Our Team
Medical Director Chris Plauché Johnson, MEd, MD, is a Board Certified Neurodevelopmental Pediatrician and retired as a Professor of Pediatrics at University of Texas Health Center in San Antonio in 2007. She was the Founder and Volunteer Medical Executive Director of Children’s Association for Maximum Potential (CAMP) Inc., a 30-year-old United Way agency that serves children with autism. She served on the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Committee on Children with Disabilities from 1997-07 and as Co-Chair of the Autism Expert Panel from 2003-07. She was the lead author for development of the AAP Guidelines for diagnosis and management of children with autism (both 2001 and 2007 sets) and the AAP Toolkit that accompanied the guidelines.
Clinic Director A. Patricia Del Angel, MD - graduated from medical school at the Universidad Autonoma de Tamaulipas. She did her pediatric residency training Lincoln Hospital and Mental Health Center/New York Medical College, where she also served as chief resident. In addition, she completed a fellowship in child development-behavioral pediatrics at King Drew Medical Center in Los Angeles, and received her specialist certification in infant mental health from the Early Childhood Center at Cedars Sinai in Los Angeles. Dr. Del Angel has most recently served as a pediatrician at People’s Clinic in Austin and as a developmental-behavioral specialist in the pediatric residency program at UTMB Austin. Previously, Dr. Del Angel was the clinical director of the Southwest Area Children’s Hub in Los Angeles for thirteen years. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Executive Director Loree A. Primeau, PhD, OTR, FAOTA is a Board Certified Occupational Therapist. She managed a private multidisciplinary therapy program for children with autism, and, most recently, she worked as a member of the Preschool Assessment Team for the Northside Independent School District. Prior to her activities in San Antonio, Dr. Primeau was an Associate Professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, where she served as Department Chair between 1998-2004. To balance the academic perspective with clinical practice, she also treated clients at the Children’s Therapy Center in Houston during that period. Dr. Primeau has made numerous presentations at professional conferences in Europe, Australia, and North America. She received her PhD in Occupational Science from the University of Southern California in 1995.
Dr. Berenice de la Cruz, PhD, BCBA-D, is the Director of Training and Research at Autism Community Network. She received her Ph.D. from The University of Texas at Austin in Special Education specializing in autism and developmental disabilities. For her dissertation, she developed a self-monitoring treatment package to support teachers in developing and implementing interventions in the classroom. Dr. de la Cruz received her Masters in Clinical Psychology at University of Texas at El Paso, where she researched animal models of autism. She has over 10 years of experience working with people with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) as a teacher and behavior analyst and training and supervising caregiveres and professionals servicing people with ASD. Dr. de la Cruz has published several peer-reviewed research articles and co-authored several book chapters in the fields of developmental disabilities, addictive behaviors, and social cognition.
Cindy Ramos, BCaBA, is a Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst who graduated from the University of Texas in San Antonio with a Bachelor of Art in Psychology. She has been working with children with autism and their families using the principles of Applied Behavioral Analysis for over ten years.
Carrie Alvarado, OTR , is a Registered Occupational Therapist who received her undergraduate education at Texas Woman’s University in Denton and who is currently pursuing her doctorate in Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health and Developmental Disorders through the Interdisciplinary Council of Development and Learning Graduate School. Carrie has over 10 years of experience as an Occupational Therapist and has specialized training in the Developmental, Individual Difference, Relationship-based (DIR®/Floortime™) Model of working with children with challenges in relating and communicating and their families. Carrie has received further training in sensory processing, motor and regulatory challenges with Dr. Georgia DeGangi and Rosemary White. Carrie has worked in inpatient, pediatric outpatient and home-based early intervention settings. In addition to her work at ACN, Carrie also owns a private practice, Illuminate Pediatric Therapy, PLLC.
Cindy Forey, M.A., CCC-SLP is a Speech-Language Pathologist with over 20 years of experience. She spent 14 years working with Texas-ECI programs in San Antonio, serving families with children ages 0-3 with varying medical diagnoses and developmental delays. Cindy has worked with bilingual populations in home, clinic, school, daycare and community settings throughout Bexar County. She received both her Bachelor's and Master's Degrees from Our Lady of the Lake University. She holds certification with the American Speech-Language & Hearing Association.
Adrienne Gaither, OTR graduated from the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio with a BS in Occupational Therapy. She has been working with children with developmental challenges such as Autism Spectrum Disorders, and ADHD since 1996. Adrienne has served in a variety of settings including non-profit agencies, outpatient clinics, border-based schools, and schools for children of active military. She has given workshops on sensory processing, integrated play groups, neurodevelopmental treatment, and feeding. She is certified in the administration and interpretation of the Sensory Integration and Praxis Tests (SIPT) and is trained in Neurodevelopmental Treatment (NDT) for the pediatric population. Adrienne completed a Level I Intensive Mentorship with Dr. Lucy Jane Miller at the Sensory Therapies and Research in Denver, and is trained in the Sequential Oral Sensory (S.O.S.) approach for problem feeders.
Marc Hoffman, MS OTR, is a Registered Occupational Therapist who graduated from the University of Indianapolis with a MS in Occupational Therapy(OT). In addition to his work at ACN, Marc workes as an occupational therapist at Foundation School for Autism. Most recently he worked as an OT for MidValley Special Education Cooperative in the Chicago suburbs for nine years working with students ages 5-18 with varying medical diagnoses and developmental delays in the public school settings, including those with autism spectrum disorders. Previously, Marc was an Assistant Professor and Academic Fieldwork Coordinator in the Department of Occupational Therapy at University of Texas Pan American in Edinburg, Texas from 1996-2001.
ADMINISTRATION:
Amber Dickerson is Community Outreach Manager for ACN. She graduated from Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo with a Bachelor of Art in Organizational Communicatons. She completed her internship in Event Coordinating at the Association for Applied Behavior Analysis International in Kalamazoo, Michigan where she worked at the ABA Convention in Phoenix, Arizona and San Antonio, Texas.
Gloria Johns is the Development Director for ACN and comes to us with approximately eighteen years experience in all facets of development: Annual Fund Drives, Capital Campaigns, Marketing, Event Planning, and a significant amount of grant writing. She has provided development services for non profits, community organizations, an award winning museum, and provided contract grant writing services throughout Texas. Prior to her development career, she was the first female names to a specialized network operation management position for a major telecommunications grant. She is a graduate of Purdue University and brings both a business and compassionate aspect to development.
Jessica Alvarez is ACN's Billing Assistant and has been with us for almost three years. She studied and received her Certified Medical Office Specialist certification from Southern Career Institute.
José Saenz is ACN's Bookeeper and Executive Assistant. He previous employment includes Valero Energy Corporation for six years in the payroll department as well as a payroll analyst for the Sacramento Bee in Sacramento, California.
Peggy Mahar is the Billing and Collections Coordinator for ACN and has over twenty years experience in medical biling. A graduate of the State University of New York at Plattsburgh with an Elementary/Math degree, she recently relocated to San Antonio to be near her first grandchild.
Renee Smith is ACN's Patient Coordinator and has been with us since September 2010. Her previous employment includes the Day School as the Administrative Assistant from January 2010 through August 2010. She enjoys working with all of the families that she has the pleasure to meet.