Deat

28700 Euclid Avenue, Wickliffe Ohio 44092 Phone: 216.965.6106 Fax: 440.943.7803

Dear Graduate and Continuing Studies Admission Staff,

May 16, 2013

Please accept this letter of recommendation on behalf of applicant Mr. Nicholas R. Manfredi, candidate for The University of Cincinnatis Applied Behavior Analyst Distance Learning Program. In summer 2011, while in between his bachelors and masters degrees, Nicholas (Nick) began serving at my autism specialty center, as a Transdisciplinary Aide. In this capacity at Integrations Treatment Center (ITC), Nick performed many direct-care duties, serving both Day Treatment students and Outpatients as assigned. He came to know the intimate needs of over a dozen children with varying degrees of autism; and given his background in family dynamics, he quickly established relationships of support with many ITC families. Over the course of next 18 months, Nick steadily developed the skills of a wellestablished transdisciplinarian. Specifically he co-design patient care plans and lesson plans, co-implemented relevant learning and treatment activities under the guidance of the team professionals, co-collected and synthesized data, and co-wrote progress reports on a quarterly basis. He performed these duties so well, that within 3 months he was assigned the additional role of Team Leader for 3 of the children he cared for. This required planning for and conducting regular meetings with families, outside professionals and even district personnel. Nick flourished at the administrative helm, for all 3 cases that he managed. His only weakness was his self-admitted tendency to care so deeply for those he served that he at times would become outwardly frustrated by the system or by the poor living conditions that limited a child or familys quality of life. Also, while working at (ITC), Nick was required to complete an 8-week training course in the centers transdisciplinary model for autism, known as The S.U.C.C.E.S.S. ApproachSM. The course instructor commented to me regularly that Nicks discussion of both the theory and correlating methods presented in class, was uncanny for a young man his age, and that he often shared insights and awareness about human behavior considered to be well beyond his years. Both as a leader and a learner Nick quickly molded to ITCs standard of excellence, for which he was frequently commended. He in turn has established a great sense of gratitude for his time at ITC and is quick to declare that it is the role of an Aide that afforded him the unique insight he now has, as to the importance of the right trenchwork being done with a child under the direction of highly-qualified

professionals like Psychologists, Intervention Specialists, Speech/Language Pathologists, and Occupational Therapists. Thus Nick has become a well-armed candidate to face the challenges of working in a multidisciplinary environment, a setting so prominent in the field of mental and physical health. Based on his compassion, intellectual strength, and collaborative nature, I consider Nicholas R. Mandfredi to be well qualified to do work in the field of Applied Behavioral Analyst and as a future graduate of your fine program, and I consider Nicholas to hold extraordinary promise for long term professional success. Please feel free to contact me if I can be of further assistance to you or your staff in this important selection process. Lynette Scotese-Wojtila OTR/L Clinical Specialist and Founding Director Integrations Treatment Center Inc.