C.A.S.E., Inc.
Comprehensive Autism Services and Education, Inc.
North County San Diego, Carlsbad, CA Staff
Charles
Aguilar
Behavior Interventionist
Charles joined C.A.S.E in January of 2015 as a graduate from Cal State San Marcos. He received his BA in Human Development with an emphasis in Health Services. He is from Riverside, CA and he has always had a strong passion to help individuals in need, especially children. He has greatly enjoyed his past experiences with children and is ambitious to further help children as a member of C.A.S.E. Charles plans on pursuing a graduate degree in the near future to further develop his knowledge in the field. In his free time he enjoys playing and listening to music, sports, reading and spending time with good friends.
Ben
Bancroft
Behavior Interventionist
Ben was born in Oceanside, and although he moved around the country a fair amount as a child, he loves no place more than San Diego. He graduated from UCSD in 2013 with a B.S. in Psychology and a Visual Arts Minor. During his undergraduate career, he spent three years studying aerospace engineering, but switched to psychology in the hopes of finding a career with more human connection. For the greater portion of his life, he has been an avid martial artist; achieving a fourth degree black belt and becoming a certified instructor in Taekwondo. It was through Taekwondo he had his first experiences working with children on the spectrum, and found a passion for teaching others. He has been working as a behavioral interventionist for several years. In the future, he will pursue his Masters with the intention of attaining his BCBA certification. During his free time he enjoys practicing martial arts, reading, surfing, and visiting the zoo.
Alex
Bobkoski
Office Assistant
Alex Bobkoski joined C.A.S.E as a member of our teens/young adults Friend's Club in 2005 and, during the winter of 2012, signed on as an employee. He was diagnosed as having Asperger Syndrome at the age of 12, in the year 1997. Since then, however, he's made remarkable strides in turning his "quirks" into assets, not the smallest example of these successes being his graduation from California State University San Marcos, class of 2009. Now, he works in administration here in C.A.S.E, helping to keep the office running smoothly. Additionally, he works to aid the teachers with such tasks as finding instructional material and creating and/or grading coursework. Always eager to be useful, Alex is presently angling for additional ways to be of service to C.A.S.E and the Autism/Asperger Community.
When he's not devising ways to renovate the office, Alex is very fond of creative writing, reading, video games and golf. His longtime goal is to be a fantasy author, and he's actively involved in the writing club San Diego Writer's Ink.
Erick
Emms
Behavior Consultant
Erick was born and raised in San Diego North County and obtained his education from Cal State San Marcos. He has always enjoyed being around people, and realized that he had a fascination for human behavior. Later he developed a special interest in the autism spectrum after earning his Bachelor’s Degree and working with the population. He enjoys working with special needs so much that he has aspirations of one day either becoming a special education teacher or obtaining his BCBA.
In his spare time, Erick likes to stay active by playing softball, going to the gym, and training for upcoming charitable 5K’s. He also enjoys some of the simple and mellower things in life, such as relaxing at home or at the beach, watching a good movie or tv show, spending time with friends, playing card games, and listening to music of all genres.
Guillermo
Esquivel
Behavior Interventionist
Guillermo is originally from Escondido, California. He graduated from Chico State in the fall of 2015 with a B.A in Psychology. While attending Chico State, he interned at a respite program where he cared for children with autism. It was at this internship where he found an interest in working with children with autism and decided to pursue a career with children.
Preston
Faraimo
Behavior Consultant
Preston joined the C.A.S.E. team in 2012. He was born and raised in Oceanside, Ca., and attended the University of Hawaii where he received his BA in Sociology. He is currently working on receiving his Masters in Education. Preston has been working with youth as a mentor/counselor since 2005, and is currently working with C.A.S.E. as a Behavior Interventionist. Preston enjoys working and helping others succeed and achieve goals.
He is a husband and a father of 2. In his free time, he enjoys reading and listening to classical music but prefers spending time with his family.
Eric
Harding
Behavior Consultant/Marriage & Family Therapist
Eric has a BA in psychology, and an MS in counseling with an emphasis in marriage and family therapy. He has gained much experience over the years working with children in therapeutic settings, and always finds it rewarding. In recent years he has begun to focus on how parent-child and parent-parent relationships can be improved via therapeutic means.
When he is not working, Eric enjoys spending time with his wife and children. He also enjoys reading, hiking, camping, and dancing.
Patrick
Harvey
Behavior Consultant & BCaBA
Patrick Harvey joined the team as a Behavioral Interventionist in 2009. He went to High School in Lake Elsinore, CA, and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Financial Management, with a Minor in International Business, from Chico State in 2008.
In addition to CASE, Patrick works with his mother in her 2nd grade classroom and serves as a writing tutor at Donald Graham Elementary School. He has been working with kids for the majority of his life, and his most fulfilling job to date was his time as a camp counselor, prior to working at CASE. Now that Patrick is with CASE, he finds children with Autism Spectrum Disorders to be quite interesting and fun.
His hobbies include Wakeboarding, Skateboarding and Snowboarding, as well as playing Hockey and Golf. He enjoys playing percussion instruments, such as the drum kit and the djembe, but his most favorite pastime is Singing and playing Rockband with his family and friends. Patrick shares a great interest in nature and the outdoors. He also enjoys hiking, rock climbing and camping, but most importantly, traveling to new places and discovering new sights. He has traveled to Mexico, Costa Rica, Ireland, Germany, Belgium, France, Austria and the Netherlands, but claims that he has merely “scratched the surface.” His next destinations are China or South America.
Nena
Marlin
Behavior Interventionist
Nena joined C.A.S.E to continue her love of working with children and work towards her goal of doing social work. She moved to San Diego county all the way from Maine after being accepted into California State University San Marcos’ Masters of Social Work program. She graduated with her Bachelors in Criminal Justice and Psychology, and decided to pursue her career in the psychology. Nena has always enjoyed working with kids which stemmed from her background in riding horses and teaching children to ride. In her free time she enjoys to travel and get to know all the things San Diego has to offer.
Kyle Motherspaw
Clinic Manager
Kyle Motherspaw joined the C.A.S.E. team in 2010. He received his B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Environmental Studies from the University of Redlands. After graduation he worked in a group home in Redlands. There he worked with foster adolescents. Kyle recently moved from his hometown of Big Bear Lake to San Diego. His interests in psychology and Autism spectrum disorders stem from his time working as a volunteer for a summer program for people with special needs and spending time with a family member who is on the autism spectrum. Kyle ‘s hobbies are anything that involves physical fitness. He has a deep love for the outdoors, which is where he spends most of his free time hiking, fishing, and snowboarding.
Alejandra
Pesqueira
Behavior Interventionist
Alejandra Pesqueira was born in Mexico City and raised in Merida Yucatan. She studied abroad in Toronto and Halifax in Canada. After graduating high school she obtained a scholarship which brought her to study in Germany at the Catholic University of Berlin where she graduated in social work. Later on, she completed her Master's Degree at the same university in Psychology where she specialized in Pedagogy. Throughout her study, she did several internships in different working areas like hospitals, kindergartens and clinics where she gained experience working with children on the spectrum. After almost 7 years in Germany, she decided to move to California to be closer to her family and has been working at C.A.S.E ever since. Working with children and helping others is her passion. Alejandra enjoys spending time with her family, she loves her two nephews and going with her loved ones and friends to the beach. She also enjoys hiking, reading and listening to music.
Susanna
Peterson
Behavior Interventionist
Susanna Peterson has a passion for her studies in Psychology at California State University San Marcos. With her career at C.A.S.E inc. and her degree she hopes to pursue a doctorate degree in Child or Family Therapy. Her path in life is to not go a day without changing someone's day in a positive way! From a very young age she knew that working with children was something she excelled in. Making them laugh, understanding their perspective, and communicating with them has always come naturally to her. She is passionate, dedicated and optimistic. Her hobbies include, dancing, yoga, and hiking!
Jasee Rana
Behavior Interventionist
Jasee grew up in San Diego, CA. She graduated from the University of California Riverside with her Bachelor's in Liberal Studies and Biology. She has been working with kids for nearly 10 years now as a mentor and educator. Jasee has a passion for helping others and loves to work with children. She has developed an interest in working with kids on the spectrum and is dedicated to promoting a healthy lifestyle for the kids and families she works with.
In her free time Jasee enjoys hiking, crafting, spending time with her friends and family and going on road-trips.
Elleine
Sanchez
Behavior Interventionist
Elleine was born and raised in the San Diego area. She is a Psychology student at California State University San Marcos and is on track to graduate in the Spring of 2017 with a B.A. in Psychology. She comes from a military background, and her father is a 20 year marine who suffers from PTSD. Since he was diagnosed, she knew that she wanted to help others. Her passion for helping has allowed her to be involved in many different volunteer activities as well as working in a residential facility with adults. She is excited to be working with kids here at CASE.
John
Strom
Behavior Interventionist
John graduated from the University of California, Riverside in 2015 with a B.A. in Psychology. He discovered a talent for one on one interactions and teaching while involved in a tutoring program in high school, finding great satisfaction in being instrumental in the success of others. While in college, he developed a fascination with the behavioral and neuro-psychology, which ultimately developed into an interest in Autism Spectrum Disorders.
In his free time John enjoys working on and restoring classic cars, driving to a good soundtrack, and rock climbing. Having wrestled for 10 years, John places a high priority on maintaining an active and healthy lifestyle.
Corina Torchin
Program Development Interventionist
Corina was raised in Las Vegas and recently moved to the San Diego area in summer 2014. She graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno with her major in Psychology and minor in Ethics, Politics, and Law. She participated as a research assistant in the lab of Steven C. Hayes, Ph. D. during her time at the university. Her favorite courses were Radical Behaviorism and Personality and her main influence is B.F. Skinner. Corina gained experience working with children through numerous educational settings. In Las Vegas she worked as a teacher’s assistant for two years and as a camp counselor for the JCC. She then continued her experience through college working as a teacher’s assistant for Chabad and as a Behavioral Interventionist for an organization in Reno. When she moved to San Diego she wanted to pursue a career in the field of ABA which is why she sought out CASE.
In her free time, Corina likes to play the bass in her band and go boogie boarding at the beach. Corina hopes to obtain her BCaBA to supplement her utility to CASE.
Evan
Wooton
Autism Specialist
Evan Wooton joined C.A.S.E., Inc in August of 2003. He has a special interest in helping children, teens and young adults to gain a better understanding of the social world. He was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome in 1997 and began participating in Friends' Club® at the age of 15.Evan co-leads Friends' Club® for teens, the Young Adult Aspergers Support group and provides Social Coaching. In addition, Evan has begun speaking about his experience growing up with Aspergers at local support groups for parents.
In his spare time, Evan enjoys tinkering with computers, playing with tiny chihuahuas and working out. He hopes to continue to work with kids and adults on the spectrum for the rest of his career.
Christopher Anderson
Education and Programs Support & Intake Coordinator
Chris joined C.A.S.E. in 2011 as an intern and fell in love with the work. He started as a Behavior Interventionist in 2012 and is currently working on his Bachelor's Degree in Psychology. He plans to eventually earn a Master's Degree.
Chris grew up in San Diego with several friends with Autism. His interest in ASD has grown into a passion and he is always striving to benefit the lives of the children. In his free time, he enjoys the outdoors, travel, and writing his own music for piano and guitar.
Caroline
Arechiga
Behavior Interventionist
Caroline was born and raised in Mammoth Lakes, CA. She grew up skiing, swimming, and playing soccer. She moved to San Diego to attend Cal State San Marcos where she earned a BA in Social Sciences. In her free time she likes to read, hike, go biking, and go to the beach.
Kianna
Bjarnson
Behavior Interventionist
Kianna was born in Chicago, IL but has lived in San Diego most of her life. She graduated with a Bachelor's Degree from Woodbury University. Her passion and the majority of her work experience lies with kids. Some of these experiences include coaching water polo, teaching swim lessons, and working as an instructor for Beach Kids Encinitas. She enjoys applying her creativity to every situation and believes that it is key to producing successful outcomes. In her free time, Kianna loves all things artistic, and enjoys being in or around the water as much as possible.
Cody
Carlin
Behavior Consultant
Cody graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in English Single Subject Teaching at San Diego State University in 2012. During the 2012-2013 school years, Cody attended the Teaching Credential program at San Diego State University and taught two seventh grade English courses. Cody’s love for working with children grew during this experience and he found himself becoming more interested in helping children with Individual Education Plans. Although he enjoyed teaching, Cody decided that he wanted to work with children in a more personal environment. He followed his heart and found CASE, creating a window of opportunity to pursue his dreams and help children on the spectrum. In his free time Cody loves to skateboard, read, explore nature, and spend time with his family.
Belen
Escalante-Mis
Behavior Consultant
Belen was born in Torreon Coahuila, Mexico and at the age of two moved to the U.S. where spent the early part of her life in Costa Mesa, California. Later, her family moved to Colorado where she began to pursue her enthusiasm for the arts and became the first in her family to receive a Bachelor’s degree. In the spring of 2009 Belen graduated with Summa Cum Laude Honors from Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design with a BFA in studio arts. Since high school Belen has found herself developing and implementing engaging art experiences with people from all ages, and skill levels through various community organizations. Belen believes that art can be created and enjoyed by everyone regardless of a diagnosis or a limitation. Over the past eight years she has been fortunate to work with a variety of unique individuals diagnosed with autism who have taught her to be flexible, patient, and present. She is honored to be a part of the CASE team and is committed to utilize the power of play and interaction as a tool for communication and problem solving. Belen is currently working towards a Masters degree in Art Therapy. In her spare time she enjoys hiking, antiquing and making art.
Courtney Evenskaas
Early Start Coordinator
Courtney Evenskaas graduated from California State University, Chico in 1997 with a degree in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology. Immediately after graduating, she moved to San Diego and provided speech and language services to children with special needs. She especially enjoyed working with students with Autism Spectrum Disorder and began attending trainings and workshops to learn how to best support kiddos with ASD. After working with Autism Support Services in San Diego, she excitedly joined the CASE family in 2001. She completed her graduate school studies and looks forward to continuing to learn and embrace the field that she cares for so much.
Courtney lives with her husband and daughter in Carlsbad. She and her family enjoy spending time with friends and family, going to the beach on summer days, rock climbing, off-roading in their Jeep and camping.
Abby
Fountas
Behavior Interventionist
Abby grew up in Orange County, but moved to Seattle for the rain, big buildings, and college. After working as a camp counselor with kids and adults with special needs, she fell in love with the fun, educational atmosphere! Upon receiving her Bachelor of Arts degree in Special Education from Seattle Pacific University, she moved back to southern California to be closer to family. Outside of C.A.S.E. she enjoys traveling, reading books like Harry Potter, watching action/adventure movies, and playing laser tag.
Chelsea
Haro
Scheduling Manager
Chelsea was born in Big Bear City, but grew up in San Diego were she attended a performing arts high school. She graduated from the University of La Verne with a bachelors degree in Psychology. Through her courses she became fascinated with the development of the brain, which increased her interest for working with children. She has a passion for helping others and appreciates the things others can teach her in the process.
Chelsea has an interest for traveling and hopes to make it more places around the world. She also likes to experiment with cooking and crochets in her spare time.
Matthew
Maichen
Behavior Interventionist
Matthew Maichen has done part-time work at CASE for the better part of a decade. He's been involved in Friend's Club, the Summer Camp, and Social Coaching for various clients. Now, finally working as a full-time BI, he draws on a vast well of experience to figure out what will be the best for each kid in each situation. He's a born and raised San Diegan and an uncloseted nerd.
When he's not working he enjoys reading, writing, tabletop games, and going to the beach.
Marcela
Martinez
Program Development Interventionist
Marcela Martinez was born in San Diego and has lived in North County all her life. She received a B.A. in Human Development with an emphasis in counseling and a minor in Psychology from Cal State San Marcos. She has developed a passion of helping people in need throughout the years through volunteering. Her interest in working with children with Autism developed from studying the disorder in college. She spends her free time working as a research assistant in a study focused in investigating how a mother’s perinatal mental health affects her and the development of the infant’s mental health in the Mexican American population. She also enjoys spending time with her family, watching movies, and just observing all the natural beauty around us.
David
Norall
As a teen, David Norall began working with children and teens as a swim instructor. He taught children between the ages of five and twelve and eventually grew fond of the teaching profession.
David attended San Diego State University and received his B.A. in Outdoor Recreation with a Minor in Spanish. David has joined the Juvenile Justice System to be involved in positive activities and their communities. As a volunteer, David has built a park, a skateboarding club, and has done some counseling on an informal basis.
After a few years of discovering himself and finding a direction in life, David decided to return to school and get his teaching credential. Upon attending school, David met a bright and wonderful woman who later became his wife(Cynthia LaBrie Norall, Clinical Director of C.A.S.E., Inc.) and the founder of C.A.S.E., Inc.
David feels that autism is a fascinating disorder. David also worked on his masters with the goal to determine and study "The Efficacy of Friends' Club." This goal has help David see the importance and pleasure C.A.S.E.,Inc. has in serving its clients and families.
In David's spare time, he likes to do anything aquatic like swimming, surfing, and kayaking. He also enjoys outdoor sports like tennis and volleyball.
Dylan
Pete
Behavior Interventionist
Dylan was born and raised in South Florida. He just recently moved to the San Diego area but he loves it already! He attended the University of Florida, where he received a B.S. in Psychology, as well as minors in Spanish and Business Administration. He became interested in ABA while studying it in college, but narrowed his focus to children with Autism Spectrum Disorders when his two youngest cousins were diagnosed in 2012. Since then, he has set his mind on helping children and their families be successful in any way possible. In his spare time, Dylan like to cook and read, but since moving to California has decided to learn to surf!
Alex Ramirez
Program Development Interventionist
Alex was born and raised in Santa Barbara County. In the Fall of 2008, he moved to San Diego to attend San Diego State University where he received a B.S. in Kinesiology and a M.A. in Education. It was during this time that he was able to get involved with youth through sports and various other after school programs. These experiences proved to be incredibly rewarding and helped him realize his passion for working with youth. It is now his hope to pave a successful career path empowering kids on the spectrum.
Cherstin
Rutz
Education Program Interventionist
Cherstin has lived in North County San Diego for most of her life. She graduated with honors from California Baptist University, with her B.A. in Psychology. She has been working with children since high school, with experience as a water polo coach, nanny, and tutor. She is passionate about helping others, and loves the fun and energy of working with kids. She loves that C.A.S.E. praises the individuality of every child, and allows them to grow to be the best version of themselves. In her spare time, Cherstin loves to go to the beach with her son, paint, and swim.
Ana-Maria
Sparks
Behavior Interventionist
Ana was born in Romania and studied social work for her Bachelor's degree. She came to the US to pursue her Master's degree in counseling and landed in San Diego in 2014. She just started graduate classes at University of West Florida working toward her BCBA.
Her passion for helping others has taken many forms: pregnancy crisis center, in-home pediatric physical therapy work, police crisis intervention and ambulance work. Her encounters with the ASD population inspired her to seek a career with them because of the wonderful gifts they have to share.
In her spare time, Ana rescues animals with her family, spends time with her husband and kids and is learning to free dive in the ocean.
Danielle
Toner
Program Development Interventionist
Danielle Toner graduated from San Diego State University in 2014 with a B.A. in journalism and a minor in art history. While her studies were not child-related, she has always had a passion for working with children, and has been doing so for nearly seven years. Some past work experiences include classroom internships with ASD children, teaching ESL kids at a learning center, and coaching gymnastics to children ages two to 14. Now at CASE, Danielle is grateful to be able further her work with children on the spectrum and is committed to making a difference in their lives.
On her free time Danielle enjoys surfing, snowboarding, scuba diving, and going to the gym. She likes to read, and loves spending time at the beach, especially when it's with family, friends and her two dogs.
Maria
Vassilakis
Receptionist
Maria joined C.A.S.E in 2015 as our receptionist. She brings over 10 years experience in customer service and has a passion for helping people in need, as well as learning what others can teach her along the way. Maria grew up in La Costa, California and is currently pursuing her B.A. in Criminology and Justice Studies at CSUSM.
In her spare time, Maria enjoys off-roading on quads, exercising, the beach, sports, and spending time with her family and friends.
Jenifer
Wood
C.E.O
Jen is a local girl from Oceanside who grew up on the beach. She has always had an interest in working within the community. Working at CASE is an opportunity for her to help a local business, and children within the community thrive. Jen's hobbies include spending time with her family at the beach, in the sun, and finding whatever fun they can!
Koa
Norall
Therapy Dog Extraordinaire
Koa joined the C.A.S.E. team in May 2013 when the Norall family adopted him with the purpose of training him to be a therapy dog for the Education Program at C.A.S.E. He is still working towards his certificate, but is already a hit with the children and employees here! He enjoys going to the dog park, long walks at the lagoon/dog beaches, fetching his toys, and hanging out with his family on his free time. He has his own blog set up to find out more about what is going on with him during his training and time at C.A.S.E.. For more, click here.
