Tutors & Coaches

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ADHD/EF Coach & Counselor

Dria Brantley, MS (She/Her/They) is a highly experienced coach and counselor with a background in both education and mental health. Dria has worked with students, young adults and families for over a decade, as a coach, teacher, school counselor, and a psychotherapist prior to joining The Chesapeake Center.  

At the Chesapeake Center, she offers coaching focused on several different issues:

• Executive Functioning coaching for high school and college students and adults
• ADHD Coaching – with a broader focus helping clients to better understand how they are impacted by ADHD and engaging in collaborative problem solving to address relationship issues, emotional issues, reduce stress, and generally lead a more satisfying and productive life with ADHD
• Coaching from an LGBTQIA+ perspective, working with middle and high school students to support them around issues of gender identity and sexual orientation. Adolescent years can be very challenging and difficult for LGBTAIA+ students. She works with individual students as well as in small groups, providing them a safe place to talk about their feelings, experiences and challenges.
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Dria’s coaching approach uses a holistic, integrative framework that centers the whole person. From this lens, they work with clients to develop the tools and systems needed to build and tend a sustainable ecosystem of care for a full, abundant life. 

Education and training:

Dria earned their bachelors of science in psychology from The University of Georgia, before gaining their teaching certification through the State of Ohio. Dria also holds a masters of science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. She has clinical training in ADHD, ASD, and neurodiverse development, early education, family systems, meditation, movement and expressive arts, trauma informed neuroscience, and collaborative problem solving.

Dria is especially passionate about providing support for LGBTQIA+ clients and their families, with teens and young adults in general, and with folks navigating questions of identity and diagnosis later in life.

High School to Young Adult Coach

Ms. McLaren is a highly experienced coach who serves as an Executive Functioning Coach, an Academic Coach, and an ADHD coach.

She has worked in the school environment, providing academic coaching as well as interfacing with teachers to help improve students’ academic performance. In her coaching practice, her focus is broader, including coaching for task management, time management, self-care and daily life skills.

Her desire to help others define success and achieve goals in their own way guides her coaching principles.

At Chesapeake, Ms. McLaren provides coaching to:

Ms. McLaren has also facilitated accountability groups for young adults that includes partnering with an accountability buddy to meet with regularly between group sessions to stay on track in meeting their goals.

Because Ms. McLaren is trained as a psychotherapist, she is able to help her clients across a range of issues that may include emotional or interpersonal issues that are blocking their progress in creating a well-functioning and satisfying life.

Ms. McLaren earned a Bachelor’s in Psychology and Minor in Communications from Marist College and a Master’s in Social Work from Columbia University in New York City. She has completed specific courses and trainings in ADHD and Executive Functioning through Jodi Sleeper-Triplett’s JST Coaching and Training.

Ms. McLaren enjoys public speaking and educating individuals on self-advocacy and learning disabilities to elementary aged children, college students, and organizations. In 2019, she spoke at the Learning Disabilities Association of America Annual Conference about the Impact Educators and Parents have on a Successful Transition for Individuals with Learning Disabilities and ADHD.

Areas of Interest Include:

• • Scheduling
  • Planning
  • Executive functioning skills
  • Study habits
  • Routines
  • Organization
  • Time management
  • Self Advocating
  • Balancing life habits
  • Motivational Speaking

Young Adult to Adult Coach

Quincéy Xavier (“Q”)  is an ADHD and executive functioning coach with over 20 years of experience working with pre-teens to mature adults. Q’s passion is working with adults in their 20s and 30s to help with problem-solving, procrastination, time management, fiscal responsibility, personal/professional accountability, communication skills and more.

Q uses an individualized coaching approach, focusing on the needs of the whole person.

Q’s process begins with identifying negative habits and perceptions that need to be altered to help clients reach their goals. Q helps clients break old habits that are causing problems, and create new, ADHD-friendly, healthy, manageable habits that foster peace of mind and happiness.

At the heart of Q’s coaching model is the “Four Cs”: Calm, Comfort, Confidence, and Clarity.

Q works with clients to develop incremental/iterative processes for achievement, incorporating traditional one-on-one coaching as well as experiential and immersive experiences so clients can practice skills in real-life settings to create lasting change.

Quincéy earned his Bachelor’s of Science in International Business with Concentrations in Leadership, Human Resources, and Finance from Johnson & Wales University.

Q has completed research, facilitation, and training on ADHD, Behavioral Difficulties, Learning Challenges, Anxiety, Depression, and Trauma through programs with the Washburn Center for Children, The Young Artists Program, Higher Education Consortium of Central Massachusetts (HECCMA), and Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP).

Q enjoys public speaking, leading experiential workshops, and facilitating peer & community resource groups on Social/Interpersonal Skills, Self-Care, Self-Identity, Building & Nurturing Personal Support Networks, Peer & Community Support, Arts/Creativity and Adulthood with International Universities, Non-Profit Organizations, Board of Directors, and Senior Executives.

Q has led a powerful creative career in branding, advertising, and public speaking while mentoring, leading workshops, and coaching a broad scope of clients with a variety of needs.

• Helping college students develop EF skills, basic self-care, and finding direction as they transition from college to the working world
• Helping young adults develop life skills, implement routines, navigate careers, and foster independence
• Helping working professionals find life satisfaction, healthy outlets for stress, find their identity and goals for the future, and enhance relationships with partners, family members, and friends
• Using guided imagery, meditation, and grounding gentle movement exercises
• Incorporating creative practices with journaling, art, poetry, literature, and performance

ADHD & Executive Functioning Coach

Joy Stern, MA, CPCC, PCC provides both ADHD and executive functioning coaching and career exploration to teens, young adults and adults.

ADHD / Executive Functioning Coaching:

Ms. Stern’s strong interest is in helping her clients to develop the organizational and daily life-management skills that can help them succeed in school and in their daily lives. She helps her clients to understand their particular challenges and to develop self-management strategies. Through her work, her clients have improved self-confidence and greater self-awareness as they develop the skills they need to succeed.

Career exploration for teens, young adults and adults:

Ms. Stern also has a strong background in career and workplace issues. She is certified to administer and interpret the Myers Briggs Type Indicator and works closely with the rest of The Chesapeake Career Center team to interpret career assessment results to help her clients find a career direction that focuses on their strengths and interests.

Following career assessment, Ms. Stern works one-on-one with her client to explore career options. For adults, she helps them develop workplace strategies, identify jobs within their fields that are better matched for their abilities or make a mid-career transition into another field.

Ms. Stern earned her bachelor’s degree from SUNY Albany, double-majoring in psychology and fine arts. She received her master’s degree in organization development from American University. Ms. Stern has received two coaching certifications through the Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC) by the Coaches Training Institute and  Professional Certified Coach (PCC), by the International Coaching Federation.

Additionally, she has received specific training to coach teens and college students through Jodi Sleeper-Triplett’s JST Coaching and Training.

• Helping high school students develop strong study skills and executive functioning skills
• Working with students to help them to identify majors

ADHD & Executive Functioning Coach / Academic Tutor

School Placement Services

Michelle Schneck, MA is passionate about helping students develop the academic skills and confidence they need in order to succeed in school and in life. Her mission is to encourage individuals to recognize their inherent strengths and to learn how to use them in addressing the challenges they face.

Ms. Schneck is a learning specialist with extensive independent school experience. Prior to joining The Chesapeake Center, she served as the Learning Support Coordinator at Sidwell Friends School for 10 years, where she was recognized for “excellence in meeting the extraordinary needs of a diverse community.” Prior to that, for 24 years, Ms. Schneck was the Director of Special Services at the Berman Hebrew Academy for students in grades K-12.

Ms. Schneck skillfully guides each learner to achieve his or her potential by developing organizational and study strategies and improving executive functioning.

In a variety of educational settings and across multiple disciplines, she has successfully helped students advance their proficiency in reading and writing, basic math, and other academic skills. Her expertise in being able to bring together coaching with tutoring services provides a unique opportunity to meet the specific needs of each learner.

Ms. Schneck earned her master’s degree in special education from Teachers College at Columbia University in 1979. She is certified by Jodi Sleeper-Triplett as a Coach for Teens and College Students with ADHD.

• Executive functioning
• Organizational skills
• Time management
• Self-advocacy
• Study skills
• Memory strategies
• Note taking skills
• Test-taking skills
• Reading comprehension
• Decoding skills
• Writing skills
• Math through basic algebra
• Hebrew and Judaic Studies

Career Coach

Beth Sweeney joins the Chesapeake Center after a rich and varied career. Her education in business and management as well as health administration makes her especially suited to advise our clients about career paths tailored to their specific abilities and interests.

She has worked with Center Director Kathleen Nadeau, Ph.D. to develop a career assessment model specifically tailored to non-neurotypical individuals, integrating the results of neuropsychological assessments into a strengths-based career assessment that provide customized guidance to young adults and adults.

As an Executive Function coach, Beth Sweeney is well-equipped to help you follow through on recommendations that she makes during your career assessment.

Her mission is to create a comfortable, creative, and confidential space for you to develop your best thinking around your career goals. 

Whether you are just beginning your career or are in a career transition, her focus is to help you find the path that makes the most sense for your natural abilities, interests, and strengths. Ultimately, her goal is to help you find a career in which you to love what you do.

• BS in Business from Miami University
• MA in Intercultural Management from The School for International Training
• MA certificate in Health Administration from the George Washington University
• Trained EF coach; Certified Intrinsic Health and Wellbeing coach
• Certified Highlands Ability Battery Consultant