Mark D. Weist, Ph.D., received a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) in 1991 and is currently professor of clinical-community and school psychology in the Department of Psychology at the University of South Carolina. He was on the faculty of the University of Maryland for 19 years, where he helped to found and direct the Center for School Mental Health (http://csmh.umaryland.edu), one of two national centers providing leadership in the advancement of school mental health policies and programs in the United States. He has edited nine books and has published and presented widely in school mental health and in the areas of positive behavioral interventions and supports, interconnecting school mental health and positive behavioral interventions and supports, trauma, violence and youth, evidence-based practice, and cognitive behavioral therapy.
Lee Kern, Ph.D., received her doctorate in special education from the University of South Florida. She is currently professor of special education at Lehigh University and Director of the Center for Promoting Research to Practice. Dr. Kern has worked in the field of special education for more than 35 years as a classroom teacher, behavior specialist, professor, and consultant. Her research interests are in the area of interventions to reduce challenging behavior. She has published numerous articles, book chapters, and two books on topics related to problem behavior. Dr. Kern has received more than $20 million in grant support from the U.S. Department of Education and National Institutes of Mental Health to pursue research in behavior problems. She is currently co-editor of Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions.
Michael P. George, Ed.D., received his doctorate in special education from the University of Missouri–Columbia and is presently director of Centennial School of Lehigh University. Dr. George has been an administrator of programs for children and youth with the most severe social, emotional, and behavioral difficulties for nearly 30 years. He has served as a director of day school programs in St. Louis County, Missouri; Eugene, Oregon; and Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. His work on behalf of students and families has received numerous accolades over the years, including recognition by the U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Department of Justice, the American Institutes for Research, CNN, and ABC's Nightline.
