Chesapeake Center Staff
Kathleen Nadeau, Ph.D., Center Director
Kathleen Nadeau, Chesapeake ADHD Center Director, is an internationally recognized authority on ADHD and related conditions and the author of many books on ADHD. She has personally trained her staff and works closely with them in both individual and group consultation as well as in weekly case conferences. More information…
Lise Becker, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist
Dr. Becker is a licensed psychologist specializing in helping children and their families to manage behavioral, emotional, and academic challenges. Her work involves diagnosis and treatment of children and adolescents with diverse psychological difficulties related to ADHD, depression, anxiety, adjustment disorders, and behavioral disorders. Treatment focuses on promoting healthy development by reducing behavioral difficulties and improving social functioning and academic performance. Her approach is family-based and involves caregivers as significant participants in therapy.
At the Chesapeake Center, Dr. Becker has actively participated in the development of a specialized parent-training program for parents of children with ADHD. This highly effective, short-term, solution-focused parent training approach is offered on a regular basis. . This parent training is most effective when both parents actively participate in the training. Please call the center to join the list for the next forming group of 8-10 parents
Dr. Becker also provides comprehensive evaluations of children and adolescents with attentional and behavioral difficulties as well as learning and executive functioning deficits. Emphasis is placed on highlighting the child’s strengths and identifying effective and practical educational and psychological intervention to address areas of weakness. As part of the evaluation process, Dr. Becker regularly consults with school personnel and is available to attend IEP and 504 Plan meetings to advocate for the child and to communicate test results and recommendations.
Before entering private practice in 2007, Dr. Becker was an Assistant Professor at George Washington University and on the faculty of Children’s National Medical Center, where she also was the Associate Director for Training in the Department of Psychology.
Cynthia Crane, LCSW-C, Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Ms. Crane has a strong interest in working with adolescents with ADHD and their parents to address a range of issues. She focuses on helping parents interact with their ADHD teen using a positive, strength-based, and collaborative approach. Therapeutic goals are to reduce conflict at home and to understand how to help the teen with ADHD move toward independence while identifying and providing appropriate supports. Ms. Crane also works with families to explore options after high school, including community college, 4-year colleges, vocational programs, certificate programs and gap years.
Her work with young adults and older adults focuses on meeting the challenges of managing daily life, and on workplace and interpersonal issues. Her approach is designed to help her clients achieve their potential and create a satisfying ADHD-friendly lifestyle.
Before coming to the Chesapeake Center, Ms. Crane previously worked at the University of Maryland where she specialized in working with college students with ADHD. Ms. Crane works very closely with Center Director Kathleen Nadeau, Ph.D. and works collaboratively with Chesapeake Center psychologists, coaches and organizers, depending upon the needs of her clients.
Marcia Gilroy, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist
Marcia Gilroy is a senior clinician at the Chesapeake Center and brings many years of experience to her work. She was closely associated with Arthur Robbins, Ph.D., a nationally known ADHD researcher at Wayne State University in Detroit, MI. She was a member of the team at Wayne State University in Detroit that developed a ground-breaking ADHD specialty clinic developed to teach and train psychologists, medical residents and psychiatry residents in a major medical school hospital center. Dr. Gilroy was the Director of the APA Psychology Internship Program at Children’s Hospital from 1993-1997.
Dr. Gilroy works with young adults and older adults with issues related to ADHD, anxiety and depression and general life management issues.
Stephanie Ojeda-Uruburo, Psy.D., Licensed Psychologist
Dr. Ojeda has a broad range of clinical experience, including both psychotherapy and assessment. She specializes in working with children, adolescents, and their families.
She provides psychoeducational and psychological testing to students of all ages. Following testing, she is available to attend IEP meetings to discuss her findings and recommendations, and is also available for more informal interactions with teachers and school counselors. She provides follow-up sessions to help parents implement the recommendations that she makes following testing, and makes referrals to other professionals, as needed.
Dr. Ojeda also works with students that may have already been tested elsewhere, working with parents to create a roadmap based on both test reports provided and on her own assessment of the child and his family. Dr. Ojeda offers parent training that is tailored to the behavioral and emotional challenges of children and teens with ADHD and learning differences.
Prior to coming to the Chesapeake Center, Dr. Ojeda has worked in a number of clinical settings including the Lab School of Washington and the Baltimore Lab School where she provided evaluations and psychotherapy to students with learning differences, and worked closely with teachers and other Lab School staff.
Dr. Ojeda is a native Spanish speaker and is available to provide clinical services in Spanish.
Carol Robbins, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist
Carol Robbins’ many years of clinical practice have all been focused on the assessment and treatment of ADHD. She has been the coordinator of the Anne Arundel County CHADD chapter for many years. She offers appointments in both Silver Spring and Annapolis, MD.
Dr. Robbins works with children, adolescents, adults and with parents of children and teens with ADHD. Her work focuses on a range of issues including workplace issues, daily life management skills, women with ADHD, parenting strategies for raising children and teens with ADHD, and couples where one or both partners have ADHD.
Dr. Robbins offers care coordination with physicians and other professionals. She also is a trained Cogmed provider and uses Cogmed to enhance the working memory and other executive functioning skills of children and adults.
Haniya Silberman, LCSW-C, Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Ms. Silberman works with adolescents, young adults, and adults. She works with individuals, couples, and families, and has a particular interest in running psychotherapy groups. Before coming to the Chesapeake Center, Ms. Silberman served as an ADHD specialist at the University of Maryland. She was instrumental in initiating programs at UMD for students with ADHD. During her years at UMD, she became the ADHD specialist of the Mental Health Service.
Ms. Silberman has extensive experience working with individuals in recovery or who are currently struggling with addiction issues. Ms. Silberman is particularly interested in the overlap between substance abuse and ADHD.
Another area of focus is in working with couples and with clients with ADHD who are struggling with relationship issues. Ms. Silberman focuses on improving communication and stopping negative cycles within relationships.
Ms. Silberman has a strong interest in assisting young adults in making life transitions, helping them build skills that assist them in becoming successfully independent at college or in the workplace.
Dr. Nicole Zeitlin, Psy.D., Licensed Psychologist
Dr. Zeitlin is a licensed psychologist who specializes in the psychoeducational and neuropsychological assessment of children, adolescents, and adults, including those with attention, learning, and developmental disabilities; autism; mental retardation; mood; and other disorders. As a part of the evaluation process, Dr. Zeitlin often consults with school staff informally, and participates in multidisciplinary and/or IEP meetings. In addition, Dr. Zeitlin works closely with clients (and parents/spouses, when appropriate) to discuss assessment findings, implement recommendations based upon testing data, make referrals to other professionals as needed, and to support the client in overcoming areas of difficulty.
Dr. Zeitlin completed her undergraduate work at West Virginia University and received her master’s and doctorate in clinical psychology from Loyola University Maryland. Graduate training was completed in Pediatric Neurology at the Children’s National Medical Center, and Developmental Cognitive Neurology at the Kennedy Krieger Institute under Martha Denckla, M.D. Dr. Zeitlin completed a pre-doctoral internship in clinical psychology at St. Elizabeths Hospital in Washington, DC, an inpatient psychiatric facility, and postdoctoral work at Assessments and Solutions, a neuropsychology private practice, within the Jewish Social Services Agency in Bethesda, MD.
Veronica Chang, MA, Psychology Associate
Veronica Chang, MA has been associated with the Chesapeake Center for the past 5 years, working directly under the supervision of Center Director Kathleen Nadeau, Ph.D. She is currently pursuing her doctoral degree in clinical neuropsychology from Argosy University. Ms. Chang is very experienced in the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD and related issues. Ms. Chang works directly with Center Director Kathleen Nadeau to provide comprehensive psychological/psychoeducational testing for young adults and adults.
In addition, Ms. Chang provides less comprehensive, reduced-fee assessments for low and moderate income adults in college, graduate and professional school. This reduced fee testing includes tests of cognitive aptitude, tests of academic achievement, and rating scales to asses executive functioning and potential attention difficulties. Ms. Chang is also trained to provide Cogmed working memory training, a five week intensive training program for your working memory.
ADHD Coaches and Professional Organizers
Elizabeth (Liz) Ahmann, ScD, RN ADHD and Life Coach
Dr. Ahmann has a doctoral degree, has worked as a nurse practitioner, and has many years of experience working with her own gifted children with ADHD. She is experienced in parent management, executive functioning skills, and home schooling issues.
Dr. Ahmann brings a wealth of educational and personal experience to her expert ADHD coaching. She works with individual students (adolescents and young adults) and their parents and also organizes summer groups to help adolescents develop better executive functioning skills.
Kim Collins, ADHD Coach
Kim Collins has been associated with the Chesapeake Center as an ADHD coach for the past 9 years. She has a degree in organizational management and has extensive training and experience in ADHD coaching. She is certified as a Master Coach.
Coaching takes place via telephone and/or email and sometimes in person. Sessions can be as frequent as daily check-ins or weekly/bi-weekly planning sessions. The duration of sessions can range from 10 minutes to 60 minutes. Although some coaches require a minimum commitment of 3 months, she provides coaching on an as needed basis.
Jill Lawrence, Professional Organizer
Jill Lawrence has been a professional organizer since 1996. She is a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization and has also received her ADD Specialist Certificate.
Jill’s organizing process is a big picture approach and is based on each client’s needs and desires. Brainstorming, space-planning, ergonomics are all part of her holistic approach to help you design simple visual systems for your office paper, clothes closets, kitchens, children’s rooms, basements or garages.
Her rates are $100 per hour for a 4-hour block minimum, or 5-hour minimum on week-ends and holidays. Rates are reduced for two or more successive days (where her narrow folding tables and supplies stay with you). Slightly higher rates apply for business organizing. Slots are open from 10 AM to 10 PM, however most clients select afternoon and evening time-slots.
Melanie Patt-Corner, Professional Organizer
Melanie Patt-Corner has been a professional organizer since 2004. She grew up in a family with ADD members, raised children who have ADD, and has learned over the years what works and what doesn’t work in terms of helping them get organized.
Her approach is to help clients find or create a “home” for all of their belongings. She helps clients to de-clutter and organize, using simple and individualized systems, common sense, a good sense of humor, and the proper containers for the job. Because each client is different, she works with each client to determine their unique needs. She is available 9-5 during the week and works in blocks of three hours.
Lauren Quinn, Adolescent and Teen ADHD Coach
Lauren Quinn specializes in coaching teens and college students with ADHD. Not only is Ms. Quinn highly trained as a coach she also has post-graduate training in education. She works coaching students in person, online and via phone calls.
Ms. Quinn is a trained Skoach™ Pioneer, a powerful online tool co-developed by Center Director Kathleen Nadeau, Ph.D. Using Skoach™, she helps young adults learn to be more focused and productive. This ADHD-friendly online tool allows students to create a customized page for scheduling daily and long-term tasks, to enter tasks from anywhere via phone and email messages, to send reminders by email, and to plan complex projects by breaking them down into pieces.