Short Biography
Nirvana Pistoljevic received her B.A. in Psychology from Rutgers University. Then, from Teachers College she received M.A. in General and Special Education, Ed.M. in Instructional Practices in Special Education and an M.Phil. in Behaviorsim. In 2008, she received a Ph.D. in Applied Behavior Analysis from Columbia University, where she has been teaching for the past 6 years at the Graduate School of Education. She is also teaching as a visiting professor at the Parma University Graduate School of Psychology. Dr. Pistoljevic has achieved the ranks of Senior Behavior Analyst and Assistant Research Scientist through the CABAS® system and is a published researcher and invited lecturer in the fields of education, psychology, behavioral science, e-learning, and language development. Her current research interests include early childhood development, verbal development, observational learning, inclusion, behavior-environment interactions, and behavioral systems.
Also, Dr. Pistoljevic is committed in helping children with Autism and other developmental disorders in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where she is one of the founders of an NGO “EDUS-Education for All” committed to advancing educational practices in this country. She is currently spending most of her time in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where she is working with UN agencies (UNICEF and UNDP), training a staff of 40 professionals, providing education and services for over 100 children, running first Early Intervention program in BiH, conducting research and writing. Currently she is working on developing standardized assessment tools for detecting developmental delays, evaluation and educational program creating tools for children with developmental disorders, and curricula for parent education and future parent education. She is also committed to supporting Green Movement and is co-chairing Sarajevo Green Design Festival, an annual manifestation including International Green Design Scientific Conference. Also, she is on the board of directors of a Bosnian-Herzegovinian-American Academy of Arts and Sciences (BHAAAS), and helps organize a scientific conferences and knowledge exchange opportunities via annual BHAAAS Congress in BiH.
Short Biography
Ken Lindsay was born in Sydney, Australia and grew up in Perth. He graduated from the Royal Military College, Duntroon in in 1984, becoming an Australian Army officer and acquiring a major in English and Geography at the University of New South Wales. In 1988 he transferred his commission to the British Army, serving with The King’s Royal Hussars. Appointed MBE for his services during the war in Bosnia, since 1995 he has held civilian posts, firstly with the European Community Monitoring Mission (ECMM) in Montenegro, Croatia and BiH, then as a member of the executive management tasked to establish the Independent Media Commission of Bosnia and Herzegovina. On returning to Western Australia in 2000, Ken worked in the energy sector, focussing on regulatory issues and strategic business development for a multi-billion dollar joint venture. After returning with his family to Bosnia in 2004, he worked for OHR and NATO as a political and politico-military advisor. In 2006 one of his four children has been diagnosed with autism. In 2010, he became one of the founders of EDUS-Education for all.
Short Biography
Sanela Lindsay (nee Smajlović) was born in 1966 in Sarajevo. After studying at Civil Engineering Faculty in Sarajevo and working in international organisations, such as United Nations World Food Programme (UNWFP) in Sarajevo and Rome, and European Commission Monitoring Mission (ECMM) in Sarajevo, in 2000 she moved to Australia with her family. In 2006, after returning to Bosnia, one of her children was diagnosed with autism. Since 2007 she has been an activist in the area of education and support to children with autism and other developmental difficulties, first as a member of Association of Parents of Children with Autism (URDAS), then as a founder and one of the officials of EDUS-Education for All, always as a volunteer.