Dr. Cathy L. Budman, MD is a board-certified psychiatrist, Director of the Long Island Center for Tourette and Associated Disorders, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the Zucker School of Medicine, and an internationally recognized specialist in Tourette syndrome and associated disorders. She is a founding member of the New York State Consortium for Tourette, was Director of the Tourette Association of America (TAA) Center of Excellence at Northwell Health from 2014-2017, and served as Director of the Movement Disorders Program in Psychiatry at Northwell Health for over twenty-five years. Dr. Budman served on the TAA’s National Medical Advisory Board for 15 years and continues to serve on the Medical Advisory Board for the TAA-Long Island Chapter. She served as a consultant for the New Jersey Center for Tourette Syndrome for several years. Dr. Budman is a clinical research investigator with over 80 publications who has pioneered research of explosive outbursts in Tourette, has conducted clinical trials investigating novel treatments for tics and associated conditions, and has collaborated in research investigating the genetics of Tourette and related conditions. She trains and supervises clinicians in Tourette and associated disorders, has lectured to both professional and lay audiences worldwide, is a member of the Psychiatric Consortium for Genetics in Tourette, and serves on several Tasks Forces for the TAA.
Dr. Budman has an active specialty private practice in psychiatry for children, adults, and families and provides consultation for schools, workplaces, and other institutions. Dr. Budman completed her undergraduate Sc.B in Biology cum laude at Brown University and earned her Medical Doctorate at the State University of New York at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. Dr. Budman completed her internship and second year of residency at the University of California at San Francisco School of Medicine and Langley Porter Psychiatric Institute before spending three years living and working in Sydney, Australia as a Registrar in Alcohol and Substance Abuse at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.
Dr. Budman completed her adult psychiatry residency and neuropsychiatry fellowship training at North Shore University Hospital Cornell Medical College.
Dr. Zwilling is a psychologist with a doctorate in clinical and school psychology. She has clinical and school experience, working in a variety of settings including residential treatment, hospitals, schools and private practice.
Dr. Zwilling has been involved with education/advocacy/outreach for the TS community for the past 22 years. Currently, Dr. Zwilling serves as the Co-Chair of the Tourette Association of America (TAA), Long Island Chapter where she also serves as the Chair of Education and Advocacy. Dr. Zwilling also serves as the Co-Director of the Long Island Center for Tourette and Associated Disorders. Dr. Zwilling’s focus is on children and families with a special interest in those diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome (TS) and associated disorders. She has experience in psychological evaluations, psychoeducational evaluations, individual, group and family therapy; serves as a consultant to school districts and is involved in serving as an advocate for students’ services; provides education to school faculties, civic groups, rotary clubs and other interested parties in regard to TS; and leads support groups for parents. Dr. Zwilling does community and education outreach across Long Island. She presents in-services to school staff and attends CSE meetings with families. Dr. Zwilling has spoken at numerous professional organizations; has participated in advocating on Capitol Hill for the past 15 years for the TAA and has presented at numerous National TAA Conferences.
Additionally, Dr. Zwilling assisted in the founding of the TAA Youth Ambassador Program and co-facilitates the TAA Youth Ambassador training each year in Washington, DC.
Dr. Heather R. Adams PhD completed her internship in Clinical Child Psychology (1998-1999) and a postdoctoral fellowship in Neuropsychology (1999-2003) at the University of Rochester Medical Center and joined the URMC faculty in 2003. She is currently an Assistant Professor of Neurology and Pediatrics. Her research interests are centered on evaluation and care of children with inherited neurodegenerative diseases, including Juvenile Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis (Batten Disease), Tourette Syndrome, and cognitive features of pediatric hypertension. She is involved in projects to characterize the natural history and neurobehavioral phenotype of Batten Disease, evaluate the psychosocial impact upon children with Tourette Syndrome, and characterize the incidence of tics in an ethnically diverse sample in the Rochester community. Her research interests also include a collaboration with Dr. Marc Lande, MD, a pediatric nephrologist at URMC who is studying Executive Function in Pediatric Hypertension.
Dr. Adams’ clinical practice consists of psychotherapy and neuropsychological assessment services. Her psychotherapy practice has particular focus on evidence-based treatments for anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder, and for behavioral management of tics. Her neuropsychological assessment clinic serves a broad range of children who are experiencing cognitive and/or behavioral challenges in the setting of a neurologic condition.
Dr. Shannon Bennett earned her Ph.D. from Boston University where she received research and clinical training at the Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders. As the recipient of a Boston University research and training fellowship, Dr. Bennett contributed to several cognitive-behavioral treatment research programs within the Child and Adolescent Fear and Anxiety Program. Dr. Bennett also led a multi-disciplinary research team focused on the psychosocial needs of women who experience perinatal loss, and earned a National Research Service Award for this research effort. Dr. Bennett has contributed to multiple publications and presentations on these topics.
Dr. Bennett completed her clinical internship training at the UCLA Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital and the UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior. Following her intern year, she continued to work within the UCLA Child and Adolescent OCD, Anxiety, and Tic Disorders Program, contributing to their treatment and research efforts. Dr. Bennett was a Co-Founder and Associate Director of the Pediatric Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Intensive Treatment Program at UCLA. She also served as the staff psychologist for the Fit for Health Weight program for childhood obesity within the Department of Pediatrics at UCLA.
Laura Braider, PhD. is an Assistant Professor at the Zucker School of Medicine and the Director of the Behavioral Health College Partnership and a Senior Staff psychologist for the OCD Center at Northwell Health. Dr Braider is a clinical psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry at Northwell Health with expertise in cognitive behavioral treatments for Anxiety, Tic disorders, OCD and related conditions.
Dr. Laura Braider, Ph.D provides both CBIT (certified) and CBT, individual and family services and also plays an active role in education and training of clinical providers.
Co-Chair, Tourette Association of America – Long Island Chapter
Advisory Board Member
Long Island Center for Tourette and Associated Disorders
Susan Conners, MEd, is the founder and president of the Greater New York State chapter of the Tourette Association; author of “The Tourette Syndrome and OCD Checklist: A Practical Reference for Parents and Teachers.” Sue’s training video, perfect for sharing with your child’s teachers, is available at https://youtu.be/pHeKAxKypKI.
Director of Disability Rights
New York State Division of Human Rights
Dr. Jaffe’s experiences cover a wide array of conditions from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5), with a special expertise in:
Many people do not fit these DSM categories but their difficulties are just as real. Some are encountering a challenging time in life, have stress in their relationships, or just feel stuck. Adolescence is hard on both the teen and family. Others are simply curious to learn more about themselves. No matter your situation, Dr. Jaffe will customize a plan of care and work with you to achieve your goals.
Dr. Jimenez-Shahed is an Associate Professor of Neurology and Medical Director, Movement Disorders Neuromodulation and Brain Circuit Therapeutics. After completing her undergraduate degree at Washington University in St. Louis, Dr. Jimenez-Shahed received her medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) and Neurology residency training at Duke University Medical Center. She then completed a fellowship in Movement Disorders at the Parkinson’s Disease Center and Movement Disorders Clinical (PDCMDC) at BCM. Her research interests lie in investigating the intraoperative neurophysiology of patients undergoing deep brain stimulation (DBS) for movement disorders.
Dr. Jimenez-Shahed serves as Chair of the Functional Neurosurgical Working Group of the Parkinson Study Group, and is the lead investigator for RAD-PD: a national quality improvement registry for patients undergoing DBS surgery for Parkinson’s disease. She is also an investigator with the Huntington Study Group, Dystonia Coalition and TSA International Database of DBS Studies in Tourette syndrome. She currently serves on the Science Advisory Board of the Davis Phinney Foundation and the Medical Advisory Board of the Tourette Association of America and has chaired the Medical Advisory Board for the Houston Area Parkinson Society. She has served as Principal Investigator for industry-sponsored and investigator-initiated clinical trials and has authored several papers and book chapters.
She is the recipient of the Roy H. Cullen Quality of Life Award (Houston Area Parkinson Society), the Rising Star Clinician Award (BCM), the Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P. Faculty Excellence Award in Teaching and Evaluation (BCM) and the Healthcare Heroes Award for Outstanding Health Care Practitioner (Houston Business Journal). She was recognized as a Woman of Excellence at BCM and is a 2018 graduate of the inaugural Women Leading in Neurology program of the American Academy of Neurology.
Sana Shad is a Clinical Psychology Trainee, PhD Program in Clinical Psychology at Hofstra University. She received a Master of Arts from Hofstra University in Clinical Psychology, a Master of Arts from Adelphi University in Clinical Psychology, and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Clinical Concentration from East Stroudsburg University. She has worked alongside many renowned researchers in some of the top medical centers in New York such as Columbia University Medical Center and Northwell Health on Phase I-IV clinical trials during her research tenure. She has held several program and research management positions over the years with an emphasis on person-centered care. She worked closely with developing a National Tourette Center of Excellence program and has fifteen years of hands-on experience working in the human service and behavioral health field. Ms. Shad has prepared and collaborated on presentation at several national and international scientific conferences. She also dedicates her time to volunteering, raising awareness for psychiatric disorders, she is an active member of the community and sits on two non-profit executive boards for Tourette; Long Island Chapter-Tourette Association of American and the Long Island Center for Tourette and associated disorders.
I am a Pediatric Neurologist who specializes in movement disorders starting in childhood. I was attracted to pediatric neurology when I was a medical student and realized that I had an intellectual interest in the brain but enjoyed the challenges and rewards of caring for children. As a movement disorders specialist, I care for children with a variety of conditions that impair voluntary movements, cause involuntary movements, or both. Such conditions include dystonia, chorea, tics, myoclonus, tremor, stereotypies, parkinsonism, and combinations of these such as may occur in conditions like cerebral palsy. In addition to movement disorders, neurodegenerative diseases are also a focus of my clinical practice.
My research has been focused on understanding brain mechanisms involved in the control of movement or where disorders cause involuntary movements. The research involves neurophysiology, direct measurement of movement abnormalities, rating scales, and longitudinal assessments over the course of development and disease. More recently my work as included clinical trials and studies of factors that impact the function of children with movement disorders.
In addition to my clinical practice and research, I direct the Child Neurology residency at the University of Rochester. I serve on a number of advisory boards including the Tourette Syndrome Association, the Dystonia Medical Research Foundation, the Batten Disease Support and Research Association, the NINDS Board of Scientific Counselors, and the Pediatric Advisory Committee of the FDA. I am also an Associate Editor of Neurology.
Dr. Morrison graduated from Bucknell University in 2007, and received his medical degree from the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2012. He completed his medical internship, neurology residency, and clinical movement disorder fellowship at the University of Rochester. He joined the department of neurology faculty in 2017, and specializes in the care of patients with movement disorders, including Parkinson’s disease, Essential Tremor, Huntington’s Disease, Dystonia, and Ataxia. Dr. Morrison also has a special interest in the diagnosis and management of children and adults with Tourette Syndrome and other Chronic Tic Disorders, for which he is the Co-Director of the Tourette Association of America (TAA) Center of Excellence at the University of Rochester.
Amy Vierhile has worked as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner in the Division of Child Neurology since 1996. Prior to that, she worked as a community health nurse and an inpatient pediatric nurse. Amy’s current neurology interests include ADHD, Tourette Syndrome, seizures and Batten Disease. She provides care to these patients independently in an outpatient clinic and has also worked extensively on a number of research studies. Several of the research studies have focused on finding new treatments for epilepsy and ADHD and other studies have focused on non-pharmacologic treatments for Tourette Syndrome. Amy’s delivers clinical care in the outpatient setting.
She is the recipient of several awards including the Association of Child Neurology Nurses Claire Chee Nursing Excellence Award in 2006 and the March of Dimes Margaret D. Sovie Award for Advanced Practice in 2012. Amy is an Associate Professor at the University of Rochester School of Nursing and she also serves as a board member for the Tourette Syndrome Greater Rochester and Finger Lakes Chapter. She is an active member of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners, the World Federation of Neuroscience Nurses, Sigma Theta Tau honor society and the Association of Neurology Nurses.
Dr. Kalari is a chief fellow in the child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship program at Zucker Hillside Hospital. He completed his undergraduate studies in neuroscience, with a minor in bioethics, at Johns Hopkins University. He earned a master’s in metabolic biology and public health at Columbia University.
He then went on to earn his medical degree from Rutgers – Robert Wood Johnson University Medical School and complete a residency in general adult psychiatry at Zucker Hillside Hospital. His clinical interests are varied and include young people with neuropsychiatric conditions such as Tourette syndrome.
Amanda Zwilling, M.A., TLLP, is a doctoral candidate in clinical neuropsychology at CUNY. She is currently completing her training in rehabilitation psychology and neuropsychology at the Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan and previously completed an APA-accredited internship in clinical psychology at the John D. Dingell VA Medical Center.
She has a longstanding interest in Tourette, and is a co-founder of the Tourette Association of America Youth Ambassador Program, an initiative that empowers teens with and without Tourette Disorder to advocate for themselves and others and educate their peers on Tourette, tic disorders, and overall acceptance of differences. Since the program’s inception in 2002, the Youth Ambassador Program has reached tens of thoughts of students, school faculty, and community members. Amanda graduated from Duke University in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and certificate in health policy.
Jen Zwilling is the cofounder of the Tourette Association of America Youth Ambassador Program, an initiative that empowers teens with and without Tourette Disorder to advocate for themselves and others and educate their peers on Tourette, Tic Disorders, and overall acceptance of differences. Since the program’s establishment in 2002, the Youth Ambassador Program has reached tens of thousands of students and school faculty members.
In addition to her volunteer work, Jen is a Strategy Director at Clear Strategy, a global growth consultancy. Jen holds a BA from Duke University where she was a Robertson Scholar and studied Public Policy and Education.
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