Our Clinical Team

Tara Karen

M.S. Ed, BCBA, LBA, Director of Service Provision

Tara Karen is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and Licensed Behavior Analyst (CT, MA, MD, TN, NY ) who has worked in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis and Special Education since 2009. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology from SUNY Stony Brook, a Master’s degree in Childhood Education from Dowling College and completed her BCBA coursework at SUNY Stony Brook. Tara is a New York State certified teacher, holding multiple certificates in children with special needs. 
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Lori Estien

M.A., BCBA, ABA Clinical Director

Lori is a Board Certified and a New York State Licensed Behavior Analyst has worked in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis with individuals with special needs and abilities since 2010. After completing her undergrad in psychology, Lori realized her interest and passion for ABA and pursued her Master’s of Science in Psychology with a specialization in Applied Behavior Analysis. While completing her Master’s with Capella University, Lori worked in a public school setting as a 1:1 classroom behavioral support and home services technician to assist student’s with generalizing skills learned in the classroom to the home as well as help parents with their own skills in supporting their child’s progress and skill development. 

Gina Ballone

MS, BCBA, LBA, ABA Clinical Director

Gina Ballone has been working in the field of ABA since 1998. She first gained experience in working with children with Autism Spectrum Disorder during her undergraduate studies at Florida State University. Upon completion of her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, she decided to pursue her Master’s degree in Psychology and Applied Behavior Analysis, having the privilege of learning under Dr. Jon Bailey and Dr. Al Murphy. During her graduate studies she co-founded an organization that provided ABA services to children, which is currently a practicum and assistantship opportunity for graduate students at FSU.
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Michelle Altamura

M.S., CCC-SLP, TSSLD, S, Lead Speech Therapist

Michelle is a New York State Licensed and ASHA Certified Speech Language Pathologist who has worked in the field of Special Education and Speech and Language Pathology since 2017. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Saint John’s University and a Master’s degree in Speech Language Pathology from Molloy College. Michelle also holds her teaching license from coursework taken at Molloy College.

Jessica Restivo

MS, OTR/L, Lead Occupational Therapist

Jessica Restivo is a pediatric board-certified occupational therapist based in New York City. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from SUNY New Paltz in 2015 and her Master’s Degree in Occupational Therapy from SUNY Downstate Health Sciences in 2018. Jessica serves on the Board of Directors for the National Perinatal Association, mentors occupational therapy students, and supervises occupational therapy assistants.
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Jill Gessner

M.S. Ed, BCBA, LBA

Jill Gessner embarked on her journey in the field of ABA in 2004 as a teacher’s assistant at Developmental Disabilities Institute. Over time, she became a licensed special educator, before becoming a licensed and Board Certified Behavior Analyst. She joined Achieve Beyond in 2013 and has worked as an ABA clinician in Early Intervention, ABA supervisor for EI program throughout the five boroughs.

Suchitra Kamath

PT, DPT

With over 25 years of experience as a licensed physical therapist across three continents, Suchitra Kamath has developed a diverse and impactful career, specializing in pediatric physical therapy for more than 15 years. She has worked in various clinical settings, including comprehensive inpatient rehabilitation, outpatient care, acute care, home-based, and school-based environments, with a strong focus on pediatric populations. Ms. Kamath has extensive experience treating a wide range of developmental, neurological & orthopedic conditions, providing specialized care in both early intervention and school-based settings. She is highly skilled in evaluating, diagnosing, and creating individualized treatment plans to meet the specific needs of each patient.
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