Advisory Groups

Clinical Advisory Group

Julie Balaban, MD is a board certified child psychiatrist in General Psychiatry and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Dr. Balaban has held many psychiatrist positions in the behavioral health field including: consulting, group practice, supervising, Chief, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine at Lahey Clinic; and Medical Director of Choate Health Management, a leading edge Outpatient Behavioral Health System of Care. Dr. Balaban relocated to Maine where she was a staff psychiatrist in the ambulatory clinic of Acadia Hospital. She is currently in private practice in Maine. Dr. Balaban is licensed in New York, Massachusetts, and Maine.

Dr. Balaban is a graduate of Harvard University and received her MD at SUNY Downstate Medical Center. Her postdoctoral experience includes: internship at King's County Hospital/SUNY Downstate; Residency, Psychiatry, Payne Whitney Clinic, the New York Hospital/Cornell Medical Center and a Fellowship, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Payne Whitney Clinic, The New York Hospital/Cornell Medical Center. She has devoted much time over the last three years working on gender issues in the schools. Her specialties are in the areas of child and adolescent psychiatry, assessment, eating disorders, psychopharmacology, and Tic Disorders.

She is the mother of three girls. Dr. Balaban brings to the clinical advisory group a significant set of skills including leadership, clinical expertise in child and adolescent psychiatry, and a caring and responsible spirit.

David Fassler, MD is a board certified child and adolescent psychiatrist practicing in Burlington, Vermont. He serves as Clinical Director of Otter Creek Associates, a multidisciplinary group practice and is President of Matrix Health Systems, a regional provider of psychiatric and administrative services to hospitals and community based agencies.

Dr. Fassler is also Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Vermont, and a member of the Work Group on Consumer Issues of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and the Chair of the Council on Children, Adolescents, and their Families of the American Psychiatric Association. He is also a member of the Board of the Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health. In addition, he coordinates National Depression Screening Day activities on behalf of the Academy, and has served as the principal investigator on a National Institute of Mental Health training grant focusing on the diagnosis, assessment, and treatment of depression.

In recognition of his efforts on behalf of children and families, Dr. Fassler received the Exemplary Psychiatrist Award from the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, and the Green Ribbon Award for Excellence in Childhood Depression Education from the National Mental Health Association.

Dr. Fassler is the author of several books including "Help Me, I'm Sad": Recognizing, Treating and Preventing Childhood and Adolescent Depression (Viking, 1997).

Dr. Fassler is a graduate of Yale University School of Medicine. He completed his training in adult psychiatry at the University of Vermont, and in child psychiatry at Cambridge Hospital, Harvard Medical School.

Dr. Fassler brings to the clinical advisory group a unique set of clinical and intuitive skills that encompass the needs of children, adolescents, and their families.

Terri Hubbard, RN, L.M.H.C. is a Registered Nurse and Licensed Mental Health Counselor. Ms. Hubbard works both as a staff nurse and as an emergency service program specialist. Her specialties are in the areas of emergency and crisis evaluation and intervention, child and preteen abuse, client advocacy and behavioral management. She has also worked as a liaison with juvenile court systems for incarcerated and court referred clients. Ms. Hubbard is a graduate of Purdue University and received her masters degree from Butler University in Indianapolis. She received her nursing diploma from Northern Essex where she graduated with honors. Ms. Hubbard brings to the clinical advisory group a unique set of skills including; expert consultation, evaluation and follow through abilities, an understanding of family dynamics in crisis and a warm and engaging spirit.

Robert J. Keane, MSW, Ph.D. is an Assistant Commissioner for the Commonwealth of MA Department of Mental Health. He has held both administrative and clinical positions in the child and adolescent behavioral health field including Program Director, Assistant Program Director, Comprehensive Therapist and Milieu Counselor and was Regional Manager for the MA Behavioral Health Partnership. is an Assistant Commissioner for the Commonwealth of MA Department of Mental Health. He has held both administrative and clinical positions in the child and adolescent behavioral health field including Program Director, Assistant Program Director, Comprehensive Therapist and Milieu Counselor and was Regional Manager for the MA Behavioral Health Partnership.

Dr. Keane is a graduate of the College of the Holy Cross and received his MSW and Ph.D. from Boston College Graduate School of Social Work. His specialties are in the area of family assessment and treatment, group therapy, program planning and development, and policy and procedure development.

He is the father of three daughters. Dr. Keane brings to the clinical advisory group a special set of skills including clinical expertise in the field of child and adolescent psychiatry, a managed care perspective, knowledge of the needs of children and families, and a quiet and introspective demeanor.

Laurel Kiser, Ph.D., MBA, is a licensed psychologist and an Associate Professor at the University of Maryland at Baltimore, Department of Psychiatry, Center for Mental Health Services Research. Prior to her current position, Dr. Kiser held many faculty positions at the University of Tennessee, Memphis College of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, including Professor with tenure. Her specialties are in the areas of preventive medicine, clinical program development, and research. Her major research interests include: the link between Family, School, and Neighborhood Rituals and Routines, Childhood Anxiety Disorders, PTSD and Youth Violence; Ambulatory Behavioral Healthcare Treatment Effectiveness and Quality of Care and Behavioral Healthcare Service delivery.

Dr. Kiser is a graduate of Indiana University where she received her Bachelor of Science, Master of Science, and Doctorate degrees. She also holds an MBA from Memphis State University.

Dr. Kiser has authored over 50 publications and has served on a number of Boards and Committees. She is the mother of two children. Dr. Kiser brings to the clinical advisory group an extraordinary set of clinical and research skills that focus on children, families, schools, and communities.

Parents Advisory Group

The Founders and Board of Directors of KidsTerrain, Inc. believe that a critical component for the successful development of the company is having access to feedback from parents of children in the 4-11 age group. Using this as an underlying principle, the KidsTerrain Parents Advisory Group was organized in the early stages of the company's development.

The Parents Advisory Group is actively involved with the founders and the board of directors. They recommend resources for parents and children such as books, CDs, publications, games, and activities. Members advise the company on areas that they would like to see explored for children and the adults in their lives.

Although many of the parents in the advisory group have children in the 4-11 age group, KidsTerrain chose some parents who have younger children so that they can grow with the company and advise them as developing needs occur, and parents with older children so they can bring their past experiences to the company.

The Parents Advisory Group is currently made up of the following members:

Beth Crook - Maryland

Donna Ford - Connecticut

Susan Hannaford - Massachusetts

Jayme Ierna - Massachusetts

Jim McMinn - Connecticut

Chelsea Michaud - Connecticut

Tony Michaud - Connecticut

Amy Rosenstein - Massachusetts

Brad Russell - Massachusetts

Mikie Ulwick - Massachusetts

Chris and Beth White - Maryland