Robert grew up very close to his uncle Mickey (not pictured) who was born with Downs Syndrome. It is because of a desire to see better lives for people like Mickey that Robert became a Special Education instructor. Robert has been a certified teacher in California and Illinois since graduating from Southern Illinois University in 1991. He has a Master's degree in special education from California State University - Dominguez Hills and finished the required studies to get his Board Certification as a Behavior Analyst by the University of North Texas. In addition to his University education, Robert has also had the pleasure of participating in 3 workshops with Verbal Behavior/ABA Specialist, Dr. James Partington in California and 2 workshops from the Carbone clinic in New York (two of the leading names in modern ABA). Additionally Robert has engaged in many other ABA and Verbal Behavior workshops and trainings around the world including Dr. Mark Sundberg's recent workshop on his brand new assessement, "The VB-MAPP." In addition to his ABA experiences, Robert has also received training in TEACCH, PECS, Sign Language, Floortime, and Crisis Prevention and Intervention. He is an autism intervention author and international presenter and Robert brings all of this knowledge to his work with children. To keep up with the latest information and techniques, Robert continues to return to the States regularly for workshops and seminars with the goal of staying on top of the latest information and developments in the field.
Robert's recent workshops and congresses of attendance:
2003:
Teaching Language to Children with Autism or Other D.D. – Behavior Analysts, Inc., California, USA
2003:
The Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills (The ABLLS) – Behavior
Analysts, Inc., California, USA
2003:
Teaching Children with Language Delays – Behavior Analysts, Inc., California, USA
2003:
Teaching Verbal Behavior: Hands on Training for Tutors and Therapists – The Carbone
Clinic, New York, USA
2005:
Guiding the Development and Implementation of an Intensive Behavior Program for Teaching Language and Basic Learner Skills – The Carbone Clinic, New York, USA
2005:
Autism Congress – Leipzig, Germany
2005:
Autism Congress – Innsbruck, Austria (presenter)
2005:
European Autism Symposium – Frankfurt, Germany (presenter)
2006:
Long Island Autism Conference – Long Island, New York, USA
2006:
International Autism Congress - Buenos Aires, Argentina (presenter)
2007:
Hands on Training for Tutors, Therapists, and Consultants - Establishing Operations inc., London, UK
2007:
ABA International Convention - San Diego, California, USA
2007:
International Autism Congress - Santa Fe, Argentina (presenter)
2008:
ABA International Convention - Chicago Illinois, USA (workshop presenter)
* Acceptance by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board is the highest recognition that can be earned in the field of Behavior Analysis. The BACB currently has over 4000 certificants (BCBA’s) in 20 different countries. To find out more about the importance of having a Board Certified Behavior Analyst overseeing the development of your child’s program, or the requirements to becoming a BCBA, please visit the BACB website at www.BACB.com .
Board Certified Behavior Analyst
Allison Kane, M.Ed., BCBA (Certificant 1-06-2866)
Allison began her work with children with special needs in 2002 when she worked for the Cleveland Clinic “Summer Treatment Program” for children with ADHD. She found her experiences very rewarding and became passionate about helping children with special needs reach their full potential. That fall, while pursuing her Bachelors of Art in both Psychology and German Studies at OhioWesleyanUniversity in Delaware, Ohio, she started working with children with autism and their families in Columbus, Ohio, using the principles of ABA . Immediately, she knew she wanted to learn and do as much as she could to help children with autism and their families. In 2004, Allison entered the Early Childhood Special Education Masters of Education program at VanderbiltUniversity in Nashville, Tennessee. While there, Allison worked with children with autism, using ABA programs focusing on Incidental Teaching, Discrete Trial Instruction, Verbal Behavior principles, and Milieu Language Teaching strategies. During her time at Vanderbilt, Allison also completed the coursework for her BCBA certification and experience through the VanderbiltKennedyCenter Behavior Analysis Clinic. From August 2006 to June 2008, Allison lived in Savannah, Georgia, where she helped children with autism transition into inclusion elementary school classrooms as a special education teacher and BCBA. There she was responsible for supporting children with autism in a general education environment and training teachers and paraprofessionals to work with these students in that environment. After an intensive training period with Robert, Allison shares her talents with military and civilian families in southern Germany beginning in September of 2008.
* Acceptance by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board is the highest recognition that can be earned in the field of Behavior Analysis. The BACB currently has over 4000 certificants (BCBA’s) in 20 different countries. To find out more about the importance of having a Board Certified Behavior Analyst overseeing the development of your child’s program, or the requirements to becoming a BCBA, please visit the BACB website at www.BACB.com .
ABA/VB Consultant
Nadine Knospe
Nadine came to the world of Autism as a caregiver. Not as a student of ABA, but as a person who wanted to help children with autism live better lives. She found her first job working for Portia Iverson’s Son, Dov. Portia and her husband founded the Group "Cure Autism Now" (now "Autism Speaks"), which is one of the largest Autism fundraising and research organizations in America. It was through working with Dov that Nadine was first introduced to ABA. She was trained as a home based therapist where she used different methods of ABA, TEACCH, and PECS. Later, Nadine began supporting the education of Garrett, a boy with autism and fraX- syndrome. Garrett was in the early stages of his Lovaas guided ABA program. Although Dr. Lovaas himself did not work directly with Garrett, it was his LIFE institute that oversaw Garrett’s program and trained Nadine. Next to her work as an ABA therapist with Garrett in the home, Nadine worked with him as a one-to-one aid at the kindergarten as well as in his 1st grade elementary school classroom in Los Angeles. She was trained after the latest Lovaas techniques from 1999-2003 and participated in a PECS workshop, presented by Lori Frost & Andy Bondy. Later in 2003 she added workshop trainings in Verbal Behavior with Dr. James Partington to her already extensive resume. In October 2006 Nadine participated in the workshop # 5 “Teaching Verbal Behavior in a Classroom Setting” of the Dr. Vince Carbone Clinic in New York and in November of the same year, she participated in the international autism congress in Buenos Aires, Argentina. In April of 2007 Nadine added a four day advanced workshop presented by Holly Kibbe, BCBA and Cherish Twigg, BCBA of Establishing Operations Inc. in London, UK and in May she went to the ABA convention in San Diego, USA, and participated in the workshop "How to Train Caregivers in Functional Behavior Assessment and Treatment Development", presented by Julia T. O'Connor of the Krieger Institute and the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, followed by a participation in the autism congress in Santa Fe, Argentina in October of 2007. Since January 2004 Nadine lives in Germany and works with families with children with autism throughout Europe as an ABA/VB consultant.
ABA/VB Consultant
Benno Böckh, MSc Psy, ABA
Benno started working with people with various physical and mental disabilities in a residential home unit run by Annastift e.V. in Hannover, Germany, during his compulsory state social service in 1996/1997. He studied psychology at the University of Wales, Bangor, UK finishing in 2002 with an MSc in Psychology and Psychological Research Methods. During his study Benno researched psychological factors underlying dyslexia under renowned Professor Tim Miles C. Psych., FBPsS, and worked in community based programs and events engaging local children with music, arts and community performance. In 2004 Benno started voluntary work for the North Wales Clinical Trust, before becoming a residential social worker in homes and respite units assessing and supporting the educational needs of teenagers with learning disabilities in 2005. Through this work he learned to appreciate the importance of behavioral methods in the work with learning disabled individuals and in late 2005 started his study for a Postgraduate Diploma in ABA at the University of Wales, Bangor, one of the highest regarded Universities for ABA outside of the U.S. In early 2006 Benno started working for the School of Psychology run “Bangor Centre for Developmental Disabilities” (BCDD) as a behavioral support worker. Also in 2006 Benno became associate behavior analyst to Dr Sandy Toogood Ph.D., BCBA, the then clinical director of the BCDD, and became responsible for behavioral program writing, data analysis, and staff training. Since 2006 Benno has been working with severely behaviorally challenged teenagers with autism in their homes and in the community and has been directly involved in the support and supervision of their personal, social and academic development. In addition to joining the Knospe-ABA team in December of 2007, Benno is currently working on his certification requirements to become a Board Certified as a Behavior Analyst (BCBA).
ABA/VB Consultant
Andrea Klein
Andrea received her nursing certification in 1996 and worked for five years with the cardiology station at the Frankfurt University Clinic. After her time with the clinic Andrea spent 7 months working with children in Nottingham England. From 2001-2005 Andrea worked as an intensive caretaker for a young adult with quadriplegia. In this capacity she was responsible for his complete daily care. Since January of 2005 Andrea has taken part in an intense Knospe-ABA training program under the direct supervision of Robert Schramm. Andrea has excelled in her work as a therapist during training and has become an invaluable member of our team. In addition to the Knospe-ABA training, Andrea has also worked through ABA literature and American VB training manuals. She has also recently traveled to New York to participate in a three day Verbal Behavior Workshop presented by Dr. Vincent Carbone of the Carbone Clinic. Since October 2005, Andrea has been working as an ABA/VB consultant for Knospe-ABA and has been working with families of children with autism throughout Europe. In 2007, Andrea added a four day advanced workshop presented by Holly Kibbe, BCBA and Cherish Twigg, BCBA of Establishing Operations Inc. in London, UK to her ecxellent training and skills.
ABA/VB Consultant
Julia Buchenau-Schlömer, Dipl. Psych. MA
Julia joined the Knospe-ABA team in 2005. She began her studies in ABA at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and received her masters in 1998. During her studies she utilized her ABA techniques to teach a child with autism in a Kalamazoo Michigan school while spending her summer of 1997 broadening her experiences with the “ABC” (Applied Behavior Consultants)-School in Sacramento, California. At ABC school, she received training in ABA and PECS and worked in a classroom for visual learners and in a home based program. Julia returned to Germany from 1998 to 2000 to finish her German diploma of Psychology at the Free University of Berlin from 2000 to 2005 she worked at the Autism Center of Cologne (ATZ) where she supported the education of many children with autism and consulted with parents, kindergardens and schools. Taking a brief hiatus from 2001 to 2002 Julia returned to ABC in California this time to work as a Consultant. It was upon her return to the ATZ Cologne in 2002 where Julia began designing and supervising ABA in-home programs for children and educating parents and teams about ABA in Germany. In addition to her studies and consulting background Julia has also offered her education to others through workshops and speaking engagements.At the end of 2005 Julia has begun adding the latest techniques of Verbal Behavior to her ABA approach by consulting with Knospe-ABA and participating in workshops given by Knospe-ABA and Dr. Vince Carbone in New York. Since November 2005 Julia has been working as an ABA/VB consultant and is supporting families with kids with autism and related disorders in the area of Cologne, Bonn and Aachen.
ABA/VB Consultant
Janina Menze
Janina’s professional training began in 1998 in the field of Occupational Therapy. After the completion of this training, Janina spent 6-months working with children in London, England. Upon returning to Germany, she worked for 2 ½ years with children with sensory and developmental delays for an Occupational Therapy Clinic from 2002 to 2004. In addition to her autism specific training, Janina also has participated in sensory integration trainings as well as trainings designed to help children with ADHD. In 2004/05, Janina chose to spend 6-months volunteering her time in a children’s orphanage in Nicuragua. In 2005, she resumed her work in Occupational Therapy and began working as a one-to-one “in-home” tutor for a child supported by Knospe-ABA. Coming highly recommended, Janina officially joined our team in February of 2006. Since the start of this year, Janina has participated in an intensive consultant training under the direct supervision of Robert Schramm. This training included direct observation of consultations, studying of several American ABA Manuals, and a 3-day Verbal Behavior Workshop at the Carbone Clinic in New York, May 2006. Due to her immediate rapport with children with special needs and families and an instinctive understanding of the principles of behavior, Janina proved herself ready to begin working with families as an independent consultant by the end of August, 2006 and in 2007 added a four day advanced workshop presented by Holly Kibbe, BCBA and Cherish Twigg, BCBA of Establishing Operations Inc. in London, UK
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ABA/VB Consultant
Mareike Overhof, Ärztin
Mareike began her involvement supporting the lives of children with autism during her voluntary social year in Ireland in 1993-1994. Upon returning to Germany, she studied and received her degree in medicine at the University of Marburg. While studying in Marburg, the topic of autism remained a priority as she participated in numerous trainings organized by the “Rhine-Main” regional chapter of the “Help for the autistic child” Foundation. These trainings included TEACCH, PECS, and presentations by Prof. Poustka of the University of Frankfurt. Mareike also spent her free time accompanying children, adolescents and adults with autism on vacation trips organized by the regional chapter. . During the practical year of her medical studies, she worked in the department of child psychiatry (University of Marburg) under the supervision of Prof. Remschmidt. After finishing her medical studies, Mareike moved to Los Angeles, California in the summer of 2003 and began working for the “Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD, Inc.)” In doing so, she completed her training for supervision of ABA-based therapies for children with autism. During her CARD training, Mareike gained experience as a therapist for numerous children with autism, and Asperger’s syndrome in home, preschool, and school settings. In addition, she supervised teams of therapists and parents and developed individual therapy programs based on the principles of ABA/VB while also conducting research for the institute. Mareike has committed to becoming a Board Certified Behavior Analyst by enrolling in a graduate program in the Science of ABA through the University of Nevada, Reno (USA) and hopes to sit for her exam in spring of 2007. In 2006, Mareike returned home to bring her vast knowledge and experience to the families of children with autism in Germany. Taking very quickly to the Knospe-ABA approach to ABA/VB, Mareike has proven herself an invaluable asset to our team and supports families in the Middle and Northern part of Germany since September 2006 as an ABA/VB consultant.
ABA/VB Consultant
Isabel Huth, Dipl. Psych.
Isabel began her experiences with children with autism in the summer of 1999 where she garnered hands-on and theoretical experience with the science of ABA from the Center for Autism and Related Disorders (C.A.R.D., Inc.) in Los Angeles. Her studies at C.A.R.D. took place under the supervision of Doreen Grenpeeshe Ph D. This led Isabel to the study of Psychology at the University of Frankfurt Main in spring 2000. She then earned her Diploma in October 2005 at the University in Göttingen. Throughout her studies, Isabel kept in close contact to C.A.R.D. and continued improving her theoretical background in behavior analysis. Disheartened by the lack of awareness and underestimation of ABA in Germany, Isabel returned to L.A. in 2005/2006, spending several more months participating in C.A.R.D.’s Case Consultant training. Looking for a chance to deepen her knowledge and experience in Germany, Isabel contacted Knospe-ABA and began a consultant training under the direct supervision of Robert Schramm. Working with over 40 different children with autism during her training and studying expert literature and training manuals from the USA, Isabel became well versed in the Verbal Behavior Approach to ABA. She even had the chance to participate in an intensive Verbal Behavior Workshop lead by Dr. Vincent Carbone, BCBA in Bremerton, USA, in October 2006. This was followed in April of 2007 by participation in a four day advanced workshop presented by Holly Kibbe, BCBA and Cherish Twigg, BCBA of Establishing Operations Inc. in London, UK. Officially becoming a Knospe-ABA consultant in the spring of 2007, Isabel is now supporting the education of children with autism throughout Europe.
ABA/VB Consultant
Tina-Henrike Kleine, Diplom-Sozialpädagogin
Tina graduated with a diploma as a social pedagogue from the University of Applied Science - Bielefeld in November of 2004. While studying, Tina worked as a sport therapist with children with autism and other developmental delays at the “v. Bodelschwinghsche Institutions Bethel”, Europe’s largest institution for children and adults with disabilities. From August to November 2003, Tina also spent time volunteering at the “Gabriella Centre” in Cape Town, South Africa offering daycare to physically and mentally challenged children including those with autism. After a year of working at an international organization for developmental cooperation supporting projects for children in need all over the world, Tina spent several months working in a home for the mentally challenged supporting persons with autism as a pedagogic therapist from June to December 2006. Tina first contacted Knospe-ABA with the desire to find a better way to help support people with autism spectrum disorder at the start of 2006. Tina was then introduced to and began working as a one-to-one “in-home” tutor for two children supported by Knospe-ABA. Seeing the benefits of ABA/VB, Tina began working herself through the ABA literature and American VB training manuals. With excellent referrals and observations of her work as a tutor, Tina was invited to begin consultant training with Knospe-ABA under the direct supervision of Robert Schramm in January of 2007. This training included direct observation of consultations, studying of several American ABA manuals, a 3-day Verbal Behavior Workshop of Dr. Vincent J. Carbone in Wales in March of 2007 and several knowledge and practice assessments. Because of her intensive studies and excellent understanding of the ABA/VB principals, Tina was prepared to take part in a 4-day advanced Verbal Behavior workshop presented by Holly Kibbe, BCBA and Cherish Twigg, BCBA of Establishing Operations Inc. in London in April of the same year. Officially becoming a Knospe-ABA consultant in August of 2007, Tina is now supporting the education of children with autism throughout Europe.
ABA/VB Consultant
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Katja Volkmer
Katja earned her degree from the "Fachakademie für Sozialpädagogik" in Bamberg in 2004. As a certified Kindergarten teacher, she gained several experiences working with children with and without special needs. Katja's introduction to the world of autism intervention began in August of 2004 when she spent time in the U.S. as an au pair for a family with a young girl with the autism diagnosis. To better support the family, Katja began working herself through much of the available ABA literature and American VB training manuals. She immediately became a valuable therapist for the family working under the supervision of Michelle Hurst from Autism Outreach Inc. In addition to this training, Katja attended a three day Verbal Behavior workshop presented by Dr. Vincent Carbone in New York during October of 2005. After returning to Germany in 2006 Katja began working at an integrative kindergarten for a year while also working on the weekends as a tutor for a child supported by Knospe-ABA. In August of 2007, Katja paid her own way to Savannah, Georgia to participate in the "Teaching Verbal Behavior - Hands on Training for Tutors and Therapists" workshop presented by Jenn Godwin, BCBA and Tamara Kasper, BCBA. Katja's dedicated work as a therapist and obvious desire to learn all she could about autism and ABA/VB quickly caught the attention of the staff at Knospe-ABA who invited Katja to begin consultant training in September of 2007. Katja completed the intensive training under the supervision of Robert Schramm and began working as a Knospe-ABA consultant in the spring of 2008. Katja is currently working with families in the south of Germany and Austria.
ABA/VB Consultant
Anna Kinnunen, Diplom-Sozialpädagogin
Anna started working with children with sensory and developmental delays during her voluntaryyear of social service at the Protestant Health Resort for Mother and Child, Spiekeroog, Germany, in 2001/2002. During this time, Anna participated in several trainings designed to help children with ADHD. In 2002 Anna began her studies to be a social pedagogue and graduated with a diploma from the University Rauhes Haus - Hamburg in September of 2006. While studying, Anna worked with adults with special needs at the ‘Projekt NOX’. After her studies, Anna lived in Jyväskylä, Finland, working with children with special needs and their families at the “Jyväskylän katulähetys ry”, (integration institution in Finland). Through her acquaintance with Tina-Henrike Kleine (Knospe-ABA Consultant) Anna was introduced to the work of Knospe-ABA and ABA/VB. Enthusiastic about the principles of behavior and the opportunity to help teach parents of children with autism how to give their children the best opportunity at a happy and successful life, she traveled from Finland to meet with Knospe-ABA in August of 2007. Anna moved back to Germany in September of 2007 to start her training as an ABA/VB consultant supervised by Robert Schramm, MA, BCBA. This training included intensive daily practice, direct observation, and participation in consultations while also studying several important American ABA/VB Manuals. Further the training included her participation in workshops given by Robert Schramm in Hannover, 2007 and Zurich, 2008 and a 3-day Verbal Behavior workshop presented by Dr. Vincent J. Carbone in the United Kingdom, March of 2008. Additionally, Anna volunteered as an "in-home" tutor for a child supported by Knospe-ABA throughout her training process. Because of Anna's intensive studies, her excellent understanding of the ABA/VB principles, and her experience working with many children with autism and adults with varied other special needs, she has proven ready to support Knospe-ABA families as an ABA/VB consultant starting in Spring of 2008. Anna is currently living in Hamburg and supporting the educaiton of children throughout Europe.
