Collaborate with Us: Sensory, Communication, and Behavior Needs for School-Age Children with FXS

Laura Greiss Hess, PhD, OTR/L, is an assistant professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy at the Dominican University of California. She began her career as a special education teacher in 1992 and became a school-based occupational therapist in 1998. Under Randi Hagerman’s mentorship, she worked at the UC Davis MIND Institute for 12 years on the FXS team. Laura’s research and practice interests include neurodevelopmental disorders such as Fragile X syndrome and autism, examining intervention outcomes as measured in daily life contexts with schools and families, interdisciplinary team collaboration, sensory processing, and assistive technology applications.

Kerrie Lemons Chitwood, PhD, CCC-SLP, is a licensed speech-language pathologist with 18 years of clinical and research experience. Kerrie currently is an adjunct professor in the Education Department at California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB). In addition, she is the program coordinator for the Masters of Arts in Education at CSUMB. Previously, from 2002 to 2012, Kerrie worked at the UC Davis MIND Institute, where she was part of the Fragile X team. She values intervention research and has extensive experience working as an integral member of a collaborative interdisciplinary team. She is committed to translational research and thrives to bridge the gap between research and practice specifically as it pertains to students and families with FXS and other neurodevelopmental disorders in various educational settings.

Melissa Mello, MA, BCBA, specializes in training professionals worldwide in various evidence-based interventions to support the growth, development, and success of autistic children. Mello is the founder of Sequoia Behavioral Therapeutics.