Adventure Camp Team 2024

Meghan Riordan, Ed.S., is a Licensed Professional Counselor at Advanced Therapeutic Solutions for Anxiety (ATSA). She holds a master’s education specialist degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) from Loyola University Chicago. In 2021, Meghan completed ATSA’s training in selective mutism intervention, and has subsequently served as an Adventure Camp counselor and Winter Adventure Counselor since. She has also facilitated peer and group sessions for children with selective mutism and social anxiety. Meghan continued her advanced training at Advanced Therapeutic Solutions for Anxiety (ATSA) in 2023, completing her clinical practicum rotation providing diagnostic intake assessments and treatment, supervised by Carmen Tumialan Lynas, Ph.D., during which she assessed and treated children with selective mutism, separation anxiety, specific phobias, social interaction difficulties, as well as providing psychoeducation to parents regarding best practices for supporting their children’s progress. She continues as a therapist at ATSA, working with children, adolescents, young adults, and their families. Prior to her specialist training, Meghan volunteered at the Indiana School for the Blind and Vision Impaired while pursuing her bachelor’s degree at Butler University, interacting with adolescents through stimulating sensory activities and games to increase their confidence and curiosity. Also, as a long-standing volleyball coach for children and adolescents, and an athlete herself throughout college, Meghan understands the pressures and anxieties that come with sports performance, which also contributed to her interest in mental health. In addition to her Therapist role at ATSA, Meghan continues her role as a Girls Volleyball Coach at MOD Volleyball Club where she educates children ages 9-18 on volleyball skills, the importance of teamwork, and ways to set and achieve performance goals. Meghan has participated in previous research covering the effects of a student’s confidence on their performance, based on their perceptions of the task, which also solidified her interest in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). We are delighted that Meghan will be bringing her expertise and passion once again to Adventure Camp as our Classroom 1 Facilitator!

Cathleen (Cate) O’Leary, MA, LCPC, NCC has had a long history with Adventure Camp intensive treatment for selective mutism. In 2013, she first heard about selective mutism in her role as a Job Coach for high school and adult transition students with developmental and emotional disabilities. While working with a student with selective mutism in this capacity, Cate realized the many challenges the student with selective mutism faced on a daily basis, and especially as an emerging adult transitioning from high school. The explanation (and acceptance) from others that the student didn’t talk did not sit right with Cate. She had the intuition to recognize that when given the opportunity to verbalize, the student was able to respond verbally. This led Cate down the path of discovering more about selective mutism, and she found Adventure Camp Counselor Training. Since 2013, Cate has served as an Adventure Camp counselor for 2013-2015, then joined Advanced Therapeutic Solutions for Anxiety (ATSA) in 2015 to provide outpatient services for children and families. Cate has been our Adventure Camp Classroom 2 facilitator for the past 8 years, and continues to provide outpatient services at ATSA. She also continues in her role as a Job Coach where she provides vocational training and counseling for students with disabilities who may also have co-existing issues such as obsessive compulsive disorder, selective mutism, and other mental health conditions. Cate earned her Master of Arts in Counseling from Saint Xavier University in Chicago, Illinois, and completed her practicum and internship as a school counselor at Richards High School in Oak Lawn, Illinois. We are ecstatic to have Cate as our Classroom 2 Facilitator once again!

Iris earned her bachelor's degree in psychology with a concentration in community psychology and a minor in Spanish from DePaul University in Chicago. Iris’s role at Adventure Camp, which includes making sure all registration paperwork is submitted and questionnaire data is collected, is crucial to ATSA’s mission. It is very important to us that we adhere to intervention protocol fidelity to ensure treatment success. In order to ensure that we meet this standard, measurement is key! Therefore, Iris’s assistance in collecting this data is incredibly valuable. In addition to serving Adventure Camp in an administrative way, Iris has also completed her training in the Adventure Camp selective mutism intervention protocol last summer, has subsequently served as a counselor in Adventure Camp and Winter Adventure, and assists as a confederate for exposure therapies in both individual and group sessions. At Adventure Camp, Iris serves a dual role of administrative and camp counselor support. Iris has a longstanding passion for supporting children and teens, specifically minorities or those from low-income communities. Being bicultural and bilingual in Spanish and English, Iris applied her talents to serve as a mentor for elementary school-aged children in Chicago Public School’s Cities Project, building supportive relationships with at-risk students and encouraging them to complete their assignments. This experience introduced her to working with children who show avoidant behaviors, such as not speaking or interacting with her, and sparked an interest and desire to build rapport with children who did not “warm-up” quickly. Iris is excited to not only witness the Adventure Campers’ progress this summer, but also witness their success transfer into the upcoming school year!

Brianna I. Banks is pursuing her Ph.D. in clinical psychology, specializing in developmental psychopathology, at Northern Illinois University (NIU). She earned a bachelor of science degree in psychology from the University of California, Davis. Before beginning the NIU doctoral program, Brianna worked with children ages 2 ½ to 5 years old and their families as an assistant preschool teacher. Her time there inspired her current research exploring the relationship between the parents of children exhibiting internalizing and externalizing behaviors in early childhood and their child’s teacher. For the past three years, Brianna has worked as a clinician at a university psychological services clinic and at a private family psychology practice, where she has provided therapeutic and assessment services to children and adolescents. This experience has exposed her to a wide variety of treatment approaches and presenting concerns, including anxiety disorders, such as selective mutism. Brianna has participated as a counselor in Adventure Camp 2022, Winter Adventure 2023, and Adventure Camp 2023, and she is grateful to return once again for Adventure Camp 2024 to support all the brave campers and their families as they learn and grow at Adventure Camp!

Jessica is pursuing her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at Northern Illinois University (NIU) with specializations in trauma and developmental psychopathology. Her research focuses on different parenting practices as risk and protective factors for child psychopathology among families from diverse backgrounds. While at her undergraduate institution, Jessica worked at a preschool, as a tutor for children and adolescents, and as a sports camp aftercare counselor, all of which helped foster her love of working with children. While pursuing her doctorate, she gained experience in utilizing cognitive behavioral therapy and exposure principles to treat anxiety disorders, including social anxiety. Jessica is looking forward to working with the children of Adventure Camp and helping them grow in confidence through the Adventure Camp experience!

Nikki Norman, SLP, earned her bachelor's degree from Elmhurst College and her master's degree from Saint Xavier University. Nikki has worked as a Speech-Language Pathologist in public education for thirteen years. She currently works for CASE, a special education cooperative, as an SLP and Assistive Technology consultant. She has worked with students that have receptive and expressive language delays as well as students that have severe to profound diagnosis. Nikki has a ten-year-old son, Tate, who was diagnosed with Selective Mutism in third grade, and a seven-year-old son, Cole. In her free time she enjoys being active with her boys and husband, walking her dog Scooby (a great dane), reading, and gardening with an interest in flowers and veggies. Nikki is very excited to be an Adventure Camp Counselor this summer.

Alexis (she/her) holds a master's degree in clinical psychology and is pursuing her doctorate in clinical psychology from Roosevelt University. She has worked with autistic children for over 3 years, both verbal and nonverbal, as a Registered Behavior Technician. She also has experience working in a therapeutic day school where she provided therapy services to individuals ages 6-21 and their families, as well as in a children's hospital where she conducted psychological assessments for individuals ages 2-17. Currently, she works at an academic medical center where she provides both therapy and assessment services for individuals ages 6-17 and their families. Alexis has always enjoyed seeking advanced opportunities working with children and adolescents, leading her to pursue Adventure Camp Counselor Training through ATSA to work with children with selective mutism. She was a counselor for Winter Adventure and enjoyed it so much that she decided to come back for Adventure Camp! She is very excited for camp and looks forward to supporting the campers and their families.

Lana was an ATSA intern and Adventure Camp assistant in 2022, and also served as an AC Counselor after completing her training in the Adventure Camp selective mutism intervention protocol last summer. In addition to serving as an AC Counselor this summer, Lana also joins another intern alum in co-managing this year’s summer interns. Currently a rising senior at Kalamazoo College in Michigan, Lana is double-majoring in Psychology and English. At Kalamazoo, she is a co-editor in chief of two newspapers and was a part of a research lab studying women’s leadership aspirations. Lana’s desire to work with the SM population led her back to ATSA, and she has decided to complete her capstone project on selective mutism. Her past experiences at ATSA have solidified her interest to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology focusing on the child/family population. Lana is really excited to be a part of camp again this year and help the campers find their brave!

Maxwell Katsikas is currently pursuing his Ph.D. in clinical psychology at Northern Illinois University (NIU), specializing in trauma psychology. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology, neuroscience, and data analytics from Miami University. Maxwell's research focuses on factors that influence risk and resilience to trauma and how people use emotion regulation strategies under stress. Over the past year, Maxwell has served as a clinician at NIU’s Psychological Services Center (PSC). In this role, he has provided evidence-based therapy and psychodiagnostic assessments to individuals in the DeKalb community. His work with children at the PSC has sparked a passion for early intervention, recognizing its critical role in fostering a child's growth and development. Maxwell is excited to bring his expertise and enthusiasm to Adventure Camp, where he looks forward to helping the campers develop the skills they need to succeed!

Kara is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology with a specialization in Developmental Psychopathology at Northern Illinois University (NIU). She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin), where she minored in Educational Psychology and completed her undergraduate thesis on the impact of maternal anxiety symptoms on infant sleep. Before joining the NIU doctoral program, Kara gained valuable experience as a research assistant in the Little Learner's Lab at UT Austin, contributing to research on the diverse developmental trajectories of young children in language, cognition, and motivation. Concurrently, she worked in the Daily Activity Lab, assisting in collecting and analyzing ecologically valid datasets from parents and children in both natural and controlled settings. This work focused on maternal mental health and well-being and their influence on children's early socio-emotional development. These experiences inspired her current research at NIU's Families and Development in Context Lab, where she examines mechanisms, such as parenting behaviors, that contribute to the transmission of anxiety from parents to children. For the past two years, Kara has also served as a clinician at NIU's Psychological Services Center, providing therapeutic and assessment services to children and adults. Additionally, she has assisted with group therapy in private practice settings. These combined experiences have exposed her to various treatment approaches and presenting concerns, including anxiety disorders such as selective mutism. Her passion for supporting children and their families has led her to volunteer as an Adventure Camp counselor, where she looks forward to witnessing the remarkable growth of each brave camper.

Joanna Keane holds a master’s degree and is a Ph.D. candidate in clinical psychology at Northern Illinois University (NIU) with a specialization in developmental psychopathology and trauma psychology. Joanna is currently a part-time Practicum Clinician at ATSA providing therapy services to children and adolescents coping with anxiety. Her current doctoral research focuses on how consistency/predictability in experiencing childhood adversities can impact later child functioning. She previously worked as a clinician in NIU’s Psychological Services Center where she offered therapeutic services to clients presenting with a variety of concerns including anxiety disorders, at Susan Myket, Ph.D. & Associates where she provided psychological assessments to children and adolescents, and at Florissa where she provided assessments and therapy for children and their families. In addition, Joanna has received training in working with children with selective mutism through ATSA’s Adventure Camp Counselor Training program, and has since enjoyed working with campers to use their brave in previous Adventure Camps of 2021-2023, Winter Adventures 2022-2023, and she has co-facilitated the outpatient Courage Club group at ATSA. Anxiety can be an overwhelming emotion that children with selective mutism experience, and which they attempt to regulate by staying quiet. However, selective mutism can interfere with a child’s academic and social development, impacting their developmental outcome. Joanna is looking forward to combining her passion of working with children and providing accessible, evidence-based treatments through her work as an Adventure Camp Counselor yet again, and especially helping children learn that they can pursue their goals in the presence of anxiety while also having fun just being a kid at Adventure Camp!

Jack is an ASTA intern and Adventure Camp assistant. He is currently pursuing an undergraduate degree in psychology at Rice University. He is particularly interested in adolescent development, motivation, and social psychology and hopes to pursue a career as a clinical psychologist. His work in psychology includes research at the Adult Skills and Knowledge Lab (ASK) Lab where he helped to run a project to measure proficiency and progression of employee learning. For the past year, he has been mentoring 30+ refugee students to better adapt to life in the United States and help them navigate academic, social-emotional, and civil issues. On campus, he is both a member of the neuroscience club and an orientation week advisor. Jack is looking forward to following the adventure camp’s mission and to help these children grow stronger every day!

Kayla Tracey is a rising senior at Michigan State University majoring in Psychology with a minor in Cognitive Science. At Michigan State, Kayla is a student volunteer with the Center for Survivors where she provides crisis intervention services over hotline, crisis chat, and in person crisis advocacy. Additionally, this fall, Kayla will be stepping into the role of President for the Sexual Assault Crisis Intervention student organization. Kayla has been involved in research since her freshman year. She is currently an Undergraduate Research Assistant and working in the ARISE lab and in the Health and Risk Communication Center. In the ARISE lab she is an active participant on projects analyzing the sociocultural influences on body image, weight bias, and intuitive eating and attempting to increase equity in eating disorder research and treatment. In the HRCC Kayla works on projects that attempt to reduce institutional carbon output by means of reducing water consumption. Kayla is also a student member of the Social Science Scholars program and the Women’s Leadership Institute student cohort. Kayla’s involvement in research and volunteering has led to her interest in improving the research-practice gap that she has learned about in her psychology studies. She hopes to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology in order to continue performing research to inform evidence-based interventions for children and adolescent populations. Kayla is grateful for the opportunity to intern at ATSA because of the first-hand experience in a clinical setting and to learn more about working with pediatric populations dealing with anxiety. She is excited to see the children at Adventure Camp use their Brave and work toward their goal!

Raquel Baptiste is a rising junior at Berea College and is pursing a major in psychology with a minor in Biology. At Berea College she has worked as a lab assistant for going on three years now where she has assisted in a research study focused on learning scientific approaches to nutritional and reproductive management. Additionally in her Lab assistant position she also has past experience observing, learning and understanding the non-verbal communications of animals used in lab courses and research studies as well as the non-verbal communications of students in lab courses she assisted in. Last summer she served as an academic mentor as well as a teaching assistant in a camp aimed at acquainting incoming freshmen to college life. She takes great interest in understanding the emotional and neurological aspects that affect individual behavior and plans to put that interest to use in the field of clinical or neuropsychology someday. She is most excited for learning how selective mutism affects the brain and individual functioning and helping the kids use their brave at adventure camp!

Azka is a rising senior at University of Southern California, majoring in Psychology. She is an ATSA intern and an Adventure camp assistant this summer. She has been particularly interested in child development and disorders, such as ADHD, dyslexia, and autism and how that impacts the trajectory of their future. She is also interested in the taboo around mental health and improving the accessibility of it, especially in countries where it is not as common, such as Pakistan. For the past year Azka has been working as a Research Assistant at the Brain and Creativity Institute (BCI). She has worked on projects that investigate music and its relation to memory and nostalgia. She hopes to pursue a career in clinical psychology and master in Marriage and Family Therapy. She is very excited to be able to watch children get control over their fears.

Brooke Theis is a rising senior at Tulane University majoring in psychology and minoring in social work. Working toward her Bachelor of Science, Brooke manages the impressive role of being a Division I athlete on the Tulane Women’s Tennis team along with serving as an active member in the International Honor Society in Psychology. As a lifelong player, she has found joy in using her 15+ years of skills to teach tennis and mentor children in her local community along with kids in underprivileged neighborhoods throughout Chicago. These experiences inspired her enthusiasm in psychology, particularly in learning science based interventions to encourage emotional well-being. In 2023, Brooke earned the opportunity to serve as a kindergarten assistant teacher in New Orleans. She loved working with the kids and forming meaningful relationships with children across all backgrounds. Through this unique position, Brooke performed academic assessments, helped students develop phonemic awareness, and taught letter recognition skills. In addition, Brooke is an active volunteer in Feed my Starving Children, St. Michael's Special School, and her church. She also loves to feed and take care of street cats and volunteers in TNR to help local animal organizations. In the future, Brooke hopes to earn her Masters or PhD in school or clinical psychology. She is extremely excited and grateful to be an intern at ATSA, and cannot wait to help children this summer use their brave!