Faculty and Staff

Meet the staff of AHRC New York City’s Educational Services department.

Christina Muccioli, Director of AHRC NYC's Educational Services

Christina Muccioli

Vice President of Educational Services

Chris has spent over 30 years in the field of special education, both as a teacher and an administrator. For the last 25 years, Chris has been at AHRC New York City, serving as the Director of the Department of Educational Services. Prior to coming to AHRC New York City she was a teacher of college students diagnosed with learning disabilities, a college administrator, a special education teacher, and Dean in a suburban public school setting,

However, it is as a parent of a young man with a disability and as an advocate that Chris most strongly identifies herself. She created the first Special Education Parents Teacher Association (SEPTA) in her home school district, and served as the parent member of her district’s Committee on Special Education (CSE). These experiences make her uniquely qualified to address the needs of children and adolescents with developmental disabilities. Chris prides herself on being keenly aware of the issues our students face and what parents deal with on a daily basis.

Madelin Rivera

Associate Director of Educational Services

Madelin has been in the field of Special Education since 1974. Over the thirty-six year span, she has been a classroom teacher, a lead teacher, curriculum coordinator, staff development manager, and site-based administrator. For the past fifteen years, she has brought these varied experiences and expertise to her position as the Associate Director of the AHRC Education Department. She holds NYS Certification in Special Education; School Administration and Supervision and School District Administration. For several years she was an adjunct at PACE University, working with new teachers selected by the Teach for America or NYC Teaching Fellowship programs. Her goal is and always has been to ensure that best practice and quality education are synonymous with AHRC schools.

Louise Marchini

Louise Marchini, PhD

Assistant Director of Clinical Services and Quality Assurance

Dr. Louise Marchini is the Assistant Director of Clinical Services and Quality Assurance for the AHRC New York City Department of Educational Services. She works in conjunction with each of the six principals to ensure that the services recommended on a child’s IEP are delivered as recommended by quality licensed and certified professionals. Louise ensures that the AHRC New York City Department of Educational Services adheres to all compliance regulations. She also leads the HOPE Team, which is a leadership team of educational staff having expert knowledge in the field of Autism. They are dedicated to ensure program consistency and improvement of all programs in the Department. Louise obtained her Ph.D. from CUNY, The Graduate Center and she holds two Masters degrees: one in School Psychology from St. John’s University and Masters of Philosophy from CUNY, The Graduate Center.

John Goodson

John Goodson

Education Training Director

John serves as Training Director for the AHRC New York City Department of Educational Services. He oversees new teacher and staff orientation, creates in-service workshops for current instructors, and helps develop curriculum for the schools. John received his undergraduate degree from Pomona College and his M.A. in Special Education with a concentration in Autism and Developmental Disorders from the University of Texas-Austin. He is currently completed his doctorate in Special Education at Boston University. John has worked in the autism education field for over ten years and has performed instructional, administrative, consultant, and diagnostic tasks for various school districts, agencies, and private institutions.

Mary Donahue

Mary Donahue

Director of Psychology

Dr. Mary Donahue is the Director of Psychological Services for both the Education Department and Adult Day Services Department. She has worked as a Psychologist, specializing in the field of autism and developmental disabilities for over 20 years. Prior to earning her PhD in Psychology, Dr. Donahue worked as a Special Education teacher. As a Psychologist and doctoral level board Certified Behavior Analysis (BCBA-D), she brings great expertise in the assessment and treatment of challenging behaviors. Dr. Donahue trains staff, supports school psychologists, and ensures that the autism interventions applied in the education department are appropriate, implemented correctly, and tracked effectively. She has also been an adjunct professor in the Graduate School of Education at St. John’s University for many years.