Posted January 19, 2022 in Alumni Profile
Lawrence School, 2014
B.A. Cleveland State University, 2018
Cleveland State University, Current Graduate Student
What have you been up to since graduating from Lawrence?
When I finished high school, I first enrolled at Ursuline College. After a brief stint, I took some time off to figure out what I wanted to study. During that time period, I took online prerequisite classes through Tri-C and worked full-time at Graham’s Floral Shop (right around the corner from Upper School).
I always knew I wanted to work with kids, but I didn’t quite know in what capacity. Eventually I decided to study psychology at Cleveland State University. Early on in my undergraduate studies, two separate professors mentioned a summer program at the Cleveland Clinic for kids with ADHD. The program was looking for college interns to gain hands-on clinical experience. Right away I knew I was interested. I was diagnosed with ADHD in the second grade and my entire childhood revolved around finding ways to overcome challenges related to the disorder. Working with children who face similar struggles just felt so right.
I interned every summer at the clinic in a variety of roles and was able to build a professional network of doctors and counselors. After receiving my bachelor’s degree from CSU, I was offered a position as the assistant coordinator of the Pediatric ADHD Summer Treatment Program. And now I’m the assistant program director! In addition, I’m studying for my Master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling.
Those professors, who first mentioned the Clinic’s program all those years ago, planted a seed that helped me grow professionally into who I am today.
Tell us more about your work.
With ADHD especially, early intervention is critical for positive outcomes. This is why working with pediatric patients at the Cleveland Clinic means so much to me. I have three main responsibilities within my role:
I work hand-in-hand with the director of the ADHD Summer Treatment Program to prepare and organize our offerings.
I work as a psychometrician, which means I administer psychological tests. In this role, I support Dr. Michael Manos, who is a world-renown thought leader on the leading treatments and interventions for ADHD.
In addition, I run the Medication Monitoring Clinic where I support physicians who have prescribed ADHD meds. I work closely with parents at three points throughout a five-week trial period. At the end, I write a report that we send back to the physician. This enables the doctor to identify a child’s optimal dosage much quicker than what is standard. In addition, we just launched a platform that uses an algorithm to create a report based on parent and teacher feedback. The platform sheds light on the best medication choice and dosage based on the data. This is a cutting-edge resource and could be a gamechanger for millions of kids with ADHD.
How did Lawrence prepare you for college and your career?
My parents initially intended for me to only attend Lawrence for middle school. However, I loved it so much and was doing so well that plans changed and I stayed through high school. I’m so glad because much of my success in both college and my career is a result of Lawrence teaching me to advocate for myself and look for resources. My high school teachers really taught me that if you don't ask, you're never going to find out! (Especially in college because nobody is going to hold your hand.)
Another thing that stands out as integral to my college preparation was that I was able to take some post-secondary classes at Lawrence. The experience of taking a college-level course while still in high school was a great buffer for the transition to college. It helped me build a scaffolding around what I needed to do and how I needed to do it before I had to do it all on my own.
What was your favorite class at Lawrence?
I loved my American Sign Language classes and looked forward to that period each day. Most high schools don't offer ASL, but the classes were incredibly dynamic, enriching, and fun. I continued to study ASL in college. What I’ve found is that it's not just a language for deaf or hard of hearing individuals, but can also be a tool for children with limited verbal skills. When I originally enrolled in ASL, I never imagined that more than a decade later I would still be using it. I have no doubt this class has added value to my career path.
What is your favorite memory from Lawrence?
My family lived in Sagamore Hills when I was growing up and all of the chips fell into place for me to join Lawrence my seventh-grade year (right after the Upper School was built). I was so nervous walking into a new school that first day; but my first-period teacher Ms. Rowe welcomed me. She came out of the classroom and sat in the hallway with me until I felt comfortable. From that moment on, my experience was nothing but awesome. I’ll never forget how she melted away all my fears.
Some of my other favorite memories revolve around playing volleyball. We had long, exhausting summer practices. They were grueling, but also a really fun way to spend time with friends. I even came back and coached Lawrence’s middle school volleyball team for two seasons—it was a blast.
How do you spend your free time?
I enjoy thrift shopping and finding hidden gems. My grandma always shopped secondhand when I was growing up and she passed this joy onto me. I like the sustainability aspect of purchasing previously owned items, and of course, it’s better for your wallet! Now I’m a regular at many different consignment and thrift stores in the area.
In addition, I love to collect plants that are able to thrive outside in the summer, yet tolerate being brought indoors with limited sunlight during the winter months. This past summer I grew a dahlia garden with my partner. We started the plants indoors in early spring and this allowed for the continual growth of blooms all summer long. Each week I would cut a variety of fresh dahlias to make into bouquets.
The pandemic has also given me the chance to connect more with my partner and our families. I've also been able to spend extra time with my grandparents.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
Helping kids and their parents! It's my personal passion and I plan to spend my life developing new programs for kids with ADHD—this work is personal to me and I love it.
You can learn more about Nikki’s work, the Cleveland Clinic’s Summer Treatment Program, and the nuances of ADHD in this podcast featuring Dr. Manos.