Director of Engage Kidz

Patty Maxwell - M.Ed., M.S., BSL

Patty's commitment to becoming a Licensed Behavioral Specialist and Parenting Coach stemmed from her own journey coping with her daughter's learning and behavioral challenges. She found it extremely difficult and frustrating to find support & services that really helped families go from struggling to thriving while still making time for the rest of her family and herself.

Patty received her 1st master’s degree in Special Education from The University of Pittsburgh and 2nd master’s in Infant Mental Health from Chatham University. Patty is a Licensed Behavior Specialist and has been a developmental and behavioral consultant for Early Intervention Services for 14 years prior to starting Engage Kidz. She has also worked in many positions in the mental health field including Behavioral Therapist, Intensive Case Management and Family Based Therapist.

Patty’s various educational background and experiences have allowed her to work with a wide range of ages (birth through adulthood) and supporting an array of learning abilities including individuals with autism, learning disabilities, behavioral challenges, intellectual disabilities and emotional disorders.

Her passion is to support children and their families so that they can find peace and happiness.

Jodi Dugan-M.Ed., BCBA, BSL

A former special education supervisor, Jodi discovered her passion for children when she volunteered as a summer camp teacher. There she had the opportunity to observe a child with autism receiving support services and was impressed. She immediately applied for a Therapeutic Support Specialist position (TSS) and discovered her life's passion. She stayed with that agency for more than 15 years and enjoyed a number of positions as she continued her education. Her roles have included TSS, Behavioral Support Consultant (BSC) and Behavioral Health Rehabilitative Services (BHRS) supervisor.

Jodi has also worked as a special education supervisor and behavioral analyst for a private school and as a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) supervisor for graduate students at the University of Pittsburgh.

After earning a bachelor of arts degree and certification in elementary education from Washington and Jefferson College, Jodi earned a master's degree in education specializing in autism and applied behavior analysis from the University of Pittsburgh. Jodi has been a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst since January 2011 and a licensed behavior specialist since June 2013. Today she works as a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) for children ages 2-14 with autism and has earned a reputation for being fiercely committed and dedicated to the families, teachers and students in her care. Her life's passion is to help children with autism grow as individuals and thrive in their home, school, and community.

Jordan Dornin-Bs.eD.

Jordan’s love of special education began when she worked at a summer camp for children with special needs while in high school. Realizing the potential impact, she could have changed the course of her life and inspired Jordan to earn a bachelor’s degree with a dual major of Early Childhood and Special Education from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

Over the past 10 years Jordan has enjoyed being able to impact and educate both young and adult students with all abilities including autism, emotional disorders, physical limitations, intellectual disabilities, and behavioral concerns. After many successes, she discovered a passion for working with parents and families, so early intervention services were a perfect match. Today Jordan works as a part of the Engage Kidz team offering educational and behavioral services to children, families, and teachers.

Meggan Fleming - M.Ed.

Meggan Fleming has spent more than fifteen years working in special education. She is a committed educator and truly enjoys working with families, teachers, and caregivers.

After receiving a degree in Elementary/Special Education from Slippery Rock University, Meggan began her career teaching in an Easter Seals classroom. She was quickly promoted to the position of Integration Specialist where she helped families through the transition process away from Easter Seals and into their individual school districts. During that time Meggan earned a Masters Degree from the University of Pittsburgh in Early Intervention with a specialization in autism.

Meggan is dedicated to helping families, teachers, and caregivers work through challenging behaviors to make educational, social, and interpersonal experiences more enjoyable and positive.

Janelle Waag, M.Ed.

Janelle Waag is a developmental/behavioral therapist who believes that early intervention into a child’s development is key to helping them grow to their full potential. She coaches parents, educators, and children through challenging times. Janelle works alongside parents and educators, developing tools that help children enjoy individual success.

Janelle is a graduate of Indiana University of PA with a degree focused on child development and family relations. She has a Master’s degree in early childhood education from Carlow University. She has worked as a Therapeutic Support Staff, in a school setting as a preschool teacher in a special education school, and as a developmental and behavioral therapist in Early Intervention.

When Janelle is not working with children, families, and teachers, you’ll find her enjoying the most recent beach read and hanging out with her 2 children.

Ashley Willey, M.Ed., BCBA, LBS

After receiving a bachelor's degree in Psychology from Northern Arizona University, Ashley began her career at Western Psychiatric Hospital in Pittsburgh on the Autism and Developmental Disabilities floor, working with children up to adults. Ashley immediately developed a passion for working with this population and helping them reach goals that many thought were not achievable. This was when Ashley decided to further her education to better support this population, receiving a masters degree in Special Education and Applied Behavior Analysis. While earning her degree Ashley worked as a Behavioral Health Technician (BHT) providing direct services to clients and their families in the home, school, and community settings. After finishing her master’s degree, Ashley became a licensed behavior specialist in November of 2021 and a Board Certified Behavior Analyst in May of 2022.

Ashley now works as a BCBA for children ages 2-18 with Autism and other developmental disabilities. Ashley enjoys being able to support this unique population and helping them navigate behavioral, social, emotional, and educational situations. Ashley hopes that she is able to make a positive impact on these individuals and help them to thrive in their everyday lives.