Our Team

Michele joined REED Autism Services as the Chief Financial Officer in July 2022. Michele leads a dedicated team responsible for the financial stewardship of REED. She is a certified public accountant with more than two decades of extensive financial and accounting management experience, including compliance, funding, forecasting and reporting.

Prior to joining REED, Michele held leadership roles as Chief Accounting Officer and Controller for early-stage Technology, Media and Entertainment companies with a focus on building, scaling and developing policies and procedures to improve performance and productivity.

Michele received her Bachelor of Science in Business in Accounting from the University of Delaware.

Roy S. Park is a human resources professional with more than 30 years’ experience leading human resource teams in a wide spectrum of industries. Roy comes with extensive experience in building and repairing human resources systems, change management, and creating robust corporate cultures.

Throughout his career he has diplomatically transformed organizations undergoing restructuring, acquisitions, and high-growth circumstances into stable and efficient operations. He brings thorough knowledge and experience in all aspects of human resources with particular emphasis on employee relations, cultural development, leadership development, and talent acquisition.

Roy has most recently served as Chief Human Resources Officer at PAGNY and before that as Senior Vice President of Human Resources at Bergen New Bridge Medical Center.

Jennifer Faust has worked at REED since 2012. In her current role as Director of Operations for the REED Foundation for Autism and Greens Do Good, she oversees partnerships and projects that focus on expanding education, services, and workforce development for individuals with autism. She also co-hosts REED’s podcast Changemakers In Autism with CEO Chantelle Walker.

Before joining REED, Jen worked at Caribiner International, Inc. — now known as Jack Morton Worldwide, a global communications company — participating in the management of large-scale events, such as the British Hong Kong handover to the Chinese government. Jen has a Bachelor of Arts in English from North Carolina State University. She is inspired by the values that are essential to REED’s mission and challenging the status quo for individuals with autism.

Robyn Mait Levine oversees marketing and communications for the REED Autism Services family of programs, including REED Academy, REED Next, Greens Do Good, and the REED Foundation for Autism. Robyn has worked with REED as a consultant since 2019, assuming her current role in July 2022.

A graduate of the University of Vermont, Robyn built her career in integrated marketing and communications at leading companies, including WebMD, Hearst, Condé Nast, and Time Inc. In recent years, she has shifted her focus to nonprofits and is honored to support the work of REED and help inspire conversation around possibilities for people with autism.

Dr. Leah Farinola began working with the families at REED in 2001 before REED was even officially founded. Starting as a full-time instructor in 2006, she has held various positions, including instructor, lead teacher, assistant to the executive director, classroom consultant, and curriculum coordinator. Leah became principal in 2009 and assumed the role of chief school administrator in 2020. Leah completed her undergraduate coursework at William Paterson University and graduated with honors, holding a degree in psychology and elementary education. She completed her post-baccalaureate special education certification and also obtained a master’s degree in educational administration with principal and supervisor certification from Caldwell University. In 2021, Leah completed her doctorate at Seton Hall University and conducted research on staff retention in private schools for children with autism. She is also an adjunct professor at Caldwell University, where she teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in special education and serves as a trustee for the Secaucus, New Jersey, Board of Education.

Sarah Gilbert is a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) with more than 16 years of experience in the fields of special education and applied behavior analysis (ABA). Sarah is a graduate of Boston University, where she received her B.S. in Special Education in 2006, and her M.Ed. in 2007. Most recently, Sarah was a Clinical Operations Director at an insurance-based ABA company, overseeing multiple clinics in Arizona and Texas. Prior to that, she worked at REED for several years, first as a one-to-one instructor, and later as a classroom consultant. At the start of her career, Sarah was an early intervention specialist and a teacher in preschool and kindergarten special education classrooms in the Boston area.

As Director of REED Next, Francesca Saraniero oversees the organization’s day and residential programs, which provide supports and services to adults with autism who are ages 21 and older. Before joining REED Next in 2021, Francesca served as the Director of Adult Services and Business Development at Eden II Programs, a not-for-profit organization that supports people with autism in New York City and Long Island.

Francesca’s experience includes everything from program development to strategic planning, building a social enterprise, and community engagement. Previously, Francesca worked for both the New York City Department of Education and the Administration for Children’s Services. Francesca earned her master’s degree in childhood education from the College of Staten Island and a Bachelor of Science in business management from St. John’s University.

Her vision is to take her passion for helping others and her understanding of disabilities to help REED Next reach more families touched by autism.

Kristina has been with REED since 2011 and has held a variety of roles within the organization. Her experience working with individuals with autism spans from early childhood through adulthood; working in the school, home, and adult day and residential environments. Kristina has worked with clinical teams to provide a range of innovative, evidence–based services to individuals including general clinical consultation, vocational training, and assessment of functional living skills. Additionally, she has worked in administrative roles to develop and maintain policies and procedures, assure overall quality and effectiveness of services, and provide regulatory compliance based on standards set forth by REED and by the Division of Developmental Disabilities. Kristina enjoys using her analytical background to find solutions in an efficient and systematic way.

Mia McGowan is a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst and has been supporting individuals with autism in both school and home settings for over 10 years. Her experience includes a focus on skill acquisition for academic, vocational, functional/daily living skills, and reduction of challenging behavior. In addition to her work with students, Mia has provided supervision to several BCBA candidates during their completion of certification requirements.

Mia received a B.S. in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology from Ithaca College and completed an M.A. in Applied Behavior Analysis through Ball State University. Prior to joining the RIBS team, Mia worked as a Classroom Consultant/BCBA for REED Academy, where she gained experience in functional analysis and implementation of behavior interventions intended to reduce challenging behavior and increase availability for learning.

As the senior BCBA of REED Intensive Behavior Services, Mia’s focus will be on collaborating with the program director, Dr. David Wilson, and supporting behavior specialists and primary therapists during the delivery of assessment and treatment services for individuals who engage in severe challenging behaviors. Mia is dedicated to improving the quality of life for individuals and families and is motivated to ensure that all individuals with autism receive ethical and effective services.

Sarah David is the Director of the PATH Transition Program at REED Autism Services. In this position, she oversees the post-secondary college-based program that engages students on a local college campus to develop skills for independent living and career readiness. Sarah earned her B.A. in English from Rutgers University and her M.A. in Educational Leadership with a concentration in Higher Education from Montclair State University. Her career has focused on working with individuals with disabilities, and she has worked in various settings including educational, residential, and community outreach.

Most recently, Sarah managed the Disability Services department at a four-year university in New Jersey and developed an electronic intake process that increased the ease of access to the department’s services. She worked in residential services as a Residential Supervisor supporting adults with developmental disabilities in learning and implementing life skills and developing and achieving personal goals. There, she found creative ways to increase engagement with the broader community and trained and supported staff to assist individuals in leading enjoyable and fulfilling lives.