Scott McLeod has been on staff at Massachusetts General Hospital for over 18 years. He became YouthCare's Executive Director in January 2003 after acting as Associate Director for 10 years. Dr. McLeod received his doctorate in clinical psychology from Boston University. He is a Clinical Instructor in Psychology at Harvard Medical School. He is currently the Chief Psychologist at MGH Charlestown HealthCare Center. His clinical interests include group therapy and milieu treatment for children on the Autism Spectrum. Dr. McLeod consults with schools about supporting students with ASD in the classroom and school community. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Asperger's Association of New England and formerly of Children's Group Therapy Association. He has a private practice in Wellesley, Massachusetts.

Dot is a national consultant and speaker who specializes in the inclusion of children on the Autism Spectrum. She has an advanced degree from the Univ. of MA and is trained as a school psychologist with extensive background in neuropsychology while at the Boston Univ. Medical School. She holds teaching certificates in early childhood, elementary and special education. She has published in a variety of journals and has a book chapter in the Exceptional Brain.  She is on the Board of Directors and the Program Committee of the Asperger's Association of New England and teaches at Lesley University and Antioch College of New England.  As Director of Consultation for YouthCare she performs The Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) Needs Assessment Protocol to assist systems in analyzing their service delivery to students with ASD;  consults to schools on individual students and on program development and design; conducts workshops and trainings for professionals and parents and leads social thinking groups. 

Al Cotugno, PhD, Director of Social Skill Groups
Email: acotugno@partners.org
Al Cotugno is a Massachusetts licensed psychologist provider and has served as clinical and administrative director of several private and public mental health clinics. He has also served on the staffs of McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School and Childrens Hospital. Al has consulted to a number of area school systems and has special interests in psychological assessement, attention and executive function disorders, and research into learning and cognitive disorders. In addition to his work with YouthCare, Al also maintains an independent private practice.

Sylvia Lewinstein, M.P.A., Administrative Director
Email: slewinstein@partners.org
Sylvia Lewinstein has been the administrative director for YouthCare for 8 years and has over 15 years of administrative and program management experience. She has a Masters in Public Administration from New York University. Prior to YouthCare, Ms. Lewinstein worked at the New York City Board of Education as a Program Director for Recruiting managing a $6.5 million budget and Director of Educational Policy for Interface Development Corporation. Her interests include hiking, x-country skiing, reading, travel and developing web sites.

Kelley Challen-Wittmer, Ed.M., C.A.S., Director of Teen Programs
kchallen-wittmer@partners.org
Kelley Challen-Wittmer began working at YouthCare as the Site Director for the Teen Summer Program in 2006.  After two summers directing the program, she assumed a year-round position with YouthCare.  Since September 2008, Kelley has worked as Director of Teen Programs.  Kelley is a licensed School Guidance Counselor who spent time interning at Boston Latin School.  She also worked as an Assistant Teacher at Camp Good Times, a summer camp program of Milestones, Inc.  Kelley received a Certificate of Advanced Study in Counseling as well as a Master of Education in Risk & Prevention from Harvard Graduate School of Education.  Her interests include running, ultimate frisbee, music, computer games, board games, psychology, math and sudoku.

Cheryl Gregg-Desautels, M.H.C, Social Skills Clinician
Cgregg-desautels@partners.org
Cheryl Gregg-Desautels came to YouthCare following 5 years of experience working in a public school with children on the spectrum, running social groups and summer programs. Previously she was a program director for an arts organization which included an extensive children’s summer drama camp. More recently she has received her Masters in Mental Health Counseling with a focus on children with social communication deficits including those with Autism Spectrum Disorders, related disorders, and trauma.

Jennifer Harber, Ed.M., Program Consultant
jharber@partners.org
Jenn Harber worked as YouthCare's Program Director for 4 years, during which time she was involved with the summer camps, the development of teen programs, school- and agency-based consultations, social skills groups, and more.  Jenn is now pursuing her MBA at Babson College, and is providing part-time support to the planning of YouthCare's programs.  Before coming to YouthCare, Jenn received her Master's in Education in Risk and Prevention from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and her Bacherlor's degree in Psychology and Mathematics from Cornell University.  While working at YouthCare, Jenn received a Certificate in Autism Spectrum Disorders from Antioch University New England.

Lori Hodgins Brazell, M.S.Ed., Educational Consultant
lhodgins@partners.org
Lori is an educational consultant and a Massachusetts Licensed Special Education teacher who began her career in public school classrooms. She has over 15 years experience working with and consulting on behalf of students with AS and ASD in public and private settings.  She has a particular interest in the social development of students with Autism Spectrum Disorders.  Most recently, Lori created the Kid Connections Social Thinking and Skills Development Program for the Newton Public School System.  She also spent 8 years developing programming for YouthCare.  Lori presents regularly at regional and national conferences, is a co-founder of Adventures Outside the Box, LLC, and is a Relationship Development Intervention Program® Consultant-in-Training.

Mary Beth Kadlec, Sc.D., OTR/L, Program Director
mkadlec@partners.org
Mary Beth brings more than 25 years of experience in pediatric occupational therapy to her role as YouthCare’s Program Director. She holds a BS and a MS in occupational therapy and a doctorate in therapeutic studies from Boston University. She has extensive experience working in schools, early intervention programs, out-patient clinics, and hospitals. She teaches graduate courses in pediatrics for the Department of Occupational Therapy at Tufts University. She recently served as Project Manager for the Child and Family Project at Boston University Studies to Advance Autism Research and Treatment (STAART) Center.  Dr. Kadlec is co-author on numerous papers focusing on sensory behaviors and is developing a clinical measure to identify the impact of sensory behaviors on performance. She has also developed methodologies to identify the process by which children are guided to participate within their family routines, educational settings, and community activities.