Management Team

David Timpanaro is the owner/founder and CEO of Step Up Family Services. Dr. Dave has completed his BA in Psychology, MS in Human Services, and his PhD in Multidisciplinary Human Services. 

Dr. Dave has been working within the in-home service field of social services for over 20 years. Dr. Dave has use his personal life experiences to develop his passion for working with children and families that may have experience similar life events and experiences. Dr. Dave's passion has evolved to helping each person take that first step toward their goals. Dr. Dave believes that we can accomplish anything as a team and that Step Up Family Services is the first step to getting there.

  John has been practicing as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst since 2015 with experience in the field working with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities since 2012. John joined Dr. Dave in co-founding Step Up Family Services' ABA services. John obtained his Master’s degree in Human Behavior and Organizational Psychology in 2011 from Kean University and completed his coursework to become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst from the Florida Institute of Technology. John is currently pursuing his doctorate in Applied Behavior Analysis with his dissertation on Acceptance and Commitment Training. His specialty is working with children and adults with severe challenging behaviors. 

Staci has completed her Masters in Social Work from Fordham University in 2004. Staci is a seasoned Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with over 20 years of experience. Staci has experience working with children, families, and adults across many mental and behavioral needs. Staci is also certified to provide clinical supervision to our provisionally licensed clinicians. 

Staci is responsible for supervising all of the clinical providers within Step Up Family Services and is the director of our outpatient program.
Staci is passionate for the people we work with and wanted to find other ways to reach more people. This is where our outpatient program began.

Melissa obtained her Bachelor's in Business Administration and Management from Centenary University. She is certified by the Society of Human Resources (SHRM) in Human Resources. Her diverse experience includes work in the Corporate Environment for 10 years, Talent Acquisition, Employee Relations, Benefits, Culture, Performance Management, and Policy Compliance. Melissa also had the privilege of working with children ages 3-17 and families for several years as the Program Director in a local martial arts academy. 

Danielle has been a Board Certified Behavior Analyst since 2012 and a Licensed Associate Counselor since 2009 (soon to be Licensed Professional Counselor). She received her B.A. in Psychology from The Catholic University of America, M.S. in Professional Counseling from Monmouth University and completed her Certification in Behavior Analysis through the University of North Texas.  She also completed the Florida Institute of Technology Organizational Behavior Management certificate program in 2019 as well. She has worked in the field of ABA for over 13 years in various roles and settings including schools, in-home services and group homes for individuals from 18 months to 94 years of age. Danielle also has experience running social skills and sibling groups, providing in-home supervision and assessment services and working in a drug rehabilitation unit and emergency shelter. Danielle has supervised several technicians who went on to become BCBA’s themselves! 

Amanda is a BCBA who completed her undergraduate degree in psychology with a focus on mental health and forensic psychology at Stockton University. Amanda moved onto Ball state University where she completed her Master of Arts in Educational Psychology and Applied Behavior Analysis. Amanda started in the field as a behavior technician in 2013 and worked as a registered behavior technician (RBT) until passing her board exams in 2021. Amanda has worked with children ages 3-21 with all different abilities and needs. Amanda likes to spend her time at the beach and traveling.

Candace is a BCBA with Step Up Family Services. She obtained her bachelor's degree from Kean University in Communication Disorders and Deafness in 2018 and her Master's in Applied Behavior Analysis in 2021 also from Kean University. Before becoming a BCBA, Candace worked in the field providing services to individuals in the home, community, school, and day program settings for 5 years. She loves working on social skills and daily living skills! In her free time Candace enjoys being outside and spending time with her family.  

Anne Marie has been a Board Certified Behavior Analyst since 2018. She started college at the age of 17, where she gained a B.S. in Psychology from The University of Scranton. Anne Marie later earned a Master’s degree in Psychology at Palo Alto University. She completed her coursework and practicum to become a BCBA at Rutgers University. Anne Marie has worked in ABA and mental health for over 15 years in various settings, including in-home services, group homes, schools, and daycares. Anne Marie’s favorite aspect of being a BCBA is watching each child blossom and develop uniquely and individually.

Susan has been in the field working with learners on the autism spectrum since 2007. She has been practicing as a BCBA since 2018. Susan has a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Rutgers University and a Masters in Special Education from Ball State University. She has worked with learners ranging in age from 2-21 and has worked in many diverse settings. Her areas of interest include; functional communication training, reducing prompt dependency, and compassionate care.