Meet the STAR Trainers
Joel Arick, Ph.D. is the lead author of the STAR (Strategies for Teaching based-on Autism Research) autism program. Dr. Arick has 30 years of experience working in the field of autism. He is also a co-author of several other published programs in the area of autism. These programs include the ASIEP-3 (Autism Screening Instrument for EducationalPlanning-3, 2004), the KADI (Krug Asperger Disorder Index,2003), and the FACTER Program (Functional Assessment and Curriculum for Teaching Everyday Routines, 2004). Dr. Arick, with colleagues, has been measuring the progress of children educated using the STAR Autism Program, over the past ten years. He is also an author of a chapter entitled “School-based Programs for Children with Autism” in the Handbook on Autism (2005). Dr Arick is Professor Emeritus at Portland State University.
John Gill, MS is a contributor to the STAR Autism Program. John has been a regular classroom teacher, special education teacher, and autism specialist. For several years John’s program for children with autism served as a model training center for the state of Oregon. John was also a senior instructor at Portland State University for six years where he provided hands-on training to teachers of children with autism as part of a state-wide project in Oregon to develop training sites for teachers.
Sheila Magee, MS has served in public schools for over 30 years as a classroom teacher, school psychologist and administrator. She has coordinated programs for children with autism at both the pre-school and school-age level. The programs she coordinated have implemented the STAR Program and served as model training sites. She has many years of experience coaching and implementing the strategies found in the STAR Program, including: Discrete Trial Training, Pivotal Response Training, Teaching Functional Routines and Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports. Sheila is currently an adjunct faculty member in the Special Education Department at Lewis & Clark College.
Misten Daniels, MS has worked with children with autism and other developmental disabilities, providing direct services and consultation to children, families and professionals in the home and school settings. Misten provided hands-on training to teachers of children with autism as part of a state-wide project in Oregon to develop training sites for teachers. Misten brings a common sense, practical approach to both her presentations and classroom consulting. Misten has Master's Degrees' in Special Education, Early Intervention, and Early Childhood Special Education.
Cami Algaier, MS CCC-SLP has worked with STAR Autism Support to provide consultation to school districts in Texas and throughout the United States. She is a speech Language Pathologist for Round Rock Independent School District in Austin, Texas. She currently works at the district level with Speech Language Pathologists, Assistive Technology team and STAR implementation support. Her duties within her district consist of: hands-on assistance within the Preschool Program for Children with Disabilities, Functional Life Skills and Structured Teaching Method classrooms, as well as supporting collaboration with Speech Language Pathologists within the classrooms.
Kara Magee-Arick, MS, BCBA works for STAR Autism Support conducting workshops and providing hands-on training across the country. Also, she is currently an Autism Coach in the Gresham-Barlow School District in Oregon. She provides hands-on consultation for teachers and staff in her district, implementing the STAR and Links programs. She is a co-author of the Links Curriculum and Sunshine Literacy Program. Previously, Kara used the STAR Program as a classroom teacher. She worked with children with autism and other developmental disabilities, providing direct services, and training staff. Kara has specialized expertise in establishing autism programs using ABA in public schools.
Aimee Dearmon, M.S. CCC-SLP works with STAR Autism Support to provide consultation to school districts throughout the United States. She is currently working as a Speech-Language Pathologist in Round Rock Independent School District, supporting implementation of the STAR Program with students in preschool through 5th grade. In addition, she provides individual and group social skills trainings, facilitates parent training sessions, and develops workshops to assist staff and families on autism.
Debbie Ware, M.A., CCC-SLP: Debbie is a Speech/Language Pathologist that works with STAR Autism Support to provide consultation to school districts throughout the United States. Debbie is currently working as a state-wide consultant with Easter Seals of Arkansas - Outreach Program. She is part of a team that provides hands-on consultation to teachers and therapist in the state of Arkansas. In addition, she is the coordinator of a week long summer training called Behavioral Approaches using STAR Implementation and Coaching (BASIC). The training provides a combination of modeling, coaching and hands-on experience using the STAR program. Prior to this she worked in the San Diego Unified School District in San Diego, CA. She received extensive training in the field of Autism while participating in a 3 year multi-agency grant project in San Diego County. Upon completion of the grant, she was on a team that opened the first pre-school classroom for children with Autism using evidence based practices in the San Diego Unified School District.
