Jessica Cordier, Ph.D., BCBA-D, LBA (CT/NY)
Jessica is Co-Director of Gold Coast Children’s Center, LLC. Jessica is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, and a Licensed Behavior Analyst (LBA) in CT and NY. She graduated from Caldwell University in 2014 with a Ph.D. in Applied Behavior Analysis and has been serving children with developmental disabilities and their families since 2003. The Department of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) at Caldwell University awarded Jessica a graduate assistantship that included working at the Center for Autism and Applied Behavior Analysis as a staff trainer. She trained with the faculty in the ABA department to conduct assessments, parent training and deliver individualized programs and treatment plans for learners. In addition, Jessica provided staff training to the graduate and undergraduate students. She has also worked with children in the public school, home, and community settings. Jessica was previously a lead teacher and staff trainer in a classroom serving children with autism in Bernards Township School District, NJ. She has also coordinated home programs targeting skills at home and in the community for children and their families. Jessica is a past student representative of the New Jersey Association for Behavior Analysis (NJABA). She has served as a guest reviewer for the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis (JABA) and has authored contributions for the Association for Science and Austin Treatment (ASAT) online newsletter. Jessica has presented her research at numerous conferences in the areas of autism and ABA. Her thesis research addressed including children with autism in religious ceremonies. Her dissertation research included combining behavior skills training and generalization strategies to train staff across and within multiple instructional areas. Other research interests include staff training, parent training, autism, effective inclusion of individuals with developmental disabilities in community settings, and teaching social skills.
Lori Mastrogiacomo, M.A., BCBA, LBA (CT/NY)
Lori is Co-Director of Gold Coast Children’s Center, LLC. She holds a Master’s degree in clinical psychology (behavior analysis track) from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. She is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, and a Licensed Behavior Analyst (LBA) in CT and NY. Lori has worked with children, adolescents, and adults with autism and behavioral challenges in home, school and community settings since 1995. She was previously Director of Outreach at Milestones Behavioral Health (formerly the Connecticut Center for Child Development, CCCD), a private nonprofit program serving individuals with autism. She developed and implemented a parent training program at New Jersey Medical School-UMDNJ, which served as an internship site for graduate students working towards their Master’s degree in ABA. Other previous experience includes serving as Clinical Director and Behavior Analyst at private, nonprofit school programs serving children with autism, and working as an Outreach Case Manager at Alpine Learning Group. She has served as an Adjunct lecturer in the Department of Psychology at Caldwell University, and has presented at numerous conferences in the areas of autism and ABA. She has been a guest reviewer for the Journal of Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention and has authored contributions for the newsletters of ASAT, NJABA, and Autism New Jersey. Lori is Past President of the New Jersey Association for Behavior Analysis (NJABA), and Past President of the Autism SIG of the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI). She has also served as Coordinator of the Clinical Corner section of the newsletter, a member of the grants committee, and an externship co-coordinator for the Association for Science in Autism Treatment (ASAT). Lori’s thesis research addressed teaching pediatric residents to identify early signs of autism. Other research interests include parent training, autism, management of problem behavior, and effective inclusion of individuals with developmental disabilities in community settings.