About Dr. Sheila Clonan
Sheila Clonan is a New York State Licensed Psychologist and also a NYS certified School Psychologist. She received her Ph.D. from Syracuse University and was a school psychologist in the Syracuse City school district for nearly a decade before leaving to direct the Syracuse University Reading Research project. There she had the opportunity to work with Dr. Benita Blachman, renowned expert in early reading acquisition and dyslexia as well as Drs. Sally and Bennett Shaywitz from the Yale Child Study Center, investigating the influence of intensive remediation in reading on the functional organization of the brain for second and third grade students with reading disabilities.
After the completion of the research project, Sheila joined the faculty at SU where she chaired the Master's program in Learning Disabilities, directed the Adult Psychoeducational Clinic and taught courses in learning disabilities and reading. She left SU for a position in the Educational Studies department at Colgate University, where she taught courses in inclusive and special education, neurodiversity, literacy instruction and intervention and educational psychology for ten years before establishing her private practice. She is also a trained Cogmed coach.
Sheila's professional interests are in inclusive education, dyslexia and other disabilities, literacy instruction and intervention and cognitive development. In 2010, Sheila developed the Oz Project. The Oz Project is an inclusive workshop that promotes social development and belonging through drama and music for children of all abilities.
A long-time advocate of children with special needs and their families, Sheila founded the CAPAS advocacy and support group to assist and educate parents in advocating for their children with special needs. Under her leadership the group worked with the local school district and school board to effect positive change toward more inclusive schooling.
Sheila and her husband live outside Syracuse, NY with their four children, who attend public school from grades 1 through 10. Their youngest child has Down syndrome and thrives in an inclusive setting. All of her children exhibit unique profiles of learning gifts and challenges that keep her professional skills sharp.
After the completion of the research project, Sheila joined the faculty at SU where she chaired the Master's program in Learning Disabilities, directed the Adult Psychoeducational Clinic and taught courses in learning disabilities and reading. She left SU for a position in the Educational Studies department at Colgate University, where she taught courses in inclusive and special education, neurodiversity, literacy instruction and intervention and educational psychology for ten years before establishing her private practice. She is also a trained Cogmed coach.
Sheila's professional interests are in inclusive education, dyslexia and other disabilities, literacy instruction and intervention and cognitive development. In 2010, Sheila developed the Oz Project. The Oz Project is an inclusive workshop that promotes social development and belonging through drama and music for children of all abilities.
A long-time advocate of children with special needs and their families, Sheila founded the CAPAS advocacy and support group to assist and educate parents in advocating for their children with special needs. Under her leadership the group worked with the local school district and school board to effect positive change toward more inclusive schooling.
Sheila and her husband live outside Syracuse, NY with their four children, who attend public school from grades 1 through 10. Their youngest child has Down syndrome and thrives in an inclusive setting. All of her children exhibit unique profiles of learning gifts and challenges that keep her professional skills sharp.