Growing Well Conference Agenda and Speakers

The 2026 Growing Well Conference offers three days of learning, connection, and inspiration. Timely topics and practical strategies are offered through an engaging line up of  keynote speakers, breakout sessions, and workshops. Explore the agenda and learn more about our featured speakers as you plan your conference experience.

Conference Agenda

Sunday, October 4 – Preconference Workshops

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12:30 p.m.

Preconference Registration

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1:00 – 5:00 p.m.

Preconference Workshops

  • Workshop 1 (Room 246) – HINE Workshop Nathalie Maitre, MD, PhD
  • Workshop 2 (Room 103) – Resources for Resilience Ann DuPre Rogers, MSW, LCSW

Monday, October 5

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8:30 – 9:00 a.m

Registration & Breakfast

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9:00 a.m

Welcome, Conference Overview, Housekeeping and Announcements

Room 103
Gavin Colquitt, EdD

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9:15 – 10:30 a.m

Morning Keynote

Advocacy & Empowerment (Room 103)
NC/GA Joint Session on Medicaid Waivers, Waiting Lists, and Strategies to Meet the Need
Kelly Crosbie, MSW, LCSW and Kevin Tanner, MPA

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10:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Breakout Session 1

  • Physical Health (Room 228) – Psychotropic Medication Management in Children with Dual Diagnoses
    Cecilia M. Albers, MD
  • Mental Health & Wellbeing (Room 230) – North Carolina Psychiatry Access Line Gary Maslow, MD
  • Communication & Behavior (Room 220) – Evidence-Based Therapy Outside of ABA: Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions (NDBIs) for Autism Carolyn Gilmore, MS, PhD, CCC-SLP
  • Advocacy & Empowerment (Room 218) – Transition from Pediatric to Adult Care for CYSHCN
    Cameron Pittman, MSW
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12:00 – 1:15 p.m.

Lunch

Discussions

  • Inclusive Postsecondary Education (Room 229) Gary Allen and Anna Ward
  • A Child Cannot Wait- Meeting the Needs of Our Children While They Are Still Children, Applying Georgia’s Systemic Shifts to Empower North Carolina Advocacy (Room 227) Pauline Shaw and Diane Coffey
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1:15 – 2:30 p.m.

Breakout Session 2

  • Physical Health (Room 228) – Interplay of Physical Conditions and Developmental Milestones
    Jason Mehler, MS, DPT 
  • Mental Health & Wellbeing (Room 230) – Supporting the Parent Peer Supporter given the Emotional Support They Provide. Coping with large system gaps and maintaining long-term sustainability in the work McLean Pollock, PhD, LCSW, NBC-HWC
  • Communication & Behavior (Room 220) – PrAACtical AAC
  • Advocacy & Empowerment (Room 218) – Unmet Needs of Caregivers Talley Wells, EdM, JD, Cindy Ehlers, MS, LCMHC and Orion Mowbray, PhD
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2:45 – 4:00 p.m.

Afternoon Keynote

Mental Health & Wellbeing (Room 103)
Wraparound Systems Change for Families of Children at High Risk of Developmental Concerns
Nathalie Maitre, MD, MPH and Tricia Masters

Tuesday, October 6

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8:30 – 9:00 a.m

Registration & Breakfast

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9:00 a.m

Welcome, Conference Overview, Housekeeping and Announcements 

Room 103
Gavin Colquitt, EdD

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9:15 – 10:30 a.m

Morning Keynote

Communication & Behavior (Room 103)
The Hidden Crossroads: Helping Families Understand the Range of Evidence-Based Autism Intervention Options
Andrea Davis, PhD

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10:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Breakout Session 1

  • Physical Health (Room 228) – Tone Management Elizabeth Barton, MD
  • Mental Health & Wellbeing (Room 230) – Trauma-Informed Care for CYSHCN Angela M. Tunno, PhD, MS
  • Communication & Behavior (Room 220) – Your Voice, Your Future: Planning for the Transition to Adulthood Jacklyn Boheler, MS
  • Advocacy & Empowerment (Room 218) – Emergency Preparedness for CYSHCN Jennifer Tyson, MPH
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12:00 – 1:15 p.m.

Lunch

Discussion

  • ​Conversations About Supported Employment (Room 229) Ryan Rotundo
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1:15 – 2:30 p.m.

Breakout Session 2

  • Physical Health (Room 228) – Implications of Aging for People with Disabilities Debbie Thorpe, PT, PhD, PCS
  • Mental Health & Wellbeing (Room 230) – Interplay of Substance Use Disorder and Disability
    Colleen Tarantino, MA
  • Communication & Behavior (Room 220) – What We Know About Kids with Concerning Behaviors Should Impact How We Treat Them Ross Greene, PhD
  • Advocacy & Empowerment (Room 218) – Oral Health and Disability: What Caregivers Need to Know
    Lauren Howard, MS and Felicia Williams Brown
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2:45 – 4:00 p.m.

Afternoon Keynote

Physical Health (Room 103)
Advancing Transdisciplinary Care in an Academic Healthcare System: A Cerebral Palsy Care Pathway
Kathleen Kolaski, MD

Keynote speaker(s)

  • Kevin Tanner
  • Kelly Crosbie
  • Natalie Matire
  • Tricia Masters
  • Gary McGivony
  • Ariana Weldon
  • Kat Kolaski

Presenters

  • Elizabeth Barton
  • Felicia Brown, CHW
  • Diane Coffey
  • Kelly Crosbie, MSW, LCSW
  • Andrea Davis, PHD
  • Carolyn Gilmore
  • Ross Greene, Ph.D.
  • Lauren Howard
  • Kathleen Kolaski, MD
  • Nathalie Maitre, MD, PhD
  • Tricia Masters, RN MSN DNP CPNP
  • Jason Mehler
  • McLean Pollock, PhD MSW MPH
  • Kevin Tanner
  • Colleen Tarantino, MA, NBC-HWC
  • Debbie Thorpe, PT, PhD, PCS
  • Angela Tunno, Ph D , M S
  • Jennifer Tyson, MPH
  • Talley Wells

Presented by

This conference is proudly presented by Vaya Partners.

 

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Conference Overview Information

Child playing in the Growing Well clinic

Registration Information

Growing Well Conference speaker giving presentation

Sponsor and Exhibitor Information

Leon Levine in the morning

Parking, Lodging, and Exploring Boone