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Questions related to the program's accredited status should be directed to the Commission on Accreditation: Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation American Psychological Association
Address: 750 1st Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002 | Phone: (202) 336-5979 | Email: apaaccred@apa.org
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GWEN GRANT, PSY.D., NCSP
Training Director - Connections Internship Consortium
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Dr. Grant has her Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology from Florida Institute of Technology. She is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and a Nationally Certified School Psychologist. Dr. Grant began working with Connections Organization in 2017 as the Site Director for New Connections Academy (NCA). Dr. Grant moved into the Connections Organization Clinical Training Director role in November 2020 and then officially took over as the Connections Internship Consortium (CIC) Training Director role July 2021 to start the 2021-22 CIC Training year. Dr. Grant also served for four years on the Association of Chicagoland Externship and Practicum Training (ACEPT) executive board in the roles of President, President-Elect, Past President and Secretary. Dr. Grant has worked with children, adolescents, young adults and their families for over 20 years within a variety of settings including inpatient, private practice, community mental health, public schools and private therapeutic day schools. She specifically specializes in evaluation, risk assessment, and treatment of children and adolescents with Mood Disorders, Anxiety, ASD, ADHD, Learning Issues and complex presentations. Dr. Grant has also supervised psychologists for over 20 years and taught graduate courses as an adjunct professor. As a result, Dr. Grant is able to provide CIC Interns with comprehensive and individualized clinical training that facilitates the acquisition and refinement of clinical and therapeutic skills in evidence-based assessments and treatment. She works closely with CIC Interns to identify evidence-based approaches that can be used with clients and works closely with CIC Interns to identify outcome measures that can be used to track clinical progress. Dr. Grant also provides guidance in training in collaborative consultation and supervision. Encouraging CIC Interns to explore intersections of identity in the journey as early professionals in the field. She focuses on preparing future professionals to become proficient in the delivery of high-quality, culturally competent clinical services while partnering with a diverse multidisciplinary group of professionals across clinical, educational and community settings.
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KRISTEN POLLINA, PSY.D.
Site Director, Connections Day School
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Dr. Pollina received her Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology from the Illinois School of Professional Psychology in 1999 and is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist. She started her career with CDS as a Post-Doctoral Fellow 1999 and became the Clinical Director, Director of Clinical Training, and Site Director in 2000. All of Dr. Pollina’s training and professional experiences have been with children, adolescents and their families, with a primary focus on high-risk populations, and a strength-based, integrative focus to case conceptualization, treatment, and supervision. As a result of these experiences, Dr. Pollina is able to teach Interns to emphasize the unique strengths and needs of students with social, emotional, and behavioral disabilities. Her broad experience and deep knowledge base enables Dr. Pollina to prepare future professional psychologists to become proficient in the delivery of high quality, culturally competent, clinical services to schools, families, and communities. Dr. Pollina also serves on the Lake County Board of Health.
GIOVANNA VITULLO, PSY.D.
Assistant Site Director, Connections Day School
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Dr. Vitullo has her Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology from the Illinois School of Professional Psychology and is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist. Dr. Vitullo has been with the CIC since 2011. She became the Diagnostic Coordinator at Connections Day School in 2015. Dr. Vitullo has an extensive background in working with children, adolescents, and their families through her clinical training and professional experiences in various settings. Before becoming a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, much of her training was in settings with a focus on Cognitive Behavior Therapy, though there was always an integrative focus. Her training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy allows Dr. Vitullo to provide Interns with comprehensive and individualized clinical training that facilitates the acquisition and refinement of clinical and therapeutic skills in evidence-based assessments and treatment. Dr. Vitullo brings this integrative focus to much of the work she does including her supervision approach.
CONNECTIONS DAY SCHOOL
SOUTH CAMPUS DAY SCHOOL
LESLIE BRANKIN, PSY.D.
Site Director, South Campus
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Dr. Brankin is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Clinical Director, and Site Director of South Campus. She obtained her Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, in Illinois. She completed her Internship at Lawrence Hall Youth Services and Post-Doctoral Fellowship at Streamwood Behavioral Health Hospital. Following which, she served as the Assistant Site Director and Diagnostic Coordinator for South Campus. Dr. Brankin's continued broadening her experience as the Young Adult Program Director at Compass. Her journey brought her back to become the Site Director for South Campus.
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ELISE CHALUS, PSY.D.
Assistant Site Director, South Campus
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Dr. Chalus has her Psy.D. in School Psychology from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology. She is currently the Assistant Site Director and Diagnostic Coordinator at South Campus (SC). She completed her Internship and Post-Doctoral Fellowship at South Campus before working as a Staff Therapist for over 2 years. Dr. Chalus has specialty interests and experience in researching and utilizing a resiliency framework and incorporating the relationship between physical and mental health within the field.
NEW CONNECTIONS ACADEMY
KELLY DUNNE, PSY.D.
Site Director, New Connections Academy
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Dr. Dunne has her Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology from Adler University and is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist. She completed her Internship at South Campus (SC) and completed her Post-Doctoral Fellowship at New Connections Academy (NCA). She went on to be the NCA Clinical Coordinator before becoming the NCA Site Director. Currently she also serves on the executive committee of the Association of Chicagoland Externship and Practicum Training (ACEPT) as Professional Development Chair. Dr. Dunne has worked with children and adolescents providing therapy and assessment services in a variety of settings including outpatient hospital, community mental health, and therapeutic day settings. Dr. Dunne has experience working with neurodiverse children, adolescents, and young adults. Dr. Dunne has a passion for helping clients and families navigate the intersection of Autism Spectrum Disorder and other comorbid diagnoses. Dr. Dunne works closely with interns as they work to strengthen therapeutic relationships with clients and families in order to function and thrive within the community.
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CHARLOTTE EDWARDS, PSY.D.
Chief Clinical Autism Consultant, Connections Internship Consortium
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Dr. Edwards has her Psy.D. from Illinois School of Professional Psychology and is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, who has worked in the field for over 30 years with children, adolescents and adults with developmental disabilities and mental health issues in various settings such as, inpatient hospitals, outpatient treatment centers and therapeutic day schools. Her areas of specialty include; neuropsychological evaluations for children and adolescents, individual and family therapy for clients with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorders. Dr. Edwards has been a part of the supervisor team for over 20 years and currently supervises Interns at both New Connections Academy (NCA) and Connections Academy East (CAE). She is currently the Chief Clinical Autism Consultant and supervisor for the clinical teams at all programs. Dr. Edwards works closely with Interns to identify how even the smallest of successes that students experience translate to a student strength that can serve as a building block to continued social emotional growth and development.
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CONNECTIONS ACADEMY EAST
RUTH TOMPKINS, PSY.D.
Site Director, Connections Academy East
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Dr. Tompkins has her Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology from Illinois School of Professional Psychology and is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist. Dr. Tompkins was the Assistant Site Director/Diagnostic Program Coordinator and clinical supervisor at Connections Day School starting in 1999, before becoming the Site Director of CAE in 2015. Dr. Tompkins has been supervising trainees for over 20 years and has extensive experience and knowledge in working with children, adolescents, and their families. Through the various group supervisions that Dr. Tompkins leads throughout the year, as well as her keen ability to help Interns identify the strengths and needs of each of their students, she is able to work with Interns to develop treatment approaches that builds on student strengths to address each student’s unique needs.
MADELEINE WEHMER, PSY.D.
Assistant Site Director, Connections Academy East
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Dr. Wehmer has her Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology and a Licensed Clinical Psychologist. She is currently the Assistant Site Director at Connections Academy East (CAE) where she also completed her intermediate practicum, Internship, and Post-Doctoral Fellowship. Throughout her graduate studies, Dr. Wehmer researched the phenomenon of self-harm. Aside from working in the school setting, she has also worked in an inpatient substance use unit and conducted batteries to assess the cognitive and psychological impact of the individual's substance abuse. Dr. Wehmer also has experience in the private practice setting. Here, she engaged in individual therapy, family therapy, and couples counseling. Dr. Wehmer also conducted ADHD assessments and co-lead an anger management group for adults. During her time at CAE, Dr. Wehmer has worked on creating a curriculum on healthy boundaries and relationships. She has also joined the trauma task-force to focus on trauma-informed care in the school setting. Dr. Wehmer is continuing her education in trauma by completing a certification as a clinical trauma professional.
SOL RAPPAPORT, PH.D., ABPP
Licensed Psychologist
Board Certified in Clinical Psychology and Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology
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Dr. Rappaport has his PhD in Clinical Psychology from DePaul University. Dr. Rappaport is Board Certified in Clinical Psychology and Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology.is an owner of the 4 CIC member programs and he specializes in Forensic Psychology, consulting with attorneys nationally for the purpose of work product review, cross examination and expert witness testimony. Dr. Rappaport has presented nationally on custody, relocation, alienation, psychological testing and other topics to various state bar associations, including the American Bar Association's Family Law section and the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. Dr. Rappaport is also the President-Elect of the Illinois Chapter of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts. He also performs psychological testing, risk assessments, and fitness for duty evaluations for local school districts and law enforcement agencies. Dr. Rappaport’s background in working with the courts and conducting psychological testing enables him to provide Interns with comprehensive and individualized clinical training that facilitates the acquisition and refinement of clinical and therapeutic skills in evidenced-based assessments and treatments. Through the weekly assessment supervision that Dr. Rappaport provides to all CIC Interns, he provides them with opportunities to review scholarly literature for each assessment, which is then reviewed and applied to current Intern cases.
CARLOS GARCIA, PSY.D.
Licensed Clinical Psychologist
CIC Supervisor
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Dr. Carlos Garcia has his Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology from Adler University and is Licensed Clinical Psychologist. Dr. Garcia began working with the Connections Organization as an Extern at Connections Day School (CDS) in 2012. Dr. Garcia continued his training at CDS through his Doctoral Internship and Post-Doctoral Fellowship, before becoming the Assistant Clinical Director and Assistant Site Director at Connections Academy Easy (CAE) in 2015. Dr. Garcia is currently the Clinical Director for the Connections Organization Virtual Connections Academy (VCA) private therapeutic day school. Although affiliated with the Connections Organization, VCA is not currently part of the Connections Internship Consortium (CIC). Dr. Garcia has an extensive background in working with children, adolescents, and their families through his clinical training and professional experiences. Before attaining his Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Adler University in 2014, Dr. Garcia worked as a Psychosocial Rehabilitation Specialist in Post Falls, Idaho, where he taught clients social skills and self management skills. He also worked in a residential treatment facility in Hayden, Idaho that served clients with a wide variety of presenting problems, including suicidal ideation, psychotic disorders, depression, and anxiety. Dr. Garcia’s extensive background working with children, adolescents, and their families from the inner city of Chicago enables him to prepare future psychologists to become proficient in the delivery of high quality, culturally competent clinical services to schools, families, and the community. Dr. Garcia works with CIC Interns both in group supervision and training to identify the impact that trauma has on the clients and families that they work with. He trains interns to not only take a trauma informed approach with the clients that the interns work with, but also trains them on how to integrate a trauma framework into the family work they do.
STEPHANIE AUBUCHON, PH.D.
Licensed Clinical Psychologist
CIC Supervisor
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Dr. Stephanie AuBuchon is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Nationally Certified School Psychologist who earned her Ph.D. at Illinois State University. Dr. AuBuchon provides supervision and training to CIC Interns, specifically around the topics of Assessment and she is ADOS Certified. She has specializations in child and adolescent psychology and a background in working with youth and their families within a variety of settings, including public school settings, therapeutic day schools, private practice and community outpatient centers. Dr. AuBuchon provides individual and family services for children, adolescents, young adults, and families dealing with a range of mental health concerns, including anxiety, depression, ADHD, learning issues, and autism spectrum disorder. In addition to therapeutic services, she also conducts developmental and psychological assessments, and diagnostic evaluations at the Counseling Connections’ practice and affiliated therapeutic day schools. Dr. AuBuchon is well versed in providing CIC Interns at all CIC affiliated schools with comprehensive and individualized clinical training that facilitates the acquisition and refinement of clinical and therapeutic skills in evidence-based assessments and treatment. Dr. AuBuchon works closely with Interns to identify assessment measures and treatment approaches that can be used with the clients that the CIC Interns work with that helps Interns collaborate with families and school districts to identify assessments and treatment interventions that enable Interns to clarify diagnostic questions that families and the school systems may have. She also works closely with CIC Interns to identify ways to communicate a variety of assessment and intervention outcomes to families in a way that is user friendly and easily understood.
SHAZIA TAYYAB, M.D.
Board Certified in General Psychiatry and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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Dr. Tayyab is a child, adolescent, and adult psychiatrist who conducts monthly Individual Psychiatric Supervision for Interns at South Campus, New Connections Academy, and Connections Academy East. She completed her Child and Adolescent Fellowship at Children’s Memorial Hospital where she was the Chief Resident. Dr. Tayyab is Board Certified in General Psychiatry and Board Certified in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Her outpatient practice specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of children and adolescents for a variety of psychiatric concerns. As a result of her background, Dr. Tayyab is well versed in providing Interns at CAE and NCA with comprehensive and individualized clinical training regarding the Autism Spectrum population. Dr. Tayyab works with Interns to identify the salient medical issues that are impacting the clients, provides them with evidenced based literature and feedback regarding the medication regimens, and helps Interns identify how medications may be helping or hindering client progress.
AUXILIARY CIC SUPERVISORS
MICHAEL GREENBAUM, M.D.
Board Certified in Child, Adolescent and Adult Psychiatry
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Dr. Greenbaum is a Board Certified Child, Adolescent and Adult Psychiatrist who conducts monthly Individual Psychiatric Supervision with Interns at Connections Day School. He has been practicing in Lake County, IL since 1993 and completed both medical school and his psychiatric residency at the University of Illinois Medical Center in Chicago. He completed his Child Psychiatry fellowship training at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. Greenbaum specializes in working with children and adolescents. In addition to his outpatient psychiatric practice, Dr. Greenbaum is President and Principal Investigator at Capstone Clinical Research in Libertyville, IL, where he conducts Clinical Trials for psychiatric medications. Dr. Greenbaum works with Interns to identify the salient medical issues that are impacting their clients, provides them with evidenced based literature and feedback regarding various medication regimens, and helps Interns identify how medications may be helping or hindering client progress. Dr. Greenbaum also provides support in training in utilizing improve technics in clinical work.
CHINA OUGHTON, LMFT.
Licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist
CIC Supervisor
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Ms. Oughton completed her Masters of Science in Marital and Family Therapy at The Family Institute at Northwestern University. She leads biweekly Individual Family Therapy Supervision with Interns from all programs as well as leads the monthly Family Seminar at each program. She acquired a diverse range of clinical experience through her training in The Family Institute's Bette D. Harris Family and Child Clinic and the Parents In Charge (PIC) Clinic located in Chicago, IL. She is also a National Clinical Fellow member of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy and a member of EMDRIA. China provides biweekly consultation and monthly group supervision to CIC Interns in which she reviews the theories of family therapy and provides Interns with the opportunity to role-play family therapy sessions, based on families Interns are working with, using the provided theory. During her family therapy supervision with Interns, she is able to help Interns identify the strengths of the family systems in order to promote change and growth.
KARA ANAST, PSY.D.
Licensed Clinical Psychologist
CIC Supervisor
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Dr. Anast is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist who earned her Psy.D. from the Illinois School of Professional Psychology Argosy University. Dr Anast provides supervision and training to CIC Interns, specifically around the topics of Assessment and she is ADOS certified. She has specializations in child and adolescent psychology and a background in working with youth and their families within a variety of settings, including therapeutic day schools, private practice and forensic/court settings. Dr. Anast conducts neuropsychological assessments, risk assessments, and forensic/custody evaluations at the Counseling Connections’ Private Practice and affiliated therapeutic day schools. Dr. Anast is well versed in providing CIC Interns at all CIC affiliated schools with comprehensive clinical training that facilitates the acquisition and refinement of clinical skills in evidence-based assessments. She works with CIC Interns to identify assessment measures and treatment approaches that can be used with the clients. Dr. Anast is also currently on the Lake County Custody Evaluator's list and completes both custody evaluations and psychological evaluations for the court system.
NICOLE PILOT, PSY.D.
Licensed Clinical Psychologist
CIC Supervisor
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Dr. Pilot is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and trains and supervises CIC Interns and Therapists at Connections Day School (CDS).