Presenting: The Art of Connecting Through Puppets: Supporting families to promote Functional Emotional Developmental Capacities (FEDCs) in the DIRFloortime® model

Located in: Mexico

Bio: Gabriela Michaca has over 30 years of experience working with neurodivergent children and families. She began her career as a clinical pediatric neuropsychologist, supporting children with chronic medical conditions, and later became the first neuropsychologist to implement a multidisciplinary approach at CIANPP in Mexico City. After a decade of clinical practice, she relocated to Los Cabos, where she became a DIRFloortime Training Leader in 2014.

In 2018, she founded CONOCE with a neuroaffirmative and transdisciplinary approach in collaboration with Comunidades Inclusivas. Her continued training includes Shanker’s Self-Regulation Facilitation, Siegel’s Interpersonal Neurobiology, Porges’ Safe and Sound Protocol, AAC foundations, and advanced sensory integration training, leading to her transition into occupational therapy. Additional certifications include Natural Gestalt Language Acquisition, NDTA Pediatrics and Infants, Sensory Integration Proficiency Level II, PROOF reflective practice, and doctoral-level studies.

Co-Presenting: Improv Comedy and the FEDC's: Yes And your way to better play

Located in: United States

Bio: Emily (she/her) is an OT who has been working with children and families since 2009. She holds an undergraduate degree from Stanford University and her Masters in Occupational Therapy from the University of Southern California. Her early career was spent specializing in Feeding therapy but as she got deeper into her DIRFloortime learning she pivoted full time to sensory and relational work. She has specialized training in Sensory Integration evaluation and treatment (WPS SIPT certified, EASI trained) and is a DIRFloortime Expert Training Leader. She is the co-owner of Over The Moon Therapy in Tucson, Arizona where she is blessed to work alongside a dedicated, playful, and compassionate group of occupational therapy providers, speech therapists, and educators. She is the mother of two boys ages 14 and 12. Outside of the clinic she performs and teaches improv comedy at the Tucson Improv Movement, reads, swims, lifts weights, and hangs out with her two boys, two dogs, cat, and ball python. Her favorite color is purple.

Co-Presenting: Praxis as an Individual Difference: Integrating the "D" and "I" of DIR® through interdisciplinary practice

Located in: United States

Bio: Brookes Barrack, MS CCC-SLP is a developmental speech-language therapist with over 20 years experience working across a variety of pediatric settings. She is the co-founder of KC Developmental Therapies, a multi-disciplinary pediatric practice in Kansas City. KC:DT is proud to be a DIR® accredited organization. She specializes in utilizing the DIRFloortime® approach to support children and families. She also has expertise in feeding, AAC, and literacy. She holds an Expert DIR® certificate from the International Council on Development and Learning, and is one of only two therapists in Kansas and Missouri with this certification. Brookes enjoys teaching DIR® courses through ICDL and mentoring other therapists. She enjoys presenting about developmental approaches to families and other professionals. She is married and a mom to 3 children. In her free time she loves to read, take her dog on long walks, be in the mountains, and go to yoga classes.

Presenting: "Get It On the Floor": Promoting Togetherness in DIRFloortime® with Hip Hop Dance

Located in: United States

Bio:  Sophie Barreto is a DIR-Basic certified provider working as a teaching assistant at Rebecca School in New York City. Sophie is also a second year Masters student in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program at Rider University with a concentration in Dance/Movement therapy. Outside of school and work, she trains and performs with a professional hip hop dance company and teaches hip hop and contemporary dance classes at various non-profit organizations. Sophie is passionate about bringing hip hop culture into dance/movement therapy practices to encourage self-expression and shared joy.

Co-Presenting: The Dance of Creating a DIRFloortime® Classroom: Our Zürich experiences

Located in: United States

Bio: Jackie Bartell, MS. Ed., has worked in special education for over 30 years. She has worked with children with special needs in a variety of settings, including both private and public schools, and has consulted with families in their homes. She draws on her experiences, including work with Stanley Greenspan and Serena Weider, to offer insights that help professionals and parents understand their relationship with their child and how to apply the DIR model in a home or school setting.

As an expert training leader for ICDL, she provides online and in-person instruction in the DIR model for both parents and professionals worldwide. She also offers in-person consultation, mentoring, and support to schools globally. Since she was certified as a DIR facilitator in 2001, Jackie has trained hundreds of professionals and families in the DIR model of intervention. She received her B.A. in Psychology and her MS in Developmental Disabilities, with certification in Special Education from the University of Rochester.

Co-Presenting: Growing Together with DIRFloortime®: Deepening connections and lessons learned

Located in: Canada

Bio: Daria C. Brown holds a master’s degree in Personality and Social Psychology from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. She has worked in the fields of research, evaluation, and education for over 30 years at universities, not-for-profits, and in government. After her only child experienced severe brain inflammation at the age of two and received an autism diagnosis, Daria began searching for ways to support his development. She found DIRFloortime and never looked back. Daria has been dedicated to supporting parents by providing resources through her blog and podcasts at affectautism.com, and as the Parent Advocate for the International Council on Development and Learning. She currently resides in the suburbs of Toronto.

Co- Presenting: Bridging the Gap: Understanding an Autistic adult

Located in: United States

Bio:  Turrell Burgess is an autism self advocate who is originally from Orange, New Jersey, but now resides in Raleigh, North Carolina. He dedicates his time to raising awareness for those on the autism spectrum, through book signings, public speaking events, and now as a new podcast host. He is a co-host for Autistic Viewpoints and he also hosts a sports podcast titled "Sports Beyond The Spectrum."

Presenting: The Beauty of Collaboration: Bringing DIR’s® Transdisciplinary Potential to Life

Located in: United States

Bio: Dawn Capelli, LICSW, is a licensed clinical social worker with extensive experience supporting children and families through Early Intervention and private practice. Her work is grounded in developmental, relationship-based approaches that emphasize connection, regulation, and meaningful engagement.

Dawn is a Training Leader with the International Council on Development and Learning (ICDL), teaching DIRFloortime® courses in both English and Portuguese and presenting regularly at the annual ICDL conference. At Puzzle Pieces, she serves as the DIR Mentor, leading the practice’s in-house DIRFloortime training and providing small-group and individual mentorship to clinicians across mental health, speech-language pathology, and occupational therapy. She is passionate about clinician growth, collaborative learning, and neurodiversity-affirming care.

Co-Presenting: The Art of Connecting Through Puppets: Supporting families to promote Functional Emotional Developmental Capacities (FEDCs) in the DIRFloortime®  model.

Located in: Ecuador

Bio: Carolina Sosa, Mgtr., is a Master’s professional in Early Childhood Intervention and Child Development with a strong background in relational, developmental, and neuroaffirming practices. She is an educator specializing in music, movement, and language, and a professional mime and pantomime actress, integrating the arts into therapeutic and educational contexts.

She is the Director of Caleidoscopio Ecuador and the first DIRFloortime Training Leader in Ecuador. Her postgraduate training includes Mental Health and Autism within "Comunidades Inclusivas". She is certified in Circle of Security Parenting (COSP) and has completed advanced training in autism, Gestalt Language Processing (NLA), trauma-sensitive practice . Her work focuses on supporting families and professionals through play, co-regulation, and emotionally meaningful interactions.

Presenting: Using AGILE to Tailor the Interaction

Located in: United States

Bio: Dr. Costa has been honored with numerous awards, including the Christian Kjeldsen Champion for Children Award by the NJ Child Care Advisory Council, the Lucille Weistuch Early Childhood Special Education Award by the New Jersey Division for Early Childhood (NJDEC), and the Golden Bell Leadership Award by the New Jersey Mental Health Association. He has presented in 31 states and 11 countries. He is a NJ licensed psychologist and is the author of articles and book chapters on autism, infant mental health and professional formation. He was also the 2021 recipient of the Weatherston Leadership in Infant Mental Health Award. He is the co-editor of the recent volume, Uniting Infant Mental Health and the Pyramid Model: Connecting Principles and Practices to Improve Outcomes, Lana Shklyar Nenide, M.S., IMH-E®, Kate Sweeney, M.S.W., LCSW-C, Gerard Costa, Ph.D., Neal M. Horen, Ph.D., Robert M. Corso, Ph.D., Paul H. Brookes, 2025.

Presenting: Enhancing the DIRFloortime® Approach with an Understanding of Developmental Movement Rhythms and Motor Development

Located in: United States

Bio: Mary Beth Crawford is a pediatric physical therapist and DIRFloortime® expert, practicing for over 26 years. Mary Beth owns Baby Steps Therapy, an integrated therapy center in PA, dedicated to providing optimal developmental therapy. Mary Beth brings a deep understanding of the neuroscience connecting our sensory, affective and motor systems to her courses and Mentorship programs, as well as her Floortime® and PT practice. Mary Beth is honored to teach DIR® curriculum courses and her Affect Mediated Motor Development course for ICDL. She is grateful to be a part of such a forward-thinking community. She loves collaborating and learning from others. When she is not teaching, creating coursework or working directly with clients and families, she enjoys spending time with her husband and three children, extended family and friends, exercising, reading and meditating.

Co-Presenting: The Beauty of Collaboration: Bringing DIR’s® Transdisciplinary Potential to Life

Located in: United States

Bio: Amanda Diaz, MS, CCC-SLP, is a speech-language pathologist with over ten years of experience supporting young children and their families. Her clinical work focuses on autism and pediatric feeding disorders, using developmentally informed, relationship-based approaches that honor each child’s strengths, interests, and regulatory needs.

Amanda has a strong interest in supervision and values reflective, collaborative models that support clinician growth, confidence, and high-quality care. As a mother of two young daughters, her clinical work is informed by her lived experience as a parent, bringing warmth, balance, and empathy to her work with children, families, and colleagues.

Co-Presenting: A Peer-Mediated Approach to Teach Young Autistic Adults About Relationships and Sexuality

Located in: United States

Bio: Melissa Keyes DiGioia, CSE is Co-Founder & Director of Education at Finding Your Individuality (FYI). She facilitates professional development workshops and education sessions on varying sexuality and sexual health topics with youth, adults, parents, and professionals in different settings and specializes in program delivery for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She is co-author of Informed and In Charge, a Girls Inc. healthy sexuality program designed for youth 12-14 years of age; and publications from The Center for Sex Education (CSE) publications entitled All Together Now: Teaching about Contraception and Game On! The Ultimate Sexuality Education Gaming Guide. She is a contributing author to Our Whole Lives Sexuality Education for Grades 7-9 (2nd Ed.) with Taking a Special Education Approach, a guide to increase awareness of ways to adapt the lessons and methodology for audiences with differing abilities.

Presenting: Family, History and Disability: Telling your story

Located in: United States

Bio: Anne DeWan is a licensed Creative Arts Therapist and board-certified music therapist at the Rebecca School where she has worked since the fall of 2008. In her classroom music therapy groups, she focuses on building social relationships through music. Prior to her work as a music therapist, Anne worked first as a teacher assistant and then as a head classroom teacher in special education settings around New York state including The Center for Discovery. She received her M.S. Ed. at Dominican College in 2002 and her M.A. in Music Therapy from New York University in December 2008. Anne holds an Advanced Certificate in DIRloortime® from the International Council on Development and Learning.

Co-Presenting: DIR®-SM:  A Transdisciplinary Approach to Selective Mutism

Located in: United States

Bio: Dr. Joleen R. Fernald, PhD, CCC-SLP is a speech-language pathologist specializing in selective mutism and child language development. She holds Board Specialty Recognition in Child Language from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and practices through Greenspan and Wieder’s DIRFloortime® model. A neurodiversity-affirming clinician, Dr. Fernald has been a DIRFloortime® Training Leader and Expert Provider for nearly 20 years.

She is the developer of the DIR-Selective Mutism (DIR-SM) model and the creator of the DIR-SM card deck, innovative tools that support clinicians, educators, and caregivers in providing relationship-based, developmentally appropriate intervention. Her work emphasizes emotional safety, regulation, connection, and play as the foundation for authentic communication.

Dr. Fernald has a longstanding interest in social-emotional development and its impact on speech and language. In 2006, she partnered with Easter Seals NH to establish a selective mutism clinic and later recreated this model in the Tampa Bay area. She co-founded REConnections Education Center and REConnections DIR Center and is a frequent national speaker on selective mutism and neurodiversity.

Presenting: The Art of Being Seen: How clinicians’ cue reading shapes attachment and growth

Located in: United States

Bio: Erin Forward, MS, CCC-SLP, CLC, is a pediatric speech-language pathologist who has dedicated her career to supporting children and families through some of their most challenging, and most meaningful moments. Prior to founding her private practice, Nourishing Connection, Erin worked at a renowned children’s hospital, where she specialized in pediatric feeding and swallowing disorders, early language development, AAC, and trauma-informed care for medically complex children.

Erin’s clinical approach is grounded in relationship-based, neurodiversity-affirming care and emphasizes safety, attunement, and connection as the foundation for growth. She has completed advanced training as a DIRFloortime® Expert Provider and is a TBRI®-Trained Practitioner, integrating developmental, relational, and trauma-informed frameworks into both therapy and caregiver coaching.

In 2021, Erin was honored with the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s Distinguished Early Career Professional Certificate in recognition of her clinical work, leadership, and contributions to the field. She regularly presents at national conferences on pediatric feeding, trauma-informed care, and play-based therapy, and is passionate about helping clinicians and caregivers move beyond techniques toward truly nourishing, connected care.

Presenting: Applying DIRFloortime® to Clinical Practice: Evidence-informed strategies for emotional dysregulation in children with aggression (From theory to therapy: advancing relationship-based clinical intervention)

Located in: Indonesia

Bio: Nadia is a Child and Adolescent Clinical Psychologist and an ICDL certified International Expert Trainer Leader in DIRFloortime®. She is an active international instructor for DIRFloortime through the International Council on Development and Learning (ICDL). She is also a Certified Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinical Specialist and Youth Mental Health Specialist accredited by the Professional Education Systems Institute (PESI), and holds certification in Ayres Sensory Integration from CLASI.

Nadia is the Founder and Clinical Director of JCDC, a child and family development center based in West Jakarta, where she provides interdisciplinary team with comprehensive clinical services for children, adolescents, and families with developmental, emotional, and behavioral needs using relationship based approach. Her practice integrates evidence-based, relationship-centered, and developmentally informed approaches.

Driven by her commitment to accessible and inclusive care, Nadia founded the Cita Anak Bangsa Foundation, which supports children with special need that requiring financial assistance to ensure sustainable growth and development. In addition, she is the founder of Golden Growth Pre-School, an early childhood education institution grounded in the DIR Floortime perspective, reflecting her dedication to early intervention and holistic child development

Presenting: DIRFloortime® and Health Psychology: Integrating development and care

Located in: United States

Bio: Lyndsey Gillespie, MA is a fourth-year PsyD candidate in Clinical Psychology (Health Emphasis) at Touro University and a psychology extern in the Health Center at the Rebecca School in Manhattan. She works with children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder and related neurodevelopmental differences, many of whom have co-occurring medical needs.

Her work emphasizes emotional regulation, sensory processing, and relationship-based interventions, with a strong focus on interdisciplinary collaboration. She has published work on DIRFloortime® and healthcare stigma affecting autistic individuals in Autism Spectrum News and the NASP Communiqué, and integrates developmental and health psychology perspectives to support students’ engagement, regulation, and overall well-being.

Lyndsey is currently completing her doctoral dissertation examining the implementation of DIRFloortime® at the Rebecca School. Her research focuses on how autism interventions are delivered in real-world educational settings and how developmental approaches support meaningful emotional and functional outcomes for students. She is particularly interested in contributing applied research that informs best practices for autism intervention in school-based and health-integrated models of care.

Co-Presenting: Opening Remarks

Presenting: From Autism Self-advocacy to Advocating for the Broader Neurodiverse Community

Located in: South Africa

Bio: Dr. Emile Gouws is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of South Africa (UNISA) and an internationally renowned disability activist that attends Commonwealth and United Nations higher political meetings. Dr Gouws is the president of the Board of ICDL and is only the 3rd person to hold this position. In his free time, Dr. Gouws was the former Vice-chairman of the National Executive committee of Autism South Africa and currently represents underrepresented groups on the Commonwealth Disabled Peoples Forum, In 2023, Dr. Gouws have been nominated for the Commonwealth Youth awards and is on the South African steering Committee to report to the United Nations. Dr Gouws has contributed to various international articles and research papers on neurodiversity including a published article in Forbes magazine Japan. Dr. Gouws was also invited as the academic representative on the steering committee of South Africa’s response to the United Nations. He is married to a beautiful Alexic autistic lady named Sammi who is also a autism self-advocate. Together they do advocacy on relationships and being married as an autistic couple.

Co-Presenting: Opening Remarks

Located in: United States

Bio: Dr. Jeffrey Guenzel has been the leading ICDL since 2013. 

Dr. Guenzel is a professional counselor, psychotherapist, and a leader.  As a counselor and psychotherapist, he has a wide range of experience counseling adults and children for over 30 years with specialized expertise in child development, child and adolescent behavioral health, and autism.  As a leader, he has a proven track record of leadership in both the public and private sectors.  

Prior to joining ICDL, Dr. Guenzel served as the Deputy Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Children and Families and previously served as the Director of the New Jersey Division of Child Behavioral Health. In these positions, he led many innovative initiatives including restructuring the New Jersey service delivery system for children with developmental and intellectual disabilities.  

Prior to his appointments with the State of New Jersey, Dr. Guenzel was the inaugural Executive Director of the Partnership for Children of Essex, a not-for-profit agency providing Wraparound care management services for children with complex behavioral health challenges. Under his leadership, the agency became one of the largest Wraparound agencies in the nation gaining him national recognition.  

Dr. Guenzel has worked as a counselor at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (now Rutgers University), the Mental Health Clinic of Passaic, and in private practice. 

Dr. Guenzel has lectured and/or provided consultation on mental health and autism in-person throughout the world including Australia, Canada, China, Cyprus, Germany, Haiti, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Romania, Russia, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and in most states in the United States of America.  His lectures and consultation have focused on clinical practice, leadership, and promoting systemic change.  In addition, Dr. Guenzel has presented to and worked with many more groups around the world live-online.  

Dr. Guenzel earned his B.A. degree in Psychology and his M.A. degree in Counseling from Montclair State University and his Doctorate in Education from Spalding University.

Dr. Guenzel has a valuable combination of clinical knowledge and skills coupled with a proven track record of successful leadership. Underpinning these skills is a life-long commitment to serving others.  

On a personal note, Dr. Guenzel has been married since 1993 to his high school sweetheart, Amy (Dr. Amy Guenzel). They have three wonderful adult children and have lived in the same home in northwest New Jersey since 1994. Dr. Guenzel's vision for life was certainly informed by being legally blind for many years of his life.  During that period of his life, Dr. Guenzel competed internationally as a member of the United States Paralympic swim team.  Although he remains visually impaired, his eye sight is much better now.  Dr. Guenzel enjoys anything handyman related, cooking,  the outdoors, and spending time with his kids and family. 

Co-Presenting: A Peer-Mediated Approach to Teach Young Autistic Adults About Relationships and Sexuality

Located in: United States

Bio: Deborah Hammer has worked professionally for three decades on behalf of individuals with disabilities and their families. Ms. Hammer is currently employed by Arlington (Virginia) Public Schools as an Autism and Low -Incidence Disability Specialist, where she provides training and support to school staff, parents, and students. She is a member for the Virginia Autism Council. As chair of the Northern Virginia Transition Coalition, she helped organize Future Quest, a regional college and career fair for students with disabilities. Ms. Hammer is chair of the Self-Advocate Advisory Council of the Organization for Autism Research (OAR), and on OAR’s board of directors. She serves on the Fairfax Area Disability Services Board, an appointed government board that advocates for the needs of disabled community members. She is the founder and facilitator of a social club for neurodivergent young adults, Cool Aspies.

Presenting: An integrated approach to child development: DIRFloortime® and Polyvagal theory

Located in: United States

Bio: Dr. Elizabeth Ijalba is an associate professor in the Department of Linguistics and Communication Disorders at Queens College, CUNY. Her research focuses on bilingualism, autism, parent/teacher education, and evidence-based interventions through play. She has published in peer reviewed scientific journals, co-edited and authored the book Language, Culture and Education: Challenges of Diversity in the United States; and she regularly presents at national and international venues. Dr. Ijalba has trained teachers in China and Latin America to work with neurodivergent children and their families. She was recognized for her work by the Office of Multicultural Affairs of the American-Speech-Language-Hearing-Association (ASHA). In 2022, she was awarded the Rehabilitation International Centennial Award for her “contributions in advancing the rights and inclusion of people with disabilities worldwide”. She is a DIR-Expert Training Leader; she holds a certificate of completion in Sensory Integration through the USC Mrs. T.H. Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy; she teaches through ICDL, and she has extensive clinical experience working and supporting children and adults with a range of capacities and abilities.

Presenting: Sharing Our Inner Music: Analytical music therapy techniques with neurodivergent children and adolescents in a DIR Floortime School Setting

Located in: United States

Bio: Anne works as a music therapist at Rebecca School with neurodivergent children, adolescents, and young-adults. She was trained in Analytical Music Therapy through Molloy University after completing both her undergraduate and masters music therapy studies there. Anne has sought out opportunities to gain experience within the DIRFloortime® model since her music therapy internship at Rebecca Center in 2016. Her masters thesis investigated and described group-dynamics in a DIR-informed music therapy group, she has worked in two DIR-informed school settings, and has a certificate of proficiency in DIRFloortime®. Previously, Anne co-presented on supporting and incorporating individual differences in creative arts therapy sessions. She is passionate about accessibility, inclusion, and client-led practice.

Co-Presenting: Complex case management from a DIR® perspective: Harnessing the power of the DIR® model to support individuals, families, clinicians through crisis, stagnation, and burn-out.

Located in: United States

Bio: Amanda, a Licensed Clinical Psychologist at Floortime Atlanta, focuses her practice on assessment and therapy with very young children through adults and their families. She specializes in developmental and relationship-based challenges such as ASD, ADHD, learning challenges, attachment, anxiety and mood disorders, and general coping struggles. She offers services that include consultation, psychotherapy, parent coaching, and treatment planning as well as supervision and mentoring for clinicians wanting to broaden their therapeutic skills. She provides on-site, and online training in the DIRFloortime® model. She has expanded her practice to work with those diagnosed later in life with ADHD and Autism, especially women, girls, and persons assigned female at birth. Amanda works from a neurodiversity affirming lens and believes that there are not “one size fits all” interventions. She is a Certified Expert DIRFloortime® clinician and training leader. She serves on the Board of Trustees for the International Council on Developmental and Learning.

Co-Presenting: Caregiver Coaching for the DIR®-Curious

Located in: United States

Bio: Ann-Bailey Lipsett is a special education consultant, a DIRFloortime clinical supervisor, and a DIRFloortime Training leader for ICDL. In all of these roles she works with schools, families, and Floortimers to promote neurodevelopmental practices for all individuals. Ann-Bailey completed a Fellowship in the Infant-Parent Mental Health Program at the University of Massachusetts- Boston. Ann-Bailey is the co-author of the book Building Blocks for Social-Emotional Learning: Creating Safe, Secure, and Successful Schools. She lives in the mountains of Virginia with her husband, two daughters, two cats, two rabbits, and one dog.

Co-Presenting: The Dance of Creating a DIRFloortime®Classroom: Our Zürich experiences

Located in: Switzerland

Bio: Christian Lueder is the CEO of DGSP GmbH and a seasoned expert in pediatric therapy and special education. Throughout his career—from leading large multidisciplinary teams at Stiftung RGZ and Stadtspital Triemli to his current work establishing a DIR Floortime school—Christian has focused on the intersection of leadership and human development. A Pediatric Physiotherapist by training, he is a firm believer that progress is rooted in strong, relationship-based support. Based in Zurich, Christian is committed to creating inclusive environments where neurodivergent learners can truly thrive.

Co-Presenting: The Beauty of Collaboration: Bringing DIR’s® Transdisciplinary Potential to Life

Located in: United States

Bio: Nikki Magliaro, MS, LMHC, CEIS, is a licensed mental health counselor with over a decade of experience working with children and families. She is the co-founder and Clinical Director of Puzzle Pieces, LLC, an outpatient pediatric therapy practice in Quincy, MA, that provides neurodiversity-affirming, family-centered support to children ages 12 and under.

Under Nikki’s leadership, Puzzle Pieces has grown into a multidisciplinary team offering mental health therapy, speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, and parent support groups. Rooted in the DIRFloortime® approach, the practice emphasizes connection, play, and emotional development as the foundation for growth. Nikki is also a certified Expert Training Leader through the Interdisciplinary Council on Development and Learning (ICDL).

With a background in Early Intervention and a passion for creating collaborative care models, Nikki regularly presents to parents, educators, and professionals on topics related to child development, emotional regulation, and neurodiversity. She is committed to helping families feel seen, supported, and empowered every step of the way.

Presenting: Dramatic Difference: Using drama to empower Autistic students in the classroom

Located in: United States

Bio: When Liz was in second grade, she was accused of “being in her own little world.” Little did her teacher know that this vibrant inner life would become a springboard for a dynamic career as a performer, drama therapist, MFT and speaker.

Liz has dedicated her career to transforming education for neurodivergent students, working closely with teachers to create joyful and accessible learning environments. As a late-diagnosed ADHDer herself, she has shared her drama based approach at conferences, workshops, and training sessions for educators and therapists nationwide, including the Psychotherapy Networker Symposium and The AAMFT Systemic Therapy Conference.

Liz holds a B.A. in Drama from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts and a Master’s in Counseling Psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies. She has taught at the graduate level at The California Institute of Integral Studies, supervised associate therapists to licensure and provides neurodiversity consultation internationally.

Co-Presenting: Enhancing the DIRFloortime® Approach with an Understanding of Developmental Movement Rhythms and Motor Development

Located in: United States

Bio: Michelle Merna, LCAT, BC DMT, DIR Expert has over 15 years of experience using DMT to support neurodiverse children within a school setting. In 2022 she received her DIRFloortime Expert credential and now practices DIRFloortime informed DMT. In addition, she has a private clinical supervision and DIRFloortime mentoring practice. She has presented on using movement to support neurodiverse children at numerous conferences and community settings. Michelle has also held an adjunct position at Long Island University within the Art Therapy department teaching undergraduate students interdisciplinary collaboration. Her passion and focus is bringing the neurodiverse affirming model of DIRFloortime to the forefront of DMT practice.

Co-Presenting: Rooted in Reflection, Centered in Connection: FEDC 9 and mindfulness in action

Located in: United States

Bio: Andrea Minor, MPA, is a mindfulness facilitator and learning and implementation specialist with more than a decade of experience partnering with families and organizations. Grounded in healing-centered care, and early relational health, Andrea supports learners to build relationship-centered practices that promote wellbeing and honor the lived experiences of children and families.

Andrea’s professional journey includes roles as a mindfulness facilitator, professional learning and implementation leader, fidelity director for an evidence-based program, parent coach home visitor, child welfare worker, educator, and organizational development consultant. This breadth of experience allows Andrea to integrate systems-level strategies with compassionate, human-centered practice.

At the heart of Andrea’s work is a vision for a world where individuals and communities feel authentically valued and empowered. Andrea’s commitment to partnership informs all aspects of their work, from evidence-based program implementation and curriculum design to culturally tailored content creation and mindfulness facilitation.

Andrea is deeply committed to nurturing the well being of individuals and organizations that support others by strengthening skills to sustain their heart-centered work.

Co-Presenting: Bridging Language and Action: Exploring the connection between Gestalt Language Processing and Affordance-Based development through the lens of DIRFloortime®

Located in: United States

Bio:  Sam Mulvey (she/her) loves collaborating with kids and their loved ones to support their communication. She joined the Developmental FX team in the winter 2024. She has experience working in the pediatric private practice realm, as well as in the public schools. Sam received her master’s degree in Speech Language Pathology from The Ohio State University and her bachelor’s degree from Miami University in Ohio.

Sam is a Gestalt Language Processing-Trained Clinician from Meaningful Speech. In addition, she has interests and advanced training in Autism, language development, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), play-based and child-led therapy, complex communication systems, and the total communication approach. In her free time, Sam enjoys practicing yoga, hiking in the mountains, and reading, as well as spending time with her partner and their cat, Stevie.

Co-Presenting: Rooted in Reflection, Centered in Connection: FEDC 9 and mindfulness in action

Located in: United States

Bio: Catherine has practiced as a Clinical Social Worker for over 20 years and has been invested in the Illinois Infant and Early Childhood community for over 15 years. She is a Training Leader and the Coordinator of the Training Program with the International Council on Development and Learning (ICDL) and Adjunct Faculty with the Erikson Institute. She has concentrated on supporting young children in their development (and the adults who care for or support them) in light of developmental differences, multiply stressed family circumstances, and trauma. She also maintains a small private practice in Chicago primarily practicing DIRFloortime.

Presenting: In Search of Perspective, Nuance, and Shades of Grey: The evolution of political and cultural attitudes in two Autistic men and the impact of DIRFloortime®

Located in: United States

Bio: Dave is the founder of Threshold Community Program, a unique program supporting neurodivergent adolescents, adults, and their families. Dave has an M.S. in Counseling and an M.A. in English Literature from Georgia State University, as well as an M.B.A. from Duke University. He is licensed as a professional counselor (LPC) in the state of Georgia. He has a DIR expert certificate and is a DIR Training Leader. He is an Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS). Dave is also part of Floortime Atlanta, a professional group of clinicians in the Atlanta area who use the DIR approach.

Dave is the father of two adult sons and an adolescent stepdaughter. His interests include pickleball, literature, skiing, hiking, and biking. He is originally from Massachusetts, and still visits New England regularly. Before becoming a counselor, he taught Business Communication at Georgia State University in both the undergraduate and graduate programs, and worked in the computer industry, providing development office turnkey systems to non-profit organizations.

Presenting: Walking My Child’s Path: How DIRFloortime® aligns with conscious parenting- An Autistic mother’s journey

Located in: United States

Bio: Hi, I’m Princess Owens, a proud Jersey girl and mother of five, including two sets of twins and two neurodivergent children. I am the founder of Bloom Village Co., an organization dedicated to elevating voices, telling meaningful stories, and empowering professionals and brands in the early childhood and family space. My work focuses on helping educators, caregivers, and organizations strengthen communication, grow visibility, and build authentic relationships that positively impact children and families.

I hold degrees in child development and childcare management, along with certifications in mindfulness, wellness, parenting, and developmental advocacy. These credentials, combined with my lived experience as a mother of neurodiverse children, allow me to approach my work with both expertise and compassion. I am passionate about supporting families and professionals to cultivate intentional, conscious, and inclusive practices in their daily lives.

At Bloom Village, we believe work can be professional, creative, and joyful. My mission is to help others bring heart, intention, and mindfulness to everything they do while fostering environments where children and families thrive. Through workshops, coaching, and community initiatives, I aim to inspire growth, connection, and transformation for professionals and the families they serve.

Presenting: It All Begins with COMMUNICATION

Located in: United States

Bio:  Robert E. Owens, Jr. Ph.D. (“Dr. Bob”) is a retired Professor and a New York State Distinguished Teaching Professor. He holds the Honors of the Association from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and the New York State Speech, Language, and Hearing Association. He is the author of

•Language Development, An Introduction (10 editions)

•Language Disorders, A Functional Approach (7 editions)

•Early Communication Intervention

•Program for the Acquisition of Language with the Severely Impaired (PALS)

•Help Your Baby Talk, Introducing the New Shared Communication Method

•Queer Kids, The Challenge & Promise for Lesbian, Gay & Bisexual Youth

His Language Development text is the most widely used in the world and has been translated into Spanish, Korean, Mandarin, and Arabic. He has also co-authored Introduction to Communication Disorders, A Life Span Perspective (7 editions) and written a score of book chapters and professional articles. His latest project is SUGAR (Sampling Utterance and Grammatical Analysis Revised), a free, valid, easy, quick language sample analysis method that he has coauthored with Stacey Pavelko, Ph.D. Dr. Bob has presented over 250 professional papers and workshops around the globe. His professional interests are language disorders in infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. And he’s a gran’pa!

Co-Presenting: From One Center to Many: The CDI project journey

Co-Presenting: From Foundations to Flourishing: Nurturing growth through three years of DIRFloortime®

Located in: Brazil

Bio: Paula holds a degree in Biology from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) and a degree in Speech-Language Pathology from the Federal University of Espírito Santo (UFES). She earned a master’s degree in Psychology from UFES and a PhD in Rehabilitation Sciences from the University of São Paulo (USP). Paula is the director of the DIRFloortime center Great Kids/Integrare in Brazil and teaches DIRFloortime courses through ICDL.

Co-Presenting: Bridging Language and Action: Exploring the connection between Gestalt Language Processing and Affordance-Based development through the lens of DIRFloortime®

Located in: United States

Bio: Juliana is an occupational therapist who grew up in a bi-cultural border community spanning New Mexico and Texas. Early experiences of play, connection, and engagement with diverse environments shaped her professional interest in child development and her commitment to supporting children’s participation, regulation, and overall well-being across settings.=

She earned a Bachelor of Science in Health Care Sciences and a Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy from The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. Juliana began her professional career in Austin, Texas, where her clinical work focused on developmental differences, sensory processing challenges, and participation-based interventions that support functional engagement in daily routines.

Juliana has advanced training and mentorship in Sensory Integration Dysfunction, autism education, the SCERTS Model, social-emotional learning curricula, iLs Listening Therapy, Polyvagal Theory, and the DIRFloortime® model. Her clinical approach is grounded in a holistic, family-centered framework emphasizing caregiver collaboration, environmental supports, and relationship-based intervention.

Juliana currently practices in Denver, Colorado, where she serves on a multidisciplinary early childhood school team and works as an occupational therapist and clinical mentor at Developmental FX. Her work emphasizes equity, interdisciplinary practice, and inclusion through direct service, mentorship, and collaborative consultation.

Presenting: Prioritizing Relationship-Building Before Communication and Cognition: Integrating Floortime, semi-structured problem solving, and limit-setting in a unified DIRFloortime® service

Located in: Thailand

Bio: Kingkaew Pajareya, M.D., is an associate professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand. With an extensive career spanning clinical practice and academia, Dr. Pajareya has dedicated her work to advancing standards in rehabilitation medicine and child development in Thailand and the broader ASEAN region.

Clinical Expertise:

Dr. Pajareya is internationally recognized for her work with children facing developmental challenges. She is a leading expert in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and is a certified Expert Training Leader in the DIR/Floortime® model. Her clinical practice emphasizes relationship-based interventions designed to foster emotional and intellectual growth. Beyond pediatrics, she possesses significant expertise in neurological rehabilitation, including the management of spinal cord injuries, stroke recovery, and chronic musculoskeletal pain.

Research and Academic Leadership:

In the academic sphere, Dr. Pajareya serves as the Editor-in-Chief of the ASEAN Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine. Her research portfolio focuses on the efficacy of parent-mediated interventions and holistic therapeutic approaches. She is also the author of the notable book, Dhamma and DIR, a work that explores the integration of Buddhist philosophy with developmental learning frameworks.

Co-Presenting: How can communication and language samples help a DIRFloortime® provider promote a continuous flow of circles of communication?

Located in: United States

Bio: Bridget Palmer has been a strengths-based, developmental, relationship-based Speech Language Therapist for over 25 years. She embraces neurodiversity and is neurodiversity-affirming. She is a Developmental-Individual Differences-Relationship-based (DIR) Floortime Expert Training Leader at the International Council on Development and Learning (ICDL) where she teaches courses and mentors providers. She loves supporting and promoting engagement, connection, and communication, and going for the gleam in the child's eye. She also loves getting the gleam in the adult's eye when teaching courses and during mentoring and coaching interactions. She lives with her wonderful husband in Buffalo, New York in the United States.

Co-Presenting: From Foundations to Flourishing: Nurturing growth through three years of DIRFloortime®

Co-Presenting: Caregiver Coaching for the DIR®-Curious

Located in: United States

Bio:  Stephanie Peters is the Clinical Director at Kinder Growth Therapy and an occupational therapist who has been practicing since 2012. She has over a decade of experience using DIR®-informed approaches in pediatric practice and is a DIR® Expert with advanced training in the Sensory Emotional Engagement Model (SEEM). In addition to her work as an occupational therapist, Stephanie is completing an Intensive Fellowship in Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health, which informs her relational and developmentally grounded clinical perspective. Through her clinical leadership and practice, she is committed to supporting meaningful engagement, emotional regulation, and functional participation for children and their families.

Co-Presenting: From One Center to Many: The CDI project journey

Located in: Brazil

Bio: Patrícia Piacentini holds a Master’s degree in Special Education from Antioch University, Santa Barbara. She has been working with the DIRFloortime model since the early 2000s, under the mentorship of Pat Marquart , from the CDPL. Patrícia has played a central role in the development and consolidation of the DIR model in Brazil over the past 15 years.

Co-Presenting: Complex Case Management from a DIR® Perspective: Harnessing the power of the DIR® model to support individuals, families, clinicians through crisis, stagnation, and burn-out.

Located in: United States

Bio: Kathy is a Licensed Psychologist in Atlanta, Georgia. Her private practice, Floortime Atlanta [www.floortimeatlanta.com], is transdisciplinary and focuses on both assessment and treatment of individuals with a wide range of developmental conditions and their families. She received her doctorate from the University of Chicago, Committee on Human Development. Additionally, she completed a re-specialization in Child and Family Psychotherapy from Georgia State University.

She was on the research faculty at Emory School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, where she worked in the Human Genetics Laboratory taking part in a research team that focused on prenatal drug exposure and long-term developmental consequences thereof.

Some of her research efforts have been with nonhuman primates at the Harvard School of Public Health’s Nutrition Laboratory, at Georgia State’s Language Research Center, and at Yerkes Primate Center.

She was the first recipient of the DIR Lifetime Champion Award (2022).

Co-Presenting: From One Center to Many: The CDI project journey

Located in: Brazil

Bio:  Renata Alencar Ponte; Physical Therapist, CREFITO7 38.388-F; resident of Camaçari/BA, graduated from the Catholic University of Salvador in 1997; Specialization in Physical Therapy Applied to Orthopedics and Traumatology from the Bahia School of Medicine and Public Health (Salvador/BA) in 2004; DIR/Floortime Expert Training Leader therapist by ICDL/USA (December 2019); having taken several courses and professional training in the areas of Child Development, DIRFloortime, Sensory Integration, Neuropsychology, and Autism. She has been working with DIRFloortime therapy since 2013, treating children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder in clinics, schools, and homes, in addition to providing consulting services to families, schools, and professionals in the field

Co-Presenting: Bridging the Gap: Understanding An Autistic adult

Located in: United States

Bio: Khylil Robinson is an Autism Self Advocate and Blogger from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He posts his blogs on asdnext.org, a website ran by ASERT (The Autism Services, Education, Resources, and Training Collaborative), and has been doing so since September 2016. He returns as a presenter having presented at this conference in 2024 in New York City.

Co-Presenting: Using AGILE to Tailor the Interaction 

Co-Presenting: Who Am I?- When a Floortimer holds a professional and a parental role

Located in: United States

Bio: Dr. Colette Ryan is a DIRFloortime expert and training leader for ICDL. She was initially an educator but changed to Infant Mental Health many years ago. She has a Ph.D. in Infant and Early Childhood Development and is an Infant Mental Health Fellow at Montclair State University. Her expertise is in DIR, development, reflection, and parental self-efficacy. Dr. Ryan supports families worldwide, teaches classes for ICDL, maintains a private practice, and provides mentoring and reflective supervision. Dr. Ryan has spoken at numerous conferences on topics including infant mental health, DIRFloortime, grief in young children, discipline, play, and child development, in various locations throughout the US, as well as in Kyiv, Hong Kong, and Tokyo. She lives in the Adirondack Mountains of New York State, but she has brought Floortime, development, and reflection all over the world!

Presenting: The Beauty of Collaboration: Bringing DIR’s® Transdisciplinary Potential to Life

Located in: United States

Bio: Megan Selchan, MA, LMHC, CEIS, is a licensed mental health counselor with over 15 years of experience supporting young children and their families. She is the co-founder and Clinical Director of Puzzle Pieces, LLC, an outpatient pediatric therapy practice in Quincy, MA, providing neurodiversity-affirming, family-centered care for children ages 12 and under.

Megan’s clinical foundation is rooted in Dance/Movement Therapy and Counseling Psychology, with an emphasis on whole-person, relationship-based work. She provides supervision and leadership to a multidisciplinary team offering mental health, speech-language, and occupational therapy services, while maintaining a small clinical caseload to stay connected to families.

A certified Early Intervention Specialist and DIRFloortime®-trained clinician, Megan is passionate about caregiver collaboration and empowering families as active partners in the therapeutic process. She regularly presents on early childhood emotional development, parent-child connection, and relationship-based mental health care.

Co-Presenting: How Can Communication and Language Samples Help a DIRFloortime® Provider Promote a Continuous Flow of Circles of Communication?

Located in: United States

Bio: Katie Shepherd is a speech therapist with 19 years of experience serving individuals and their families. She has worked in private practice and hospital settings and as a training leader for the International Council on Development and Learning. She has achieved DIR-Expert level training in DIRFloortime and has been using this model throughout her career to support and promote communication, language, and overall development. Her special interests are speech and language development, praxis and motor planning, augmentative and alternative communication, and the use of movement in speech and language therapy. Katie is dedicated to understanding and meeting individuals where they are developmentally, understanding their unique individual differences, and building on their motivations, interests, strengths, and promoting meaningful relationships.

Co-Presenting: Integrating Discipline-Specific Goals Within Transdisciplinary Floortime: Bridging professional perspectives to support holistic child development

Located in: United States

Bio: Andrea Snyder is an occupational therapist and DIRFloortime® training leader and expert provider based in Colorado Springs, CO. She specializes in relationship-based, developmentally informed care that supports children and families in real-life contexts, providing in-home therapy services that honor each child’s unique strengths, areas of growth and developmental progression. Andrea is committed to collaborative, family-centered care and equipping caregivers with practical strategies that foster meaningful engagement across daily routines and community settings. Andrea partners closely with parents and caregivers, empowering them with practical tools and confidence to support growth beyond therapy sessions. She is committed to compassionate, individualized care that nurtures connection, fosters resilience, and helps children thrive across home, school, and community environments.

Andrea has taught DIR certification courses through ICDL for 10 years and mentors clinicians both in DIRFloortime as well as general occupational therapy practice. She is passionate about supporting professionals in their education and expansion and development of their clinical and professional practice.

Presenting: Who Am I?- When a Floortimer holds a professional and a parental role

Located in: United States

Bio: Lisa is a licensed professional counselor and private practice owner of Nebo Hill Sanctuary in Kansas City, Missouri. Lisa has over a decade of experience providing diverse mental health support and therapy to children, parents, and families in multiple settings has specialized training in interpersonal neurobiology, attachment theory, trauma-informed equine-assisted therapy, EMDR therapy, complex trauma, and perinatal mental health. Lisa’s foundational principles focus on connection, relational neuroscience, and working towards secure attachment for healing and growth throughout the lifespan.

Lisa was introduced to the DIRFloortime as both a practitioner and a parent and completed her DIR Basic Practitioner training in the fall of 2025 and has a passion for integrating DIR principles into her practice. She is excited to offer the perspective of a ”new Floortimer” learning in the dual role as a professional and parent through this upcoming presentation in connection and collaboration with Colette Ryan.

Presenting: Rethinking Autism Through the Body: A sensory–motor architecture of Autistic experience

Located in: United States

Bio: Hari Srinivasan is a neuroscience PhD candidate at Vanderbilt University and a graduate of UC Berkeley. His graduate research examines sensorimotor systems in autism and develops innovative, accessible ways to study sensory and motor processes across the spectrum. His work sits at the intersection of research, advocacy, meta-science, and AI ethics, advancing scientific knowledge while challenging the assumptions baked into research, technology design, and healthcare systems. His research has been recognized through the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, the Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowship, and other national honors. At Berkeley, he conducted research on awe and empathy in autism and created a nationally recognized course on autism. Beyond the lab, Srinivasan serves on the editorial board of Autism in Adulthood, and multiple nonprofit and scientific advisory boards, and contributes widely to public scholarship, including writing for outlets such as TIME and Newsweek. His lived experience with Autism+ADHD and spoken communication differences grounds his dual commitment to amplifying strengths while developing solutions that address challenges.

Presenting: The Science of Being Together: Co-regulation, S-A-M, and the epigenetics of flourishing

Located in: United States

Bio:  Tracy Murnan Stackhouse, MA, OTR/L, is the Director of Innovation and co-founder of Developmental FX (DFX), a Denver-based nonprofit she co-founded in 2003. A leading pediatric occupational therapist with 40 years of experience, internationally recognized for her clinical expertise and training that translates developmental neuroscience into practice.

Tracy holds an OT degree from Colorado State University and a Master’s in Developmental Psychology/Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience from the University of Denver.

She brings advanced, cross-disciplinary training in Ayres Sensory Integration, sensory modulation, DIR/Floortime®, TEACCH, the Early Start Denver Model, NDT, trauma-informed care, Polyvagal Theory, and a range of attachment- and regulation-focused modalities (including DDP, Theraplay, TBRI, Interpersonal Neurobiology, and mindful self-compassion). These specializations inform her comprehensive approach to intervention.

Tracy serves on the training faculty for the Polyvagal Institute, advises ICDL and Unyte Health, and co-authored OT practice guidelines for the Safe and Sound Protocol and Rest & Restore Protocol. She is a member of the National Fragile X Foundation Scientific and Clinical Advisory Council. She is the originator of the SpIRiT Model and co-developer of the S.T.E.P.P.S.I. frameworks.Through DFX’s Learning Journeys platform and the Spirited Conversations podcast, she provides training and mentorship that advance affirming practices.

Presenting: Developing and Improving Sense of Self Through Meaningful Interaction: How DIR® supports the process of embodiment

Located in: Italy

Bio:  My name is Serena. I am a psychologist and psychomotor therapist. I studied in Italy and abroad, where I met mentors who have been very important to me. Thanks to their knowledge, I was able to expand my understanding of the human being, appreciating the importance of respect and empathy for others. I work in Italy with eight colleagues in the small town of Crescentino. Together, we promote the importance of individuality and all of us use the DIRFloortime model. In my clinic, I support families and children, helping them reconnect with themselves and with one another, restoring meaningful contact and emotional attunement.

Co-Presenting: Opening Remarks

Located in: United States

Bio: Toni Tortora has over 15 years of experience as an Occupational Therapist and a DIRFloortime® provider, consultant, and parent coach. Toni received her Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy from SUNY, Downstate Medical Center. She is the Clinical Director of the Rebecca School, where she has worked since 2008. Toni has extensive training in DIRFloortime®; she is an Expert level training leader and teaches courses for professionals and parents through ICDL (International Council on Development and Learning) about child development, DIRFloortime® in schools and DIRFloortime® across the lifespan. Toni also teaches courses and lectures in sensory integration, trauma, and learning in the classroom environment. She is an educator, consultant and parent coach located in NYC and Long Island, NY. Toni believes that parent and self-advocate choice are essential when supporting neurodiverse families.

Presenting: Things to Consider for the Future of DIRFlooritme®

Located in: United States

Bio: Gil Tippy, PsyD is the former Clinical Director and one of the founders of the Rebecca School in New York City. He is the former Director, the Clinical Director Emeritus and one of the founders of Shub Oak International School in Westchester County, New York. He is the co-author, along with Stanley Greenspan, MD, of Respecting Autism, (Vantage Press, 2011.) He is the author of many articles and book chapters on the subjects of developmental support, and appropriate developmental education. Dr. Tippy consults internationally to schools, individuals and clinical programs, and has been a featured presenter at many national and international conferences. He has been a teacher, a psychologist or both for the last 45 years.

Co-Presenting: Praxis as an Individual Difference: Integrating the "D" and "I" of DIR® through interdisciplinary practice

Located in: United States

Bio: Emily Tritz, OTD, OTR/L graduated from Creighton University in 2002 with a Clinical Doctorate in Occupational Therapy. She has over 20 years experience working across a variety of pediatric settings. She is the co-founder of KC Developmental Therapies, a multi-disciplinary pediatric practice in Kansas City. KC:DT is proud to be a DIR accredited organization. She holds an Expert DIR® certificate from the International Council on Development and Learning, and became an Expert Training Leader in 2022. Emily is one of only two therapists in Kansas and Missouri with this certification, and enjoys presenting in the community to share information with families and professionals regarding developmental approaches. She utilizes the DIRFloortime® approach in her work with children and families, and also enjoys teaching courses through ICDL and supporting KC:DT therapists in their clinical work. Emily is married with three teenage children. In her free time, she enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.

Presenting: Integrating Discipline-Specific Goals Within Transdisciplinary Floortime: Bridging professional perspectives to support holistic child development

Located in: Singapore

Bio: Naomi Wong is a speech-language therapist based in Singapore and international DIR Floortime trainer and speaker. She delivers face-to-face DIR courses in Singapore and provides ongoing training and mentorship to clinicians and educators in China. Through teaching multiple runs of DIR 101 within a single calendar year, Naomi has developed a deep understanding of the learning journeys—and common challenges—faced by emerging Floortime practitioners as they move from discipline-specific goals toward embracing DIR as a cohesive, relationship-based clinical framework.

Her work focuses on helping professionals bridge theory and practice by grounding intervention planning in Functional Emotional Developmental Capacities (FEDCs), individual differences, and relationship-based engagement. Naomi is particularly interested in supporting clinicians to integrate discipline-specific concepts, such as executive functioning and play-based intentionality, while keeping FEDCs as the foundation for development. Her teaching emphasizes reflective clinical reasoning, cultural responsiveness, and practical application supporting holistic child development across therapeutic, educational, and family contexts.

Co-Presenting: Growing Together with DIRFloortime®: Deepening connections and lessons learned

Located in: United States

Bio: Oana Zayic is an advocate, educator, and community builder supporting children with disabilities and their families. She currently works for a parent training and information center in Minnesota

where she guides families through complex systems with clarity, compassion, and evidence-based insight. Oana’s career spans higher education, student services, accessibility coordination, and family engagement—roles that have sharpened her commitment to equity, inclusion, and neuroaffirming practices.

As co-owner of We Rock the Spectrum Twin Cities SW, a sensory gym designed for all bodies and neurotypes, she partners with her husband, Garret, to create joyful spaces where children and families thrive.

A mother of two autistic/ADHD teens, Oana brings lived experience and lived expertise to her work, grounded in relationship-based approaches like DIRFloortime® that honor child strengths, build connection, and support growth. She is known for her thoughtful leadership, community building, and authentic advocacy that empowers families across systems.