Laura Bailet, PhD

Executive Director
Nemours BrightStart!

Laura Bailet, PhD, is a strong believer in Benjamin Franklin’s adage: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. As executive director of the Nemours BrightStart! in Jacksonville, FL, she is the driving force behind a unique and innovative program that identifies young children at risk for dyslexia and intervenes to help give them a boost before they enter kindergarten.

Dr. Bailet has many years of experience in working with children with learning disorders.  She earned her undergraduate degree at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, NC, and her master’s and doctoral degrees from Northwestern University in Evanston, IL.  She established the Neurocognitive Assessment Program within the Division of Neurology at Nemours Children’s Clinic, Jacksonville, and directed this program for nearly 18 years before creating the Nemours BrightStart! at the request of the Nemours Board of Directors.  She is a licensed school psychologist and has expertise on a wide range of neurocognitive problems including dyslexia, autism, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), nonverbal learning disabilities, and learning disorders associated with various medical conditions.

Dr. Bailet has conducted several clinical research studies and published numerous peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters.  She is a frequent speaker at local, state and national professional conferences and participates in many community presentations to educate the public about dyslexia and related topics.  For these accomplishments, the Florida Times-Union selected her as the top “Change Agent” in Jacksonville in 2006.  She also is the 2006 recipient of Jacksonville’s prestigious EVE Award for her success in creating the Nemours BrightStart!