Founder, Clinical Director

Dr. Tracey Ward received her doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Seattle Pacific University and completed her pre-doctoral internship in the Child Track at Seattle Children’s Hospital within the University of Washington, School of Medicine. Dr. Ward specializes in treating children with selective mutism and has trained extensively in both Seattle and Chicago with leading experts in the field, co-developed a Selective Mutism treatment group at the Seattle Children’s Hospital, led intensive treatment sessions and camps, and provided outpatient therapy. Dr. Ward presents frequently at conferences, schools and community organizations both locally and nationally in understanding selective mutism. Dr. Ward has a true passion for working with children with selective mutism. She is the clinical director of the Brave Explorers Camp and operates her own clinic, Brave Seattle. She primarily sees children with selective mutism, anxiety and OCD.

Dr. Gerdts is a skilled child clinical psychologist with 20+ years’ experience in pediatric mental health and developmental disabilities. Dr. Gerdts specializes in the diagnostic assessment of autism, and was the director of Diagnostic Services at the Seattle Children’s Autism Center for 8 years. She has been on faculty since 2014 as an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at UW. Dr. Gerdts is a committed teacher and content expert in the field. She has supervised and mentored many clinicians in our state, is honored to have earned many teaching awards at UW, and has published 50 research articles on autism and developmental disabilities. She also has her own clinical training and consultation business–Autism Insights–geared toward training community professionals in the diagnostic assessment of autism.

Dr. Gerdts recently made a career shift away from academia and is thrilled to be part of the clinical team at Brave Seattle offering psychological and diagnostic assessments to identify developmental disabilities and mental health diagnoses in children. She enjoys seeing children throughout the pediatric lifespan, and will tailor evaluations to meet your needs.

“I was born and raised in the Seattle area, and love taking in the beauty of the Pacific Northwest—on the water, in the mountains, and even just curling up with a book on a rainy day. Despite a doctorate degree in child clinical psychology, my two kids keep me humble about the realities of raising little humans. I try not to expect perfection from myself as a parent and promise to offer you the same grace as we work together in our evaluation to better understand your child.”

Megan Frye, PhD, is a licensed psychologist who works with children, adolescents, and families. Dr. Frye specializes in the assessment and treatment of developmental, behavioral, and emotional differences including autism spectrum disorders, ADHD, learning difficulties, giftedness, anxiety, and trauma. Dr. Frye provides assessment and treatment services to children and families in both English and Spanish. She also provides clinical supervision and training in her clinic at Brave.

Dr. Frye draws primarily from cognitive behavioral and systems theory, as well as other evidence-based treatments including dialectical behavior, parent-child interaction, and mindfulness-based therapies. Her assessment and treatment is guided by a belief in the importance of collaborative problem solving and a supportive therapeutic relationship. She works closely with her clients and their families to understand individual strengths and help use those strengths to overcome challenges. Given her extensive background in community integrated health-care, Dr. Frye also consults and collaborates with schools and other community providers to help encourage consistent support across all environments in a child or adolescent’s life and makes sure kids are supported outside of clinic walls. 

In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Frye is an Attending Psychologist and the Lead of Consultation in School-Based Behavioral Health at Seattle Children’s Hospital where she provides clinical consultation and training focused on school mental health across the country. Prior to her current role at Seattle Children's, Dr. Frye founded and led the autism evaluation clinic in primary care at the Odessa Brown Children's Clinic from 2016-2025. She holds a PhD. in school psychology from the University of Washington. She completed a general child clinical psychology internship at Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City and a post-doctoral clinical fellowship in the Bernier Research Lab at the University of Washington Autism Center. She also holds a master’s degree in school psychology from Humboldt State University and worked as a school psychologist and licensed mental health counselor locally in schools in the US as well as internationally in South America.

Licensed Mental Health Counseling Associate

Aimée “Mimi” Hogan is a self identified neurospicy artsy-nerd and an OCD community advocate. She earned her master’s degree in Applied Child and Adolescent Psychology from the University of Washington. Mimi completed her clinical training at Seattle Children’s Hospital Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) for OCD where she provided therapy to youth and families with severe OCD and comorbid disorders. Mimi specializes in ERP therapy for treatment of anxiety disorders and OCD. She uses a holistic approach pulling from her training in CBT, DBT, PCIT, and PCIT-SM to creatively tailor sessions to meet individual client needs. Mimi supports client’s overall wellbeing by incorporating ACT values work, mindfulness and self-compassion. When not in the office, Mimi enjoys creating and appreciating any form of creative artistic expression, learning obscure animal facts, laughing with loved ones, and daydreaming about the successful growth of her various house plants. 

Mia completed her practicum at Brave Seattle. She received her BS in Biochemistry and a minor in Bioethics from the University of Washington. Wrapping up her Masters in Applied Child and Adolescent Psychology at the University of Washington in the summer of 2025, Mia now joins Brave as a master’s level clinician. Mia spent a year as a Clinical Outreach Intern at Sound Mental Health, and worked full-time at Seattle Children’s Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine Unit for 2 years as a Pediatric Mental Health Specialist. Through her experiences, Mia has familiarity in working alongside children with a variety of different diagnosis’ aged 4-17 years old. Her work thus far primarily specializes in emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and de-escalation skills. Mia practices with sensitivity and compassion, seeking to support children and families through early intervention and collaborative problem-solving. In her free time, Mia enjoys reading, going on walks, and spending time with her family and friends.

Izza completed her practicum at Brave Seattle. She earned her undergraduate degree at University of Washington, with a major in Psychology and minors in Diversity and Education. During her undergraduate years, she worked as an after-school teacher at Kids Club After-School Program, specializing in social-emotional learning. Alongside this role, she also worked as a research assistant in the Stein Lab at Seattle Children’s where she did research on childhood ADHD treatments. These roles influenced her interest in supporting children facing various mental health challenges. Izza completed her master’s degree in Applied Child and Adolescent Psychology at the University of Washington. She joins our team with comprehensive experience from her program and her clinical training under Dr. Tracey Ward. In her free time, Izza enjoys trying new restaurants, going to workout classes and getting sweet treats!

Leah received her B.A. in Psychology from Wellesley College and earned her Master’s degree in Applied Child and Adolescent Psychology from the University of Washington. Before beginning her graduate training, she worked at Brave first as a clinical intern and later as a case manager. Leah completed her clinical practicum at Seattle Children’s Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic, where she provided CBT and TF-CBT to youth and families, and co-led an Incredible Years group for first graders. Leah brings an integrative approach to her clinical work, drawing from her training in CBT, TF-CBT,  PCIT, and PCIT-SM to meet each client’s individual needs. Her approach is strengths-based and collaborative, focusing on building practical skills not only for children but also for their families and the environments where they live, learn, and grow. Outside of the office, Leah enjoys playing and coaching pickleball. She is an avid skier, reader, mountain biker, and she loves to cook and share meals with her friends. 

Kimberly “Kimmy” Pardo, BCBA, LBA is a behavior and education consultant who received her M.Ed. in Applied Behavior Analysis at Ball State University and her BA in Psychology with an emphasis in Early Childhood Education at Cal-State University, Fullerton. She began working with individuals with autism spectrum and related disorders in 2013 and became a BCBA in 2020.

Kimmy is passionate about teaching children life skills , social skills, and language through a play based and naturalistic approach. She believes that learning new skills in a fun, nurturing environment creates therapeutic relationships that foster positive growth.

Clinical Case Manager, Registered Behavioral Technician

Emmett received his BA in Psychology from the University of Puget Sound. While in school Emmett played a large role in planning and running Brave Explorers Camp. After graduating, Emmett’s passion for working with neurodiverse populations led him to become a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT). Within six months, he advanced to the role of lead RBT at his clinic, where he honed his skills in child-directed interactions, team collaboration, and parent involvement. His experience with children diagnosed with ASD reinforced his commitment to the field. Now, as a full-time case manager on our team, Emmett is dedicated to making sure your voice is heard and that your family feels supported throughout every step of the journey.