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Leadership
Board of Directors
Program & Staff Leadership
Instructional Staff


  

Board of Directors

Our board members are dedicated to the present and future success of The Birchtree Center. 

Gregory Majewski, Esquire, President

 

Bruce Dicker, FAIA, LEED AP, Director

Albert P. Stowe, CPA, PLLC, Treasurer

 

Carol McClard, Director

Tracey Tucker, MA, LCMHCSecretary

 

Christine Guarino, PhD, Executive Director 

Glicka KaplanPast President 

 



  

Program & Staff Leadership

Leadership of The Birchtree Center is governed by vision, values and motivation. Our leadership team is comprised of managers and clinicians who possess specific skills in Behavior Analysis and special education for students with autism. Our team of special educators, behavior analysts, speech-language pathologists, and occupational therapists oversees programs and ensures the progress of every student. Our leadership team is comprised of experienced experts in the field of autism and all hold advanced degrees.

 
 

Executive Director / Special Education Director

Christine Guarino, PhD, CCC-SLP, holds two Masters Degrees and a PhD in Speech Language Pathology from Columbia University. Dr. Guarino is a certified Speech-Language Pathologist and experienced clinician with over 35 years in the field of autism, administration, and research.  She has served as Professor of Communication Sciences and Disorders at various universities and has worked with children, youth and adults with autism in both educational and clinical settings.  She has published chapters in textbooks and articles in journals, and has presented at national and international conferences.

Executive Director

 
 

Program Director

Sandra Pierce-Jordan, PhD, BCBA, received a bachelor's degree from Colby College and the MEd and PhD degrees from Northeastern University. She is a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst.  Dr. Pierce-Jordan joined The Birchtree Center as Senior Behavior Analyst in October 2007. She has worked with children and adults with autism and Asperger's for over 20 years in a variety of roles - consultant, school psychologist, and teacher. Dr. Pierce-Jordan has worked collaboratively with schools and families in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine, providing functional behavioral assessments, behavior support plan development, individualized educational plans, curriculum development, applied behavior analysis programming, diagnostic evaluations, program evaluations, staff and parent trainings, and workshops.

Senior Behavior Analyst

 
 

Senior Special Education Case Coordinator

Shelly Fagen, MIT, holds a Master of Initial Teaching, K-12, with an emphasis in Special Education, from Gonzaga University.  Ms. Fagen has experience managing special education caseloads in  public and private school settings.  Ms. Fagen’s professional experience includes case management for students with varying disabilities including autism. She has taught special needs students in special education, resource room, and inclusive general education settings.

Special Education Case Coordinator 

 
 

Speech-Language Pathologist / Behavior Analyst

Cathy Booth, MS, CCC-SLP, BCBA, holds a BS in Early Childhood/Family Services and Communication Disorders; an MS in Communication Disorders from the University of New Hampshire; and an EdS in Behavior Education from Simmons College.  Ms. Booth is a certified speech language pathologist and Board Certified Behavior Analyst. Ms. Booth is trained in the Lindamood Phoneme Secquencing (LiPS) and Seeing Stars programs. She has experience programming and implementing a variety of augmentative and alternative communication systems, including voice output and PECS. Ms. Booth has worked with children from birth through high school diagnosed with ASD in public school settings and private practice. She has provided workshops on the use of visual supports for Southeastern Regional Education Service Center, Inc. (SERESC).

Speech-Language Pathologist

 
 

Outreach Coordinator / Behavior Analyst

Catherine  Al Jenaibi, MS, BCBA, has a MS in Applied Behavior Analysis, from Northeastern University and is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. Katie has experience working with a wide variety of clients with developmental disabilities and mental illnesses.  She has worked with children ages 4-16 in intensive residential programs, 1:1 instruction, public school inclusion, home instruction and acute inpatient settings. She has experience developing curriculum and behavior management strategies for individuals across the autism spectrum as well as training families and support personnel.

Outreach Coordinator

 
 

Behavior Analyst

Erin Conlan, MSEd, BCBA, has been with The Birchtree Center for many years as a Clinical Instructor and Senior Clinical Instructor, and is now a Behavior Analyst.  Erin holds an MSEd degree from Simmons College and is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst.

 

Behavior Analyst

 
 

Behavior Analyst

Stephanie Mariano, MSEd, BCBA, joined our staff as a Senior Clinical Instructor in 2007.  Since that time, she has earned an MSEd degree from Simmons College and is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst.

Behavior Analyst

 
 

Behavior Analyst

Rebecca Walsh, MSEd, BCBA, has been with The Birchtree Center for many years as a Clinical Instructor and Senior Clinical Instructor, and is now a Behavior Analyst.  Becca holds an MSEd degree from Simmons College and is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst.

Behavior Analyst

  
 

Director of Development & Community Relations

Jessica Files Squier, MA, has worked at nonprofits throughout the northeast including Strawbery Banke Museum, the Newport (R.I.) Historical Society, Mystic Seaport, Plimoth Plantation, and the Chester County (Pennsylvania) Historical Society.  Her duties have included public relations, grant writing, program planning, tour-guide training, public speaking and more.  Her graduate studies at the University of Delaware included coursework in not-for-profit management, fundraising and publicity.  She has an MA in history with certification in museum studies.

 

Director of Development

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Instructional Staff

Our instructional staff is comprised of special educators, clinical instructors, and the individuals named above.  All instructors are specially trained and highly qualified, with a bachelor's degree or higher in a related field and with extensive training in Applied Behavior Analysis and special education.  Instructors also receive training in sensory integration, social skill development, communication sciences, and augmentative and alternative communication systems.  Most instructors have completed the thirteen-hour basic training for the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS).