UMARC Panelist Biographies
1. Dr. Kathy Matthews
Dr. Kathy Matthews is the Vice President of Educational Programs at The Faison School and
Centers of Excellence in Richmond, Virginia. This program encompasses a full day school,
outpatient center, early intervention program, and adult and residential services. As part of
her position, Dr. Matthews maintains affiliations with the Applied Behavior Analysis program
at Teachers College, Columbia University, NY and the Department of Behavioral Psychology
at Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, MD. She also serves as the CABAS Senior
Behavior Analyst at Faison overseeing educational services, research, new program
development, training, and outreach. Dr. Matthews currently holds an Adjunct teaching
position at the University of Richmond and is a licensed Behavior Analyst. Prior to The Faison
School, Dr. Matthews obtained her Ph.D. in Behavior Analysis from Teachers College
Columbia University where she also taught courses and mentored graduate students. While
in New York, Dr. Matthews worked as an ABA Program Supervisor at The Fred S. Keller
School and Shema Kolainu. She also served as a Licensed Teacher for the BOCES program
in NY and as a Behavior Analyst Consultant to the CABAS® home programs and to the
Jigsaw School in Surrey, England. Further, Dr. Matthews has conducted numerous
presentations at professional conferences and has been involved in research since 2001 on
the topics of Verbal Behavior, Metaphorical Responding, Teacher Training, Peer Tutoring,
and CABAS® Systems.
2. Nick Heynen
DDA Team Coordinator, TLC’s Outcomes Services
Mr. Heynen joined TLC’s Outcomes Service in 2011 with strong connections to the disability
community. Nick has been working with individuals with disabilities since 1996. He is a
passionate advocate for the need to create opportunities for people who cannot advocate for
themselves. Nick has worked extensively in the field, contributing to strategic planning,
fundraising, developing and implementing action plans, and evaluating productivity, quality,
and client-service standards. At Outcomes, Mr. Heynen supervises and collaborates with
DDA staff, ensuring compliance with DDA and CARF standards. He also oversees the
management of DORS cases. Mr. Heynen holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Family
Studies from University of Maryland (College Park). Nick is a community partner to The
Sunflower Bakery, Rockville Chamber of Commerce, Montgomery County Transition Work
Group, and The Director’s Think Tank. Nick also volunteers with the Holy Cross Home Care
Hospice program as a patient caregiver.
3. Inbal Eshel, M.A., CCC-SLP
Inbal Eshel is a Speech-Language Pathologist with a decade of clinical experience in a
variety of hospital and clinic settings. She received her Master of Arts in Speech-Language
Pathology from the University of Maryland, College Park in 2004. She began her clinical
career at the National Rehabilitation Hospital, where she established her foundation in
outpatient, day treatment, and acute rehabilitation for individuals with acquired brain injuries
and other neurogenic impairments. She then served as lead Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) SLP
at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where she worked with acute inpatient and
outpatient Active Duty Service Members, Veterans, and their dependents. In Ms. Eshel's
current position as SLP for the Outcomes Service at the Treatment and Learning Centers,
she treats adults with a variety of disabilities in both individual and group contexts. She
focuses on maximizing practical communication and cognitive skills to bolster the consumers'
chances of obtaining and maintaining supported employment. She has a history of
developing innovative evidence-based programs and resources to improve clinical practice
and outcomes, both at the level of direct patient care as well as team and institution-wide.
4. Donna Njoku
Ms. Njoku is a parent of two aging children with autism, an older teen and an adult.
5. Andrea Soto
Andrea is the Co-President of the University of Maryland Chapter of Autism Speaks U and
has an older sibling with autism.