~UM-NSU CARD Directors
~Main Office Clinical Staff
~NSU Satellite Clinical Staff
UM-NSU CARD Directors
In addition to his role as Executive Director of UM-NSU CARD, Dr. Alessandri is also Director of the Division of Community Outreach and Development and Clinical Professor of Psychology and Pediatrics at the University of Miami. Dr. Alessandri has worked with individuals with autism and their families for nearly 30 years. He is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of Rochester, where he earned his Bachelor's degree in Psychology. He attended graduate school at Rutgers University, where he obtained both his M.S. (1989) and Ph.D. (1992) in Clinical Psychology. Dr. Alessandri completed his clinical internship at UNC-Chapel Hill's Center for Development and Learning (CDL). Prior to arriving in South Florida in 1996, Dr. Alessandri was an Assistant Professor of Psychology at San Jose State University (SJSU) and Associate Director of the Stanford University Pervasive Developmental Disorders Clinic.
Dr. Alessandri has presented, consulted and published internationally on developing appropriate and effective educational programs for students with autism spectrum disorders. In addition, he has received several awards within the field including the Autism Society of America (ASA) Special Recognition Award for Publications (1993), the Outstanding Faculty award by the SJSU Disability Resource Center (1995), and the ASA's Wendy F. Miller Autism Professional of the Year Award (2003).
Under his direction, the University of Miami Center for Autism & Related Disabilities was named ASA's National Autism Program of the Year in 1999. Dr. Alessandri has also received numerous other community service awards, including the March of Dimes Community Excellence in Health Care Award (2007), the Health Services Coalition Outstanding Community Leader Award (2009), and the Parent to Parent Excellence in Family Advocacy Award (2010). He was also named one of the Ronald McDonald House's 12 Good Men (2008) and the Dewar's 12 Man of Distinction (2007).
Dr. Alessandri proudly serves several community and professional organizations as a member of the Board of Trustees (CasaBlanca Academy; Easter Seals of South Florida) or the Scientific/Professional Advisory Boards (The Victory Center for Autism & Behavioral Challenges; Friends for Youth; South Florida Autism Charter School). Previously, he served as a member of the Board of Trustees and Chair of the Scientific Affairs Committee of the National Alliance for Autism Research (NAAR). Dr. Alessandri is also a proud Founding Member of the Autism Society of Miami-Dade County and former Co-Director of the Marino Autism Research Institute (MARI).
Dr. Diane Adreon has worked with individuals with autism spectrum disorders and their families for 30 years and has served as Associate Director of UM-NSU CARD since 1993. She received her doctoral in Special Education from Nova Southeastern University and her Master of Arts degree from Teacher’s College, Columbia University (1f982 where is majored in special education and applied behavior analysis.
Dr. Adreon has presented and consulted nationally and internationally on high-functioning autism and Asperger’s Disorder. In addition, she has co-authored two books, Simple Strategies that Work! Helpful Hints for all Educators of Students with High-functioning Autism, Asperger Syndrome and Related Disabilities (with Myles & Gitlitz,2006) and Asperger Syndrome and Adolescence: Practical Solutions for School Success (with Myles in 2001). In 2002 Dr. Adreon received the Autism Society Literary Achievement Award (with Myles). Dr. Adreon has authored several articles on high-functioning autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and is the editor of FASTimes, a newletter focused on high-functioning ASD. Dr. Adreon is on the editorial board of Focus on Autism and other Developmental Disorders and is a consulting editor for Intervention in School and Clinic, as well as the International Association for Special Education.
Dr. Durocher has worked with individuals with autism and their families for almost 15 years. She is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Rutgers University, where she earned her Bachelors degree in Psychology in 1992. She completed her doctoral studies in 2001 at the University of Miami, where she obtained both her M.S. and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology. Dr. Durocher completed her clinical internship at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, at the JFK Autism and Developmental Disorders Clinic in 2000-2001. While at the University of Colorado, she received extensive training in the diagnosis and evaluation of individuals with autistic spectrum and other developmental disorders who presented with comorbid emotional or psychiatric disorders.
Dr. Durocher has presented and published nationally and internationally on the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of ASDs. She has also participated in numerous county and statewide task forces focusing on early screening and diagnosis of ASDs, and addressing the mental health needs of adults with ASDs. In addition to her role as Assistant Director of UM-NSU CARD, Dr. Durocher is actively involved in research on interventions for improving joint attention skills in young children with ASDs. She also serves as a liaison & consultant to autism-related research projects at the University of Miami, as well as other local universities, and is a consulting editor for the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disabilities.
Dr. Tuchman is presently the director of Autism Programs at Miami Children’s Hospital Dan Marino Center and the director of Developmental and Behavioral Neurology at Miami Children’s Hospital. He was the Founding Director of the Miami Children’s Hospital Dan Marino Center for children with developmental disorders serving as its executive medical director from its start in 1998 thru 2001. Dr. Tuchman is an Associate Professor of Neurology at University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. He earned his M.D. from New York University School of Medicine and is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics and the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology with Special Qualification in Child Neurology. He is a fellow of both the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Neurology. Dr. Tuchman has published and lectured nationally and internationally on the topic of neurodevelopmental disorders including autism, ADHD, epilepsy and learning disorders. He is the co-editor of Autism: A neurological disorder of early brain development, which was published by Mac Keith Press in association with the International Child Neurology Association (ICNA), in 2006.
Main Office Clinical Staff
Dr. Gutierrez earned his Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Florida in 2004 and is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. Dr. Gutierrez has over 10 years of experience working with individuals diagnosed with autism and other developmental disabilities as well as individuals with dual diagnoses. He has conducted assessment and treatment of severe problem behavior, conducted and supervised discrete trial and verbal behavior programs, and designed and implemented behavior acquisition programs. He has presented nationally on the assessment and treatment of problem behavior and on the acquisition of communicative behavior and co-authored the Handbook of the Standard Celeration Chart (2003 with Pennypacker and Lindsley).
Previously Dr. Gutierrez served as the clinical and practicum coordinator for Applied Behavior Analysis, Program Coordinator for the Autism Consortium at Nova Southeastern University providing consultation to school-based programs for children diagnosed with autism around the country. He is also an Adjunct Professor for the Center for Psychological Studies at Nova Southeastern University.
Dr. Melissa Hale serves as the Coordinator of Psychological Services for UM-NSU CARD. She is also a Licensed Psychologist and a Certified Behavior Analyst. Dr. Hale received her Ph.D., in school psychology from the University of Florida in 2002 with a specialization in applied behavior analysis. She then completed her pre-doctoral internship at the Kennedy Krieger Institute and the Department of Pediatrics at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Dr. Hale has worked extensively with individuals with autism for over 10 years. Previously, Dr. Hale served as a program coordinator at the Autism Consortium at Nova Southeastern University where she provided clinical services and school-based consultation for individuals with autism spectrum disorders. She was also adjunct faculty in the psychology department at Nova Southeastern University. Dr. Hale has presented at numerous local and national conferences on topics related to autism spectrum disorders.
Ms. Chin earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at Florida State University. Her previous experience includes over five years of case management in the field of child welfare and protective supervision where she assisted children and their families in accessing services to improve the safety and enhance the quality of their lives. In this capacity she also helped foster care teens on their path to self-sufficiency through the Independent Living Program offered by the Department of Children and Families. Her efforts earned her the position of TPR Specialist, responsible for being the State’s witness at trials. She also spent two years as a telephone crisis counselor and supervisor. She is currently the Coordinator of Adult and Transition Services at the UM-NSU CARD Coral Gables location. Ms. Chin assists teens and adults with transition planning by working in cooperation with their families, employers, educators, and other resources in the community.
Michelle Costa is a bilingual clinician with a Master of Science in Education specializing in Exceptional Student Education and Pre-K Disabilities from the University of Miami, and is a Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst. She has been working with children with autism and their families for over 15 years. Ms. Costa worked for the Miami-Dade County Public School System, and at Kendall Speech and Language Center, Inc. as a tutor and Project Coordinator for an Inclusion Intervention Program for pre-school aged children. Currently Ms. Costa is the Manager of Special Events and Projects at UM-NSU CARD. Her role is to enhance our community visibility and awareness through coordinating projects and events in the community that help UM-NSU CARD raise much needed funds. Projects and events include; our signature fundraiser Tropical Nights, Autumn Moonlight, the Dan Marino Foundation WalkAbout Autism, Media Relations, the Florida Autism License Plate, conferences and on line trainings, operation of the CARD Mobile Health and Screening Clinic, and other Community Resource and Health Fairs.
Mrs. Dajer was born and raised in the Dominican Republic where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education at the Catholic University of Santo Domingo. She worked in a local private school teaching preschool aged children. She relocated to Miami in 2005, where she obtained her Master of Science in Education, in Exceptional Student Education at Carlos Albizu University. Mrs. Dajer worked at a Private Preschool Inclusion Program in a self contained classroom for children with autism for four years. She implemented and helped develop different teaching methods to meet the needs of her students. Mrs. Dajer has experience as a tutor for children with special needs. She assisted the children and their families, in their homes by giving them support in their daily activities. Mrs. Dajer is the Coordinator for the UM-NSU CARD Explorer’s Summer Camp for children with ASD.
Ms. Saleta is a bilingual clinician who earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at the Technical Institute of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. In 2002, Ms. Saleta interned at the Robert Reid Cabral Infant Hospital in Santo Domingo where she worked with young children with special needs. Her past teaching experience includes nursery school and first grade. During her last year in Santo Domingo, she developed an inclusion model for a child with autism in her first grade classroom. Ms. Saleta was also a synchronized swimming teacher for a group of girls ages six to twelve years old.
In 2005, Ms. Saleta moved to Miami and worked at the Miami Veteran’s Affair Medical Center as a research coordinator. She is currently an Educational Support Specialist providing individual family assistance to UM-NSU CARD constituents. In addition to her role as a clinician, she also assists in the development of our parent trainings in both English and Spanish.
NSU Satellite Clinical Staff
Dr. Robin Parker is a Program Professor and clinical supervisor in the Programs in Communication Sciences and Disorders at Nova Southeastern University. She is the consulting director of the UM-NSU, Center for Autism and Related Disabilities, Nova Satellite. She received her doctorate at Nova Southeastern University. She received her B.S. and M.S. at Florida State University. She received her doctorate from Nova Southeastern University.
Dr. Parker has worked with children and adults with autism spectrum disorders for the past 20 years. She came to NSU from New York City, Mount Sinai Hospital in 1993. She focuses her clinical and teaching work with individuals with autism spectrum disorders. She lectures at the local, national, and international level. She has written book chapters and articles on autism spectrum disorders. Dr. Parker is a member of the American and Florida Speech, Language, and Hearing Associations.
Mr. Grana received his B.A. in Psychology from the University of Central Florida and his M.S. in Mental Health Counseling from Nova Southeastern University. He has had a variety of professional experiences working with individuals with autism, including his work at the Baudhuin Oral School at NSU, the Preschool Program for Autism at St. Mary’s Medical Center in West Palm Beach, Florida and Threshold Care Center for Autistic Adults and Children in Orlando Florida. Mr. Grana has experience with individual and family counseling as well as play therapy. He has presented internationally on developing appropriate and effective behavioral strategies for individuals with autism spectrum disorders. Mr. Grana is a bilingual clinician who speaks fluent Spanish and English.
In addition to his role as the Assistant Director of UM-NSU CARD’s NSU Satellite, Mr. Grana is responsible for the development and coordination of UM-NSU CARD’s support services, and is the facilitator of numerous support groups, including groups for parents who speak Spanish and groups for fathers. Mr. Grana has made appearances on Spanish language television speaking about autism spectrum disorders and UM-NSU CARD. He serves as co-advisor for NSU’s Best Buddies Program, a program that pairs people with intellectual disabilities in one to one friendships with college students.
Dr. Marlene Sotelo earned her B.A. in Music from the University of Miami and her M.S. in Diagnostic Teaching from Florida International University. She completed her doctorate degree in Special Education from Nova Southeastern University. She is certified by the State of Florida to teach Elementary Education, Specific Learning Disabilities K-12, and Music K-12. Dr. Sotelo worked in the Broward County School System for 3 ½ years where she acquired experience as a special education, general education, and inclusion teacher. She subsequently provided therapeutic interventions to children with autism and other developmental disabilities both privately and at the Miami Children's Hospital Dan Marino Center for 5 years. Dr. Sotelo provides interventions in English, Spanish, and Italian. In addition to her teaching and music therapist certifications, she is a Board Certified Associate Behavior Analyst and has received training in Fast ForWord and the Interactive Metronome. Dr. Sotelo has presented and consulted internationally on a variety of topics including effective teaching strategies, curriculum development, program monitoring, and positive behavioral support strategies for children with autism. Dr. Sotelo co-authored an article published in Early Childhood Connections: Journal of Music- and Movement-Based Learning, Fall 2003. In 2007, she wrote, recorded, and released the song Make a Difference to raise awareness and funding for autism.
As Assistant Director of the Broward County Satellite Office of the UM-NSU Center for Autism and Related Disabilities, Dr. Sotelo is responsible for providing services, programs, and overseeing clinical staff. Services include year round lecture/training series for parents and professionals, social skills/play groups for a variety of age groups, support and resource information to physicians and rehabilitation therapists in the community, technical assistance to educators working with students with autism and related disabilities, direct assistance to families, as well as a lending resource library. Dr. Sotelo is the chair for the Insync with Autism Concert program and the statewide CARD DOE committee where she oversees the UM-NSU DOE Partnership Program.
While finishing her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Youngstown State University in Ohio, Ms. Green began working with children with autism through home programs and community services. Shortly after graduation, Ms. Green spent one year in Switzerland as a live-in therapist for a young child with autism.
Ms. Green moved to Miami in 2001 to take a position at The Victory School for Children with Autism in North Miami Beach where she received hands-on training in Verbal Behavior, as well as training in behavioral strategies and data collection. During her time at The Victory School, Ms. Green was promoted to Lead Teacher and helped develop and bring to life innovative classroom programs such as a classroom model for those students that would benefit from a curriculum that more closely resembled that of a classroom in general education.
Ms. Green recently graduated from the University of Miami with a Master’s Degree in Education specializing in Exceptional Student Education and Reading Disabilities. She is a Florida Certified Teacher in ESE K-12 and taught in an Autism Cluster for three years with the School Board of Broward County. In the summer of 2005, Ms. Green completed an internship with CARD at the Miami Children’s Hospital Dan Marino Center (MCH DMC) Branch where she created and implemented a curriculum focusing on communication and social skills for pre-teens and teens with autism.
Mrs. Wise earned her Bachelor's degree in Special Education, in the area of Mental Retardation, and her Master's degree in Reading. Both degrees, for which she holds Florida teaching certificates, were achieved at Florida International University, in Miami, Florida. Mrs. Wise has been working with children with autism spectrum disorders for over 16 years. Prior to joining UM-NSU CARD, she worked in home programs. She also worked in a Broward County School, where she was a Teacher-of-the-Year nominee for three years in a row. She taught students with autism in self-contained classrooms for four years. In addition, Mrs. Wise supervised the educational programs of students included in the general education classrooms and supported their educational teams. She has experience creating curriculum, developing behavior support plans, creating individualized educational plans, and delivering instruction in the areas of academics, independent functioning, social skills, communication, and fine and gross motor skills. Mrs. Wise has designed and facilitated playgroups at UM-NSU CARD, teaching communication, pragmatic, play and social skills. Some of the topics on which she has presented include Providing Visual Structure, Inclusion, Social Stories & Social Skills, Autism and Literacy, Positive Behavioral Support, and Teaching Strategies for Students with ASD. Mrs. Wise co-authored an article published in Early Childhood Connections: Journal of Music- and Movement-Based Learning, Fall 2003. She currently focuses her efforts on teaching families how to engage with their young children with ASD, creating language and literacy curriculum for young children, and providing consultation services to families and teachers of school-aged children.
