Mental Health Summit 2025

An LCPC counselor and educator, specializing in program development, executive function interventions, and supporting neurodivergent people.  She consults extensively with schools and provides training to professionals on executive functions, neurodivergence, and developing collaborative problem solving systems.  Formerly, she was a leader at the Ivymount School where she served as Director of Training, Consulting and Program Development and the Director of the Model Asperger Program. She also collaborates with a multidisciplinary team to develop and research the Unstuck and On Target executive functioning curriculum.

Tamar is the Director of Education at Hidden Sparks, an organization that partners with Jewish day schools to increase their capacity to serve all learners. Previously, she was the Associate Principal of Ma’ayanot Yeshiva High School for Girls for 12 years. Tamar believes that communication and understanding one’s own areas of strength and opportunities for growth are crucial components of leadership development. Tamar was a member of the 2015-2016 YOU Lead (then YU Lead) cohort and then served on the editorial board of the Prizmah journal HaYidion. She also participated in the 2018 Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Summer Institute for Principals. Tamar has undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Pennsylvania. She lives with her husband and sons in Englewood, NJ.

An LMSW, ACSW, and is a nationally recognized speaker, author, advocate, and social worker specializing in disability justice, inclusion, and family-professional partnerships. For ten years, she was a Special Projects Trainer for Michigan’s Early On (Part C of IDEA). An award-winning storyteller, she has keynoted and led workshops across North America, drawing from over 40 years as a social worker and as the mother of two adult children: Micah, a disability activist featured in Intelligent Lives, and Emma, an elementary school principal. Janice’s essays, poems, and books, including Parents and Professionals Partnering for Children with Disabilities and What Matters: Reflections on Disability, Community, and Love, inspire more meaningful partnerships and inclusion. Learn more at www.danceofpartnership.com.

A school counselor for over two decades and has served as the Upper School Counselor at Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy since 2011. She holds a BA in Psychology from the University of Maryland and an MSW from the University of Pennsylvania. She is also a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). Amy began her career in school counseling at Hill Top Preparatory School in 1999. Before transitioning to schools, she worked as a clinician in intensive outpatient and residential treatment programs and as a therapist in private practice. She values collaboration with students, families, teachers, and administrators and finds fulfillment in witnessing students' personal growth throughout their years at Barrack.

Dr. Carly Namdar brings a passion for supporting the wellbeing of students, families and educators in building resilience and breaking down stigma associated with mental health. She is the School-Based Services and Resilience Programs Director for Ohel Children’s Home & Family Services, and oversees Ohel’s Helpline for educators. Carly is an educational psychologist and holds an EdD from Azrieli Graduate School. She has extensive experience developing and delivering social-emotional learning programming, professional development and implementing interventions to support school communities. Carly was awarded the Robert M. Sherman Young Pioneer Award from the Jewish Education Project in 2020, and was also a psychologist at Ohel's Camp Kaylie. Carly mentors community leaders through the OU Women's Initiative.

Rona Milch Novick, PhD is the Dean Emerita of the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration at Yeshiva University.  Prior to serving as Dean, she was director of the Doctoral program in Jewish Educational Leadership and Innovation.  Dr. Novick is also the co-educational director of Hidden Sparks.  A clinical psychologist, Dr. Novick also served as the Chief of Child Psychology and Director of Training at Schneider Children's Hospital.  Well known for her academic writing and presentations, she is also a frequent presenter for parent, school and synagogue groups.  Her areas of expertise include cognitive behavior therapy, positive psychology, trauma, bully prevention, and parenting.  She is the author of two children's books published by Behrman House. Dr. Novick is a firm believer in the unending capacity for all of us to grow and change.

A Psychologist with a PhD in Clinical Psychology (Health Emphasis) from Yeshiva University's Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology. Her area of focus, both in research and clinically, is in the field of eating disorders. Her previous clinical experiences include work at The Ramaz School, The Renfrew Center of New York, St Luke's Obesity Research Clinic in New York, and Hadassah Ein Kerem in Jerusalem. Sarah's area of research has focused on Binge Eating Disorder, Emotional Eating and Night Eating Syndrome, a subject on which she has published articles as well as presented at the Academy of Eating Disorders in 2008 and 2014. She has presented at a number of conferences, as well as at area day schools and high schools. Sarah regularly collaborates with schools, both for day schools and high schools, to create Eating Disorder prevention programs targeted at enhancing self esteem and self worth. Dr. Roer maintains a private practice in Riverdale.

Co-founder of the Right Question Institute, an Adjunct Lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and co-author of Make Just One Change: Teach Students to Ask Their Own Questions (Harvard Education Press: 2011)  and Partnering with Parents to Ask the Right Questions (ASCD: 2016). Dan started his career as a youth worker and organizer in the Katamon Tet neighborhood of Jerusalem, was a Fulbright Scholar in Israel and a post-doctoral fellow and lecturer at Ben-Gurion University. He was also selected as one of The Forward’s 16 over 61 in 2021.

Passionate about integrating education and mental health in Jewish environments, believing that collaboration between parents, staff, and children leads to the best outcomes. Nicole is a dedicated advocate for the understanding and inclusion of neurodivergent individuals, striving to create educational spaces that support all learners. With over 20 years of experience in education, Nicole holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Master’s degree in Education. She has furthered her expertise through coursework in neuroscience, counseling, and emotional intelligence. Prior to her current role, she served as principal of Chabad's Gan Lubavitch in Bogotá, Colombia, for 14 years. She is now the Lower School Counselor at Robert M. Beren Academy in Houston, Texas, where she continues her work in fostering emotional well-being and academic success for students.

A retired psychologist and engaging speaker, is dedicated to enhancing wellness in families and communities. Her warmth and expertise shine in her work with clergy and congregations, guiding them through the complexities of personal and professional relationships. A scholar-in-residence and leader of impactful webinars, Betsy addresses topics such as trauma, anxiety, grief, and resilience. Teaching across North America and Europe, she bridges psychology and education, offering thoughtful insights on connection, growth, and balance in life’s challenging spaces.

An award-winning journalist and author of the instant New York Times bestselling book Never Enough: When Achievement Culture Becomes Toxic – and What We Can Do About It.  Her second book Mattering in the Modern World:  A Solution for the Crises of Our Time is based on five years of research and an original global mattering survey.  Wallace is the founder of The Mattering Institute, whose mission is to create cultures of mattering in homes, workplaces, and communities, and co-founder of The Mattering Movement, a nonprofit whose mission is to create cultures of mattering in schools and educational spaces. Wallace is a highly sought-after speaker and has spoken at more than 100 Fortune 500 companies, conferences, non-profits, and schools about mattering.

Received her PhD in Clinical Health Psychology from Ferkauf Graduate School at Yeshiva University. Dr. Yaish is the Clinical Psychologist at Ma’ayanot Yeshiva High School for Girls. She has worked with teens and special health needs populations of all ages for many years as Head Counselor at both Camp HASC and Camp Simcha. Dr. Yaish consults and presents workshops and talks for local and national organizations on topics related to Torah, mental health, general health, and the specialized needs community. She also maintains a private practice servicing primarily adolescents, emerging adults and the specialized needs population.