Executive Directors

Erin Dyer Ring Zwahlen, Ph.D., BCBA-D serves as Executive Director of Educational Services at Bridges Educational Corporation. Erin began her training in psychology at the University of Southern California where she graduated magna sum laude with her B.A. She received her M.A. and her Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from San Diego State University and University of Hawaii, respectively. She has worked in the field of autism and developmental disabilities since 1996. Erin began working directly with children with autism at the San Diego Center for Children School for Autism. She served as Director of Early Intervention at a non-public agency serving children with autism and pervasive developmental disorders for two years. She also served as director of EDR Consulting, providing clinical consulting and educational services to consumers of San Diego Regional Center and San Diego County school districts. As Director of Educational Services at Bridges, Erin has provided training, consultation, and supervision for administrators, teachers, staff, and related service providers in 15 school districts throughout San Diego County. She has received extensive training in implementation of the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS). Erin is adjunct faculty at National University. She is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and holds her Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT) Level 1 Certification.


Kimberly Schmittou Berman, M.S.W., BCBA serves as Executive Director of Intervention Services at Bridges Educational Corporation. She began working with children with developmental disabilities in 1995. Kim received her B.A. in psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles and earned her Master of Social Work degree from San Diego State University. She was trained in Applied Behavior Analysis at the UCLA Clinic for the Behavioral Treatment of Children. She was a supervisor and a workshop consultant for the Lovaas Institute for Early Intervention (LIFE), where she designed and monitored educational and behavioral programs across the United States and Canada. Kim has taught undergraduate fieldwork ABA courses at UCLA and has presented at conferences sponsored by Families for Early Autism Treatment (FEAT) of British Columbia and the American Autism Society. During her graduate study, Kim provided support counseling for patients diagnosed with depression and anxiety disorders in an acute care hospital. She is adjunct faculty at National University, and holds her Pivotal Response Treatment Level 1 Certification. Kim is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst.

Our Team

Laurel Critti
Laurel is a program supervisor with Bridges.   She graduated from San Diego State University with a B.S. in Child Development with a specialization in Family Development. She began her early childhood career as a preschool teacher and also taught Kindergarten for two years.  Laurel served as a volunteer at San Diego Regional Center where her interest in working with children on the autism spectrum was sparked.  She began working with children at risk for Autism in an early intervention program at Children’s Toddler School at Children’s Hospital.  As an Autism Education Associate for three years, she implemented and provided parent training on the following therapeutic techniques: Pivotal Response Training (PRT), PECS, Floor Time, Discrete Trial Teaching (DTT), TEACCH, and incidental teaching in an inclusion classroom and in a 1:1 instruction setting.  Laurel also has experience transitioning children on the spectrum into a public/private school setting, and facilitating of children in transitions, daily routines, communication, behavior management, and peer interactions. Laurel is in the process of completing her Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst BCaBA

Maggie Leung
Maggie Leung is the Director of Operations at Bridges. Maggie earned her B.A. in Psychology from UC San Diego and received training in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) working at UCSD's Autism Research Lab.  She has extensive experience working with children with autism and pervasive developmental disorders and is well experienced in ABA teaching techniques including discrete trial teaching, pivotal response training, and PECS. Maggie is a Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst (BCaBA). 

Wendy Manikowski
Wendy Manikowski is a program supervisor with Bridges. She received her B.A. in Psychology and earned her Master of Social Work degree at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. Wendy has over six years experience providing intensive, in-home ABA services to children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. She also has experience working with children with Autism in the public school setting, providing ABA services and training to school staff. She was extensively trained in the Verbal Behavior approach to teaching children with Autism related disabilities and in utilizing Discrete Trial Teaching (DTT). She has completed the advanced training for implementing the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS). Wendy has previous experience as a psychotherapist, providing individual and family therapy services as an independently licensed clinical social worker.

Rafael Miramontes
Rafael Miramontes is a program supervisor with Bridges. He graduated from San Diego State with a B.A. in Psychology. He has six years of previous experience directly implementing and supervising programs for children with autism. He is well skilled in combining various ABA teaching techniques, including Discrete Trial Teaching, Pivotal Response Treatment, and PECS. Rafael feels strongly in guiding children with autism into the world of their typical peers. He has experience working in the public schools as well as in different recreational settings for children with autism.

Christina Hollis
Christina Hollis is a Program Supervisor at Bridges. She graduated from California State University San Marcos with a B.A. in Psychology. Christina began working with children on the autism spectrum as a volunteer at the Children’s Hospital in the Pathways Program. For the next 10 years, she gained extensive experience while working in home and school environments implementing ABA teaching techniques. During this time she gained experience with supervision of cases and trained staff and parents to use ABA methodologies. Christina is trained in many ABA teaching techniques including Discrete Trail Teaching (DTT), Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT), PECS, and TEACCH. Christina Hollis is a Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst (BCaBA).

Liz Roberts
Liz Roberts is Supervisor of Educational Services with Bridges. She has a B.A. in English Literature Analysis from UVM and an M.A. in Special Education from National University. She moved to California and started as an aide in Encinitas School District. She then worked as a teacher in the moderate/severe 3-6th grade class. Liz also worked as the preschool teacher for the moderate/severe class for 2 1/2 years before joining Bridges. Liz is in the process of completing her Board Certified Behavior Analyst BCBA.

Jamey Bernstein
Jamey Bernstein is a behavioral instructor with Bridges. She graduated from Portland State University with her Bachelors of Arts in Social Sciences. She has extensive experience working with children and adults with cognitive and physical disorders, including previous experience with in-home, ABA therapy. Jamey is working toward becoming a board certified assistant behavior analyst (BCaBA).

Katie Johnson
Katie Johnson is a behavioral instructor with Bridges. She graduated from Brigham Young University with a B.S. in Community Health Education. Katie has several years of experience working with children with severe developmental delay. During the 2007-2008 school year she worked as an Autism Assistant at the Carmen B. Pingree Center for Children with Autism. She has training in applied behavior analysis, PECS, discrete trial teaching (DTT) and behavior management. Katie is currently working towards a moderate/severe Special Education teaching credential.

Kristina Copley
Kristina Copley is a Behavioral Instructor at Bridges. She received a B.A. in psychology from SDSU and is a member of Psi Chi, the national honor society for psychology. She is experienced in ABA, DT, PRT, and PECS. Kristina has taught at Stein Education Center, a school for children with autism and PDD. She is currently working on a Masters Degree in Psychology at Argosy University.

Candace Garmer
Candace Garmer is the Administrative Coordinator with Bridges. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at San Diego State University. She has had over 4 years of experience as an administrator working in a variety of business settings. Candace has also had previous experience working with children with autism as a Behavior Instructor in home and school settings. Candace is trained in applied behavior analysis methodologies, discrete trial teaching, and picture exchange communication. Candace is in the process of completing her Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst BCaBA.

Gladys Garcia
Gladys Garcia is a behavioral instructor with Bridges. She graduated from the University of California, Davis with a B.A. in Psychology and a B.S. in Human Development, with an emphasis in Early Childhood Development. She became interested in Early Development when she did a Pre-School teaching internship at the UC Davis Childhood Development Center. She then went on to work as a therapist for an ABA-based agency where she became a lead therapist. She has extensive knowledge on ABA, DTT, PRT, TEACCH and PECS and has been working with children with Autism and other Pervasive Developmental Disorders, as well as children at-risk, for over 6 years. She has a passion for children and has had the pleasure of facilitating several children in typical classrooms, where they can function independently. In addition, Gladys also has experience working with emotionally-disturbed children and socially hindered children at the elementary school level, where she performed one-on-one play therapy, art therapy and conducted social groups with children.

Jody Hinkleman
Jody Hinkleman is a behavioral instructor at Bridges. She graduated from the University of California at Santa Barbara with a B.A. in Psychology and then went on to California State University, Northridge where she received her M.A. and Level II Teaching Credential in Early Childhood Special Education. While in Santa Barbara Jody taught in a program designed for preschoolers on the autism spectrum for five years. In this program Jody worked in a special day class, full inclusion programs, and home settings. She implemented and provided training to parents and staff on the following therapeutic techniques: Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT); PECS; Developmental, Individual Difference, Relationship-Based Intervention (DIR); and Discrete Trial Teaching (DTT).

Audrey Niblock
Audrey is a behavioral instructor with Bridges. She graduated magna cum laude with a B.S. in Psychology from Appalachian State University in North Carolina. She is currently earning her M.A. in Special Education with a Specialization in Autism from San Diego State University (SDSU). She has been awarded a full scholarship from the U.S. Department of Education to become a board certified behavior analyst (BCBA). Audrey has over ten years experience providing in-home intensive intervention using Applied Behavior Analysis to children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. She also collaborates with SDSU professors to conduct research on the effectiveness of ABA treatments, and she has been selected to present at the 2009 ABA International Annual Convention. She helped start a nonprofit school for children with autism in North Carolina, where she gained experience teaching in a group environment, conducting functional behavior assessments, writing IEP goals, and designing data collection measures. Audrey feels passionate about delivering quality research-based services to children with autism, and her future goal is to help bridge the gap between research and treatment in order to improve the lives of individuals with autism.

Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lopez is a behavioral instructor with Bridges. She graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles with a Bachelors of Arts in Psychology and a minor in Education Studies. She has had over 3 years of experience working with children with Autism as a behavior instructor in home and school settings, as well as supervising in home programs. Jennifer is trained in applied behavior analysis teaching methods, Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), discrete trial teaching (DTT) and behavior management.

Brandi Mike
Brandi is a behavioral instructor with Bridges. She received her B.A. in psychology from Michigan State University. She has experience working with many children of different ages with autism spectrum disorder. Brandi is working towards becoming a board certified assistant behavior analyst (BCaBA).

Lauren Zarovy
Lauren Zarovy is a Behavioral Instructor at Bridges. She received a B.A. in Psychology at the University of San Diego, then went on to earn an M.A. in Counseling at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Credentialed in Pupil Personnel Services, Lauren worked as a counselor in the San Dieguito Union High School District for two years. She also has extensive experience as a behavior therapist implementing in-home ABA programs for children on the autism spectrum. She has been trained in various ABA techniques, including DTT, PRT, and PECS.

Nicolle Durand
Nicolle Durand is a behavioral instructor with Bridges. She graduated with honors from the University of California, Santa Barbara with her Bachelors of Arts in Psychology and is a member of Psi Chi, the national honor society for psychology. While in Santa Barbara, Nicolle was an assistant in a program designed for preschoolers on the autism spectrum. She was also an instructional assistant for two years in a mainstream classroom support program for developmentally challenged preschoolers. She has experience using ABA techniques, including DT, and PECS. She is currently working on a Masters in Social Work degree at San Diego State University.

Carolyn Romero
Carolyn Romero is a behavioral instructor with Bridges. She received her bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from New Mexico State University. She holds her teaching credential in New Mexico, where she taught elementary school. She also earned a teaching credential in California. Carolyn has worked with a variety of special needs children over the past several years. She has had experience working as a behavioral instructor in home and school settings, and is trained in PECS, DT, and ABA techniques. She plans on pursuing her Masters degree in Special Education.

>