Advisory Board
McCay Vernon, Ph.D.
Chairman
Dr. McCay Vernon is a psychologist who has attained international prominence as a writer, researcher and documentary film producer on the psychological aspects of deafness and deaf-blindness. Dr. Vernon was the editor of the American Annals of the Deaf for 20 years, author of more than 270 articles and six books, and collaborator in the Michael Reese Hospital’s research on deafness and mental illness. As such, Dr. Vernon has contributed to better programs for deaf children and adults all over the world.
His years as a teacher, clinician and member of the deaf community give added depth to his work. Currently, he is the chairperson of the Advisory Board of the National Deaf Academy, professor emeritus of psychology at McDaniel College and a psychologist in private practice.
Alan Cohen, M.D.
Member
Dr. Alan M. Cohen is the founder and previous CEO and medical director of NDA. He graduated from the Georgetown University School of Medicine and completed his residency and fellowship in child psychiatry at New York Presbyterian Hospital – Cornell Medical Center.
Prior to establishing NDA, he served as the founding medical director of Laurel Oaks Hospital, a 120-bed child and adolescent psychiatric facility in Orlando. While there, Dr. Cohen wrote his first book, “Kids Out of Control” (PIA Press, 1989), hosted a daily radio show and spoke extensively throughout the country on severe behavioral problems in adolescence.
Michael John Gournaris, Ph.D.
Member
Dr. Michael Gournaris, a licensed psychologist and former staff member of NDA, is currently a mental health program administrative supervisor in the deaf and hard-of-hearing services division of the Minnesota Department of Human Services.
Dr. Gournaris received his B.A. in psychology, an M.A. in mental health counseling and an M.A. and Ph.D. in clinical psychology, all from Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. He currently holds professional credentials as a licensed psychologist, licensed mental health counselor, licensed clinical professional counselor, national certified counselor (NCC) and distance credentialed counselor (DCC).
Dr. Gournaris co-composed a grant proposal to the National Institute of Health in 1998 to support America’s first conference in Washington, D.C., that focused exclusively on improving access to appropriate mental health services for international deaf communities. He has vast experience in group counseling and has also served as an instructor at Gallaudet University.
Laurie Lee Johnson, Ph.D.
Member
Laurie Lee Johnson, Ph.D., is a deaf psychologist in private practice in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn. She completed her Ph.D. in educational/counseling psychology and her M.A. in educational psychology/special education at the University of Minnesota.
Dr. Johnson specializes in serving the deaf and deaf-blind community by providing psychological assessment and treatment that is culturally appropriate. She has taught and presented internationally on topics related to deafness and mental health, differential diagnosis and cultural identity in psychotherapy.
Diane D. Morton, Ph.D.
Member
Dr. Diane Morton has more than 30 years of experience in a variety of educational settings, working with children, adolescents and adults. Dr. Morton has extensive experience in provision of counseling, mental health and psychological services, including assessment, diagnosis, treatment and service coordination. This experience also includes parent and family counseling and outreach to minority and international populations.
Dr. Morton has a strong history of teaching experience at the college level. She received her B.A. in psychology, an M.S. in educational psychology and counseling from California State University and a doctor of philosophy in clinical psychology from the Center for Psychological Studies in Albany, Calif.
Currently, Dr. Morton is a professor in the department of counseling at Gallaudet University and a psychologist in private practice in the District of Columbia and Maryland. She has written for various publications on mental health and deafness and is co-editor for the Journal of the American Deafness and Rehabilitation Association (JADARA).
Pam Shaw, Ph.D.
Member
Dr. Pam Shaw is currently the principal of the Alabama School for the Deaf. She has held the position since July 2000. Previously, she worked at the Kansas School for the Deaf for 19 years as a high school English teacher and then as the director of research, curriculum and staff development.
Dr. Shaw has a B.A. in elementary education, a master’s in deaf education, a Ph.D. in special education and certification in educational administration. Prior to coming to Alabama, she was active at a national level with several projects related to literacy development for deaf and hard-of-hearing children.