User:Waterwindsail/sandbox

Ralph Sperry

Ralph Sperry, PhD, ABPP has notable accomplishments in international consultation for autism, organizational psychology  and sailing. Currently he is the Chief Operating Officer of the May Institute and the National Autism Center in Randolph Massachusetts. He has been appointed by US State Department as a "Distinguished Speaker"and global consultant on Autism. He has obtained grants from the state department to consult to the governments of Dubai and Oman. In Oman he is leading the effort to implement a strategic plan for autism services. He was appointed an international expert by the government of Qatar to evaluate their services for children with autism. His focus is on assisting countries in their development of evidence based systems of care for children with Autism.

Dr. Sperry is a licensed psychologist and has the distinction of being one of only 40 Board Certified Psychologists in Organizational and Business psychology, 3% of psychologists are board certified. He is a corporate executive with extensive experience in senior management of health care and human service organizations. He is a doctoral level organizational business psychologist and clinical/neuro psychologist with notable contributions to global healthcare for autism, and health care management research. In his youth he was a nationally ranked sailboat racer. Education and Professional Contributions

He received his doctoral degree in clinical psychology from the Saybrook University in San Francisco where his dissertation chairman was Rollo May, Ph.D., the internationally renown psychologist. Sperry's doctoral research regarding schizophrenia (Sperry 1983) has been referenced in numerous professional publications. He also completed a post doctoral fellowship in organizational and business psychology and is board certified by the American Board of Professional Psychology.

Sperry’s professional interests have been in Autism, Organizational Psychology, Behavioral Psychology. Currently he is a leader in the advocacy of applied behavioral techniques in the treatment of autism and the use of performance management and organizational business psychology. He is active in the international development of schools and other services for autism.

He is a licensed psychologist in Connecticut, Massachusetts and California and a licensed family and marriage therapist in Connecticut. He has been on the Medical Staff of the Newport RI Naval Station. Healthcare and Human Services Executive

He has been the Chief Executive Officer of Elmcrest Psychiatric Institute, Portland Connecticut, Sisters of Providence Behavioral Health System and Providence Hospital in West Springfield, Massachusetts, Pinion Hills Hospital in Santa Fe New Mexico and Charter Behavioral Health Hospital in Alberquerque New Mexico. He has also served as the Corporate Vice President and Director of Behavioral, and Neurorehabilitation Services for Health Bridge Management, Concord Massachusetts, He currently is the Chief Operating Officer of the National Autism Center and May Institute.

As a Chief Executive he has specialized in turnaround activities in Connecticut (Elmcrest) and in Massachusetts (Sisters of Providence Hospital various Long Term Care Facilities). As a consultant he specialized in closing under performing facilities in Lynn Massachusetts (North Shore Health Care Center), East Boston Massachusetts (East Boston Health Care Center), Santa Fe New Mexico (Pinion Hills Hospital) and in Darien Connecticut (Darien Health Care Center). In West Springfield Massachusetts he closed Providence Hospital Acute Care Services and converted the hospital to an psychiatric facility.

He was a frequent contributor on WFSB and FOX 61 television in Hartford where he provides psychological insight on news events and advice on how to handle stressful situations. He also testifies regularly in the Connecticut legislature on mental health and geriatric issues. Sailing Accomplishments

As a youth, Dr Sperry was an accomplished sailboat racer. He won the Junior championships of Long Island Sound as well as the Instructor's Championship of Long Island Sound. He was a finalist in the Sears Cup, the Junior National Sailing Championship. He placed second in the Governor's Cup National Championship for Lightning class boats. He won many sailing regattas on Long Island Sound. He was featured in "faces in the crowd" in Sports Illustrated and the subject of articles in the New York Times. References

Saybrook Graduate School Albuquerque Journal article on the closing of Pinion Hills Hospital Closing of Darien Health Care Center described in McKnight's Long Term Care News Rollo May's collected papers including Dr. Sperry's correspondence and dissertation. Reference to Dr Sperry's dissertation research in schizophrenia (2008) Junior Sailing Association Racing Results; Pequot Cup Junior Champion, Associate Champion NY Times article regarding Dr. Sperry's Junior Championship NY Times article regarding Dr Sperry's Associates championship