Riley Child Development Center (IN LEND) Celebrates 40 Years
June 23, 2010
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| Pictured from left to right are Dr. Wade Clapp, M.D., Dr. John Rau, M.D., Dr. Judith Ganser, M.D., Lesa Paddack, Susan Pieples, Dr. Darlene Kardatzke, M.D., and Dr. George Jesien, Ph.D. (Director, AUCD) |
The Riley Child Development Center Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disorders Program (RCDC-LEND) celebrated its 40th Anniversary of leadership, service and training on Thursday, June 17, 2010. A reception and poster session were held in the afternoon, and the 2010 MCH Leadership Awards presentation followed.
The poster session highlighted 13 posters from RCDC-LEND faculty and trainees that had been presented at various regional and national conferences during the past year. In all, five RCDC-LEND faculty and nine trainees collaborated on the various posters. These posters were presented at the annual conferences for the American Psychological Association, American Association of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Zero to Three, Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs, Indiana Psychological Association, National Association of School Psychologists, Symposium on Research in Child Language Disorders, and the Mid-America Undergraduate Psychology Research Conference.
Following the poster session and reception, an awards ceremony was held to recognize the recipients of the 2010 MCH Leadership Awards provided by the RCDC-LEND Program. Speakers at the presentation included Stephan Viehweg, MSW, Associate Director of the RCDC-LEND program; Dr. John Rau, MD, Director of the RCDC-LEND program; Dr. Wade Clapp, MD, chairman of the Department of Pediatrics at the Indiana University School of Medicine; and Dr. George Jesien, PhD, Executive Director of the Association of University Centers on Disabilities.
Lesa Paddack was the recipient of the MCH Early Career Leadership Recognition award. Mrs. Paddack is a Regional Program Specialist for INSource (Indiana's recourse center for families with special needs), has led the Johnson county parent support group for 6 years, and is a former family leadership trainee of the RCDC-LEND program. Dr. Judith Ganser, MD, was the recipient of the MCH Outstanding Leadership in Service award. Dr. Ganser is with the Indiana State Department of Health and has served as the Medical Director of Maternal and Children's Special Health Care Services since 2004. She has been the principal investigator of Indiana's innovative Sunny Start Initiative, a comprehensive, collaborative statewide effort to implement a strategic plan to support a coordinated system of resources and supports for children from birth through age five and their families. Susan Pieples was the recipient of the Family Leadership Recognition award. Mrs. Pieples is a family leadership trainee of the RCDC-LEND program. She is serving as president of the Autism Society of Indiana and as secretary of the Board of Directors for the National Alliance on Mental Illness - Indianapolis. She has also served on many state committees representing consumers and families across agencies, and presented at regional and national conferences on the topics of teaching children with autism and the importance of "grieving" for parents of children with disabilities. Dr. Darlene Kardatzke, MD, was the recipient of the Dr. Morris Green Distinguished Leadership award. As one of only six board-certified developmental-behavioral pediatricians in Indiana, Dr. Kardatzke epitomizes a passion for very young children with special health care needs with her work with babies and families in the section of Developmental Pediatrics at Riley Hospital for Children. As a founding board member of the Indiana Association for Infant and Toddler Mental Health, she has played a major role the association since its inception. Dr. Kardatzke "gives a voice" to individual babies and their families as well as sound call to address the needs of young children across Indiana. She is a tireless and powerful advocate for babies, toddlers and their families in Indiana. As a writer, teacher, and service provider, she exemplifies the ideals and aspirations of Dr. Morris Green, MD, founding director of the RCDC-LEND program.
In his concluding remarks, Associate RCDC-LEND director Stephan Viehweg stated that the faculty and staff of the RCDC-LEND program look forward to the next 40 years of training leaders for working with the children and families of Indiana.
