About Us

Kathleen Nadeau is an internationally recognized, award-winning authority on ADHD across the lifespan and the author of 18 books on ADHD. She was the Founder and Director of the Chesapeake Center for ADHD, Learning, and Behavioral Health in Bethesda, Maryland, a highly respected clinic that served the community for 35 years.Throughout her career, Dr. Nadeau has focused on advancing understanding of populations with ADHD that were historically overlooked or misunderstood.

Her work has been especially influential in highlighting:

• Adult ADHD at a time when ADHD was still widely viewed as a childhood disorder. She edited one of the first professional books on adult ADHD in the mid-1990s.

• ADHD in girls and women, contributing groundbreaking research and advocacy that led to her nomination for the CHADD Hall of Fame Award in 1999.

• Workplace issues for adults with ADHD, helping bring attention to the importance of meaningful careers and supportive work environments.

• ADHD in older adolescents and young adults, emphasizing the need for continued support beyond childhood.

• ADHD in older adults, a rapidly growing yet still underserved population that deserves far greater clinical attention.

In recognition of her decades of contributions to the field, Dr. Nadeau received the CHADD Lifetime Achievement Award in 2025.

Across her years of clinical practice, her understanding of ADHD and its treatment has continually evolved, always guided by a commitment to developing practical, evidence-based strategies that help individuals with ADHD lead satisfying, authentic, and successful lives.