Staff Information

Tom has worked more than 30 years as a professor, clinician, and teacher. He is responsible as chair and head of the foundation, acting as a primary knowledge and resource for research, publications, grant solicitation, training, workshops, and therapists. He is the author and editor of three textbooks, two tests, and more than 40 articles on children with communication disorders. He has also presented locally, nationally, and internationally on more than 150 different topics on communication and learning in low achieving children.

Tom has been awarded the "Clinical Achievement Award" by the North Carolina Speech-Hearing-Language Association, a Fellow of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, and Special Recognition Honor of the Triangle Down syndrome Network. He has served on many boards and professional organizations, such as, President of the North Carolina Speech-Hearing-Language Association, School Board member of School in the Community Charter School, Co-chair Advisory Board for Parent Support Network of North Carolina, Advisory Board Member for Parent Network of Orange, Durham and Chatham Counties, Member of Durham Public Schools’ Steering Committee for Continuous Improvement Monitoring, consultant to the Ministry of Education in the Bahamas, consultant to Medical University of South Carolina and Project Potential at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.

He is currently a member of the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction Study Team that is assessing eligibility of services for students with specific learning disabilities. He is also the co-owner of a private company that serves children with special needs.

Jianping (Grace) Hao, M.D., Ph.D.

Dr. Hao is an Associate Professor in Communication Disorders at North Carolina Central University. Her expertise is in the area of voice, neurogenic disorders, swallowing, genetics, autism, and multicultural issues and bilingualism. She is coordinating a distance learning program between North Carolina Central University and the People’s Republic of China. Dr. Hao has also worked in the public schools, at the VA Hospital in Durham, and the UNC-Hospital in Chapel Hill. She and Dr. Layton have been to China several times to present at national conferences.

Julia provides works directly with children in their homes and three days a week in a charter school. Julia is a graduate of North Carolina Central University (NCCU) and a native of the Bahamas. She has also practiced as a speech-language pathologist in the public schools of the Bahamas. Julia is also a part-time supervisor for the Department of Communication Disorders of the School of Education at NCCU.

Anthony, who has a B.A. in anthropology, is our office manager. Anthony handles billing, mailing, filing and telephone calls coming into and out of our Center. In addition, Anthony is a professional illustrator who completes the art work for the pamphlets and correspondence for the company. He is in the process of illustrating one of Dr. Layton's children stories, with plans to illustrate future children's stories.

Linda, who has a B.A. in Education, serves as the educational coordinator at the Center. Linda will be organizing the parent meetings and the tutoring services for children with reading and writing difficulties. Linda has several years of teaching Kindergarten through fifth grade students and also has taught children with emotional problems.

Nikki Cochran graduated from North Carolina Central University with a Masters in Education in Communication Disorders. Nikki excels when serving clients with communication disorders and developmental disabilities. She has successfully completed two clinical rotations at T and T Communication Services and has worked effectively in a variety of settings, including: training clients with developmental disabilities at home and in the community in social/communicative/behavioral/developmental goals (Pathways for People, Cary); helping individuals with developmental disabilities access individualized treatment and supports through person-centered planning (through The Arc of North Carolina-Chapel Hill); developing and implementing vocational/self-care habilitative programs for adults with autism (Carolina Living and Learning Center, Division TEACCH); preschool assistant with developmental/behavioral/emotional delays in self-contained preschools (Washington elementary School, Raleigh); social skills group assistant to adolescents and adults with autism/Asperger's syndrome (Division TEACCH); and Job Coach for adults with autism in community-based occupational settings (Division TEACCH). Nikki's extensive experience includes a decade of helping children and adults with autism spectrum disorders develop language and social skills. She obtained a double BA in psychology and German from UNC-CH, is TEACCH-trained, and worked with the Autismus Therapie Zentrum in Freiburg, Germany. While Nikki is passionate, committed, and highly competent in a broad range of clinical practice, her primary interests involve working with young children affected by autism and Down syndrome in order to maximize their development of language, early literacy concepts, and social skills.