About P.L.A.Y.

For more than 15 years, Cheryl Markowitz, founder of P.L.A.Y., has worked with children afflicted with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
A graduate of Rutgers University, where she interned at Douglass Developmental Disabilities Center, Cheryl is a credentialed teacher in the field of developmental disabilities. She holds a masters degree in special education, with a focus on augmenting communication. In addition to training in Applied Behavior Analysis, PECS, Social Skills Facilitation, Pivotal Response Training and TEACCH, Cheryl continues to provide educational and behavioral consultation to schools and in-home programs on both the east and west coasts. She currently resides in Marin County with her husband and children.

Anne Marie Gjestson holds an M.S. in special education as well as a teaching credential from a N.Y. state accredited school, providing consultation both in school and home-based programs. A former elementary special needs teacher both abroad (in the U.K.) and in the U.S., Anne Marie has been working in the ABA field for the past 10 years.Her areas of specialty include working with S.E.D., L.H., Autism, Tourettes, apraxia, A.D.H.D., kindergarten through high school ages. She has also conducted workshops in TEACCH, discreete trial, PECS, intensive social skills groups for students of varying disailities. She resides in Pleasant Hill with her husband and son.

Kristi Miklusicak has been working in the field of Special Education since 1989. After accepting an opportunity to volunteer for what was then known as the "Valley Mountain Regional Center Autism Project", Kristi went back to college full time, dedicating her educaion and career to the study of Applied Behavior Analysis and treatment approaches for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Kristi completed her degree having nine years of paraprofessional experience before stepping into her first classroom as teacher. After four years teaching, first in an Autism Pre-formal class and then in a Learning Handicapped Classroom, Kristi completed her Masters Degree in Special Education and stepped out of the classroom into a consultative role for P.L.A.Y. full time. In addition to her training in ABA, Discrete Trial, PECS, Direct Instruction and TEACCH Kristi has experience adapting and modifying general education curriculum for students in full inclusion and providing social skill group instruction for children of all ages. Kristi currently provides educational and behavioral consultation services for children, educators and parents in the Central Valley and Trinidad and resides in Modesto, California with her husband Eric and 3-year old daughter Ireland.