Training Team

Robin M. Deutsch, PhD, ABPP

Robin M. Deutsch, PhD, ABPP

Robin M. Deutsch, PhD, ABPP, is a Board-certified psychologist in Couple and Family Psychology (ABCFP) and a Fellow of the American Psychological Association (APA). She developed and was the director of the Center of Excellence for Children, Families and the Law at William James College where she was a Professor of Clinical Psychology. Previously she was an Associate Clinical Professor of Psychology at Harvard Medical School and Director of Training in the Children and the Law Program, Department of Psychology at Massachusetts General Hospital. She has published extensively on issues related to attachment, alienation, coparenting after divorce, high conflict divorce, parent-child contact problems, parenting plans, and parenting coordination. Dr. Deutsch has served on numerous AFCC and APA task forces. She is also a former President of AFCC.

Robin M. Deutsch, PhD, ABPP

Robin M. Deutsch, PhD, ABPP

Robin M. Deutsch, PhD, ABPP, is a Board-certified psychologist in Couple and Family Psychology (ABCFP) and a Fellow of the American Psychological Association (APA). She developed and was the director of the Center of Excellence for Children, Families and the Law at William James College where she was a Professor of Clinical Psychology. Previously she was an Associate Clinical Professor of Psychology at Harvard Medical School and Director of Training in the Children and the Law Program, Department of Psychology at Massachusetts General Hospital. She has published extensively on issues related to attachment, alienation, coparenting after divorce, high conflict divorce, parent-child contact problems, parenting plans, and parenting coordination. Dr. Deutsch has served on numerous AFCC and APA task forces. She is also a former President of AFCC.

Leslie M. Drozd, PhD

Leslie M. Drozd, PhD

Leslie M. Drozd, PhD, is a psychologist with over 36 years of practice in forensic and clinical psychology in California, Washington, and Hawaii. She has conducted parenting plan evaluations in addition to serving as a forensic consultant and as a testifying and didactic expert. Dr. Drozd has co-authored professional guidelines for conducting evaluations and co-edited books, chapters, and articles on conducting evaluations, domestic violence, substance misuse, trauma, alienation, gatekeeping, step-up parenting plans, relocation, psychological testing, child sexual abuse, parenting coordination, and family therapy with families with parent-child contact problems. She served on the American Psychological Association’s Ethics Committee and on numerous boards of directors including AFCC's.

Leslie M. Drozd, PhD

Leslie M. Drozd, PhD

Leslie M. Drozd, PhD, is a psychologist with over 36 years of practice in forensic and clinical psychology in California, Washington, and Hawaii. She has conducted parenting plan evaluations in addition to serving as a forensic consultant and as a testifying and didactic expert. Dr. Drozd has co-authored professional guidelines for conducting evaluations and co-edited books, chapters, and articles on conducting evaluations, domestic violence, substance misuse, trauma, alienation, gatekeeping, step-up parenting plans, relocation, psychological testing, child sexual abuse, parenting coordination, and family therapy with families with parent-child contact problems. She served on the American Psychological Association’s Ethics Committee and on numerous boards of directors including AFCC's.

Marsha Kline Pruett, PhD, ABPP

Marsha Kline Pruett, PhD, ABPP

Marsha Kline Pruett, PhD, ABPP, is the Maconda Brown O’Connor Professor at Smith College School for Social Work. A prolific writer, speaker, and consultant, she has a reputation for the development, implementation, and evaluation of preventive interventions in courts and family-focused community agencies. She specializes in issues pertaining to coparenting, father involvement, life transitions, early development, parental conflict, and family law. She has been a key consultant and evaluator for the Out of Court Divorce program in Denver, CO and the Family Resolutions Specialty Court in Hampshire County, MA. She was awarded AFCC’s Stanley Cohen Award for Distinguished Research and the Meyer Elkin Essay Award for the 2023 article PCCP through the eyes of professionals in the Family Court Review where she serves as the Social Science editor. She is also a former President of AFCC.

Marsha Kline Pruett, PhD, ABPP

Marsha Kline Pruett, PhD, ABPP

Marsha Kline Pruett, PhD, ABPP, is the Maconda Brown O’Connor Professor at Smith College School for Social Work. A prolific writer, speaker, and consultant, she has a reputation for the development, implementation, and evaluation of preventive interventions in courts and family-focused community agencies. She specializes in issues pertaining to coparenting, father involvement, life transitions, early development, parental conflict, and family law. She has been a key consultant and evaluator for the Out of Court Divorce program in Denver, CO and the Family Resolutions Specialty Court in Hampshire County, MA. She was awarded AFCC’s Stanley Cohen Award for Distinguished Research and the Meyer Elkin Essay Award for the 2023 article PCCP through the eyes of professionals in the Family Court Review where she serves as the Social Science editor. She is also a former President of AFCC.

Matthew Sullivan, PhD

Matthew Sullivan, PhD

Matthew J. Sullivan, PhD, has been in private practice in California, specializing in family dispute resolution and clinical work in the family courts for over 30 years. He is a pioneer in the development of the parenting coordination role internationally and regularly presents at conferences and trains family justice professionals about parent-child contact problems in shared parenting arrangements. He was a recipient of the AFCC’s president’s award in 2023 and the Meyer Elkin Essay Award for the article judged best in the 2024 volume of the Family Court Review where he currently serves on the editorial board. He served on the APA Ethics Committee from 2016-2018. Dr. Sullivan is the co-founder of Overcoming Barriers, Inc. He is also a former President of AFCC.

Matthew Sullivan, PhD

Matthew Sullivan, PhD

Matthew J. Sullivan, PhD, has been in private practice in California, specializing in family dispute resolution and clinical work in the family courts for over 30 years. He is a pioneer in the development of the parenting coordination role internationally and regularly presents at conferences and trains family justice professionals about parent-child contact problems in shared parenting arrangements. He was a recipient of the AFCC’s president’s award in 2023 and the Meyer Elkin Essay Award for the article judged best in the 2024 volume of the Family Court Review where he currently serves on the editorial board. He served on the APA Ethics Committee from 2016-2018. Dr. Sullivan is the co-founder of Overcoming Barriers, Inc. He is also a former President of AFCC.

Hon. Diana Tennis (Ret.)

Hon. Diana Tennis (Ret.)

Hon. Diana Tennis (Ret.) is a retired Florida Circuit Judge and Florida Supreme Court Certified Family Mediator. During her 11 years on the family bench, she served as Administrative Judge, President of the Central Florida Family Law Inn, and co-chair of the statewide Parenting Coordinator Task Force. She currently serves on the Board of the Florida Chapter of the AFCC and has a central Florida mediation and consultation practice.

Hon. Diana Tennis (Ret.)

Hon. Diana Tennis (Ret.)

Hon. Diana Tennis (Ret.) is a retired Florida Circuit Judge and Florida Supreme Court Certified Family Mediator. During her 11 years on the family bench, she served as Administrative Judge, President of the Central Florida Family Law Inn, and co-chair of the statewide Parenting Coordinator Task Force. She currently serves on the Board of the Florida Chapter of the AFCC and has a central Florida mediation and consultation practice.

Louise T. Truax, JD

Louise T. Truax, JD

Louise T. Truax, JD, is an attorney in private practice in Connecticut, with a focus on high conflict custody cases. She is a Fellow in the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and received the prestigious Fellow of the Year Award in 2014. She is the general editor and author of Connecticut Family Law, a LexisNexis publication. She frequently lectures in Connecticut and throughout the country on family law issues, particularly custody issues.

Louise T. Truax, JD

Louise T. Truax, JD

Louise T. Truax, JD, is an attorney in private practice in Connecticut, with a focus on high conflict custody cases. She is a Fellow in the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and received the prestigious Fellow of the Year Award in 2014. She is the general editor and author of Connecticut Family Law, a LexisNexis publication. She frequently lectures in Connecticut and throughout the country on family law issues, particularly custody issues.

Hon. Herman Walker, Jr.

Hon. Herman Walker, Jr.

Hon. Herman Walker, Jr. is a Superior Court Judge in the Third Judicial District of the State of Alaska. Prior to being appointed Superior Court Judge, Judge Walker was the managing partner in Limón & Walker. In private practice Judge Walker focused on complex trial litigation. He represented people in complex family law cases, which included business valuation and custody. He also represented corporations and people in personal injury cases. He is the past president of the Alaska Association for Justice and a founding member of Alaska Association for Criminal Defense Lawyers. He was a faculty member of the Trial Lawyers College for six years and still teaches at the University of Wyoming Trial Institute. Judge Walker was appointed by the State Supreme Court Justice to the Alaska State Legislative Ethics Committee, where he served as Chair until his appointment to the bench. Judge Walker is a Judicial Fellow of the International Academy of Family Lawyers.

Hon. Herman Walker, Jr.

Hon. Herman Walker, Jr.

Hon. Herman Walker, Jr. is a Superior Court Judge in the Third Judicial District of the State of Alaska. Prior to being appointed Superior Court Judge, Judge Walker was the managing partner in Limón & Walker. In private practice Judge Walker focused on complex trial litigation. He represented people in complex family law cases, which included business valuation and custody. He also represented corporations and people in personal injury cases. He is the past president of the Alaska Association for Justice and a founding member of Alaska Association for Criminal Defense Lawyers. He was a faculty member of the Trial Lawyers College for six years and still teaches at the University of Wyoming Trial Institute. Judge Walker was appointed by the State Supreme Court Justice to the Alaska State Legislative Ethics Committee, where he served as Chair until his appointment to the bench. Judge Walker is a Judicial Fellow of the International Academy of Family Lawyers.

Peggie A. Ward, PhD

Peggie A. Ward, PhD

Peggie A. Ward, PhD, is a clinical-forensic psychologist who has specialized in the areas of child abuse, alcohol abuse, and parent child contact problems for more than 35 years. Her independent practice focuses on complex parent child and family interactions where family conflict is a dominant factor. Dr. Ward has held appointments at Tufts Medical School and Harvard Medical School. She has served on the AFCC MA Board of Directors and FLAFCC Board of Directors where she is currently Vice President. She has published articles on parental alienation. She contributed several chapters to the edited book, Overcoming Parent Child Contact Problems: Family-based Interventions for Resistance, Rejection, and Alienation (2015). Dr. Ward has created courses for William James College on Interventions for Parent Child Contact Problems.

Peggie A. Ward, PhD

Peggie A. Ward, PhD

Peggie A. Ward, PhD, is a clinical-forensic psychologist who has specialized in the areas of child abuse, alcohol abuse, and parent child contact problems for more than 35 years. Her independent practice focuses on complex parent child and family interactions where family conflict is a dominant factor. Dr. Ward has held appointments at Tufts Medical School and Harvard Medical School. She has served on the AFCC MA Board of Directors and FLAFCC Board of Directors where she is currently Vice President. She has published articles on parental alienation. She contributed several chapters to the edited book, Overcoming Parent Child Contact Problems: Family-based Interventions for Resistance, Rejection, and Alienation (2015). Dr. Ward has created courses for William James College on Interventions for Parent Child Contact Problems.