Staff/Faculty Bios

Experience
Dr. Bruder has worked in early intervention for the past 25 years. She has been involved in the design, provision, and evaluation of early intervention services within a number of states and across a variety of agencies, including early intervention, special education, child care, and Head Start. Dr. Bruder has held faculty appointments at Virginia Commonwealth University and New York Medical College, and for the past 14 years, she has been a professor of pediatrics at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. She is an associate editor for the Journal of Early Intervention and serves on the editorial board of TECSE and Mental Retardation. She is the chair of the special needs committee of the Governor's Head Start Collaboration for Children and the past chair of Connecticut's Birth to Three Interagency Coordinating Council. Dr. Bruder has special interest in the inclusion of children with special needs in childcare and other early childhood settings.

Dana H. Abbott, Ph.D.
Program Coordinator for Child Care for Children with Complex Medical Needs and Social Competence Curriculum for Toddlers with Behavioral Challenges

Experience
Dr. Abbott has worked with young children for over 25 years. Prior to coming to the University of Connecticut, she was the Assistant Director for the Early Childhood Division, Commission on Economic Opportunity in Rensselaer County, New York. The program serves over 500 children through Head Start, Early Head Start, Child Care, and School Age programs. Dr. Abbott was responsible for preparation, implementation, and maintenance of developmentally appropriate program options according to Head Start Performance Standards, the New York State Office of Family and Children Services, and the National Association for the Education of Young Children. She was an adjunct instructor at the University at Albany and Hudson Valley Community College and has acted as a consultant for the Head Start Quality Improvement Center--Disabilities since 1995. In 1999, she was awarded a Head Start Research Scholars grant and currently is a member of the Head Start Faculty Alliance.

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Experience
Ms. Backes' background includes two years of research experience working as a Research Analyst Intern and as a Market Research Analyst. She also worked directly with dually diagnosed mentally retarded/psychologically impaired male adolescents as a Residential Counselor Intern at a local United Way/DMR affiliate during 2002. This master's level internship prompted Ms. Backes to further explore behaviorally-based research as a career.

Experience
While attending Brigham Young University (BYU), Ms. Ball worked as a behavioral therapist for children with autism, and she participated in Enthrographic research looking at the behaviors of preschool children. After graduation from BYU, Ms. Ball worked at the United Way with the Success By Six program and the volunteer center. She designed, opened, and managed a family business after leaving the United Way. During this time, Ms. Ball also co-authored two books about maintaining and enhancing long-distance relationships between children and their parents. Currently, Ms. Ball is working with MARC Community in Middletown as a Recreation Specialist, where she works with adults with disabilities and helps run a Saturday morning program for children with disabilities.

Experience
Ms. Barnes has worked with children in childcare settings for 15 years. Her positions have varied from Director's Assistant to most recently Lead Toddler Teacher. Her responsibilities have included staff management, development and implementation of curriculum, and working with Birth to Three providers to include children with special needs into everyday childcare activities.

Experience
For the last five year, Mr. Bate worked as the Adult Services Case Manager for United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Hartford. In that capacity, he assisted individuals in the provision and retention of services necessary for independent living, including personal care, transportation, and benefits. Mr. Bate has also assisted individuals with various disabilities to accomplish their long-term goals around community integration, including transition from school to work, housing, and recreation.

Deb Bubela, M.S.
Physical Therapist, Instructor for Early Intervention Specialist Program, and Research Assistant

Experience
Ms. Bubela has been a physical therapist since 1981 practicing in many settings including rehabilitation hospitals, Birth to Three, clinics, and school systems. The majority of her career has been in school settings where she worked with children ages 3 to 21 years. Most recently, Deb assisted with the neuro-rehabilitation team in the Physical Therapy Program at the University of Connecticut where she has contributed to the neurological and pediatric component of several courses. Deb has been involved in research projects relating to inclusion of children with special needs in regular education settings. She has also presented at TASH International conference. Ms. Bubela has received the following awards: James Cornish Award, Victor Grant Scholarship, Alpha Eta Research Society award, and Outstanding Graduate Assistant. Currently, Deb is working on her doctorate in special education at the University of Connecticut.

Experience
Ms. Chen has been involved in the field of special education since 1994. After graduating from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1997, she returned to Taiwan. She worked as a special education teacher in an elementary school and then for the department of rehabilitation in a university hospital as a certified speech therapist. Ms. Chen provided intervention to children with communication problems and consulted families in clinics and special childcare centers. Ms. Chen was also a preschool and kindergarten principal during 2000-2002. At the same time, she taught at Jin-Wen College of Technology. Currently, Ms. Chen is working on her doctorate in special education at the University of Connecticut.

Molly Cole
Family Support Director and Program Coordinator for Project Connect: Medical Home and Partners in Policymaking

Experience
Prior to her employment at UConn, Mrs. Cole directed the Family Center at Connecticut Children's Medical Center. The Family Center provided support, training, and information to families with children with disabilities or special health care needs and served over 1,000 families a year in Connecticut. Mrs. Cole has worked in the field of disability advocacy and policy development for the past 25 years. She is the state coordinator for Family Voices, a national parent network and is a member of multiple state, regional, and national task forces and committees. Mrs. Cole has provided consultation and assistance in the development of child health policy, including direct involvement in the development, review, and implementation of the Connecticut CHIP plan and Title V services. Additionally, Mrs. Cole is the parent of three children and grandparent of two. Her middle child, Marie, was born with multiple disabilities and complex health care needs and required numerous medical supports until her death at the age of 18. Mrs. Cole has been awarded several distinctions including Connecticut Mother of the Year in 1995. She has published several articles on family-centered care, advocacy, and families of children with disabilities.

Experience
Ms. Dexler worked at the Connecticut State Library and Board of Trustees of Regional Community Colleges for 11 years. She was appointed and served as Assistant Town Clerk of Newington for 12 years. In addition, she was employed as a commercial loan documentation administrator for 2 years.

Experience
Mr. Domanico’s experience includes five years of management at the University of Maryland School of Medicine where he managed budgets and grants, payroll, foreign visas, and other administrative duties for the Biochemistry Department. Prior to that, Mr. Domanico worked nine years as a high school chemistry teacher in Maryland public schools. Additionally, Mr. Domanico has a younger brother who is autistic and a child who has benefited from early intervention through the Maryland Infant and Toddler program.

Experience
Ms. Eberle is an attorney and a former state representative, who served as co-chair of the Committee on Public Health for four years. During her ten year tenure, she wrote legislation to revamp Connecticut’s Birth to Three program, regulate managed care in Connecticut, reform Connecticut’s workers’ compensation law, require expanded newborn screening for HIV and metabolic disorders, and regulate the use of restraints in institutional settings. She also co-chaired the Commission on the Future of Hospitals and the legislative committee that oversaw the John Dempsey Hospital reorganization. She drafted the bio-terrorism and medical emergency response bill that passed the state House, but not the Senate, in 2002. In her time as chair of the Public Health Committee, Ms. Eberle was deeply involved in disability and public health-related issues. She has also served as a member of the Advisory Council on Special Education for several years. She is the parent of a child with developmental disabilities and has been active in Special Olympics for nine years.

Experience
Mr. Fazio worked as a Video Librarian for Pratt & Whitney prior to his employment at the Pappanikou Center. He also trained and supported employees in the use of software applications as a Computer Assistant at the Mooreland Hill Elementary School.

Dale B. Fink, Ph.D.
Coordinator of State Planning Meetings for Center for the Social and Emotional Foundations of Early Learning

Experience
Dr. Fink graduated in 1972 with a bachelor's degree from Harvard University and then spent 12 years on the front lines of child care and school-age care as a teacher and administrator, followed by eight years as a researcher, trainer, and writer at the School-Age Child Care Project (later known as the National Institute on Out of School Time) at Wellesley College in Massachusetts. His book, School-Age Children with Special Needs: What Do They Do When School is Out?, was published in 1988 and is based on inclusion in before- and after-school child care programs. Dr. Fink was co-director for Year 1 of the Map to Inclusive Child Care Project, a technical assistance initiative of the Child Care Bureau, from 1997 to 1998. He continued as a consultant to the project until it ended in 2000. Dr. Fink's latest book, Making a Place for Kids with Disabilities, was published in May 2000 and issued in paperback in 2001.

Gabriela Freyre-Calish, M.S.W
Associate Director for Programs and Program Coordinator for Enhanced Child Find Through Newborn Hearing Screening

Experience
Ms. Freyre-Calish has extensive experience with the Latino population and young children with disabilities. She has provided case management services for adults with disabilities and families with children with disabilities. She worked for a minority outreach project where she provided case management services to unserved and underserved children with developmental disabilities and their families in New York State. For six years, Ms. Freyre-Calish served as the project coordinator of the Niños Especiales Outreach Training Project which provided a culturally sensitive model of early intervention to families of Latino heritage. She conducted needs assessments, developed training materials, implemented training, and analyzed evaluation data during the length of the project. Ms. Freyre-Calish also provided training on culturally sensitive preschool services to the Head Start population. She is bilingual and bicultural and is the service coordinator for her sister who has severe disabilities and lives in Lima, Peru.

Christine M. Gaynor, M.S.
Program Coordinator for Secondary Transition Project and Real Choice Systems Change

Experience
Ms. Gaynor has over 28 years of experience in the adult human services field. Most recently she was the Administrative Director of a private, non-profit agency ensuring quality supports for adults with developmental disabilities in community settings. Ms. Gaynor also worked for a number of years with young adults with disabilities, conducting assessments and counseling youth and their families throughout their transition into adult services. As Director of Interagency Relations, Ms. Gaynor developed an innovative model for future agency growth and a strong network with educational and other service organizations. She is a founding member of an ongoing interagency project to create innovative options for seniors with mental retardation and is currently a member of the Department of Mental Retardation Quaility Improvement Pilot Project.

Experience
Eastern Psychological Association Poster Session Presentation 1999.

Experience
Ms. Graham will be entering her senior year at Bloomfield High School in the fall of 2003. She has been working at the center on a part-time basis since her freshman year. Ms. Graham was the 2003 recipient of the Connecticut Coalition for Inclusive Education's Student of the Year award.

Experience
Mark A. Greenstein, M.D. is a Professor of Pediatrics in both the divisions of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics and Human Genetics at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. Dr. Greenstein is a staff physician at St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center in Hartford and the Hospital for Special Care in New Britain, a Coordinator of Residency Education in Child Development and a Medical Consultant to the A. J. Pappanikou Center, and a teaching physician in general pediatrics, genetics, and child development in the Pediatric Primary Care Center at the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center. He is also a member of the State of Connecticut's Interagency Coordinating Council (Birth to Three) and serves on a variety of committees at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. Dr. Greenstein received his A.B. in Psychology at Dartmouth College and went on to medical training at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. His Pediatric residency was at the Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse, New York, and he continued his training in a double fellowship in Genetics and Child Development at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. He has a long-standing interest in the both genetics and child development and the relationship between the two. More specifically, Dr. Greenstein is interested in craniofacial conditions, disorders of communication, and mental retardation, specifically autism, and has lectured nationally on the topics.

Heather Harrison, M.F.A.
Community Outreach Coordinator for the Center and Program Coordinator for Pediatric Residents Training Program on Children with Disabilities and Their Families and Library Inclusion For Everyone

Experience
Ms. Harrison worked in the field of costume design technology for 15 years before becoming an advocate for individuals with disabilities in 1998. As a woman with a disability, Ms. Harrison actively pursues advocacy training and career opportunities. She has been involved in advocacy work that spans multiple issues and ages, including cultural access, voting rights, high school transitions, independent living, personnel preparation training of pediatricians and early intervention service providers, and legislative compliance. Ms. Harrison is a graduate of the Partners in Policymaking program, and she is also a certified access monitor in the state of Connecticut.

Beth P. Jacobson, M.A.
Instructor and Program Coordinator for Behavioral Health Research Project

Experience
Ms. Jacobson is a doctoral candidate at UConn, Storrs in the Sociology Department. She is currently writing her dissertation on social psychological identity formation among football fans and has recently received a dissertation grant from the graduate school. Within sociology, her primary areas of specialization are social psychology, quantitative research methods, and sociology of sport. Beth has taught in the sociology department at UConn since 1998 and has been an adjunct lecturer with the Connecticut State University system for two years.

Experience
Ms. Jancew has two years experience in Chiropractic Assistance at a private practice where she provided therapy to patients as well as handled office administration. She has over 10 years of administrative experience within the fields of Chiropractic, Human Resources, Information Technology, Food Industry, and “Big 4” Accounting. In 1994, Ms. Jancew decided to enter the corporate atmosphere. While living and working in New Jersey, she was employed at Macro 4 Inc., Kraft Foods, and KPMG. She has 18 years of experience teaching children about Ukrainian culture, language, and heritage and is currently a volunteer counselor with the UAYA (Ukrainian American Youth Association) on a local and national level. Ms. Jancew was the UAYA National Youth Sports Director from 1999–2002, where she organized tournaments and sporting activities for children between the ages of 6 and 17 who resided in the U.S. and Canada. She is a member of the National Association of Female Executives and a member of the National Association of Executive Secretaries and Administrative Assistants.

Marjorie Jung, M.S.
Production Coordinator for Enhanced Child Find Through Universal Newborn Hearing Screening

Experience
Ms. Jung has an academic and clinical background and extensive experience as a clinical audiologist specializing in pediatrics. Since the inception of the audiology program at the University of Connecticut Health Center in 1975 and until her retirement in 1999, Ms. Jung functioned as a program developer, clinician, and educator. She also served on the faculty of the University of Connecticut's Communication Sciences Department and School of Medicine, where she provided clinical supervision for graduate and doctoral audiology students and participated in pioneering research in the area of otoacoustic emissions. Ms. Jung received a Special Citation award from the Connecticut Speech, Language, and Hearing Association "in recognition of significant contributions to the communicatively handicapped populations." She is a member of the American Speech, Language, and Hearing Association and is a Fellow with the American Academy of Audiology.

Bonnie Keilty, Ed.D.
Director of Research and Early Childhood Initiatives, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Educational Psychology, and Program Coordinator for Early Intervention Specialist Program, Early Intervention in Natural Learning Environments, Birth to Three CT Early Intervention Supervisors Institute, and Natural Environments in Urban Communities

Experience
Dr. Keilty has worked in early intervention/early childhood special education for 10 years. Prior to joining UConn, she was Project Director of the Motivating for Competence Project, a US Department of Education research project examining the development of infants and toddlers born micropremature and the effects of embedding mastery motivation concepts into early intervention, at The George Washington University (GWU). She also served as Adjunct Faculty at GWU, teaching both Masters and Educational Specialist courses in Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education. She served as an intern and as a consultant for the Committee on Integrating the Science of Early Childhood Development at the National Research Council, contributing to the book, Neurons to Neighborhoods. Clinically trained as an early interventionist prepared to facilitate inclusion for young children with special needs, Dr. Keilty has worked in a variety of early childhood environments, including home, community, classroom, and hospital-based settings. Dr. Keilty is a member of the Council for Exceptional Children, Division for Early Childhood.

Experience
Ms. Kelly served on the Diversity Task Force and other various committees while attending Holy Cross. She was a Head Resident Assistant and Peer Mentor for younger students. Ms. Kelly was also co-chair of the Black Student Union for the 2002-2003 academic year and attended and presented at the 2002 National Conference on Race and Ethnicity in New Orleans, LA. She graduated with the Presidential Service Award and the Joseph J. Reilly, Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award. As a graduate of Holy Cross, Ms. Kelly is a member of the General Alumni Association and the Bishop Healy Committee.

Michelle T. Kinsella, M.P.S.
Graduate Assistant and Training Assistant for Pediatric Residency Training Program on Children with Disabilities and Their Families

B.A. Geography, East Asian Studies/Japanese Language and Culture, Central Connecticut State University, 1993.

Experience
Ms. Kinsella is a Connecticut State Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and has a private practice in Farmington with an area focus on co-morbid physical and emotional disorders in children and adolescents. She is an adjunct professor in psychology at Saint Joseph College and she is currently working on her doctorate in counseling psychology at the University of Connecticut.

Experience
Ms. Mazzarella was the Head Teacher of the Toddler Program at the Creative Child Center in Farmington, Connecticut for three years. In this position she was responsible for the overall management of the toddler classrooms, the development and implementation of the curriculum, and the supervision, training and evaluation of staff. Additionally at the Creative Child Center, Ms. Mazzarella held the position of Special Education Coordinator for one and one-half years. She managed and orchestrated the essential activities of all children with special needs at the center. She worked collaboratively with other agencies to facilitate inclusion. Ms. Mazzarella also worked with families in developing IFSP and IEP goals and outcomes.

Experience
Lin has a master’s degree in Educational Psychology with a concentration in educational technology. She worked as a research assistant for the GlobalEd project at the University of Connecticut for two years before she came to the A. J. Pappanikou Center. Her major interests are statistical analysis and applications of technology in educational research. She is currently involved in research on Personnel Preparation in Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education.

Experience
Mrs. Nilson worked as an Associate Director for two environmental nonprofit organizations in Seattle, Washington, from 1995-1999. During this time, she planned, marketed, and executed multiple statewide conferences attended by activists, watershed councils, and government officials, including the Governor of Washington and President Clinton's U.S. Deputy Secretary of the Interior, John Garamendi. Mrs. Nilson was also the Editor and a writer for the nationally-distributed, quarterly newsletter Washington Rivers. Additionally, she served on the Board of Directors for Earth Share of Washington from 1996-1998. Mrs. Nilson is also a freelance web designer for small businesses.

Experience
For the last 3 years Ms. Novotny has been involved with research projects as a research assistant. Most recently she worked part-time evaluating CT’s Department of Social Services Title IV E Waiver Program. Prior to that she worked on an Early Intervention/Early Childhood Personnel Preparation grant at the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Before turning to research, Amy worked with children and families as a Counselor Associate at a residential treatment program for adolescents with mental health needs and then as an Information and Referral Specialist for individuals needing information on services and supports available to children with special needs in North Carolina.

Experience
Ms. Ortega has more than 25 years of experience in fiscal administration and management. She previously worked for the Low Income Planning Agency, Pratt & Whitney, Asylum Hill Center, Neighborhood Reinvestment, Apartment Improvement Program, Mental Health Association of Connecticut, Hartford Behavioral Health, UConn Health Center Department of Pediatrics, and Connecticut Children's Medical Center.

Experience
Kimberly Pisinski comes to the center from the private sector, where she was the managing partner of a special education and disability legal practice at a medium-size law firm. During that time, she also created and taught a course on transition issues for persons with disabilities. She has over 14 years of experience with persons with disabilities, from her prior career as a psychotherapist to her personal experience with a family member. She has a variety of teaching and curriculum development experience, dating back to 1990 and continuing to the present in a variety of subjects related to children's issues, legal issues, and disability issues. She worked as a legislative advocate in both New York and South Carolina for various women's and children's issues and assisted in South Carolina with starting up one of the first homeless daycare centers in the country. She is an active member of the Canton Juvenile Review Board, the Council for Exceptional Children, Learning Disability Association, Connecticut Bar Association--Education Law Committee and Human Rights Committee, and the American Bar Association--Children's Rights Committee.

Experience
Mrs. Procko has over 25 years of clerical experience. She worked for UConn Health Center in the Grants and Contracts Office, the Department of Nuclear Medicine, and the Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology. Mrs. Procko also worked for private physicians, an elementary school, and several small businesses.

Experience
Ms. Ripley has worked as a Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist at a non-profit agency and a preschool teacher at Trinity College's childcare center. Currently, she is working toward a master's degree at Saint Joseph College.

Experience
After graduating from Princeton, Ms. Shushtari conducted research at the Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital. Since graduating from medical school, she has been home raising her three children.

Experience
Ms. Smith was a preschool teacher for 4 1/2 years at the Li'l Rascals Preschool. While at the preschool, she developed and implemented curriculum based on individual children's developmental needs. Ms. Smith also worked as a Tutor Coordinator for Central Connecticut State University, where she tutored children in a Hartford elementary school and a New Britain middle school who were at risk for school failure. Additionally, she was a volunteer at the Office of the Child Advocate. Ms. Smith is currently studying for her master's in social work at the University of Connecticut.

Melissa Van Buren, Ed.D.
Director of Training and Program Coordinator for Research and Training Center on Service Coordination

Experience
Dr. Van Buren has combined her education and experience in child development to advance research, intervention strategies, and programming for young children with disabilities. She has worked in the field of early intervention in numerous capacities in Massachusetts, Georgia, and oversees in London, England. At Valdosta State University (VSU), Dr. Van Buren coordinated the Transdisciplinary Inclusive Practices and Strategies program supported by the Office of Special Education Programs and served as Adjunct Faculty, teaching courses in the Department of Psychology. Dr. Van Buren has served on Georgia’s Autism Initiative Team, consulting with families, service providers and administrators regarding appropriate intervention plans for children with autism. Prior to joining UConn, Dr. Van Buren was the Executive Director of a private, not-for-profit organization that provides educational and therapeutic services to young children with disabilities in inclusive early childhood settings. Her community outreach initiatives include leading workshops on typical and atypical child development, developmentally appropriate practice and inclusion, teaching graduate courses on instructional methods, and promoting change in early childhood special education programs within public school systems.

Experience
Ms. Verde has over 25 years of experience in office administration in a variety of positions, including human services, banking, and telecommunications. Her formal education and training is in social work with a focus on children and families, which includes many volunteer hours with this population. Ms. Verde also holds an Illinois Substitute Teaching Certificate and has taught at the elementary and high school levels.

Sara T. Wakai, Ph.D.
Instructor and Co-Coordinator for Evaluation of the Early Childhood Consultation Partnership

Experience
Dr. Wakai has worked in a variety of special education settings. As a Student Affairs Officer, she advised and assisted college students with disabilities on available services, campus policies, and current legislation. She also led workshops and coordinated campuswide events for students with disabilities. As a teacher/counselor, she was responsible for the care and education of at-risk youths. She also taught occupational skills to youths and adults with mental and physical disabilities. She has over 10 years experience in educational research and evaluation. While working at Georgia State University’s Division of Distributed and Distance Learning, she conducted research and evaluation on instructional technology for the state of Georgia. Some of the instructional technologies she studied were on-line courses, electronic white boards, and keypads. She also coordinated program evaluations for the College of Health and Human Sciences and the College of Education at Georgia State University. At UCLA’s Center for the Study of Evaluation and The Higher Education Research Institute, she conducted research on the California Learning Assessment System (CLAS), California Campus Compact (CACC), a National Science Foundation funded project that examined college environments promoting scientific career aspirations, and the role of friendship among college students.

Kathleen Whitbread, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor and Director of School-Age Initiatives

Experience
Dr. Whitbread has over 20 years of experience in the design, provision, and evaluation of programs in the fields of education and human services. She has worked with families, educators, and community members in the United States, Russia, Italy, and the Netherlands to improve the quality of services for children with disabilities and their families. Over the past 10 years, Kathleen has worked with school districts across Connecticut to increase access to the general education curriculum for students with disabilities from preschool through high school. Kathleen holds a faculty appointment in the University of Connecticut School of Educational Psychology and the School of Medicine. She provides training for parents, educators, and school administrators in inclusive education and was the recipient of the 2003 Connecticut Coalition for Inclusive Education "Educator of the Year" Award.

Experience
Ms. Zimmerman brings to the Family Support Network her experience advocating for children who have disability issues. She has served on the boards of several parent support groups and advocacy organizations. Prior to working as the project coordinator, Ms. Zimmerman was a member of DMR Children's Services Focus Team, co-chaired the CT Real Choice Task Force, and participated on the CT Family Support Council. Ms. Zimmerman currently represents the Department of Mental Retardation on the Children's Behavioral Health Advisory Council and serves on the DMR Eastern Region Advisory Council and State Department of Education CIPT Parent Work Group. Trained as an accountant and employed as a banker for many years, Ms. Zimmerman became involved in advocacy work after the birth of her first child in 1986.