Dr. Judy Willis, a board-certified neurologist and teacher combined her training in neuroscience with her teacher education training and the past ten years of classroom teaching to become a leading authority in the field of parenting and teaching strategies derived from learning-centered brain research.After graduating Phi Beta Kappa as the first woman graduate from Williams College, Judy Willis attended UCLA School of Medicine where she was awarded her medical degree. She remained at UCLA and completed a medical residency and neurology residency, including chief residency. She practiced neurology for fifteen years before returning to university to obtain her Teaching Credential and Masters of Education from the University of California, Santa Barbara. She taught then elementary and middle school for the past ten years.Dr. Willis is an authority in brain research regarding learning and the brain and currently dedicates her time to presenting information about classroom and parenting strategies derived from brain research at educational conferences, professional development workshops, and to parent groups and nationally and internationally.

She has been a Distinguished Lecturer at ASCD national conferences, writes extensively for professional educational journals, and was honored as a 2007 Finalist for Distinguished Achievement Award for her educational writing by the Association for Educational Publishers. "Ask Dr. Judy" is a regular webinar feature offered free to all through ASCD.orgDr. Willis is the author of six books, including four books for educators, Research-Based Strategies to Ignite Student Learning, Brain Friendly Strategies for the Inclusion Classroom, Teaching the Brain to Read, and Learning to Love Math: Teaching Strategies That Change Student Attitudes and Get Results, that will be out in July 2010. Her first book for parents, How Your Child Learns Best: Brain-Based Ways to Ignite Learning and Increase School Success, with foreword by Goldie Hawn, will be released in translation in China. Her book Inspiring Middle School Minds: Gifted, Creative, Talented, for educators and parents was a finalist for the 2010 USA Book News Magazine 2010 Best Book Awards in Education/Academic Category. Dr.

Willis is a research consultant and member of the board of directors for the Hawn Foundation, an international foundation developed and directed by Goldie Hawn. She co-wrote the Foundation's MindUp curriculum of activities for teachers to do with children to increase their emotional control, stress management, and attentive focus. Link to Neurology Now: Journal of American Academy of Neurology for the cover article featuring the collaboration of Dr. Willis and Goldie Hawn to bring neuroscience into classrooms and teach children about Building Better Brains.