Elisa Maria Neiva de Lima Vieira is a clinical psychologist in Brazil. She did post-graduate work in Infant Development at FCM/Unicamp and she received a certification of CBT. She is also the Director of “Mutismo Seletivo Brazil” and she is the International Coordinator for the Selective Mutism Association in Brazil.

Adelia “Ada” Kamenetskiy is a doctoral student in the Clinical Science Ph.D. program and a member of the Mental Health Interventions and Novel Therapeutics (MINT) Lab at Florida International University. She received her Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Psychology with minors in Human Development and Neuroscience from the University of Maryland. After graduating, she worked as a Clinical Research Coordinator for the “Emotion Project” at Boston Children’s Hospital (BCH), managing a large-scale longitudinal study that investigated neural, physiological, behavioral, and environmental markers related to the development of anxiety disorders and emotion processing in children. Ada’s research interests focus on how parental, peer, and school accommodations may shape the trajectory of anxiety disorders and intervention outcomes in young children. She aims to evaluate, advance, and disseminate cost-effective and culturally sensitive treatments and expand the accessibility of mental health care for childhood anxiety.

Junhua Wang Reitman is a Senior Psychological Consultant specializing in helping parents and teachers of children with selective mutism (SM). Her journey with SM began out of a profound desire to support her daughter, Amelia, who grappled with and eventually overcame SM. Over the past decade, Junhua and her team have meticulously developed online courses tailored for parents, children with SM, teachers, and therapists. They've also translated a plethora of SM resources into Chinese, including 5 pivotal books on the subject. These efforts have positively impacted thousands of families, concurrently raising awareness about SM. As the founder of the Chinese Selective Mutism Association (selectionmutism.org.cn) and SunnyMindED SM Center, Junhua actively cultivates community engagement by organizing periodic SM-related online lectures and discussions. She spearheads an online support group for parents of children with SM, which boasts over 3,000 members worldwide. Collaborating closely with SM experts, Junhua has contributed significantly to SM literature and coaching practices including organizing and setting up camp for parents and counselors on a regular basis. She co-authored The SM Workbook for Parents and Professionals: Small Steps Big Changes and Supporting Your Child with SM: A Practical Guide for School, Home, and in the Community. Central to Junhua and her team's intervention approach is empowering parents and teachers to collaborate effectively, forming a supportive triangle encompassing school, home, and the community, establishing buddy systems both within and outside of school settings, emphasizing the significance of parents as advocates. This approach also emphasizes understanding the intervention roadmap, navigating communication stages, utilizing effective talking formulas, and considering the five factors for playdates and the five factors for activities. Countless success stories underscore that overcoming SM within a year or so is no longer merely a dream.

Carolina Costa is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and the program coordinator of the MINT Anxiety Clinic at the Center for Children and Families (CCF) at Florida International University. She has also coordinated research conducted at the MINT lab, including the Kids Face-to-face And Computer-Enhanced Formats Effectiveness for Anxiety and Related Symptoms (Kids FACE FEARS) study and the Selective Mutism Intervention Long-term Evaluation (SMILE) study. Carolina holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a Master of Science in Professional Counseling Psychology, both from Florida International University. Her primary interests include providing evidence-based treatment to children with anxiety disorders from diverse backgrounds and exploring how multilingual and cultural factors influence childhood anxiety.

Dr. Vanessa Ng is a Clinical Psychology Postdoctoral Fellow at Boston Child Study Center. She has trained extensively in evidence-based treatments, including cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), parent-child interaction therapy (PCIT), exposure and response prevention (ERP), parent management training (PMT), and dialectical behavior therapy for children (DBT-C) and adolescents (DBT-A). She is a Certified PCIT Therapist by PCIT International and has received supervised clinical training in treatment adaptations for anxiety (PCIT-CALM), selective mutism (PCIT-SM), and families of toddler-aged children (PCIT-T). She is also trained in Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE), a caregiver-based treatment program for caregivers of children and adolescents experiencing anxiety and/or OCD. Dr. Ng’s doctoral dissertation centered on the evaluation of SPACE as a viable intervention option akin to intensive group behavioral treatments for families impacted by SM. Dr. Ng graduated with a BSc in Psychology (Applied) and a MSc in Developmental Psychopathology from Durham University, United Kingdom. She received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Hofstra University, New York and completed her predoctoral internship at Nationwide Children’s Hospital (Columbus, Ohio). Dr. Ng has specialized interests and experience in the treatment of children with selective mutism (SM). She has served as co-leader and trained counselors for intensive group behavioral treatment programs for SM with Camp C.H.A.T. (Hofstra University, New York) and Confident Crew (Central Health Partners Child Development Team, Hong Kong).

Taylor Hicks-Hoste is a licensed psychologist (LP) in the states of Michigan and California, as well as a Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP). She received her Ph.D. in school psychology from Michigan State University. Her professional experiences span across both school and clinic settings. As a school psychologist, she has serviced students, families and teachers, grades preschool through twelfth grade. She has also worked as a countywide behavioral health consultant, in which she has partnered with local districts in the promotion of mental health awareness and in the direct provision of school-based mental health supports to students. Taylor’s clinical work at Thriving Minds in Michigan includes the treatment of children, teens, and families with an emphasis on anxiety-based disorders such as selective mutism, social anxiety, separation anxiety, and school refusal. She is the director of Confident Kids Advanced Camp, an intensive group treatment summer program for youth with selective mutism. Additionally, Taylor currently serves on the SMA Board of Directors and is the upcoming president elect.

Anita Huang is a mother-turned advocate and coach for families affected by selective mutism in Taiwan. Her bitter sweet journey began 17 years ago when her son stopped talking at school. She has transformed herself from a run of the mill working mom to a founder of the Selective Mutism Association of Taiwan and more recently the Free Voice Project. Anita’s passion has been bringing the world’s best learning resources of selective mutism to Taiwan, breaking barriers and building the environment to implement the relevant methods. She translated The Selective Mutism Resource Manual (Johnson & Wintgens), Selective Mutism in Our Own Words (Sutton & Forrester), documentaries and other sources. In 2018, she invited Ruth Perednik to Taiwan (more than 600 people attended the lecture) and has since offered Ruth’s online courses in Taiwan. Anita has also given talks at school settings around Taiwan, issued press release and spoken at public hearings, contributed to relevant law drafting and amendment, organized support groups and given individual coaching to parents.

Dr. Jenna Blum received her Doctor of Psychology from Chestnut Hill College’s Psy.D. Program. She also received her Master of Science from Chestnut Hill College in August 2020. Prior to graduate school, she received a B.A. at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA in 2018 where she majored in Psychology and minored in Creative Writing. Dr. Jenna holds many titles at the SMart Center. Not only is she a Lead Clinician, but she is also the Supervisor and Director of CommuniCamp Counselors. Dr. Jenna has experience working with children, teens and adults with a wide array of acute and chronic mental illness, such as anxiety, depression, substance abuse, autism and learning challenges. She also co-facilitated anxiety and depression groups for children and adolescent groups and has administered full-battery psychological assessments including autism spectrum disorder (ADOS). She also co-created virtual CommuniCamp which is modeled after SMart Center’s popular in-person intensive group treatment and parent education program, CommuniCamp. Dr. Jenna is certified in the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule Second Edition (ADOS-2), the Trauma Recovery Empowerment Model (TREM) – a weekly intervention for women with trauma – Jenna is trained in Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) – an intervention to treat children between ages 2 and 7 with disruptive behavior problems. Overall, Dr. Jenna’s academic training has been grounded in the use of Psychodynamic Therapy and Family Systems practice but also implements Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Motivational Interviewing.

Gio Ramos is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Science at the University of California, Berkeley. He earned his PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles, and completed his clinical internship at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. His research combines a health equity lens, implementation science, and digital tools to increase the availability of mental health services to marginalized groups.

Aileen Herrera is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and the Clinical Director of the MINT Anxiety Clinic within the Center for Children and Families (CCF) at Florida International University. She is also on the Board of Directors of the Selective Mutism Association. She supervises student trainees and provides weekly and intensive treatment for children and teens with emotional disorders in both English and Spanish. Aileen is certified in Parent-Child Interaction Therapy for Selective Mutism (PCIT-SM). She also directs specialty programs for youth with selective mutism, including FIU’s Brave Bunch Summer Treatment Program. She graduated from Florida State University in May of 2015 Summa Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa with a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and a minor in Child Development. During her undergraduate, Aileen worked for two years as a research assistant at the Anxiety and Behavioral Health Clinic at Florida State University. Aileen received a Master of Science in Professional Counseling Psychology at Florida International University. She completed her practicum at FIU’s Center for Children and Families where she was trained in providing individual and group treatment for children ages 2 to 7 with behavioral problems using Parent-Child Interaction Therapy. She also served as a lead behavioral counselor for two years at FIU’s Pre-K Summer Treatment Program for young children with disruptive behavior disorders. She completed her clinical internship with the MINT Anxiety program where she provided individual, group, and intensive cognitive-behavioral treatment in English and Spanish to children and adolescents with anxiety, and served as a lead counselor for FIU’s Brave Bunch Summer Treatment program.

Shelbie Spear is a doctoral candidate in school psychology at Michigan State University. She is currently completing her pre-doctoral internship at Thriving Minds Behavioral Health in Ada, Michigan, where she provides evidence-based treatment to children and adolescents presenting with selective mutism, sleep challenges, OCD, and other anxiety-based disorders. Shelbie plans to engage in post-doctoral training at Thriving Minds following the completion of her degree in August 2025.

Dr. Kaitlyn Wilbur-Smith is a licensed clinical psychologist and the Director of Selective Mutism Services and the Director of Middle Childhood Services at the Boston Child Study Center. She specializes in the treatment of anxiety, mood, and disruptive behavior disorders in children, adolescents, and young adults from diverse backgrounds. Dr. Wilbur-Smith is certified in perinatal mental health (PMH-C) and also enjoys working with individuals in need of support around life transitions including pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum health, and parenting. She provides evidence-based cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and parent-child interaction therapy (PCIT). Dr. Wilbur-Smith is a Certified Within Agency Trainer by PCIT International and is clinically trained in treatment adaptations for selective mutism (PCIT-SM) and anxiety (PCIT-CALM). Dr. Wilbur-Smith, alongside BCSC’s SM team, started a group treatment program series called Get Heard! in early 2019. Get Heard! uses an evidence-based exposure therapy model and is geared toward youth with selective mutism and social anxiety. She is also certified in Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Children (DBT-C). Dr. Wilbur-Smith graduated from the University of Hartford in West Hartford, CT with a Master of Arts in clinical practices and a Doctorate of Psychology.

Dr. Suneeta Monga is a Professor of Psychiatry in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto, and the Associate Psychiatrist-in-Chief at SickKids Hospital. She holds the TD Bank Financial Group Chair in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and leads an international clinical research program invested in outcome selection and measurement across pediatric anxiety disorders and adolescent depression. Her research focuses on developing a better understanding and improving what we select as outcomes and how we measure these outcomes across youth mental health clinical trials and clinical practice. In addition, to her work in measurement science, Dr. Monga has been actively engaged in the development of an evidence-base for the assessment and treatment of preschool anxiety disorders, including selective mutism. She has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals, written several books and book chapters, and presented her research nationally and internationally. Dr. Monga is a strong advocate of the importance of integrating mental health care into the physical health care of children and youth. She is the recipient of several awards for her teaching and mentorship of students and trainees.

.Sabine Laerum is a dual Swiss and German citizen, born in Hamburg in 1969. She has lived and worked in Germany, the United States, and now resides in Zurich, Switzerland. With a solid background in speech therapy, linguistics, and rhetoric, she brings extensive clinical expertise in both German- and English-speaking contexts. As a certified PCIT-SM therapist and regional trainer, Sabine has been introducing and advancing this therapeutic approach across Europe since 2015, helping children with selective mutism find their voice in everyday life. She works directly in the environments where children are unable to speak, offering individualized and intensive interventions, hands-on coaching, and targeted training programs. Her work focuses on empowering parents, therapists, and educators with evidence-based strategies to foster and support authentic, purposeful and confident communication. In addition to her clinical work and training programs, Sabine is a lecturer in the Department of Patholinguistics at the University of Potsdam and has published on selective mutism.

Alyssa M. Farley, PhD is a Research Assistant Professor and Licensed Psychologist in CARD’s Child and Adolescent Fear and Anxiety Treatment Program. Dr. Farley received her PhD in clinical psychology from Rutgers University-New Brunswick and completed her internship training at Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School. Dr. Farley provides cognitive-behavioral therapies to children, adolescents, and families who are affected by anxiety and related conditions. She also conducts neuropsychological evaluations for children, adolescents, and young adults. Dr. Farley is a proud member of CARD’s Selective Mutism Program and supervisor for its Brave Bunch Program. She frequently consults with schools and presents in the community to support youths’ mental health needs.

Hannah Hamilton, LCSW Hannah is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a master’s degree in Social Work from Wayne State University, where she specialized in Infant Mental Health. She has spent the past three years working with children experiencing selective mutism and is especially passionate about the intersection of selective mutism, autism, and other forms of neurodivergence. Currently based at Thriving Minds in Michigan, Hannah supports children, teens, and families through evidence-based, compassionate care tailored to each unique journey.

Dr. Yoko Shibata is a licensed psychologist specializing in evidence-based therapy for children through young adults and consultation for caregivers. Dr.Yoko specializes in treating selective mutism. Dr. Yoko employs behavior therapy techniques that encourage speech and reinforce communication. Dr. Yoko also empowers parents with skills learned in therapy and provides live coaching to ensure effective mastery. With over 15 years of experience in public schools, Dr. Yoko collaborates closely with schools, offering staff training and classroom strategies to support children with selective mutism. Dr. Yoko's comprehensive care incorporates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Motivational Interviewing, ensuring a supportive environment for children through young adults.

Jonathan Kohlmeier is from upstate New York and graduated from Babson College with a B.S. in Business Administration concentrating in Finance and Technology. He later obtained his M.A in Clinical Psychology from Teachers College - Columbia University. He was diagnosed with selective mutism at age five and is passionate about helping the countless individuals and caregivers that face similar challenges. Jonathan has volunteered at multiple SM intensive treatment programs since 2016 at Kurtz Psychology Consulting, the Child Mind Institute, and the Child & Adolescent Anxiety Practice. Additionally, he often speaks to SM support groups and schools about his memoir on selective mutism called Learning to Play the Game: My Journey Through Silence. He was featured on PBS Keeping Kids Healthy and BBC Our World.

Katelyn Reed, M.S. is a Limited Licensed Psychologist at Thriving Minds Family Services, located in Chelsea, MI. She completed her Master’s degree in Clinical Behavioral Psychology at Eastern Michigan University where she focused on evidence-based behavioral and cognitive behavioral interventions for children and adolescents. Through her work at Thriving Minds, Katelyn specializes in treating children with Selective Mutism via traditional weekly therapy, intensive therapy (i.e., 15-20 hours of treatment in one week), and group therapy models. Through an exposure therapy model, children with Selective Mutism are encouraged to be brave in talking with new people and in new settings. Katelyn emphasizes collaborative care and frequently works in partnership with parents and schools to best assist clients and to promote growth through education on appropriate goals and interventions. Katelyn is also the Assistant Director for Confident Kids Camp, an intensive week-long treatment program for children with Selective Mutism. In addition to her work with children with Selective Mutism, Katelyn provides evidenced-based therapy for children with other anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, and disruptive behavior disorders. Katelyn has been a professional member of the Selective Mutism Association since 2013 and joined the Board of Directors in 2017. Katelyn is the current President of SMA. She is passionate about spreading awareness about Selective Mutism and about effective treatment techniques and is excited to contribute to the mission of SMA through her involvement on the Board of Directors.

Rachel Busman, PsyD, ABPP is a licensed clinical psychologist and the Senior Director of the Child & Adolescent Anxiety and Related Disorders Program at Cognitive and Behavioral Consultants (CBC). Dr. Busman has extensive experience working using evidence based treatments with children, teenagers, young adults and families struggling with anxiety disorders and other related mental health disorders. Dr. Busman has a specific interest and expertise in the evaluation and treatment of Selective Mutism and anxiety disorders in young children. She created and runs Voices Rising, an intensive SM treatment. Prior to joining CBC, Dr. Busman was the senior director of the Anxiety Disorders Center and Director of the Selective Mutism Service at the Child Mind Institute, in addition to the Director of Brave Buddies, an internationally recognized intensive program for children with Selective Mutism (SM). Dr. Busman is a former president of the Selective Mutism Association, the nation’s largest network of professionals, families, and individuals with selective mutism. She is certified in PCIT-SM and is a within agency trainer. Dr. Busman is also certified by the American Board of Professional Psychology in Clinical Psychology and Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology.

Dr. Elisa Shipon-Blum or Dr. E as her clients know her is the President and Director of the Selective Mutism Anxiety and Related Disorders Treatment Center (SMart Center). She is also the host of the #1 podcast of Selective Mutism, Unspoken Words. She is a board certified physician who specializes in Selective Mutism. Over the past 30 years, Dr. E has helped thousands of children, teens, and adults from around the world overcome Selective Mutism. Notably, the inspiration of her work comes from her daughter, Sophia, who suffered from and overcame Selective Mutism. She is the Founder and Director Emeritus of the Selective Mutism Association (SMA). She is also the Director of the Selective Mutism Research Institute (SMRI), a foundation established to study Dr. Shipon-Blum’s theories and treatment methodologies on Selective Mutism. As an Osteopathic physician, Dr. Elisa Shipon-Blum focuses on the whole person and not a symptom. She views SM as a social communication anxiety where mutism is merely a symptom. Dr. E developed the evidenced-based Social Communication Anxiety Treatment (S-CAT)®. According to Dr. E’s work, The key to an effective treatment plan is understanding factors that contribute to the development and maintenance of SM (The Why’s of SM) as well as understanding an individual’s baseline stage of social communication on the Social Communication Bridge©. Then, working as a team; the treatment professional, parents, and school staff, help the individual build coping skills to combat anxious feelings and to progress across the Social Communication Bridge©. Leveraging her effective S-CAT® program, Dr. E created CommuniCamp™, an intensive in-person group treatment and parent education program for children and parents affected with Selective Mutism, social anxiety, and extreme shyness – with dates all throughout the calendar year.

Dr. Godfrey is a postdoctoral psychology fellow in the Department of Pediatrics at the Medical College of Wisconsin and works at the Center for Child Development through Children’s Wisconsin. Dr. Godfrey is trained as a school psychologist and has clinical experiences supporting children and families in schools and outpatient settings. Prior to her current role, Dr. Godfrey engaged in research on family-school partnerships and family-school collaborative interventions supporting positive behaviors for children and adolescents. Her current work involves conducting assessments, individual therapy, group therapy, and consultation services for school-aged youth. She also works collaboratively with Dr. Bice-Urbach to provide clinical care services for children with Selective Mutism and their families.

Andrea C. Roth, PsyD, is the director of Thriving Minds Behavioral Health in Livonia, Michigan, a pediatric group practice that specializes in the treatment of children with a variety of mental health diagnoses. Dr. Roth is a trained Cognitive-Behavioral Therapist and specializes in the treatment of anxiety-based disorders, including Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Selective Mutism. Dr. Roth also runs the student training program for behavioral sleep treatment at Thriving Minds. Prior to her clinical career, she worked in sleep research at the University of Wisconsin and Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. Currently, Dr. Roth serves as a research consultant at Henry Ford Hospital and has many published articles within the sleep field.

Dr. Joffe has been treating Selective Mutism for over 30 years. Dr. Joffe wrote a book for parents and for teachers from the point of view of a child with S.M.: Sophie’s Story: A Guide to Selective Mutism. This book has been translated into Portuguese, Chinese, and French. Dr. Joffe also provides treatment for children other anxiety disorders such as Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Specific Phobias, and Social Anxiety. She also provides assessment, treatment, and consultation for children with neurodevelopmental disorders, including ADHD, Tourette’s Syndrome anxiety, mood disorders, Autism Spectrum Disorder. She works with children and families, consults with schools, hospitals, and was a professional board member of CHADD. Dr. Joffe was a member of the National Board of Directors of the Selective Mutism Group for four years. Dr. Joffe has presented about Selective Mutism in National Conferences in the U.S. (SMA, APA, AACAP), and also in Israel and in Brazil. Dr. Joffe uses empirically based cognitive-behavior and (behavior-cognitive) therapy for S.M., including PCIT-SM (as she is Certified in PCIT-SM and PCIT). However, Dr. Joffe also considers developmental, family, and environmental/cultural aspects of each individual case. Dr. Joffe‘s approach is to work mostly at schools and where the symptoms happen, thus her approach is “environmentally-based” as well. Dr. Joffe works Florida and in New York. Dr. Joffe also provides consultation and education to parents and teachers globally. She speaks English and Portuguese. Finally, Dr. Joffe has developed (with Dr. Zimmerman and Dr. Panjwani) the Selective Mutism (SM) Family Questionnaire (2022). For more information and contact email vera@ verajoffe.com

Dr. Raggi is a licensed clinical psychologist and director of Brighter Outlook Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, LLC. She earned her Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Maryland, College Park and completed internship at Children’s Hospital in Washington, D.C. and postdoctoral fellowship at NYU Child Study Center. Dr. Raggi has over fifteen years of experience providing evidence-based treatment for youth and families with selective mutism and co-occurring disorders. She has developed and directed intensive summer camps for children with SM for the past eight years and worked on pilot studies to examine camp outcomes. She is currently co-director of the Kids Out Loud Summer Camp in the Washington, D.C. metro area. Dr. Raggi writes the "Brave Voices" blog for Psychology Today. She has been interviewed by the Washington Post, Forbes, and other media, and has published in numerous academic journals on evidence-based approaches to child mental health treatment. She is first author of the book, "Exposure Therapy for Treating Anxiety in Children and Adolescents", a comprehensive, practical resource on the “how-to” of implementing exposure-based therapy for youth with anxiety.

Dr. Aimee Kotrba graduated with her doctorate degree in clinical child psychology from Wayne State University and has owned Thriving Minds since 2012. Dr. Kotrba was a past board member and President of the Selective Mutism Association (then known as the Selective Mutism Group). She is a nationally-known expert and speaker on the identification and treatment of Selective Mutism and loves working with families to promote “brave talking.” Dr. Kotrba has co-authored Selective Mutism: An Assessment and Intervention Guide for Therapists, Educators, and Parents, Revised and Updated Edition and Overcoming Selective Mutism: A Field Guide for Parents. She created and co-directs Confident Kids Camp, a camp for children and teens with Selective Mutism that runs annually in Brighton Michigan (with offshoot camps in the metro DC area and Toronto, Canada). Dr. Kotrba also provides education to parents, school personnel, and professionals about Selective Mutism, offering informative and engaging webinars.

Helping your child or student with selective mutism can feel like putting a puzzle together. Just when you think it’s coming together, you reach a standstill or the pieces aren’t fitting quite right. Jennifer Brittingham is a licensed professional counselor located outside of Philadelphia, PA who provides comprehensive treatment for children, teens, and young adults with Selective Mutism and other related disorders using the S-CAT(r) approach developed by SM expert, Dr. Elisa Shipon-Blum. Jennifer specializes in helping families, clients, and school staff dig deeper to better understand Selective Mutism and the strategies needed to fuel progress in all areas of their lives. Jennifer has been a consultant for the SMart Center for over 20 years and has provided SM treatment and education to families and schools across the globe. Putting the SM puzzle pieces together is her passion.

Dr. Raggi is a licensed psychologist and director of Brighter Outlook Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, LLC. Dr. Raggi has over fifteen years of experience providing evidence-based treatment for youth and families with selective mutism and co-occurring disorders. She developed and directed an intensive summer camp for children with SM for the past six years with Dr. Kelly O'Brien at Alvord, Baker and Associates, through which she also collaborated on a pilot study to examine camp outcomes. Dr. Raggi supports other clinicians in treating SM through facilitating bi-monthly peer consultation groups within the SMA organization. She frequently trains and consults with schools in the treatment of anxiety and SM. Dr. Raggi has a passion for bringing increased attention and awareness to the issues of youth anxiety and the application of evidence-based approaches, including effective parenting and school-based strategies. She writes a blog called Brave Voices for Psychology Today. She has been a speaker for podcasts, interviewed by the Washington Post and other media, and has published in numerous academic journals on evidence-based approaches to child mental health treatment. Dr. Raggi is first author of Exposure Therapy for Treating Anxiety in Children and Adolescents, a comprehensive, practical resource on the “how-to” of implementing exposure-based therapy for youth with anxiety. Dr. Raggi received intensive training in the PCIT for SM approach through postdoctoral training with Dr. Steven Kurtz at the NYU Child Study Center. She earned her Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Maryland, College Park and completed an internship at Children’s Hospital in Washington, D.C.

Eleanor Ezell, LCSW, is a licensed therapist in Tennessee and is the Founder and Clinical Director at Child and Family Therapy Collective based in Nashville, TN. She has extensive experience providing evidence-based therapy to children and young teens who struggle with selective mutism, anxiety, ADHD and disruptive behavior disorders, and a wide range of developmental delays. She attended New York University for graduate training where she trained with and worked very closely with Dr. Steven Kurtz over 5 years treating children with selective mutism and related disorders. She completed a two-year Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics Fellowship at The University of Mississippi Medical Center where she also was personally grand funded to bring PCIT-SM and the Brave Buddies/Mighty Mouth Kids Camp model to the state of Mississippi. In the last 10 years, she has participated in, or replicated, intensive treatment in New York, California, Mississippi and soon will replicate in Tennessee. Eleanor currently runs the selective mutism program at Child and Family Therapy Collective in Nashville, TN where she offers weekly sessions, individual intensives and intensive group model treatment.

Dr. Maayan Shorer is a clinical psychologist and a senior lecturer at the Clinical Psychology Department of Ruppin Academic Center, Israel. With an extensive experience in treating children with Selective Mutism (SM), she has previously served as the head of the SM unit of Schneider Children’s Medical Center of Israel and currently serves as its clinical supervisor. Her research is primarily focused on understanding the effectiveness of treatment for SM and the role of parental practices in its development. She has also conducted research on PTSD in children and the impact of parental playfulness on children’s emotional adjustment. The findings of these studies were published in academic journals and presented at professional conferences.

Rachel Rapp, MS, CCC-SLP is a licensed speech-language pathologist specializing in speech language therapy for selective mutism and social cognitive therapy. Having experienced selective mutism herself as a child, Rachel brings deep empathy and passion for her clients who are struggling with communication. Rachel currently runs a small private practice in San Francisco and recently opened a group practice, Social Learners SF, providing group-based therapy for children and teens with social learning differences. She completed her clinical training in speech-language pathology at UCSF and her clinical fellowship in social cognition at Social Thinking® - Stevens Creek. Additionally, she is a Natural Language Acquisition (NLA) trained clinician who is educated in gestalt language processing. Prior to becoming a speech-language pathologist, Rachel worked in corporate communications in New York City. After volunteering at the NYU Child Study Center's intensive treatment program for children with SM, she knew this was the field for her. She received her Master’s Degree in speech-language pathology from the University of Oregon and her undergraduate degree from Indiana University at Bloomington.

After receiving a bachelor's degree from the University of Kentucky and a master's degree at Miami University, Kristin began her career as a Speech-Language Pathologist in Nashville in 1998. For the past 27 years, Kristin has been providing therapy to children in private practice settings, schools, and pediatric rehabilitation settings. For the past 10 years, Kristin has specialized in the treatment of SM and has focused on expanding her understanding of how anxiety affects children's communication and social abilities. Before focusing her career being on treating SM, the primary focus had been on treating the social (pragmatic) communication disorders of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder. In addition to treating SPCD through individual speech-language therapy sessions, Kristin is an expert in facilitating students' social (pragmatic) language skills through group therapy. Kristin serves as a Tennessee's SMA State Coordinator. Kristin has vast experience in serving as a presenter and trainer to various organizations.

Dr. Rebecca Laptook is a licensed clinical child psychologist who specializes in the treatment of childhood anxiety. She received her doctorate in clinical psychology from the State University of NY at Stony Brook and completed her clinical internship at NY Presbyterian-Columbia University Medical School and subsequent child postdoctoral fellowship at North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System. Dr. Laptook is a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior as well as the Department of Pediatrics at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. She works at Rhode Island Hospital where she is a psychologist at the Hasbro Children’s Partial Hospital Program, a day-treatment program for kids ages 6-18 coping with both psychiatric and medical illnesses. Dr. Laptook specializes in working with children and families and has a particular interest and expertise in early childhood, childhood anxiety, Selective Mutism, child temperament, parent-child interactions, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Dr. Laptook is also a Board Member of the Selective Mutism Association and focused on helping to foster further awareness and education about Selective Mutism.

Dr. Jami Furr is a Clinical Associate Professor and Senior Psychologist in the Mental Health Interventions and Novel Therapeutics (MINT) Program, and Developer of the Selective Mutism Program at Florida International University Center for Children and Families (CCF). Dr. Furr obtained her doctorate in clinical psychology from Temple University, and completed her clinical internship and postdoctoral fellowship at the NYU Child Study Center and Bellevue Hospital Program in New York. Dr. Furr currently serves as a Trainer for the Network for Expanding Child Wellness in Disaster-Affected Youth (or NEW DAY) - a SAMHSA-funded and National Child Traumatic Stress Network affiliated program providing largescale training and consultation in disaster mental health to youth-serving professionals in disaster-hit regions and disaster-prone regions across the United States. Dr. Furr has extensive clinical expertise and research interests in cognitive and behavioral treatments of childhood anxiety and disruptive behavior disorders, with a particular focus on preschool mental health. She has served as the Clinical Director of several federally funded randomized trials evaluating the acceptability and utility of telehealth strategies for expanding the scope and reach of mental health care; and currently provides training and supervision for clinical services for anxiety, OCD, and/or disruptive behavior problems for children and adolescents. Dr. Furr also has led the field of selective mutism in youth regarding clinical and research programs. She is the Past-President of the Selective Mutism Association and has continued to serve on their Board of Directors for the last 7 years. Dr. Furr is currently conducting one of the first long-term outcome studies on children with selective mutism. She has numerous publications and conducts trainings locally and nationally in the areas of trauma, anxiety, and selective mutism in youth. In 2019, Dr. Furr was the recipient of the Anne Marie Albano Early Career Award for the Integration of Science and Practice from the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT) and the Florida International University College of Arts, Sciences, and Education Award for Research.

Dr. Julia Villarreal is a licensed psychologist and board certified behavioral analyst at the doctoral level (BCBA-D). She earned her Ph.D. in school psychology and completed her pre- and post-doctoral internship at Thriving Minds, where she specialized in the treatment of selective mutism and pediatric sleep. Currently, Dr. Villarreal is an Assistant Professor in the University of Cincinnati’s School Psychology Program. Dr. Villarreal uses a social justice lens to her research on supporting minoritized students’ mental well-being and behavioral outcomes.

Lucy Nathanson is a child therapist, international speaker, best-selling author and founder of confidentchildren.co.uk. Confident Children has a team of therapists specialising in helping children with Selective Mutism (SM). Lucy has published 5 books on SM, an online school training programme for schools, a parent essentials course. She has a YouTube channel that has exceeded 415,000 views as well as active Facebook and Instagram pages consisting of over 13 thousand followers and she has featured on the BBC, both on TV and radio talking about Selective Mutism. Lucy is passionate about raising awareness of Selective Mutism worldwide.

Dr. Bice-Urbach is an Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the Medical College of Wisconsin and has been working as a clinical psychologist at the Center for Child Development, a developmental clinic through Children’s Wisconsin. Dr. Bice-Urbach has a specialty in best practices in providing telebehavioral health services. Dr. Bice-Urbach also has a clinical specialty in treating children and adolescents with anxiety disorders through cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with a primary focus on treating children with Selective Mutism. At the Center for Child Development, she has been offering assessment, individual therapy, group therapy, and family/school consultation and training to support children with Selective Mutism. She is a board member of the Selective Mutism Association and has given several national presentations on Selective Mutism. She also has prioritized trainings for medical facilities and pediatricians on Selective Mutism.

Dr. Rachel Merson, Psy.D., is the Clinical Director of the Child and Adolescent Fear and Anxiety Treatment Program at the Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders. She oversees all clinical activities at Child CARD and is deeply involved in training and supervising graduate students and trainees. Dr. Merson provides individual therapy, parent training groups, and neuropsychological evaluations. As Director of Child CARD's Selective Mutism Program, she leads Brave Bunch, an intensive treatment program for young children with selective mutism. She is an active member of the Selective Mutism Association's Board of Directors, having served as President from 2022-2024. She frequently trains schools and community groups on selective mutism and child anxiety.

Emily Laracy is a licensed speech-language pathologist who currently works in an elementary school in Eastern PA. Her caseload includes students in grades K-5 with a variety of social, emotional, cognitive, and academic needs, including students with selective mutism. Emily also participates as a counselor at the Child Mind Institute’s Brave Buddies programs for children with selective mutism. Prior to working as a speech pathologist, Emily taught preschool for 10 years and worked one-on-one with a student with selective mutism in this setting. Emily received her M.A. in Applied Developmental Psychology with a focus on Language Acquisition from George Mason University and her M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology from East Stroudsburg University. She continues to conduct and collaborate in research within the speech pathology field through East Stroudsburg University, where she also serves as a guest lecturer for graduate and undergraduate classes. Her professional interests are in helping children with anxiety and communication needs find the tools to communicate effectively and efficiently with those around them.

Kathryn L. Keough, PhD, is a clinical psychologist in the Anxiety Disorders Center and part of the Selective Mutism Service at the Child Mind Institute. Dr. Keough has a specialized interest in the evaluation and treatment of children and families managing anxiety, trauma, and obsessive-compulsive disorders. Dr. Keough believes that the right treatment can promote hope and self-efficacy, as young people develop a lifelong set of skills to manage anxiety and meet their bravery goals. She has been extensively trained in various evidence-based treatments, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), parent-child interaction therapy (PCIT), exposure and response prevention (ERP), and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and she is a certified therapist in PCIT for Selective Mutism. She has experience treating SM in preschoolers, school-aged children, and adolescents.

Ron Rapee is Distinguished Professor of Psychology at Macquarie University where he was the Founding Director of the Centre for Emotional Health. Professor Rapee’s research specializes in mental health, especially in anxiety and related disorders across the lifespan. He has created models of the development of mental disorders and has used these theories to produce evidence based treatment programs. One of his best-known programs, Cool Kids, is used in over 25 countries and translated into more than a dozen languages. Currently, Professor Rapee has been engaged by the Australian Department of Education to develop a tool to identify students across all Australian schools who may be struggling with their mental health. Professor Rapee has been honoured by awards from both scientific and consumer groups, including the Distinguished Career Award from the Australian Association for CBT and the Distinguished Contribution to Science Award from the Australian Psychological Society. He was awarded an Australian Research Council Laureate Fellowship in 2015 and was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 2012 for his contributions to clinical psychology, especially among young people.

Dr. Rupal is a Board-Certified Pediatrician in the Northwest Suburbs of Chicago where she lives with her husband, 3 children, and adorable puppy. She completed her undergraduate studies at The University of Chicago, in Chicago, IL. She then went on to The University of Illinois in Chicago for medical school. She did her training in General Pediatrics at Advocate Hope Children’s Hospital in Oak Lawn, IL.Dr. Rupal is in private practice with Associates in Pediatrics and is affiliated with St. Alexius Medical Center, Advocate Sherman Hospital, and Northwest Community Healthcare. She first learned of SMA when her youngest daughter was diagnosed with SM at the age of 5. Since then she has been passionate about raising awareness of childhood anxiety disorders such as SM, particularly in the medical community. Dr. Upadhyay joined the Board of Directors of the Selective Mutism Association in January of 2022 and continues to play an active role in educating her patients and community on selective mutism.

Ruth Perednik is an English-Israeli psychologist, whose passion and life’s work over the past 35 years, has been the treatment of children and teens suffering from selective mutism. Born in London, she studied at University College London, the Institute of Education, the University of London, and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Perednik’s work treating selective mutism dates back to when her trilingual son suffered from the then-almost-unknown condition of selective mutism. She heads the Selective Mutism Treatment Center in Jerusalem. Her book “The Selective Mutism Treatment Manual; Still Waters Run Deep” has been translated into Hebrew, traditional and simplified Chinese, and Portuguese. She published, together with professor Yoel Elitzur, from the Hebrew University "Prevalence and Description of Selective Mutism in Immigrant and Native Families: A Controlled Study". She has developed an innovative treatment approach, over three decades, and thousands of cases of treating children with SM. This cognitive-behavioral treatment focuses on improved social communication, usually resulting in an excellent response to intervention within several months. The treatment is an integrative approach: the significant adults in the child’s world - the teacher, parents, and therapist - are all considered therapeutic agents for change, and whenever possible, carry out their own, complementary interventions, in this way leveraging momentum for change and healing. Perednik’s mantra is treating the child or teen in his natural environment since this is where the symptoms of selective mutism must be alleviated. Perednik has developed online treatment courses – for parents and therapists, and has treated clients and trained mental health professionals the world over. She carries out brief intensive treatments worldwide, and lectures in English, Spanish, and Hebrew. She has worked intensely treating children and training professionals in China, Taiwan, and South America. Perednik advocates for accountability of therapists when treating children, so that evidence-based interventions are the treatments of choice, facilitating effective therapy.