Our Mission
Graham Behavior Services provides quality, comprehensive, evidence-based therapy to individuals with any behavior challenges or an autism spectrum disorder, to create effective behavior change in themselves, while empowering their families to help them pursue productive, purposeful, and fulfilling lives.
From undiagnosed behavior challenges to autism, we believe every individual’s needs are different and deserve the utmost care. Our team of qualified professionals practices evidence-based therapy because research shows it produces positive results. We also know that every individual has a unique experience, and other things come into play like personalities, therapy location (we serve individuals in their homes, schools, job placements, etc.), and goals. Our clients are never plugged into a preset formula. Instead, we individualize strategies to create the absolute best outcome for your loved one and for your family.
Diversity and Cultural Competency Policy
Knowing that we are better together, Graham Behavior Services welcomes individuals of all ages, abilities, gender identities, races, ethnicities, religions, spiritual practices, and sexual orientations. It is our policy to act in a way that recognizes, affirms, values, respects the worth of, and protects and preserves the dignity of every individual. Graham Behavior Services adheres to the equal employment opportunity policy and non-discrimination practices.
Graham Behavior Services recognizes Cultural Humility as the process by which we continually build Cultural Competence. Conners & Capell (2021), define Cultural Humility as “examining culture and recognizing continual learning as practitioners from other cultures and accepting that we don’t know everything and need to learn from the client. It involves the ability to maintain an interpersonal stance where the practitioner is “other” oriented and is learning about cultural identity that is most important to the client. This also encompasses self-reflection and personal critique and is an ongoing, lifelong process.”
Graham Behavior Services policy is implemented by the practices and actionable steps.
- Graham Behavior Services seeks employees that are committed to their community, represent a variety of cultural backgrounds, and are capable of interactions in cross-cultural situations.
- Translation services will be provided to any recipient, when necessary and requested. The interpreter will assist with translating any intake, treatment plans, evaluation, or other documents shared with family.
- Graham Behavior Services will also seek professional assistance to handle the needs of any individual with a speech and hearing impairment.
- Graham Behavior Services will work closely with our clients and their families to ensure that their cultural values are represented throughout all aspects of service delivery.
- Graham Behavior Services will provide diversity and cultural competency trainings, offer group discussions, and make resources widely available.
Meet the Team
Cara Graham, M.A., BCBA – Owner & Executive Director
Cara Graham, M.A., BCBA is the Director and founder of Graham Behavior Services. She is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst who received her Master of Arts degree in Special Education from Kean University and completed her coursework in Applied Behavior Analysis at Caldwell University. Cara’s work focuses on providing home and community based services for children and adults with developmental disabilities. She currently serves as the Chair for the NJABA Business Practices Workgroup.
Jilian DeTiberiis, M.A., BCBA – Clinical Director
Jilian Planer DeTiberiis earned her undergraduate degree in Psychology at Rowan University and her masters degree at Caldwell University in Applied Behavior Analysis. While attending Caldwell University, she completed her thesis, “Evaluating Tasks within a High-Probability Request Sequence with Children with Autism.” Upon completion of her degree at Caldwell University, she became a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. She also completed a teacher certification program and is a certified teacher in elementary K – 5 and special education. Prior to joining Graham Behavior Services, Jilian worked as a special education teacher in an autism program in a public school and also has experience working in a private school for individuals with autism. She also worked at a private agency as the Clinical and Executive Director. Jilian is the resident sleep expert at GBS! She has worked in the area of sleeping skills for over 6 years, has received specialized training from FTF Consulting, and is a Certified Sleep Science Coach. Jilian has presented on the topic of sleep twice at Autism NJ and once at NJABA. She is enthusiastic and excited to be a part of the Graham Behavior Services team!
Ashley Kemmerer, M.S., BCBA – Director of Training and Clinic Operations
Ashley has been working with children with special needs since the age of 12 and she always knew she wanted to work with children but wasn’t sure in what capacity. During her undergraduate studies at Northeastern University she learned about ABA from a professor and decided to complete a co-op at the May Institute. At that point she knew ABA was the path she was looking for. After receiving her Bachelor of Science in psychology from Northeastern University she continued on with a Master of Science in applied behavior analysis (ABA) and autism from The Sage Colleges. Ashley is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in applied behavior analysis at Caldwell University. She has been working in the field of ABA for ten years and became a board certified behavior analyst (BCBA) in 2012. Ashley has spent her time as a practicing BCBA working with children and adolescents with various diagnoses in school, home and residential settings and spent 3 years also providing in home feeding therapy. She is originally from Philadelphia (she moved to NJ for the Ph.D. program) and she is a huge Philly sports fan. When she is not working or doing school work she enjoys spending her time with her husband and her furbabies Sheeba (dog) and Bella (cat).
Kate Harvey, M.Ed., BCBA – Clinical Supervisor
Kate Harvey earned her undergraduate degree in psychology from Wesleyan University. She received her Masters of Science in Education with a concentration in severe special needs from Simmons University while working at the New England Center for Children. She returned to her home state of New Jersey in 2013 to work as a lead teacher in a self-contained applied behavior analytic classroom in a public school. During this time she became a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. In 2019 she transitioned to the position of District Board Certified Behavior Analyst. She is excited to join the Graham Behavior Services team! When Kate is not working, she enjoys taking walks and playing in the park with her husband, dog, and daughter.
Laura Dolan M.Ed, BCBA – Clinical Supervisor
I earned my undergraduate degree from Rutgers University. Shortly after graduating, I began working at the Douglass Developmental Disabilities Center (DDDC), a school program for individuals diagnosed with Autism. At the DDDC, I received intensive training in the field of Applied Behavioral Analysis. I enjoyed my work so much that I decided to pursue my master’s in Special Education and obtained my Behavior Analyst Certification. While completing the coursework for my BCBA I continued my work at the DDDC, working in a highly structured ABA classroom which enabled me to integrate theory with practice. When I am not working I enjoy spending quality time with family and friends. You can also find me running along the boardwalk or in your local road race! More recently I have followed a lifelong passion of living a healthy lifestyle and continued personal growth by becoming a certified health and wellbeing coach. I am excited to combine my knowledge of the science of applied behavior analysis with my coaching skills to partner with individuals to help them make meaningful and sustainable behavior change! Are you ready to Thrive?!
Laura Lyons, M.A., BCBA – Clinical Supervisor
Laura Lyons received her PhD in Applied Behavior Analysis in 2014 from Columbia University. Prior to receiving her BCBA-D, she worked as a regular and special education teacher in a variety of settings. Dr. Lyons has served as a clinical supervisor at a preschool for students with disabilities, the director of a behavior analytic learning center, and is responsible for creating and supporting an in-district program based on the principles of applied behavior analysis. Recently, she spent time as interim-clinical director at a statewide ABA agency. Dr. Lyons’ applied and research interests include early learning behavioral cusps, observational learning, and pedagogical efficiency.
Lianna Zemla, M.A., BCBA – Quality Assurance and Training Supervisor
Lianna Zemla is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst who has been working with children and adults diagnosed with autism and other developmental disabilities since 2005. She obtained her undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of Delaware and her masters degree in teaching from The College of New Jersey. Lianna is a certified teacher in elementary education k-6 and special education. She completed her coursework in Applied Behavior Analysis at Florida Institute of Technology and her clinical experience at Princeton Child Development Institute.
Megan Miller, M.A., BCBA, EMT – Clinical Supervisor
Megan Miller is a Clinical Supervisor at Graham Behavior Services. She is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and has been working with individuals with disabilities since 2003. She worked as a paraprofessional during the summers while getting her undergraduate special education degree at The College of New Jersey. The first twelve years of her career, she loved working as a special education teacher in Hawaii and New Jersey. At Kean University, she specialized in high incidence disabilities – emotional disturbance while getting her Master of Arts degree. She received her post graduate certification in ABA from Penn State University. Any time she is not working with clients and parents or producing GBS’ podcast is spent with her husband and three little guys.
Florencia Faedo Baez – Marketing Coordinator
Florencia graduated with her B.A. in English and Creative Writing from Monmouth University in 2022. She focused on social media marketing, content creation, and journalism throughout her undergrad. Florencia is excited to assist in the brand development of Graham Behavior Services through her marketing efforts and research. In her free time, Florencia enjoys going to the gym, reading, and trying new restaurants. Most of all, she is excited to be a part of the GBS team!
Anna Wolf – Operations Coordinator
Anna Wolf earned her undergraduate degree from West Virginia University. While she majored in Communication, she also had a strong focus on Special Education and Psychology. Anna then continued her education at WVU, graduating with a Masters in Communication. Impressively, she did all this while working as a Director of a local child care center. While she was Director (and a graduate student!) she was able to successfully open two additional centers to serve her community. Anna now brings that drive and dedication to Graham Behavior Services as an Operations Coordinator. When she’s not working behind the scenes at GBS, she loves spending time with her two sons and dogs!
Lauren Daniel – Human Resources
Lauren is a graduate of Ocean County College with an Associates Degree in Business Administration, and has strong ties to the local community. She is also in the process of obtaining the status of Senior Certified Professional with the Society for Human Resource Management. Previously a Licensed Practical Nurse, Lauren found her passion in Human Resources, helping employees become their professional best. With over 10 years of HR experience, she is a vital part of the GBS Administrative team. In her free time she enjoys hanging out with her three kids and the family dog, Max.
Deb Bonomo – Speech-Language Pathologist
Deborah Bonomo, M.S., CCC-SLP is a Speech-Language Pathologist who received her Master of Science degree in Communication Disorders from William Paterson University. She earned a post master’s certificate in Autism Studies from the University of Massachusetts. Deborah has worked in a variety of settings including early intervention, public schools and private practice. She is a believer in building strong relationships not only with her clients, but with the family and caregivers of her clients. Deborah serves on the advisory board of Arts for Autism.
Jen Webster – Medical A/R Specialist
Jen has been in the medical billing field for 12 years. Jen started in medical collections where she became passionate about helping patients resolve their billing issues with insurance companies. Jen has worked in many different specialities, as well as in hospital and facility billing. She has also worked with attorneys that represent out of network providers to collect on claims that were not processed correctly. Jen has been happily married to her husband since 2019, and a new homeowner. She is also the proud mommy of a beautiful baby girl! In her spare time, Jen enjoys hosting friend and family in her new home, making memories that will last a lifetime!
Crystal Burkert, M.A, BCBA – Supervising BCBA
After earning a B.S. in speech language pathology and audiology Crystal’s interest in ABA grew and in 2016 she earned a M.S in psychology with a specialization in applied behavior analysis. While pursuing her behavior analyst certification Crystal gained clinical experience working in a variety of settings including clinic, school, and in-home, but discovered a passion working with adults in day programs and group homes. After dedicating several years to providing behavior analytic services to these individuals Crystal discovered Graham Behavior Services and began her work as a behavior therapist with the company. Crystal became a Board Certified Behavior Analyst in 2018 and transitioned into that role at GBS. When our clinic opened in 2020 she was excited to join the small but mighty team providing individualized, quality services to GBS’ adult clients in West Long Branch, NJ. She has since continued her journey here as a clinical supervisor and loves providing support and guidance to our rapidly growing clinic team. When Crystal isn’t providing quality ABA to our amazing learners she loves spending time with her toddler and is an avid fan of weekend trips to Disney World. She values fun and laughter and strives to ensure that each and every person , regardless of their role at GBS, is happy, learning, and making meaningful progress towards their goals.
Adriana Giraldo, M.Ed, BCBA – Supervising BCBA
Adriana earned both her undergraduate degree from Kean University and her masters degree from Rutgers University in Special Education. Upon earning her bachelor’s degree, Adriana worked in a public school ABA program for 5 years with elementary and middle-school aged children with autism. Then, while attending Rutgers, Adriana began working in a clinical setting with 2- to 12-year-old children with autism. Since earning the BCBA credential, Adriana works full-time at Graham providing in-home services. She is inspired by her learners and their families every day! When not working, Adriana loves to spend her time cooking, gardening, and crafting.
Anabela Santos, M.A., BCBA – Clinic BCBA
Anabela is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst who earned her B.A. in Psychology and her M.A. in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) from Caldwell University. Throughout her career, she has partnered with families and multi-disciplinary professionals in clinical, home, community, and pediatric acute-care settings to provide ABA services to individuals with autism, related disabilities, and complex medical conditions. Anabela has taught a variety of skills across age groups. She has also provided education and training on autism, ABA, and crisis management to caregivers. Anabela is passionate about bringing meaningful change to the lives of the clients and families she serves. In her spare time, Anabela enjoys photography and exploring new places.
Christina Abadir, M.A., BCBA – Supervising BCBA
Christina Abadir is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and received her Master of Arts degree in Applied Behavior Analysis from Caldwell University. She has been working with individuals with autism spectrum disorder for 8 years using the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). Christina gained clinical experience in a public school setting as well as providing services in home-based ABA programs with GBS. She is also dual certified special education teacher and continues to teach in a public school setting.
Nicole Francis, M.A., BCBA – Supervising BCBA
Nicole always had an extreme passion for being an advocate for individuals who could not be that for themselves! During her undergraduate at Montclair State University she started a Unified Sports Program that partnered Special Olympics of New Jersey with Montclair State Recreation programs to reach her goal in life of making her community a more adaptive, unified, and welcoming environment for families of children with different abilities. She earned a Bachelor’s of Arts in Liguistics and Education. During her first teaching and in-home service experiences, she learned more about ABA and continued her education to obtain a Master’s of Special Education with a concentration in Applied Behavior Analysis from Saint Joseph’s University. She worked as a behavior therapist from September 2017- November 2020 and is now a full time BCBA with GBS. As a BCBA her goal is to bring more mindfulness into ABA practices. Nicole is inspired by her clients and families to always do her part in making her community inclusive for all!
Tina Song – Supervising BCBA
Tina Song graduated from Rutgers University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Psychology. She is currently pursuing a Master of Arts degree in Applied Behavior Analysis at Caldwell University. She has 9 years of experience teaching children, adolescents, and adults diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder and other developmental disabilities in school, home, and group home settings. Tina’s research interests include programming for generalization, teaching social skills, and the functional analysis of problem behavior. When she is not working, Tina enjoys spending time outside in nature!
Dena Wasserman, M.S.Ed. – BCBA
Dena Wasserman, M.S.Ed, BCBA, is a licensed and board-certified behavior analyst, author, and consultant to organizations, families and schools internationally. She is a doctoral candidate in Applied Behavior Analysis from Endicott College in Boston, has a dual master’s degree in Special Education and General Education from Touro College in New York, and completed her coursework in Applied Behavior Analysis alongside her clinical experience through UMass Global (formerly Brandman University). Dena Wasserman has been a practitioner in the field of Behavior Analysis since 2005 and her research interests include: the sub-discipline of cultural systems analysis, systematically improving behaviors of shared societal importance, and constructing cultures of social justice.
Ashley Inoa, M.A. – BCBA
Ashley Inoa started in the ABA field in 2017 as a behavior therapist. She became an RBT in 2018, and quickly began working towards her BCBA certification. Ashley worked with a wide age range of children with varying behaviors and skill sets, which gave her the opportunity to gain experience in several areas. In November 2022, Ashley passed her BCBA exam and has been applying her skills while honing them and learning new ones out in the field. On her off time, Ashley enjoys spending time with her husband and children, watching movies, being outdoors, and crafting.
Christian Mojica – BCaBA
Christian is a Behavior Therapist with 8 years of experience working in the field. He has his B.S in graphic design from the Art Institute of Philadelphia, but made a career change and began working as a job coach and classroom 1:1 aide at a special needs school. It was there he discovered his passion for helping others through the science of Applied Behavior Analysis. Christian has been an RBT since 2018m and completed his BCaBA coursework through Florida Institute of Technology in March of 2021. He is currently working on finishing his supervision hours in order to sit for the BCaBA board exam. He is also working on his masters in ABA at Florida Tech, and has his sights set on becoming a BCBA. He has a special talent for working with teens and young adults who engage in severe problem behavior, helping the clients and families make meaningful changes. Christian’s biggest accomplishment in life is being a proud father and husband. When he’s not at work he’s spending family time with his wife and daughter. Christian is an experienced boater and avid fisherman who loves venturing outdoors and spending time on the water.
Catina Garrido – Behavior Therapist
Catina went to Raritan Valley Community College for an Associate Degree in Social Science and then transferred to Kean University where she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology with a minor in Health Education. Catina completed her Master’s Degree in Psychology with specialization in ABA at Capella University in 2021 and is currently working towards the BCBA certification. Catina is also currently working towards a PhD in Industrial and Organizational Psychology at Capella University. Catina has been working in the mental health field since 2012 and in the ABA field since 2014. When Catina is not working she enjoys spending time with friends and family.
