About
Clinicians and parents, side by side
Into Inclusion was founded by two mothers and special educators who are also Board Certified Behavior Analysts — clinical rigor and lived experience, together.
Our story
How we began
Into Inclusion was founded by two mothers and special educators — Kathleen Penland and Caitlin Bennett — who are also Licensed and Board Certified Behavior Analysts. They had spent their careers inside schools, clinics, and programs, and kept seeing the same gap: families wanted spaces built around connection and belonging, not just compliance.
So they made one. Rooted at the Warwick Valley Community Center, Into Inclusion brings together a multidisciplinary team — behavior analysts, a speech-language pathologist, an occupational therapist, and an adaptive-fitness instructor — under one warm, welcoming roof.
Even the logo carries the mission: it was commissioned from Michael Noseworthy, a young artist and graduate of a local inclusion program. We build this work with the community it serves — because it matters.
The people
Meet the team
Founders, specialists and the collaborators around us — one bench, one roof.
Founders
Kathleen Penland
Co-Founder · BCBA, LBA
A mother, special educator, and Board Certified Behavior Analyst specializing in autism and intellectual & developmental disabilities. Kathleen is passionate about empowering caregivers and the community through ABA, Acceptance & Commitment Therapy, and social-emotional development.
- M.S., Special Education & Early Childhood Education (birth–grade 2), Hunter College (CUNY)
- Post-graduate certification in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), Penn State University
- Licensed & Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA, LBA)
- Lives in Warwick, NY with her husband and two children
Caitlin Bennett
Co-Founder · BCBA
A mother and special educator with twenty years in the field and a Board Certified Behavior Analyst credential. Caitlin has worked across the Center for Discovery and the STRIVE Program at OU BOCES, and currently serves as a District Evaluator, with a deep focus on neurodiverse communities in Orange County.
- 20 years in special education
- M.A., Special Education K-12, The George Washington University (DC Teaching Fellows, 2006)
- Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) certificate, UMASS-Lowell
- School Leadership Certificate, Long Island University
- Lives in Warwick, NY with her husband and two children
Team
Stephanie Harrigan
Speech-Language Pathologist
A NY State certified Speech-Language Pathologist with more than thirteen years in special education, specializing in augmentative & alternative communication (AAC), feeding therapy, and caregiver training.
- NY State certified SLP · 13+ years in special education
- Specialties: AAC, feeding therapy, caregiver training
- Experience: Center for Discovery; Valley Central & New Paltz school districts
- Based in New Paltz, NY
Rachel Chaiet, MS, OTR/L
Occupational Therapist
An occupational therapist with over fifteen years supporting children, adolescents, and adults with developmental disabilities. Rachel has presented at conferences and published on humor-based interventions and social participation.
- 15+ years with developmental disabilities across the lifespan
- B.S. & M.S., Misericordia University (2010)
- Published & presented on humor-based interventions and social participation
- Based in Bethel, NY
Diana Welch
Adaptive Fitness Instructor
An ACE-certified personal trainer and Wellness Director at the YMCA of Middletown, Diana brings adaptive movement to Into Inclusion — with experience training individuals with developmental and physical disabilities.
- ACE-certified personal trainer · Wellness Director, YMCA of Middletown
- Certified group exercise instructor (cycling, strength, cardio, Pilates, yoga)
- Experience: BOCES STRIVE program; GYMGUYZ adaptive training
Collaborators
Michael Noseworthy
Logo Artist
A 21-year-old artist and graduate of the Including Communities Program at Orange-Ulster BOCES, Michael was commissioned to create the Into Inclusion logo. His influences range from Stephen Hillenburg and Dr. Seuss to Tim Burton and Genndy Tartakovsky.
- Graduate, Including Communities Program, Orange-Ulster BOCES
- Commissioned artist for the Into Inclusion brand
- Lives in Florida, NY
What we value
Three things we hold to
Accessibility
All abilities, all ages, alongside the people who love them. We make a new, better space rather than asking anyone to fit into an old one.
Community
Connection is the point. Friendships, peer support, and belonging are woven through everything we do — in the room and across Warwick.
Education
Evidence-based practice — ABA, ACT, and executive-function science — delivered through natural, child-led, deeply human learning.
Come build inclusion with us
Whether you're a family, a professional, or a partner — there's a place for you here.