Meet the Team

Abena graduated from the University of Connecticut with a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in communication. She hopes to pursue her master’s soon and continue working with children. Her favorite part about being an ABA therapist is how different, but fun each day is and getting to learn new things from each child she works with. In her free time, she loves to hang out with her friends and watch movies. 

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Andrea has an Associates Degree in Liberal Arts & Sciences and is currently attending college for her Bachelor's Degree in Psychology. Andrea has a love for working with children with autism and has chosen Somewhere Over the Spectrum as a place to work to be a part of an organization that promotes change and makes a positive impact on young individuals’ lives, in a natural, holistic, and fun way. Her favorite part about the job is that the environment is so exciting and fulfilling that work never feels like work. She enjoys getting to play with children all day and learn more about each child and their goofy personalities, as well as build strong bonds with her clients and peers. She hopes to become a therapist for children and families in the future, but also feels she may want to explore the field of Behavioral Psychology and create her own clinic/private practice someday.

Anyira studied Allied Health Sciences with a Psychology Minor at the University of Connecticut. She decided on this career route since she is highly compassionate toward people in need. Anyira wants to support and raise awareness for families and kids. She also intends to contribute her upbeat attitude and tenaciousness to Somewhere Over the Spectrum. Anyira enjoys spending time with her family, and friends, and traveling. She wants to assist as many families and kids as she can in the field in the future. Her favorite aspect of her profession is how satisfying it is and how it touches her personally because she has an autistic little brother.
 

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Elvira graduated from Endicott College with a bachelor's degree in Educational Studies. She fell in love with the field of ABA during her internship at an ABA-based school program in Bedford, MA. Elvira plans to receive her master's degree in ABA within the following year. Her favorite part about being an ABA Therapist is being able to help children on the spectrum find their strengths and reach their full potential independently. She finds the role to be very rewarding for both sides, the client/family and the therapist. Not one child is the same and that's what makes it so special to her!"

 

Erin enjoys spending free time with her family outdoors, paddle boarding or snowboarding depending on the season. She has always enjoyed working with children and finds it so fulfilling to have such an important impact on her clients each and every day. Her favorite part of her job is the great privilege to work with such amazing, genuine, and kindhearted children. 




 

Gina has been working in special education for 10 years. She has been in ABA for 3 years! Gina chose to become an ABA therapist because of her passion of working with children with autism and watching their daily progress and them grow! Gina hopes to bring her clients and their family positivity, calmness and daily growth! In her free time, Gina spends every second with her two sons! Gina's future aspirations are to become a BCBA! Gina's favorite part of her job is celebrating the small victories with client's and their family. She loves to watch the excitement in her client's when they have mastered one of their goals! 
 

Hannah is an ABA therapist who has a strong passion for helping children on the spectrum achieve their goals. She has experience working with many different age groups, from early childhood to middle school. Her favorite part of working with children on the spectrum is seeing the amazing growth they are capable of when given the proper tools. She is excited to bring her skills and knowledge to the tribe at Somewhere Over The Spectrum!


 

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Jason has a Bachelor's in Psychological science, with a minor in sociology.  He chose this path because he loves to work in a child-centered environment that allows him to release his inner child. Jason hopes to bring smiles to friends and family and learning experiences the kiddos will never forget. He wants to put his heart into these experiences that will shape the future success for all the kids.  In his free time, Jason enjoys drawing and staying connected with friends and family overseas.  In the future, Jason dreams of working 1 on 1 with clients in a clinical setting, maybe even opening up his own clinic at some point.  Jason’s favorite part about the job is the learning experience. Through communication, understanding, and some fun, Jason enjoys the progression of trust and partnership with his clients and his fellow peers. 

Jessy is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst who has always had a passion for helping her clients learn. She graduated with a Master's Degree in Applied Behavior Analysis from Western Connecticut State University. Jessy has worked with clients of various ages, backgrounds and unique needs for 9 years and loves to be a part of those “ah-ha!” moments with them and their families. In her free time, Jessy loves spending time with her family playing games, going to the beach and hiking. 

John has experience working with students on the autism spectrum, helping students in elementary and middle schools. He enjoys helping students to develop their abilities, and has a unique way of making it fun! He is interested in learning more about psychology and in deepening his understanding of successful teaching/coaching approaches. John loves spending time outdoors, fly fishing, and hiking.

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Michelle has always been passionate about creativity, helping others, and making an impact. Since being introduced to the world of ABA, she has enjoyed working with children with autism and their families.  Michelle's most treasured part of her job is seeing children grow and blossom into their full potential. She herself aspires to grow in the field by learning and mastering new techniques and skills as an ABA Therapist in the natural and holistic environment of Somewhere Over the Spectrum.

Shoshana is attending Southern Connecticut State University to earn her Bachelors Degree in social work. Her passion is to help the youth who are underrepresented and underserved. Shoshana has been working with children since the age of 14 and started working with children with autism since the age of 16. At Somewhere Over the Spectrum, Shoshana enjoys building a therapeutic relationship with a child and watching them grow over time! Shoshana plans to pursue her career in social work to help different populations such as juveniles in the justice system or children with autism. 

Victoria's favorite part about working with children is seeing how excited they are to learn, and having just as much fun as they are while she’s teaching. She hopes to see every child she works with become the most confident and independent version of themselves. 

Alissa received her Bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of Saint Joseph and her Masters of Occupational Therapy from Bay Path University. She is registered with the National Board of Certification in Occupational Therapy and worked in a variety of settings including the school setting, pediatric outpatient therapy, home health, and skilled nursing. Her love for holistic practice and working with the pediatric population guided her to Occupational Therapy. Outside of her work, Alissa enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, yoga, pilates and playing soccer.

Alyssa is a graduate of Southern Connecticut State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Therapeutic Recreation. She has lots of experience working with children and has always had a passion and interest in working with kids with intellectual disabilities. What she finds most interesting when working with children on the spectrum is that every day is a new day and each day brings new challenges with the opportunity to learn something new about her clients that she is devoting her time with. As an ABA Therapist, her goal is to help children become more independent and confident and leave a mark on their lives. In her free time, Alyssa loves spending time with family/friends, listening to music and spending time outdoors.

Anna graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology with a minor in gerontology. She decided to work with children after years of experience with the elderly population assisting in rehabilitation; bringing her kindness and patience to a new meaningful direction working with children who need help learning in various ways. Seeing them each morning brightens up her day to see how silly and how much character they have; making every day full of joy and surprises.  For Anna the most fulfilling part as an ABA therapist is experiencing the progress, growth, and knowing she can make an impact in their life.

Dominique has worked in early childhood for 7 years now. Her favorite part about working with children is helping them grow and reach their full potential! She is excited to bring her energetic and nurturing personality to the Somewhere Over the Spectrum team! During her free time, she enjoys reading, listening to music, and spending time with her two sons. 

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Erin started working with children with ASD when she was in 6th grade and the more she worked with this community the more she fell in love with the uniqueness of each individual. She hopes to make a difference each day with the kids finding ways to make them smile as well as give them the tools to be successful in all aspects of the community, and help their families see the growth their children make each and every day. In her free time Erin loves being active in the outdoors, hiking, skiing, camping, boating, and being with her friends and family. 



 

Gabriela José Calderón Parrilla is from Puerto Rico. In Puerto Rico, she received two degrees and holds her License in School Psychology. She hopes to bring her enthusiasm, energy, love, and creativity to improve the lives of children with autism and their families. Gabriela desires to pursue a career within the field of Autism. Gabriela believes, the best part of her job is the feeling that it is not a job and is the opportunity to do something and be part of someone's life for a better future.  She enjoys playing board games, cooking, drinking coffee, walking in nature, going to the beach, and spending time with her husband Luis and puppy named Toby.   

Haley is an ABA Therapist with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Health Studies and a minor in Psychology from Western New England University. Haley’s favorite part about her job is building relationships and seeing the growth and direct impact she can have on a child’s everyday life! In her free time, Haley enjoys taking her dog for walks and spending time with her friends and family. Haley hopes to bring positivity, comfort, and trust to Somewhere Over the Spectrum as well as the children and families that we work with.
 

Hannah is a BCBA who earned a Master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis from the University of Saint Joseph. She began her career working with children on the spectrum without any knowledge of the field and quickly fell in love! She strives to help children become more independent and build meaningful connections with others around them. She is passionate about supporting both children and their families in learning and growing together.

 

Hillary graduated from the University of Rhode Island with a degree in human development and family studies. After becoming an ABA therapist, Hillary realized that is where her passion lies and she has started school in the Fall of 2022, to pursue her Master's Degree in ABA. Hillary hopes to become a BCBA once she finishes her Master's Degree so that she can continue to work with children on the spectrum and make a difference in their lives. In her free time, Hillary loves reading, cooking, and spending time with her husband and their dog.

 

Jonathan is a bilingual Board Certified Behavior Analysis and LBA in CT. He graduated with a Master's Degree in Applied Behavior Analysis from the University of Saint Joseph. Jonathan has been in the field working with children on the spectrum for the past 8 years. He strives to improve the lives of his clients by fostering independence while also supporting their families for the most positive growth. In his free time, Jonathan is passionate about playing piano, dancing, and spending time with family.




 

Joe Molski is a Speech-Language Pathology graduate student at the University of Rhode Island where he earned his BS in Communicative Disorders and conducted research into how adolescents with ASD communicate.  He chose this career path to help create a future where communication is accessible to all and aspires to develop tools and technologies which will assist others in communicating and interacting with the world.  His favorite part about working in this field is seeing the excitement and joy of clients when they exceed their own goals and expectations.

From her earliest recollections, Kathy has always wanted to be a teacher. She wanted to do something in her life where she could make the “most difference.” One of her greatest desires is to cultivate a love of learning and a love for life in all children ~ helping them to see their unique value and individual worth.  Kathy developed a love for Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) over the years and creatively
embeds it throughout her teaching. She loves all things nature, including birdwatching, kayaking, trail walking, and enjoying cozy bonfires with family and friends. Kathy wants to continue to further develop in her field and hopes to spark joy all around!

 

Lydia graduated from Temple University in the spring of 2020 with a degree in Africology and African-American Studies & Spanish. Ever since moving back home to Connecticut, she's been very lucky and very blessed to have found a home at Somewhere Over the Spectrum. Her journey into the world of ABA started only a year ago, but she's found her niche in doing something she loves with coworkers and clients who make every day successful and exciting!  Lydia is excited to continue her journey of growth at Somewhere Over the Spectrum. 

 

Olaide is a graduate from the University of the Ozarks, located in Arkansas. She earned her degree in Psychology and is taking a gap year, before grad school. Olaide believes that this position as an ABA therapist is one that found her and she has been loving every minute of it. She hopes to bring lots of smiles, not only to the team but to the children and families! To be even a small part of bringing hope and a sense of belonging is something that she strives for while working with the kiddos at SOTS. Olaide enjoys watching anime, cooking, and hanging out in her free time! Her future aspirations include obtaining a Ph.D. in Cognitive Neuroscience and her favorite part about the job is interacting with the children, getting to know them as individuals, and most importantly, helping the children be the best them!

Tracy brings her enthusiasm to help others along with 10+ years of Medical Office operations experience.  She enjoys providing support and guidance to families of children with special needs, especially at times when those families are unsure of so many things.  In her own words, she has said “It’s seeing the small miracles that happen every day that motivates me to fight for the needs of the children.”  In her free time, she enjoys running, hiking, and spending time with her family and dog.