Meet the CHADD of Northern Virginia and DC Board of Directors

Pam Thomas has been an academic/life coach, Director of Student Services and CEO for The ADHD College Success Guidance Program for over 11 years. In addition to coaching, Ms. Thomas organizes and co-facilitates the program’s 4-day, residential, ADHD Workshops with Founder and President, Jon Thomas, MEd, LPC. Pam Has been the Chapter Coordinator since 2016.

Kathy Essig, M.Ed., Founder and President of Essig Education Group, has spent 30 years working in special education. In 2022, she was named CHADD’s Educator of the Year at the International Conference on ADHD. Prior to starting her current practice, she worked in public and private schools as an educator and educational diagnostician; in private practice as an executive function coach; as a curriculum consultant to private schools in the Metro DC area; and as an owner and founder of a learning center in McLean, VA. Essig Education Group is an Executive Function coaching group that works with k-12 through adult clients in individual and group sessions.   Kathy has been a member of the CHADD Board of Directors since 2020.

Cheryl Gedzelman joined the CHADD board in 2016. She is the President of Tutoring ForSuccess, a local company that offers subject tutoring, test preparation, and academic coaching for students of all ages, including students with special needs. Previously, Cheryl was an elementary school teacher. She has an MA in Curriculum and Teaching from Columbia University Teachers College and a BA in Anthropology  from The University of Chicago. Cheryl is passionate about helping students reach their full potential.

Karyn Ewart, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist who has worked in public and private schools for over 25 years. She is the Founder and Head of School of The Sycamore School, an independent nonprofit secondary school in Arlington, Virginia. The Sycamore School provides personalized, engaging and experiential learning, helping students make connections across content areas and to the real world. Karyn holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Vanderbilt University, a master’s degree in psychology from American University, and a doctorate in clinical psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology. She has extensive experience working with adolescents in schools, including students with learning differences. She believes that engaging students to be active members of a community, within a school setting, serves as a catalyst for developing positive relationships, facilitating growth, and effecting change. Karyn is a Leadership Arlington alumni. She joined the CHADD board in 2025 and serves as the Board’s Director of Communications and Outreach.

Dr. Salya Namazi is a clinical neuropsychologist and principal owner of The Stixrud Group, a lifespan neuropsychology practice specializing in the evaluation of developmental differences such as ADHD. Renowned for her clear, actionable recommendations, Dr. Namazi is committed to direct, thoughtful communication with clients, families, and educators. She is a frequent lecturer on developmental differences, has published on the early identification of autism, and brings a deep passion for supporting individuals with ADHD. Dr. Namazi joined the CHADD board in 2025 and serves as the Board’s Secretary.

Thea Mullis is the founder of Camp On Tour and Camp Independence. She is deeply committed to supporting young adults, particularly those with social, emotional, learning, and cognitive differences as they build the skills needed for greater independence and confidence. For over a decade, Thea has led groups of neurodiverse travelers around the world, creating opportunities to explore new cultures while strengthening social, emotional, executive functioning, and independent living skills all in a fun, supportive environment that fosters meaningful friendships. Camp Independence, her nine-month residential launchpad program, provides comprehensive daily support for young adults with social, cognitive, and intellectual challenges. The program is designed to cultivate essential life skills within a structured setting that encourages genuine independence and personal growth. In addition to her program leadership, Thea has served for many years on the board of CHADD, further demonstrating her dedication to the ADHD and neurodiverse community.

Sarah Robison is a longtime educator, executive functioning coach, and the parent of a child with ADHD. Her professional work and lived experience shape a compassionate, practical approach to supporting neurodiverse learners, their families, and her own household. With over 20 years in non-traditional educational settings in the U.S. and abroad, Sarah is passionate about executive functioning skills, ADHD-informed parenting, transition planning, and strength-based supports for neurodivergent students. She is known for translating research into realistic strategies that work in everyday life—at home, at school, and beyond. Sarah holds a doctorate in education and spent a decade supporting transition-aged young adults with autism, deepening her expertise in independence, self-advocacy, and life skills development. As a coach, speaker, and parent, she partners with families and educators to reduce overwhelm, build systems that stick, and help neurodivergent students thrive.

Carmen Zahra knows what it feels like to sit across from a family that is scared, exhausted, and quietly wondering if their child is going to be okay. She has been in that room—many times. And it is precisely because of those conversations that she has dedicated her career to making sure no family has to navigate the road to independence alone. As National Director of Outreach & Admissions for College Living Experience (CLE), Carmen guides families of students with ADHD, autism, and related conditions toward a program that does something deceptively simple and profoundly powerful: it meets students exactly where they are and walks alongside them toward a life of real independence. Her Master of Education with a concentration in Special Education, paired with a background in Public Relations & Journalism, gives her a rare ability to bridge two worlds—she understands what students need and knows how to communicate it in a way that actually reaches people, not just professionals, but parents at their kitchen tables at midnight, searching for answers. Her commitment to this community runs deep. Carmen co-founded the Student Success & Wellness Professionals Alliance (SSWPA) to bring together the professionals who dedicate their lives to supporting neurodiverse students—because she understands that when those professionals are better connected, students and families win. She advises the CSahm Foundation for ADHD, serves as a Commissioner on Montgomery County's Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Commission (IDDC), sits on the Board of the Washington Independent Services for Educational Resources (WISER), and reviews both grants and scholarship applications for the Organization for Autism Research (OAR). Bilingual in English and Spanish, Carmen leads with equal parts conviction and compassion. She is the kind of person families remember—not because of her title, but because she made them feel, perhaps for the first time in a long time, that their student's future was genuinely bright.

Christina Tripodi Mitchell, Psy.D., ABSNP, PMH-C, is the Founder and Clinical Director of The Child & Family Practice of Washington, DC. She is a Board Certified School Neuropsychologist, a licensed clinical psychologist, and a licensed school psychologist who treats children, adolescents, and adults. Dr. Tripodi is an appointed Medical Staff Provider at Virginia Hospital Center (VHC) and is also an Associate Clinical Professor of Psychology at The George Washington University in Washington, DC.