About REED Academy


ABOUT REED Academy

History Our school program was founded by several families of children with autism who live in Bergen County, New Jersey. Bound together by their commitment to appropriate behavioral intervention for their children, the families worked together for two years raising funds, securing educational consultation services, and locating a setting before their vision became a reality and our doors opened to welcome our first students in September, 2003. REED stands for Resources for Effective Educational Development. We believe that all children have a right to learn and that the body of scientific literature in behavior analysis over the past 50 years provides us with the necessary resources to effectively educate our young learners.	Board of Directors David B. Drumeler, Esq., President Town Administrator, Town of Secaucus Rick Klinenberg, Treasurer Parent & Senior Director, WebMD Mark Shanock, Secretary Chief Operating Officer, Singer, Nelson, Charlmers Insurance Co. Susan Arons Executive Vice President, Rubenstein Communications, Inc. Peter Dully Retired Wall Street Executive Joseph Forgione Principal, Sterling Properties, Inc., Member of the New Jersey Sports & Exposition Authority Alice Hallajian Associate Director, KPMG LLC John Key Director, UBS Warburg Ken Nicholas Parent and Senior Managing Director, Bear Stearns Beth Picciano Controller, Ramsey Auto Group Amy Shafron Parent Legal Counsel to REED Academy Michael Sluka, Esq. Parent Advisory Board Ann Fetherston, MA, CCC-SLP Joanne Gerenser, Ph.D., CCC-SLP Executive Director, Eden II Linda S. Meyer, Ed.D., MPA, Executive Director, COSAC Sharon A. Reeve, Ph.D., BCBA, Associate Professor of Education, Coordinator of Graduate Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Programs, Caldwell College Keneth F. Reeve, Ph.D., BCBA, Department Chair and Associate Professor of Psychology, Caldwell College
Director and Staff John L. Brown, PhD, BCBA - Executive Director Dr. Brown is a graduate of the Learning Processes Doctoral Subprogram and received his Ph.D. from Queen’s College and the Graduate Center of The City University of New York. He also holds a Board Certification in Behavior Analysis. He completed a doctoral fellowship at the Princeton Child Development Institute (PCDI). Dr. Brown also serves as the Module leader for one of our classrooms. Other professional activities include publications in peer reviewed journals, conference presentations, and grant funded research. Dr. Brown's research interests include language instruction using script-fading, normative environmental control of language, and conditional discrimination teaching procedures for individuals with autism. Ann K. Brown, MA, BCBA - Assistant Director Ms. Brown holds a masters' degree in psychology from Queens College of the City University of New York where her work was supported by a foundation grant. She is currently completing her doctorate. Before coming to REED, her extensive academic career entailed teaching in a variety of post-secondary settings, including a tenured college-level appointment. Her research interests include generalized imitation, generative language, and effective early-intervention strategies for learners with autism. Anna Maria Agresti, MA, BCBA - Behavior Analyst Ms. Agresti holds a masters' degree in educational psychology from New Jersey City University. She is a module leader of the kindergarten and first grade classroom and the coordinator of transition services. Eric Rozenblat, MA, BCBA - Behavior Analyst Mr. Rozenblat is a Behavior Analyst and is the module leader of our oldest students. He holds a masters' degree in Applied Behavior Analysis from Caldwell College. He plans to go to school to earn his doctorate. His research interests include video modeling and the use of differential reinforcement schedules. Nicole Elmera - Special Education Teacher Ms. Elmera is a certified special education teacher and a module leader. She is currently attending Caldwell College where she is pursuing her masters' degree in special education with a concentration in ABA. She has completed the 2000 clinical hours required to sit for the Board Certified Behavior Analyst exam, which plans to take upon completion of her masters' degree. Bill Schmalz, MA - Principal Mr. Schmalz is the principal at REED Academy. He is a retired public school administrator with over 32 years of educational experience. He holds a masters' degree in educational administration and as a reading specialist. REED'S Teaching Staff All of our classroom instructors hold at least bachelors' degrees. Currently over 75% of our classroom is either actively pursuing advanced degrees or certifications in fields like Applied Behavior Analysis and Special Education or already possess similar post-baccalaureate degrees. If you are interested in joining this talented group, please check our “Employment Opportunities.”