Meet our Certified PEERS® Group Leaders
|
Maya Grunauer Donnelly
Certified PEERS ® Provider Kids Group Leader Maya Grunauer has a BA in Psychology from Marymount California University. She is a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) at STAR of CA. She has experience as a Behavioral Coach and Facilitator in our PEERS program. As an RBT she provides autistic children, teens, and young adults with individualized supportive and behavioral services in both school and in-home settings. She is trained in ABA methodologies; including Discrete Trial Training, Pivotal Response Treatment and Positive Behavior Support. She is a dynamic, creative and compassionate team member. In her free time Maya works with various mediums of art, enjoys traveling, cooking, and spending time with her friends. |
|
Eryn Schnel Yolac
Certified PEERS ® Provider Eryn Schnel Yolac is a Professional Educational Therapist ET/P, SPED, credentialed special education teacher, advocate for special needs students and a mother, here in the South Bay. Eryn coaches students to feel better about their differences and academic challenges and to learn how to help themselves in school! She supports parents with IEP's and other academic related issues. For fun she likes to take pictures of babies, children and families. She also like to spend time with her husband and two children. |
|
Daiz Wang, BCBA
Certified PEERS ® Provider Daiz Wang is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and a Certified PEERS Facilitator. Daiz started her career working with children with autism in Vancouver in 2001. Her passion and drive to pursue research and best practices in implementation are fueled by the unwavering dedication of families to do the best for their children. Daiz has had the honor of presenting at a number of national and international conferences hosted by ABAI and the APBA. She has also given workshops to families and paraprofessionals on a wide range of topics in the field of autism intervention. Daiz is the Founder and Director of Social Collaborative, in Tustin, CA. When she is not working, Daiz enjoys spending time outdoors running, swimming, climbing, and having a good time with her family and their Husky, Koda. |
|
Francis Garcia, MFT #105044
Certified PEERS ® Provider, Bilingual Francis Garcia is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist, #105044. She has a Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology with and emphasis in Marriage in Family Therapy from Azusa Pacific University. Francis has experience providing therapy to clients of all ages for the past 5 years. Francis first began working with children and families as a Behavior Interventionist with children who were diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, and continued to become a Program Supervisor. After receiving her Master’s Degree, Francis began providing therapy to children primarily using Play Therapy and Cognitive Behavior Therapy. In addition, Francis also provided therapy to adults using Solution Focused and Cognitive Behavior Therapy. Most recently, Francis has spent the last 2-years focusing on providing Functional Family Therapy in a community based setting, with families who have adolescent children. Francis is currently in Private Practice in Redondo Beach. Francis is Bilingual in Spanish, and has a passion for helping families in need. In her free time, Francis enjoys running, reading, and spending time with friends! |
|
Zina Rhee, CCC-SLP
Certified PEERS ® Provider Zina Rhee is a Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) and a Lecturer at Chapman University. She is a Certified PEERS ® Provider at Our Village. Zina has an ABA background and she studied Communication Disorders at California State University, Los Angeles. Zina studied Economics at University of California, San Diego. Zina is a mom and in her free time she enjoys world travelling, surfing and hiking, volunteering and spending time with her family and friends! |
|
Sabrina Santiago, MFT # 101236
Certified PEERS ® Provider Sabrina Santiago is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist #101236. She has a Master's Degree in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Marriage & Family Therapy from Pepperdine University's Graduate School of Education and Psychology. Sabrina has been working with individuals of all ages with special needs, primarily with Autism Spectrum Disorder, for the past 3½ years doing Play Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and have assisted with Social Skills Programs aimed at helping children gain a better understanding of social cues and how to effectively interact with peers. She works in private practice in Redondo Beach primarily using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Play Therapy and Mindfulness. |
|
Jacqueline Lozano
Certified PEERS ® Provider Jacqueline Lozano has a Master’s Degree in Social Welfare (MSW) from UCLA and a BA in Social Work from CSU Long Beach. Jacqueline is a Registered Clinical Social Worker and a Certified PEERS ® Provider at Our Village. Jacqueline has a background in providing therapy for children and families in community mental health. Jacqueline began working with college students with an Autism Spectrum Disorder as a Peer Coach at CSU Long Beach. After receiving her Master’s Degree, Jacqueline has focused on providing therapeutic services to children, adolescents and their families in community mental health and aspires to open her own private practice. Jacqueline is Bilingual in Spanish and thrives to improve the healthy development of children and families. In her free time, Jacqueline enjoys baking, exercising, watching romantic movies and spending quality time with her partner, family and friends! Liz Jemielita
Marriage and Family Therapy Associate, AMFT #121708 Our Village Behavior Coach Liz Jemielita is a Marriage and Family Therapy Associate, holding a BFA from Rutgers University and an MS in Counseling with an emphasis on Marriage and Family Therapy from CSUN. Liz has provided therapy in various settings, including a community clinic, elementary school, and therapeutic preschool. She is passionate about mental health being available to everyone and has also provided counseling services to people experiencing homelessness. She is thrilled to be a Behavior Coach at Our Village, and to have the chance to collaborate with children, teens, and young adults and their families to develop richer social connections. Liz enjoys reading, dancing and practicing mindfulness. She also loves to travel and have adventures with her husband and three daughters. |