Get to know the Skills for Living Team!
Katy Shamitz
Social Educator, Director of Skills for Living
For more than ten years, Katy has been helping people of all ages make meaningful life changes. Katy’s strength is in helping children and adolescents be their own personal best, whether the goal is to gain self confidence, improve interpersonal skills, triumph over bullying, or develop and maintain organizational habits.
Katy has extensive experience working with children and adolescents, from toddlers to college students. Katy’s background in school counseling has given her a thorough understanding of the challenges, both social and academic, that young people encounter on a daily basis. With a research and practical background in childhood bullying, Katy understands the emotional stress of peer relationships, and has developed useful techniques for overcoming bullying. Katy has a deep interest in Social Thinking, and in February 2012 studied directly under Michelle Garcia Winner in the Mentor Training Program in her San Jose, CA clinic.
Katy founded Skills for Living in 2007 after leaving the public schools to care for her young family. The opening of the Grove Street Office in 2011 marked a dream come true for Katy. Having the space to welcome all children into an opportunity for social growth is incredible.
Katy is a certified school counselor in Massachusetts. She received her undergraduate degree in Education and Psychology from Stonehill College in Easton, Massachusetts and her Masters in Counseling from Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven, Connecticut.
Katy lives in Quincy with her husband Rob and young children Tyler and Jennie.
Maureen KramerParenting and Family Guidance
Maureen skillfully coaches families facing a variety of challenges ranging from autism spectrum disorders to at-risk teenagers. She specializes in the emotional and social issues related to new diagnoses, family illness, and sports injuries.
Maureen’s calm, insightful perspective helps parents and families identify practical solutions that close the gap between professional advice and the realities of day-to-day life.
Maureen Kramer holds a nursing degree from Boston College and a sociology degree from St. Michael’s College. She has worked at the New England Center for Autism and at Children’s Hospital in Boston. She lives in Norwell with her husband and two children.
Amanda Judge
Assistant in Every Way
Amanda is an expert assistant. She completed an internship at Skills for Living in the summer of 2011, and we didn’t let her leave. She is the ultimate helper, doing everything from filing, to grocery runs, to helping with groups.
Krystal Dubé
Behavior Therapist
Krystal Dubé supports families and children from a gentle yet clear behavioral perspective.
Krystal has experience as a home-based behavior therapist and assistant classroom teacher in therapeutic learning environments. Krystal uses her strong knowledge and experience in ABA therapy to develop and implement behavior plans in the home and school setting. In addition to working with the child, Krystal supports parents and families through comprehensive consultation and meaningful training.
Krystal has a calm but direct approach with students. She uses behavioral language and therapeutic applications to help students gain insight into their own behavior as she supports them with strategies to make meaningful change one behavior at a time.
Krystal has a Bachelor of Science degree in Behavioral Neuroscience from Northeastern University, where she completed specialized courses in ABA therapy with a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. Krystal lives in Roslindale, MA with her hamster named Coffee.
John Nyberg
Study Support and Organization Skills
John is a special educator with a strong interest in academically talented students. He has worked in schools from Hawaii to Scituate.
John and has a calm, supportive manner with our students, and has a talent for providing practical, but motivational guidance to help kids learn the study and organizational skills they need to be successful in school.
Susan Evans
Art Therapist
Susan is a Master’s prepared, nationally registered Art Therapist.
Susan has provided Art Therapy in several inpatient and partial hospital settings with children, adolescents, adults and dually-diagnosed patients.
Heather Fahey
Workshops
Heather has spent the past 15 years helping children overcome social and emotional challenges. Heather’s creative, directly taught workshops help kids gain a wide variety of social thinking skills in specific topical areas.
Heather is an educational specialist and the owner of Dynamic Family Educational Services, where her focus is on social coaching, parent coaching, and parent education. She is working towards becoming an educational advocate.
Heather holds a M.Ed in special education from the University of Florida and a MSW from Boston University.
