In her new role, Fried is responsible for oversight and oversees all aspects of the O-School residential program. Fried, who said she is enjoying her role and working with O-School students and families, is excited to be part of the O-School administrative team.
“I feel honored to have been selected as the new associate director of Residential Services,” Fried said. “I look forward to serving and supporting O-School staff in all areas of the milieu.”
An Illinois licensed clinical psychologist, Fried is a senior-level leader with extensive experience serving children’s developmental, behavioral, and mental health needs in multidisciplinary care settings. She began her career as a school psychologist with the South Bergen Jointure Commission in Maywood, New Jersey, and then served as a staff psychologist and director of Autism Services for the Franziska Racker Centers in Ithaca, New York. She later became the clinical director of the Chicago Metro Area office for Little Leaves Behavioral Services and Trumpet Behavioral Health. Before joining the O-School, she most recently worked as the director of Developmental Pediatric Services for Advocate Aurora Health.
Fried’s areas of expertise include: evaluating and diagnosing children with complex developmental, behavioral, and mental health presentations; consulting to parents, schools, and healthcare providers on how to optimize whole-person care; supervising and developing clinicians, direct care staff, and student trainees; and building community capacity for early diagnosis and evidence-based interventions for autism spectrum disorder.
A board-certified behavior analyst, Fried earned her bachelor of science in Human Development and Family Studies from Cornell University and a Psy.D. in Professional Psychology from Rutgers University Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology.
Fried’s arrival marks an important moment, as it allows the O-School to re-organize our leadership structure to improve our clinical services and better support the talented, yet complex students with whom we work. In recent years, the O-School has expanded our Day School program and launched the Brooke Whitted Center (BWC), a transitional living program for college and vocational-bound young-adults with significant social-emotional needs. With the addition of Fried as the associate director of Residential Services, Pete Myers, Psy.D., will assume the role of clinical director, enabling the O-School organization to deepen and unify our therapeutic work across our growing programs. He will also serve as the director of the BWC.
Diana Kon, Ed.D., will serve as the sole executive director for the O-School.