AASP Conference - Speakers

Sylvia A. Cohen, PhD, is currently a licensed psychologist in private practice in the Scottsdale/Phoenix area. She specializes in learning and development and has extensive experience working in the schools. She is a consultant in various schools assisting in the development and implementation of programs for students with social/emotional/behavioral difficulties. She is the president of a non-profit, The Cohen Institute for Student Learning and Mental Health.

Dr. Cohen has been an adjunct faculty member for Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University and Argosy University teaching graduate classes in psychology, counseling and school psychology. She continues to provide state and national presentations on a variety of topics. Parent, teacher, and school personnel workshops are offered free of cost through the non-profit.

Jacquelin Esque, MD is a child and adolescent psychiatrist at the Banner University Medical Center South Behavioral Health clinic and Co-director for the Arizona Pediatric Psychiatry Access Line. She in an Arizona native and attended medical school at the University of Arizona – Phoenix and residency and fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. She is passionate about increasing access to quality mental healthcare for children and teens.

Steven G. Feifer, D.Ed., ABPdN, is dually trained as both a nationally certified school psychologist and board certified pediatric neuropsychologist. He has more than 20 years of experience working directly in public education, and is currently an Assistant Professor of Psychology at James Madison University. Dr. Feifer has earned numerous distinctions throughout his career including being awarded the Maryland School Psychologist of the Year, the National School Psychologist of the Year, and recently the Legends of School Psychology award. He remains a popular speaker at many state, national, and international conferences, and has authored eight books on learning and emotional disorders in children. Lastly, Dr. Feifer has also authored three tests on diagnosing learning disabilities in children, all of which are published by PAR.

Sam Goldstein earned his Ph.D. in School Psychology from the University of Utah and is a licensed psychologist and certified school psychologist in Utah. He is also board-certified as a pediatric neuropsychologist and is listed with the Council for the National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology. He is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association and the National Academy of Neuropsychology. He serves as an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Utah School of Medicine. He is a past Nationally Certified School Psychologist. He has authored, co-edited, or co-authored over sixty clinical and trade publications, three dozen textbook chapters, nearly three dozen peer-reviewed scientific articles, and ten psychological and neuropsychological tests. Additionally, he is the founder and former editor-in-chief of the Journal of Attention Disorders. Since 1980, he has served as clinical director at The Neurology, Learning and Behavior Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, conducting over 700 neuropsychological evaluations of children and adults annually. His new books include the Neuropsychology of Toxic Disorders (Springer 2026) and the Handbook of Human Instincts (Springer 2026).

Thomas Healey (TJ) offers a distinctive dual perspective on autism education, integrating professional expertise with lived experience. He obtained dual bachelor’s degrees in psychology (2011) and speech and hearing science (2014) from Arizona State University. Presently employed as a Speech-Language Pathology Assistant at Ridge Zeller Therapy, TJ has dedicated a decade to supporting autistic youth, with five years of specialized experience in high school settings. His diverse educational background enables him to advocate for neurodiversity-affirming practices. As an established speaker, TJ has presented to graduate students at A.T. Still University, Mesa Public Schools, Gilbert Public Schools, Phoenix Union High School District, and at the 2025 and 2026 Arizona Speech-Language-Hearing Association Conventions. Diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome at the age of 15, his presentations delve into the lived autistic experience, detrimental interventions, autism history, emotional regulation, autism in women, neurodiversity-oriented objectives, autistic communication patterns, and autistic cultural norms. TJ’s work effectively combines clinical practice and authentic autistic advocacy, providing speech-language pathologists, administrators, and related service providers with invaluable insights for developing more effective and respectful therapies.

Andrew Horvath, Ed.S., NCSP, is a Nationally Certified School Psychologist and Arizona educator with roughly fifteen years of combined experience in public education, curriculum development, and educational technology. As a first-generation American born to refugee parents, he has drawn on personal experiences that have shaped his interest in culturally responsive practice and equitable identification. His professional interests also include ADHD, executive functioning, self-regulation, behavioral intervention, curriculum-based measurement, and improving psychoeducational evaluation. Through FarPoint Educational Systems (farpointeducation.com), Andrew develops practitioner-built tools, including REDAssist and a virtual CBM Tracker, that support evaluation workflow, intervention fidelity, progress monitoring, and multidisciplinary collaboration. He previously presented research on overrepresentation and exclusionary practices at the Arizona Association of School Psychologists conference and was recognized as Northern Arizona University’s Outstanding Master’s Student in Educational Psychology in 2024.

Dr. Paula McCall is an Arizona Licensed Psychologist and Nationally Certified School Psychologist who provides comprehensive, neurodiverse affirming, and empowering psychological evaluations as well as individualized therapy across the lifespan. Her background as a special education teacher and school psychologist provides unique perspective and understanding of development, context, and varied diagnoses. Dr. McCall specializes in providing thorough and affirming evaluations with diagnostic considerations that include Autism, Intellectual Disabilities, ADHD, and mood disorders, as well as the complex overlap that may occur among them. She also provides therapy for all clients, with understanding of complex factors and a welcoming approach to everyone. Dr. McCall additionally is a recognized expert in suicide prevention, risk assessment, and postvention, providing extensive trainings and presentations about these topics to support youth and adults of all abilities.

Leslie Z. Paige, Ed.S., NCSP, is a longtime national leader in school psychology. She has worked as a PS-12 practitioner, a school psychology graduate educator and program director, and university research administrator.

Leslie has served in numerous leadership positions for the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), including President (2019-2020), Secretary, Treasurer and has chaired and participated on numerous committees and task forces. Her recent service as chair of the Addressing Antisemitism Task Force is relevant for this presentation.

Previously, Leslie was active in the Kansas Association of School Psychologists, serving as president, NASP delegate, and other positions. She has received five NASP Presidential Awards and has been honored as the NASP School Psychologist of the Year, Kansas School Psychologist of the Year, the Kansas Association of School Psychologist Lifetime Achievement Award, and as a Fort Hays State University Alumni Achievement Awardee.

Having completely failed at retirement, Leslie remains active with NASP as a Communique’ contributing editor, the School Psychology Review Editorial Advisory Board and is a member of the convention workshop committee. She lives in Tucson, AZ, with her husband and a very spoiled dog.

Heather R. Pierson joined Udall Shumway PLC in 2009. She is a member of the School Law section, representing the firm’s education law clients throughout the State.

Ms. Pierson comes to Udall Shumway PLC uniquely qualified in the area of education law. Prior to joining Udall Shumway, Ms. Pierson taught behavior disordered students. During her teaching career, Ms. Pierson was involved in the development and implementation of Individualized Education Plans (“IEP”) and behavior plans and attended several trainings on special education and regular education interventions and strategies. While in law school, Ms. Pierson provided in-home ABA services for autistic children under the age of three and participated in the Whittier Law School Special Education Clinic, which provided special education advocacy services for children with developmental disabilities. Additionally, Ms. Pierson earned her Master’s Degree in Special Education in 2004.

Ms. Pierson primarily focuses her School Law practice on special education and disability related matters. She routinely defends school districts and other public educational institutions in matters related to disability law matters, such as special education due process hearings, Office of Civil Rights (“OCR”) complaints, Section 504 due process hearings, mediation, and special education state complaints. She provides daily advice and assistance in matters related to special education, Section 504, the Americans with Disabilities Act, student discipline, personnel issues and student records. Ms. Pierson taught Contemporary Developments in Special Education Law through Northern Arizona University during the Spring of 2014. She has also given in-service workshops to district personnel on a wide range of special education and disability related topics and speaks at state-wide conferences.

Louise J. Privette, a retired school psychologist and adjunct professor at Grand Canyon University, is the author of School Psychologists: From Surviving to Thriving, and co-author of Dancing Through Life: A Memoir. She served as executive editor of the Fifth Inkslingers Anthology: Many Worlds, Many Stories.

Louise holds a doctorate in counseling psychology from Argosy University. She earned her undergraduate degree in psychology and her master’s plus certification at Arizona State University.

As the 2015-16 president of the Arizona Association of School Psychologists (AASP), Louise wrote a monthly column for Intervention, the official newsletter of AASP. During her thirty years as a school psychologist, she published Freudian Slips, a monthly newsletter for the faculty. In 2001, Louise received the Arizona School Psychologist of the Year Award from AASP.

In her spare time, Louise pursues her passions for ballroom dancing, writing, and oil painting. She enjoys traveling with her husband, John, a retired Southwest pilot and retired Air Force colonel. You can reach her at louiseprivette.com.

Lainie Sgouros is a school psychologist with more than 20 years of experience serving students, families, and educators across three states (California, Missouri, and Arizona). She currently serves as the Assistant Director of Prevention for the Kyrene School District, where she leads and supports systems-level initiatives that promote student well-being, academic success, and positive school climates.

Lainie is passionate about developing comprehensive prevention and intervention systems that improve outcomes for all students and families. Her areas of expertise include Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), Restorative Practices, and the Neurosequential Model in Education (NME). She is dedicated to helping schools build sustainable, trauma-responsive systems that foster safe, supportive, and inclusive learning environments.

David L. Wodrich, PhD founded Clinic-School Press, LLC, in 2024. Since 2014, he has been Professor Emeritus of Disability and Psychoeducational Studies at the University of Arizona. Dr. Wodrich is a former Director of Psychology at Phoenix Children’s Hospital, Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Applied School Psychology, president of the American Board of School Psychology, the Arizona Psychological Association, and the AERA’s Brain, Neurosciences, and Education SIG. He is also a fellow of the American Psychological Association (Division 16) and the American Board of Professional Psychology. He has served as a school psychology trainer for more than 25 years in Illinois and Arizona.

Becky Woolley is an ASHA-certified SLPA and maintains the RESNA Assistive Technology Professional certification. She is an Assistive Technology Specialist for Mesa Public Schools and co-founder of Assistive Technology Connection. A dedicated advocate for communicative autonomy, she serves on the ArSHA AAC Committee, contributing to the advancement of AAC standards and resources statewide.

With over a decade of experience supporting students with complex needs, Becky specializes in the practical implementation of assistive technology tools in the K-12 setting. She has co-authored articles on assistive technology implementation and advocacy for ASHA, Closing the Gap, and Autism Advocacy Magazine. Becky has presented at state and national conferences, driven by a desire to share practical strategies she has found effective in classrooms. She is committed to bridging the gap for students by empowering educators to provide meaningful and effective support.