Kelberman, a provider of autism services throughout the Mohawk Valley and Central New York, has announced the appointment of Nicole M. DeRosa, as the agency’s chief clinical officer.

DeRosa is responsible for overseeing and expanding Kelberman clinical services including diagnostic evaluations, social work therapy, as well as Applied Behavioral Analysis treatment, among other services. She will lead “a highly skilled clinical team integrating clinical supports and services across the continuum of programs provided by Kelberman,” the agency announcement added.   

According to Maria Cappoletti, Kelberman chief executive officer, “Dr. DeRosa, a recognized expert who is well published in the field, will build upon the existing accomplishments and quality clinical services and take Kelberman to a new level as the center of excellence for autism.” 

DeRosa is a dually licensed psychologist and behavior analyst in New York, as well as a board-certified behavior analyst-doctoral. She received a master’s degree in educational psychology with a concentration in applied behavior analysis and her doctoral degree in school psychology from the University of Southern Maine. She completed her pre-doctoral internship at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Munroe-Meyer Institute’s Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders and her post-doctoral internship at the Family Behavior Analysis Program within the Department of Pediatrics at SUNY Update Medical University. 

DeRosa served as the director of the Severe Behavior Disorders program at SUNY Upstate, as well as program coordinator of the MS Behavior Analysis Studies program. She was also associate professor and research coordinator within the Behavioral Science Department at Daemen University, as well as the director of the Center for Applied Behavior Analysis at Daemen.

DeRosa served on the Executive Committee for the New York State Association for Behavior Analysis for eight years and continues to serve on that organization’s board of directors.  

DeRosa has extensive clinical experience working with individuals with autism and related disabilities and has co-authored several research articles and chapters related to the assessment and treatment of behavior disorders, as well as the development of communication repertoires in children and adolescents with developmental and/or intellectual disabilities. She has presented at numerous local, state, national, and international conferences and serves on the editorial boards of several peer-reviewed journals.

DeRosa also has a successful record of accomplishment obtaining local and national grant funding to support both research and clinical endeavors, the Kelberman announcement added. 

DeRosa’s clinical and research interests include the variables that influence the delivery of high-quality and compassionate therapeutic services, effective and efficient assessment strategies, treatment of behavior disorders, communication training outcomes, prevention of treatment relapse, and caregiver and staff satisfaction and collaboration within therapeutic services.     

Kelberman is a provider of autism services for children, adults, and families in the Mohawk Valley and Central New York, providing an array of programming for people throughout all phases of life, from early childhood through adulthood, including Home and Community Based services, Educational, Clinical, Residential, Respite, and Camp.

“Our goal is to meet people and families where they are in life and to support them every step of the way on their journeys navigating autism,” the announcement said. “The expert staff at Kelberman strive to empower the people and families we support with specialized, one-of-a-kind programs, resources, and wrap-around services, to live inclusive, enriching and fulfilling lives.”