who is reaching new heights?
leadership
Laina Matuch is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and the Director of ABA at Reaching New Heights. Laina received her Bachelor’s degree in education from Ohio University and Master’s from Cleveland State. Laina spent the first couple years of her career teaching in public schools and at Monarch Center for Autism. During these years, she developed a passion for behavior, why behaviors happen, and how it can be taught. She is so happy every day she spends at RNH, and is thankful to be able to work side by side with such incredible, kind, loving people. Laina and her husband Nick welcomed their sweet baby girl Kaya in January 2023, and she feels this has given her a whole new perspective on her work with children and their parents. When Laina is not at work, she enjoys spending time with her daughter and fur baby (a three-legged rescue pitbull named Champion), reading, and she has become an avid gardener over the last few years. Laina also has a burning passion for Mexican food, and would eat it every single day if she could! Laina’s favorite part of her job is seeing how our work inside the walls of RNH can reach into all different parts of the child’s life. It’s not easy work, but it’s work that truly makes a difference!
Jen Craig is the Clinic Manager and HR Coordinator at Reaching New Heights. She is also an incredible RBT! Jen and Donna were co-workers in Solon City Schools and Donna knew she wanted her to be part of this new team. She has over 19 years of experience working with children, in grades K-12, including those with multiple disabilities and Autism Spectrum Disorder. Jen was instrumental in facilitating social skills and language groups where she used behavioral management skills and tools including visual schedules, token economies, and augmentative communication devices. Jen worked with a multi-disciplinary team that included a BCBA, Intervention Specialist, School Psychologist, Speech Language Pathologist, Occupational Therapist, and Physical Therapist. Jen lights up when she sees a child succeed using the tools and strategies she has provided, and it is her passion to be able to help them reach their highest potential. When not at work, she can usually be found exploring new restaurants, having game night with family, or exploring the lakeside by kayak or foot. She also enjoys salsa dancing and cuddles with her cat, Jasper.
Dana Kane is the Director of Education at Reaching New Heights. In 2007, while studying Fine Arts at Ohio State University, Dana fell into her first ABA position working with individuals with Autism in their homes. She immediately fell in love with the field and quickly changed her major to study Human Development and graduated with a degree in Early Childhood Education. Since graduating, she has worked as a teacher at the Monarch Center for Autism and the STEPs Academy as well as working extensively in homes and center based programs as a behavior therapist. Despite her background in Discrete Trial Training, Dana’s therapeutic approach is deeply rooted in play based and sensory integration models and she loves finding any opportunity to incorporate art and language development into her therapy.
When she isn’t working, Dana enjoys cooking at home with her boyfriend. She loves hiking and biking, and when she finds the time, still loves painting and printmaking.
When she isn’t working, Dana enjoys cooking at home with her boyfriend. She loves hiking and biking, and when she finds the time, still loves painting and printmaking.
Kara Miller is the lead RBT at Reaching New Heights and the facilitator of FLIGHT. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a minor in Communication Disorders at Baldwin Wallace University. After graduation, Kara worked for Akron Community Learning Centers and the Monarch Center for Autism as an associate teacher. Kara quickly learned she had a passion for making a difference in the field of special needs, specifically autism and behavior management.
Every day, Kara comes to work with a positive and enthusiastic attitude. When she is not at work, Kara enjoys playing volleyball, exploring local restaurants, and traveling to new places (mostly the beach!).
Every day, Kara comes to work with a positive and enthusiastic attitude. When she is not at work, Kara enjoys playing volleyball, exploring local restaurants, and traveling to new places (mostly the beach!).
Board certified Behavior Analysts
Sirena Atalig holds a Master of Science in Psychology with a concentration in Behavioral Health, a Bachelor of Science in Human Services Management, and a Behavior Analysis Graduate Certificate from the Florida Institute of Technology. She discovered her love for making meaningful changes in people's lives through sustaining evidence-based practices while working as an RBT and providing specialized 1:1 in-home and school-based ABA therapy for children with developmental disabilities aged 2-18 years old. Sirena's special areas of interest include functional communication methods and techniques, severe challenging behaviors with intervention development for functionally equivalent replacement skills, and family training. She Sirena is passionate about continuous professional development and improving the lives of the children and families she works with through compassionate care. She loves hearing about positive changes at home and doing all that she can to make each child's environment a happy one.
Sarah Price is a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) at Reaching New Heights. Sarah received her bachelor’s degree in child and family development from Ashland University and her master’s degree in applied behavioral analysis from Ball State University. She spent the first few years of her career as a behavior therapist at the Cleveland Clinic Center for Autism. Sarah has worked with clients aged 2-22 years and has experience with clients with intense disruptive behaviors. She loves seeing the behavioral strides that the clients make with the amazing RNH therapies! Sarah lives in Parma Heights with her husband and two her two Brittany Spaniel pups Remington and Oakley. She is expecting a baby boy May of 2023! When Sarah is not at work, she and her husband enjoy spending time together with the dogs and their family. Sarah enjoys painting, organizing, home renovation, time in the sun, and trying new things! Sarah is thankful for the RNH family she has become a part of, and grateful for all the clients she gets to spend time with!
Madison Whitley is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) at Reaching New Heights. Madison recieved her Bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of North Carolina Wilmington and Master's in ABA from Arizona State University. Madison began her career working as an RBT providing therapy in children's homes. She quickly fell in love with ABA and it's powerful impacts and knew that she wanted to continue in the field. She has experience working with children ages 2-15 with a variety of behavioral challenges. Madison is very passionate about creating individualized goals that meet each child's unique interests and learning styles. Madison is a North Carolina native that recently moved to Kent with her husband, Paul, and two cats, Macie and Jack. When she is not at work, she loves spending time outdoors with her husband, snuggling the cats, reading, and traveling! She is super excited to be living in a new state with tons of places to explore. Madison feels extremely blessed to have found a home away from home at RNH. She loves working in such a positive and collaborative environment and she adores all of the kids with whom she has the privilege of working!
Behavior Technicians
Emily Burrows is a Registered Behavior Technician at Reaching New Heights. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from John Carroll University. As a teen, she knew she wanted to work with children diagnosed with autism. Emily has volunteered with various organizations including Best Buddies, Special Olympics and at the UH Pediatric Oncology Unit. After graduating in 2018, Emily began working in the ABA field and became a Registered Behavior Technician. She finds it extremely important to incorporate play and sensory diets in a child’s routine. Emily loves watching each child grow and being able to be a part of that growth. When Emily is not at work, she enjoys taking her dog, Yogi, to different trails and parks to hike and run. She has been running for a little over a year and is getting ready for a half marathon in April. She also loves taking weekend trips with her boyfriend to visit her parents in Indiana.
Paige Donarum is a Registered Behavior Technician at Reaching New Heights. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Public Health with a minor in Healthcare Systems Management from Kent State University. Paige is currently a graduate student working towards her Master’s Degree in Special Education from Ohio University. Paige discovered her passion for working with people with developmental disabilities while working as a Direct Support Professional at an Adult Day Program. During this time, she gained experience working with people with a variety of disabilities including Autism Spectrum Disorder, Cerebral Palsy, and Angelman Syndrome. Paige loves providing care for children and watching them progress and meet their goals. She is humbled to have the opportunity to be a part of their journey and believes she learns just as much from the children she serves as they do from her. When she is not working, Paige loves spending time at home with her boyfriend and their two Siamese cats, Kai and Charlotte. She also enjoys fishing, photography, and playing the guitar.
Alyssa Erny is a Registered Behavior Technician at Reaching New Heights. Alyssa has a Bachelors degree in Psychology from Cleveland State and is pursuing her Masters and Psy.D degree in School Psychology from Cleveland State. She has worked with children since she was 12 years old and always knew that's what she would do as a career. Alyssa has experience as a Teacher's Assistant in a classroom with students identified as on the Autism Spectrum. Alyssa loves seeing children's brains working and thinking from a young age and is excited to be a part of their development. When she's not at work, Alyssa enjoys working out, yoga, playing with dogs(especially pugs), reading books on her Kindle and being surrounded by friends and family
Grace Holocker is a Registered Behavior Technician at Reaching New Heights. In 2022, she received her Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise Science with a concentration in Pre-Occupational Therapy from Kent State University. She plans to further her degree within the following years. Before college, Grace worked as a volunteer for the summer programs at RNH. She continued to volunteer throughout her college career and later pursued an internship with the practice during her final year at Kent State. Grace found a passion in ABA through her educational experiences between the staff and children of RNH! She loves being able to provide a multitude of support and positive encouragement to each of those with developmental disabilities. When she is not working, Grace enjoys hiking and camping throughout Ohio, gardening, reading, and listening to new genres of music. She also enjoys exploring new ways to fuel her artistic outlet.
Alyssa Krepps is a Registered Behavior Technician at Reaching New Heights. She is currently working towards her bachelor's degree in Public Health from Kent State University, and hopes to continue her education in the near future by getting her Masters degree as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. Alyssa found her passion in working with children with autism spectrum disorder when she started at Reaching New Heights and finds new things to love about her job, and the children, every day. Alyssa has always known that she wanted to work with children to make a meaningful difference in their lives. Watching these kids grow and learn brings so much joy and happiness to her life. When she is not at work, Alyssa enjoys reading, hanging out by the pool with her partner Abbey, and playing with their two cats, Paris and Fiji. Alyssa also loves to travel and see new things to expand her knowledge about the world.
Halie Lindemann is a Registered Behavior Technician at Reaching New Heights. She received her Bachelor's Degree. in Psychology and have been working as an RBT since her graduation in December of 2022. Over the years, Halie worked as a camp counselor where she helped children and young adults aged 8-18 learn how to ride horses. Working with this population sparked her interest in psychology and ABA.
Halie has owned horses for 15 years, and currently owns two of her own horses (Buck and Bill). She loves to ride in her spare time!
Halie has owned horses for 15 years, and currently owns two of her own horses (Buck and Bill). She loves to ride in her spare time!
Gillian Maitland is a Behavior Technician at Reaching New Heights. She received her Bachelor's Degree in Psychology, with a minor in Organizational Leadership from the University of Cincinnati, with hopes to continue her education in the near future. During her time in Cincinnati, she interned at a nonprofit organization for disadvantaged youth called Mentoring Plus. Through this experience, Gillian quickly found her passion for empowering children and adolescents to fulfill their potential. In her last year at Cincinnati, she also worked as a Behavioral Health Specialist at Cincinnati Children’s hospital, where she gained experience working with children of all ages with all different types of disabilities and mental health illnesses. Her favorite part about working with kids is watching them learn new life skills and grow as people. It is incredibly heartwarming to her knowing that she is making a difference in someone else’s life. When Gillian is not at work, she enjoys going to the gym, hanging out with friends and spending time with her dog, Gunner.
Allie Mysliwiec is a Behavior Technician at Reaching New Heights. In 2021, she graduated from Ursuline College with a Bachelor degree in art therapy and a minor in psychology. Following graduation, Allie worked at Positive Education Program, where she worked with autistic children in a behavioral school setting. This is where she realized that this population is her absolute passion and she wouldn't want to be doing anything else. She is currently in Graduate school, attending Grand Canyon University, pursuing a Masters in mental health counseling with an emphasis on childhood and adolescent disorders. Allie finds pure joy in working with this population, every day is different, seeing the positive changes and goals being met by the children is the best feeling. Allie played college soccer at Ursuline college as a goalkeeper. She enjoys camping with her family and playing with her Labrador Retrievers, Shandy and Guinness. Her favorite thing to do when winding down after a long day is to watch Grey's Anatomy on Netflix, under a thousand blankets.
Gina Tedesco is a behavior technician at Reaching New Heights. In 2022, she received her bachelor of arts in English with a minor focused on secondary education. Shortly after graduating, Gina started teaching ninth grade in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. While teaching, she realized it was young children she wanted to work with, and began a new career search. She always had a passion for learning and helping children meet their goals, which is why she pursued education. While searching for another field that enabled her to continue her passion, Gina discovered the field of ABA and immediately knew this was what she wanted to do. Having nannied in the past, Gina worked with children from 6 months to 7 years old which helped her discover the rewarding field of ABA. In her free time, Gina loves reading, writing fiction stories, playing her ukulele, and spending time with her cat, Chunk.
Caitlin Ritter is a Registered Behavior Technician at Reaching New Heights. Caitlin is currently finishing up her bachelor's degree in psychology at Los Angeles Pacific University and hopes to enter a master's program shortly after graduation this winter. Her passion for behavior analysis was sparked by taking care of her younger brother with Autism throughout their childhood. She has worked with children with developmental disabilities since she was 10 years old, and her love for this field continues to grow. Caitlin recently moved to Ohio in October 2022, and she is excited to pursue the opportunities RNH gives her and to build long-lasting relationships with her coworkers. Caitlin is most excited to help children grow, and to be a part of their development. She hopes to make a positive impact on every child she works with. When she is not working, Caitlin enjoys going to the gym, reading, and baking. She also enjoys spending time with her boyfriend and their puppy, Maggie.
Ashley Saxton is a Registered Behavior Technician at Reaching New Heights. Ashley earned a bachelor’s degree in Speech Pathology and Audiology from Kent State University . She currently is in graduate school with plans of pursuing a career as a BCBA. Ashley had experience working with typically developing preschoolers and school age children but has found her true passion for working with kids on the autism spectrum and the field of ABA as a whole. Entering the field so early in her career, Ashley is eager to grow and learn alongside wonderful coworkers at RNH! When she’s not working, Ashley enjoys baking, trying new restaurants, and gardening. She has a passion for coffee and loves to be outside, usually with her dog, Dash.
Katya Tawasha is a Registered Behavior Technician at Reaching New Heights. Katya has her Bachelors degree in social work and is in grad school for Special Education with a focus in moderate/intensive needs. Katya knew she wanted to be in the field of special education since early high school. Katya was a teaching assistant for almost 4 years in a self-contained, separate facility setting. Being a part of change and doing meaningful work is what makes her the happiest. The field brings her so much passion and a drive to keep on working hard. When she is not working, she loves spending time with her dog Luna, hanging out with friends and family and watching Netflix!
""We had tried speech and OT therapies for our kiddo for over 2 years at two other places, but our child didn’t make progress. I threw a lot of money away before I talked with Donna, the owner of Reaching New Heights. How she has handled our child is heartwarming and we see the light at the end of the tunnel. Her assessments and goals are to the point. She talks to you and understands you like a friend who means well. Donna works very hard and treats all her patients as her own children. She is the greatest!
We also started ABA therapy for potty training at RNH six weeks ago. Heather understood what would work for our child as soon as she met him. And guess what? Our kiddo just started going potty this week. She never ceases to amaze me with her knowledge. Love her!
The whole RNH team is very good at communication. We have worked with most of Donna's team and we have come to the conclusion that she hires only the best. Since we started going there we have had countless numbers of tear jerking moments because our child is now excelling at all the goals and milestones. Hats off to this group of professional and compassionate women!"
-Mother
