Annual Conferences

Great Beginnings

Each year, since 1996, Criterion has joined with the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Center for Language, Speech and Hearing to co-sponsor the “Great Beginnings Conference”. This conference, designed to provide experienced professionals with the opportunity to focus on current research in a specific area relevant to their work, attracts hundreds of early intervention specialists, teachers and pediatric professionals from all over New England. Past conference topics and keynote speakers have included:

YEAR CONFERENCE KEYNOTE SPEAKER(S)
2014 Immigration Status and Public Benefits: Being a Resource for Children in Immigrant, Refugee and Mixed Immigration Status Families
Beyond Words: Effective Use of Cultural Mediators, Interpreters, and Translators to Build Trust with Families
Early Intervention Alchemy: Mining and Valuing Families’ Cultural and Linguistic Resources
Cultural Humility: Working in Partnership with Families and Communities		 Shannon Erwin, JD
Clara Pérez-Méndez and Susan M. Moore, JD, MA CCC-SLP
Victoria I. Puig, EdD
Melanie Tervalon, MD, MPH
2013 Parental Mental Health and Childhood Outcomes
Good Nutrition in Pregnancy: How Eating Right Promotes Health Moms and Healthy Babies
The Neurobiological Consequences of Exposure to Adversity and What We Might Be Able to Do About It
Environmental Chemicals and the Health of Young Children		 Pec Indman, Ed.D., MFT
Alayne Ronnenberg, Sc.D.
Lauren A. Smith, M.D., MPH
Alan Woolf, M.D., MPH
2012 Attachment Problems, Behavior Problems, New Neuroscience, Intervention: Making the Pieces Fit
Early Childhood Programs Produce Immediate and Long-Term Benefits for Children, Parents and Society
Early Intervention Referrals: The Impact of Genetic Disorders on Management and Outcomes
Self-Regulation in Child Development: Why the Terrible Twos Don’t (Usually) Last Forever		 Gary W. Kraemer, Ph.D.
Craig T. Ramey, Ph.D.
Robert Shprintzen, Ph.D.
Susan D. Calkins, Ph.D.
2011 The Role of Genetics in the Nature and Nuture Interaction: A New Understanding James A. Blackman, MD, MPH
2010 Can We All Get Along: The Case for Blended Autism Interventions Travis Thompson, Ph.D.
2009 Assessment in Context: What Early Educators Need to Know Samuel J. Meisels, Ed.D
2008 The Developing Brain: The Impact of Early Experience on Learning James E. Black, M.D, Ph.D
2007 Promoting Parental Responsiveness Through Routines-Based Intervention Juliann Woods, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
2006 In Search of Evidence-Based Practices in Early Childhood Education Kevin Nugent
2005 Integrated Developmental Therapies Diane Bricker
2004 Making the Connection Mark Wolery
2003 Routines Steve Warren
2002 Child Directed Learning Todd Risley
2001 Critical Periods of Development Don Bailey
2000 Genetics Robert Shprintzen
1999 Attachment Theory Gary Kramer
1998 Efficacy of Early Intervention Craig Ramey
1997 Issues in Service Coordination Carl Dunst

You may click on the underlined conferences to view more information on that conference.
Information is not available for all previous conferences.