Author Bios

Jess Michaels is the Director of Communications for the American Camp Association, NY and NJ.  She has two daughters, both who will be attending day camp this summer.   Parents looking for free, one-on-one advice in finding a camp can call the American Camp Association, NY & NJ at 212.391.5208.

Freelance Journalist

Speech Therapist in Bergen County, Julia Chernova. Providing personalized speech and language services. These services are are unique to each client’s individual needs.  We offer one-on-one  evaluation. Treatment of complex speech and language-based disorders for all ages. This includes infancy, toddlerhood, pre-school, school-age, teens, and adults. We offer a wide range of services that enable children and adults to maximize their full potential and become successful communicators at home, in school and in their community. Speech Therapy Plus LLC offers bilingual speech and language services in Russian. These meet the linguistic and cultural needs of children whose parents would like them to receive services in their native language. We accept most insurance plans.

Contributor/Writer for Autism Parenting Magazine

Clinical Director- Kristin Harris M.S. Ed., BCBA has been working in the field of special education for eight years. She obtained her BS in Speech & Language Disabilities at SUNY Cortland and received her MS from LIU where she studied Teaching Students with Disabilities and earned her advanced certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis. Kristin has extensive experience with discrete trial instruction and developing programming to foster independence in the children she serves. She is especially interested in social skills curricula that facilitate community integration. In her spare time, Kristin enjoys eating good food and spending time with her French bulldog, Bogey.

Leslie is the mother of an 11 year old boy and aunt of a 4 year old girl. She's lived in Atlantic County her entire life and knows her way around South Jersey. She studied Literature at Richard Stockton College of NJ and has been freelance writing and blogging for many years. She loves finding new adventures, crafting, gaming and more. 

Lucy Adams is an aspiring buzz essay writer. Being a generalist, Lucy almost never refuses to cover intriguing topics. She’s very open-hearted so that you can expect a fast and grounded response to your each and every request. Feel free to share your ideas with Lucy if you’re willing to add something valuable to your blog. By the way, guest posts are free.

Marian Moldan, LCSW-R has worked with Selectively Mute children, adolescents, and adults for 34 years both as a clinical social worker and a special education teacher. Having overcome her history of selective mutism, Marian specializes in the treatment of this challenging and misunderstood anxiety disorder. She has served as a consultant to school districts on Long Island, Queens and New Jersey. Marian speaks at international conferences and local in-services. She has authored:

• “Selective Mutism and Self-Regulation”, Clinical Social Work Journal (2005).
• “After Newtown, Listening to Those Who Aren’t Speaking”, Guest Blog Post Psychology Today & Amy Przeworski, Ph.D. by Kim O’Connell and Marian Moldan, LCSW-R (February, 2013)

Marian Moldan has just published her first interactive children’s book about Selective Mutism, entitled “Charli’s Choices“. 

Marian Moldan, LCSW-R developed one of the first group treatment models for selectively mute children, which is in its fifteenth year of practice. This agency has at least seven on-going groups at given time, ranging from toddler groups through adolescent groups for selectively mute and anxious youngsters.Marian Moldan, LCSW-R has also worked with parents from Long Island to put forth the first public service announcement regarding Selective Mutism on the radio in the United States. She continues to serve as a consultant to a grassroots support and education Yahoo group of parents on-line and within the local community. Marian also taught the first credited course on Selective Mutism for teachers, speech pathologists, and school mental health professionals through SCOPE in Smithtown, New York. She is the Director of Childhood Anxiety Solutions, LCSW, PLLC and conducts weekly individual and group supervision. She maintains a patient caseload in addition to her other professional obligations. Marian Moldan, LCSW-R is the Recipient of the NASW – NYS Chapter of the 2011 Social Worker of the Year Award.

Michael C. Selbst, Ph.D., BCBA-D is Director of Behavior Therapy Associates, P.A. in Somerset, New Jersey. He is a Licensed Psychologist and a Certified School Psychologist in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. He is also a Board Certified Behavior Analyst at the Doctoral level. Dr. Selbst has co-founded and is the Executive Director of HI-STEP® Summer Social Skills Program, an intensive 5-week day program for children to improve their social skills and problem solving ability, and the Executive Director of the Weekend to Improve Social Effectiveness (W.I.S.E.). He has extensive experience working with pre-school aged children through adults. Dr. Selbst provides individual and family therapy, behavioral parent training, social skills training, school-based consultation, functional behavior assessments and behavior intervention plans, psychological and psychoeducational evaluations, and expert/independent evaluations. He has led numerous workshops, including at local, statewide, national and international conferences, as well as for parent advocacy groups and school districts. Dr. Selbst has collaborated with three of Behavior Therapy Associates’ doctors to co-author the Behavior Problems Resource Kit: Forms and Procedures for Identification, Measurement and Intervention. With Steven B. Gordon, Ph.D., ABPP, Dr. Selbst has co-authored the social skills curriculum, POWER-Solving®: Stepping Stones to Solving Life’s Everyday Social Problems.

Nadia Bodkin
President & CEO of EDSers United Foundation
www.EDSers.org