How it all started…
Mary and Eliza met through the APSARD (The American Professional Society of ADHD and Related Disorders) Mentor Program. Mary was absolutely convinced she had signed up to be a mentee, so you can imagine her surprise when she showed up to their first meeting and discovered she had been assigned to mentor Dr. Eliza Barach, a Cognitive Psychologist. Talk about a flash of imposter syndrome!
Needless to say, it made for a pretty memorable first conversation.
Fortunately, what could have been awkward quickly turned into something much better. They realized they each brought unique perspectives, experiences, and expertise to the table. Before long, they agreed to set aside the formal mentor-mentee labels and simply focus on helping each other learn, grow, and better serve the ADHD community.
As ADHD Coaches, one topic kept surfacing in their conversations: continuing education.
They both loved learning and were committed to staying current with ADHD research and best practices. Yet they kept running into the same problem. While there were excellent conferences and training available, there wasn’t a conference specifically designed for ADHD Coaches seeking practical, research-informed professional development tailored to their work. And many of the options that did exist came with price tags that put them out of reach for coaches who needed ongoing education the most.
Then one day, staring at each other through the virtual expanse of Zoom, one of them said, “Why not us?”
The other immediately agreed.
And just like that, the idea for the ADDvance Conference was born.
They envisioned a place where ADHD Coaches could do what Stephen Covey called “sharpening the saw”—investing in their own growth so they could better support the people they serve. A place where coaches could access high-quality, research-informed training from respected experts in the field without breaking the bank. A place designed specifically for the ADHD coaching community, where learning, connection, and professional growth could happen together.
The ADDvance Conference was created by coaches, for coaches, with the belief that continuing education should be both exceptional and accessible.
Dr. Eliza Barach, PhD. BCC
ADDvance Co-founder
Dr. Eliza Barach is a cognitive psychologist and Board-Certified Coach who has been studying the science of attention, motivation, and decision-making since 2016. She earned her PhD in cognitive psychology from SUNY Albany, and over the past six years has specialized in helping high-performing adults with ADHD understand and leverage their unique brain chemistry to get sh!t done.
Dr. Barach is the founder of Neural Revolution, an ADHD coaching practice, and co-founder of ADDvance. She regularly speaks to coaching, clinical, and professional audiences on evidence-based approaches to ADHD. With both lived experience and scientific expertise, she bridges research and experiential insight to help ADHDers build systems that actually work for their brains.
Mary E. Smith, BS
ADDvance Co-founder
Mary E. Smith is an ADHD Life Coach with more than 15 years of experience helping families reduce conflict, strengthen executive functioning skills, and support children in developing independence. She specializes in translating modern ADHD, motivation, and executive function research into practical, parent-implemented strategies that work in real homes.
Mary is the creator of the Chaos Free® Family parent training program and Chaos Free® Homework!, and she regularly speaks to parents, educators, clinicians, and professional audiences on sustainable behavior change without reliance on rewards and punishment.
Dr. Eliza Barach, PhD. BCC
ADDvance Co-founder
Dr. Eliza Barach is a cognitive psychologist and Board-Certified Coach who has been studying the science of attention, motivation, and decision-making since 2016. She earned her PhD in cognitive psychology from SUNY Albany, and over the past six years has specialized in helping high-performing adults with ADHD understand and leverage their unique brain chemistry to get sh!t done.
Dr. Barach is the founder of Neural Revolution, an ADHD coaching practice, and co-founder of ADDvance. She regularly speaks to coaching, clinical, and professional audiences on evidence-based approaches to ADHD. With both lived experience and scientific expertise, she bridges research and experiential insight to help ADHDers build systems that actually work for their brains.
Mary E. Smith, BS
ADDvance Co-founder
Mary E. Smith is an ADHD Life Coach with more than 15 years of experience helping families reduce conflict, strengthen executive functioning skills, and support children in developing independence. She specializes in translating modern ADHD, motivation, and executive function research into practical, parent-implemented strategies that work in real homes.
Mary is the creator of the Chaos Free® Family parent training program and Chaos Free® Homework!, and she regularly speaks to parents, educators, clinicians, and professional audiences on sustainable behavior change without reliance on rewards and punishment.
Dr. Eliza Barach, PhD. BCC
ADDvance Co-founder
Dr. Eliza Barach is a cognitive psychologist and Board-Certified Coach who has been studying the science of attention, motivation, and decision-making since 2016. She earned her PhD in cognitive psychology from SUNY Albany, and over the past six years has specialized in helping high-performing adults with ADHD understand and leverage their unique brain chemistry to get sh!t done.
Dr. Barach is the founder of Neural Revolution, an ADHD coaching practice, and co-founder of ADDvance. She regularly speaks to coaching, clinical, and professional audiences on evidence-based approaches to ADHD. With both lived experience and scientific expertise, she bridges research and experiential insight to help ADHDers build systems that actually work for their brains.
Mary E. Smith, BS
ADDvance Co-founder
Mary E. Smith is an ADHD Life Coach with more than 15 years of experience helping families reduce conflict, strengthen executive functioning skills, and support children in developing independence. She specializes in translating modern ADHD, motivation, and executive function research into practical, parent-implemented strategies that work in real homes.
Mary is the creator of the Chaos Free® Family parent training program and Chaos Free® Homework!, and she regularly speaks to parents, educators, clinicians, and professional audiences on sustainable behavior change without reliance on rewards and punishment.
