Presented by:
Jordan Smelley, MHPS

About the Presenter

Jordan Smelley is a Mental Health Peer Support Specialist in Texas and a person in long-term recovery from Intellectual and Developmental Differences including Sensory Processing Disorders with Co-occurring Mental Health challenges. Jordan defines his own recovery in relation to the opportunities available to present and educate the community on topics around supporting individuals with IDD. Jordan is also the 2023 recipient of the American Association of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Texas Chapter Empowerment Award for Excellence in Promotion of Self-Advocacy.

Presented by:
Dr. Karyn Harvey

About the Presenter

Karyn Harvey has worked as a clinician in the field of intellectual disabilities for over 35 years. She has her Ph.D. in Applied Developmental Psychology from the University of Maryland.  She has written three books: Positive Identity Development, Trauma –Informed Behavioral Interventions and Trauma and Healing, as well as several chapters in various publications. She currently has a private practice and does therapy with people with intellectual disabilities. In addition, she regularly conducts trainings on trauma-informed support for people with IDD, trauma-informed leadership, and trauma-informed behavioral interventions for both state and individual organizations throughout the US and Canada. She has received several awards on the national level for her clinical work in the world of intellectual disabilities.     

Presented by:
Dr. Kara Ayers

About the Presenter

Dr. Kara Ayers, an Associate Professor and Associate Director at the University of Cincinnati's Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, is a passionate advocate for disability rights and health equity. As the Director of the National Center for Disability, Equity, and Intersectionality, her research interests include the portrayal of disabilities in media, disabled parenting, and disability ethics. Dedicated to breaking down barriers in healthcare with an anti-ableist approach, Dr. Ayers works to create a world where everyone receives equitable treatment and celebrates diversity.

Presented by:
Vanessa Walton-Simmons

About the Presenter

Vanessa Walton-Simmons is the mother of two adults with IDD who receive waiver services in Texas. She has been a member of the San Antonio League of Self-Advocates (SALSA) for over 20 years and a parent mentor for Texas Parent to Parent for 17 years. She is also an active member of Prosumers, a statewide recovery and empowerment group. Vanessa finds purpose in supporting families like hers who fight tirelessly for high-quality services.

Presented by:
Brandy Rios

About the Presenter

Brandy Rios is a strong self-advocate who lives in San Antonio, Texas. Brandy has cerebral palsy and early surgeries, coupled with the loss of her brother and best friend, deeply impacted her mental health. Brandy strives to build her mental well-being while living as independently as possible and wants to support others with IDD to do the same. She has worked on several grant projects for Strategic Education Solutions, funded by the Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities, including Complex Mental Health Needs and Sexual Assault Prevention & Response. Brandy was featured in The Arc of Texas’s Whole Person Project. She serves on the Board of Texas Advocates as the State Representative for the San Antonio League of Self-Advocates.

Presented by:
Johnna Palacios, M.A., BCBA, LBA

About the Presenter

Johnna L Palacios is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst/Licensed Behavior Analyst. She received her Bachelors Degree in Psychology and a Masters's Degree in Psychological Counseling; both from Monmouth University in West Long Branch, New Jersey. She later received her Post Masters Certificate from UNT in Behavior Analysis. Johnna currently works as an Independent Contractor under her Licensure, providing behavioral support for Providers throughout the Austin area for adults diagnosed with Intellectual Disability; most dually diagnosed. Johnna's previous experience includes providing behavioral support to individuals at an Intermediate Care Facility (Austin State Supported Living Center), working at a local Autism clinic supporting clients between the ages of 6 to 15 old, and working at ASU as a Course Instructor for behavior analysis classes.

Presented by:
NBDC trainer, Frank Latham

About the Presenter

Frank Latham is a trainer who has 30 years of social work and disability advocacy experience. Frank has worked with individual Self Advocates from across the US as well as members of SABE (Self Advocates Becoming Empowered). Frank has personal experience with disabilities, classified as a learning disability, which gives him insight into the struggles of students of color with disabilities in the education system.

Presented by:
Dr. Harold Foster & Erica Ficklin

About the Presenters

Dr. Chuck Foster

Dr. Chuck Foster was born and raised on the Navajo Reservation in northern Arizona. He has over 40 years of education experience, both as a teacher and a school administrator. He was also a former collegiate athlete and a former high school cross-country and track & field coach.

He received his Bachelor of Science (BS) Degree from the University of Arizona and his Master of Education (MEd) and Doctorate Degrees from Brigham Young University. His experience in teaching at the high school and being a school administrator was met with outstanding achievement awards. He presently serves as the American Indian Education Specialist at the Utah State Board of Education.

He has 4 adult children and 5 grandchildren, and his wife Marie of 48 years reside in Orem, Utah. Chuck’s father was also a Navajo Code Talker where most of his inspiration and desire originated to become an educator.

Erica Ficklin

Erica Ficklin is a member of the Tlingit and Oglala Lakota tribes. She is currently a doctoral student in the Combined Clinical & Counseling Psychology Program at Utah State University. She graduated with her bachelor's degree from the University of South Alabama and is a recipient of the American Psychological Association's Minority Fellowship Program. Erica currently plans to pursue a clinically-focused career serving marginalized communities. She is passionate about equity in mental health care and supporting resilience through cultural strengths. Erica's research primarily focuses on Native culture and mental health, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, and cultural competence. 

Presented by:
James Meadours

About the Presenter

James Meadours

For decades, James Meadours has been a tireless advocate and powerful voice for the rights of people with IDD to live full lives in the community. James has held many leadership positions within the disability rights field. He is the current President of Texas Advocates and a recipient of The Arc’s Catalyst Award. He was recently appointed to the President’s Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities and the Centene National Disability Advisory Council. James is a survivor of sexual assault who has spoken out to shed light on this important issue and let other survivors know that they are not alone. He was featured in NPR’s series Abused and Betrayed in 2018 and in the 1 in 6 project. James served as Development Team Co-Lead for Seen and Heard: IDD Community, a project funded by the Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities addressing the sexual assault epidemic occurring among people with IDD. James is the Outreach and Advocacy Lead for Strategic Education Solutions. In this position, he is responsible for presenting the team’s work at meetings and conferences, recruiting and helping train new team members, and building partnerships with other organizations.

*1.5 CEUs Available* for LPC, LMFT, LCSW, LCDC, LMSW and any certification approved by TCBAP

This webinar will be presented in ASL and spoken English. Closed captioning will be provided.

Presented by:
Professor Julian Trollor & Tahli Hind

About the Presenters

Professor Julian Trollor

Julian is a neuropsychiatrist and holds the inaugural Chair of Intellectual Disability Mental Health at the University of New South Wales (UNSW Sydney). He also heads the Department of Developmental Disability Neuropsychiatry (3DN) within the Discipline Psychiatry and is a NHMRC Leadership Fellow all at UNSW Sydney. Julian is also acting Director for the Centre of Excellence in Intellectual Disability Health a new initiative in 2023.

Julian and his 3DN team work to improve health policy, practice and supports for people with an intellectual or developmental disability.  The team is involved in teaching, training, health promotion, and the development of educational resources. 3DN conducts research with high translational benefit to the disability and health sectors and provides consultancy of the highest standard, including clinical consultations, advocacy and contributions to policy and legislative reviews.

Further details and resources are available at https://3dn.unsw.edu.au. Follow 3DN on twitter ‎@3DN_UNSW.Tahli Hind is a Project Administrator at 3DN (Department of Developmental Disability Neuropsychiatry) . She has a lived experience of intellectual disability and mild cerebral palsy. Tahli took part in the 2-year uni 2 beyond program at The University of Sydney, run by the Centre of Disability Studies, in which she participated in health and music subjects. Tahli feels that people with intellectual disability have the right to access quality health services and information that they need, no matter what their challenges may be.

Tahli Hind

Tahli Hind is a Project Administrator and Lived Experience Researcher at 3DN. She has a lived experience of intellectual disability and mild cerebral palsy. Tahli is involved in many different projects at 3DN, including assisting the department to develop accessible information. She also speaks to health and disability professionals about how they can provide better care to people with intellectual disability.

Tahli feels that people with intellectual disability have the right to access quality health services and information that they need no matter what their challenges may be. She feels she can bring her own experiences to her work and likes seeing people benefit from the work she does. In her spare time, Tahli is passionate about sport.

*1.5 CEUs Available* for LPC, LMFT, LCSW, LCDC, LMSW and any certification approved by TCBAP

This webinar will be presented in ASL and spoken English. Closed captioning will be provided.

Presented by:
Karyn Harvey, Ph.D.

About the Presenter

Karyn Harvey has worked as a clinician in the field of intellectual disabilities for over 35 years. She has her Ph.D. in Applied Developmental Psychology from the University of Maryland.  She has written three books: Positive Identity Development, Trauma –Informed Behavioral Interventions and Trauma and Healing. She has a private practice and does therapy with people with intellectual disabilities. In addition, she regularly conducts trainings on trauma-informed support for people with IDD, trauma-informed leadership, and trauma-informed behavioral interventions for both state and individual organizations throughout the US and Canada. She also conducts a train the trainer program and has trained over 120 trainers throughout the US and Canada. Finally, she has received several national awards for clinical excellence in the field of intellectual and developmental disabilities: NADD 2016, AAIDD, 2020 and START, 2023.

Presented by:
Karyn Harvey, Ph.D.

About the Presenter

Karyn Harvey has worked as a clinician in the field of intellectual disabilities for over 35 years. She has her Ph.D. in Applied Developmental Psychology from the University of Maryland.  She has written three books: Positive Identity Development, Trauma –Informed Behavioral Interventions and Trauma and Healing. She has a private practice and does therapy with people with intellectual disabilities. In addition, she regularly conducts trainings on trauma-informed support for people with IDD, trauma-informed leadership, and trauma-informed behavioral interventions for both state and individual organizations throughout the US and Canada. She also conducts a train the trainer program and has trained over 120 trainers throughout the US and Canada. Finally, she has received several national awards for clinical excellence in the field of intellectual and developmental disabilities: NADD 2016, AAIDD, 2020 and START, 2023.

Presented by:
Sarah Dababnah, Ph.D., MPH, MSW

About the Presenters

Sarah Dababnah, PhD, MPH, MSW is an Associate Professor at the University of Maryland Baltimore School of Social Work (United States), a Faculty Affiliate at Yonsei University School of Social Welfare (South Korea), and a recent US Fulbright Scholar at the American University in Cairo (Egypt). She specializes in practice, policy and research related to the health and well-being of families of individuals with intellectual and developmental differences. Dr. Dababnah’s research focuses on family-centered, community-engaged and culturally relevant strategies to address racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities in autism services. Dr. Dababnah received specialized training in early childhood and disability practice, research, and policy at the Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities (Chapel Hill, NC), the Kennedy Krieger Institute (Baltimore, MD), the Columbia University National Center for Children in Poverty (New York, NY), and the Jacobs Institute of Women's Health (Washington, DC). She earned advanced degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Johns Hopkins University.

Presented by:
Pooja Mehta

About the Presenters

Pooja Mehta is an outspoken South Asian Mental Health Advocate, and has been telling her story to audiences across the United States for the last 7 years. Originally from Raleigh, North Carolina, Pooja holds a Masters in Public Health from Columbia, and is building a career working in Health Policy in Washington, DC. As a professional with lived experience and a suicide loss survivor, she is eager to further the conversation around the role public health and patient perspective plays in mental health system reform and looks forward to changing the way we think and talk about mental health and suicide as a society. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, trying new restaurants, and spending time with her loved ones.

Presented by:
Larry Lipsitz, M.Ed.

About the Presenters

Larry Lipsitz, M.Ed. – Larry received his B.A. in Elementary Education from the University of Michigan. Later he was awarded a M.Ed. in Counseling and Educational Psychology from West Georgia College. Larry is currently the Director of Intensive Positive Training, LLC, which has provided consultative services to school districts, primarily in Maryland and Pennsylvania, and human services agencies, including the Kuwait Centre for Autism. He also worked as the Director of the Western Maryland Intensive Behavior Management Program where he provided behavioral services and supervised a staff of fifteen. Besides his private practice Larry worked as the Director of Intensive Supports and Educational Services for Family Service Foundation, Inc. before coming to Clifton T. Perkins Hospital Center. At Clifton T. Perkins Larry serves as the Transition Coordinator for the state hospital system, specializing in finding placements for patients with developmental disabilities or age-related cognitive deficits. He has presented on a variety of topics throughout the United States, and several foreign countries. His area of expertise is in the field of Positive Behavioral Supports, Autism Spectrum Disorder, transitioning individuals into less restrictive community systems, and comprehensive behavioral programming for individuals with autism, psychological, and/or developmental disabilities.

Presented by:
Leigh Anne McKingsley and James Meadours

About the Presenters

Leigh Anne McKingsley (formerly Davis) is Senior Director of Disability and Justice Initiatives at The Arc of the United States and directs The Arc's National Center on Criminal Justice and Disability® (NCCJD®). With 27 years of experience working at the intersection of intellectual/developmental disability (IDD) and criminal justice, she continually strives to build stronger lines of open communication and understanding between these two worlds. Her mission is to ensure that people with IDD have a platform and the training they need to advocate for themselves, especially as citizens who are overrepresented in the criminal justice system as both victims or suspects, defendants and inmates. As a childhood survivor of sexual abuse in her own home, she intuitively understands and grapples with the deep complexities inherent in the criminal justice system for both crime victims and defendants and is compelled to educate others about the unique challenges people with IDD face in a system where they are too often misunderstood, invisible and forgotten. Ms. McKingsley works from a home office in Arlington, Texas. She holds a B.S.W (Bachelor of Science in Social Work), M.S.S.W. (Master of Science in Social Work), and M.P.A. (Master of Public Administration) from the University of Texas at Arlington.

For decades, James Meadours has been a tireless advocate and powerful voice for the rights of people with IDD to live full lives in the community. James has held many leadership positions within the disability rights field. He is the current President of Texas Advocates and a recipient of The Arc’s Catalyst award. He was recently appointed to the President’s Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities and the Centene National Disability Advisory Council. James is a survivor of sexual assault who has spoken out to shed light on this important issue and let other survivors know that they are not alone. He was featured in NPR’s series Abused and Betrayed in 2018 and in the 1 in 6 project. James served as Development Team Co-Lead for Seen and Heard: IDD Community, a project funded by the Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities addressing the sexual assault epidemic occurring among people with IDD. James is the Outreach and Advocacy Lead for Strategic Education Solutions. In this position, he is responsible for presenting the team’s work at meetings and conferences, recruiting and helping train new team members, and building partnerships with other organizations.

Presented by:
Brian Tallant, LPC, NADD-CC

About the Presenter

Brian Tallant is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Associate Director at Rocky Mountain Human Services in Denver. He is also the owner of Neurodiverse Communities, LLC, where he provides training and consultation to a variety of professional and academic organizations. Brian has been a Counselor and Administrator in the community mental health field for close to 30 years.  He is a contributing member of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network and serves on the Board of Directors of NADD, an association for individuals with developmental disabilities and mental health needs.  Brian conducts workshops nationally and internationally on adapted mental health treatments and resilience planning for people experiencing secondary traumatic stress in the helping professions.

Presented by:
Dr. Margaret Newbury Jones, Psy.D.

About the Presenter

Dr. Margaret Newbury Jones has been working in the disability field for her entire career, 30+ years and counting. She is known for her easy-going manner and facilitating fantastic, interactive workshops with self-advocates, professionals, paraprofessionals and families. She operates SHADE Consulting and Counselling (www.shadeconsulting.ca) based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. She provides individual counselling, consultation, training workshops, and training development. She works specifically with folks with IDD, including those living with FASD, autism, mental illness and those who have experienced trauma. She also works with families and support teams. She loves to work with folks with complex needs and their teams; being compassionately curious comes naturally to her.