Meet the experts

Tere Bowen-Irish has been practicing occupational therapy for over 40 years in pediatrics and psychiatry. Tere provides assessment, treatment, and collaborative services in public and private school systems. Through her business, All the Possibilities Inc., she offers workshops for therapists, parents, and educators focusing on service delivery, classroom management, mindfulness, wellness, and prevention for all school-age children. Tere is also the creator of The Drive Thru Menu Suite of Exercises (published by Therapro), an initiative to bring movement into today’s classrooms. She is a certified YogaKids Inc. teacher and incorporates creative movement and yoga into her practice. She is a Certified Mindful Schools Instructor. She is also the author of Yoga and Me, Come be a Tree and co-authored My Mindful Music with Mary Ann Harman.

Amy Hobek, PhD, CCC-SLP is an Assistant Professor at the University of Cincinnati, in the Communication Sciences and Disorders department. She provides clinical supervision and direct services at Arlitt Child Development Center, a lab preschool at the University of Cincinnati. Additionally, her teaching and scholarship focus on child language and literacy development with an emphasis on valuing and legitimizing cultural and linguistic variations in these areas within individuals, families, and communities.

Dr. Lewis earned a PhD in Sociocultural Psychology and is an Associate Professor at Tulane University School of Social Work in New Orleans, Louisiana. She is Adjunct Faculty at Fielding University in the doctoral program in Infant Mental Health. She is endorsed as an Infant Mental Health Mentor-Research/Faculty by the Alliance of Infant Mental Health. She serves as a consultant with the Infant-Toddler Court Program (ITCP) focusing on reducing racial disparities in child welfare. She is the Founder and Director of the Place for Natural Connections (PNC) that provides programs centered on the everyday routine of combing hair as an opportunity for parents to connect with their children, culture, and community. PNC interventions address the legacy of Colorism from the historical trauma of slavery and parental acceptance or rejection of children.