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.

Devon Maloney is Chief Operating Officer at REED Autism Services, where she oversees strategic operations and drives organizational growth across REED’s programs. She brings more than 15 years of experience in nonprofit leadership, fundraising, and operations to her role.

Before joining REED in November 2025, Devon served as Chief Operating Officer at the Lakeland Hills Family YMCA, working alongside the CEO and CFO to execute a strategic plan focused on capital growth, new revenue generation, and long-term sustainability.

Devon began her career in the Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) field at Garden Academy, where she spent over a decade as both an instructor and administrator. Her leadership philosophy—rooted in authenticity, collaboration, and a belief that people are the foundation of every successful organization—guides her work each day.

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.

Francesca is the Director of Operations at REED Next, where she oversees the organization’s day and residential programs for adults with autism, ages 21 and older. She joined REED Next in 2021, bringing extensive experience in adult services, strategic planning, and program development.

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. 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.

Dr. Catherine Kishel is a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst-Doctoral level (BCBA-D) with nearly 15 years of experience providing behavior analytic services to individuals with developmental disabilities across early intervention, school, clinical, and hospital settings. Dr. Kishel received her Ph.D. in Behavior Analysis at the University of Florida under the mentorship of Dr. Timothy Vollmer and completed her postdoctoral research fellowship at the Rutgers University Center for Autism Research, Education, and Services and Children’s Specialized Hospital Severe Behavior Program with Dr. Brian Greer and Dr. Wayne Fisher. She has published in several peer-reviewed journals and co-authored three chapters regarding the treatment of severe behavior. In her free time, she enjoys horseback riding and rock climbing.

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.