Faculty & Staff

Administration

Deborah M. Spitalnik, PhD
Deborah M. Spitalnik, PhD portrait Executive Director
Director, NJLEND
Professor of Pediatrics
Professor of Family Medicine and Community Health
732-235-9326

Bio

Colleen McLaughlin, MEd
Colleen McLaughlin picture Associate Director
732-235-9313

Bio

Faculty

Caroline N. Coffield, PhD
Director of Pre-service Training
Training Director, NJLEND
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
732-235-9329

Bio

Margaret Gilbride, JD, CT
Margaret Gilbride picture Director of Transition, Employment, and Aging & Disability
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
732-235-2109

Bio

Manuel Jimenez, MD, MS, FAAP
Manuel Jimenez portrait Director of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics Education
NJLEND Discipline Coordinator, Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics
Associate Professor of Pediatrics & Family Medicine and Community Health
732-235-2059

Bio

Sharon Lohrmann, PhD
Sharon Lohrmann picture Director, NJ Positive Behavior Support in Schools
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
732-507-8804

Bio

Philip Smith, PhD
Philip Smith picture Positive Behavior Support
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
732-235-9328

Bio

Program Staff

Valentina Arango-Correa, MEd
Valentina Arango-Correa Training & Consultation Specialist
732-507-2594

Bio

Ziba Arjmand, BS
Ziba Arjmand portrait Data & Technology Coordinator
732-235-9315

Bio

Robyn Carroll, MSW
Robyn Carroll Portrait Communications Manager
732-235-9310

Bio

Bethany L. Chase, DSW, LSW, CESP
Bethany Chase portrait Training & Consultation Specialist
732-235-9316

Bio

Melissa Cheplic, MPH, NADD-CC
Melissa Cheplic portrait Senior Training & Consultation Specialist
732-235-9715

Bio

Sean Cuddihy, BA
Sean Cuddihy Portrait Multimedia Specialist
732-235-2152

Bio

Beth Custer, PhD
Beth Custer portrait Training & Consultation Specialist
732-401-7317

Bio

Jessica DiPane, MA
Jessica DiPane Portrait Training & Consultation Specialist
732-306-6938

Bio

Tara Dumas, MS
Alyson Duncanson Training & Consultation Specialist
732-357-5424

Bio

Alyson Duncanson, BA
Alyson Duncanson Training & Consultation Specialist
732-507-8655

Bio

Susan Ellien, MSW
Susan Ellien portrait Knowledge Translation & Grant Development Specialist
732-235-9320

Bio

Jillian E. Guzik, BA
Jillian Guzik portrait NJLEND Program & Data Coordinator
732-235-9303

Bio

Joyce Jelley, BA
Joyce Jelley portrait Senior Training & Consultation Specialist
732-235-9311

Bio

Rob Kimmel, MAT, BCBA, CESP
Robert Kimmel portrait Training & Consultation Specialist
732-235-8227

Bio

Ashlé Laidlaw, MHA
Ashle Laidlaw portrait Training & Consultation Specialist
732-235-9321

Bio

Kenny Lewis, BA
Kenny Lewis portrait Budget Analyst I
732-235-9317

Bio

Ling Ma, MA
Ling Ma portrait Instructional Designer
732-235-7104

Bio

Deborah Mahovetz
Deborah Mahovetz portrait Conference & Management Assistant
732-235-9543

Bio

Scott McMahon, MSW
Scott McMahon portrait Training & Consultation Specialist
732-749-2075

Bio

Somerlee McMahon, MS
Somerlee Monaghan portrait Training & Consultation Specialist
732-773-7400

Bio

Michelle Mead, MA
Michelle Mead portrait Training & Consultation Specialist
732-894-6057

Bio

Stephanie Michael, MSW, IMH-E
Stephanie Michael portrait PBSIS Data & Program Coordinator
732-235-6170

Bio

Jocelyn Muse-Taylor, MEd
Jocelyn Muse-Taylor portrait Training & Consultation Specialist
732-434-8118

Bio

Karen Paulvin, MS, Prof. Dipl.
Karen Paulvin portrait Training & Consultation Specialist
732-783-8921

Bio

Nikkilee Pedersen, MA
Nikkilee Pedersen portrait Training & Consultation Specialist
732-507-2922

Bio

Renee Rodkey, BS
Renee Rodkey portrait Training & Consultation Specialist
732-235-6844

Bio

Jessica Short, BA, CESP
Jessica Short portrait Senior Training & Consultation Specialist
732-235-9318

Bio

Michael Steinbruck, MA
Michael Steinbruck portrait Senior Training & Consultation Specialist
732-456-9880

Bio

Barbara String, BA, SHRM-SCP
Barbara String NJ College of Direct Support (CDS) Central Administrator
732-235-9327

Bio

Gizem Tanol, PhD
Gizem Tanol portrait Training & Consultation Specialist
732-667-0240

Bio

Nicole L. Warren, LSW, MEd
Nicole L Warren portrait Program Development Specialist
732-235-9301

Bio

Jaime Zahid, BA
Jaime Zahid portrait Training & Consultation Specialist
732-235-9613

Bio

Project Support Team

Melinda Darby
Melinda Darby portrait Project Support Staff
732-235-9314

Bio

Robin Dupiche, BA
Robin Dupiche, BA portrait Assistant to the Executive Director
732-235-9326

Bio

Kellyann Giudice
Kellyann Giudice portrait Project Support Staff
732-235-9307

Bio

Ann Marie McVay
Ann Marie McVay portrait Project Support Staff
732-235-9324

Bio

Lisa Thomas, MEd
Lisa Thomas, MEd portrait Project Support Staff
732-235-9325

Bio

Kim Tomlin
Kim Tomlin Receptionist
732-235-9300

Bio

Affiliated Faculty and Program Associates

Vanessa Bal, PhD, MSc NJLEND Collaborating Faculty, Psychology
Karmazin and Lillard Chair in Adult Autism
Associate Professor
Rutgers Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology
848-445-2300
Anna Malia Beckwith, MD NJLEND Collaborating Faculty, Medicine
Chief of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics and
Director of the DBP Fellowship, CSH
Patricia Findley, DrPH, MSW NJLEND Discipline Coordinator, Social Work
Associate Professor of Social Work
MSW Director
Rutgers School of Social Work
848-932-5365
Jill Harris, PhD NJLEND Coordinator, Children's Specialized Hospital (CSH)
Director of Research Development, CSH
908-301-2525
Jessica Rispoli Joines, MGC, CGC NJLEND Discipline Coordinator, Genetic Counseling
Director, Genetics Counseling Master’s Program
Rutgers School of Arts & Sciences
848-445-9637
Emma Kaplan Host Family Coordinator
Seminar on Family Centered Care
and Developmental Disabilities
Amy Kratchman, BA Family Discipline Coordinator, NJLEND
Family Educator, Seminar on Family Centered Care
and Developmental Disabilities
Maria Leary, BA NJLEND Alumni Coordinator
Bob LaRue, PhD, BCBA-D NJLEND Discipline Coordinator, Psychology
Clinical Professor
Rutgers Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology
Director of Behavioral and Research Services,
Douglass Developmental Disabilities Center
848-932-4500
Christine Seymour, MS, CGC NJLEND Collaborating Faculty, Genetic Counseling
Assistant Director, Genetic Counseling Master’s Program
Rutgers School of Arts & Sciences
Evan Spivack, DDS NJLEND Discipline Coordinator, Dentistry
Professor of Pediatric Dentistry
Rutgers School of Dental Medicine
Director, Special Care Treatment Center
973-972-7040
William Waldman, CSWM NJLEND Collaborating Faculty, Leadership
Professor of Professional Practice Emeritus,
Rutgers School of Social Work
Jane Ziegler, DCN, RD, LDN NJLEND Discipline Coordinator, Nutrition
Associate Professor, Nutritional Sciences
Rutgers School of Health Professions (SHP)
Program Director, Rutgers SHP Doctorate in Clinical Nutrition Program
973-972-9487