Staff
Todd M. Kays, Ph.D.
President of the Athletic Mind Institute
Todd M. Kays, Ph.D. is president of the Athletic Mind Institute, a sport and performance consulting firm in Dublin, Ohio. Dr. Kays a licensed psychologist and devoted to helping athletes and people of all walks of life achieve peak performance on a consistent and frequent basis. He attended the University of Notre Dame for his undergraduate degree and obtained his doctorate at the State University of New York at Buffalo.
Dr. Kays is a leader in the field of Sport Psychology. The co-author of Sport Psychology for Dummies (2010), Dr. Kays' training and guidance have helped thousands of athletes eliminate the most common mental errors and breakdowns in sport. For five years, he was the sport psychologist for the Columbus Crew, the major league soccer team in Columbus, Ohio and has worked with numerous soccer players and coaches throughout the country. Dr. Kays has consulted with athletes and coaches from all different levels of sport, including Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, United States Tennis Association, Professional Golf Association, and Ladies Professional Golf Association. He consults regularly with the athletic departments at The Ohio State University and Ohio University, both of which he also serves as an adjunct faculty member. Dr. Kays was the first sport psychology fellow at The Ohio State University, training several athletes, coaches, and teams, including National Champions, All-Americans, and Olympians. In addition to Sport Psychology for Dummies, he has co-authored four additional books: Athlete's Journal (2008), Golfer's Journal (2008), Positive Transitions for Student Athletes: Life Skills for Transitions in Sport, College, and Career (2000), The Parent’s Playbook: Developing a Gameplan for Maximizing Your Child’s Athletic Experience (2001). He produced Peak Mental Performance in Golf: Sharpening the Mental Side of Your Game, a CD, book, and video series addressing mental training for the sport of golf. Dr. Kays has appeared on radio, television, and newspaper, including but not limited to ESPN, Golf Channel, Fox Sports, and New York Post. He is and has been a consultant to top businesses, including NAPA Auto Parts, Huntington Bank, Mount Carmel Health, and Ohio Health.
Maria Bucci, M.Ed., LPC
Counselor at the Athletic Mind Institute
Maria Bucci, LPC has over 28 years of experience as a former teacher and guidance counselor. She is a licensed professional counselor and works with children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families on a wide variety of areas and issues, including but not limited to, depression, anxiety, stress, parenting, divorce, relationship success and communication. She also currently works as a prevention specialist for Northwest Counseling Services, providing counseling services to children in Hilliard, Upper Arlington, and the Grandview City Schools. Her expertise includes developing individual and group counseling sessions on topics such as grief and loss, anger management, divorce, social skills, and adolescent issues.
For the past seven years, Maria also has been the counselor to Hilliard’s HOPE Program. This program offers at-risk students, who have been suspended or expelled, the opportunity to pursue an alternative school environment. Maria is also a well-recognized presenter at many workshops for parents and teachers, which discuss various developmental concerns such as; teaching your child responsibility, bullying/violence, and at-risk student behaviors.
Maria is a native of Columbus, Ohio and currently lives in Dublin with her husband of over 20 years and her two children.
