Community Panel Discussion with the Tourette Association of America and Medical Professionals

Tuesday, Apr. 28 2026, 7:00

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A Friendly Reminder: Some audience members at this screening may have Tourette Syndrome, a neurological condition that can involve involuntary vocal sounds, words, phrases, or body movements called tics. These behaviors are neither intentional nor disruptive by choice. They are a natural part of the condition. Thank you for your patience, understanding, and support in helping us maintain an inclusive and respectful space for all moviegoers.

• Lex Fogarty is a 16-year-old junior at Rye High School. For the past four years he has served as a Tourette Youth Ambassador for the New York Hudson Valley Chapter, educating the community and advocating for greater understanding of Tourette. In addition to his advocacy work, Lex is a stage manager for his high school theater club and works as a math tutor.
• Dr. Helene Walisever is a licensed clinical psychologist and member of the Tourette Association of America’s Education Advisory Board. She serves as Chair of the New York Hudson Valley Chapter of the Tourette Association, providing counseling, support, and educational advocacy to families. She brings both professional expertise and lived experience to her work; both Helene and several of her children have Tourette Syndrome and associated conditions.
• Dr. Ronald I. Jacobson obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Wisconsin and his Doctor of Medicine degree from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He completed a pediatric internship, residency, and neurochemistry fellowship at Yale University. His neurology residency and pediatric neurology fellowship were completed at the University of Minnesota. After many years of pediatric neurology practice in White Plains, New York, he became the Chief of Pediatric Neurology at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital at Westchester Medical Center and New York Medical College in Valhalla, New York. His interests include the broad spectrum of childhood neurological conditions, particularly those that require multidisciplinary diagnostic or therapeutic approaches. Complex neurobehavioral and neuropsychiatric conditions, such as Tourette Syndrome and its associated disorders, are his current clinical focus. Growing up in the Midwest has been his secret ingredient to his common-sense approach to patient care.