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    • Meet Our Team

    Children’s Specialized ABA’s team consists of highly skilled professionals who bring together years of experience and a deep passion for helping children achieve their full potential. Each member of our dedicated team plays a pivotal role in creating a nurturing and supportive environment tailored to the unique needs of every child.

    To learn more about Children’s Specialized ABA and our team, call us at 201-979-0772 today.
    Person turn away from the camera with the phrase 'Your Milestones, Our Passion' on the back of their shirt.

    A Message from Our CEO

    Welcome to Children’s Specialized ABA!

    Our leadership team is bonded by a passion for elevating care, and patient and family experience, for every child diagnosed with autism.

    There are many dedicated providers in the world, so you might ask what sets us apart. My answer:

    1. We practice whole-child care, increasing communication and coordination with all relevant clinical and educational stakeholders to ensure progress, clarity, and comfort for the child and family.
    2. Our partnership with Children’s Specialized Hospital/RWJBarnabas Health brings with it a commitment to quality and safety – our staff receive more training and access to resources than you can find anywhere else – and it shows in the milestones our patients receive.
    3. We celebrate with you and your child. Children’s Specialized ABA is filled with leaders who live our tagline: Your milestones are our passion.

    As an autism parent, I have experienced every level of service and care. It is my personal commitment that our team will be there to support you every step of the way with compassion, clarity, and excellence. Please reach out if we can help!

    Best,

    Chad

    Meet the Team at
    Children's Specialized ABA 

    Chad Hill

    Chief Executive Officer

    Miriam Newmark BCBA, LBA

    Chief Operating Officer

    Kristy Konopka

    VP, Human Resources

    Claire Ellis BCBA, LBA

    Sr. Director of Clinical Training & Development

    Deanna Deenihan, MS, BCBA

    Director, Clinical Quality 

    Katie Talerico

    Director, Compliance

    Alyson Niven, M.OTR/L

    Director of Occupational Therapy

    Falinda C. Dieujuste, MSW, LCSW

    Director of Social Work

    Dr. Lindsay Kaffl, SLPD, CCC-SLP, ATP

    Director of Speech-Language Pathology

    Carly Hester

    Director of Strategic Partnerships

    Catherine Friend

    Catherine Friend, M.A., BCBA, LBA

    Regional Clinical Director, Maryland

    Kelly Bridgeforth, MS, BCBA, LBA-AZ

    Regional Clinical Director, Arizona

    Kristin Mumpower, MA, LPA, BCBA

    Regional Clinical Director, North Carolina

    Amanda Zahlmann, M.S., BCBA, LBA

    Regional Clinical Director, New Jersey

    Your Milestones,
    Our Passion

    Call Today: 201-979-0772

    Connecting with us is the first step

    Child grinning from inside a play fort shaped like a spaceship.

    Our Locations

    Our locations in New Jersey, Maryland, North Carolina, and Arizona provide children with quality whole-child autism care that makes us stand out in the communities we serve. We are here to build authentic connections by providing a collaboration between professionals and families.

    Read About Our Locations
    New Jersey

    Jackson, NJ

    178 West Veterans
    Jackson, NJ 08527

    Newark, NJ

    131 Bergen St
    Newark, NJ 07103

    Coming Soon!

    Greensboro, NC

    1196 Pleasant Ridge Rd
    Greensboro, NC 27409

    Beltsville, MD

    12240 Indian Creek Ct.
    Beltsville, MD 20705

    Owings Mill, MD

    500 Redland Ct.,
    Suite 102,
    Owings Mills, MD 21117

    Phoenix Metro, AZ

    In-Home Only

    Chad Hill

    Chief Executive Officer

    Chad is an experienced executive and adviser in the healthcare services and life sciences industries and a passionate advocate for children diagnosed with autism. Prior to joining Children’s Specialized ABA he spent 10 years leading transformations with global companies, with focus on customer experience, people strategy, and operational excellence. Personally, Chad is an ABA and autism dad and brings to his role sensitivity to family experience, whole-child care, and neurodiversity affirming practices. Beyond his responsibilities at Children’s Specialized ABA he is a Board Member of Scenic Utah and enjoys being in the mountains and on the ski slopes.

    Miriam Newmark BCBA, LBAl

    Chief Operating Officer

    Miriam Newmark, BCBA, LBA is the Chief Operating Officer at Children’s Specialized ABA. With a strong foundation in special education as well as advancing her career with her BCBA certification from Florida Institute of Technology, Miriam has dedicated her career to supporting children and their families. Her passion for making a difference drive the company’s vision of providing exceptional care and innovative therapy practices for those diagnosed with autism. Miriam’s leadership reflects her commitment to creating a supportive and empowering environment where both teams and families can thrive. Outside of work, Miriam enjoys spending time with her family.

    Claire Ellis BCBA, LBA

    Sr. Director of Clinical Training & Development

    As a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, Claire Ellis blends clinical expertise with a passion for mentorship and creativity, ensuring every client and team member feels supported and empowered. Known for developing engaging training programs and fostering compassionate care, Claire turns opportunities for learning and growth into meaningful & measurable progress- all while keeping a sense of humor and a sharp focus on excellence. When not working, Claire loves spending time with her family, exploring new cities, cycling (both as an enthusiast and a fan of professional racing), diving into books that offer fresh perspectives and sharing laughs with the people she loves most.

    Catherine Friend, MA, BCBA, LBA

    Regional Clinical Director, Maryland

    As the Regional Clinical Director in Maryland, Catherine oversees all clinical operations, including the review, monitoring, and evaluation of treatment integrity to ensure the highest standards of protocol implementation by the clinical team. She plays a key role in developing strategies to drive growth across the state, while also nurturing strong relationships with local communities. Catherine’s ability to unite her team and effectively promote Children’s Specialized ABA cultivates an environment where parents feel assured and confident in choosing the company to entrust with their children’s care. In her free time, Catherine enjoys spending time with her husband and three children.

    Kelly Bridgeforth MS, BCBA, LBA-AZ

    Regional Clinical Director, Arizona As the Regional Clinical Director for Arizona, Kelly provides clinical oversight of BCBA’s, RBT’s and BT’s. This includes ongoing staff training, competency assessments, and performance management. She works closely with health plans, case managers, and other clinical teams to build relationships that foster superior service delivery to our families. Kelly’s focus on family partnership and clinical excellence have resulted in a rapid expansion of ABA services in Arizona.

    Kristin Mumpower MA, LPA, BCBA

    Regional Clinical Director, North Carolina Kristin Mumpower serves as North Carolina’s Clinical Director, where she is dedicated to upholding the highest standards of clinical quality. Kristin is passionate about delivering assent-based care and neurodivergent-affirming, evidence-based autism treatment.

    William Klein, M.Ed., BCBA, LABA

    Director of Quality Assurance

    William Klein is a licensed and Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) dedicated to driving clinical excellence and operational success in healthcare. As Director of Quality Assurance, he leads the development of robust quality frameworks and leverages healthcare informatics to enhance patient care and streamline service delivery. William’s commitment to fostering accountability and advancing care standards has made a measurable impact across diverse populations. A bilingual Cuban American, he is passionate about exploring different cultures through travel and starts each day with a café con leche—a nod to his roots.

    Brooke Feinstein, CPA

    Chief Finance Officer

    As CFO Brooke is responsible for financial reporting in both forward facing strategic projections and historical accuracy to support key decision making. She continuously implements business processes to optimize strategic planning, performance management and monitor risks. Brooke comes with a depth of experience seasoned from various industries. She was the CFO and Treasurer at IDW Media Holdings Inc. an NYSE traded company and has had CFO advisory clients in the healthcare and not-for-profit sectors. She has an audit and accounting background having worked at Grant Thornton LLP and Buchbinder Tunick & Company LLP. She received her BBA from Wilfrid Laurier University and also holds her CPA in New Jersey and Canada. In her spare time, she enjoys spending with her family in nature usually hiking, running, canoeing, and/or swimming.

    Maxime Von Zeman, MPH

    Chief Strategy Officer

    Maxime is a seasoned Chief Strategy Officer with extensive expertise in healthcare strategy. With over a decade of experience in the industry, she has successfully led multiple high-profile projects in technology, real estate, design, operations, activations, and customer experience. Maxime is known for her strategic vision, ability to analyze market trends, passion for sustainable development and focus on staff and patient experience. She holds a BS Health Education from San Francisco State University and an MPH from Tulane University. She is committed to building thriving communities through effective leadership and collaborative partnerships. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, reading, and spending time outdoors with her husband and two sons.