"....I was further impressed at how you managed to create an atmosphere that was comfortable enough that teachers were able to ask honest, precise questions."
-- A Workshop Sponsor
About Us
Ruth Spodak | Ken Stefano | Our associates
Spodak, Stefano and Associates (SS&A) is a private organization founded in 2007 as an outgrowth of the long-standing practice of Ruth Spodak & Associates. Our staff works as a team to comprehensively evaluate children, adolescents and adults with learning, attention and/or social-emotional difficulties. Our expertise is in clinical, developmental and educational psychology, learning disabilities, gifted education, college planning, counseling and advocacy. We invite you to find out more about SS&A's founders.
Ruth B. Spodak, Ph.D.
Dr. Spodak, founding partner of Spodak, Stefano and Associates, has worked in the special education field as a licensed psychologist, educator, counselor, lecturer, author and advocate for more than 30 years. In 1989, she founded Ruth Spodak & Associates, a private practice specializing in testing, evaluation and diagnosis of individuals with learning disabilities and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). In providing and coordinating intervention services for academic, emotional and social development, Dr. Spodak counseled students, parents and teachers for understanding of learning disabilities and development of effective support systems. Before entering private practice, Dr. Spodak worked as Director of the Schools Division at the National Institute of Dyslexia (NID), formerly known as the TRI-Services Center, where she helped establish model training programs and workshops for learning disabled and dyslexic children.
Dr. Spodak organized and directed the Center School, a private school for children with learning disabilities. During her tenure, the school earned an Excellence in Education award from the US Department of Education. Prior to that, she served as Assistant Head of The McLean School, where she was responsible for directing programs addressing students with mild learning difficulties.
Throughout her career, Dr. Spodak has lectured at the university level, authored many articles and conducted research for Head Start programs. She earned a B.A. in psychology at Brown University and completed her graduate training at the University of Maryland.
Kenneth Stefano, Psy.D
Dr. Stefano, founding partner of Spodak, Stefano and Associates, is a clinical psychologist who has worked with children, adolescents and families for the last 20 years. After completing his doctoral internship at the John L. Gildner Regional Institute for Children and Adolescents (JLG-RICA), he joined the JLG-RICA staff as a psychologist, remaining for the next 15 years. Dr. Stefano assumed various roles during his tenure at JLG-RICA, including providing intensive individual and family therapy to seriously emotionally disturbed students in a residential setting. Dr. Stefano also served as the staff psychologist on the JLG-RICA Evaluation Unit, administering psychological evaluations to children and adolescents referred by the court system.
From 2004 to 2007, Dr. Stefano served as Clinical Director of the Evaluation Unit, managing a multidisciplinary team of professionals who provided comprehensive diagnostic and placement evaluations for the juvenile court of Montgomery County, MD. Prior to that, he was the Institute's Director of Psychology Internship Training, leading efforts to select, train and supervise pre-doctoral psychology students.
In addition to his extensive clinical and assessment experience, Dr. Stefano has provided expert testimony at juvenile court proceedings, as well as advocacy for local public school students with learning and emotional problems. Dr. Stefano graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a B.S. in Psychology/Communications, and completed his graduate training at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.