Contributors

Jennifer Weberman, Psy.D.

Dr. Jennifer Weberman is a Psychologist and Parent Coach with over a decade of experience providing children, teens, and parents with the tools they need to create the lives they desire. She has been affectionately referred to as the Supernanny of Springfield, as she has helped hundreds of families restore peace to their homes.

She has Directed all 7 of Mount Carmel Guild’s Hospital based psychiatric programs, including 3 youth focused programs. In addition, she has led educational workshops for parents and teachers, conducted classroom consultations, taught introductory psychology courses, and provided leadership coaching as part of the Team Management and Leadership Program.

Having never been one to let the grass grow between her toes, she created this blog to provide an online community where parents can learn, play and grow. For more information about Dr. Jennifer, check out her website at www.jenniferweberman.com or follow her on Twitter.

Jodie Block

Jodie Block, MS, RD, CDN is Founder of The Health Institute of Nutrition, an active member of the ADA, and a recipient of the Certificate of Recognition of Excellence in Scholarship in Nutrition. She has been nationally recognized for her work in Woman’s Health and Weight Loss Nutrition, and served as guest expert at various NYC Health Cubs and Wall Street Corporations. Jodie has been featured on television and radio broadcasts, including CBS News and Fox 5 Good Day New York, and she served as college professor in NYC, before moving to San Diego with her family six years ago.

Jodie’s expertise also includes a Certificate of Training in Childhood and Adolescent Nutrition, and she presently teaches Healthy Nutrition Cooking Classes and Camps in Del Mar, CA. She started a Food Revolution in the Del Mar School District, and she is on a mission to ensure all students in the district receive a healthy, nutritious, and delicious school lunch every day.  Jodie’s health and wellness practices are geared toward a wide span of audiences, including prenatal/pregnancy, childhood, adolescent, and adult groups. To schedule a consultation or public speaking engagement, contact Jodie at JodieBlock@aol.com. You can also follow her on Facebook at Jodie Block, MS, RD, CDN -The Health Institute of Nutrition.

Tracy Zaslow, MD

Dr. Tracy Zaslow, is a pediatric sports medicine specialist and Medical Director for the Children’s Orthopedic Center Sports Medicine and Concussion Program at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. She received her BS in biochemistry and cell biology from UC San Diego and her MD from New York Medical College. While completing a two-year fellowship in Primary Care Sports Medicine at UCLA, Dr. Zaslow provided medical care to the university’s athletes, the Bruins.

In addition to her clinical duties, Dr. Zaslow is actively leading the fight against obesity by educating south Los Angeles elementary students and their parents through the “Fit to Play and Learn” Obesity Prevention program, which she co-created in collaboration with the American Academy of Pediatrics. She is also team physician for the Men’s League Soccer L.A. Galaxy Team, President of the L.A. Pediatric Society, Executive Committee member for the National AAP’s Section on Young Physicians, and a Clinical Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at University of Southern California.

Dr. Zaslow is an active athlete with a strong interest in injury prevention. She played high school volleyball, softball and basketball, and she competed on the women’s lacrosse team and many intramural sports in college. She now continues her active lifestyle participating in tennis, volleyball, running, hiking, yoga, skiing, and much more!

For more information or to schedule a clinical consultation or speaking engagement with Dr. Zaslow, please visit www.SportsMedicineLA.com

Molly Matava

Molly Matava is a Special Education and Child Advocate who has worked in the Bay Area since 2007. She has experience with a wide range of disabilities, and she believes that each child is an individual who requires an education designed to meet his or her unique needs. Working collaboratively with parents, schools and private therapists, Molly develops education programs to support the whole child, both at home and in school. As a veteran of hundreds of IEP and 504 meetings, Molly works from an extensive knowledge base to help each child she meets, as well as his or her family.

Molly has a daughter with autism, so she knows firsthand the joys and challenges of raising a child with special needs. She engaged an Advocate when she began working with the school district to create a plan for her daughter. Molly believes parents can be the strongest advocates for their children, and she takes great pride in empowering them to do so by giving them the tools and skills they need.

Molly is the founder of Bay Area Advocacy, a Special Education Advocacy Company. She is a member of the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, and the California Association for Parent Child Advocacy. She has earned degrees in English and Public Relations. Molly lives with her family in Saratoga, California. For more information about Molly and her services, visit her website: www.bayareaadvocacy.com.

Julie Lieberman Neale

As the principal of JLN Coaching and Consulting, Julie Lieberman Neale supports non-profit organizations, schools and parents to help young people reach their potential. She brings over 20 years of planning, development, facilitation and advocacy experience to her clients, providing individual coaching, team-building workshops, and management consulting. As an educator, non-profit leader, and a parent, Julie maintains the conviction that adults must take good care of themselves if they want to be successful advocates for their children.

Julie’s biggest project to date has been her own eight-year-old son, Ryan, who is now thriving after receiving a development disorder diagnosis as a baby and intensive early intervention and treatment. Julie is actively involved in Ryan’s public education and currently serves on his school’s Site Council. Recently, she and Ryan started their own creative joint venture, Julie and Ryan’s Treasure Hunt, a blog that highlights neighborhood jewels as seen from both of their perspectives.

Julie graduated Magna Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa from UCLA with a BA in Communication Studies, and earned her Masters in Community Development from UC Berkeley. In 2009, she completed her coursework with the Coaches Training Institute. Julie has worked with numerous non-profit organizations including Heart of Los Angeles Youth, the Urban Strategies Council, and Alternatives in Action, where she’s served for over twelve years, most recently as the Senior Director of Fund and Community Development. For more information about Julie and her services, you can visit her website at www.jlncoaching.com or email her at julie@jlncoaching.com.

Elizabeth Matheis, Ph.D.

Elizabeth Matheis, PhD – a.k.a. Dr. Liz – is a Clinical Psychologist and certified School Psychologist, specializing in assisting couples, parents, and families coping with Autism, ADHD, learning disabilities, and other special needs. She also serves as a consultant for public schools and private institutions, providing support and program evaluation.

Dr. Liz focuses on aligning parents on multiple levels to create a consistent home environment through the establishment of boundaries and behavioral expectations in both children and families. A featured contributor to a number of popular magazines, Dr. Liz provides real-world, pragmatic solutions to complex problems.

Dr. Liz and her husband share a private clinical psychology practice, Psychological and Educational Consulting LLC (www.psychconsult.weebly.com) in Parsippany, New Jersey. She is the proud mom to two young children and is a fitness and nutrition enthusiast. Please keep up with Dr. Liz by following her on Twitter and Facebook.

Stephen Abbott

Stephen Abbott is a dad. He is an active, modern dad, compelled to spread the word that fathers are important, capable, and confident parents—an idea that shouldn’t surprise anyone, but often does. Just like moms’, dads’ role in the family has evolved, too, but not as many people seem eager to notice or take action. Stephen is here to change that.

What started as six tips encouraging dads to be proud of being an active parent has turned into a Manifesto, a mission to squash the common stereotypes of bumbling dads, emasculated dads and Neanderthal dads. Yet, if you look closely you realize that it’s really just common sense, an open mind, and a whole lot of love for our kids. It’s an important idea that is catching on.

With his blog, Adventures of a Really Cool Dad and tweets from @AReallyCoolDad, Stephen shares the stories that make being a dad awesome, and encourages everyone to celebrate in the fun, chaos, and adventures of modern fatherhood.

Stephen lives in a suburb of Vancouver, BC, Canada, with his wife and son. He’s active on school parent councils, kids sports councils, and lots of places people gather to make the world better. He’s a working dad with a thriving brand strategy consultancy.