Robert J. Doman Jr.

Founder and Director

Founder of the National Association for Child Development and Chairman, Board of Directors Bob Doman is the Director and Chairman of the Board of The NACD Foundation, which he founded in 1979. He is also the President of the National Association for Child Development, created in 1985. The Association operates chapters throughout the United States and around the world. NACD … Read More

Laird Doman

Chief Operations Officer & Family Liaison

Laird Doman represents the third generation of his family to dedicate their lives to bettering the lives of children, developing our understanding of neurodevelopment and building NACD. Laird’s father, Bob Doman, is the founder and director of NACD. Laird’s grandfather, Dr. Robert J. Doman M.D, was one of the very first physiatrists—a specialist in physical medicine and rehabilitation as well … Read More

Ellen R. Doman

Educational Director - M.A., Curriculum and Instruction

Ellen Doman’s involvement in neurological rehabilitation began in childhood under the mentorship of her father, Robert J. Doman, MD, a prominent Physiatrist who developed successful therapies for patients suffering from brain abnormalities and injuries. From age twelve through her teens, Ellen accompanied her father to the rehab clinics where he taught her about diagnosis and rehabilitation, and allowed her to … Read More

Sara Erling

NACD Developmentalist & Coach - M.Ed. Curriculum & Instruction

When Sara Erling graduated with a B.S. in Psychology from Boise State University in May of 1998, her plans for continuing her education were firmly in place. She took the GRE and set a course for her Master’s program to begin the following year. Newly married, she set aside one year to settle in to married life and work “in … Read More

W. Bruce Haslam

Research Director - Ph.D., Social Psychology

Bruce Haslam comes to us from Weber State University, where he is currently a Professor Emeritus of Psychology. He received his Ph.D. in Social Psychology from Brigham Young University. While at Weber State he was a Research Advisor to the Department of Nursing, advised about a dozen faculty members on their dissertation research, worked jointly on several research projects with … Read More

Lori Riggs

Director of Center for Speech and Sound - M.A., CCC/SLP Speech Pathology

Lori Riggs is a certified Speech/Language Pathologist with over twenty years of experience in providing speech therapy, cutting-edge oral motor therapies, and auditory training programs to families around the globe. After graduating from Baylor University in 1990, Lori obtained her Master’s degree from Kent State University in 1992. For the next several years she provided acute care and rehabilitative speech … Read More

Lyn Waldeck

NACD Developmentalist

Lyn Waldeck discovered NACD in 1992 when seeking help for her severely brain-injured child. Now, fourteen years later, she is a senior staff member who views working for NACD as a privilege more than a job. Prior to NACD, with an education background in Real Estate/Finance, Lyn first managed the acquisition, development and disposition of property for a Texas Land … Read More

BJ Owen-Tubbs

Coach - B.S.Ed. Early Childhood Education

BJ Owen-Tubbs graduated in 1980 from West Chester University with a B.S.Ed. in Early Childhood Education and a minor in Counseling. Her graduate studies were in Elementary Education, with a focus in Human Development. She taught preschool for more than 13 years in West Chester. BJ began working and training in the North Regional office in West Chester, PA with … Read More

John McCallum

Director of Multimedia - Project Manager, Design, Music, Social Media & Video

John McCallum is a composer, musician, graphic/web designer, photographer, and videographer and is currently the Director of Multimedia for NACD. He attended the University of Utah where he studied Music, Jazz Composition, and Art. He has worked in Music and Audio Production for 25 years and has been in the Graphic & Web Design field for the last 20 years. He currently … Read More

Teodora Pop, M.A.

Coach & Eastern Europe Coordinator

Teo has worked with children since high school. She volunteered in several organizations that worked with children who had a range of disabilities and has been teaching in various capacities for 14 years. She received a BA and then an MA in Painting and Child Education, with the intention of becoming an art therapist and practicing in the United States. … Read More

Marta Palmes

Coach & Facilitator for Spanish-Speaking Families

Marta Palmes is from Barcelona and has lived and worked in Spain, England, and the United States. She holds degrees in management and education. After pursuing careers in tourism, banking, and executive education, she found her personal and professional passion—child development—when her first daughter, Arianna, was born with an extra chromosome that impacts the way in which she learns and … Read More

Jennifer Virgin

Coach

Jennifer has been a mainstay at NACD for the past 30 years. From the early years of working out of Bob’s basement, to housing the office in her own home, to working in the various office locations in Ogden, she has taught program implementation to families, ran the office and been Bob’s right-hand woman all along the way. She currently serves … Read More

Pam Cook

Scheduling

Hi, I’m Pam Cook and I moved back to Utah from Washington State in 2006, when I started working for NACD part time. I now do all the scheduling for NACD.   Having a degree in Early Childhood Education, the wonderful part about my job is all the awesome, dedicated families that I get to talk to on a daily basis and of course … Read More

Carrie Humpherys

Accounting - M.S. Accounting

Carrie Humpherys has been a tax account and in-house company accountant for over 15 years. Carrie has worked for NACD since the summer of 2019. She enjoys helping in the NACD office and getting to know the NACD Families. Carrie earned her Master’s Degree in Accounting from Western Governors University, WGU, in 2017. She earned her Bachelor’s degree from Southern … Read More

Janine Little

Coach - B.S. Public Management

I first found NACD when my 3-year-old son was diagnosed with autism back in 2000. After starting program with my son and seeing him hit important milestones so quickly, I became a huge advocate for NACD’s approach and therapies. At the time I thought “wouldn’t it be great to work for NACD someday?” Fast forward 20 years and I am … Read More

Amanda Willard

Coach - M.A. Children's Literature

The National Association of Child Development has been a member of our family since 1999. This became necessary when it was discovered that Adam, my brother, had suffered some serious neurological damage years earlier after infant vaccinations. Impressed that Adam made such strides within the first year of working through NACD, our parents decided to make it a family affair. … Read More

Melody Deluca

Coach - B.A. Educational Studies & A.A. Music

Melody first learned about NACD in 2008 after several years of trying to figure out why her then 5-year-old son, Grant, was severely delayed. He started showing signs of developmental delay at his 15-month check-up, which began a four-year journey going from one professional to another trying to find the help he needed. No one could explain why her son … Read More

Amy Martin

Coach

Amy Martin graduated from the University of Nebraska with a Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education in 1996. She taught preschool for one year before moving to Ohio to earn her teaching certificate in Elementary Education. Soon after, Amy obtained her Master’s Degree in Teaching and Learning from NOVA Southeastern University. Amy taught 12 years for Dublin City Schools in … Read More

Romina Varsandan

Coach & Coach Facilitator - Special Education

Romina is from Romania, and from a young age has been passionate about learning foreign languages. She studied English, German, and Italian intensively and worked in fields that required mastering these languages in Romania, Germany, and Great Britain.  Struggles with health issues most of her childhood and young adult life have made her very sensitive and empathetic towards children with … Read More

Cathy Alford, MA, PCC

Professional Advisory Committee

Part-time faculty at Columbus State University Board Chair Teen Advisors Columbus State University Former Board Member of Disability Service Center Columbus, GA

Luza Acevedo

Coach

Luza was born in Mexico and moved to the United States in 2007 to the Kansas City area. There she lived with her husband and had her two daughters. When her first daughter, Camila, was 6 weeks old in the NICU, she was diagnosed as having Down syndrome. Luza and her husband immediately knew they had an unexpected adventure ahead … Read More

Randy Esters, EdD.

Professional Advisory Committee

President, North Arkansas College Former Associate VP for International Affairs, Dean of Education at Louisiana College.

Sharon Benham, M. D.

Professional Advisory Committee

Tucson, AZ

Hilary Hicks, PharmD

Professional Advisory Committee

Ogden, UT

Ashleigh Baddour

Coach - M.A. Egyptology & Anthropology

From a young age Ashleigh Baddour was interested in all things pertaining to Ancient Egypt. She received a Bachelor’s Degree in Anthropology from the University of Arizona. It was there that she met the only working Egyptologist in her then home state of Arizona and joined The University of Arizona Egyptian Expedition (UAEE). The team worked on the West Bank … Read More

Debra Hayden, RN,BSN,OTR/L

Professional Advisory Committee

Perryville, MO

Agnieszka Juscinska, M.D.

Professional Advisory Committee

Board Certified Family Physician Mount Prospect, IL

Jonathan T. Nassos, M.D.

Professional Advisory Committee

Board-certified Orthopedic Surgeon Board-certified, Sports Medicine Los Angeles, CA

Dr. Julian Neil, N.D, Ph.D.

Professional Advisory Committee

Los Angeles, CA

Jonathan Lauritsen, D.O.

PROFESSIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE

General Adult Neurology at Baylor Scott & White Health Plano A diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Inc., a member Board of the American Board of Medical Specialties – Carrollton, TX

Crystal Imperato, D.O.

Professional Advisory Committee

Internal Medicine Wasilla, AK

Ryan Sutterer O.D.

Professional Advisory Committee

Perryville, MO

Devanshu Thakore, M.D.

Professional Advisory Committee

Hospitalist Physician Director of Hospitalist Program Chief of Medicine (Ridgecrest, CA)

Chinwe Ukauno, M.D., FAAFP

Professional Advisory Committee

Albany, GA

Michael Willoughby, M.D.

Professional Advisory Committee

Board Certified Internal Medicine, Hospice and Palliative Medicine Charleston, SC

Natalie Kling

Professional Advisory Committee

Certified Clinical Nutritionist Sacramento, CA