BIOSKETCHES FOR NOV 4 2006 22Q11 DELETION MTG

Christine Finn, MD
Dr. Finn is a psychiatrist at the Massachusetts General Hospital and a fellow in genetics at Harvard. Her clinical interests include management of the psychiatric and behavioral symptoms of genetic syndromes. Research interests include VCFS (especially understanding the psychiatric symptoms associated with it) and the use of genetic information by patients and physicians.

Taryn Schiripo

Raju Kucherlapati, MD
Dr. Kucherlapati recently became the Paul C. Cabot Professor of Genetics and Professor of Medicine at the Harvard Medical School. He is the first Scientific Director of the Harvard-Partners Center for Genetics and Genomics. Dr. Kucherlapati's recent research contributions include his participation in mapping and sequencing of the human genome.

Dr. Nancy Sullivan joined the Developmental Medicine Center at Children's Hospital Boston in 2000. She works as a Staff Psychologist for the hospital and is an Instructor in Psychiatry for Harvard Medical School.  Dr. Sullivan specializes in assessing and treating children with complex developmental profiles, nonverbal learning disorders, Autism and other childhood disorders. She serves as the Behavioral Specialist on the William's Syndrome Clinic and provides behavioral consultation for children with a variety of genetic and developmental conditions.  She moved from San Diego, CA where she received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and worked for 5 years as a behavior and developmental specialist. Dr. Sullivan has provided consultation for children in home, community and school settings. Her work has been with children from the ages of 12 months to 18 years of age.

Dr. Jennifer Gentile is a Post Doctoral Fellow in Clinical Psychology with the Genetics Department at Children’s Hospital Boston.  She provides neuropsychological evaluation, therapy, and school consultation for the patients of the Genetics and Metabolic Disorders Clinics.  Dr. Gentile received her doctor of psychology (PsyD) from the Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology with a specialty in Clinical Health Psychology.  Dr. Gentile was clinically trained at Children’s Hospital, Dana Farber Cancer Institute and the Manville School at Judge Baker Children’s Center.  She is a member of the American Psychological Association and the Massachusetts Psychological Association. 

Katherine Engel is a clinical social worker at Children’s Hospital Boston. She is also the program manager for Advocating Success for Kids, a multi-site school problems program. Katherine holds Masters Degrees in Social Work and Public Health from Boston University. She has developed a specialty in educational advocacy for children with developmental, learning, and behavioral issues.

Rachel Currie-Rubin, is currently a doctoral candidate in Human Development and Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education where she is focusing on treatments and interventions for reading disabilities.  She received her master's degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education in Language and Literacy, and her undergraduate degree in Speech and Language Pathology from Ithaca College. 

She is currently working at Children's Hospital in Developmental Medicine conducting educational assessment.  She also tutors several children with reading disabilities and nonverbal learning disabilities.  Her past work includes teaching reading and language at a special education school, extensive tutoring with children with a variety of disabilities, and research experience in the areas of reading, speech, and language. 

Mary Castro Summers is the parent of three boys, the youngest of whom is Matthew, now age 18, who has complex medical needs.  She serves as the Director of Family TIES of Massachusetts, a statewide network for families of children with special needs.  Family TIES is a project of the Federation for Children with Special Needs, with funding from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. 

Dr. Lou Baptista graduated from Medical School at Federal University of Santa Catarina in Brazil, completed a General Psychiatry Residency at Jackson Memorial Hospital/University of Miami School of Medicine as well as Child/Adolescent Psychiatry Residency at Children's Hospital Boston.  He is currently Full time staff Psychiatrist and Director of Pediatric Psychiatry Consultation Service at Children's Hopsital Boston.

Johanna Black has her master's degree in Child Life & Family Centered Care.  She is currently working with children and families who are affected by kidney disease.  Her professional interests involve working towards family centered care, including sibling support and advocating for children in the greater community.  Johanna often works directly with school systems to help provide ultimate learning environment for children with special educational needs.

Kirsten Fowler also has her master's degree in Child Life & Family Centered Care.  Kirsten has been working as a certfified child life specialist here at Children's Hospital Boston for the past 5 years.  She is currently working with children and families who are treated on the general surgery and solid organ transplant unit.   Kirsten's professional expertise include working with children and families surrounding transitions in and out of the hospital; including the patient, their siblings and extended family and friends. 

Susan M. Fernandes, MHP, PA-C is the Assistant Director of Clinical Research and a founding member of the Boston Adult Congenital Heart Service.  She has published extensively on issues of family planning, medical therapies and transitioning as they relate to the adult with congenital heart disease.  She is recognized by her peers as a leader in the area of transitioning.  Her decade of clinical practice has made her aware of the unique psychosocial and medical needs of adolescents and adults with pediatric onset disease and she has utilized this to help establish local and national guidelines for transitional care.