My name is Tiffany Clauw and I am the Owner/Director of STAR Behavior Consultants. I am Licensed Behavior Analyst and have been practicing Behavior Analysis for over a decade in various settings, including clinics, homes, schools, and the community. I found my niche in Behavior Analysis while pursuing my undergraduate Psychology degree in 2008. I then continued to follow my dreams to pursue my Master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis in 2010 from Western Michigan University, one of the most reputable training programs in the nation. Throughout my years in the field, my passion for behavior analysis and children continues to grow, which shows in interactions with families and staff.
I work adamantly on instilling STAR’s mission in all staff, which is to provide the utmost quality of care and celebrate the small victories of each child served. I deeply value a positive work environment, which promotes fun and functional learning. Those who know me have heard me say “happy staff+happy children=effective therapy”, which is truly what makes STAR different.
When I’m not at STAR, I enjoy spending my time with my husband, our daughter Avery, son Max, and our “puppy daughter” Skye! I love being outside, traveling, learning new things, and spending time with friends and family.
My name is Shannon Valicevic and I am a Technician Supervisor at Star. I got my Clinical Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Wayne State University, but switched careers joining the ABA field 3 years ago. It was the best decision I could have made as I have always had a passion to work with the special needs population due to growing up with a sister with special needs.
It’s an honor to help our kiddos find the tools within to communicate effectively, play appropriately with friends, and learn new skills. It’s an even bigger joy to hear from families that it is carrying over at home, which is the ultimate goal to help them find themselves in all parts of their daily lives. I am also a big kid at heart so to be able to come to work everyday run around with kids, play with toys while still calling it work is a dream come true. In my spare time,
I coach basketball at Macomb Community College, play sports myself and hang out with my friends and family especially my sweet little niece.
I am looking forward to the future at Star for our families and staff as we have already become a close group who strive to help our kids reach the highest of goals.
Hello! My name is Marina Puszczyk, and I am a Lead Behavior Technician and one of the supervisors here at . I have a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Saginaw Valley State University and a Master’s Degree in Curriculum Development with an emphasis in Applied Behavior Analysis. Currently, I am working towards becoming a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA).
Prior to working at Star, I worked as an Elementary School Teacher, teaching grades from preschool up to third grade in Utica Community Schools, Waterford Schools and as a homeschool teacher for a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) for six years. During my time spent as a teacher, I’ve worked with a wide range of children with different abilities and strengths. Outside of Star, I enjoy spending time with my husband Zac and our dog child Barry or “Barry Sanders”. I love being outside, enjoying time at our family cabin, attending footballs games coached by my husband and spending time with family and friends.
Working with children is a true passion of mine. I truly love working one-on-one with our clients and being a part of their growth and development. I truly feel blessed to be working at Star alongside professionals that share the same passion and heart as I do. I look forward to getting to know each one of our amazing Star families and working with your child.
Hi! My name is Allison Griffiths and I am a Behavior Technician here at STAR. I am currently in my undergrad at Wayne State University, studying Communication Sciences and Disorders, and hope to earn my MA degree in Speech-Language Pathology and become a licensed Speech Language Pathologist in the near future. I have always loved working with children and have recently discovered the field of ABA. In my short time in this field, I have been able to learn tremendously, and grow and discover my love for ABA. Without a doubt, I love working with all the kiddos here. It is incredible to watch their progress and be a part of them working and achieving different tasks and goals. I genuinely enjoy getting to interact, play and laugh with all the kids every day. When I’m not at STAR, or doing homework, I enjoy spending time with my family, friends and boyfriend. I love to be active, travel, shop and watch movies.
Hello, my name is Allison Lusky and I am a Behavior Technician here at Star Behavior Consultants. Prior to working at STAR, I worked at a childcare center as a Lead Teacher in the toddler classroom. I currently hold a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Oakland University and plan on pursing my master’s degree within the next year.
Growing up I have always had a passion for working with children. Being able to watch them grow and learn new things is very rewarding to me. My ultimate goal is to positively impact each of the children’s lives I work with and build strong relationships with them. I love ABA because it gives me the opportunity to work with children directly to help them become successful in their future. The staff here at STAR have been very welcoming and have such positivity that make coming to work enjoyable. I am very thankful to be a part of such an amazing team. In my spare time, I love to spend time with family and friends, watch movies, sing, and travel.
Hi! My name is Parisa Shifteh and I am a behavior technician at STAR Behavior Consultants. I have my Bachelors degree in Kinesiology from Oakland University and my Masters Degree in Applied Behavior Analysis from Ball State University. Currently I am working towards my Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) certification.
Prior to working at STAR, I was living in Shanghai, China for a couple years, working as a pediatric behavior therapist at a multidisciplinary clinic. There, I worked with a diverse population of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
Outside of STAR, I enjoy spending time with my family, traveling, being outdoors and experiencing new things!
My name is Steve Bareis, and I work as a behavior tech here at STAR. I received my Bachelor’s in History and German Studies from the University of Michigan, and I knew I wanted to teach those subjects to the next generation. To that end, I earned my Master’s in Teaching from Oakland University and entered into service as a public school teacher. It wasn’t long before I realized that I loved the kids even more than the subject matter, which completely changed my outlook on the purpose of my work. I taught middle and high school for three years before deciding to change careers, though my passion for lifting up young people remained unchanged. Recently, I was lucky enough to discover the field of Applied Behavior Analysis, and I look forward to helping our kids at STAR unlock their full potential and become the best versions of themselves.
When I’m not working, I’m usually finding ways to expand my own mind and become the best version of myself. I love learning new languages, traveling to places I’ve never experienced, and meeting people who view the world differently than I do. I also enjoy video games, playing piano, cooking (and eating!), gardening, tabletop RPGs, and raising pet rabbits. And of course, there is nothing better than spending treasured time with family and friends.
Hello there! My name is Sabrina Rodriguez and I’m a Behavior Technician at STAR. I graduated with my Bachelors degree from Grand Valley State University in Exercise Science, and plan to pursue my Masters degree in Clinical Mental Health.
Prior to working at STAR, I traveled to Spain on two separate occasions for several months to work as a Private English Tutor and an Au Pair. Likewise, I consistently held various babysitting jobs throughout high school and college. Throughout all my experience, I’ve learned that working one-on-one with children, helping them exceed their goals, and witnessing all their progress is a position I highly value and find incredibly rewarding. Working in ABA is an ever more unique experience because it truly expands one’s mind to think outside the box and to remember that we are just as much of students as we are teachers.
When I’m not traveling (or working), I can be found writing, nose-deep in a book, lifting weights and shuffle dancing at the gym (but not at the same time), or just hanging out with close friends and family.
Although I’m fairly new to ABA, I can confidently say that it is a blessing to wake-up and be part of the sheer joy in children laughing, smiling, and developing in extraordinary ways. I’m excited for the future of STAR, and I look forward to meeting your little one!
Hello, my name is Ryan Bates and I am a new behavior technician at star. I have a history of working with children with non-progressing neuromuscular conditions in the physical therapy setting. I am also a trained and licensed EMT and have experience working in the emergency department and pre-hospital settings.
I have chosen to pursue a career in ABA so that I can continue to work with children and help them to improve their overall quality of life. I have an associate degree of general studies and am currently working toward a bachelor’s degree in applied health sciences online at Indiana University. It is my goal to become a BCaBA before continuing onto my masters and becoming a BCBA.
I am very excited to be a part of the team and to begin my career as a behavior technician.
Hi my name is Violet Lulgjuraj! I am beyond thrilled to start my journey here at STAR and can see all individuals succeed! Since I was a little girl, I have always had a strong appreciation and natural gravitation towards individuals with ASD! This compassion to teach new skills and everyday tasks is largely due to my inseparable bond with my younger brother! He challenges me yet inspires me to look at life in an entirely new and bold perspective! I am forever grateful to him for that blessing. Right now, I am currently finishing up my last year at Macomb Community College. My plan is to then transfer to Oakland University to pursue their Applied Behavioral Analysis program with a master’s focused entirely on psychology! The activities I enjoy most in life are getting creative with any drawing utensils and/or working on art projects with my older sister! I am also a die-hard lover for any sort of animal, especially dolphins and dogs! Additionally, I am most at ease when I am spending time with family; whether it be playing games with my loved ones or simply watching a movie, I always seem to find that’s when I’m most at peace! There are endless wonders that life brings us all; however, being apart of this team here at STAR Behavioral Consultants has brought me a sense of joy like never seen before.
Hi STAR Family! My name is Joann Giannola and I am so excited to be able to say that I am working at STAR Behavior Consultants! I received my Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology at Oakland University in 2015. I’ve always wanted to work with kiddos and found the rewarding world of ABA shortly after graduating. After working 1:1 with the kiddos for four years I then moved into the business side of ABA. At STAR, I’ll be assisting Tiffany with various office needs. I’ll be up front, so I’ll get to see all the kiddos smiling faces as they come in.
In my spare time, I love being with my family and friends. I have a large Italian family so food and cooking are very close to my heart. I have two beautiful nieces and two handsome nephews. I enjoy working out and have my own small business on Etsy called Jan’s Pretzels. I am honored to be able to enjoy the wonderful kiddos each day here at STAR!
My name is Kristy Shoaf. I am a Licensed Behavior Analyst and have been working with children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder since 2008. I was attending school for a psychology degree at Western Michigan University, and chose to complete my practicum experience as a behavior technician in an Early Intervention classroom for children on the Autism spectrum. I loved it so much that I did an additional two semesters in that practicum and continued on to pursue my Master’s in Applied Behavior Analysis there. Since then I’ve worked in a variety of roles in the field, including Training Coordinator, Program Manager (BCBA), and Clinical Director. I feel that the variety has helped round me as a Behavior Analyst, as I’ve directly experienced each important role for myself. I am also a mother of two amazing children (6 and 2 years old) and feel that the addition of motherhood to my life has given me an invaluable perspective to treating children and working with families. My favorite thing about this field is that it insists that you continue to grow and learn and adapt to each child. I also love witnessing the pieces click together for a child and seeing their world open as they learn; there is just nothing better than being a part of that.
I love the field of Applied Behavioral Analysis because I get to work directly with children to bring about meaningful, positive behavioral changes that help them function and be successful in their lives. I enjoy being a therapist because I get to teach children in a fun, creative environment and watch them progress to reach their daily goals. Being an ABA Line Therapist allows me the opportunity to work one on one with kids and build relationships while promoting healthy learning through affection, exercise, and discipline. I hope to assist my children in attaining the best quality of life possible. I am blessed to be able to help them and their families while being in a career that is challenging and yet so rewarding.
Bachelor’s Degree: B.Sc. in Human Development and Family Studies, University of Houston, Houston, TX
Minor: Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, TX
Hobbies/Activities: cooking, baking, gardening, decorating, photography, crocheting, fostering animals, event planning, and entrepreneur/business owner
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