Judith S. Bass, CEP, founder of Bass Educational Services, LLP, has been active in the field of education for 30 years as an educator, tutor, admissions counselor, and educational consultant. She has extensive experience working with students with a range of learning disabilities in a variety of settings.  She has earned a Certificate in College Counseling from UCLA and is a Certified Educational Planner.  She is in private practice as a college counselor for students with learning differences bass educational.

  Ann Bracken, M.Ed., brings over fifteen years of teaching experience to her expressive arts coaching practice. By combining skills in content area knowledge with innovative, arts-based approaches she has witnessed many students come alive as learners. Throughout her teaching career, Ms. Bracken focused on assisting learning-disabled middle school, high school, and college students in the areas of writing, literature, reading, organization, and study skills. Ms. Bracken applies her knowledge of brain-based learning and multiple intelligences to help students tap into their unique learning styles. Her background as a poetry therapist and journal instructor provides her with unique insights into the issues of learning difficulties, social relations, and self esteem and enables her to engage students through multisensory exercises and methods. Ann Bracken's web page

Rebecca Braukus, M.Ed.,a Music Resource Teacher in the Howard County Public School System, works with 187 county music teachers with a focus on staff support, professional development, curriculum and assessment design and implementation, communication, and adjudications.  Prior to being named Music Resource Teacher, Ms. Braukus spent 19 years in the classroom, teaching band, strings, chorus, and general music.  She received the Howard County Music Educator of the Year Award in 1998 and is the past Recording Secretary for the Maryland Music Educator Association.  Rebecca holds a B.S. in Music Education and a Master’s Degree in Teaching – Arts Integration Focus.Howard county PS Music Page

 Sarah Irvine Belson, Ph.D., Dean of the School of Education, Teaching and Health and an Associate Professor of Education, specializes in technology integration. Her research activities focus on infusing effective components of instructional design with emerging technology across the field of education. In addition to extensive use of computer-mediated instruction in her teacher preparation courses, Irvine directs several school-based projects examining implementation of high-end technology, telecommunications and international networking in the classroom. She has trained pre-service and in-service teachers in the area of electronic communication and technology integration. She serves as a consultant to schools and businesses on design, implementation, and analysis of technology-based solutions to instruction and application development. Through field-based research, Irvine has successfully worked to integrate Internet-based activities into educational programs for rural and at-risk K–12 students. Her background in special education provides a knowledge-base for development of the types of support that assist educators to adaptively respond to a variety of individual differences in learning strategies among students. Irvine-Belson's publications include a textbook, Integrating Technology into Special Education (Houghton-Mifflin) and "Serendipity and the Teachable Moment," in Technos Quarterly for Education and Technology, Volume 11:1.  Dr. Irvine Belson's AU page.

Rose Blucher, M.Ed., is a Special Education Instructional Specialist for Gifted/ LD Students in PG County and a private educational consultant. Ms. Blucher coordinates countywide support services for twice-exceptional students in Prince George’s County Public Schools, K-12.  In her role as the first Special Education Instructional Specialist for GT/LD Students, she has supported gifted students, parents, and educators by developing and overseeing identification procedures, developing model lessons, and writing guidebooks and curriculum specifically for twice-exceptional students and training thousands of teachers for close to 20 years.  She developed the county’s first high school program for GT/LD students in 1988 and later replicated the model beginning in 1995 throughout the school system.  Ms. Blucher has served as an educational consultant to surrounding jurisdictions, schools, and parents and has presented at numerous state, national, and international conferences.  She has taught at the undergraduate level and is an adjunct faculty member for the graduate school at Johns Hopkins University. She has served as an appointed member on the Maryland State Advisory Council for Gifted Education for the past five years and also serves as a member of the Prince George’s County Advisory Council for Gifted Education. She has received numerous awards at the local and state level for her outstanding work with twice-exceptional students and families. Prince George's County PS.

Katharina Boser, Ph.D. has a doctorate in developmental psychology and cognitive science from Cornell University. She has a research background studying language processing in early development, language impairments in both adults (stroke patients with aphasia) and children (autism and ADHD). She was on the faculty at the Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Department of Neurology/ Neuropsychology, until 2005 where she studied cognitive skills in subjects with autism, published on the use of computerized language systems for this population. She currently serves as the committee Chair for the Innovative Technology Committee for Autism Speaks and serves as a scientific advisor for robotics technology for children with autism with Anthrotronix, in Silver Spring, MD. She is also the president of Individual Differences in Learning (IDL). Dr. Boser has written and produced professional development materials and set of DVDs for IDL entitled, "Walking the Path with the twice-exceptional Learning: Understanding the paradox of exceptional strengths and weaknesses" made possible in part by a Horizon Foundation grant, in collaboration with the Howard County Public School System.

Fran Levin Bowman, M.Ed., is a Fellow in the Academy of Orton-Gillingham Practitioners and Educators. Fran has had over 34 years experience in teaching, testing, and guiding families of children with learning differences. She is the author of Bowman's Orton-Gillingham "Plus" Guidebook. She has taught courses in all areas of special education to graduate education students, at five different colleges. Ms. Bowman is an adjunct faculty member in the Graduate Department of Education at Goucher College in Towson.  She is a former President of the Maryland Branch of the International Dyslexia Association. Ms. Bowman is a recipient of the prestigious R.M.N. Crosby Award, a lifetime achievement award, given each year by the Learning Disabilities Association and the International Dyslexia Association, to one distinguished educator in Maryland. Fran is currently on the Executive Board of the Margaret Byrd Rawson Institute, an organization which serves dyslexic individuals. http://www.bowmaneducationalservices.com.

Joyce Cooper-Kahn,  Ph.D., is a clinical child psychologist who specializes in helping children to successfully manage developmental challenges. Using her expertise in the assessment and treatment of learning, attention, and social-emotional difficulties, she works with children, families, and educators to build children's competencies. Dr. Cooper-Kahn is the co-founder of Psychological Resource Associates, a private mental health practice in Severna Park, Maryland (http://www.pra-info.com). She is a frequent speaker on topics related to ADHD, executive functioning, child development and parenting. She is the author, with Laurie Dietzel, Ph.D., of Late, Lost and Unprepared: A Parent"s Guide to Helping Children with Executive Functioning. (http://www.woodbinehouse.com). She is the parent of an adult son with AD/HD and executive skills weaknesses.

Elizabeth (Beth) Francazi, M.A. has over 22 years of experience in education with AACPS. She has been a classroom teacher, a Reading Recovery teacher and is currently a resource teacher with the Advanced Services and Programs office. She earned a Master's in Educational Technology from Johns Hopkins and a second Master's while qualifying for certification in Adminstration and certification in Gifted Education also through Johns Hopkins University. She has worked on using Naglieri Nonverbal Assessment scores and comparing them to achievement test scores to help locate possible twice-exceptional learners. She is a strong advocate for meeting the instructional needs of all students Anne Arundel Public Schools

Joan Green, SLP-CCC is the founder of Innovative Speech Therapy (http://www.innovativespeech.com), a private speech-language pathology practice in the Washington, DC area. She has spoken extensively to education and rehabilitation professionals as well as clients and caregivers at the local, state and national levels to promote the integration of computers and technology into treatment to help people of all ages who have communication, learning, literacy and cognitive challenges. She is the author of Technology for Communication and Cognitive Treatment: The Clinician"s Guide (Dr. Green's new book ) Over the past 23 years, Ms. Green has developed a number of programs to help clients, families and professionals learn to use technology to enhance outcomes. In addition to intensive in-person therapy programs using technology, she now offers online life coaching for families and distance online training using application sharing for professionals. Ms. Green received her undergraduate and graduate level education and training at Northwestern University. She grew up in Buffalo, NY and lives in Potomac, MD with her husband Mark, their four children and Honey- their yellow lab.

Gail Humphries Mardirosian, Ph.D., is the Chair of the Department of Performing Arts at the American University, where she is now in her 25th year as a professor of theatre. While at American, Dr. Madirosian received Awards for Outstanding Service to the University community, the Outstanding Teaching Award for the College of Arts and Sciences, and the Outstanding Teaching Award from Alpha Chi Omega. She will be implementing a Fulbright Scholar Award for the 08-09 academic year, teaching at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, Czech Republic. To date, she has directed a total of 106 productions, including musicals, serious dramas, the classics and children's theatre, in varied venues throughout the United States. She is particularly interested in cross-disciplinary instruction K-16. She founded Imagination Quest (IQ) over 12 years ago as an arts-integration curriculum, teacher training and research project. She has also focused in international theatre and has presented papers and productions in various countries, including Russia, Greece, England and the Czech Republic. She has presented at over 100 conferences, with the most recent one, the Czechoslovak Arts and Letters World Congress, at the Catholic University in Ruzomberok, Slovakia. Dr. Mardirosian is also an arts education consultant and has served numerous non-profit performing arts organizations in that capacity. She has multiple publications in arts education, theatre and psychology, as well as international theatre.Dr. Mardirosian's AU web page

Marcia Howard, is a dancer and arts educator. She has been performing with Coyaba Dance Theater since 1997 and has toured throughout Africa with the company. She began her training in Baltimore, MD with the Francine School of Dance and The Baltimore Dance Theater. She studied West African dance with Sylvia Soumah and traveled to Dakar, Senegal in 2000 and 2008, to study with Bouly Sonko of Les Ballet du Senegal and to work with other local dancers. Ms. Howard is an Adjunct Faculty member at American University and is on faculty at Dance Place and Coyaba Academy. She is the Assistant Director of Coyaba Dance Theater, an instructor/choreographer with Imagination Stage, and conducts creative movement workshops with the elderly and special needs populations.

Robert Keddell, M.S. has over a 35-year career 'crusaded' for innovative education and curriculum design. Recognition has included two Presidential Teaching Awards, numerous grant awards, national creative teaching awards and consultant opportunities. Mr. Keddell's current education positions include the Graduate level teaching courses entitled Action Research for School Improvement and Teacher Leadership at Johns Hopkins University, a development position as an Extended Day Resource Teacher at Lime Kiln Middle School in Howard County, and as Summer Director of a growing organization entitled "Educators Connecting Research to the K-16 Classroom – ECRC". His creative teaching delivery format entitled "motivation education" has grown out of his Aqua Havens program"s researched Accelerated Learning Triangle for youth and families which is Mr. Keddell’s response to today’s learning needs.

George Lynn, M.A., M.P.A., LM.H.C is a Washington State Licensed Mental Health Counselor with a practice located in Bellevue, Washington. He holds Masters Degrees in Psychology from Antioch University and Public Administration from the University of Colorado. He has worked in the counseling field in Washington since 1976 and has taught course work at the graduate level in individual and organizational psychology at the University of Puget Sound, Antioch University, and Chapman College. In his practice with children, and adults, Mr. Lynn affirms aspects of personal strength and character to help his clients achieve purposeful, enjoyable lives. His desired outcome from all his counseling work is greater client "authenticity"— greater ability to be oneself honestly and effectively in the world. He is the author of four popular books on the topic of parenting children with neurological differences. In his books, Mr. Lynn provides both practical parenting strategies and tips for parent self-care. He has appeared on the Maury Povich Show, National Public Radio, and Air America to discuss his work and writing.George Lynn's web page

David Markey, M.A. , M.F.A. (Director of Education at Imagination Stage) oversees the arts education program for an estimated 3,000 students each year at Imagination Stage in Bethesda, MD. Mr. Markey is also a teaching artist with the Imagination Quest (I.Q.) program; an arts-based educational outreach partnership between Imagination Stage and American University. He is an adjunct professor with the School of Education and Health at American University. Mr. Markey holds an MA from University College Dublin, an MFA from Trinity College Dublin and his teaching qualification from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. He is Chair of the Youth Theatre Network of the American Alliance of Theatre and Education and also a member of British Equity.

Rachel Masson is the Associate Director of Admissions at Landmark College as well as a 1997 Landmark College graduate. Ms. Masson completed her undergraduate studies in Social Policy at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and is currently working on advanced course work in Public Policy Administration. Ms. Masson has worked in a number of roles at Landmark for the past six years as well as with at-risk youth in western Massachusetts. As a twice-exceptional person, Ms. Masson understands the difficulties and successes twice-exceptional students face when transitioning to college.

Bill McCauley, M.A. is the G/T Resource Teacher at Folly Quarter Middle School in Howard County.  He taught English at all grade levels for 26 years before moving into his present job.  His B.A. in German and M.A. in English are from George Mason University, and he recently completed an M.A. in G/T Education at the University of Connecticut.  This past summer he co-taught a professional development course in G/T Education for the MSDE in Wicomico County.  He has developed and presented professional development workshops in brain-based learning and the social/emotional needs of gifted students.  His areas of expertise in G/T education are twice-exceptional students, the social/emotional needs of G/T students, gender issues in G/T education, and developmental bibliotherapy for gifted kids.  Being multilingual himself, he is currently interested in looking into the relationship between multilingualism and giftedness.Bill McCauley's web page

Sherri Morisco is currently in her 3rd year of teaching at Folly Quarter Middle School in Howard County, Maryland. She has a bachelors degree from The Pennsylvania State University in Secondary Education: Earth and Space science. Sherri teaches 6th grade Earth Science and 7th grade Life science. She runs the school's Environmental Club as well as a Design Team that will be competing with Glenwood Middle School in the First Annual Trebuchet Launch Competition, to be held in May. Ms. Morisco has been a part of Northrop Grumman's Weightless Flights of Discovery in September 2007 and Boeing's Educators at Space Camp this past July.Sheri Morisco's web page

Julie Morrison, Psy. D. has advocated for children facing challenges throughout her 16 year career, seeking ways to help them and those in their support system identify and nurture their strengths.  Early in her career, she worked for the Kennedy Krieger Institute Family Center of the Johns Hopkins Hospital, where she conducted psychological evaluations and provided individual and group therapy to children in out of home placement, secondary to histories of abuse and neglect.  She recognized the value for the child in bridging home and school environments, presenting her work at the National Association of School Psychologists, the American Orthopsychiatric Association, and the Child Welfare League.  She published a journal article in the International Journal of Play Therapy and a book chapter on emotional development and disorders in young children in foster care.  In her doctoral research, she focused on protective factors, specifically those associated with children’s response to chronic community violence, which was also subsequently published in Trauma, Violence, and Abuse: A Review Journal.  Prior to Dr. Morrison’s re-specialization and move into private practice, where comprehensive psychological evaluations from a neuropsychological perspective comprise the bulk of her clinical practice, she worked in a variety of outpatient settings.  Dr. Morrison is recognized by the National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology.  She is a member of the American Psychological Association and the Maryland Psychological Association, where she serves on the Professional Practice Committee.  She received her doctorate in psychology from the American School of Professional Psychology.Dr. Morrison's web page

Linda Newton, M.Ed. is in her 20^th year in art education for the Howard County Public Schools. Prior to teaching art, she was an elementary classroom teacher. She has taught art at the high school and elementary levels and helped to implement Arts Integration strategies at her school. She is currently serving as the Resource Teacher for the Visual Arts, working with the county"s 108 art teachers. She is the recipient of the 2008 Maryland Art Educator of the Year and the 2001 Howard County Arts Council"s Outstanding Art Teacher of the Year. Linda holds a BS in Elementary Education, BS in Art Education, and MEd in Art Education. 

Edwin C. Oliver, Psy.D. is a Licensed Psychologist in Maryland. In 2003, he was appointed by the Governor to the Maryland Advisory Council on Mental Hygiene. In 2007, he was appointed to the Special Education State Advisory Committee by the Maryland Secretary of Education. Dr. Oliver has worked in hospitals, clinics and schools. Currently, he is the Head of Psychological Services in Baltimore at the Baltimore Lab School, which is a Division of the Lab School of Washington, where he specializes in working with children and adolescents who have been diagnosed with learning disabilities and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Dr. Oliver also teaches at Johns Hopkins University and maintains a private practice. Prior to coming to the Baltimore Lab, he worked for the Baltimore City School Systems as a school psychologist at Lake Clifton-Eastern High School. Dr. Oliver has been admitted as an expert witness in a number of cases regarding student's Individual Education Plans (IEPS) ---and he and has had colorful experiences on all sides of this often confusing table with families, advocates, and attorneys.

Betty Roffman Shevitz has over twenty-five years of experience with gifted students. She currently serves as an instructional specialist for gifted students in Montgomery County Public Schools and coordinates the Wings Mentor Program, a countywide program she co-developed to support GT/LD students. She is co-author of Smart Kids With Learning Difficulties, and several articles, including "Mentoring Empowers Gifted/learning-disabled Students to Soar" for Roeper Review.

Brandon Shifflett is a graduate of Salisbury University with a B.S. in Biology and Secondary Science Education.  He also holds a Masters Degree in Curriculum Development from McDaniel College.  He is currently Science Instructional Team Leader for Lime Kiln Middle School in Howard County, Maryland.  Through his summer work with Educators Connecting Research to the K-16 Classroom and Motivation Education, Mr. Shifflett is able to work with science experts at the Smithsonian to design AAAS National Standards based authentic simulations both for the student enrichment programs, but also to enhance his school year instruction and work with colleagues.  Hands on education is his specialty. B. Shifflett's web page

Andrew Spang, M.M., M.Ed., is the Director of Bands at Folly Quarter Middle School in Howard County.  He serves as the Music Technology Representative to the Music Leadership Team in Howard County, and has received the Maryland "Outstanding Music Teacher" Award in 2007-2008 from the Maryland Music Educators Association in recognition for his unusual teaching techniques, dedication and effective instruction.  He is in demand as a performer, composer, arranger, clinician and guest conductor throughout Maryland.  He holds a B.M. in Music Performance from The Boston Conservatory, a M.M. from the Eastman School of Music, and a M.S. Ed. from Western Maryland College (now McDaniel College).A. Spang's page

 

Carolyn Staudt, Ph.D. is the Director of Universal Design Learning at The Concord Consortium, (The Concord Organization ), an organization that has pioneered research on innovative approaches to education that exploit technology. Thirteen years ago Robert Tinker started the nonprofit Concord Consortium that began with initial development of probeware for learning based on real-time measurements. The team at TERC was the first to develop "network science" for dispersed science investigations. The initial result of this work was the NGS Kids Network, the first curriculum making extensive use of student collaboration and data sharing. The Consortium developed the Virtual High School and professional development based on online learning. Current work focuses on sophisticated simulations in science, probeware, and handhelds, and applications of these technologies to pressing educational issues, with a particular focus on underrepresented students. A current focus is applying technology to student progress monitoring and supporting diverse learners. The open source, free technologies emerging from the Concord Consortium are being integrated into learning modules that that offer a glimpse of what inquiry-based education could look like in a few years.

Marisa Stemple, M.Ed., GT/LD Instructional Specialist, coordinates and provides GT/LD services for student in Montgomery County Public Schools. She works closely with parents and staff to ensure that twice-exceptional students in MCPS reach their full potential by providing consultative services to schools, by providing information and professional development to staff, and by coordinating the GT/LD programs for students in grades 2-12 in MCPS. Prior to her current position, Ms. Stemple was a teacher in a GT/LD middle school program and learned through experience "what works" for GT/LD students. She has been selected to present about various aspects of GT/LD programming and instruction at local, state, and national conferences.

Manorama Talaiver, Ed.D., is Director of the Institute for Teaching through Technology and Innovative Practices (ITTIP) of Longwood University.  Working closely with 25 school divisions in Southside Virginia, her current educational technology initiatives focus on motivating children to be game creators to introduce them to research, design, communication, and programming; developing computational thinking skills in students through professional development; and facilitating global collaboration projects. Until 2005, Dr. Talaiver was the Director of Learning at the Science Museum to develop technology skills in children. She implemented the Community Technology Centers and 21st Century Community Learning Center programs to serve children and adults in low-income communities.  In addition, Dr. Talaiver is coordinating the professional development programs as the Project Director of the Central Virginia Consortium for Transforming Teaching and Learning Experiences with Technology in collaboration with 15 school divisions in Central Virginia.  Dr. Talaiver received her Bachelor's Degree in Mathematics from Madras University, Master's Degree in Mathematical Economics, diploma in French from Madurai University, Master’s Degree in Agricultural Economics from Manchester University , U.K, and her Doctorate in Education from the University of Georgia. 

Linda Townsend, M.S., is an Instructional Technology Design Specialist for ITTIP http://www.ittip.us/. Ms. Townsend earned a BS in Early Childhood Education and Library Science from James Madison University and an MS endorsement in reading from Longwood. She holds a Virginia Postgraduate Professional license. Linda is the Instructional Technology Design Specialist for ITTIP or” Institute for Teaching through Technology & Innovative Practices” and ‘outreach’ facility of Longwood University whose basic mission is to “transform the teaching and learning environment through professional development offerings..related to effective technology integrated instructional strategies”. She is currently working on her doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy through Virginia Tech. Before she joined Institute for Teaching through Technology & Innovative Practices (ITTIP), Ms. Townsend was an Education Specialist at Community Idea Stations, the Richmond Public Broadcasting Station. She was a master teacher and local coordinator for the National Teacher Training Institute, sponsored by WNET/New York Public Broadcasting. Linda has been a Media Specialist at Nottoway Middle School and kindergarten and 2nd grade teacher at Amelia Elementary.  Ms. Townsend's work at ITTIP is developing, coordinating, and conducting instructional technology training for K-12 teachers; providing consultation for K-12 in the implementation and integration of instructional technology; developing, coordinating, and facilitating the implementation of distance learning for K-12 and Longwood faculty. She has presented at national, state, and regional conferences - NECC, COSN, VDOE ETLC, and EdTech.  Linda played a critical role in training of the STEM teachers in Southside Virginia and in coordinating the STEM summit sponsored by ITTIP. 

Janice Webber is the Program Director for Arts Education Policy & Advocacy for the Arts Education in Maryland Schools (AEMS) Alliance. AEMS Alliance is committed to building support for high-quality, systemic arts education in dance, music, theater and visual arts for all Maryland schoolchildren. It is dedicated to the development of exemplary arts education programs that integrate the arts substantively into other subject areas as well as provide comprehensive training in the discrete Fine Arts disciplines. In partnership with schools and school systems, AEMS assists administrators in implementing arts programs that meet the Maryland Fine Arts Standards, in creating high performing schools, and in fully engaging students in learning. Ms. Webber is a faculty member of the Peabody Conservatory of Music of Johns Hopkins University and a former faculty member of Goucher College, the Community College of Baltimore County and the Senior Institute for Learning. She is a recipient of the Maryland Music Educators Association Excellence in Teaching Award and has taught Instrumental Music at the Gifted and Talented Education Center of Baltimore City Schools and at elementary and secondary schools in Baltimore City and Baltimore County Public Schools. Ms. Webber advocates for learning in and through the arts for students of all ages and recognizes that the arts are essential for children to thrive in school and in life.

Richard Weinfeld, M.A., certified in early childhood and elementary education, special education, administration and supervision, has long been an advocate for quality educational programs for all students. Twenty years of his thirty-year career, with Montgomery County Public Schools, were spent in a variety of leadership roles in special education. He served as Montgomery County"s first full time coordinator of programs for students who are simultaneously gifted and learning-disabled. His books have been best sellers, and featured by national book sellers and receiving many outstanding reviews. He is co-host of a weekly internet radio show, "Teach Your Children Well: Hot Topics in Education," on voice america . He has written articles for Roeper Review, Teaching Exceptional Children, Parenting for High Potential and Gifted Child Today. He has been selected to present at numerous national conferences, on topics including appropriate accommodations, boys" issues, learning disabilities, Asperger"s syndrome, emotional disturbance and strength-based instruction. He has been an instructor at Johns Hopkins University. He currently serves on the board of directors for the Association for Educators of Gifted Underachieving Student (AEGUS). As director of the Weinfeld Education Group, LLC, he also does extensive parent and staff training, consults with schools about appropriate programming for all students, and provides assessment and parent support. More information about his endeavors can be found at  Rich Weinfeld's web page   and at http://www.specialneedsadvocacyinstitute.com .

Thomas G. West is the author of the award-winning book In the Mind's Eye-- Visual Thinkers, Gifted People with Dyslexia and Other Learning Difficulties, Computer Images and the Ironies of Creativity. Now in its 15th printing, the book has been recognized as one of the "best of the best" for the year by the American Library Association. The book has been translated into Chinese -- and into Japanese as Geniuses Who Hated School. A revised second edition of In the Mind's Eye will come out in 2009. According to one reviewer: "Every once in a while a book comes along that turns one's thinking upside down. In the Mind's Eye is just such a book." The book points out that major advances in computer information visualization technologies promise to transform education and the workplace by greatly increasing the value of visual talents for understanding patterns in complex systems in business, the sciences and other fields. Many of those who rely heavily on visual thinking (some with dyslexia or other language difficulties) are already leaders in areas of technological innovation as well as science and entrepreneurial business. West argues that as technological change makes distinctive visual strengths more valuable, many academic and language weaknesses become less important. His second book, Thinking Like Einstein is a compilation of columns on visualization issues he wrote over years for Computer Graphics  magazine. He is currently researching a third book with the working title: Engines of Discovery --Seeing What Others Do Not See, Visual Thinking, Dyslexic Talents and Creative Pattern Recognition in a New Era of Scientific Innovation. From a family of artists and engineers, West"s own dyslexia was diagnosed when he was 41. Based in Washington, D.C., West has appeared on television and radio programs broadcast by PBS, the BBC, NPR, New Zealand TV, and UK Channel 4, among others. He is affiliated with a number of organizations in the US, Europe and Asia associated with computer graphics, dyslexia and other learning challenges.

Cynthia Wilcox, Ph.D. has developed her career around a positive, strength-based approach to working with children and adolescents. She believes strongly that well-being depends on the health of all aspects of the person, including physical, emotional, cognitive, social, and spiritual. The THRIVE Center where she currently is in private practice is devoted to treating persons with ADHD with a holistic approach that focuses on finding and developing strengths and passions, and optimizing well-being through healthy lifestyle. When working with families, Dr. Wilcox assists parents in helping the child to develop a positive self-definition based upon his or her own interests and abilities. She also supports parents in advocating for their child's individual needs in the school setting. Dr. Wilcox was active with a group of parents who started the first charter school in Maryland, a public Montessori school, with the hope of creating an alternative learning environment for children who need more flexibility and freedom in the academic setting. Dr. Wilcox earned her Ph.D. from the University of Maryland Graduate School at Baltimore. She served on the faculty at the Center for Infant Study, an outpatient clinic at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore, that serves children under age 6. Her research focused on the neuropsychology of attention and its relationship to social and emotional factors.