Our clinical staff brings together perspectives from many fields to assess your child from all standpoints: physical, developmental, social, emotional, and cognitive. As important, we recognize that the family as a whole must understand and be part of assessment and treatment. Finally, we work collaboratively with the family’s existing health care providers, widening the scope of services available to the family.

The Center for Children and Families team

Margret Nickels, Ph.D.
Center director Margret Nickels is a clinical psychologist who has worked with parents and children in the Chicago area for more than 20 years. She received her M.A. in educational psychology from the University of Chicago and a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Northwestern University. She has served on several advisory committees to the Child Protection Division of Cook County Juvenile Court and has extensive experience evaluating and working with families in custody disputes. Dr. Nickels is a member of the Illinois Governor’s Advisory Committee on Early Childhood Mental Health. Among other areas of expertise, she specializes in the promotion of healthy attachment relationships, as well as in understanding early childhood social emotional and behavior problems. She also serves as clinical director of Erikson’s Fussy Baby Network.

Larry Gray, M.D.
Dr. Gray is a board-certified general pediatrician with subspecialty certification in developmental and behavioral pediatrics. As the medical director of the center, he consults with clinical staff and leads a strong interdisciplinary team in providing comprehensive developmental diagnostic evaluations for children birth to age three. He also serves as medical director for the Fussy Baby Network . He is an assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Chicago Medical Center, where his clinical practice and research focus on the behavioral and developmental issues of infants and young children with a special emphasis on temperament and the impact of early stress. He also heads the International Adoption Clinic at the University of Chicago Department of Pediatrics.

Karin Vander Ploeg Booth, M.D.
Dr. Vander Ploeg Booth is a board-certified pediatrician with subspecialty training in developmental and behavioral pediatrics. She was involved with Erikson Institute’s first clinical program as a fellow, working with families of infants with sleep, feeding, and regulatory challenges. She is an instructor of pediatrics at the University of Chicago Medical Center.  In her clinical practice, she works with children experiencing a diverse range of behavioral and developmental issues from early childhood through adolescence. The focus of both her clinical practice and research is family stress and enhancing the resilience of children and families when there are challenges in behavior or development. She has a particular interest in childhood attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder.  She is also a supervisor in the fellowship program in developmental and behavioral pediatrics at the University of Chicago.

Yvette Gonzalez, Ph.D.
Dr. Gonzalez received her masters and doctorate in clinical psychology from DePaul University with a specialization in community psychology. She has experience working with diverse populations and has worked both in urban and rural communities. She has also worked extensively with public and private schools, the child welfare system, and specializes in working with infants, toddlers, and young children presenting with a wide range of developmental, learning, social, and emotional problems. She has conducted assessments for over ten years working with biological, foster, and adoptive families.  Dr. Gonzalez also has experience working with children with prenatal substance exposure and providing individual, group, and family therapy.

Amy Levin, MA, CCC-SLP
Amy Levin is a bilingual (English/Spanish) speech language pathologist with many years of experience in this field.  She received her master’s degree in speech and language pathology from Northwestern University. She has worked in a hospital setting and is also in private practice for early intervention and school-age children. She has evaluated and treated children with a wide range of early language delays and disorders. She has experience working with children with autism, apraxia, phonological disorders and global developmental delays.   


Robin Manus, OTR/L
Robin Manus has worked as an occupational therapist for almost 20 years, treating with children from birth to 10 in early intervention and school based programs. She received her bachelor degree in occupational therapy from the University of Illinois. She also is also a certified infant massage instructor and completed the Yoga for the Special Child basic certification program. She has a special interest in feeding difficulties and sensory processing challenges in young children.


Anne Powers, M.Ed.
Anne Powers is a developmental therapist who has worked in early intervention for more than 20 years. She serves as program coordinator of early intervention services at the center. She received her master’s degree with a major in special education from the University of Illinois at Chicago and earned an infant mental health certificate from the Erikson Institute. She has extensive specialized training in working with children with autism and autism spectrum disorders. She has also worked with infants and toddlers with global developmental delays and social-emotional concerns.


Marsha Baker, OTR/L, M.Ed., M.A.
Marsha is an occupational therapist and infant specialist with 25 years of experience working with infants, young children, and their families. She holds a master’s degree in child development from Erikson Institute and a master’s degree in social sciences with special emphasis on social anthropology from the University of Chicago. She earned certificates in infant mental health and infant studies from Erikson Institute, She is certified in neurodevelopmental treatment and as an early intervention specialist/evaluator in the state of Illinois. She is also a certified infant massage instructor and lactation specialist. In addition to providing services at the Center for Children and Families, Marsha provides consultation to community programs and is part of the Erikson Institute Fussy Baby home visiting team. She has also presented nationally and internationally on infant regulation and feeding issues.

Keri Grossman, LCSW
Keri Grossman provides child assessment and counseling services at the Center, and also serves as the Coordinator of Counseling Services. She received her master’s degree in social work from Loyola University and is currently pursuing an infant mental health certificate from Erikson Institute. Grossman is a licensed clinical social worker who has worked with children and families for more than ten years. She has extensive experience in counseling young children and their families with concerns ranging from severe child behavior problems to anxiety and separation issues. Other areas of expertise include supporting parents and children going through divorce or separation, and working with children and families who are coping with significant stressors or traumatic events in their lives, such as accidents, medical issues, loss, or death in the family. Ms. Grossman also consults to other agencies in the Chicago area and conducts trainings on early social-emotional development, and she is a supervising clinician at the center.

Dana Keiser, M.S.Ed.
Dana Keiser is a special education consultant who conducts social skills groups for young children at the Center and provides educational, developmental and social skills support to children in their actual school environments. Dana received her Master's degree in Early Childhood Special and General Education from Bank Street College in New York City, and is currently pursuing a Doctoral degree in child development at Erikson Institute. Her extensive experience includes working as an early childhood special education teacher and educational consultant in New York City for nearly ten years. Dana specializes in young children with global developmental delays as well as children with social-emotional, self-regulation and communication concerns, including autism spectrum disorder. Dana’s therapeutic educational approach in schools and at the Center helps young children to develop the skills necessary for optimal academic and social functioning.