About
St Johnsbury Clinical Branch
Directors
Courtney Daffinrud, BCBA, LBA – Clinical Director
has been working with children with autism for more than 15 years. She has worked with children of all ages, in a variety of settings. Courtney began her career at a residential school for children with autism and other severe developmental disabilities. This was an invaluable experience as she worked with a wide variety of children with autism spectrum disorders. She also had the privilege of working with some of the most highly regarded professionals in the field. Courtney returned to Vermont in 2004 to pursue her Masters in Clinical Psychology. Since returning, she has worked in Vermont and New Hampshire as a Clinical Behaviorist and Autism Spectrum Consultant in homes, independent schools, and public schools. In addition to a Masters degree in Clinical Psychology, Courtney also has a graduate certificate in Behavioral Interventions in Autism, and is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). Courtney now lives in northern Vermont with her husband and three young children.
Ashleigh Moriarty, BCBA, M.Ed. – Program Director
Ashleigh started working with children with Autism 15 years ago. She has taught children aged 2-22 in a variety of settings. While receiving her Masters of Education, Ashleigh worked at the New England Center for Children, a leading residential program for children with Autism and intensive special needs. It was in this program where she began her training in Applied Behavior Analysis. Since then, she has directed district and district-collaborative programs for children with Autism in Massachusetts. In these programs, Ashleigh was able to work with children with a diverse level of needs from social skills training to discrete trial training. She also trained and supervised direct service level staff, as well as classroom teachers. In addition to her Master’s degree and coursework in ABA, Ashleigh has experience with the SCERTS Model and has traveled to the University of North Carolina for training in the TEACCH Autism Program.
Ashleigh lives in Northern Vermont with her husband and two daughters.
Administration
Katie Allen, Office Manager
Katie is a Pennsylvania native with a Bachelor’s degree in English from Gordon College near Boston. She worked in the property management industry for 5 years before coming to Kingdom ABH. Katie has a continuing interest in the ABA field, having spent some time working one on one with children in a special education environment. She enjoys providing daily operational support to our teams in both Williston and St Johnsbury branches. Katie and her partner live in New Hampshire with their black lab and two kitties. She loves reading, gaming with friends, and relaxing on her porch in the sunshine.
Eric Daffinrud, CAGS, NCSP, School Psychologist and Business Administrator
Eric started his career in education working with individuals with autism and related disabilities, which is where he met his wife, Courtney. He later moved to Boston to attend graduate school and worked with urban youth in various programs, including Upward Bound. He graduated from UMASS-Boston with a degree in school psychology. He moved to Vermont and worked as a school psychologist in various school settings including several years contracting with schools as both a school psychologist and a consultant to develop ASD programming. He spent 5 years working as a school administrator in roles as special education coordinator and assistant principal. He is currently contracting with schools to provide school psychology services. He specializes in comprehensive psychoeducational evaluations and programming for students with ASD. Eric enjoys road trips with his family (especially to visit his family in North Dakota) and playing golf. He lives in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont with Courtney, 3 children, and 2 dogs.
Behavior Technicians
Annabelle Black, Registered Behavior Technician
Annabelle graduated from Plymouth State University with a degree in Elementary Education. She has worked with autistic children in public school and clinical settings since 2014. Annabelle is currently studying for her BCaBA with intent to graduate in Spring 2023. When she is home, Annabelle loves gaming with her friends, playing with her husky, and spending time with family.
Willingfredo Elman, Registered Behavior Technician
Willie has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology with a concentration in Applied Clinical Psychology from Bishop’s University in Quebec, Canada. He has worked with adults in the corporate world but finds greater enjoyment working with children in educational and therapeutic settings. In working with children with learning, social and behavioral challenges, Willie strives to be a positive role model and to show each child how special and unique they are. Having a strong athletic background, Willie is also involved in instructing martial arts to kids and adults as well as coaching youth sports. He was the coach and president of his children’s local soccer club (they wouldn’t play unless he coached!). But most importantly and with great pride Willie is a loving husband and a doting father (did we mention he coaches kids and enjoys working with them? What a guy!).
Nicole Stebbins, B.A., BCaBA, LABA
Nicole graduated with a double bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Human Service from Lyndon State College in 2007. She has over 16 years experience working with children, which includes almost ten years experience with children with developmental delays and autism. Since finishing her degree at Lyndon State College, Nicole continued her education by attending trainings and additional professional development classes in the areas of child development, autism, and children with special health needs. Nicole joined the KABH team in March 2018 and soon after passed the exam to become a Registered Behavioral Technician. Nicole’s growing passion to help and support families led her to begin her coursework towards becoming a BCaBA. In April 2021, Nicole passed the exam to become a Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst.
Nicole currently lives in northern Vermont with her husband, two children and two dogs.
Dylanie Nichols, Behavior Technician
Dylanie started working as a Behavior Technician at KABH in June of 2018. She has always enjoyed working with children and has been involved with a variety of different age groups. She looks forward to providing assistance and care to others so they too can strive to be great. Dylanie was born and raised in Lyndonville, VT on her family’s dairy farm, with her five sisters and one brother. In Dylanie’s free time she enjoys spending time with her dog Nova, golfing, and skiing at Burke Mountain.
Kallie Keene, Registered Behavior Technician
Originally from Hanson, Massachusetts, Kallie moved to Vermont in 2015. She graduated from the Saint Johnsbury Academy in 2018 and worked at a local restaurant during and after highschool. She has had an interest in working in the field of child education and is now continuing her own education by taking the Registered Behavior Technician coursework. Her hobbies include hiking with her dogs, spending summer days near a lake and hanging out with friends and family.
Tyler Kehoe, Registered Behavior Technician
Tyler was born in Virginia and moved to Vermont in 2006. He attended Greenfield Community College in Greenfield, MA and Southern Vermont College in Bennington, VT. Tyler has been working with children and adults on the autism spectrum since 2015, starting in community outreach and transitioning to crisis prevention in 2017. In his spare time he enjoys guitar, piano, hiking, and snowboarding.
Tyler has 5 little brothers and three little sisters and discovered his love for working with children on the spectrum from his family.
Emili Zukoski, MSHS, Registered Behavior Technician
Emili was raised in South Florida. She attended Florida State University and obtained her bachelor’s in criminology with a double major in sociology. She has her Master’s of Human Services in Childhood Protection with a concentration in Applied Behavior Analysis, from NOVA Southeastern University. Emili completed her RBT training and is now gaining field hours to become a BCBA and take her board certification this fall. There are multiple loved ones in Emili’s life who are on the autism spectrum, which has prompted her to pursue a career engaging with that same population that KABH serves. She has experience working with children of all ages and abilities. In her spare time, she enjoys lounging with her 2 dogs, reading, and crafting!
Tshering Doma Sherpa, Registered Behavior Technician
Tshering was born and raised in Nepal. She moved to the USA at 17 years old. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Human Services from Northern Vermont University in Lyndonville, VT. Tshering has experience working with children and genuinely enjoys being with them. She is passionate about children because of how much can be learned from them, like enjoying the simple things in life. Tshering’s hobbies are cooking, hiking, outdoor adventures, and spending time with family.
Kelsey Holland, Registered Behavior Technician
Kelsey was born and raised in Southern New Hampshire. She graduated from Northern Vermont University-Lyndon in December 2020 with a degree in Psychology. In January 2021, Kelsey started working at KABH and passed the exam to become a Registered Behavioral Technician. She is currently working on course work through Florida Institute of Technology to obtain a Master’s degree in Applied Behavioral Analysis, with a goal of becoming a BCBA. In Kelsey’s free time, she enjoys traveling, playing with her dogs, and hanging out with friends and family.
Brennan Gallagher, Behavior Technician
Brennan (He/Him) grew up in upstate New York where he discovered his passion for farming. Over the years he has found joy in helping young people find their own passions and navigate the world around them. In high school, Brennan volunteered on local farms and helped build an afterschool program to ensure kids had meaningful experiences and connections to their foods and communities.
Brennan came to Vermont in 2017 to attend Sterling College and would later join the Wendell Berry Farming Program in Henry County, Kentucky where he would earn a degree in sustainable agriculture and minor in draft animal management. Following graduation Brennan returned to Vermont with his partner and their lovely retired barn cat, Henry. On his days off, Brennan can be found searching for the best cup of coffee in the NEK or admiring a local herd of cows from the roadside.
Mary Elliott Porter, Behavior Technician
Mary Elliott was born in Alabama and moved to Vermont in 2005. She received her bachelor’s in politics but has since decided that she would like to pursue her master’s in social work. This is Mary Elliott’s first time working with children and she is loving the time spent with them and everything she is learning.
Mary Elliott lives in Peacham, Vermont with her partner and their two cats. In her free time she enjoys spending time with friends and family, being outside, and watching good movies!
Jillian Carr, Behavior Technician
Jillian was born in Littleton, New Hampshire and raised in Waterford and St. Johnsbury, Vermont. She graduated from St. Johnsbury Academy in 2022. During her high school years, she participated in Academy cheer and competition cheerleading in Lisbon, New Hampshire. Jillian has always enjoyed working with children. Some of Jillian’s prior experiences working with students include helping out with the younger classes at the Waterford School, summer school at the Academy and the Balch Nature School. She also interned at Kingdom Autism and Behavioral Health and the St. Johnsbury School and worked at Little Dippers Doodle Children’s Center. In the future, Jillian aspires to be a BCBA. She currently lives in a dorm on the St. Johnsbury Academy campus. Jillian enjoys being around her family and dorm family, hanging out with friends, being by water, and listening to music.
Grace Desrochers, Behavior Technician
Grace (she/her) was born and raised in the Northeast Kingdom. While teaching nature skills at Camp Hochelaga, Grace discovered her passion for working with kids in the outdoors. In 2017 she found her way to Sterling College where she was able to study animal husbandry and environmental education. In 2021 she graduated from the Wendell Berry Farming Program with a degree in Agricultural Education. Since returning to VT, Grace has become a regular at the local farmers markets helping sell veggies at the Joe’s Brook Farm booth. She loves hosting game nights with her partner and their cat Henry. Grace hopes to one day operate a small farm where kiddos can come and connect with the different animals.
Gena Zola, Behavior Technician
Gena graduated with a Bachelor’s in Psychology and Applied Human Services from Northern Vermont University in May of 2021. She has enjoyed working with children of all ages for more than 10 years and has recently taken an interest in the field of ABA. Gena is currently continuing her education through the Registered Behavioral Technician coursework, and she also plans to complete a Master’s degree in Counseling and Mental Health within the next five years. In her spare time Gena enjoys painting and drawing, taking care of her plants, and going on road trips with her partner.
Ceirra Manassa-Curnin, Behavior Technician
Jake Roach, Registered Behavior Technician
Becca Tomlinson, Behavior Technician
Violet Shattuck, Registered Behavior Technician
Williston Branch
Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBA)
Celia O’Flaherty, BCBA, LBA – Clinical Director
Celia has been working with children with complex learning and behavior needs for over 10 years, ranging from early childhood preschools and elementary classrooms to a Vermont summer camp for adolescents with ASD and social-emotional needs. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in early childhood special education from Gonzaga University and Vanderbilt University, respectively. Celia first learned about Applied Behavior Analysis during her first freshman special education course at Gonzaga and earned her BCBA credentials in 2018. She moved to Vermont to pursue her career in behavior analysis, serving as a clinical supervisor and school consultant at KABH’s center in St. Johnsbury. She is now the clinical director for the Williston branch of KABH, the Little Royals Early Intervention Center where she spends her time doing what she loves – building connections with and learning opportunities for staff and young learners in a positive, supportive, and compassionate environment. When Celia is not at Little Royals, she enjoys spending time with her family and dogs, going for walks, and traveling!
Elaina Waite, LBA, BCBA
Elaina graduated undergrad from the University of Maine in 2012 and from Nova Southeastern University in 2014 with a master’s degree in psychology. Elaina went on to study applied behavior analysis and passed her BCBA exam in 2019. Elaina has been working with children with autism and other learning, social, emotional and behavioral challenges in Maine and Vermont. She has worked with children of all ages, in a variety of settings. Elaina is passionate about providing high quality early intervention services and dissemination of today’s ABA with a humble, human, and kind approach. When she is not working Elaina loves to spend time outdoors, travel, and hang with her family.
Behavior Technicians
Isabel Colby, Registered Behavior Technician
Isabel, a Vermont native, graduated with a degree in Psychology from the University of Vermont in 2020. Since then, she has been furthering her education by attending Champlain College to earn an Accounting Certificate. She is working to become a Registered Behavioral Technician and plans to earn a master’s in Mental Health Counseling. She has worked with a large range of individuals from young children at summer camp to the elderly at an assisted living facility. When she is not in school or working, her hobbies include hiking, reading, and spending time with her partner, family, and pets.
Mia Costanzo, Registered Behavior Technician
Mia is originally from Connecticut but now resides in Burlington, VT. A recent graduate of the University of Vermont, Mia has her B.S. in Communication Disorders with a minor in Spanish.
In her free time she enjoys cooking new dishes, listening to music, and spending time in the sunshine! She is really eager to develop meaningful connections through her field of interest with people of all ages, but is particularly excited to be working with children.
A long term goal of Mia’s is to attend graduate school in order to receive her master’s degree in speech-language pathology and operate her very own practice! She is currently studying to become a Registered Behavior Technician.
Allyson Donnelly, Registered Behavior Technician
Allyson is originally from New Hampshire but now lives in Burlington, VT. As a recent graduate from Saint Michael’s College, Allyson has a BA in psychology. Currently certified as an RBT, Allyson plans on getting her master’s in psychology with a concentration in applied behavior analysis. She enjoys and is passionate about the work she is currently doing at Little Royals.
In her free time she enjoys reading, hiking, enjoying the outdoors and spending time with friends and family.
Elizabeth Bashaw, Behavior Technician
Elizabeth has been working in the special education field since 2019 and graduated from UVM with a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology. Her love for working with people on the spectrum started when she worked with a young adult with autism providing one-on-one respite work. Now, working with children has opened up a whole new skill set and appreciation for aiding in the development and nurturing young minds!
In her free time, she likes to spend time at the beach, with her dog, with friends, or photographing weddings and people in love.
She wants to one day attend graduate school to get her master’s in social work and help struggling youth.
Carson Crady, Behavior Technician
Carson recently moved to Vermont from Houston, Texas. She graduated from the University of Houston in 2022 with a double major in Religious Studies and Psychology. She loves working with children and has a passion for working in the field of mental health. Carson’s long term goal is to get her Master’s degree and become a therapist who specializes in Religious Trauma. In her free time, Carson enjoys doing digital art, knitting, and playing with her dog named Kiwi.
Victoria Crowley, Behavior Technician
Victoria was born and raised in Vermont. Since 2015, Victoria has worked in the special education field, enjoying every minute of it. Helping children with all sorts of backgrounds grow is a true passion of hers. In her free time, Victoria enjoys spending her time outside doing a wide variety of activities with her dog Riley, and her family, including swimming, hiking, trying new restaurants, and traveling to name a few. Victoria is currently studying to become a Registered Behavior Technician.
Ginnie Laurita, Behavior Technician
Ginnie (she/they) grew up in Maine and graduated from the University of Vermont in 2021 with a major in Psychology and a minor in Anthropology. Before Little Royals, they worked at Sara Holbrook Community Center as an assistant teacher in the toddler program. Here they gained experience working with young children with varying behavior and developmental skills. Outside of work, they enjoy creating art, being outside, and going into Lake Champlain all throughout the winter! Going forward, Ginnie knows that they want to continue working with young people with developmental differences and complex learning styles, whether that takes them on to pursuing higher education in a master’s degree or continuing on to earn a BCBA certification. Ginnie is excited to be part of the Little Royals family and eager to continue to learn.
Sam Jarin, Behavior Technician
Sam was born and raised in Bucks County, Pennsylvania and moved up to Vermont 6 years ago to attend the University of Vermont. She will graduate in spring of 2023 with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. Sam is pursuing a Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. She is passionate about living a healthy and balanced lifestyle and hopes to help guide others to doing the same. In her free time, she enjoys reading, exercising, painting, and playing the piano. Her favorite food to cook is soup, and her favorite dessert is sliced banana with Cool Whip.
Brooke Wolejko, Behavior Technician
Brooke attended college at St. Lawrence University, where she studied Psychology and was a member of the Women’s Ice Hockey team. After graduating in 2018, Brooke discovered her passion for working with children through coaching hockey and working at a school for kids with behavioral, social, and emotional challenges. In addition to working with children, she had the privilege of playing hockey at the professional level in New Jersey and her home state of Connecticut. Brooke moved to Vermont in 2022 and is loving working in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis. In her free time, she enjoys doing yoga, listening to true crime podcasts, and spending time outdoors with friends and family.