Speaker Bios

Emily is a Child Psychologist and former School Psychologist who has worked with neurodivergent children and teens for the last 20 years. She received her Ph.D. in School Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she worked on various research projects at Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute and completed a clinical practicum at the Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities. She spent the first five years of her career as a School Psychologist in public elementary, middle, and high schools in Houston, Texas where she specialized in providing school-based mental health services for preschoolers through adolescents.

A native of Raleigh, Dr. King returned home from Texas in 2010 where she worked in a multi-disciplinary group practice before opening her own practice in 2012. She is well-versed in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, DIR/Floortime, Conscious Discipline, and Social Thinking methodologies. She has served on the Project Enlightenment Board on the Communications Committee and as the Secretary and Chair since 2017.

Dr. Emily is also the founder of Learn with Dr. Emily™ where she shares online resources related to raising and educating neurodivergent youth. She has been featured on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, has been quoted in The New York Times and The Washington Post, and has written for Parents.com. King specializes in providing therapy and consultation services for children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders, anxiety, ADHD, depression, and learning difficulties. Dr. Emily is passionate about empowering parents and teachers to take care of themselves so they can grow into the adult that every neurodivergent child needs in their life. You can learn with Dr. Emily by reading her blog on Substack or listening to her podcast.

She and her husband enjoy spending time with their two boys, ages 10 and 15 years old.

Lacey Dudiak
Lacey is a fifth-grade teacher at The Fletcher School, where she teaches structured literacy and writing. She's been an educator for sixteen years working with students one-on-one, in multi-level classrooms, and at the college level. Lacey has a BA in English from Walsh University and a Masters in English: Applied Linguistics from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She is an Orton-Gillingham Classroom Educator.

Crystal Garris
Crystal  has taught the littlest kiddos for 14 years. She is a Lead Pre-Kindergarten Teacher and grade-level team leader at Ravenscroft School. She has taught for eight years in independent school education. At the start of her teaching career, she taught Pre-Kindergarten in Greensboro, NC at Guilford Child Development where she transitioned to teaching children with Exceptional Needs in an inclusive classroom setting for Alamance Burlington Schools and Durham Public Schools. She holds a bachelor's degree in Human Development and Family Studies from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and an M.Ed. from Nova Southeastern University. She enjoys coaching cheerleading, hiking, traveling, and portrait photography.

Kerrie Goray
Kerrie has taught reading and writing at a variety of grade levels for over 20 years.  For the past 12 years, she has worked with students with learning differences at Hill Learning Center.  She is an Assistant Summer Program Director in Hill’s Summer Program, providing training and mentoring for lower and middle school reading and writing teachers.  In addition, she helped develop the curriculum for Hill’s Executive Function Skills Program which she currently teaches to middle school students.  Kerrie graduated from Stanford University with a BA in History and from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with an MA in Art History.  She also completed the Special Education program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  Kerrie enjoys learning how technology can be used to help students augment their learning.

Gretchen Herwig
Gretchen is a sixth-grade reading teacher at The Fletcher School in Charlotte, NC. Gretchen has also served as middle school support, third-grade reading teacher, first-grade teacher, K-1 level coordinator, and teacher mentor at Fletcher. Previously, she taught first grade at a Title I school. With a passion for literacy, she is trained in Orton-Gillingham, Lindamood Bell’s Seeing Stars Program, and Lindamood Phoneme Sequencing Program for Reading, Spelling, and Speech. She expects to receive a Master of Education specializing in Literacy K-12 in the summer of 2024 from Queens University of Charlotte.

Jessica Kulp 
Jessica currently serves as the Upper School Student Academic Support Coordinator at Cannon School in Concord, NC. Prior to joining Cannon in 2014, she taught English and coached girls’ basketball for eight years in two public school systems in North Carolina. She holds a B.A. in English with a secondary education minor from Catawba College, and a M.A. in curriculum and instruction from University of North Carolina – Charlotte.

In 2017, Jessica led the establishment of Cannon’s academic coaching program (ACC), a 1:1 student-centered program that employs relational, research-based coaching strategies to support executive function development and student agency. In 2023, to provide more comprehensive academic support to students, Jessica expanded the academic coaching program into an academic resource center (The ARC) that now houses ACC, as well as peer-led Writing and Math Labs. She finds joy and purpose in sharing her passion for and expertise in executive functioning skills, educational neuroscience, and effective teaching and learning practices with students, families, and colleagues.

Leah Poole
Leah is a dedicated educator with a diverse background and a passion for fostering student growth. Originally from Georgia, Leah has lived in five states, four countries, and three continents, bringing a rich and varied perspective to her teaching. Leah holds a Bachelor's Degree in Anthropology from Wake Forest University, a Master's Degree in Mass Communications from Florida International University, and a Master's Degree in Special Education from Hunter University. Leah embarked on her teaching career in New York City, where she made a significant impact teaching in the Bronx and Brooklyn. Throughout her six years of teaching, she has taken on a diverse range of subjects, including Reading Intervention, Chemistry, Biology, Earth Science, Algebra II, and Executive Functioning.

Leah is not only an accomplished educator but has also demonstrated leadership in various educational initiatives. She has led teams in implementing standard-based grading, mastery transcripts, International Baccalaureate curriculum, and integrating global education competencies within executive functioning skills curriculum. Additionally, Leah has taken on leadership roles in overseeing clubs, served as a Transition Services Coordinator, directed applications for Summer Youth Employment Programs, and guided students in post-secondary pathways showcasing her commitment to holistic student development beyond the traditional classroom setting.

Pat Porcelli 
Pat has been teaching middle school math in Durham, N.C. for over three decades. The last 5 years she has been teaching students with learning differences at the Hill Learning Center. She graduated from Vanderbilt University with a BS in Mathematics and Secondary Education. Pat has worked in many different roles in education. She has been a teacher, mentor of new teachers, team leader, and department chair. As an experienced educator, she recognizes the pivotal role hands-on learning plays in fostering a deeper understanding of mathematical concepts. She incorporates real-world applications and interactive activities to make math relatable and enjoyable.

Sandy Silverman
Sandy has over 25 years of experience teaching mathematics. For the past 13 years she has worked with students with learning differences at Hill Learning Center as a member of the Middle School Team. She serves as an Assistant Summer Program Director in Hill’s Summer Program, offering in-house training and support for the lower and middle school math teachers. Sandy graduated from Miami University (OH) with a BS in Math Education, grades 7-12, and from the University of Virginia with a MEd in Learning Disabilities, grades K-12. In her classroom, Sandy often uses hands-on materials and visual modeling to build and review conceptual understanding to best meet the individual needs of her students.

Kathy Sullivan
Kathy is the Director of Professional Development at Hill Learning Center. In addition to providing support to educators’ professional growth, she has presented locally and nationally on topics including Executive Functioning, Learning Differences and Explicit Instructional Techniques with a particular focus on students who are neurodiverse.

Sarah Wright 
Sarah (she/ her) is an Assistant Director of Lower School at Ravenscroft School. She is an experienced and heartfelt leader in the equity and education industry with expertise in curriculum development as well as the design and implementation of equity and inclusion strategies. She is highly skilled, talented, and passionate about working with young people.

Sarah received her Master of Arts in Education from the University of California at Berkeley; she received her Bachelor of Science in Human Ecology from The Ohio State University. Among her specialized training and certifications, Sarah has attended the NAIS School Leadership Institute, as well as the Multicultural Leadership Institute. Additionally, she is certified in the Yoshimoto Orton-Gillingham reading method, and considers herself an advocate for neurodiverse children.