Leadership | The Birchtree CenterThe Birchtree Center

Administrative Staff Behavior Analysts Special Education Staff Related Services

Board of Directors

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

Bruce Dicker, FAIA, President		Richard Guare, PhD, BCBA-D, Vice President
Carol McClard, Secretary		Albert P. (Toby) Stowe, MBA, CPA, Treasurer
Glicka Kaplan, MS, Past President		Allison Bussiere, Director
MaryLiz (M.L.) Geffert, JD, Director		Andrew E. Smith, Ph.D., Director
Ann Tarlton, Director		Mike Teixeira, Director
Bob Gross, Parent Representative		Sandra Pierce-Jordan, PhD, BCBA-D, Executive Director*
Erin Conlan, MSEd, BCBA, Staff Representative*		Adam Magee, Staff Representative*
Rebecca Walsh, MSEd, BCBA, Staff Representative*

*non-voting board members

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, an occupational therapist, and a speech-language pathologist 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 / Program Director Sandra Pierce-Jordan, PhD, BCBA-D, 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 a 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, including consulting and providing direct services. 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 and consultation, staff and parent trainings, and workshops.

Administrative Staff
Director of Human Resources Sarah Ouellette has over twenty years of broad-based human-resources experience, including work in recruitment, employee relations, employee training, employee safety, performance management, policy development, and organizational development. Her past positions include Human Resources Director, Human Resources Consultant, and Corporate Recruiter. Ms. Ouellette has worked primarily in the field of education; before joining Birchtree’s staff in January 2011, she worked for eleven years in human resources at a Fortune 500 educational publishing company and at an educational testing company. She holds a bachelor’s degree in public administration from the University of Maine at Orono.

Director of Finance Holly Robacher, MBA, joined The Birchtree Center in 2009. She brings professional experience spanning a diverse array of industries including non-profit, high tech and aeronautics. Ms. Robacher has contributed in various finance roles for small local businesses to large corporations and has held the positions of CFO, Accounting Manager, Business System Analyst, and Cost Accountant. She holds an MBA from Southern New Hampshire University and a BS in accounting from the State University of New York at Plattsburgh.

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 responsibilities 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.

Behavior Analysts
Outreach Coordinator / Behavior Analyst Katie Al Jenaibi, MS, BCBA,has an MS in Applied Behavior Analysis from Northeastern University and is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. She has many years of experience providing consultation and training to public school staff and families. She has worked with children and youth with autism for over 10 years and has extensive experience developing individualized curriculum and behavior management strategies for individuals across the autism spectrum. She has worked in various settings, including school inclusion programs, home instruction, acute care facilities, residential programs and one-to-one settings.

Behavior Analyst Erin Conlan, MSEd, BCBA, earned her master’s degree from Simmons College in Behavioral Education. She has over fifteen years of experience working with individuals of all ages with developmental disabilities/ delays and mental illness, and with their families and caregivers. Before coming to Birchtree in 2004, Ms. Conlan worked as a case manager, family life skills coordinator, and behavioral assistant. She has been a Board Certified Behavior Analyst since 2008.

Behavior Analyst Stephanie Mariano Morin, MSEd, BCBA, holds a master’s degree in Behavioral Education from Simmons College and has been a Board Certified Behavior Analyst since 2008. Her 12+ years of experience working with children with disabilities includes time as a transition specialist, special educator, and mental health counselor. Before coming to Birchtree in 2007, she led an experiential learning program that supported integrated employment for young adults with developmental disabilities.

Behavior Analyst Rebecca Walsh, MSEd, BCBA, earned a master’s degree in Behavioral Education from Simmons College and has worked with students with developmental disabilities for over nine years. Before joining The Birchtree Center’s staff in 2004, Ms. Walsh worked at an integrated preschool and as a para-professional in an extended-school-year program. She has been a Board Certified Behavior Analyst since 2008.

Special Education Staff
Director of Special Education Shelly Fagen, MIT, received a bachelor’s degree from The University of Georgia and a Master of Initial Teaching, K-12, with an emphasis in Special Education from Gonzaga University. Ms. Fagen has worked in the field of special education for over 12 years and has served school districts in Hawaii, California, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Maine. Ms. Fagen’s professional experience includes special education case management for students aged 2-21 with varying disabilities in public and private school settings. She has also provided supervision, training and mentoring for special education staff. Shelly holds a New Hampshire Department of Education Experienced Educator credential with endorsements in Special Education Administration and General Special Education.

Special Education Case Manager Emily Hall, MEd, received her master’s degree in the area of Special Education, with a specialization in Emotional/Behavioral Disabilities, from Franklin Pierce University in February 2012. She has worked with students with disabilities for over 15 years in a variety of educational roles, including Special Educator, Education Specialist and Independent Living Specialist. Before joining The Birchtree Center’s staff as a Clinical Instructor in 2007, she taught in a private school program that serves developmentally disabled and emotionally disturbed students in Brooklyn, NY. Ms. Hall holds a New Hampshire teacher certification in General Special Education and Emotional and Behavioral Disabilities.

Special Education Case Manager Kristen Driscoll, MEd, earned her undergraduate degree from the University of New Hampshire and her master’s degree in Early Childhood Education and General Special Education from Rivier University. She joined The Birchtree Center’s staff as a Clinical Instructor in 2007. Ms. Driscoll’s professional experience also includes work as a para-professional in an early childhood program, as an instructor in a K-5 after-school program, and as kindergarten teacher at a private school. She holds a New Hampshire Educational Intern License in General Special Education.

Transition Coordinator Debbie Patten, MEd, has a graduate degree in Special Education from New England College and has over 18 years of experience as an educator and service provider for individuals with disabilities. Her professional experience includes work in public schools, home-based services, and a residential program for children with disabilities. Ms. Patten joined The Birchtree Center as a Clinical Instructor in 2006 and was promoted to Transition Coordinator in 2011. She holds a New Hampshire Educational Intern License in General Special Education.

Related Services
Consulting Speech-Language Pathologist Cathy Booth, 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 Sequencing (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).

Occupational Therapist Nicole Sheaff, OTR/L, holds a BS in Occupational Therapy from the University of New Hampshire and has completed training in autism, sensory integration, vision, vestibular integration, handwriting, and executive functioning. Before coming to The Birchtree Center in 2012, Ms. Sheaff worked for 11+ years as an Occupational Therapist in settings including a public school, a private school, an early intervention program, and a sensory integration clinic. Ms. Sheaff is also a parent of children with special needs and a strong advocate for special education and parent involvement.

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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).