The professionals who advise Understood are all experts in their fields. They include educators, researchers, learning specialists, physicians, psychologists, lawyers and more. They share a commitment to helping individuals who learn and think differently thrive in school, at work, and in life.

Our featured experts

Afrika Afeni Mills, MEd

Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, BetterLesson

Amanda Morin

Writer and Senior Expert, Family Advocacy and Education, Understood

Andrew M.I. Lee, JD

Associate Director, Editorial Content Operations and Young Adults Program, Understood

Bob Cunningham, EdM

Executive Director, Learning Development, Understood

Brittney Newcomer, MS, NCSP

Associate Director, Professional Development Programs, Understood

Christina Armas, MA

English as a New Language (ENL) Teacher, Queens, New York

Claudia Rinaldi, PhD

Associate Professor of Education, Program Director of Education, Lasell College

Daniel Ansari, PhD

Professor of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, Western University; Principal Investigator, Numerical Cognition Laboratory

Debra Ruh

CEO and Founder, Ruh Global IMPACT

Devin Kearns, PhD

Associate Professor of Special Education, Department of Educational Psychology, University of Connecticut

Elizabeth Babbin, EdD

Instructional Support Teacher, Macungie, Pennsylvania

Elizabeth Harstad, MD, MPH

Developmental Behavioral Pediatrician, Boston Children’s Hospital

Ellen Braaten, PhD

Director, Learning and Emotional Assessment Program; Co-director, Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds, Massachusetts General Hospital

Fumiko Hoeft, MD, PhD

Professor and Director, Brain Imaging Research Center, University of Connecticut; Director, brainLENS, UConn/UCSF

Gabbie Schlictmann, EdD

Executive Director, EdTogether; Adjunct Lecturer, Harvard Graduate School of Education

Guinevere Eden, PhD

Professor, Department of Pediatrics; Director, Center for the Study of Learning, Georgetown University

Jamie Martin

Assistive Technology Specialist, NEAT Center

Jenn Osen-Foss, MAT

Instructional Coach, Clear Creek Amana High School, Tiffin, Iowa

Jerome Schultz, PhD

Clinical Neuropsychologist; Lecturer, Harvard Medical School Department of Child Psychiatry

Jim Rein, MA

Former Dean, Vocational Independence Program, New York Institute of Technology

Julian Saavedra, MA

Lead Teacher, Belmont Charter High School, West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Kara Ball, MEd

Elementary Science and STEM Education Specialist, Baltimore City Public Schools

Karla Vigil, MAT

CEO and Co-founder, Equity Institute

Kate Garcia, MEd

Special Education Teacher, Plymouth Whitemarsh High School, Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania

Keri Wilmot

Pediatric Occupational Therapist; Toy Expert

Kristin Carothers, PhD

Clinician in Private Practice; Forensic Psychologist, Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities

Kristy Baxter, MA

Former Head of School, The Churchill School

Kyle Redford, MA

Teacher; Education Writer and Editor, Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity

Manju Banerjee, PhD

Education and Research Scientist, Landmark College

Margie Gillis, EdD

President, Literacy How; Research Affiliate, Fairfield University and Haskins Laboratories

Mark Griffin, PhD

Founding Headmaster, Eagle Hill School

Melissa Ruben, MEd

Third-Grade Teacher, Ashburton Elementary School, Bethesda, Maryland

Paul Yellin, MD

Director, The Yellin Center for Mind, Brain, and Education

Rayma Griffin, MEd

Educational Consultant

Roberto Olivardia, PhD

Clinical Psychologist, Lecturer, Harvard Medical School

Shivohn García, PhD

Senior Director, Impact, Understood

Stephanie Sarkis, PhD

Psychotherapist, Private Practice

Thomas Brown, PhD

Consulting Psychologist, Understood; Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Keck School of Medicine of USC

Trynia Kaufman, MS

Senior Manager, Editorial Research, Understood