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Editorial Advisory Board
Professional Representatives
 Gayle is a partner at Parkaire Consultants, Inc as an educational consultant and learning specialist. Gayle has served as an educator in the Greater Atlanta area for over thirty years. Her experience has been diverse; as a classroom teacher, resource room teacher, special reading/language arts teacher and principal of The Howard School, North Campus in Roswell from 1986 to 1999. Gayle has worked with many families to find appropriate alternative school placement for over fifteen years. She also advocates for children with special needs by going into the school to help develop IEP’s and 504 Plans for students. Gayle leads Camp Friendship a group for students ages 5-12 to help develop and maintain better social skills.
 Shahnoor S. Dharamsi is a Therapist at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. She brings over 5 years of experience working with children ranging from birth to 18 with a variety of diagnoses. Her specialties include aquatic and feeding therapy. She is responsible for evaluating, planning and executing treatment sessions. Additionally, she organizes and manages the Fun and Fitness Summer Camp. Shahnoor also works with Clay White, to provide children with sensory activities to enhance daily-living skills. She holds BS and MS degrees in Occupational Therapy from Brenau University. She holds a Certificate - Management Auditing from the London School of Economics.
 Carol Ann Brannon, MS, RD/LD is a Nutrition Expert with over 20 years of experience in healthcare, education, individual counseling, and corporate wellness. She has a B.S. in Dietetics and a M.S. in Nutrition Education. Carol Ann is a Registered, Licensed Dietitian and holds a Certificate in Childhood and Adolescent Weight Management. Her clients achieve success with her personal enthusiasm, caring, empathetic, and expert guidance. In addition to her clients, Carol Ann is also an instructor in the Culinary Arts Program at the Art Institute of Atlanta and author of several home-study courses and articles for health professionals. On a personal note, being Mom to four active children is her greatest joy and challenge. Carol Ann is fully able to understand the time demands and responsibilities of working parents. She uniquely understands children and teens.
 Danielle received a Bachelor’s Degree from the State University of New York at Geneseo in 1995 in Speech and Language Pathology with a minor concentration in English Literature. She received her Master’s Degree in Communication Disorders and her Teacher Certificate for the Speech and Hearing Handicapped in 1997. She is a current member of the Georgia Speech and Hearing Association and the American Speech Language and Hearing Association. She has worked in both public and private schools in New York and Georgia as well as in the private practice sector. Danielle has lectured and given in-services to faculty, parents and students in both New York and Georgia. Currently, Danielle is the President of The Language Group, a private practice with six speech and language pathologists on staff. She is also the Elementary and Junior High Learning Specialist at The Paideia School, a private school in Atlanta.
 Kathleen is a Licensed Psychologist. Her private practice focuses on both assessment and treatment of infants, children and families with a wide range of developmental disabilities. She uses the D.I.R./Floortime model to address difficulties and promote development in children with social and emotional, and/or information processing challenges. She specializes in working with individuals with autistic spectrum disorders and their families. She is a faculty member of the Interdisciplinary Council on Developmental and Learning Disorders.
Until recently, Dr. Platzman was a member of the Department of Psychiatry, Emory University School of Medicine. Her research focus there was prenatal drug exposure and long-term developmental consequences thereof; naturalistic observational methods; social and emotional development and neglect.
She has membership in the American Psychological Association, FOCUS, Learning Disabilities Association; Autism Society; OCD Foundation, and Interdisciplinary Council on Development and Learning.
She is on the: Editorial Board of Kids Enabled magazine 2005 to present; Board of the Frazer Center 2006 to present; Board of The Hirsch Academy 2006 to present; Advisory Board Lionheart School.
Dr. Platzman received her doctorate in 1983 from the University of Chicago, Committee on Human Development. In 1992 she completed a respecialization in Child and Family Psychotherapy from Georgia State University. She was licensed in 1993. For the past twenty years, she has conducted research on the long-term developmental consequences of prenatal drug and alcohol exposure and early environmental neglect.
 Amy, a Speech-Language Pathologist licensed in Georgia, has a private practice, Atlanta Speech Therapy and Training. Her specialty is treating articulation, oral-motor, and language problems, including apraxia, and she has training in PROMPT. Amy takes pride in providing personalized, one-on-one therapy with a whole-child approach. She serves the Alpharetta and Dunwoody areas. Amy is passionate about helping children and is an avid Kids Enabled supporter and contributor.
 Dr. Penny Hayes is a licensed psychologist in the state of Georgia in private practice. She specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of learning disorders, behavioral problems, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, depression and anxiety disorders in children, adolescents and adults. She particularly enjoys assessments where she can help solve the mystery of how to best help students who are struggling academically. She also loves working with couples, especially in the areas of communication and parenting.
Dr. Hayes obtained a B.A. degree in Psychology in 1981 from Eastern Illinois University and her Masters degree in 1984 and Ph.D. in 1987 from The University of Georgia. While at the University of Georgia, she studied neuropsychology, school psychology and clinical child psychology. Her dissertation topic was: "Sustained attention in children with attention deficit disorder with and without hyperactivity". She completed her clinical psychology internship at Vanderbilt's Child Psychiatry Clinic. Upon graduation, she worked at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis dealing with medically fragile children and their families. From 1989 thru 2006 she worked with The Behavioral Institute of Atlanta, a private practice group, specializing in children, adolescents and adults. In 1996, she became a Certified Imago Relationship Therapist and has worked with many couples since, primarily focusing on communication and parenting issues. In 2007, she became a solo practitioner in private practice.
She is a member of the American Psychological Association and the Georgia Psychological Association.
Parent Representative
 Laurie Smith has leveraged her 18 years of Human Resources and Training experience to help her navigate the waters of IEPs, SSTs, and 504’s. She is married and very proud of her two children, Amanda and Ryan. Although they share the same biological roots, their educational journeys have been anything but identical. Throughout this experience, Laurie has learned how to effectively advocate for her children, attended conferences and lectures to better understand her children’s learning differences, and developed a passion for helping other parents.
Laurie is also actively involved in helping premature babies and their parents through an organization called Threads of Love. She was actively involved in the International Dyslexia Association- Georgia Branch fun run which was held in October to raise funds and awareness of the resources available to parents, teachers, and professionals through the IDA. She also volunteers at her church and daughter’s high school. She says that she is honored to be joining the board and looks forward the exciting journey that lies ahead.
Kids Enabled, Inc. Board of Directors
 Beth has a BS in Industrial Engineering from the University of Cincinnati and a M.Ed. in Adult Education from the University of Missouri-St. Louis.
In addition to her engineering experience, Beth has taken an active role as a volunteer at her children’s schools over the past 15 years. Her interest in remedial education led to the creation of a math tutoring program at an elementary school in Texas. Most recently she served as volunteer coordinator at her 9-year old son’s elementary school.
Stephen A. McGaw
Joan K. Teach, Ph.D.
Angele Hawkins
Jay P. Bell
Gailynn Gluth
Jana Eplan
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