Raleigh, North Carolina
4904 Waters Edge Dr., Suite 275
Raleigh, NC 27606
(919) 854-4400
raleigh@asmallmiracleinc.com
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A Small Miracle, Inc. in Raleigh offers a wide range of therapeutic programs and advocates that each family tailor their program specifically for their child. Our Raleigh office provides individualized programs using a wide range of methodologies including: Applied Behavior Analysis (both Lovaas and Verbal Behavior Therapies), TEACCH, Relationship Development Intervention (RDI), and Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS). The ASM team combines Specialized Consultative Services, Individual/Caregiver Training and Education, and “program specific” staff training with one-on-one services to provide a thorough and effective program for each client.
A Small Miracle, Inc. also believes that every member of a child’s team should work together to ensure an optimum program. To further these goals, we offer a variety of guest speakers and trainings throughout the year. Each quarter we offer training sessions (link to current Raleigh training schedule, including VB workshop series) on a variety of therapeutic methodologies including: Applied Behavior Analysis Programs and Techniques (including Verbal Behavior), Special Diets such as Gluten- and Casein-Free, Relationship Development Intervention, Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), Social Stories, and Alternative Treatments for Autism. We contract with the area’s leading Speech / Language Pathologists, Behavioral Psychologists and Behavior Analysts to present these trainings. To encourage a true therapeutic team, we invite everyone to come to these trainings including staff, parents, teachers, babysitters, community members and other professionals.
Realizing that many of our clients need assistance in areas such as socialization and appropriate play skills, we developed a Community Outing Program, and each month we schedule several community based events during which we teach specific socialization and play skills. These outings include bowling, sports events, therapeutic horseback riding, restaurants, parks, and museums. We also offer activities for siblings to participate in, and at the suggestion of our client families, we have expanded the program to include a family outing each month that all client family members are invited to attend.
Our Raleigh office has also teamed up with A.E. Finley YMCA to provide Parents’ Night Out as a free service for our client families one Saturday each month from 6-9pm. Both clients and siblings are welcome to join us in fun activities at the YMCA. Each month we offer a variety of play activities based around a theme. While a habilitation technician accompanies each client, ASM provides interns to assist with the siblings. This is another opportunity for clients to work on socialization and play skills while their parents enjoy a well-deserved night out on the town!
Last but not least, in collaboration with the GRACE Foundation of Raleigh, A Small Miracle, Inc. offers our Raleigh clients two free thirty-minute therapeutic riding sessions each month. If you are not familiar with the GRACE Foundation, the ultimate goal at this non-profit organization is “to provide families of autistic children a place to come and always be welcome.” Horseback riding is a favorite activity for many of our clients (and offers therapeutic benefits as well!)
The Raleigh Team
Keri Anderson
Keri Anderson is the Program Director/QP for the Raleigh office. She graduated from the University of North Carolina in Wilmington with her Bachelors degree in Psychology with a minor in Education in 1999. While attending college, she worked with children with disabilities at a local elementary school. Following her graduation, Keri received formal ABA-Lovaas training in Pennsylvania and practiced discrete trial training with children with autism for three years. During that time she also served as a Program Director/QP for a residential facility for adults with DD and MI issues. In 2001 Keri helped open the Raleigh ASM office. She received training in Verbal Behavior, attending seminars by Drs. Carbone, Partington, and McGreevy, and local experts such as SLP Tracy Vail and BCABA/VB Consultant Denise Freeman. Keri has also attended RDI seminars by Dr. Gutstein and local SLP/RDI consultant Amy Cameron, PECS training, Social Stories Training with Carol Grey, the 2003 Florida Association of Behavioral Analysts Conference, and the 2004 DAN Biomedical Conference. In total, Keri has worked with or supervised programs for children with disabilities and specialized in autism for the past seven years.
Michael Joyce
Michael Joyce graduated from State University of New York at Oneonta with a Bachelors degree in Psychology in May of 1999. He then moved to Baltimore, MD where he worked at an after school program for inner city children with behavioral and learning disabilities. In 2001, Mike moved to Raleigh and began working with ASM as a habilitation technician. In 2002, he left to teach at the Mariposa School for Children with Autism, where he received extensive training in Verbal Behavior. In 2003, Mike returned to ASM as a QP. He specializes in supervising cases with VB and ABA programs in place.
Beth Gaul
Beth Gaul graduated from Meredith College with a Bachelors degree in Psychology and a minor in Communication in May of 2002. While at Meredith, Beth worked in the Autism Lab, using behavior modification techniques to teach children with the disorder. In March of 2002, she joined the ASM team as a habilitation technician, and then after graduation took on additional duties as a Family Trainer. She continued to study verbal behavior, attending seminars by Dr. Carbone and local SLP Tracy Vail. She has also attended numerous other trainings on RDI, HBOT, Special Diets and other educational and biomedical treatments for autism. Beth was promoted to AP in February of 2004 and to QP in May of 2004.
Tahira Herring
Tahira Herring graduated from Shaw University with a Bachelors degree in Recreation and a minor in Psychology in May of 2003. She joined the ASM team as a habilitation technician in September of 2001 and was promoted to QP in November of 2005. Tahira has experience working with numerous disabilities and has attended trainings on VB and ABA.
Brigitte McDonald
Brigitte McDonald graduated from Campbell University with a Bachelors degree in Psychology in May of 2001. She worked with a home care agency for several months and then joined ASM. Brigitte received extensive training in ABA/VB and sign language while working as a habilitation technician for a client with autism. Brigitte then left to teach at the Mariposa School for Children with Autism for three years. During this time, she also learned PECs and token exchange economies, and participated in Dr. Carbone’s three-day VB workshop. Brigitte returned to ASM in June 2006 as a QP and Family/Staff Trainer.
Krista DuFault
Krista DuFault graduated from NC State with a Bachelors degree in Psychology in 2000. She has worked with children with autism for more than four years and has four years of VB experience. She joined ASM as a Family and Staff Trainer and will be taking on the additional duties of QP in November of 2006. Krista served as Co-director of Camp G.R.A.C.E. for the summer of 2006 (Please see the section on Camp G.R.A.C.E. for more information). She has attended several VB, ABA, and RDI trainings.
April Holleman
April Holleman is the Office Manager for the Raleigh office. She graduated from Fuquay-Varina High School in 1997 and then studied Information Systems/Office System Administration at Wake Technical Community College. During her two years there she specialized in office supports/computer management, computer hardware/software support, and database management. April then worked in office management for an agency providing services to individuals with mental illness until she joined ASM in April of 2002. She has been the Office Manager of the Raleigh office ever since.
Sara Keen
Sara Keen graduated from North Carolina State University with a BA in Psychology and a minor in Sociology in May of 2006. While in school, she joined ASM as a habilitation technician and worked with both children and adults with various disabilities. She has received training in Verbal Behavior and RDI from local SLP Tracy Vail and has shadowed a child with special needs at Camp Friendly in Raleigh. With three and a half years of experience, Sara was promoted in November of 2006 to AQP.
Blair Wannamaker
Blair Wannamaker graduated from Meredith College in May of 2005 with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. She has worked at the Meredith Autism Program working one-on-one with the children with ABA programs as well as shadowing kids at preschool to help with the transition into a classroom setting since June 2004. Blair has attended Verbal Behavior trainings by Dr. Vincent Carbone and has attended both VB and RDI trainings by Tracy Vail. Blair has been part of the ASM team working as a Hab Tech for children with VB programs for the past year and a half. She is currently a part time AQP and will become a full time QP in June.
Nicole Lowder
Nicole Lowder graduated from Peace College in 2004 with a Bachelor's degree in Psychology. While in college, Nicole did her internship with Dr. Stegman of Concord NC. Dr Stegman is a developmental and behavioral pediatrician who specializes in autism and has been on Good Morning America speaking on Autism awareness. Nicole began working as a Habilitation Technician for A Small Miracle in February of 2005 and was promoted to QP in May 2007. She has training and experience with Verbal Behavior programs.
Wendy Vos
Wendy Vos graduated from North Carolina State University with a Bachelors degree in Psychology in December of 2005. She began working for A Small Miracle in March of 2003 as a Habilitation Technician. During this time, she implemented an intensive Verbal Behavior program with a client.Wendy then worked as an AQP with another provider agency and rejoined A Small Miracle as an AQP in May of 2006. She has attended both TEACCH training and VB trainings and has experience supervising clients with autism and other disabilities.
Christina Alioto
Christina Alioto graduated from Meredith College in May of 2005 with a degree in Social Work. While at Meredith College, she did an internship working with preschool age children with Developmental Delays. She enjoyed it so much that she stayed in the MR/DD field after graduation. Christina has post-graduate experience providing habilitative services to a nine-year old boy with Autism and providing Supported Employment to adults with Autism. In June 2007, she joined the ASM team as a QP.
Lauren Koenig
Lauren Koenig graduated from Western Carolina University in 2004 with a degree in Psychology and Criminal Justice. After graduation she relocated to Raleigh and began work as a Habilitation Technician. In addition to being a Hab Tech, she also gained experience as a Job Coach and as a Teacher Assistant in AU1 and Behavioral classrooms. Lauren joined ASM in January of 2007 and was promoted to QP in June of the same year.