Our Mission Statement

We Help People with Autism and Other Developmental Differences Build Connections and Shape Their Futures

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Developmental Therapy Changes Lives

Positive Development believes you can change your life – and the world. As a team, we’re working diligently to do just that based on our five key values: Authenticity, respect, joy, team-first, and growth-mindedness. Through these tenets, we build connections and empower positive outcomes, one family at a time.

About Positive Development

While started in 2019, our company is rooted in decades of experience with autism and other developmental differences. We are parents, family members, self-advocates, and clinicians who believe deeply in the power of the developmental approach because we have seen firsthand how it has transformed our and our loved ones’ lives.

Our passion – indeed, our life’s work – is to build the evidence base for developmental therapy, expand access to more families, and pioneer best practices for clinical support and care for individuals.

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Our Developmental Model

Positive Development follows the Developmental Relationship-Based Intervention (DRBI) model. This evidence-based approach has three primary components:

Developmental
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We meet the client wherever they are developmentally and interact with them on their level.

Individual
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We learn how the client processes the world around them. What are they experiencing and feeling? What are their strengths? What is their therapy experience and what are their goals?

Relationship-based
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From this foundational knowledge, we can build relationships based on fun, positive interactions and support every client to be the best they can be.

Our Leadership

Mike Suiters
Co-Founder, Chief Executive Officer
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Maryanne Nugent
Chief Operating Officer
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Chad Pomeroy
Chief Solutions Officer
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Alissa Lash
Chief People Officer
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Tyler Kennedy
VP of Finance and Corporate Development
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Rich Maston
General Manager – Eastern US
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Cameron Keirnes
MFT, General Manager – Western US
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Clinical Leadership

Marilee Burgeson
Senior Clinical Advisor
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Dr. Faith Thayer
PhD, LPC, Director of Clinical Quality Assurance
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Dr. Jennie Troccio
PhD. VP of Clinical Operations
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Beth Osten
OTR/L, Chief Clinical Advisor
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Dr. Andrea Davis
PhD, Senior Clinical Advisor
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Dr. Joshua D. Feder, M.D.
President, Positive Development of California; National Chief Medical Advisor and Medical Director
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Join the Positive Development Team

We are looking for kind, respectful, and driven people who are interested in making a difference in the life of a child or adolescent on the autism spectrum.

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Let's Meet!

Contact us today for a free initial developmental screening evaluation to learn how we can help your family.

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