DR. NILOO DARDASHTI - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Certified Behavioral Analyst
Alev Dogan is a Board Certified Behavioral Analyst. Alev completed her dual Master's Degree in Early Childhood Special Education and General Education at Touro College. She then continued her professional development at Penn State University where she earned her BCBA Master's Extension in Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA). Alev takes her professional development very seriously and sees ongoing continuing education as a necessary component of her professional growth. Parallel to working as a Special Education Itinerant Teacher (SEIT) and Special Education Teacher Support Services (SETSS) provider, Alev continued her professional development by completing the Students with Disabilities Master's Extension, Bilingual Spanish/English Advanced Certification, and School/District Leadership Dual Certification. These certifications gave Alev unique insight into the administrative requirements, mandates, and protocols of special education service provision in New York State. It also helped her to navigate through the complex system of administrative protocols when requesting new services, advocating for clients and families, and providing ongoing intervention. Currently, Alev is pursuing her Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership with an emphasis on Special Education Degree.
Beginning with her earliest experiences as a classroom teacher, Alev always understood that each child is unique and each family it shaped by their cultural, religious, and social experiences. She understands that there is no "one-model-fits-all" approach in early childhood special education, particularly when working with children who have special needs. As a multilingual speaker, fluent in Spanish, Turkish, and English, Alev brings with her a unique perspective on the intervention process. In any educational setting, her goal has always been to treat each student as an autonomous individual, while nurturing, motivating, and empowering students to use their natural abilities and talents.
Alev is very passionate about providing special education services to students with developmental delays and multiple disabilities and always searches for new, evidence-based, innovative approaches to intervention. Her keen observational skills, coupled with the unique ability to motivate and instruct struggling students and their parents or guardians, has contributed to Alev's extraordinary success as the SEIT and SETSS professional. Alev has extensive experience working with children of all ages, of different cultural backgrounds. She has an excellent track record in providing proactive intervention services and behavioral supports using effective, evidence-based solutions that are uniquely crafted to meet the needs of each individual client. Her ability to develop intervention plans in response to Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) results has proven effective in a variety of settings.
Additionally, Alev recognized early in her professional practice that it is impossible to achieve success with struggling students without forming productive and positive partnerships with parents or guardians. She prides herself on her ability to develop such professional partnerships because she believes in exhibiting respect for all people and maintaining transparency in her practice.
Job Titles:
- State Licensed and Board Certified Behavior Analyst
Alexandra Vergara is a New York State Licensed and Board Certified Behavior Analyst. She is bilingual and fluent in Spanish. She has 7 years of experience working with individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder. She graduated from Queens College with a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and a Master's degree in Applied Behavior Analysis.
During her academic career, she served as a researcher and student instructor with SIBS Club, a program for children with autism and their families. Within her role, she worked closely with Dr. Emily Jones, PhD, BCBA-D in the development and teaching of individualized programs. These programs taught skills to promote appropriate social relations. She has provided direct ABA services to children and young adults in a variety of settings including, in-home, schools, and the community.
Alexandra has consulted in academic institutions, collaborated in multidisciplinary teams, and provided supervision and staff training using the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis. Her experience includes: conducting Functional Behavior Assessments, developing Behavior Intervention Plans, creating skill acquisition programs, and training staff to implement a variety of techniques such as discrete trial teaching and incidental teaching. Alexandra's interests include using evidenced-based approaches to reduce maladaptive behaviors, as well as, teaching socially positive behaviors needed to be successful.
Job Titles:
- Certified Behavior Analyst
Andrew Ng is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (1-19-37230) from Brooklyn, New York. He received his undergraduate degree in psychology from Queens College CUNY. His interests in child development, and disorders of childhood and adolescence led him to further his studies to obtain a master's degree in Applied Behavior Analysis also from Queens College CUNY.
Andrew first found his passion for working with children with autism during his undergraduate years. His first experience in ABA was when he worked at a weekend program at Queens College, working on building and fostering the relationship between siblings with one or both having autism. Following
that experience, Andrew worked as a behavior technician in which he provided ABA therapy for children with autism in their homes. Wanting to advance his career further, Andrew went on to obtain his board certification and became a Board Certified Behavior Analyst in May 2019. He currently works as a case supervisor and direct care provider. His career as a behavior analyst inspires him to influence others to want to work in the field and spread knowledge of ABA to the rest of the world.
Outside of his work as a practitioner, Andrew is also passionate about academia. He has been teaching undergraduate behavior analysis and autism courses at his home college of Queens College CUNY. In his free time, he loves spending time with his Siberian Husky named Mako, cooking and learning new dishes, and taking care of his many houseplants.
Job Titles:
- State Licensed and Board Certified Behavior Analyst
Ashley Long is a New York State Licensed and Board Certified Behavior Analyst with 10 years of experience in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). Originally from Ohio, Ashley began her work as a behavior therapist in a center-based ABA Therapy program where she served clients 2-20 years of age with a wide array of skill sets. Within this program, Ashley received intensive training in a variety of communication systems, behavior interventions, functional analyses, and life skills programs. While there, she enrolled in the University of Cincinnati's Master of Education in Applied Behavior Analysis program which she completed in 2016. Following completion of her degree program, she relocated to Seattle, Washington, where she worked as a BCBA Supervisor overseeing ABA therapy provided in home, community, and clinic-based settings. Missing the East Coast, Ashley moved to New York the following year where she continued working as a BCBA Supervisor in a center-based program for children, eventually shifting focus to in-home and community-based services.
Having a breadth of experience across environments and age groups, Ashley is skilled in use of various communication modalities including vocal, augmentative, and low-tech systems. She focuses on functional communication training to decrease restrictive behavior and expand environments and learning opportunities first and foremost. She has significant experience supporting individuals with functional living skills such as toilet training, decreasing restrictive behavior related to feeding, and implementation of visual schedule learning systems to increase independence across environments. Ashley also has experience conducting functional behavior assessments, including functional analyses, and utilizes a variety of assessment tools appropriate to her clients' needs.
Ashley takes a naturalistic approach to ABA therapy services, focusing on growth of the individual, increasing independence and autonomy, and ensuring assent-based treatment. Always keeping the big picture of her client's future in mind, she aspires to establish socially valid, real-life goals as the focus of treatment. Ashley deeply values collaboration with caregivers and providers across environments and seeks to offer education and support to empower families to continue the work beyond ABA therapy sessions.
Job Titles:
- Marketing & Communication Specialist
Beth is responsible for Marketing and Communication strategy at MPG, including client insights, brand management, social media, email/web content, events, recruitment, and growth planning. She has over 10 years of experience in management consulting and marketing, including roles at The Boston Consulting Group and Bain & Company. Additionally, she developed marketing content and new products at Muse Paintbar. Beth earned her B.S. in Journalism from Northwestern University. She enjoys volunteering for causes related to children, education, and literacy during her personal time.
Brianna is a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (1-18-33176) and a Licensed Behavior Analyst (001931) in the state of New York. She graduated from Ball State University in Applied Behavior Analysis with an emphasis in autism. For over 6 years, she has worked with individuals with autism and developmental disabilities. She has acquired vast experience working in the clinical, home and community settings.
Brianna has worked as an ABA therapist working 1:1 with children aged 3-17 in both the home and in a center-based setting. Her experience includes implementing behavior plans and teaching skills to increase independence. Brianna has also held the role of a staff trainer where she provided ongoing ABA specific and behavior skills trainings to new therapists.
After receiving her BCBA, Brianna's supervised a team of ABA therapists, created and implemented behavior plans, as well as defined behavior specific goals and programming. She understands the importance of pairing with children and has designed interventions to promote continued progress. Brianna has immense experience with Discrete Trial Teaching, Natural Environment Teaching, and has monitored maladaptive behaviors while teaching replacement skills. Additionally, she has provided parent/guardian training and written training goals to increase generalization outside of ABA sessions.
Brianna has vast experience working with a wide variety of individuals with different skill sets. She believes collaboration with the individual's team is extremely important for their success. Brianna is passionate about working in the field and thrives to continue to better the lives of others through providing effective ABA services.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
Carly Klayman is a New York (#084711) and New Jersey (#9828550) licensed social worker and behavioral therapist with expertise in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). After earning her Bachelor of Science in Communication Disorders at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Carly received her Master of Social Work at Hunter College. In addition, she earned an Advanced Certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis at Hunter College School of Education. Additionally, Carly is formally trained in Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT).
Carly's passion and focus is providing behaviorally oriented treatment to children in their homes, schools and social skills groups who have a wide range of diagnoses including but not limited to: Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), speech and language disorders, oppositional defiant disorder, sensory integration disorders, ADHD and anxiety disorders. Carly's experience extends to working 1:1 with children in a variety of school settings where she develops and monitors individual behavior plans, helps facilitate social interactions and teaches children how to cope with their emotions using concrete and evidence based tools. Her ability to integrate and collaborate with a child's school team, outside providers and family is an integral piece to her work and desire to help children generalize important skills in variety of settings.
Carly is skilled in the treatment of a variety of developmental and behavioral difficulties such as, activities of daily living, transitions, sleeping, toileting, aggressive behavior, low self esteem, lack of motivation, hyperactivity, inattention and separation anxiety. Her experience extends also to parent-child relationships and adjustment difficulties. She applies the principles of Skinner's verbal behavior methodology such as request training, discrete trial instruction, natural environment teaching and error-less teaching procedures for children on the autism spectrum. Carly's knowledge of child development, family systems, and evidence-based interventions help her to bring a unique perspective to individualized treatment with both children and their families.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
Charles has over 20 years of experience working in various executive leadership and administrative roles, including operations, program, and human resource management. He has a bachelor's degree in Industrial & Organizational Psychology, a discipline of psychology that applies psychological theories and principles to organizations and individuals in their workplaces. Charles is also a professional member of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). His experience includes organizational development, human resource management, financial administration, business operations, training and development, and program management. Charles is responsible for the planning, implementation, management, and operation of the total human resource strategy and activities of MPG, including full-cycle recruiting and onboarding, administration of benefits, leave, and pay, and enforcing company policies and practices.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
Dr. Andrew Daren is a New York State licensed psychologist (#020211) who received his B.A. in Psychology from Brandeis University and went on to earn his doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology, an APA accredited program.
Dr. Daren specializes in comprehensive neuropsychological assessments of children, adolescents, and adults who are residents of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Florida. He has been conducting neuropsychological evaluations on a full-time basis for over 7 years. Dr. Daren utilizes the most up-to-date tests and testing technology to make an in-depth assessment of all cognitive domains (e.g., attention, language, executive functioning) as well as emotional and social functioning. He is experienced at conducting neuropsychological evaluations in-person and via telehealth with individuals across the age range, using a combination of paper and pencil, computerized, and observational testing techniques.
Dr. Daren has received specialized training in the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-Second Edition (ADOS-2) and he specializes in assessing children and adolescents for Autism Spectrum Disorder, Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Non-Verbal Learning Disorder (NVLD), and learning disabilities such as Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, and Dyscalculia. He has also evaluated many children with neurological conditions such as Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, epilepsy, auditory processing disorder, and traumatic brain injury. By gathering a complete history and thoroughly evaluating each child across all areas of cognitive, academic, emotional, and social functioning, Dr. Daren is able to provide diagnostic clarity to parents who are concerned about their child's social, emotional, behavioral, attentional, or learning problems.
As part of the testing process, Dr. Daren interviews parents, contacts other medical/mental health providers, and speaks with school staff to gather a complete picture of each child. Medical records and past testing reports are reviewed, and when appropriate Dr. Daren observes children at school or other natural environments. Depending on a child or adolescent's needs, Dr. Daren conducts testing over a single session or multiple shorter sessions. Frequent breaks are provided, and playful activities are incorporated into the testing session when needed in order to increase engagement. Following neuropsychological testing, Dr. Daren utilizes a feedback session to guide parents, school personnel, and other treating providers on how to best utilize the results of the evaluation. Solution-focused recommendations are tailored to each child's strengths and weaknesses and are designed to be utilized by school staff and other treating providers.
For years, Dr. Daren has helped parents utilize the results of neuropsychological testing to secure appropriate treatments/interventions and accommodations in school (e.g., IEP, 504 plan) or on standardized tests (e.g., SAT, ACT). Recommendations may include a medication consultation, social skills training groups, executive function coaching, testing accommodations, and treatments such as Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), Parent Management Training (PMT), and Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA).
Dr. Daren remains available for support and consultation even after the feedback session and the delivery of a comprehensive report. He has extensive experience participating in Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings, collaborating with mental health and school providers, and testifying on behalf of children in impartial hearings involving the Department of Education. Dr. Daren has developed a network of skilled and trusted providers with whom he collaborates, including psychologists, psychiatrists, tutors, and coaches.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
Dr. Ariel Kornblum is a New York State Licensed Psychologist (#021301), Board Certified Behavior Analyst (#1-16-23753) and New York State Licensed Behavior Analyst (#001532). She received her undergraduate degree in Psychology from The George Washington University, and completed her graduate degree at St. John's University. Dr. Kornblum is the Senior Director of Clinical Operations, Behavioral & Educational Services, as well as a child/adolescent/adult psychologist and a former Assistant Director at Big Apple Day Program. Dr. Kornblum is additionally licensed to practice via telehealth in Florida, New Jersey and Michigan.
In her role as Senior Director, Dr. Kornblum oversees a staff of Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBA), Licensed Behavior Analysts (LBA), behavior therapists and certified special educators who provide academic and therapeutic support in schools, homes and communities throughout the NYC metro area for learners ages 2-21+. She additionally coordinates with special education attorneys, families and school staff in order to provide needed testimony and support, as well as to maximize treatment integrity and outcomes.
Dr. Kornblum provides Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), behavioral parent management training (PMT), Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE), school/teacher consultations, executive function coaching, as well as applied behavior analysis (ABA). Areas of expertise include behavior management, school refusal, social skills challenges, as well as treatment of anxiety and depression. Dr. Kornblum additionally works closely with families to navigate behavioral challenges associated with ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA). Dr. Kornblum approaches treatment from a collaborative perspective, and works closely with parents and caregivers, school teams, as well as outside providers to ensure consistency and integrity. Dr. Kornblum employs evidence-based treatments to facilitate long term positive change, and integrates neurodiversity affirming practices into all of her clinical work. Dr. Kornblum regularly presents to parents and professionals on a variety of topics, including treatment of anxiety, behavior management, and evidence based treatments.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- New York State Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Dr. Becky Fenton is a New York State Licensed Clinical Psychologist (#018964), specializing in the treatment of tweens, adolescents, adults, couples, families, and parents. She has 13 years of experience post doctorate in assessment, diagnosis and treatment of anxiety disorders, depression, trauma, relationship difficulties, and providing parent services. She provides treatment to address problematic behaviors (procrastination and insomnia), troubling emotions (fear, depression and anxiety), maladaptive thought patterns (self-criticism and rumination), and relationship issues (work, family and dating).
Dr. Fenton integrates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), psychodynamic and relational therapy, Mindfulness Training, and Executive Function Coaching to assist clients in addressing challenges across the lifespan, including navigating stressful life events, transitions, improving relationships and moving beyond roadblocks toward personal growth. She utilizes a collaborative approach and provides a safe space for clients to transform and become the best version of themselves.
Dr. Fenton also provides services for parents to successfully navigate issues that arise over the course of parenthood, including: Postpartum blues, depression, or anxiety; Sleep issues; Feeding issues; Sibling adjustment to a new baby; Work transition; Difficulty with separation; Concerns about development; Children with learning difficulties or behavioral issues. She provides coaching and tools for parents to master these challenges and experience the joys of parenting. She also collaborates with other key figures, including school professionals and the child's providers.
Dr. Fenton received her doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Long Island University - C. W. Post with a specialization in families and trauma. She trained at Bronx Children's Psychiatric Center and Creedmoor Psychiatric Center.
Job Titles:
- Clinical Psychologist
- Member of the Leadership Team
Dr. Caroline Harvey is a clinical psychologist licensed in New York, Idaho, and Washington state. She obtained her B.A. in Psychology from the State University of New York at Geneseo and her PsyD in Clinical-School Psychology from Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology of Yeshiva University.
Dr. Harvey has a passion for empowering parents to effectively manage their children's challenging behavior while also improving the parent-child relationship and building distress tolerance across all family members. To this end, she provides individual and family therapy to children, adolescents, and parents utilizing evidence-based approaches. She specializes in treating youth who suffer from Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Selective Mutism (SM), and other childhood anxiety disorders. Dr. Harvey is a certified therapist in Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) and PCIT for Selective Mutism. She is a co-author on the research development manual for PCIT Adapted for Older Children, a family intervention for children 7-10 years of age with disruptive and oppositional behaviors. She additionally provides Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Kazdin's Parent Management Training (PMT).
Dr. Harvey is committed to collaborating with schools, psychiatrists, and other service providers to best support children across all settings. She specifically enjoys training, consulting with, and coaching teachers in the use of effective behavioral management strategies with students with challenging behaviors or moderate to severe anxiety. She is also a certified Within Agency Trainer for PCIT, enabling her to provide training to other therapists seeking PCIT certification within Manhattan Psychology Group.
Dr. Harvey received her pre-doctoral training at the ADHD and Behavior Disorders Center at the Child Mind Institute as well as at Children and Youth Services at South Beach Psychiatric Center. She then completed her APA-accredited pre-doctoral internship at The Help Group in Los Angeles, California where she provided individual, group, and family therapy and administered comprehensive psychodiagnostic assessment batteries to children and adolescents in school and outpatient settings. Dr. Harvey completed her postdoctoral fellowship at Therapy West and Academics West in New York City where she provided individual, group, and family therapy, and trained, consulted, and coached teachers in vivo in the use of effective behavior management strategies with students. She was previously the Director of Mighty Mouth Kids Camp at Kurtz Psychology Consulting, a group intensive for children 3-9 years of age with selective mutism.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
Dr. Chelsey Rosen is a New York State licensed psychologist (#022640) and a certified NY State School Psychologist. She received her B.S in Psychology from the University of Maryland-College Park and her Doctoral and Masters degrees in School Psychology from St. John's University.
Dr. Rosen is a certified therapist in Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) and a Selective Mutism (SM) specialist. She has trained, supervised and consulted to clinical psychology trainees, licensed psychologists and various school personnel in various behavioral therapies. In addition to PCIT and SM, Dr. Rosen has expertise in providing evidence-based treatment to children and adolescents from ages 2-21. Dr. Rosen provides cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), behavioral parent management training (PMT), exposure and response prevention (ERP), school/teacher consultations, as well as teacher-child interaction training (TCIT). She works very closely with various schools in NYC and the surrounding areas providing consultation, workshops and live in-vivo coaching to school personnel on behavioral management skills in both public and private school settings. She completed both her Postdoctoral Fellowship and clinical internship at Kurtz Psychology Consulting under the direct supervision of Dr. Steven Kurtz.
Dr. Rosen specializes in working with children, adolescents and families who have a wide range of emotional and behavioral disorders including but not limited to: anxiety, school refusal behaviors, depression, ADHD, ODD and OCD. She has presented at various conferences on both TCIT and SM. She has also provided individual and group therapy for children to build both social and emotional skills.
As a certified school psychologist working both in the schools and clinical settings, Dr. Rosen has experience working with a multi-disciplinary team and is committed to collaborating with both the families and the schools when providing therapeutic interventions.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Clinical Director of Psychological Services, Child, Adolescent & Adult Psychologist
- Director of Psychology
Dr. Francyne Zeltser is a New York State Licensed Psychologist (#020690). She received her undergraduate degree in Psychology from Binghamton University, and completed her graduate degree at St. John's University. Dr. Zeltser is the Clinical Director of Psychology, Training & Special Projects at MPG, as well as a child, adolescent and adult psychologist, certified school psychologist, adjunct professor and mother of two.
In her role as Director of Psychology, Dr. Zeltser oversees a team of Licensed Psychologists, Neuropsychologists and Psychotherapists who provide counseling and assessment services to children, adolescents and adults. Additionally, she coordinates the psychology internship and postdoctoral fellowship training program which prioritizes direct care learning opportunities, supervision and professional growth.
Dr. Zeltser provides cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and parent management training (PMT). Her primary specializations are in child and adolescent development, behavior management, family counseling, educational interventions, psychological and educational assessment, effective parenting strategies, consultation and educational advocacy. The focus of her clinical practice includes, treatment of ADHD, anxiety and depressive disorders, conduct and disruptive disorders, family therapy, psychological testing and school-related behaviors.
Dr. Zeltser promotes a supportive, problem-solving approach where her patients learn adaptive strategies to manage challenges and work toward achieving both short-and-long term goals. She helps patients navigate a variety of challenges such as how to improve focus, social skills, time management, reduce negative emotions, build a growth mindset, resolve conflict and get organized. Her integrative approach enables her to provide high quality, evidence-based treatments to address the diverse and unique needs of her patients.
Dr. Zeltser's work has been featured in CNBC.com, womansday.com, NYMetroParents.com and Parents.com.
Job Titles:
- Analyst
- Adjunct Professor at Teachers College
Dr. Georgette Morgan is a NYS Licensed Behavior Analyst (001790-01) and a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (328215). After completing her bachelor's degree in Inclusive Elementary Education at Syracuse University, Dr. Morgan received her master's and doctoral degree in Teaching as Applied Behavior Analysis at Teachers College, Columbia University.
Dr. Morgan has years of experience, within multiple settings, working with individuals with a variety of diagnoses and delays including Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), speech and language disorders, and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Dr. Morgan has a wealth of knowledge in supporting her students and clients' development of academic, behavioral, social, self-management, communication, and appropriate play skills.
Dr. Morgan currently works in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) delivering direct services as well as supervising classroom teachers, therapists, and behavior analysts in their implementation of behavioral services. This involves attending annual review meetings to collaborate in the construction of Individualized Education Plans (IEP), creating and implementing appropriate programs and techniques for targeting areas of need, monitoring data to ensure adequate progression across all areas of need, monitoring data to ensure long-term maintenance of skills, as well as creating, implementing and monitoring behavior intervention plans to teach appropriate replacement behaviors.
Dr. Morgan also has years of experience collaborating with parents, school staff and outside providers to support the generalization of skills across settings. She believes that working collaboratively helps to provide the best support for the long-term acquisition of skills. Dr. Morgan has provided multiple parent training sessions on a variety of topics including behavior management, toilet training, functional communication, and social skills.
Dr. Morgan is also an adjunct professor at Teachers College, Columbia University. She has instructed a course on using evidenced-based teaching strategies in the classroom setting and thus she is continuously working to stay current on the latest research and evidenced based practices to provide the most effective services for her clients and their families. Dr. Morgan has published research related to ABA in reputable peer-reviewed journals and her interests include furthering research on the incidental acquisition of language in individuals with autism.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Co - Owner & CEO, Child, Adolescent & Adult Psychologist, PCIT Therapist, Founder of Big Apple Day Program & Electronic Daily Report Card
- Founder of Big Apple Day Program
- Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Dr. Joshua Rosenthal is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist in New York (#017930), New Jersey (#4723) and Florida (#TPPY527), specializing in the treatment of children, adolescents, young adults, parents and families with ADHD, depression, anxiety, OCD, disruptive behavior disorders, High Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders, phobias, social skills problems, school issues and relationship difficulties.
Dr. Rosenthal worked and trained at several prominent hospitals, including Yale New Haven Hospital and Long Island Jewish Medical Center. He is the former Outreach Coordinator and Peer Counseling Program Coordinator for The City College of New York where he trained faculty, staff, and students in stress reduction, anger management, time management, test anxiety, insomnia, and depression/suicide awareness.
Dr. Rosenthal is a certified therapist in Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) and trained in Behavioral Parent Management Training from the Kazdin Yale Parenting Center & Child Conduct Clinic. He has given grand rounds on Asperger's Syndrome at Woodhull Medical Center and Lenox Hill Hospital. He regularly presents to parents, clinicians, schools and students about positive parenting, social skills training and CBT Treatments for Anxiety, ADHD and ODD. He has written on the behavioral treatment and executive function in children with epilepsy and ADHD.
With formal training in several theoretical orientations (i.e., cognitive-behavioral therapy, PCIT, psychodynamic psychotherapy, and systems family therapy), Dr. Rosenthal is able to integrate different treatment approaches for the benefit of each patient. He utilizes evidenced-based treatments and helps patients by teaching new skills, building distress tolerance, enhancing awareness and communication, facilitating personal insight, and challenging maladaptive relationship and thinking patterns. Dr. Rosenthal employs an active therapeutic stance to facilitate long-lasting, positive change.
Dr. Rosenthal is the founder of Big Apple Day Program, a social skills summer treatment camp in Manhattan that helped over 400 children with social and emotional difficulties from 2011-2019 have a fun and therapeutic summer experience. He is also the founder of the Electronic Daily Report Card (eDRC), a online behavioral progress monitoring tool that was used by thousands of students across the country from 2016-2020. Finally, he has served as an Adjunct Clinical Supervisor for doctoral students in the CBT Child Program at Ferkauf Graduate School, Yeshiva University, and as a Voluntary Faculty Clinical Instructor in the Department of Psychiatry at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
Dr. Rosenthal received his BA in Psychology from University of Delaware and his doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Long Island University - CW Post campus. He is a member of numerous professional organizations, including the New Jersey Psychological Association, New York State Psychological Association and Society of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology.
Most recently, Dr. Rosenthal has shifted his focus from treating patients to primarily focusing on leadership, growth and company culture. He is dedicated to hiring the best professionals, creating innovative ways of helping more children and families and executing the company mission, vision and core values.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
Dr. Karen Surowiec is a New York (#022086) and New Jersey (#5822) State Licensed psychologist who earned her doctorate from the APA accredited Nathan Weiss Graduate College in NJ. She also earned a Masters in School Psychology at Nathan Weiss, and a Masters in Communication and Bachelors in Fine Art from Rutgers University. Dr. Surowiec comes to us from Children Specialized Hospital in NJ as the former Supervisor of Psychology. She has extensive experience in managing and participating in interdisciplinary testing teams to diagnose Autism, ADHD, Learning Disorders, and Intellectual Disabilities. She specializes in differential diagnosis and hard to diagnose children under 5 years old and tests children and adults of all ages. Dr. Surowiec also has extensive experience in the NY and NJ court systems and provides evaluations for Immigration, Military, Weapons, Substance Use, and Bariatric Surgery.
Dr. Surowiec's training includes externships at NJ Public Schools, Einstein College of Medicine Infant-Parent Court Project in the Bronx, and St. Barnabas Emergency Psychiatric Department in the Bronx. She completed her internship at Montefiore-Einstein and her post doc at Mt. Sinai-Icahn School of Medicine. She received training for ADOS Autism testing from the Seaver Autism Center for Research at Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai and from Rutgers University GSAPP (Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology). She also provided adult, child, and family treatment in the Nathan Weiss Psychology Clinic.
She completed her internship at Albert Einstein-Montefiore Medical Center in the Infant-Parent Court Project (IPCP) where she concentrated on Infant-Parent Psychotherapy (IPP). IPP focuses on child-parent attachment, emotional attunement, behavior modification, and family reunification. During her time at IPCP, she helped to train Child Protection Services Staff on Child Brain Development, Emotional Attunement, and Toxic Stress.
Dr. Surowiec completed her post-doc at Mt. Sinai-Icahn School of Medicine where she worked in the Child and Family Institute. During her time at Mt. Sinai, she also worked at the Therapeutic Day School center, which focused on specialized support for children with behavioral difficulties and developmental delays.
Dr. Surowiec also offers art therapy for adults who are treatment resistant to talk therapy or who would like to learn how to incorporate creativity into their lives to relieve stress and anxiety. Dr. Surowiec has worked in the fine art and graphic design field for over 20 years and can assist with individual art making processes and overcoming creative blockages.
Dr. Surowiec has extensive experience in the LGBTQ community and works with individuals regarding sexual identity, gender identity and expression, coming out, managing internalized homophobia, and transgender issues. She provides LGBTQ-informed therapy to assist with family difficulties, relationships, and co-occurring emotional disorders.
Dr. Surowiec works with children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families with ADHD, anxiety, depression, specific phobias, psychosis, grief, and OCD. She can also assist with parent-child bonding, feeding difficulties, self-esteem challenges, and help improve family and individual communication skills. She also offers mindfulness training to develop coping skills, which can help improve family relationships, improve sleep, and manage anxiety symptoms.
Dr. Surowiec brings her combined experiences and talents together to provide comprehensive and culturally sensitive evidence-based therapies to Manhattan Psychology Group. Therapies include CBT, DBT, Infant-Parent Psychotherapy, Compassion-Focused Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Parent Management Training, and Mindfulness. She offers child testing and evaluations for Autism, Learning Disorders, Intellectual Disabilities, Reactive Attachment disorder, Prodromal Schizophrenia, and Cognitive functioning. Dr. Surowiec offers adult testing for Autism, Intellectual Disability, and Cognitive Functioning, and evaluations for Immigration, Military, Weapons, Substance Use, and Bariatric Surgery. She is more than happy to provide a free consultation.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Senior Child & Adolescent Psychologist, PCIT Therapist, Former Director of Big Apple Day Program
Dr. Lauren Feiden is a New York State licensed psychologist (#020219). She specializes in working with young children and their families, and is formally trained in Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT).
After receiving her undergraduate degree with a major in Psychology from McGill University, Dr. Feiden went on to receive a graduate degree in Clinical Psychology from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology, and was part of their innovative child and adolescent treatment program. She completed her internship and postdoctoral fellowship at Andrus Children's Center in Westchester, NY. There, she provided individual, family, and group therapy, and completed training as a PCIT therapist with a within-agency trainer.
Dr. Feiden has extensive experience working with children, adolescents, young adults, and families who have a wide range of emotional and behavioral disorders including but not limited to: anxiety, depression, trauma, ADHD, and disruptive behavioral disorders. She has experience providing treatment in a number of different settings including community mental health centers, inpatient and partial hospitalization programs, in private practice, in schools, and in a summer treatment camp. She also has experience in leading groups for children, adolescents and families focusing on improving social skills, emotional regulation, self-concept, and the parent-child relationship.
In addition to being formally trained in PCIT, Dr. Feiden is also trained in cognitive behavioral therapy, parent training and play therapy. Dr. Feiden takes an integrative approach to treatment and views each client as a unique individual and bases her treatment approach on specific client needs, symptoms, and goals. Dr. Feiden is very motivated to work collaboratively with individuals and their families to identify the best possible treatment plan.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Senior Child & Adolescent Psychologist, PCIT Therapist and Within Agency Trainer, SM Specialist
Dr. Margaret Areizaga is a New York State licensed psychologist (#021636) who received her B.A. in Psychology from Mercy College and her M.A. in Psychology in Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. She went on to earn her doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from Rutgers University.
Dr. Areizaga is a certified Therapist in Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) and Within Agency Trainer in PCIT. She has trained, supervised and consulted to clinical psychology trainees, licensed psychologists and social workers in the use of PCIT. In addition to PCIT, Dr. Areizaga has expertise in providing a range of evidence-based treatments, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), parent management training, and exposure and response prevention (ERP). She has also received intensive training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) under the supervision of Dr. Alec Miller.
Dr. Areizaga specializes in the assessment and treatment of children and adolescents and has extensive experience in the diagnosis and treatment of anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, selective mutism, oppositional defiant disorder, and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. She has provided individual and group therapy, as well as parent and teacher training, in a variety of settings including outpatient clinics, private practices and both public and private schools in New York and New Jersey.
Dr. Areizaga is a strong proponent of providing the highest quality of care to children, adolescents and their families through the use of evidenced-based treatments. She works collaboratively with individuals and families to develop individualized treatment plans focused on teaching new skills that will facilitate lasting change and a better quality of life.
Elizabeth McLeod is a NYS Licensed Behavior Analyst (001839). She received her Masters in Social Work from the University of Oklahoma. While completing a social work internship with adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, Liz attended a meeting led by a BCBA, which inspired her journey into her profession of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). She completed her advanced degree in Behavior Analysis through the University of Massachusetts-Lowell.
Liz began working in ABA as a therapist, where she gained experience working a clinic and children's homes using natural environment teaching and discrete trials while receiving BCBA supervision that included training on conducting assessments, data collection and behavior interventions.
She has also worked with adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities with severe behaviors, training staff to support the client with behavior supports and adaptive daily living skills so they could participate in their community activities.
Liz has worked at applied behavior analysis schools and clinics to oversee ABA therapists, train implementation of programs and behavior intervention procedures, as well as train parents to use the same interventions at home. After she was promoted to as a Comprehensive Case Manager, she oversaw a team of students and therapists, trained her staff to conduct and implement behavior interventions, and oversaw data collection and decision protocols.
She has many years of experience of working with children and adults with autism, down syndrome, and intellectual disabilities, specifically supporting their behavioral, social and daily living skills. Liz has expertise in conducting functional behavior assessments and writing behavior intervention plans and training staff and parents to implement the plans.
Liz currently works in the field of ABA, providing direct therapy as a LBA and creating programs based on assessments to support the individual at home and in the community. She is passionate about preparing her clients for independence and success in their future.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Clinical Intern
Gabriela Schermer studied Psychology and Criminal Justice during her undergraduate years at George Washington University. During that time, she worked closely with the national chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, developing the first chapter on a college campus. Her experiences coupled with her passion for criminal justice and welfare catapulted her interest in working in the field of mental health. Gabriela is currently completing her Master's degree in Mental Health and Wellness Counseling at New York University.
Gabriela's prior clinical experience includes an internship with a mental health organization, Your Hope Center, as well as related experience in various settings including hospitals, schools, and the county jail. Gabriela has worked with individuals with a variety of presenting symptomatology.
Gabriela is excited to be completing her internship at MPG and is looking forward to working with children, adolescents, families and couples with various presenting issues including mood and anxiety disorders. Gabriela believes a strong therapeutic alliance is the key to successful mental health treatment.
Gina Sterling is an educator with over 15 years of experience and service to diverse communities across New York City and the Greater New York Area. She holds a Dual Master of Science degree in Early Childhood General and Special Education from the College of New Rochelle.
Gina has dedicated her practice to providing culturally sensitive teaching and training methods to children with special needs, neurodevelopmental challenges, and behavioral issues. She gained a wealth of knowledge and experience working with colleagues in different disciplines, eventually leading interdisciplinary teams herself-and worked within the home, school, and community environments to enhance children's overall progress and development.
In 2007, Gina started to work in several underserved communities within Bronx County to address gaps in service delivery in Early Intervention and other early childhood services for children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). As an Applied Behavior Analyst (ABA) therapist, her passion and clinical experience in early childhood development and special education have motivated her to expand further her scope of practice by understanding the different modalities that utilize verbal behavior and behavioral interventions. She pursued postgraduate education in Applied Behavior Analysis at Manhattanville College, where she learned how to create and implement behavior plans, decrease maladaptive behaviors, and teach socially appropriate behaviors. Gina currently holds candidacy for BCBA certification.
In line with Gina's goal to increase overall awareness of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) globally, Gina was an invited speaker for the first annual Proyecto Samy conference in the Dominican Republic that provided training and resources to families with children with autism spectrum disorder. Gina takes pride in working closely with families providing training and resources which have been beneficial to reaching monumental milestones and goals. Her families express how life-changing her work has been. Gina is passionate about her work with children and will continue to grow and learn while making a difference in the lives of the children and families.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Member of the American Psychological Association
Dr. Schapiro is a New York State Licensed Psychologist (# 014400) with over 20 years of experience treating children, adolescents, and adults (including couples and families). He specializes in behavioral and cognitive-behavioral therapy. He has trained at the Beck Institute for Cognitive Therapy and is also trained in Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (FAP), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), Behavioral Parent Training (BPT), and Integrative Behavioral Couples Therapy (IBCT).
Dr. Schapiro is a graduate of Hunter College (BA), NYU (MA), and Pepperdine University (Doctor of Psychology). He completed his psychology internship at Columbia University. In addition to his psychotherapy practice, Dr. Schapiro has worked at the New York City Family Courts, where he conducted custody evaluations and provided in-court testimony. He is an expert in forensic psychology. He is a Clinical Instructor in the Department of Psychiatry at NYU School of Medicine.
Dr. Schapiro is a member of the American Psychological Association (APA), The American Psychology-Law Society (AP-LS), the New York State Psychological Association (NYSPA), and the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT).
Jill's background includes working in various administrative and communication roles. Her administrative experience includes executive, HR, and financial assistance as well as project management. Jill is extremely detail-oriented and enjoys creating organizational systems and processes to maximize operational efficiency. She has also utilized her background in communications as a media specialist, contributing news reporter, and assistant to authors on book productions. She is fluent in French and has 8 years of international experience, having lived in Paris, France as an ambassador for a US-based, non-profit organization. Jill is responsible for providing operational support to the total human resource activities of MPG, MPA, and MPG Tutoring.
Job Titles:
- Certified Behavior Analyst ( 1 - 16 - 24430 ) and Certified Special Education Teacher
Justine Caputi is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (1-16-24430) and Certified Special Education Teacher in New York State. She received her undergraduate degree in Special Education and General Education (K-12) from Cabrini College. Justine completed her Masters Degree in Special Education with a focus in Behavior Disorders, and obtained an advanced graduate degree in Applied Behavioral Analysis at Hunter College.
Justine is passionate about working collaboratively with families and educators to carefully curate and provide individualized socially-significant programming in order to best support clients at school and in the home. Helping parents and educators gain a deeper understanding of abilities, decrease problem behaviors, and increase functional life skills is Justine's top priority. Watching students reach their potential and gain meaningful life skills with the help of ABA, a variety of evidence-based practices, and a collaborative team keeps her inspired.
Justine has spent a significant amount of time in a variety of educational settings for individuals ages 5-21 on the Autism Spectrum including public schools, private schools, and a charter school designing and implementing ABA programs that meet student and family needs. Over the years, she has been providing DTT (discrete trial training for early learners), NET (Natural Environment Teaching for more advanced young learners), and SET (Social and Emotional Training for adolescents). She has experience conducting Functional Behavioral Assessments and skill-tracking assessments (AFLS, VB-MAPP), writing Behavioral Intervention Plans and IEP Goals, providing home consultation to families, teaching travel/job skills training to adolescents, and implementing training and supervision for instructional staff. Justine is particularly passionate about supporting caregivers and educators in the creation and implementation of behavior plans - finding effective, differentiated, safe, and functional procedures is pertinent for change in a positive direction across all environments.
Justine's experiences of working with families across home and school gives her a nuanced understanding of special education and how parents can best work in collaboration with a team to meet their students' needs.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Controller / As Manhattan Psychology Group
- Controller / Psychology
As Manhattan Psychology Group's Controller, Katie Mabry oversees the preparation of financial statements as well as creating and maintaining budgets and projections.
Katie earned her Bachelor of Science in Finance from The University of Alabama. Katie specializes in analyzing financial data and providing actionable feedback based on her findings. She has over 20 years of professional experience across both public and private sectors. She was responsible for cost proposals and accounting functions for over 100 winning proposals while working with the Department of Defense (DoD), Department of Energy (DOE), National Institute of Health (NIH), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), as well as universities and commercial companies across the U.S. In her free time, Katie enjoys the outdoors, traveling, watching college sports, and spending time with her husband and 2 children.
Job Titles:
- New York State Licensed Behavior Analyst
Kristin Fayad is a New York State Licensed Behavior Analyst and a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. She received her undergraduate degree in Psychology from Rutgers University in New Jersey. During her undergraduate studies, she enrolled in a fieldwork experience at the Douglass Developmental Disabilities Center (DDDC), which is where she decided to further her education in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). She decided to pursue her Masters in Education at the Graduate School of Education (GSE) at Rutgers University in New Jersey while providing home-based ABA therapy to her own clients. She became a certified Special Education and Elementary Education Teacher in New Jersey.
Once she finished her Masters, she continued to provide ABA therapy services and completed an online BCBA course sequence at the Florida Institute of Technology (FIT). The lessons learned from the professionals online were both informative and inspiring. She completed this coursework in 2013, and began searching for supervisory experience, which is when she decided to pursue a Masters degree in Teaching as Applied Behavior Analysis at Teachers College, Columbia University in New York. In her second year of the Masters program, Kristin taught a self-contained classroom with students from 3rd to 5th grade using the CABAS (Comprehensive Application of Behavior Analysis to Schooling). She used evidence-based ABA instructional approaches and curricula including Direct Instruction (DI) in collaboration with mentors at Teachers College. Most recently, she has worked in New York as a clinical supervisor in the home and telehealth settings. She also supervises some cases internationally and is involved in disseminating ABA in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Kristin is passionate about teaching and guiding all individuals with or without developmental disabilities. She firmly believes that the principles of ABA can improve all individuals' quality of life, across all skill sets like communication, academics, social and adaptive skills. Her goal is to help other professionals and parents to utilize these evidence-based practices in the natural environment with all learners. She is passionate about helping students to be successful at school, and being independent and successful learners at home as well. Her main goal is to work with teachers and parents so that they utilize effective strategies to increase positive behavior in both neurotypical and neurodiverse clients.
Job Titles:
- New York State Licensed Master Social Worker
Lauren Blumenthal is a New York State Licensed Master Social Worker and holds her limited permit as a Licensed Behavioral Analyst. She received her undergraduate degree in Psychology and completed her Master's Degree at Hunter College School of Social Work specializing in Family, Youth and Children services. She further received her graduate degree in Applied Behavioral Analysis at St. Joseph's College of New York. Lauren is a member of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) and is a certified School Social Worker. Lauren specializes in working with young children and their families, and is formally trained in Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT).
Lauren's passion is working with special needs children and their families. Lauren has spent the last 7 years working in clinic and home settings providing 1:1 and group ABA therapy for a variety of children as well as creating programming and behavior plans while also supervising other therapists and implementing parent training and support. She believes in evidence-based practice in building positive social interactions and specializes in helping children gain confidence and self-esteem in order to achieve their maximum potential. Lauren has experience addressing behavioral and developmental challenges and facilitates appropriate social and communication skills by providing children with ASD with the ability to converse, share and play with others. Lauren has experience designing and implementing social skill group curriculum tailored to the individual needs of each child and training caregivers with carrying over social skill strategies across settings.
Lauren also utilizes her background in Social Work by meeting children where they are, has a genuine appreciation of the uniqueness of each child, and utilizes environmental factors to promote overall positive achievement in each child. Lauren also connects parents to community resources and programs to ensure their child is receiving the best and utmost treatment and services.
In addition to being formally trained in PCIT, Lauren is trained and certified as a CBT Psychotherapist specializing in the cognitive-behavioral treatment of anxiety disorders, depression, and coping with challenging life effects in children, adolescence, and adults. Using the integration of cognitive-behavioral and mindfulness, she believes successful therapy is achieved in the context of an accepting and supportive relationship. She uses a variety of interventions to help clients identify patterns of behavior and assumptions and how those patterns fit into the lives that they want to be leading. It is in the spirit of this collaborative approach that she coaches her clients through an effective process of change, addressing problems and symptoms so that clients can achieve meaning and value in their lives.
Lauren is also educated and skilled in Parent Management Training (PMT) specializing with children with ODD, social disorder, ADHD, and anxiety disorders. Adjunct to treatment involves educating and coaching parents to change their child's inappropriate behaviors at home or in school and to replace with positive interactions with peers, parents, and authority figures while using principles of social learning theory, operant conditioning, and behavior modification. In order to accomplish this goal, Lauren focuses on enhancing parenting skills and coaches parents in applying such strategies as rewarding positive behavior, and responding to negative behavior by removing rewards or enforcing undesirable consequences.
Job Titles:
- Certified Behavior Analyst
Madeline Thiel is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (1-17-28054) and Licensed Behavior Analyst (001927) living and working in Manhattan, New York. She studied psychology in her undergraduate years at University of Maryland, College Park and received her Bachelor of Arts degree. An interest in therapy and working with children led her to a job upon graduation implementing Applied Behavior Analysis through a Speech and Language Pathology clinic in Washington, DC. She soon decided to continue her education in the field and enrolled in Florida Institute of Technology where she earned her Masters degree in Applied Behavior Analysis.
In 2016, she moved to New York where she worked at FIT Learning, a learning clinic specializing in reading, math and writing programs utilizing Precision Teaching and Direct Instruction. She currently works as an in-home service provider delivering parent training, early intervention and behavior intervention services.
Madeline has over 8 years of experience working with individuals aged 2-21 in homes, daycares, schools, clinics and community settings. She is PEAK Level 1 certified and is interested in verbal behavior, social skills, Relational Frame Theory curriculum and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy based methodologies. She is passionate about providing thorough, comprehensive and compassionate care to her clients and hopes to continue making a meaningful impact in the lives of individuals she works with.
Job Titles:
- MPG Psychology Practice Intern
Madison is a psychology student intern, working in the office assisting our practice administrator and the clinicians with all aspects of patient care.
She is currently working towards her B.S. in Psychology at Northeastern University as well as conducting social and moral cognition research at Columbia University.
Madison began her journey into psychology in 2020 when she began research at Harvard University. During this time, she started working as a Care Coordinator for a psychology group that specializes in female mental health, but quickly learned she is primarily interested in developmental psychology and working directly with kids in a clinical setting.
If you see her walking around the office, she would be more than happy to answer any questions!
Marleni Mallol is a Special Educator (2751523) living and working in New York City. She studied Human Services and Mental Health during her undergraduate years. In 2010, She furthered her studies by obtaining a Bachelor's Degree from Lehman College in Speech Pathology and Audiology. During this journey, she learned more about an Early Intervention-Special Education and Dual Certification Bilingual Extension program at the same college and decided to pursue a graduate degree and teaching certifications to help children with diverse needs. While studying at Lehman College, she worked for three years as an intern-teacher's assistant at an Integrated Co-Teaching classroom in the Bronx, New York supporting children with diverse needs.
After she graduated, she traveled to the Dominican Republic, Ecuador and Peru on a missionary trip with the purpose of providing supplies, quality resources and compassionate support to families and children in need. This trip was extremely rewarding for Marleni and inspired her to embark in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) to help families and children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and other disabilities.
This journey led Marleni to acquire a postgraduate advance certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) at Hunter College in 2020. In June 2021, Marleni successfully completed the prerequisites to be eligible to sit for the Board Certification exam. Marleni is currently working as a Special Educator/Behavior Therapist, providing center base one to one instruction as a home service provider. Marleni is a compassionate professional who aspires to grow and apply her experience and knowledge in making a meaningful impact to the individuals and families that she works with.
Michael Puleio is a Licensed Behavior Analyst (002100) living in Queens, New York. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of Connecticut in the fall of 2016 and graduated from the honors program. He then returned to his hometown of Long Island and went on to earn a Master of Arts degree in Behavior Analysis from Queens College in the spring of 2020.
Michael received his first experiences in ABA while working as a teacher's assistant at a special education school during the summer after he graduated high school. This inspired him to pursue a career in ABA in college, leading him to internships, research, and jobs in the field in Connecticut, New York, and Massachusetts throughout undergraduate and graduate studies. He then completed all requirements for Licensure and was approved by New York State in April of 2021.
Michael has been passionate about working with children and ABA throughout his entire adult life. He feels that the impact that we have on the population we work with is of utmost importance and improving the lives of each child and family that we service will always be the priority. Some of his greatest experiences have come from the people he has connected with on his path from a teacher's assistant to an LBA.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
Ms. Carolyn Rindone received her Bachelor's degree from Oneonta State College and her Master's degree from St. Joseph's College. She holds degrees in Childhood Education and Special Education, as well as her Professional New York State Teacher Certification for grades 1 - 6. She currently teaches in a New York City public school as a 5 th grade teacher in an Integrated Co-teaching (ICT) classroom.
Working in an ICT class, Carolyn specializes in adapting the Common Core Curriculum to meet the needs of all learners. Carolyn adapts various intervention programs and curriculum to enhance instruction for her students. She uses various strategies to find entry points for students with dyslexia, learning disabilities, speech and language delays, students on the ASD spectrum, behavior and emotional impairments, as well as those with executive functioning disorder. Carolyn's primary focus is to teach students the appropriate skills and tools they will need to become more independent and successful life-long learners.
In addition to teaching in the classroom, Carolyn is also a 1:1 Academic Tutor and Executive Function Coach for students in grades 1-12. Executive functions are the foundational skills of self-management that allow us to set attainable goals. Carolyn works with clients to teach them how to manage time, plan, and become more organized. Tutoring and Coaching sessions are done 1:1 and take place in the client's home.
Job Titles:
- New York State Licensed Master Social Worker
Ms. Dorrie Barbanel is a New York State Licensed Master Social Worker (084344) and a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (001406). She received her undergraduate degree in Psychology with a focus on Early Childhood Development from Bryn Mawr College. Dorrie completed her Masters Degree at Columbia University School of Social Work specializing in Family, Youth and Children Services, and an advanced graduate degree in Applied Behavioral Analysis at Hunter College School of Education. She is formally trained in Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT).
Dorrie's passion is working with special needs children (ASD and other diagnoses) and their families. Serving families for over a decade, she believes in using evidence-based practice to improve learning, build skills, and help children achieve their maximum potential. Dorrie has years of experience designing and implementing home and school-based ABA programs tailored to the individual needs of each child. Dorrie is experienced and skilled at expert witness report writing and testifying, as well as conducting FBAs, BIPs, and ABA Skills Assessments for children. A point of emphasis for Dorrie is teaching and supporting families to carry strategies across settings and caregivers.
Dorrie is skilled at providing both DTT (discrete trial training for early learners) and NET (Natural Environment Teaching for more advanced young learners). She has specific experience addressing a wide array of early childhood behavioral and developmental challenges, such as global developmental delays, toilet training, picky eaters, biting, sleep challenges, aggressive behaviors, following routines, daily living skills, communication difficulties, underdeveloped social skills, underdeveloped play skills, and more.
Dorrie draws on her background in Social Work and Child Development. She specializes in working with young children and their families, and is formally trained in Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT). In addition to being formally trained in PCIT, Dorrie is skilled at providing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for children with anxiety, anger or emotional challenges. She is practiced in using Coping Cat, SuperFlex, and other methodologies to help children navigate their emotions and develop effective coping skills.
Dorrie is especially passionate about providing CBT to children with special needs. She believes that all children are capable of learning, and loves catering her approach to the individual needs of each child she meets. Dorrie completed a post-graduate fellowship at the Jewish Board of Family and Children's Services, earning the title "Child Development Specialist" and "Peer Playgroup Psychotherapist." Her practice integrates a Social Work approach by meeting children where they are, and then guiding them to excel through the use of behavioral principles, playfulness and a genuine appreciation of the uniqueness of each child.
Dorrie also has years of experience providing telehealth and remote therapy to children and families.
Job Titles:
- MPG Practice Administrator
Job Titles:
- MPG Billing & Payroll Specialist, Psychological Services