in Los Angeles, CA.
Netsy also brings the perspective of a mother of a medically complex child. Her own experiences have made her even more passionate about helping medically complex patients.
Netsy is of Ethiopian descent and speaks fluent Amharic.
Netsanet Mulugeta, MSN, CPNP-PC, DNPc
Netsanet Mulugeta, MSN, CPNP-PC, DNPc
Dr. Naviaux is the founder and co-director of the Mitochondrial and Metabolic Disease Center (MMDC), and Professor of Medicine, Pediatrics, Pathology, and Genetics at UCSD. He directs a core laboratory for metabolomics at UCSD. He is the co-founder and a former president of the Mitochondrial Medicine Society (MMS), and a founding associate editor of the journal Mitochondrion. He is an internationally known expert in human genetics, inborn errors of metabolism, metabolomics, and mitochondrial medicine. He is the discoverer of the cause of Alpers syndrome—the oldest Mendelian form of mitochondrial disease—and the developer of the first DNA test to diagnose it. His lab also discovered the first mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations that cause genetic forms of autism. Dr. Naviaux's lab has developed a number of advanced technologies like biocavity laser spectroscopy and mtDNA mutation detection by mass spectrometry. He is a Salk-trained virologist, and molecular and cell biologist, the inventor of the popular pCL retroviral gene transfer vectors, and was trained at NIH in tumor immunology and natural killer cell biology. In 2011, he received a Trailblazer Award from Autism Speaks. His 2013 paper reporting preclinical studies on the role of purinergic signaling and the cell danger response in autism was ranked the #1 most-viewed report of 2013 on the Simons Foundation autism web site. He is currently the director of the first FDA-approved clinical trial to study the safety and efficacy of antipurinergic drug therapy using suramin as a new treatment for autism.
Robert K Naviaux, MD, PhD
Debbie Norman NHP, CHN
Debbie Norman has been an active parent in the ASD community for well over a decade. She is a mother of four children and volunteers extensively helping parents navigate life with a child on the spectrum. Her previous career was in the field of environmental science, where she worked as a heavy metals lab technician and as a biochemical oxygen demand analyst. Following her own long illness and many years in the trenches as a parent of a child with severe autism, she went back to school and currently works part-time as a Natural Health Practitioner and Certified Holistic Nutritionist, while pursuing her Ph.D. in Natural Medicine.
Debbie has a passion for restoring hope, and helping individuals and families improve their quality of life. She works with clients in-person and remotely from her office in WV. She can be reached at www.debbienorman.com
Debbie Norman NHP, CHN
Katherine Reid, PhD
Katie Reid, Ph.D., is the founder of Unblind My Mind, Inc., a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to improving the health of individuals and families through informed food choices.
Since earning a Ph.D. in biochemistry in 1996, Katie has held scientific leadership positions in numerous Silicon Valley biotechnology companies. Her research has focused primarily on protein chemistry in the development of cancer pharmaceuticals and diagnostics. Today Katie works closely with the public, some through physicians to devise food solutions for people suffering from a wide variety of chronic inflammatory conditions. Working in collaboration with the various communities (medical, education, special needs programs, farming, biotechnology), she creates data-driven food solutions through the design and development of diagnostic tests and interpretation of laboratory results.
Katie’s TED talks have more than 200,000 views and Facebook pages have more than 25,000 followers. Her website is https://unblindmymind.org/
Katherine Reid, PhD
Jodi Repko MSN, RN, FNP
Jodi is a Board Certified Family Nurse Practitioner. She has been working in the medical field for over 20 years. She completed her master’s degree in 2001 and has worked family practice, women’s health, and emergency room medicine before joining Lighthouse. This experience sharpened her assessment skills, evaluation skills, time management skills, and taught her to consider many different diagnoses when addressing a problem.
Jodi’s journey into integrative medicine began when it became apparent that her son had medically complex issues. She dove headfirst into researching and implementing treatments for him. Jodi practices a collaborative approach, combining functional medicine with traditional medicine. Her journey with her son has given her the empathy, compassion, and desire to help others with their journey to health and happiness.
Jodi Repko MSN, RN, FNP
Dan Rossignol, MD, FAAFP
Dr. Dan Rossignol received his Doctorate of Medicine at the Medical College of Virginia and completed his residency in family medicine at the University of Virginia. Coming from an academic background, Dr. Rossignol searched the medical literature looking for a solution after both of his children were diagnosed with autism. He has made it his mission to research and publish in autism. Since 2006, he has 53 papers, abstracts, editorials, and book chapters concerning autism and related conditions. Dr. Rossignol is a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians (FAAFP) and a Fellow of the Medical Academy of Pediatric Special Needs (FMAPS).
Dan Rossignol, MD, FAAFP
Lanier Rossignol, BSN FNP-C
Lanier Rossignol, BSN FNP-C received her graduate training as a Family Nurse Practitioner and her Master’s in Nursing from the University of Virginia. She also has a Bachelor of Arts in Neurobiochemistry and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Virginia. After her two sons were diagnosed with autism, she sought information from a number of sources including researchers, specialists, the medical literature, and she attended 6-8 autism medical conferences per year to help nd answers for her sons. As biomedically-based treatments helped her sons begin speaking, she became more involved in research including 3 studies examining the use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in autism. After years of focusing on both her sons and her own medical issues, she has now joined her husband, Dr. Rossignol, and his medical practice as a Nurse Practitioner to try to help families struggling with the underlying medical issues of autism. Lanier has a special interest in autism spectrum disorders, PANS/ PANDAS, chronic fatigue, and health and wellness through diet, supplements and exercise.
Lanier Rossignol, BSN FNP-C
Jared Skowron, ND
Jared Skowron, ND
Theoharis C. Theoharides, BA, MS, MPhil, PhD, MD, FAAAAI
Dr. Theoharides is Professor of Pharmacology and Internal Medicine, as well as Director of Molecular Immunopharmacology and Drug Discovery, in the Department of Immunology at Tufts University School of Medicine. .He first showed that mast cells, known for causing allergic reactions, are critical for inflammation, especially in the brain, and are involved in a number of inflammatory conditions that worsen with stress such as allergies, asthma, autism spectrum disorder, eczema, fibromyalgia, interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome, mast cell activation syndrome, migraines, multiple sclerosis, myalgic encephalomyelitis/ chronic fatigue syndrome and psoriasis. Dr. Theoharides is also the Scientific Director of Algonot, LLC
Theoharis C. Theoharides, BA, MS, MPhil, PhD, MD, FAAAAI
Anju Usman Singh, MD, FAAFP, ABIHM, FMAPS
Anju Usman Singh, MD, FAAFP, ABIHM, FMAPS
Lindsey Wells, ND
Dr. Lindsey Wells is a naturopathic physician in Wilton, CT. She has focused her practice on pediatric consultative care for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), PANS/PANDAS, other neurodevelopmental disorders, and various chronic illnesses. Dr. Wells is an adjunct professor at Sacred Heart University where she teaches anatomy and physiology undergraduate nursing students. Also, Dr. Wells is the President of the Connecticut Naturopathic Physicians Association (CNPA). In 2016, Dr. Wells was recognized as “Young Influencer in Naturopathic Medicine” by the AANMC.
Lindsey Wells, ND
Sara Weirich, M.S. OTR/L
Sara is the co-founder of High Hopes Children’s Therapy, provides occupational therapy to children in both the Cumming and Alpharetta locations. Sara completed her Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy, from Brenau University and earned her Bachelor of Psychology at Virginia Commonwealth University. Sara founded High Hopes Children’s Therapy with her mother, who handles the business operations and also shares the same passion and values for serving children within our community. Sara is a passionate and dedicated occupational therapist who impacts the lives of children she serves by providing efficient research-based and practical treatment combined with love and patience. She implements intervention techniques that support achieving measurable successful results. Sara has extensive experience in implementing the Astronaut Program, a sound-activated vestibular-visual protocol. She also has extensive experience in implementing the Integrated Listening System, an auditory stimulation program that is a progressive auditory training that helps the brain process sensory, cognitive, and emotional information more effectively. In addition, Sara has extensive experience in the integration of primitive reflexes and sensory integration. Sara enjoys working with children of all ages and various diagnoses, including Autism, Down syndrome, Apert syndrome, Cerebral palsy, Sensory processing disorder, and other developmental disabilities and neurological disorders. She has a strong passion for the pediatric population and loves working with children and their families. In her spare time, she loves spending time with her husband, Thomas. Sara also enjoys the outdoors, reading, spending time with her family, and continuing to expand her knowledge in pediatric occupational therapy.
Sara Weirich, M.S. OTR/L
Catherine Whitcher, MEd
Catherine Whitcher, M.Ed, founder of the Master IEP Coach® Mentorship + Network, experienced the struggles of the Special Education system both as a certified teacher and special needs sibling. For the past 24 years she has been creating impact nationwide developing what we now know as the Master IEP Coach® Methods. Catherine currently leads the largest independent organization nationwide of parents and teachers working together to build better special education outcomes for the real world. She holds nothing back as she shows you how she has changed IEPs for decades with a focus on preparing every child for further education, employment, and independent living. www.catherinewhitcher.com
Catherine Whitcher, MEd
Brian Wise, MD, MPH
Dr. Wise is Chief Psychiatric Officer at Lighthouse Complex Care. He is one of the Lighthouse Complex Care founders. He holds a board certification in Child, Adolescent, and Adult Psychiatry. He has a love of medical knowledge and is consistently pursuing certifications and training in a number of specialty areas of mental health and medicine in order to provide the newest and most effective therapies to his patients. Additionally, Dr. Wise is board-certified by the Academy of Integrative and Holistic Medicine for treating numerous disorders and symptoms from a holistic perspective. He has a specific interest in the treatment of autoimmune disorders, concussions, endocrine disorders, and rheumatologic conditions - all in addition to his expertise in psychiatric care.
Brian Wise, MD, MPH
Glenn Wilhelm
Glenn Wilhelm has been the V.P. of Business Development with the IonCleanse by A Major Difference since 2011. Glenn provides training for practitioners on how to integrate the IonCleanse into their practice to help them improve clients outcomes. Glenn has also worked with over a thousand customers within the ASD community on how to maximize the benefits of the IonCleanse by AMD system for their child.
Glenn Wilhelm
Brooke Wagner, M.A.
Brooke Wagner, M.A. has been an RDI® Program Certified Consultant since 2004 and is the Founder and CEO of Therapeutic Approach to Growth. She has supported individuals with special needs both locally and internationally since 2000. As a native to San Diego, she believes in supporting her local community through outreach opportunities, sharing information and resources, and connecting with clients and those impacted with developmental delays on a human level. Brooke is also an RDI® supervisor through RDIConnect in Houston, TX. In this role, she guides and mentors RDI® consultants in training through their certification and learning journey. TAG currently employs 9 RDI® Consultants in the southern California area. Brooke believes in helping one family at a time and is passionate about developing an individualized comprehensive plan for each family to support their journey of growth, which supports them in maximizing their potential in life. She is dedicated to making RDI® more available to families and through this process provides ongoing education to the community. Her goal is to help families and professionals have the knowledge and awareness of RDI® being an intervention option for individuals with special needs.
Brooke Wagner, M.A.
Kurt N. Woeller, D.O.
Kurt N. Woeller, D.O., is a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, integrative and functional medicine physician, and biomedical Autism Treatment Specialist in clinical practice for more than two decades. He is the author of several integrative medicine health books, an international lecturer and educator, and medical education director of Integrative Medicine Academy, an online training academy specializing in functional and integrative medicine courses. He is also the medical director of Functional Medicine Clinical Rounds and Autism Recovery System, two additional online educational resources.
Dr. Woeller teaches the Organic Acids Test training seminar for the Great Plains Laboratory and has presented lectures at many other integrative medicine conferences for years. He has been involved with the Integrative Medicine for Mental Health conference since its inception as a clinical educator.
Through his private practice he focuses on specialized diagnostic testing and treatments for individuals with complex medical conditions like autism, autoimmune and neurological disorders.
Kurt N. Woeller, D.O.
Mark Woodsmall, Esq
Mark Woodsmall is the founder and managing attorney of Woodsmall Law Group, PC, a law firm located in Pasadena, California entirely dedicated to protecting the rights of children and adults with disabilities. Mr. Woodsmall has been practicing law for over 24 years, 15 of which have been exclusively dedicated to advocacy of individuals with developmental disabilities and special needs. Mr. Woodsmall has extensive experience personally appearing before administrative bodies, California state courts, federal district courts, and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
In addition to his legal experience, Mr. Woodsmall has served as part of the faculty at the USC Gould School of Law as a Professor Adjunct, teaching in the area of special education law. He also served as the teaching attorney and contributing curriculum author in the Special Education Advocacy Training Project – Los Angeles, an innovative nationwide advocacy training project funded under grant from the US Department of Education and administered through COPAA. Mr. Woodsmall also sits on the UCLA Center for Autism Research & Treatment (CART) Community Advisory Committee. Mr. Woodsmall is a national lecturer on parent’s rights under the IDEA, Section 504 and the Lanterman Act. Mr. Woodsmall was an invited presenter at the 2012, 2013 and 2014 COPAA Conferences (national conference of student attorneys) in Florida, New Mexico and California.
