Des Plaines, IL ABA Therapy for Autism, School Readiness,
and Pediatric Therapies

Bio coming soon

Lainie Cohen received her Bachelor’s in Communication Sciences and Disorders at Michigan State University and her Master’s in Behavior Analysis from Simmons University in Boston. As a Center Director at North Shore Pediatric Therapy, Lainie provides supervision and mentorship to a team of great therapists including BCBAs, OTs, Mental Health, and Speech Therapists. She also provides supervision to field work students as they study to become a BCBA and oversees the day to day operations at the Des Plaines center.

For Lainie, increasing clients' functional communication is the most rewarding part of the job, as well as watching therapists grow in the field. Lainie is passionate about supervising and teaching individuals who have an interest in the ABA field, as well as parents, to gain more knowledge regarding implementing skill acquisition goals and behavior intervention plans.

When Lainie is not busy at the center, you can find her trying new restaurants with her husband!

Ryan Emry received his Bachelor of Science from The Illinois Institute of Technology, and his Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology.

As an Area Director at North Shore Pediatric Therapy, Ryan works as a clinician while also supporting a great team of Behavior Therapists, Behavior Analysts, Speech Pathologists, Occupational Therapists, and Physical Therapists, across multiple centers.  

For Ryan, watching our children learn and grow is the most rewarding part of the job.  

When Ryan is not keeping busy at the clinic, you can find him spending time with his wife and two amazing daughters.

Liza received her Bachelors of Arts in Speech and Hearing Sciences with Minor in Psychology from Indiana University, and a Masters of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology.

As Vice President of Clinical Quality & Training at North Shore Pediatric Therapy, Liza oversees the clinical operations of the Chicagoland locations, as well as provides internal clinical support to our BCBAs, leads the internal ABA apprenticeship fieldwork study program preparing students pursing their master’s in ABA to become BCBAs, and also serves as our internal ACE coordinator providing internal continuing education events to our team of BCBAs.

In addition to her role at NSPT, Liza also has served as an adjunct professor at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology teaching master’s courses to future BCBAs. For Liza, expanding the reach of our services to new communities and areas where there are limited options on comprehensive pediatric therapy providers is the most rewarding part of the job, and she loves growing the field through her work with student mentorship.

Cindy Belliveau received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Master of Social Work degree from University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign. As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Cindy provides Mental Health awareness, consultation, and support throughout NSPT.  

For Cindy, being an advocate for Mental Health support in a interdisciplinary agency is the most rewarding part of the job.

Cindy's passion for social work can be traced back to childhood when she just wanted to help people who are hurting.  Ask her about how to engage reluctant kids to just think they're having fun together. It’s her secret talent!  

When Cindy is not keeping busy with helping kids build coping skills, you can find her walking her dog, reading a book or hanging out with family or friends!

Essence Cole is an Assistant Clinical Coordinator at North Shore Pediatric Therapy’s Des Plaines location. She graduated from Denison University in 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in Global Health and Psychology. During her undergraduate years, Essence conducted research and worked closely with vulnerable populations and individuals with disabilities as a Direct Support Professional, which sparked her passion for advocacy and becoming a change agent.

Following graduation, Essence began her career as a Registered Behavior Technician, gaining experience in both home- and center-based autism therapy. Her dedication to the field and love for the children and families she serves inspired her to take the next step in her professional journey. She is currently pursuing her Master’s in Behavior Analysis at Florida Tech, with the goal of becoming a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA).

As a Family Child Advocate at North Shore Pediatric Therapy Ashley oversees the front desk and provides friendly customer service to the Des Plaines Community. For Ashley, connecting with families is the most rewarding part of the job, and she enjoys assisting families and interacting with others.

Ashley's passion of caring for others can be traced back to her childhood, when she would assist with caring for her siblings and cousins. When Ashley is not keeping busy with assisting families and staff, you can find her working on her next project.

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Jennifer received her bachelor's degree in psychology from University of Northern Illinois, and a master's degree in Applied Behavioral Analysis from Ball State University. As an LACC at North Shore Pediatric Therapy Jennifer is working as a student to gain supervision hours to sit for the BCBA exam. Jennifer receives direct supervision from her clinical director and is learning the skills required to become a BCBA.  She assists in supporting a caseload under the guidance of her clinical director.

For Jennifer teaching life skills and functional communication is the most rewarding part of the job. She loves to watch clients gain new skills and see them gain independence. When Jennifer is not working at the center you can often find her reading or hiking.

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Cassie Schulz is a board-certified occupational therapist who received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Kentucky and her doctorate degree in occupational therapy from Kettering College (KC).

Although she enjoyed working with a variety of populations and settings during her time at KC, her heart has always been in pediatrics. Her love for kids began as a teenager while working as a dance assistant and continued during her pediatric-focused volunteer opportunities throughout college. As a children’s swim instructor, she taught kids of all ages and abilities, with an emphasis on developing and implementing curricula for children with sensory processing disorder (SPD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and down syndrome. She also developed and provided an aquatic program for those diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy (CP) while completing her clinical rotation at Nationwide Children’s Hospital (NCH) outpatient clinic. She gained invaluable experience from the staff and clients at NCH, where she worked with children with a variety of conditions, including ASD, SPD, CP, down syndrome, attention-deficit hyperactivity-disorder, cortical visual deficit, paroxysmal dystonia, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and developmental and intellectual disabilities. Although she enjoys working with children of all abilities, she has a special interest in treating kids with sensory processing, emotional regulation, and executive functioning difficulties.

Outside of work, Cassie enjoys reading by the lake, exploring the city, and spending time with friends and family.

Diane Weidner, OTD/R received her doctorate degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of Montana through Rehab Essentials, and her master’s degree in Occupational Therapy from Rush University in Chicago. As an occupational therapist at North Shore Pediatric Therapy, Diane provides therapy to children with sensory processing, visual-motor, and/or fine motor delays, and she also conducts evaluations and collaborates with other staff on client care.

For Diane, building a therapeutic relationship with children using a client-centered approach is the most rewarding part of the job, and she enjoys seeing clients grow in their skills and abilities.

Diane’s passion for occupational therapy can be traced back to her student fieldwork experiences in an outpatient pediatric clinic, where she developed her enthusiasm for using both her creativity and clinical reasoning skills in tandem to provide engaging treatment interventions for children in individual and group settings.

When Diane is not keeping busy with occupational-therapy-related planning and research, she enjoys reading, streaming movies, daydreaming about her next travel plans, taking walks in the local forest preserves, and spending time with her husband and two cats.