Neuropsychology and Psychology Services

ANN HELMUS, PH.D
Director; Pediatric Neuropsychologist
Newton Office

NESCA Founder and Director Ann Helmus, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical neuropsychologist who has been practicing for many years. A highly-skilled clinician, consultant and compelling speaker, she is prominent locally and in high demand internationally.

Dr. Helmus is not accepting new patients.

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YVONNE M. ASHER, PH.D.
Pediatric Neuropsychologist
Newton Office

Dr. Asher enjoys working with a wide range of children and teens, including those with autism, developmental delays, learning disabilities, attention difficulties, and executive functioning deficits. She works with children whose complex profiles are not easily captured by a single label or diagnosis. She has a passion for helping young children and parents navigate their “first touch” with mental health care or developmental concerns.

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ALISON BURNS, PH.D.
Pediatric Neuropsychologist
Newton Office

Dr. Burns conducts comprehensive evaluations of school-aged children, adolescents, and young adults with a variety of developmental, learning, and emotional difficulties. She has expertise in the evaluation of individuals following a concussion/mild traumatic brain injury and particularly enjoys working with individuals with attention (ADHD) and executive functioning (EF) difficulties. Dr. Burns is passionate about helping individuals and their families better understand their areas of strength and weakness and provides tailored treatment recommendations based upon that unique profile to make the evaluation most helpful for each client.

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MOIRA CREEDON, PH.D.
Hingham Director; Pediatric Neuropsychologist
Hingham Office
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Dr. Creedon offers her expertise in evaluating children and teens with a variety of presenting issues. She is interested in uncovering an individual’s unique pattern of strengths and weaknesses to best formulate a plan for intervention and success. She tailors each assessment to address a range of referral questions, such as developmental disabilities, including Autism Spectrum Disorder, learning disabilities, attention challenges, executive functioning deficits, and social-emotional struggles.

ANGELA M. CURRIE, PH.D.

NH Director, Pediatric Neuropsychologist

Londonderry Office

Dr. Currie specializes in evaluating children, teens, and young adults with complex profiles, working to tease apart the various factors lending to their challenges, such as underlying learning, attentional, social, or emotional difficulties. She particularly enjoys working with the seemingly “unmotivated” child, as well as children who have “flown under the radar” for years due to their desire to succeed.

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REBECCA DAUTOFF, PSY.D.

Pediatric Neuropsychologist

Newton Office

Dr. Rebecca Dautoff provides comprehensive neuropsychological and psychological (projective) evaluation services for children, adolescents, and young adults who have complex presentations with a wide range of concerns, including attention deficit disorders, psychiatric disorders, intellectual disabilities, and autism spectrum disorders (ASD). She also values collaboration with families and outside providers to facilitate supports and services that are tailored to each child’s specific needs.

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RENEE CUTIONGCO FOLSOM, PH.D.
Pediatric Neuropsychologist
Newton Office

Dr. Folsom has been working with families in the greater Boston area since 2015. Prior to this, she was on staff at Johns Hopkins University and trained at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She provides comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations of children, adolescents, and young adults who have learning, behavioral, and socio-emotional challenges. Her areas of expertise include Autism Spectrum Disorder and other conditions that usually co-occur with this diagnosis; Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder; Dyslexia and other Specific Learning Disabilities; and Anxiety/Depression. She thinks that the best part of being a pediatric neuropsychologist is helping change the trajectory of children’s lives.

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ERIN GIBBONS, PH.D.
Pediatric Neuropsychologist
Plainville Office

Dr. Gibbons evaluates children presenting with a range of attentional, learning, and developmental disabilities. She has a particular interest in children with autism spectrum disorders, intellectual disabilities, and those with complex medical histories.

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LAUREN HALLADAY, PH.D.
Pediatric Neuropsychologist
Newton Office

Dr. Halladay conducts comprehensive evaluations of toddlers, preschoolers, and school-aged children with a wide range of developmental, behavioral, and emotional concerns. She particularly enjoys working with individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, and complex medical conditions. She has experience working in schools, as well as outpatient and inpatient hospital settings. She is passionate about optimizing outcomes for children with neurodevelopmental disabilities by providing evidence-based, family-oriented care.

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CYNTHIA HESS, PSY.D.
Pediatric Neuropsychologist
Londonderry Office

Dr. Cynthia (Cindy) Hess conducts neuropsychological evaluations as a pediatric neuropsychologist at NESCA. Dr. Hess enjoys working with children and young adults with complex emotional and behavioral profiles. She is skilled at evaluating social and emotional challenges as well as a range of learning profiles. Her experience allows her to guide families in understanding the supports and services their child requires to be successful in school.

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MIRANDA MILANA, PSY.D.
Pediatric Neuropsychologist
Plainville Office

Dr. Miranda Milana provides comprehensive evaluation services for children and adolescents with a wide range of concerns, including attention deficit disorders, communication disorders, intellectual disabilities, and learning disabilities. She particularly enjoys working with children and their families who have concerns regarding an autism spectrum disorder. Dr. Milana has received specialized training on the administration of the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS).

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STEPHANIE MONAGHAN-BLOUT, PSY.D.
Director of Training; Consulting Pediatric Neuropsychologist
Newton Office

Dr. Monaghan-Blout specializes in the assessment of clients with complex learning and emotional issues. She has a particular interest in working with adopted children and their families, as well as those impacted by traumatic experiences.

Dr. Monaghan-Blout is not accepting new patients. 

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MAGGIE RODRIGUEZ, PSY.D.
Pediatric Neuropsychologist
Newton Office

Dr. Rodriguez specializes in comprehensive neuropsychological and psychological evaluation services for children, adolescents, and young adults who have complex presentations and do not fit neatly into one diagnostic “box.” She particularly enjoys working with individuals who have concerns about attention and executive functioning, language-based learning disorders, and those with overlapping cognitive and social/emotional difficulties. Her extensive experience as an outpatient therapist uniquely qualifies Dr. Rodriguez to support students who are struggling emotionally in addition to learning and cognitive difficulties.

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NANCY ROOSA, PSY.D.
Consulting Pediatric Neuropsychologist
Newton Office

Nancy Roosa, Psy.D. has been engaged in providing neuropsychological evaluations for children since 1997. She enjoys working with a range of children, particularly those with autism spectrum disorders, as well as children with attentional issues, executive function deficits, anxiety disorders, learning disabilities, or other social, emotional or behavioral problems.

Dr. Roosa is not accepting new patients.

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ALISSA TALAMO, PH.D.
Pediatric Neuropsychologist
Newton Office

Dr. Talamo specializes in working with children and adolescents with language-based learning disabilities including dyslexia, attentional disorders and emotional issues. She is particularly interested in, and has worked extensively with, highly gifted children.

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Transition, Coaching and Psychotherapy Services

KELLEY CHALLEN, ED.M., CAS
Director of Transition Services
Newton Office

An expert transition specialist, Kelley Challen directs NESCA’s person-centered and highly individualized transition services. She specializes in comprehensive assessment, vocational/life skill assessment for students with complex disabilities, planning/prep for college-bound students, and consultation, program development, and/or case management regarding post-12th grade programming.

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JASMINE BADAMO, MA
Educational Counselor & Executive Function Coach
New York & Remote Services

Jasmine Badamo is a licensed special educator and seasoned executive function coach. She supports a wide range of clients, ranging from age 7 to adulthood, to develop executive function and independence skills necessary for success with school (including college and graduate school) and in life. She is also uniquely qualified to coach parents and train educators to support EF skill development across settings.

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MICHELLE BUTTERWORTH, M.ED.
Real-life Skills and Executive Function Coach
Remote Services

The combination of Michelle’s clinical and educational background has allowed her to work with students using a “whole child” approach. Additionally, Michelle has taught graduate level classes focusing on adolescent psychology and language-based reading instruction. She uses all of her varied experience to build strong relationships with the students she coaches, which she believes are paramount to success.

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SHANTILLE DERIGER, M.S., OTR/L
Real-life Skills and Executive Function Coach
Remote Services

Shantille is excited to be coaching individuals to help improve their real-life skills and executive functioning skills. She is passionate about and motivated by working with people in their natural environment and using a collaborative approach to problem solve real-time barriers with strategies or tools!

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CARLY EDELSTEIN, MSW, LCSW
Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Executive Function Coach
Remote Services; Plainville Office as Needed

Carly Edelstein is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker practicing in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Having worked both in private practice and schools, she has extensive experience supporting students, families and educational teams to make positive changes. Ms. Edelstein provides executive function coaching and psychotherapy to clients ranging from middle school through adulthood. She also offers consultation to schools and families in order to support her clients across home and community environments.

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TABITHA MONAHAN, MA, CAGS, CRC
Transition Specialist/Counselor
Newton and Plainville Offices

Tabitha Monahan, MA, CAGS, CRC, is an experienced transition evaluator and vocational counselor. While she is well-versed in supporting a wide range of transition-aged youth, she is especially passionate and knowledgeable in helping clients and their families navigate the complex systems of adult services and benefits as well as medical and mental health systems. She is further adept in working individually with students of all abilities to empower self-advocacy and goal achievement.

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KRISTEN SIMON, M.ED, ED.S
Transition Specialist; Psychoeducational Counselor
Newton Office

At NESCA, Mrs. Simon works as a transition specialist and psychoeducational counselor. She works with adolescents, their families, and their school communities to identify and build the skills necessary to achieve their postsecondary goals. Mrs. Simon provides transition assessment (including testing, functional evaluations, and observations), program observations and evaluations, case management and consultation, and individualized counseling and skills coaching.

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AMY TASHJIAN, MSOT, OTR/L
Real-life Skills and Executive Functioning Coach
Newton Office

Ms. Tashjian has experience working as an occupational therapist in school, community, and rehab/hospital settings. She loves meeting people and working alongside them to achieve their personalized goals. She believes that one of the most meaningful aspects of working as an occupational therapist is addressing functional life skills that allow individuals to thrive in their home, school, and community environments.

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LYNDSAY WOOD, OTD, OTR/L
Executive Function and Real-life Skills Program Manager
Burlington, VT Area and Newton Office

Dr. Lyndsay Wood is an occupational therapist, transition specialist and executive function coach who focuses on helping students and young adults with or without documented disabilities to build meaningful skills in order to reach their goals. She oversees NESCA’s Real-life Skills Coaching Program and uses occupation-based assessments, interventions, and strategies to develop executive functioning, life skills, emotional regulation, and other key transition-related skills. She utilizes a client-centered and relational approach to ensure clients are directing their own services and progress.

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SOPHIE ZEIF, OTD, OTR/L
Occupational Therapist;
Executive Function & Real-life Skills Coach
Burlington, VT Area & Remote Services

Dr. Sophie Zeif is Licensed Occupational Therapist in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts, specializing in pediatrics and occupational therapy in the developing world. Dr. Zeif has worked at NESCA full-time as a transition specialist and now works as a per diem Real-Life Skills Coach as part of NESCA’s transition team.

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Pediatric Occupational Therapy

JESSICA HANNA, MS, OTR/L
Occupational Therapist
Plainville Office

Jessica Hanna has over 10 years of pediatric OT experience in conducting assessments and providing treatment of children and adolescents with a broad range of challenges and disabilities, including autism spectrum disorders, sensory processing disorders, visual impairments, cerebral palsy, executive function deficits and developmental disorders of motor function.

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Consultation and Educational Services

DOT LUCCI, M.ED., CAGS
Director of Consultation & Psychoeducational Services
Newton Office; Hingham Office; Plainville Office; Londonderry Office

Dot Lucci is a national consultant and speaker who specializes in program design and the inclusion of children and adolescents with special needs, especially those diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Dot directs NESCA’s consultation services to public and private schools, colleges and universities, businesses, and community agencies. She also provides psychoeducational counseling directly to students and parents.

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Integrative Treatment Services - Newton Office

BILLY DEMIRI, CPT
Health & Life Coach; Certified Personal Trainer

Billy offers Personal and Social Coaching (PSC) at NESCA. Billy has several fitness certifications including: NSCA-CPT (National Strength Condition Association- Certified Personal Trainer) Certified and Autism Fit Certified.

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Administration

JENNIFER BURKE
Practice Manager; Newton Office
JANE HAUSER
Director of Marketing & Outreach; Newton Office
CRYSTAL JEAN
Senior Practice Manager
HENRY JIMENEZ
Accounting Manager
STEPHANIE MACINNIS
NH Office Manager; Plainville Office Administrator; Londonderry Office