Bruce D. Perry, M.D., Ph.D.
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Dr. Perry is the Principal of the Neurosequential Network and a Professor (Adjunct) at the School of Allied Health, Human Services and Sport, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria Australia.
Over the last thirty years, Dr. Perry has been an active teacher, clinician and researcher in children’s mental health and the neurosciences holding a variety of academic positions. His work on the impact of abuse, neglect and trauma on the developing brain has impacted clinical practice, programs and policy across the world. Dr. Perry is the author, with Maia Szalavitz, of The Boy Who Was Raised As A Dog, a bestselling book based on his work with maltreated children and Born For Love: Why Empathy is Essential and Endangered. Dr. Perry's most recent book, What Happened to You? Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing (2021), co-authored with Oprah Winfrey, has been translated into 26 languages and has been on the New York Times Bestseller list for over 100 weeks after becoming #1 on the list in April of 2021.
Dr. Perry was on the faculty of the Departments of Pharmacology and Psychiatry at the University of Chicago School of Medicine from 1988 to 1991. From 1992 to 2001, Dr. Perry served as the Trammell Research Professor of Child Psychiatry at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. During this time, Dr. Perry also was Chief of Psychiatry for Texas Children's Hospital and Vice-Chairman for Research within the Department of Psychiatry. From 2001 to 2003, Dr. Perry served as the Medical Director for Provincial Programs in Children's Mental Health for the Alberta Mental Health Board. From 2009 to 2024, Dr. Perry was a Professor (Adjunct) in the Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University in Chicago.
Dr. Perry has conducted both basic neuroscience and clinical research. His neuroscience research examined the impact of prenatal drug exposure, the neurobiology of human neuropsychiatric disorders, the neurophysiology of trauma and adversity, and the development of neurotransmitter receptors in the brain. His clinical research and practice have a focus on the complex impact of developmental adversity. This work has examined the cognitive, behavioral, emotional, social, and physiological effects of developmental adversity such as neglect and trauma as well as the positive and resilience-building effects of healthy relational connections work has been instrumental in describing how childhood experiences, both negative and positive, change the biology of the brain – and, thereby, the health of the child.
Over the last thirty years, Dr. Perry’s clinical work has been focused on integrating emerging principles of developmental neuroscience into clinical practice. This work has resulted in the development of innovative clinical practices and programs. These include the Neurosequential Model©, a developmentally sensitive, neurobiology-informed approach to clinical work (NMT), education (NME), caregiving (NMC) and sport (NM Sport). The Neurosequential Model© has been integrated into practice and programs at hundreds of public, private and non-profit organizations in every state and in over 26 countries, impacting an estimated 4 million people worldwide.
His experience as a clinician and a researcher with traumatized children has led many community and governmental agencies to consult Dr. Perry following high-profile incidents involving traumatized children and youth including the Branch Davidian siege in Waco (1993), the Oklahoma City bombing (1995), the Columbine school shootings (1999), the September 11th terrorist attacks (2001), Hurricane Katrina (2005), the FLDS polygamist sect (2008), the earthquake in Haiti (2010), the tsunami in Tohoku Japan (2011), the Sandy Hook Elementary school shootings (2012), the Camp wildfire in California (2018) and the Turkey-Syria earthquake (2022), among many others.
Dr. Perry has published over 500 journal articles, book chapters and scientific proceedings and is the recipient of numerous professional awards and honors, including the T. Berry Brazelton Infant Mental Health Advocacy Award, the Award for Leadership in Public Child Welfare, the Alberta Centennial Medal and the 2014 Kohl Education Prize. In 2024 he was the recipient of National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Scientific Research Award. He serves on the Board of Directors of multiple organizations including Prevent Child Abuse America and the Ana Grace Project.
He has presented about child maltreatment, children's mental health, neurodevelopment and youth violence in a variety of venues including policy-making bodies such as the White House Summit on Violence, the California Assembly and U.S. House Committee on Education and South by Southwest (SXSW). Dr. Perry has been featured in a wide range of media including 60 Minutes, National Public Radio, The Today Show, Good Morning America, Nightline, CNN, MSNBC, NBC, ABC and CBS News, the Oprah Winfrey Show, Oprah's Super Soul. His work has been featured in documentaries produced by Dateline NBC, 20/20, the BBC, Nightline, CBC, PBS, as well as dozen international documentaries. Many print media have highlighted the clinical and research activities of Dr. Perry including a Pulitzer-prize winning series in the Chicago Tribune, The Sun Magazine, US News and World Report, Time, Newsweek, Forbes ASAP, Washington Post, the New York Times and Rolling Stone.
Dr. Perry, a native of Bismarck, North Dakota, was an undergraduate at Stanford University and Amherst College. He attended medical and graduate school at Northwestern University, receiving both M.D. and Ph.D. degrees. Dr. Perry completed a residency in general psychiatry at Yale University School of Medicine and a fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at The University of Chicago.
For more information on the work of Dr. Perry and the Neurosequential Network see the NMN YouTube Channel @infonmn326 and BDPerry.com.
Jana Rosenfelt, M.Ed.
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Jana Rosenfelt is President of the Neurosequential Model Network, LLC. Ms. Rosenfelt leads her Administrative Team and works in collaboration with the executive team to organize and administer various programs and projects. Under her leadership, first with The ChildTrauma Academy, this innovative “Community of Practice” has allowed the group to have a pervasive and far-reaching positive impact on children and families across the world.
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Ms. Rosenfelt has a wealth of clinical experience. She served as a member of the ChildTrauma Academy clinical team and managed the Burnett-Bayland research project, focused on exploring affect development of adjudicated adolescent males in the juvenile justice system. She also served as the director of CTA’s Living Laboratory, an innovative pilot program for at-risk children which included a range of unique community partners including many members of Houston's artistic community to provide enrichment activities for maltreated children. This pilot project was the precursor of many of the current CTA community building (KidZone, Philadelphia) and therapeutic projects (The Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics). She is the co-author of many of the CTA’s special materials for parents, caregivers, educators and interdisciplinary teams.
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Ms. Rosenfelt received her undergraduate degree in Psychology from the University of Texas: Austin and her Master’s Degree in Educational Psychology: Counseling from the University of Houston. Upon graduation, she completed a fellowship at Houston Child Guidance Center, working with children and families in their Partial Hospital Program and Therapeutic Nursery. Ms. Rosenfelt also provided therapeutic services as a post-fellow clinician in their Partial Hospital Program.
Emily Perry, M.A.
Emily Perry is Director of Education and Training for the Neurosequential Model Network, LLC. In this role, she is responsible for managing all activities for the The Neurosequential Network’s training programs including NMT Training Certification and the NME Trainers Program. Further, she facilitates onsite and online speaking engagements for the organization’s network of colleagues and works with the NMN’s leadership to organize and administer various other programs and projects.
Ms. Perry has been instrumental in the growth and development of the NM community over the past thirteen years. She first served as the Training Coordinator for The ChildTrauma Academy before becoming their Director of Education and Training in 2012. During this time, she helped expand their capacity and launch the NME, NMC and NM-Sport programs. She also played a pivotal role in organizing three international symposiums and multiple other onsite and virtual “Boot Camp” intensive training experiences.
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Ms. Perry received her undergraduate degree in English from the University of the South (Sewanee) and her Master’s Degree from The University of Vermont. Prior to joining the CTA and NMN, she taught English at the high-school and college level, served as a dorm-parent, coached middle and high school cross-country and track.
Diane Vines, LMFT-S, LPC-S, RPT-S
Diane Vines serves as the NMT Program Coordinator. In this role, she provides both clinical and program-related development, administration and support for The Neurosequential Network's NMT Individual and Site Certification programs. Ms. Vines is also a long-time clinician in private practice. She received her Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy at the University of Houston - Clear Lake in 1999. Ms. Vines is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist-Supervisor and a Licensed Professional Counselor-Supervisor in the state of Texas and is also a Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor.
Ms. Vines provides individual and family therapy as well as clinical supervision. She has worked, trained, and specialized in the areas of child sexual abuse, incest, and childhood trauma since 1998, and she frequently provides community trainings and case consultations. Ms. Vines has formerly worked at the Houston Child Advocacy Center (Children’s Assessment Center). She has also served on Houston Association for Marriage and Family (HAMFT) board and the Kids & Youth Protecting Other Kids (KYPOK) board.
Michelle Maikoetter, MA, NCC, LPC-S
Michelle Maikoetter serves as Director of Special Projects and plays a leadership role in organizing, managing and facilitating collaboration NMT across programs. Currently, her two major areas of focus are in Arizona and Texas. Michelle Maikoetter has a Master’s Degree in Counseling and retains licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Texas, as well as a National Certified Counselor and LPC-Supervisor. For over 30 years, she has worked with youth and families in various settings including domestic violence/sexual assault, juvenile justice, after school programming, and wilderness programming. The majority of her roles have been administrative positions. She feels the strongest connection serving in residential education settings and is passionate about ensuring leadership and programmatic systems are aligned.
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Since 2007, Michelle has been a leader at Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch in Texas, one of the largest nonprofit residential childcare facilities in the United States. Housed in the middle of the campus is a “special purpose” school - Boys Ranch Independent School District, educating K-12 students. Currently serving as their Chief Program Officer she has led the organization’s transformation from a behavioral modification program into a healing, trauma-informed community. Working collaboratively with Boys Ranch ISD has galvanized these efforts. This transformation was in large part due to the relationship built with Dr. Bruce Perry and receiving NMT training beginning in 2009. Michelle was one of the first Mentors named by Dr. Perry and Boys Ranch was among the first residential facilities to become Phase II NMT Site Certified. This expertise has attracted clinicians and facilities around the country and world seeking consultation and support from Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch under Ms. Maikoetter’s leadership.
Katie Lohmiller, DrPH
Katie Lohmiller, DrPH serves as an NME Program Co-Coordinator. She is a public health professional and cofounder of Educational Access Group. She received her bachelor’s degree in Biology with a minor in Spanish from Wellesley College in Boston, MA and her master’s (MPH) and doctor of public health (DrPH) degrees from the Colorado School of Public Health. Dr. Lohmiller was a collegiate All-American and has coached women’s lacrosse at the youth, high school and college levels. She is a trainer in both the Neurosequential Model in Education and Neurosequential Model in Sport. Her areas of interest are community and behavioral health and evaluation with a focus on brain-based approaches, implementation and educator training and support.
Halley Gruber, M.A.Ed.
Halley Gruber serves as an NME Program Co-Coordinator. She holds a Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Denver and is a licensed elementary school generalist and special educator with an endorsement in linguistically diverse education. She received her undergraduate degree in Marine Science and played basketball for the University of Hawaii, Hilo. Halley also serves a trainer in both the Neurosequential Model in Education and Neurosequential Model in Sport. She is passionate about infusing brain-based, stress responsive practices into schools, classrooms, and sport. Halley is a co-founder of Educational Access Group and supports educators and schools in building and shifting their culture, systems, environments and practices to best support students and educators. She believes NME can help explain, frame, and share the magic of so many amazing educators as well as help us all create environments that are more regulating and stress responsive.
Steve Graner, M.A.
Steve Graner is an NME Consultant to The Neurosequential Network and NME Director, Emeritus. Mr. Graner grew up in Bismarck, ND, received his Bachelors Degree from the University of Sioux Falls, and completed his Masters Degree in Curriculum and Instruction at Minnesota State University Mankato. With thirty-three years teaching English at Erik Ramstad Middle School in Minot, North Dakota, Mr. Graner has also coached cross country and track and field, receiving Coach of the Year honors in ND for both high school and middle school cross country. Mr. Graner is best known for his creative approaches to teaching and coaching and combines a love of the arts and sports with the passion for pedagogy.
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