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 an author of several other published programs in the area of autism. These programs include the ASIEP-2 (Autism Screening Instrument for EducationalPlanning-2, 1991), the KADI (Krug Asperger Disorder Index,2003), and the FACTER Program (Functional Assessment and Curriculum for Teaching Everyday Routines, 2004). He recently published a peer-reviewed journal article in Focus on Autism and Other Developmentally Disabled (2003) about the progress children with autism made who were educated using the STAR Autism Program. 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 is a School Psychologist and School Administrator. Sheila has worked with children with autism for over 20 years. 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 expertise in analyisis of behavior and implementation of positive behavior support strategies. 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 is currently a research associate at Portland State University in the Office of Special Education and an associate in the PSU Autism Training and Research Center.
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 works for STAR Autism Support conducting workshops and providing hands-on training across the country. Also, she is currently an Instructional Facilitator for the STAR and FACTER curriculums in the Gresham-Barlow School District in Oregon. She provides hands-on consultation for teachers and staff in her district, implementing the STAR and FACTER programs. Previously, Kara used the STAR Program as a classroom teacher. She worked with children with autism and other developmental disabilities, providing direct services, training staff, and enjoying all the other day to day demands of being a classroom teacher.
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.
