Deanna Paoli Gumina, Ph.D., B.C.E.T. graduated from the California School of Professional Psychology (now Alliant University) in 1995 with a degree in Psychology. Formerly a secondary school teacher, she returned to work in schools starting with St. Elizabeth School in San Francisco, where she expanded the special education program to serve kindergarten through eighth grade students.
During her tenure at St. Elizabeth’s, she brought together the special education and resource teachers throughout the Archdiocese of San Francisco. Leaving St. Elizabeth, Dr. Gumina acted as an independent consultant to several schools, and then became the upper form learning specialist at Stuart Hall for Boys. She continued to develop her private practice, testing students and simultaneously teaching graduate students in the Special Education Department at San Francisco State University and the University of California Extension.
In 1999, Dr. Gumina became the Director of Admissions at Sterne School, an academic program educating sixth through twelfth graders, each of whom was diagnosed with a specific learning disability. In this setting, she customized unique programs for each student, based on a broad understanding of testing and interpretation. Dr. Gumina also developed and taught an eighth grade course on “Brain Behavior” that combined a functional knowledge of the brain and study strategiespreparing the students for a high school program of their choosing.
Currently, Dr. Gumina has an established private practice. She is passionate about her work with students, parents and educators. Her time is devoted to assessments, giving workshops to teachers, and providing recommendations for coursework and school placements. She regularly consults with colleagues who work within neurological fields as well as serving as president of the Board of Directors of Moving Forward Toward Independence, a nonprofit residential program serving high-functioning, working dependent adults.