About Craig
Craig Selinger, M.S., Licensed Language Pathologist, Educational Specialist, and Executive Function Coach
CEO and Owner, Themba Tutors LLC
(opens in new tab)Talk to a Learning SpecialistCraig Selinger is a highly respected clinician, learning specialist, executive function coach, and the CEO and owner of Themba Tutors. With more than 25 years of experience, he has supported individuals of all ages and a wide range of learning and developmental profiles throughout the New York City metropolitan area and beyond. He holds the Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and is Orton-Gillingham trained.
Craig earned both his undergraduate and master’s degrees in Communicative Disorders from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, one of the nation’s top speech-language pathology programs. His interdisciplinary training included neuropsychological research and testing involving Romanian children adopted in the Midwest, and his work was published in a neuroscience journal. After earning his master’s degree, he completed his clinical fellowship year in New York City.
As an expert in childhood development, language-based learning difficulties, and executive functioning for students, Craig brings extensive experience and insight to his leadership at Themba Tutors. He works closely with clients to assess their needs and provide multidisciplinary care. He also supports Themba’s team of learning specialists by reviewing neuropsychological evaluations, collaborating with professionals, and staying current on developments in education and tutoring.
His commitment is to ensure every student is paired with a specialist capable of building structured, measurable academic execution systems that strengthen planning, organization, time management, task initiation, self-monitoring, and independent follow-through.
Executive Function & Learning Expertise
Craig’s approach to executive function coaching is practical, individualized, and systems-based. Rather than simply telling students to “get organized” or “try harder,” he works to identify where the breakdown is occurring—whether in planning and prioritization, task initiation, time management, working memory, self-monitoring, academic organization, or follow-through. From there, he helps students and families develop external systems, routines, cues, checkpoints, and strategies that reduce friction and promote greater independence.
Craig approaches executive-function challenges as problems to investigate rather than character flaws to judge. He looks for the bottleneck, gathers information about how the student functions in real-world situations, develops a hypothesis about what may be interfering with performance, introduces targeted supports, and adjusts the plan based on results.
Executive-function support is not about parents becoming better managers of their children. It is about helping students gradually learn to manage themselves. Craig’s model intentionally transfers responsibility over time: the parent first provides the structure; the parent and student then use it together; the student takes the lead with the parent checking; and, ultimately, the student manages the system independently.
The goal is not for parents, tutors, or coaches to become a student’s permanent executive-function system. Whether families are seeking ADHD executive function coaching, an executive function coach in NYC, or broader executive function coaching in NYC, the work centers on developing sustainable executive function skills and student independence.
- 01 the parent first provides the structure
- 02 the parent and student then use it together
- 03 the student takes the lead with the parent checking
- 04 the student manages the system independently
Publications, Media & Expert Commentary
Craig has been published in journals and media outlets including Brain Research (opens in new tab), NYMetro Parents (opens in new tab), Healthline (opens in new tab), the NVLD Project (opens in new tab), About.com (opens in new tab), Psych Central (opens in new tab), Tiny Beans (opens in new tab), ADHD Online (opens in new tab), and Momtastic (opens in new tab).
He was featured in New York Magazine’s The Strategist (opens in new tab) as an executive function expert specializing in academic planning, organization, and time management for students. He has also been interviewed by WPIX 11 (opens in new tab) and Business Insider (opens in new tab).
Craig is the author of the Amazon Kindle book ADHD & Executive Function: Habits That Stick: Practical Strategies for Home, School, and Everyday Life (opens in new tab). He is also a contributor to Offline.now (opens in new tab).
Speaking, Workshops & Professional Education
Craig develops and delivers interactive workshops on executive functioning, ADHD, learning differences, academic organization, productivity, and student independence for students, parents, educators, schools, student-athletes, and professional audiences. His presentations focus on translating executive-function research and clinical experience into practical strategies participants can use immediately—including building sustainable routines, identifying bottlenecks, managing competing demands, externalizing information, reducing distractions, and creating systems that support consistent performance.
He has lectured at institutions including Bard High School Early College (BHSEC) (opens in new tab), NYU Langone (opens in new tab), Mount Sinai Hospital (opens in new tab), Educational Alliance (opens in new tab), West Side YMCA (opens in new tab), Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan (opens in new tab), and private schools, providing professional education and workshops. He delivered a remote presentation to parents at the Greene School (opens in new tab) titled “Supporting Students with Executive Functioning at Home”.
Craig’s speaking engagements also include the Center for Attention and Learning at Lenox Hill Hospital (opens in new tab), Northwell Health, and the Everyone Reading Conference (opens in new tab). He moderated the New York City Parents’ Primer Round Table Discussion for Dyslexia (opens in new tab) and presented for the National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals (NAPO-NY) (opens in new tab).
Craig and his team offer workshops designed for schools and educational organizations throughout the New York City metropolitan area, both in person and remotely. These offerings include:
- Enhancing Executive Functioning and Digital Citizenship
- Nurturing Self-Advocacy: Empowering Middle School Students
- Building Blocks for Success: Fostering Self-Advocacy in High School Students
- Helping Students With Their Executive Functioning At Home
- Professional Development: Teaching Executive Functioning Skills in the Classroom (opens in new tab)
- 12-Week Middle School Writing Mastery Program
- Executive Function Mastery for Middle Schoolers
Partnerships & Specialized Educational Projects
Craig has partnered with the Posse Foundation (opens in new tab) and the Urban Dreams Mental Health Film Festival (opens in new tab). In partnership with Pernod Ricard’s Jefferson’s Bourbon (opens in new tab), Themba Tutors helped design a real-world educational experience for bartenders that connected the science of whiskey aging with roller coaster physics during an event at Six Flags.
Themba Tutors also partnered with Hackley School (opens in new tab) to remotely train a physics teacher in differentiating the curriculum for neurodiverse students. Craig and Karin Socci, a KonMari professional organizer with Serene Home (opens in new tab), discussed Essentials of Executive Function and Home Organization Tips in a program hosted by Neighborhood Psychiatry.
Craig participated in The Steven Spectrum Career Project (opens in new tab) and led a “Mindfulness in the Workplace” webinar on September 12, 2024. This first initiative was designed to support mental health for neurodiverse individuals and foster neuroinclusive conversations about navigating the workplace.
Themba Tutors is also a member of CHADD (opens in new tab) and is listed by ADDitude (opens in new tab).
About Craig Beyond His Work
Craig is an avid traveler who has visited nearly thirty countries. He trains in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and aims to become a black belt. He resides in Brooklyn with his wife and two children.
Craig Selinger Podcast
Join my guests and me as we discuss child development, education, therapy, and more! If you are a parent, educator, administrator, doctor, or therapist, join us as we engage in down-to-earth conversations helping each other grow as individuals. This podcast began during the pandemic and continues to provide valuable insights and support.
Listen to our podcast discussions on child development, or read direct parent and client feedback detailing our collaborative approach.
Themba Tutors Video: Meet Our Founder & Staff
Students of all ages receive one-on-one tutoring in all instructional materials, test preparation, and executive function coaching as required. At Themba Tutors, we take the time to help students/clients understand their strengths and progress in areas where they need to improve. We offer personalized tools for each of our clients to help them become more aware of their individual needs as they work towards short-term goals. Improving these skills will benefit our students’/clients’ long-term plans.
Not ready to fill out the form yet? We’re here to make this easy.
📞 (917) 382-8641📲 (917) 382-8641✉ info@thembatutors.com
Every coach offers a free 15-minute remote meet-and-greet, so you can get to know them and see if it feels like the right fit. We’re very responsive and easy to communicate with throughout the process. From there, we’ll thoughtfully match you with one or more of our coaches.