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The AET Board
The Board consists of the elected officers, the Immediate Past President and ten (10) Directors who are BCET® or ET/P® members of the Association elected for two-year terms by the voting membership, five (5) in the summer of even-numbered years and five (5) in the summer of odd-numbered years.
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Officers
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*Treasure and Secretary are elected in odd years.
Officers in BLUE will begin a new term October 1, 2023.
Lori Dver, MA, BCET®
PresidentLori earned a BA in Elementary Speech Education from Northwestern University and an MA in School Counseling from UCLA. She has a private educational therapy practice in addition to being the current president of AET. Professionally, Lori has been a teacher, curriculum coordinator, director of admissions and middle school head. Before stepping into her private practice, Lori designed, and brought to fruition, the learning support program for a large K-12 private school in Pasadena, CA.
Pamm Scribner, MEd, BCET®
President-ElectPamm earned a BA in sociology from Eastern Washington University, and a Master’s Degree in Education from San Francisco State University. She works with non-traditional learners with dyslexia, ADHD, and/or executive function challenges. Over the past 45 years,she has gained experience in various educational settings, has presented at local workshops and national conferences, and has trained educational therapists. Currently, she is focused on transitions and boundary setting for educational therapists. Her volunteer positions with AET include supervision, Membership Committee Chair, and President-Elect. Pamm has enjoyed living in the San Francisco Bay Area and is now exploring the adventures of living in Eastern Oregon.
Susan Grama, MA, CCC-SLP, ET/P®, FAET
TreasurerSusan is an educational therapist and speech-language pathologist in private practice in the north San Fernando Valley, California. She has worked in public and private schools and inpatient and outpatient hospital settings where she provided assessment and treatment services to children and adults with acquired and developmental speech and language disorders. Currently, Susan’s practice focuses on clients with learning disabilities and/or language impairments that impact literacy skills and mathematical reasoning ability. She has served as AET president, program services chair, and allied professional subcommittee chair, and is AET’s current treasurer.
Patricia Kimathi, EdD, ET/P®
SecretaryPatricia holds an MA in Clinical Psychology and an Ed.D in Educational Leadership and Change. She is the co-owner of an educational therapy center specializing in working with gifted, talented, and twice exceptional children. Her broad range of administrative and teaching experiences include pre-K through high school in both public and private school,and her present position as a fieldwork instructor at Loyola Marymount University. She is a co-founder of Central Cities Association for Gifted and Talented Children and is AET’s current executive committee secretary.
Kaye Ragland, Ed.D, MFT, BCET®, FAET
Immediate Past PresidentKaye holds an MA in Marriage, Child, Family Counseling and an Ed.D in Educational Leadership and Change. She has an Education Specialist Credential, a Marriage and Family Therapist license, and is a Board-Certified Educational Therapist. Kaye has a private educational therapy practice. She has been a Director of Special Education, classroom and RSP teacher, school counselor, and principal.
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Directors
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*Directors in BLUE will begin new terms October 1, 2023.
Gillian Barreca, ET/P®2022-2024Judith Brennan, MEd, BCET®, FAET2020-2024Sherry Cramer, MS, ET/P®, FAET2023-2025Bonnie Massimino, BCET®2022-2024Polly Mayer, MEd, ET/P®2022-2024)Marci Peterson, MEd, BCET®, C-SLDS2023-2025Alice Pulliam, MA, BCET®, FAET2023-2025Eva Sandler, ET/P®2022-2024Kara Scanlon, MEd, ET/P®2023-2025Ashley Shapiro, BCET®2023-2025
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Committee Heads
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Certification BoardAshley Shapiro, BCET®DevelopmentEva Sandler, ET/P®FinanceSusan Grama, MA, CCC-SLP, ET/P®, FAETGovernanceAlice Pulliam, MA, BCET®, FAETMarketing and OutreachGillian Barreca, ET/P®MembershipPamm Scribner, MEd, BCET®Member & Public InformationSherry Cramer, MS, ET/P®, FAETNational ConferenceKara Scanlon, MEd, ET/P®
Marci Peterson, MEd, BCET®, C-SLDSProfessional AffairsPolly Mayer, MEd, ET/P®Program ServicesBonnie Massimino, MEd, BCET® -
Committee Descriptions
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AET encourages members to get involved. We are all volunteers and rely on members to help maintain our excellence as an organization. If you are interested in learning more about a particular committee or subcommittee, please contact the committee chair anytime.
The Conference Committee is responsible for offering the highest level of professional content for educational therapists, allied professionals, and the community at AET’s Annual Conference. This committee is tasked with securing featured and breakout session speakers and is responsible for all aspects of the planning and production of each year’s conference. There are a variety of ways to get involved with this committee, and all membership levels are encouraged to participate. (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
The Development Committee designs, implements, and provides oversight of AET’s fundraising opportunities and campaigns, including grants and general revenue sources. All membership levels are welcome to join this committee and no prior experience in development is required. (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
The Finance Committee is responsible for oversight of AET’s financial affairs and fiscal policy. Essential tasks include budget preparation, financial reporting, supervision of tax filing, approval of payables, and long-range planning. The committee’s goal is to ensure the financial health of the Association. All membership levels are welcome. Some financial background is helpful, but not required. All interested members are welcome. (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
The Governance Committee oversees the performance of the Board of Directors. It reviews and recommends updates to Board policies and establishes Board standards of behavior, ensuring compliance with AET’s bylaws and Code of Ethics. It proposes candidates to be nominated for Board positions and oversees Board orientation. BCET® or ET/P® members are eligible to be invited to participate in this oversight committee. (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
The Member & Public Information Committee (MPI) provides information to AET members and the community and also represents AET on the National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities (NJCLD). MPI is responsible for disseminating information to AET members through the monthly eNews and our educational journal, The Educational Therapist. This committee addresses professional relationships, public policy, and social justice issues related to AET’s Vision, Mission and Core Values. All membership levels are invited to join this committee. (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
The Membership Committee oversees the membership application process and monitors continuing education (CE) requirements for members, including evaluating non-AET events for CE credit. The committee reviews applications for Student and Associate memberships, and oversees the process of becoming an ET/P®. BCET® and ET/P® members are eligible to join this committee. (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
The Outreach Committee promotes the field of educational therapy, the Association of Educational Therapists (AET), and its programs to members, potential members, and the community through mentoring programs and social media/website. All membership levels are invited to participate in the Outreach Committee. Tech savvy members are especially encouraged to join. (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
A subcommittee of the Outreach Committee is the Mentor Program. This is a short term, introductory program pairing ET/P®’s with new Associate Level ET’s to provide support and mentorship. For more information on becoming a Mentor or participating as a Mentee, please email us at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
The Professional Affairs Committee addresses areas of professional concern for AET members. This committee is responsible for reviewing and supporting AET-approved higher educational programs in educational therapy, promoting and reviewing research related to the field, and offering guidance to members regarding the ethical practice of educational therapy. Members at the BCET® and ET/P® levels, especially those with experience in higher education, are welcome to join this committee (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
The Program Services Committee offers a variety of professional development opportunities and cohesive programming options to AET members and the community through virtual webinars, regional workshops, local study groups, virtual study groups, and other professional discussion groups. All membership levels are invited to join this committee. (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
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Past Presidents of AET
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1979-1981Dorothy Ungerleider1982-1984Barbara Kornblau*1984-1986Gail Werbach1986-1988Susan Fogelson*1988-1990Carole Slucki1990-1992Ellen Opell1992-1994Beverly Borine1994-1996Maxine Ficksman1996-1998Beverly Metcalf*1998-2000Ann Kaganoff2000-2002Nan Freund2002-2004Sandy Mosk2004-2006Linda Schwarz2006-2008Debbie Doyle2008-2010Risa Graff2010-2012Marcy Dann2012-2014Jeanette Rivera2014-2016Alice Pulliam2016-2018Judy Brennan2018-2020Susan Grama2020-2022Kaye Ragland2022-2024Lori Dver*deceased
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Advisory Board
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Nan Freund, MEd, BCET®, FAETAdvisory Board Chair, Educational Therapist, Claremont, CA
Nan Freund, MEd, BCET®, FAET, is a Board Certified Educational Therapist, a Fellow of the Association of Educational Therapists, and a past president of AET. She has been an educator for over 50 years and a founding member of Educational Services Associates, a multidisciplinary group practice in Chicago, for 34 of those years. Prior to becoming an educational therapist Nan taught special education in both public and private schools and had administrative and supervisory experience.
Nan led AET into the digital age, first during her term as president from 2000 to 2002 by insisting the Board use email and then with the creation of AET’s first website during her tenure. In 2014 she founded AET’s Webinar Committee, which she chaired until 2022, bringing high level professional development to members and the broader public worldwide. In addition, she was instrumental in creating an awareness of educational therapy and AET in Chicago, serving as study group leader and regional workshop chair for many years. Nan now lives in Claremont, California, where she conducts a small private practice, supervises Associate Professional ETs who are working toward Professional membership, continues to serve on several AET committees.
Joan Axelrod, MEdAdjunct Professor, School Psychology Program, Massachusetts School of Professional PsychologyJoan Axelrod, MEd, is an adjunct faculty member in the School Psychology program and the Coordinator of the Academic Resource Center (ARC) at William James College (formerly the Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology). She spent many years in private practice as a psychoeducational diagnostician evaluating school-aged with learning and developmental disabilities and consulting to local school systems on assessment and intervention. Her evaluations integrate cognitive, neuropsychological and educational assessment data to develop instructional recommendations. Prior to working in private practice, she was the Clinical Director of the Medical Educational Center at North Shore Children's Hospital, Salem MA. She earned a bachelor's degree from Clark University and a master's in education from Boston University. She has been teaching at William James since 2007 and, since 2014, she has been providing writing and study support to William James students through the ARC.
www.williamjames.edu/about/profiles/faculty/joan-axelrod.cfm
Jane Holmes Bernstein, PhDFormer Director, Neuropsychology Program, Children's Hospital, Boston, MAJane Holmes Bernstein, PhD has been an AET friend, colleague, and Advisory Board member for many years. She is a staff neuropsychologist at Boston Children's Hospital who has helped to develop, apply and teach a “whole-child” assessment model for the behavioral observation of children with learning and behavioral disorders. She is the co-editor of the popular book, Mind, Brain and Education in Reading Disorders, and is the namesake of the annual Jane Bernstein Lecture in Neuropsychology at Boston Children's. Also an associate professor of Psychology at Harvard Medical School, Bernstein divides her time between her teaching and research responsibilities and her professional work with children in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago in the West Indies.
Edwin Ellis, PhDResearch Partner, University of Kansas; Professor Emeritus, University of Alabama; President, Makes Sense Strategies, LLCMaxine Ficksman, MA, BCET®, FAETEducational Therapist, Greater Los Angeles Area, CAMaxine Ficksman, MA, BCET®, FAET; Past-President of AET, an Educational Therapist in the Greater Los Angeles Area, and published author, has worked in regular and special education for the past 45 years, specializing in guiding students with learning difficulties and their families through the educational process. For the past 25 years, she has developed, coordinated, and taught graduate-level educational therapy training programs.
Andrew FogelsonGreater Los Angeles Area, CAAndrew Fogelson spent most of 50 years as a film executive, running Marketing and Distribution for three major studios before becoming head of Polygram Films. iI the middle of all of that, he produced six movies, three of which have never been heard of (mercifully) and three that actually made some money: BLUE THUNDER, SPRING BREAK, and JUST ONE OF THE GUYS. More importantly, his late wife, Susan, was a founding member of AET...and my dearest friend.
Edward M. Hallowell, MDThe Hallowell Center, Massachusetts, New York, San Francisco, and SeattleEdward Hallowell, MD, a child and adult psychiatrist, is a NY Times bestselling author, world-renowned speaker, leading authority in the field of ADHD and a friend and colleague to AET. He is a graduate of Harvard College and Tulane Medical School, and the founder of The Hallowell Centers in Massachusetts, New York City, San Francisco, and Seattle. He was a member of the Harvard Medical School faculty from 1983 until he retired from academics in 2004 to devote his full professional attention to his clinical practice, lectures, and the writing of books. He has authored eighteen books on various psychological topics, including attention deficit disorder, the power of the human connection, the childhood roots of happiness in life, methods of forgiving others, dealing with worry and managing excessive busyness. Dr. Hallowell's newest book, SHINE: Using Brain Science to Bring out the Best in Your People was published by Harvard Business School Press in January 2011.
Stephen Hinshaw, PhDProfessor of Psychology, UC Berkeley; Vice Chair for Psychology at UC San FranciscoStephen Hinshaw, PhD, is Professor of Psychology at UC Berkeley and Vice Chair for Psychology at UC San Francisco. His work focuses on developmental psychopathology, clinical interventions, and mental illness stigma. He has authored over 300 articles and chapters, plus 12 books. He is a Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He received a Distinguished Teaching Award from UC Berkeley’s College of Letters and Sciences. His research efforts have been recognized by the Distinguished Scientist Award from the Society for a Science of Clinical Psychology (2015) and the James McKeen Cattell Award from the Association for Psychological Science (2016)—its highest award, for a lifetime of outstanding contributions to applied psychological research. His work has been featured regularly in the media, including major newspapers and magazines, the Today Show, the CBS Evening News, ABC World News Tonight, CNN, and many more.
Doris J. Johnson, PhDProfessor Emeritus, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Learning Disabilities Program, Northwestern University, Evanston, ILDoris Johnson, PhD, is a longtime friend and colleague to AET and is the JoAnn G. and Peter F. Dolle Professor Emerita in Learning Disabilities at Northwestern University. She is a pioneer in the study of learning disabilities. Along with her colleague Helmer R. Myklebust, she is the author of Learning Disabilities: Educational Principles and Practice, a landmark book that became one of the foundational texts for understanding otherwise healthy children who have difficulty processing certain information. Her research focuses on the importance of symbols in the learning process and how problems affect an individual's ability to understand and use various types of information. She has served as the executive director for the International Academy for Research in Learning Disabilities, remains active in the Learning Disabilities Association of America, and is currently working on an early literacy project with several graduate students for the Chicago Public Schools. https://www.communication.northwestern.edu/faculty/DorisJohnson Barbara Keogh, PhD, is a longtime friend and colleague to AET. She is Professor Emerita in both the Graduate School of Education at the University of California, Los Angeles, and in their Department of Psychiatry. She is a licensed clinical psychologist in California. Her research interests are in children with developmental and learning problems and in learning disabilities. She was the recipient of the 1992 Research Award from the Council for Exceptional Children.
George McCloskey, PhDDirector of School Psychology Research, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic MedicineGeorge McCloskey, PhD, is a friend and colleague of AET, and a contributing author to the textbook, The Clinical Practice of Educational Therapy (2010). Dr. McCloskey is a Professor and Director of School Psychology Research in the Psychology Department of the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. He frequently presents at national, regional and state meetings on cognitive and neuropsychological assessment and intervention topics. Dr. McCloskey consults with a number of school districts and individual clients in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and California on issues related to improving students' self-regulation capacities in the classroom and at home, behavior management, and assessment and intervention for executive function difficulties related to academic and behavior problems. Dr. McCloskey is the lead author of Assessment and Intervention for Executive Function Difficulties and author of Essentials of Executive Function Assessment.
Marshall H. Raskind, PhDEducational Research and Consulting, Bainbridge Island, WAMarshall H. Raskind, PhD, is an educational researcher and consultant focusing on learning and attention problems. His primary research interests are in the areas of learning difficulties across the lifespan, factors predictive of “life success,” assistive technology, and the impact of online social networking on children with learning and attention problems. His research, interventions, and program development are aimed at fostering the educational and life success of individuals struggling with learning. This work has led to advances in the understanding of academic interventions, assistive technology, social interactions, risk and resilience, online social networking, and lifespan development. Dr. Raskind has previously served as Director of Research and Special Projects at the Charles and Helen Schwab Foundation, Director of Research at the Frostig Center in Pasadena, California, and head of the California State University, Northridge Learning Disability Program and Computer Access Lab. He is a Fellow and past Vice President of the International Academy for Research in Learning Disabilities, as well as a former member of the Research Committee of the Council for Learning Disabilities, and the Professional Advisory Board of the National Center for Learning Disabilities. He is a frequent presenter at international education conferences and author of numerous peer-reviewed professional publications, as well as many consumer-based publications which provide scholarly research in accessible articles to parents, practitioners, and the general public.
Michael Spagna, PhDDean, Michael D. Eisner College of Education, California State University - NorthridgeMichael Spagna, PhD, is the Dean of Cal State Northridge’s College of Education and a supporter of training programs for educational therapists. During his early years at CSUN, Dr. Spagna began to lay the conceptual groundwork for the highly respected Center for Teaching and Learning, which provides national leadership in preparing educators to support the success of all types of learners through cutting-edge innovations in teacher training. Earlier in his career Dr. Spagna taught students with special needs, served as a demonstration teacher at UCLA’s Neuropsychiatric Institute, and helped coordinate UC Berkeley’s Services to Students with Learning Disabilities Program. Dr. Spagna was a contributing co-author to several articles and texts, including a chapter entitled “Counseling with Exceptional Children” in the text Counseling Children and Adolescents (2006); the text Curriculum, Assessment, and Instruction for Students with Disabilities (1999); and several chapters on learning disorders in the two-volume Comprehensive Textbook of Psychiatry (2000).
Dorothy Ungerleider, MA, BCET®, FAETEducational Therapist, Encino, CADorothy Ungerleider, MA, BCET®, FAET, an educational therapist in Encino, California, was founding President of AET and first Advisory Board Chair, working to standardize the profession of educational therapy. She is the author of the books Reading, Writing, and Rage, and Educational Therapy in Action: Behind and beyond the office door, as well as Psychoeducational Perspectives: A compilation. She and Phyllis Maslow co-authored AET’s” Position Paper on the SAT arguing for extended time as an option for ALL students, as well as the first research paper on efficacy of educational therapy. She served as President of MACE (Multidisciplinary Academy of Clinical Educators), contributing to its document, “Strategies for Public School Reform.” She supervises novice educational therapists and has helped develop training programs in educational therapy at UCLA and California State University Northridge. Ungerleider also mentored public school teachers for Levine’s “Schools Attuned” program; was a faculty lecturer for the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, writing an LD screening tool for the Bench Book for juvenile court judges to identify individuals with learning issues coming through the justice system; spearheaded a pro bono Community Service Project for two juvenile justice agencies, bringing remedial and advocacy services to a delinquent population.
Maryanne Wolf, PhDDirector, Center for Reading and Language Research, Tufts University, Medford, MAMaryanne Wolf, PhD, is Director of the Center for Reading and Language at Tufts University. She received her doctorate from Harvard University in the Department of Human Development and Psychology in the Graduate School of Education, where she began her work on the neurological underpinnings of reading, language, and dyslexia. Professor Wolf was awarded the Distinguished Professor of the Year Award from the Massachusetts Psychological Association, and also the Teaching Excellence Award from the American Psychological Association. Her current research in collaboration with Dr. Pat Bowers concerns a new conceptualization of developmental dyslexia, the Double-Deficit Hypothesis. This work was the subject of a recent special issue of the Journal of Learning Disabilities. Along with colleagues Dr. Robin Morris and Dr. Maureen Lovett, Professor Wolf has been awarded a NICHD Shannon Award for Innovative Research and several multiyear NICHD grants to investigate new approaches to reading intervention. She received the Norman Geschwind Lecture Award from the International Dyslexia Association for neuroscience research in dyslexia. She is the author of the RAVE-O Intervention Program, an evidence-based fluency comprehension program for struggling readers that has proven successful in two major federal studies. She has edited the book, Dyslexia, Fluency, and the Brain and is the author of Proust and the Squid: The story and science of the reading brain.