Branches co-founders

   Gabrielle was hired a an ABA Technician at Branches in September of 2022 and since then has been promoted to a Lead ABA Special Education Teacher position for grades 5 – 12.

At the age of 15, Gabrielle worked at a summer camp as a 1:1 aide. This is when her passion for working with individuals with special needs began. Over the course of the last 15+ years, she has spent her professional career working with individuals with special needs across ages and settings as a Youth Development Counselor, Teacher’s Assistant, In-home Behavior Specialist, a Behavior Specialist for adults with developmental disabilities, and as a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT). In 2019, Gabrielle received a Bachelor of Arts Degree with a concentration in Applied Behavior Analysis at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. She is currently pursuing a Master’s degree at the Florida Institute of Technology for Behavior Analysis Practice with plans to sit for the Board Certified Behavior Analyst exam upon completion.

Cailin has been providing ABA services to students since 2015, utilizing various clinical and educational approaches in residential and  public school settings. She received her Masters degree in Education from Simmons University with an autism specialization and SEI endorsement. She is a licensed teacher in special education for severe disabilities in all grade levels. She is currently pursuing a certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis from the Florida Institute of Technology and plans to take the Board Certified Behavior Analyst Exam upon completion of the program. Cailin has a passion for improving functional communication skills and helping students work on daily living skills.

Meghan has been an occupational therapist since 2014 after graduating from the Sage Colleges in Troy, NY. She lived in Florida for seven years where she practiced occupational therapy at a therapeutic horseback riding center for children. Since moving home to Massachusetts, Meghan divides her time working with students at the Branches School of the Berkshires and with clients at local skilled Nursing facilities. Meghan works to facilitate independence and quality of life through purposeful and meaningful activities with all of her students. 

Jacky joined Branches in July of 2022. She graduated from Westfield State University with a Bachelors degree in sport medicine in 2017. She then went on to receive her Doctoral degree in physical therapy at Northeastern University and graduated in 2021. 

Throughout her many years of schooling she participated in volunteer opportunities in the pediatric field. In Westfield she volunteered for the Special Olympics of MA and at the Westfield Boys & Girls Club. In Boston she volunteered to work with underprivileged children to teach them the importance of exercise. She was also a physical therapy student at Mass General Hospital where she enjoyed assisting the pediatric physical therapists with their interventions. 

Jacky is very dedicated and passionate about bettering the lives of the children she works with. 

Kate is a Licensed Speech-Language Pathologist who has been working with Branches since they opened in 2020. She is certified by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and is currently licensed in Massachusetts, Illinois, California and Oregon. 

For over 20 years, Kate has worked with children of all ages, in Early Intervention, in public and private school settings and via tele-therapy. She has worked with children with diverse challenges, including autism. Kate seeks to enhance every child’s ability to communicate successfully and has been trained in the use of PECs and other assistive technology systems. She believes in the multi-modal teaching of language and will use American Sign Language, pictures and/or music in sessions when appropriate.

Kate received a BS from the University of Michigan and a Master’s degree from the California State University, East Bay (Hayward). Kate spent her Clinical Fellowship Year at the Spectrum Center in Oakland, California where she helped open a preschool for children with autism.