Naperville, IL ABA Therapy for Autism, School Readiness,
and Pediatric Therapies

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.

Rayan received her Masters degree in Occupational Therapy and her bachelors degree in Psychology from Governor's State University. As a pediatric occupational therapist at North Shore Pediatric Therapy, Rayan helps children develop essential living skills, as well as improve fine/gross motor skills and sensory functions!

For Rayan, witnessing the significant progress and increased independence of children as they overcome challenges is the most rewarding part of the job and she really enjoys crafting fun and creative interventions tailored to each client! Rayan’s passion for occupational therapy can be traced back to high school, where she volunteered for an organization called Muhsen that aimed to create a more inclusive environment in the community for children with disabilities.

Ask Rayan how to bake/cook! It is her secret talent! When Rayan is not keeping busy working, you can catch her running or traveling!

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Kelsey received her Bachelor’s degree in Rehabilitation and Disability Services from Northern Illinois University, and her Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy from Elmhurst University.

As an Occupational Therapist at North Shore Pediatric Therapy, Kelsey focuses on providing a creative, play-based, and client-centered approach throughout her sessions. For Kelsey, seeing children grow and gain independence in their daily activities is the most rewarding part of her job!

When not at work, you can find her spending time with family and friends, going for long-distance runs, or taking her dog Howie for a walk

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Michaela is an ASHA certified speech-language pathologist licensed in the state of Illinois. She attended the University of Rochester for her undergraduate degrees and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in American Sign Language (ASL) and a Bachelor of Science degree in Brain & Cognitive Sciences with a focus in language development. Michaela then attended Northwestern University where she graduated with a Master of Science degree in Speech, Language, & Learning. There she did internships in both an elementary school with students of varying needs, and in an audiology clinic where she worked with both children and adults with various degrees of hearing loss, including doing some teleheath sessions.

Upon graduating, she began working in the Chicago Public School system where she has been for the past five years. There she worked at an elementary school where she serviced children from preK to fifth grade in collaboration with other clinicians including occupational therapists, social workers, and psychologists. Michaela has experience working with various speech-language needs including speech sound disorders, receptive/expressive language disorders, fluency, and implementation of high- and low-tech augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices.

Her primary areas of interest include evaluating and treating speech sound disorders and receptive/expressive language disorders. Her goal is to support a child’s communication growth in any way she can while using evidence-based practices.

Caitlyn received her Associates in Arts at Joliet Junior College, and Bachelor’s of Science in Speech and Hearing from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

As a Speech Language Pathologist Assistant at North Shore Pediatric Therapy, Caitlyn provides Speech Therapy services and assists her clinical director and SLP with their caseloads and current Speech clients. For Caitlyn, seeing her clients grow and achieve their goals is the most rewarding part of the job, and she loves creating an exciting environment for her clients. Caitlyn’s passion for speech can be traced back to her little sister with autism, and she has always wanted to help people the way other therapists have helped her sister!

When Caitlyn is not keeping busy with clients in the center, you can find her working out or walking her dog!

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Justine Kelley is a licensed social worker (LSW) with a passion for working with young children and adolescents. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Early Childhood Education from DePaul University in 2019 and her Master of Social Work degree from Loyola University Chicago in 2021 with a specialization in Children and Families.

Justine has experience working with children and adolescents in the school system both in private and public schools on an individual and community level. She has been able to work with children who presented with Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, depression, anxiety, trauma, learning disabilities, and many other areas of mental health. She is working towards her LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker) certification. Justine is especially interested in how play and family dynamics impact and enhance pediatric mental health. She integrates play, art, and holistic approaches as evidence-based practices to provide a well-rounded and effective treatment approach.  

When Justine isn’t working, she enjoys spending time with her friends and family, trying new restaurants, or practicing her photography skills.

Stephanie earned her Bachelor's degree in Developmental Psychology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Applied Behavior Analysis at Ball State University. As the Lead Assistant Clinical Coordinator at North Shore Pediatric Therapy, Stephanie plays a key role in training and supporting behavior therapists. She works closely with BCBAs and the Clinic Director to support client programming, while also assisting with leading parent training sessions and organizing social events at her clinic.

 What Stephanie finds most fulfilling in her work are the small victories and ongoing progress her clients achieve. She is passionate about supporting families and enjoys collaborating with clinicians and RBTs alike. Stephanie’s dedication to working with children began early—she originally dreamed of becoming a pediatrician. However, after being introduced to ABA in 2022, she discovered a deep connection with the field and chose to pursue the BCBA path instead of medical school.

Outside of work and school, Stephanie is a coffee enthusiast—feel free to ask her for café recommendations or favorite recipes. She also enjoys painting, going on walks with her dog, and exploring new coffee shops.

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