Massachusetts Staff

Lou Giramma, M.Ed., recently joined the Institute as the Massachusetts State Director. He is responsible for the overall operation of programs and services provided by The Institute statewide. Lou brings with him a solid and distinguished leadership background in the field of developmental and psychiatric disabilities. In a career that has spanned over 25 years Lou has worked with a number of human service and educational organizations. Former positions include; Director of Admissions and Marketing, Director of Placement Services, Administrative Director, and Director of Program Services. Lou is a committed advocate who focuses on the growth and development of client's emotional and physical well-being.  Since 2010 he has voluntarily served as a Peer Reviewer for the Council of Accreditation (COA) in New York which partners with human service organizations worldwide to improve service delivery outcomes by developing, applying and promoting accreditation standards. Lou received his bachelor's degree in history and sociology from Marlboro College, Marlboro, VT and a master's degree in Education from Antioch University, Keene, NH.

Michael Farrah, MBA is a long-time employee of The Institute and is currently the Director of Administration and Finance in Massachusetts. Mike has held many positions with the Institute through out his long tenure, including providing direct treatment and support to individuals living in residential programs, overseeing homes and ISOs as a Facility Coordinator, and in 1997 managing services to 20 individuals as a Project Director. As Director of Administration and Finance, Michael has brought clinical, programmatic, operational and fiscal experience to his work. He is responsible for developing and overseeing program budgets, preparing fiscal documents and reports, and overseeing the maintenance of facilities. He received his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Lowell in Economics and Political Science and his Master’s of Business Administration from the University of Massachusetts at Lowell. Michael’s professional interest is in finding creative ways of providing resources for those served by The Institute in a difficult fiscal environment. mfarrah@ippi.org

Kathleen Ferguson M.S., BCBA, is the Clinical Director of Adult Services for The Institute in Massachusetts. Kathy has been with IPPI since 1998 and is responsible for delivering and supervising evidenced-based best practices throughout each of the programs and sites that support adults in central Massachusetts. Kathy has worked in the field of developmental disabilities since 1979. Professional interests include dual diagnosis (MI/ID), applied behavior analysis, the effect of a developmental disability on family dynamics and borderline personality disorder. Kathy has received intensive training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy and continues to adapt the skills for use with people who have intellectual disabilities. She completed her undergraduate work at The State University of New York at Oneonta and her graduate work at The University of Wyoming. Kathy is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. kferguson@ippi.org

Susan Sczerzenie, Ph.D., BCBA, is the Director of Children’s Services. Susan joined the IPPI team in 2007 after working in a variety of clinical and educational settings. She is responsible for overseeing Children’s Consultative Services, Residential Services, and the Center for Education. Dr. Sczerzenie completed her undergraduate work at Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, PA and her doctorate in clinical psychology at Suffolk University in Boston, MA. She completed her pre-doctorate internship at SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, NY where she specialized in the diagnosis and treatment of anxiety disorders including OCD, post-traumatic stress disorder, and disruptive behavior disorders in children and adolescents. Dr. Sczerzenie’s work in private practice as a Licensed Psychologist (MA) focuses on neuropsycholgical testing, social skills training including language pragmatics, and parent training for the management of challenging behaviors as well as the treatment of developmental and trauma-related disorders. Dr. Sczerzenie is a member of the American Psychological Association and a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. ssczerzenie@ippi.org

Lisa Lauretano, M.H.S.A., is the Director of Residential Services in Massachusetts. Lisa is responsible for the staffing and management of The Institute's residential programs which include Group Homes and Individualized Shared Living Options. Lisa brings to The Institute a solid background in administrative management and has filled a number of leadership roles in her 25 year career in the field of human services. In addition to managing the delivery of Massachusetts residential services Lisa is a strong advocate of staff development and has designed and implemented many successful staff training programs. Lisa received her undergraduate degree from North Adams State College and her Master degree in Human Service Administration from Antioch New England Graduate School. llauretano@ippi.org

Rachelle Asante is the Director of Quality Enhancement in Massachusetts. She has been with The Institute since 1996 and has held a number of positions including Instructor and Shared Living Provider. Rachelle is responsible for ensuring that the individuals supported by the agency in Massachusetts receive services agreed upon by their team and that are in compliance with the quality standards set forth by the funding agency and the internal standards of The Institute. The Quality Enhancement Department has allowed her to use her business background but remain connected to the individuals with whom she works. Rachelle is a graduate of Fitchburg State College and recently received her Certificate in Community Human Service Management from Clark University, in collaboration with Massachusetts Council of Human Service Providers, Inc.. Rachelle's interests are in providing the best individualized supports possible for those with special needs. rasante@ippi.org

Laura (Bullen) Graves is the Director of Day Supports which includes the Focus, Compass, and Community Enclave Support (CES) programs. Each program offers work opportunities with varying degrees of supervision provided based on an individual needs. Ms. Graves originally joined The Institute in 2000 as the Program Director of the Focus Day Program. She started her career in 1988 transitioning individuals from State Schools to community living for several Massachusetts organizations. Ms. Graves has an undergraduate degree in Special Education and Behavioral Science. After completing her undergraduate work, she was a Graduate Assistant in Special Education while working on her Master's. She taught special education in a public school and was a Head Teacher at a residential school in a Behavioral Development Unit for 10 years. She has begun coursework through The Institute in Applied Behavior Analysis. lgraves@ippi.org