Simmi Santha is the founder and director of Precious Souls Services Inc., a behavior therapy services center for individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in Ontario, Canada. A member of the Ontario Association of Behavior Analysts (ONTABA) and the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI), she is a strategic interventionist committed to providing evidence-based practices and bringing significant progressive changes to students and their families. She founded the Reeta Peshawaria Center for Autism and ABA Services in Kerala, India. She has passionately delivered positive outcomes in the past twenty-five years as a therapist, trainer, consultant, analyst, project manager, and mentor in India, the USA, and Canada.

She is a doctoral candidate in developmental psychology and a board-certified behavior analyst (BCBA) dedicated to sweeping social change beyond geographies. Besides undergoing rigorous training in various ABA-related programs and courses, she completed her Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.) program in Medical and Psychiatric Social Work and a Child Day Care Management program. In addition to her doctoral pursuit, she is currently pursuing a parent-mediated intervention program called The PLAY Project.

With the aim of capacity building in her staff members, she developed the forty-hour Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) program to impart an ABA knowledge base to therapists as outlined by the Behavior Analyst’s Certification Board (BACB). Simmi has specialized in customizing program plans and services for families of diverse ethnic, linguistic, cultural, social, and economic backgrounds. She has conducted several parent and teacher training programs to empower them with the necessary skills to work with individuals with ASD. She has written several articles on autism for magazines to educate caretakers of individuals with autism and presented a paper at the National Academy of Psychology Conference in India. She was a team member of a team that presented a poster at the Association of Behavior Analysts International (ABAI). She has developed a manual for parents of individuals diagnosed with ASD called Understanding Autism. Simmi received the Thakur Hari Prasad gold medal for being an outstanding student in her undergraduate program in 1995 and the Reeta Peshawaria-Menon Fellowship Award in 2014 for advancing work and understanding of autism spectrum disorders.

I am a proud recipient of the Reeta Peshhawaria Fellowship in 2014. It is very special for me because it is instituted in memory of my teacher, Late Dr Reeta Peshwarai, who inspired me among a few more teachers, to pursue clinical psychology career. She was a great teacher, astute clinician, and efficient mentor- in summary a great human being. I was granted the Fellowship to conducted an empirical study to develop a scale for early identification of autism spectrum disorders. Accordingly, I have developed a scale that is published in the Indian Journal of Psychiatry (see, doi: 10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_49_18) I am trained a clinical psychologist, currently working as an Additional Professor in the Department of Clinical Psychology and a consultant clinical psychologist for infant, child and adolescent mental health services at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore, India. I also provide early intervention services to promote mental health and optimum development in infants of mothers with psychiatric illnesses besides running a special clinic for early identification and intervention of developmental disorders.

I have received the ‘Child and Adolescent Mental Health Award’ of the Indian Association of Clinical Psychologists, the highest professional body of clinical psychologists in the country in 2014. I have worked I a team to develop clinical and practice guidelines on intellectual and developmental disorders for the Indian Psychiatry Society. I have served as a Special Editor of the Journal of Intellectual Disabilities, SAGE, UK which addressed the service delivery models in the low and middle-income countries.  I am also a member of its International Advisory Board (https://journals.sagepub.com/editorial-board/JLD). I am an editorial board member of the clinical psychology section of the Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine (https://journals.sagepub.com/editorial-board/SZJ). I am an independent reviewer for many reputed Journals in the field of child and adolescent mental health. I have been associated with several projects that looked into the developmental and mental health outcomes of infants in adverse psychosocial circumstances. Besides child and adolescent metal health, I have strong clinical and research interests in infant mental health, neurodevelopmental disorders, school mental health, and family coping with childhood mental health issues.

Dr. Ashutosh Kumar Santosh is a renowned Clinical Psychologist in the field of Disability Rehabilitation for the last two decades. He has completed his Master’s degree from Patna University, Patna, and M.Phil in Medical and Social Psychology from Central Institute of Psychiatry, Kanke, Ranchi in 2001. He has earned a Ph.D. Degree from Patna University. Soon After completion of his M.Phil, he served at Thakur Hari Prasad Institute of Research and Rehabilitation for the Persons with Mentally Handicapped, Lalacheruvu, Rajahmundry (AP) from 2001 to 2004. Then He was at the National Institute for the Mentally Handicapped – Regional Center, New Delhi as a Lecturer of Rehabilitation Psychology from 2004 to 2008. After that, he was at Maulana Azad Medical College and associated with Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital, New Delhi as an Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychology from 2008 to 2011. He was an officer in charge of the Composite Regional Center for Persons with Disabilities, Patna, and Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychology from 2012 to 2019. Presently he has a freelance practice in the field of clinical psychology in Patna, Bihar. He has presented many research papers at national and international conferences. Conducted many workshops and national seminars on different issues of disabilities. He has many publications in national and international journals. He has conducted more than 30 teleconferences in a country-wide classroom teaching program from the Rehabilitation Council of India. He is a life member of three rehabilitation professional bodies, namely: the Rehabilitation council of India, the Indian Association of Clinical Psychology, and the International Association of Holistic Psychology.

His previous employer i.e. Thakur Hari Prasad Institute of Research & Rehabilitation, Rajahmundry, A.P. considered him and awarded him “Best Professional in the Application of Scientific Temperament in developing academic programs”. During his studentship, he has been awarded twice “Certificate of Merit” from the Personality Development Society, Department of Psychology, Patna University. He was one of the examiners from the Bihar region in the standardization process of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale – 4th Edition (WAIS-IV) conducted by Pearson Talent Assessment, Bangalore. He is the recipient of many awards/ recognitions. He Received Manav Seva Prerna Award for the year 2009-10. Received Reeta Peshawaria Menon Fellowship Award for the year 2015-16, Received Professional Excellence Award from the joint collaboration of Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI), New Delhi, and Indian Institute of Health Education and Research (IIHER), Patna. Received Ashoka Award in Social commitment category from Govt. of Bihar.

He made significant contribution towards the development of new unit/ specialty/ laboratory/ facility/programs/ therapeutic or diagnostic procedures.

His area of interest is Psychometric testing and Psychotherapies for the population with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities/ Neurological and psychiatric conditions.

 

Dr. Paresh Mishra is an Associate Professor of Organizational Leadership at Purdue University Fort Wayne, USA. His research encompasses a wide variety of topics such as leadership ethics, spiritual perspectives of leadership, disability in the workplace, corporate social responsibility, workplace emotions, resilience, and productivity. His research articles have appeared in many top-tier journals, including in the flagship journals of the American Psychological Association, Academy of Management, Academy of Human Resource Development, and the Society of Industrial and Organizational Psychology. His book “Managing by Dharma: Eternal Principles for Sustaining Profitability” (coauthored with Dr. Suresh Kalagnanam) was published by Palgrave Macmillan, USA in 2022. Dr. Mishra’s blog has been listed as one of the “Best Business Professor Blogs for Practical Results.”

Rama Cousik is an associate professor in special education in the department of Counseling and Graduate Education, College of Education at Purdue University, Fort Wayne, USA. Rama employs qualitative and arts-based research and her research highlights voices of people with disabilities and their families. Rama teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in special education and supervises Masters thesis and projects.

Dr Rahul Ganguly is Senior Lecturer in Education and the Course Director (Postgraduate Studies – Education) at Charles Sturt University, Australia. Before coming to CSU, Rahul was a Senior Lecturer and Associate Head at the University of Southern Queensland. In India, Rahul worked as the Deputy Chief Commissioner (Disabilities), Government of India and Principal, Special Education Center at NIMH, Secunderabad. Rahul’s passion for supporting self-determination among young adults with disabilities and their families has defined his career. Rahul’s research investigates resilience among university students with disabilities and caregivers of young adults with emotional/behavioural disabilities. Rahul has received grants from the Australian Government, NCSEHE, and India-Vision Foundation. His current research examines the organisational, family, and personal facilitators/barriers that assist individuals with disabilities in Australia choose a STEM-related career. Additionally, Rahul collaborates with colleagues at CSU and India to investigate compassion among caregivers of young adults with autism and intellectual disabilities. Presently, he is the principal investigator of a project examining long-term caregiving effects among families of adults with autism and intellectual impairment in India, Australia and Malaysia. Rahul spends his free time travelling the world, watching sports and movies, and catching his favourite shows at the Sydney Opera House. Rahul completed his PhD at the University of Illinois (USA) and his Master of Science (SpED) at the University of Oregon (USA).

Educational qualification; DCMH(NIMHANS), M.A (Socio), M.A. (CC & E), MSW with a professional qualification of BMR, B. Ed (SE) MR, M. Ed (SE) MR and submitted PhD thesis in Special Education to Alagappa University.

Presently employed as Rehabilitation Officer (Services & Programmes), NIEPMD, Chennai.

6 research papers in national peer reviewed journals and 11 research papers published in international peer reviewed journals of which two research papers are published in Scopus and 4 chapters as author in an edited book.

Awards : Dr. Anisya Vasanth Memorial Award for Best Paper from Faculty member of AIPMR in the AIPMR Conference, Patna, 2007, M.P. Young Scientist Award, 2007, Dr. Reeta Peshawaria- Menon Fellowship Award for the year 2018 and Best paper presenter in the International Conference on Universal design for Learning embedded with Assistive technology for children with special needs-UDLAT 2019.

Amitav Mishra is a Professor since 2012 having specialization in Inclusive and Special Education at School of Education, Indira Gandhi National Open University, New Delhi. His main areas of research interest are: inclusive education, adaptive physical education, early intervention and interventions in hearing and developmental disability. He has published over 60 research publications. He serves as Advisory Member to Asia Pacific Forum on Research in Intellectual Disability, Singapore and International Advisory Committee on Motor Activity Training Program (MATP) of Special Olympics International, USA). He is the Associate Editor to Oxford University Press Research Encyclopedia of Education (Inclusive and Special Education), New York and Editor of the Journal of National Convention of Educators of the Deaf (India), Mumbai and serves as a member of editorial board and review committee of several journals. He is the leading expert member of various committees appointed by Rehabilitation Council of India, National Council of Teacher Education and National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with Multiple Disability and various universities in India. He is also on the advisory board of several leading disability organizations such as: Special Olympics Bharat, New Delhi; National Convention of Educators of the Deaf India, Mumbai; National Convention for Severe Intellectual and Multiple Disabilities, New Delhi; Jeevandhara Rehabilitation Research Institute, Bareilly; Manovikas Kendra Rehabilitation and Research Institute, Kolkata. He has been honored with several awards such as ‘Eunice Shriver Kennedy Award’ from Special Olympics; ‘Derozio Award’ from Indian Council of Secondary Education, New Delhi for Human Enrichment and Education; Award for Excellence in Services to Persons with Disabilities (Government of Uttar Pradesh).

Dr. K. Balabaskar, presently serving at National institute for empowerment of persons with multiple disabilities (NIEPMD). Educational qualification: BMR, M.A, M.Ed. SE (MR), Ph. D (Psychology). Working for more than 2 Decades in empowering individuals with Intellectual disabilities & associated conditions and their family members. Recipient of Reeta Peshawaria-Menon Fellowship Award for the year 2020 in developing a module on Life skills for Individuals with developmental disabilities (IwDD’s). At present working on “Creation of models of employments for adults with multiple disabilities”. Involved in constructing a ‘Protocol design for Vocational Training and Employment for Persons with Multiple Disabilities’. Presently serves as a convener for RCI. Zonal coordinator committee Zone – III and expert committee member of Individuals with Developmental Disabilities. Area of Expertise include Skilling, Curriculum Design and Sustainable Employment models across ages & severity of disability.

Shivli is a Counselling Psychologist, Sexuality Educator and PhD Scholar based out of Raipur, Chhattisgarh. She is an Entrepreneur of 2 brands – Shivtensity™ and Instinct Studio and School of Design. She has extensive experience in delivering training & counselling sessions over the years. She’s a Queer Affirmative Psychologist. She has worked with Educational Institutes, Police training academy, UNICEF, Anganwadi Workers and Chhattisgarh State Commission for Child Rights, among others to spread awareness and educate on Sexuality and Mental health to people of different age groups and backgrounds.

Her Brands : Shivtensity™ is the first startup of Central India, working to increase dialogues on Sexuality, Disability and Mental Health Education in small towns of India. With her online platform – HEAL with Shivtensity™, she hopes to render online counselling sessions for clients across the globe, providing them with affordable Mental & Sexual Health support.While Instinct Studio and School of Design is an awarded startup of Chhattisgarh, working on providing digital solutions to brands and creating a community for freelance professionals of India.

Her Research: Shivli has been involved in seven research projects, which have been awarded and published by institutes, organisations and journals.

Her Recognition: Shivli’s work has been featured in newspapers, magazines, radio shows, podcasts like – Doordarshan, Akashwani, Indian Express, Mint Live etc locally and nationally.