Lynn University

Richard Axel, M.D.

2004 Nobel Prize winner Richard Axel is a professor and investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University. Axel obtained an A.B. from Columbia College and M.D. from Johns Hopkins Medical School.

Dr. Axel applied his knowledge of molecular biology to problems in neuroscience with the expectation that genetics could interface with neuroscience to approach the tenuous relationship between genes, behavior and perception. His studies on the logic of the sense of smell revealed over 1,000 genes are involved in the recognition of odors and provided insight into how genes shape our perception of the sensory environment. His current work centers on how the recognition of odors is translated into an internal representation of sensory quality in the brain and how this representation leads to meaningful thoughts and behavior.

Denise Belafonte-Young, B.A., M.F.A.

Energy and passion for the media is what describes Professor Belafonte-Young. If T.V is in your future, so should Professor Young. With a long time passion for television production, Belafonte-Young has the skills to oversee from the TV stage, control room, and back room for student production.

Sheena Blue, M.S.

For over 10 years, Sheena Blue has served as a regular and special education teacher within the public school system, supporting children and their families with autism spectrum disorder and varying exceptionalities. Most recently, Blue was a lead district resource teacher specializing in autism spectrum disorder for over 40 schools in the Palm Beach County area, where she provided comprehensive staff development trainings, program development for preschool to high school aged children and behavioral and social therapeutic services.

She is an adjunct professor for Palm Beach State College and Palm Beach Atlantic University in the School of Education and Behavioral Studies.

Blue graduated from Palm Beach Atlantic University with a Bachelor of Science degree in general education specializing in exceptional student education and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL). She completed graduate courses in autism spectrum disorders at Florida State University, where she received an endorsement from the State of Florida Department of Education. In addition, she attended Nova Southeastern University and completed her Master of Science degree in Educational Leadership.

Priscilla Boerger, B.S., M.S., ED.D.

Priscilla A. Boerger began her career in the public school sector 15 years ago as an elementary school teacher in Miami, Florida. She was a lead teacher and the secretary for her school’s ESSAC committee. She also trained teachers on classroom management strategies, held parent workshops, and was involved with the PTA. During the past five years she has served Lynn University as an adjunct professor and assistant professor in the Ross College of Education as well as the K-6 Elementary Education program coordinator. She works with various organizations in the state of Florida Department of Education and closely works with several departments within the School District of Palm Beach County.

Melanie Brockmeier, M.S., Ed.S.

Melanie Brockmeier was born and raised in the Tampa Bay area and returned there after completing her graduate work at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida.

After finishing her clinical work, Brockmeier decided her passion was working with children and positively impacting their lives. She began her career at a psychiatric residential facility as the lead therapist for boys ages 10-14, as well as the trauma counselor, running groups for boys and girls suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

She joined the Vanguard School as the educational therapist in 2008, providing individual and group therapy, conducting staffings, developing learning plans for students, working as the guidance and career counselor, scheduling classes and co-chairing the FCIS and SACS accreditation teams.

Currently, Brockmeier serves as the assistant head of school and is active in the development and admissions process, overseeing student academic and residential plans, as well as continuing to provide therapy and support for all Vanguard students.

Robert Brooks

Robert Brooks is a psychologist on the faculty of Harvard Medical School and former director of the department of psychology at McLean Hospital, a private psychiatric hospital. He has lectured nationally and internationally and written extensively about such themes as: motivation, resilience, learning differences, school climate, family relationships, and balancing our personal and professional lives. He is the author or co-author of 15 books, including Raising Resilient Children; The Power of Resilience: Achieving Balance, Confidence, and Personal Strength in Your Life; and Raising Resilient Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Theodore Curtis, B.A., M.S., J.D.

Prior to joining Lynn, Curtis served for six years as a member of the in-house legal team for the University of South Florida, representing the NCAA Division I institution on legal issues in intercollegiate athletics, technology law and intellectual property. He also previously served as general counsel for the Florida Bobcats of the Arena Football League and as general counsel for a Florida-based sports management firm.

As an award-winning journalist, Curtis has been covering sports, business, law and politics –and the convergence of all of these disciplines – since he began his career covering college football for a Boston-area newspaper in 1989. He has published hundreds of articles in a diverse range of publications, including Sports Illustrated, the United States Golf Association's Golf Journal, the American Bar Association’s ABA Journal, Referee and Golf for Women.

Laurie Dupar, PMHNP, R.N., PCC

Laurie Dupar is a trained psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner and senior certified ADHD coach. She's the owner of Coaching for ADHD and provides one-on-one/individual and group coaching programs in person and virtually.

In addition to coaching, she is involved with ADHD support groups, training ADHD coaches, advocacy and writing.

Dupar is a guest blogger on Healthyplace.com, author of Brain Surfing and 31 Other Awesome Qualities of ADHD, Unlock the Secrets to Your Entrepreneurial Brain Style, and co-author of 365 Ways to Succeed with ADHD and 365+1 Ways to Succeed with ADHD. You can reach Dupar for questions or recommendations through her website www.coachingforadhd.com.

Nancy Freebery

Nancy Proud Freebery has spent the last 22 years of her 33-year professional career as a corporate communications and strategic growth consultant. Self-employment has afforded Freebery the opportunity to always place her special son, Ricky, as her #1 client.

She is the author of the book, Blossom! It's Not What Life Throws At You…It's How You Catch It, in which she describes what she and her family learned about how to cope and grow from their son's learning challenges.

During her years of advising businesses and parenting her unique son, Freebery has gained valuable insight into human potential. With Blossom!, her first published work, Freebery has been inspiring people to flourish and live healthy, hopeful lives.

Ricky Freebery

Ricky Freebery is a Graduate Assistant halfway through an accelerated master’s degree program in Communication & Media. He earned his bachelor’s degree in in Multimedia Journalism in May 2012. Ricky spent ten years in a specialized school for children with serious learning challenges before transitioning to a mainstream high school.

Ricky has excelled as a student and as a student leader and has plied his trade conducting interviews at both the 2012 Democratic and Republican National Conventions and the final 2012 Presidential Debate, while sailing as a civilian with the US Navy, and at Superbowl Media Day. He even achieved an in-depth, one-on-one interview with personal finance expert Suze Orman.

After graduating in August, Ricky hopes to secure a position in broadcast journalism.

Marsha Glines

Marsha Glines, dean of Lynn University’s Institute for Achievement and Learning, has a national reputation as an expert in teaching and learning theory, special education, nontraditional program design and higher education curriculum development.

The founding president of Beacon College, in 1991, Glines joined Lynn University where she has created and supervised alternative, innovative programs including those at the Institute for Achievement and Learning.

A graduate of Emerson College and Lesley College, she was a special studies student at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education and received her Ph.D. in higher education administration from the Union Institute.

Glines has conducted teacher training workshops throughout South America and the U.S. and is a frequent presenter at national and international conferences pertaining to higher education.  She is currently writing a book on the process of teaching and empowering our current generation of learners with ideas and thinking skills for appropriate problem solving.

In 2012 Dr. Glines was the recipient of the Lewis Hine Award for outstanding service to children and youth.  This award is presented by the National Child Labor Committee.

Irina Kerzhnerman

Irina Kerzhnerman, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist who has dedicated her 15 year career in mental health to helping people navigate the difficult transitions in their life and achieve the success they are seeking.  Her practical approach focuses on understanding the individual’s personal goals, identifying the obstacles that stand in the way and helping people have the life they want.

After graduating with honors from New York University, Kerzhnerman received her graduate education at Medical College of Pennsylvania-Hahnemann University in Philadelphia.  She received specialized training in the area of student development at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Hawaii At Manoa.  Throughout her academic and professional career, she has achieved several honors and distinctions, including Phi Beta Kappa and recognition in Marquis Who’s Who in American Women.  Currently, she has a private practice with offices in Boca Raton and Coral Springs, Florida.

Thomas Kruczek, B.A., M.B.A.

Thomas Kruczek is Dean of the College of Business and Management at Lynn University. He assumed this role in August 2011 after serving as Executive Director of the Falcone Center for Entrepreneurship at the Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University. Under his leadership, the Falcone Center rose considerably in the national rankings and is now listed as the 3rd best entrepreneurship program in the country by Bloomberg/Business Week, 4th by the Princeton Review/Entrepreneur Magazine, and 9th by US News and World Report.

Prior to his commitment to Syracuse University, Kruczek served as Executive Director of the Center for Entrepreneurship in the Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida. Under his direction, for the first time ever, the program was ranked as “one of the top 25 best graduate entrepreneurship programs in the United States” by the Princeton Review/ Entrepreneur Magazine.

In addition to his successful contribution to the academic field, Kruczek also served as CEO and owner of Sun-Tek Industries, a privately-held manufacturing business selling building materials and lawn and garden products to customers across the United States.

Michael McManmon, Ed.D.

Mike McManmon is licensed as a psychologist by the state of Massachusetts and founded the College Internship Programs (CIP) in 1984. Prior to founding CIP, he worked for state, private and nonprofit organizations in several states and was certified as a family teacher through the Boys Town Center in Nebraska.

During his 39 years of experience with students with learning differences and Asperger's Syndrome, McManmon has worked on curriculum development, staff training, program evaluation and administering community-based programming. He speaks and presents at professional conferences nationally and internationally.

He has a unique perspective, as he was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome and grew up in a large family with several individuals on the spectrum. He has 6 children and 12 grandchildren, and is an avid artist, swimmer, gardener and traveler.

McManmon blogs for Psychology Today, and his book of advice for parents was published in fall 2011 by Jessica Kingsley Publishers. He is on the board of ASTEP and a member of ASA, AANE, NACAC and LDA.

Jonathan Mooney, B.A.

Jonathan Mooney is a writer and learning activist who is dyslexic and did not learn to read until he was 12 years old. He is a graduate of Brown University's class of 2000 and holds an honors degree in English Literature.

Mooney has spent his entire professional career as a social entrepreneur developing organizations, programs, and initiatives to improve the lives of marginalized groups. In 1997, as an undergraduate at Brown University, Mooney co-founded Project Eye-To-Eye, a non-profit advocacy organization for students with learning differences. As the founding president and executive director, Mooney grew the organization from an undergraduate project conceived in his dorm room into a national organization, which currently has 38 chapters in 20 states working with over 10,000 parents, educators, and students.

With the publication of Learning Outside The Lines when he was 23 years old, Mooney has established himself as one of the foremost leaders in the neurodiversity and learning revolution. His second book, The Short Bus: A Journey Beyond Normal, was published in spring 2007 to outstanding reviews in The New York Times Book Review, The Los Angeles Times, The Chicago Tribune and many other national publications. Both books are considered foundational texts in the disability rights movement.

Mooney has lectured in 43 states and 3 countries and has been featured in The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Chicago Tribune, USA Today, New York Magazine, The Washington Post and The Boston Globe and on HBO, NPR and ABC News.

Photo by Sarah Small

Haley Moss

Haley Moss is an 18-year old South Florida native who was diagnosed with High Functioning Autism at age three. She is a renowned visual pop artist and the author of “Middle School: The Stuff Nobody Tells You About”. Haley has been featured on many television programs such as CNN, PBS and NBC as well as numerous magazines and national newspapers.

Recently, Haley has been appointed as an International Ambassador to Project Lifesaver. She was also presented with the Council for Exceptional Children’s Yes I Can! International Award in April 2011. Haley created the featured artwork as well as being presented with the Teen Hero Award at the 10th Annual Samsung’s Hope for Children event in New York City in June 2011.

Haley is currently a freshman at the University of Florida.

Carlo Salerno, Ph.D.

Carlo Salerno graduated with a Ph.D. in education economics from the Pennsylvania State University. For more than a decade he has worked in the education finance space as an international consultant, federal higher education policy analyst with the United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) and co-founder of a specialty firm to help struggling student loan borrowers manage default risk, which was acquired by Xerox Education Services Group in 2011. Salerno speaks frequently on the economics of higher education at both state- and national-level industry conferences.

Ryan Joseph Seidman, Psy.D.

Ryan Joseph Seidman, Psy.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist who currently serves as the associate director of clinical services at the Slomin Family Center for Autism and Related Disabilities. Her primary focus involves autism spectrum disorders, developmental disabilities, behavioral problems and social and emotional concerns. She has extensive experience conducting developmental, psychoeducational, neuropsychological and psychological evaluations. In addition, she has provided consultative services to school personnel and medical professionals throughout Broward and Palm Beach counties.

Seidman utilizes various modalities to treat her clients including individual, family and group therapy. Behavioral interventions as well as parent education and training also have become a key component of her work with families.

She graduated from the University of Miami with a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology, going on to earn her doctorate in clinical psychology from Nova Southeastern University. Seidman completed her pre-doctoral internship at The Center for Assessment and Intervention and her postdoctoral fellowship at Nova Southeastern University's School Psychology Assessment and Consultation Center/The University School.

Robert Seifer, B.S., M.S., PH.D.

Dr. Robert Seifer is a licensed psychologist and Associate Professor in the College of Liberal Education at Lynn University. He teaches his classes with positive energy, passion, and enthusiasm allowing students to benefit from his teaching styles. Students get hands on learning about how psychology can be applied to life and other work settings. Dr. Seifer believes that the knowledge of being a healthy individual is what students will gain from his introductory courses that he teaches here at Lynn.