Meet Geri: Geri McManus- O’Brien is a Speech, Language Pathologist and a Teacher of the Speech and Hearing Impaired. She holds a Masters from Adelphi University and is certified by the American Speech and Hearing Association. Geri is licensed with over 25 years of clinical practice. Today, Geri manages an agency practice of over 50 providers for the provision of evaluations, therapeutic and educational services for clients demonstrating a wide range of delays, deficits and disorders. The practice incorporates individual and group therapy that integrates speech, occupational, physical, behavioral therapies and special education modalities prescribed for each client.
Alexis Canfora is a Speech-Language Pathologist licensed by New York State and certified by the American Speech and Hearing Association. Alexis graduated from Queens College with a Master’s Degree. She has significant experience with children having cochlear implants and conversational sign language allowing her to work with children diagnosed with hearing impairment and speech disorders. In addition, Alexis has clinical experience treating diagnoses of speech delay, articulation disorders, receptive and expressive language disorders/delays and medically fragile children. Alexis enjoys integrating play-based tasks into therapy plans to aid in the progression of speech, language, and social skills.
Kristin Princiotta, M.A. CCC-SLP
Kristin Princiotta is a New York State Licensed Speech-Language Pathologist who holds her Teacher of Students with Speech and Language Disabilities certification. Kristin received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Loyola University Maryland and her Master’s degree in speech language pathology from Hofstra University. She has experience working with children in early intervention, preschool, and secondary school. She has treated children with receptive and expressive language disorders as well as articulation and phonological disorders. She is passionate about making therapy fun by incorporating play and other high-interest activities. She has the pleasure of leading early intervention groups where she uses crafts, music, and playtime activities to engage children in therapy and provide parents with useful strategies they can use at home.
Jacqueline Spoering M.A., CCC-SLP
Jacqueline Spoering is a NYS Licensed Speech-Language Pathologist. She holds a Master’s Degree from C.W. Post, LIU. With almost 30years experience as an SLP, her clinical background is inclusive of working with children diagnosed with speech and language delays, Autism Spectrum Disorder, developmental delays, hearing impairment, oral motor, speech sound (disorders), and motor speech disorders. Additionally, Jacqueline holds NYS Permanent Certification as a Teacher of the Speech and Hearing Handicapped, is a member of the American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA), and is PROMPT certified, Level I.
Heather Moskowitz M.A., CCC-SLP
Heather Moskowitz is a NYS licensed and ASHA certified pediatric speech-language pathologist. She has a professional certificate for teaching students with Speech and Language Disabilities. Heather received her bachelor's degree at Ithaca College and master’s degree at SUNY University at Buffalo. She has experience working with children in school, home, and clinic settings. Heather is PROMPT bridging trained. She is also Lidcombe trained and has a special interest in working with children with fluency/stuttering disorders. Incorporating play is very important and she enjoys catering therapy sessions to the interests and individual needs of each child.
Special Educators
Marina DeVito, M.S
Marina DeVito is a NYS Certified Special Education Teacher (N-12) and General Education Teacher (N-6). Marina has been working with children for over 25 years. Beginning with owning and operating The Huntington Nursery School (for 15 years), she continues to work with individuals of all abilities from birth to adulthood, both in school and at home. Presently, an independent contractor, Marina provides special instruction, ABA, SEIS and family training. In addition, she teaches social - language groups to early intervention and toddlers with ASD or other special needs. Using natural environment teaching, modeling and reinforcement principles, Marina works with children and their families on implementing strategies that promote independence for the individual. Most importantly, Marina loves to spend time with her students interacting through play, song, dance and laughter.
Katie DeRiso, M.S Ed., ABA
Katie has a Masters in Elementary Special Education and an Advanced Certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis from Hofstra University. She has been working as Special Education Classroom Teacher since 2011. She has also provided home/community training, home instruction, and early intervention to children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Her goal is to engage children in a caring, safe, and fun learning environment
Angela DiNatale, MS
Angela DiNatale has a Masters in Adolescent Special Education from Queens College. As a NYS certified teacher she has been servicing learners with various exceptionalities for 10 plus years. She has nurtured students as a live-in residential counselor, respite coordinator, behavior-intervention consultant, ABA therapist, and currently a Special Education home/community provider & parent trainer. She strives to implement sustainable programming in both the home and community settings that can be utilized by the learner and their family to increase independence and quality of life.
Marilyn DeSimone, BCBA, LBA
Marilyn DeSimone is a BCBA Board Certified Behavior Analyst. She has her NYS Teacher Certification in Special Education, Pre-K, Kindergarten, and Grades 1-6. Marilyn has over 30 years of experience in the field of Special Education. She has provided home/community based intensive and structured programming to children diagnosed with ASD and their families. She also has experience working as Director of Education in hospital settings where she dealt with crisis management and collaborated with all levels of hospital and educational staff. She enjoys working with families, maintaining a supportive learning environment and utilizing a team approach.
Danielle Salerno, M.S., BCBA, LBA
Danielle has a Masters in Literacy Education and holds NYS permanent certifications in Elementary Education, Pre-Kindergarten – Sixth Grade, and Special Education (Birth – 21 years of age). She is a licensed and board certified Behavior Analyst and received her Advanced Certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis in 2017. She has worked as a behavior support specialist and special education teacher for 16 years with children 2 to 5 years of age. Her work aims to foster social and academic growth by identifying and building on students’ strengths, providing clear instructions and guidelines, and creating a consistent environment that lends itself to learning.
Occupational Therapists
Julianna Foertsch, MS, OTR/L
Julianna has a Master’s of Science degree in Occupational Therapy from Clarkson University, is certified by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, and is a member of the American Occupational Therapy Association and the American Heart Association. She currently works in the pediatric field and works with children from the ages of birth to 21 years of age. Her work experience includes adult orthopedic hand therapy, adult/geriatric home care services, geriatric assisted living, and home and school-based services for early intervention, preschool, and school-aged children. Julianna also has experience volunteering in a hippotherapy program for children diagnosed with ASD, ADHD, down syndrome, and learning disabilities. She has helped design and set up the sensory gym at the SUNY Potsdam Literacy Center and at O’Brien Speech, Language, and Learning. Julianna enjoys working with the pediatric population and learning about each child’s individual interests. By knowing each child’s individual interests, Julianna is able to incorporate it into play throughout each treatment session in order to provide the best possible experience and outcome.
Janet M. Byrns, OTR/L
Janet began her journey in the field of Occupational Therapy after graduating from Quinnipiac College (now Quinnipiac University) in 1977 with a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy. Her professional career has enabled her to work in a variety of settings with clients across the lifespan. Her work experience has included inpatient rehabilitation, acute care therapy in a large teaching hospital, orthopedic hand therapy, adult home care services, early intervention home-based services, home and school-based services for preschool children, and services within special education settings. She has helped design, set up, and provide therapy services in numerous sensory motor gyms. During the past 30+ years, she has spent most of her time working directly with children of varied ages and diagnostic categories and their families. She has also supervised occupational therapy students and served as a mentor to colleagues and clinicians. Janet has maintained and expanded her areas of expertise with ongoing continuing educational and certification courses. She looks forward to meeting new children and their families and helping to guide them along their journey to promote the best possible outcomes.