Having served in numerous teaching and administrative roles in education, Richard Olenchak is a professor and psychologist at the Center for Gifted and Talented in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at The University of Houston. As an active researcher, he particularly enjoys working with and studying gifted students who have accompanying special educational and developmental concerns. A featured speaker at numerous parent and professional conferences addressing gifted and talented education, Dr. Olenchak is interested in creating alternative strategies that concurrently develop both social and emotional skills as well as individual talent.