NEW ENGLAND
Our Team
Nathan Doty PhD
Director
Dr. Doty is a licensed child psychologist with expertise in the assessment of neurological, developmental, learning, and emotional difficulties from early childhood through young adulthood. His areas of specialty include learning disorders, ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, mood/anxiety disorders, and acquired brain injury.
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Dr. Doty received a bachelor's degree from Stanford University before earning a doctorate Child and Family Clinical Psychology at the University of Miami. He completed his pre-doctoral internship at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship in neuropsychology at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School.
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Before co-founding Achieve New England in 2016, he served as a staff psychologist and research coordinator within the Learning and Emotional Assessment Program at Massachusetts General Hospital (LEAP), providing teaching and clinical supervision through his joint appointment at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Doty's work has been published in prominent scientific journals and books. He currently serves on the Branch Council Executive Committee for the International Dyslexia Association.
Brian Willoughby PhD
Director
Dr. Willoughby is a licensed child clinical psychologist specializing in neuropsychological, educational, and developmental evaluations. His areas of expertise include learning disabilities, attention and executive functioning concerns, autism spectrum disorders and other neurodevelopmental conditions, as well as anxiety and mood disorders.
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Dr. Willoughby is co-founder and co-director of Achieve New England. Previously, he was a faculty member in the Department of Psychiatry at the Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. Dr. Willoughby completed his graduate work in the Child and Family Clinical Psychology Program at the University of Miami, and his pre-doctoral internship and fellowship in child clinical psychology at the Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School.
Dr. Willoughby is also an established researcher, author, and speaker in the fields of child and family psychology. His work has been published in some of the nation’s top psychology journals, and he speaks frequently at national and international conferences. He is the associate editor of The SAGE Encyclopedia of Intellectual and Developmental Disorders and the co-author of Bright Kids Who Can’t Keep Up, a book for parents.
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Melanie Feldman PhD
Clinical Psychologist
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Dr. Feldman is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in the assessment of autism spectrum disorders, as well as ADHD, anxiety/mood disorders, and learning disabilities.
Dr. Feldman earned her doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the University of Massachusetts Boston. She completed her pre-doctoral internship at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine where she conducted comprehensive neurodevelopmental evaluations and worked with families to establish positive behavioral supports. She completed her postdoctoral fellowship at the University of North Carolina TEACCH Autism Program, specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorders across the lifespan.
Dr. Feldman has published research in prominent journals including the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, Research in Developmental Disabilities, and Evidence-Based Practice in Child & Adolescent Mental Health. Her work focuses on health disparities in the early identification of autism, as well as the school-based relationships of children on the spectrum.
Brittany Jones MEd EdS
Educational Consultant
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Brittany Jones is an experienced educational consultant with a rich background as both a reading specialist and school psychologist. Specializing in literacy development, educational assessment, and special education programming, she draws upon her diverse skill set to develop individually tailored recommendations that enhance student outcomes.
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Brittany holds an educational specialist degree in School Psychology from Rivier University and a master’s in Education from Anna Maria College, as well as dual master’s degrees from Fitchburg State University. She holds multiple Massachusetts teaching licenses, with certifications in Wilson, Orton-Gillingham, and Reading with TLC. Her expertise in program development extends to a broad range of student profiles, including those with learning disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, and emotional or behavioral challenges.
In addition to her work at Achieve New England, Brittany serves as an Adjunct Professor at Fitchburg State University, where she develops curriculum materials for literacy coursework and oversees training of reading specialist candidates. Brittany’s broad expertise, hands-on experience, and commitment to educational equity make her a valuable asset to the Achieve team.
Kendra McCuine MEd
Educational Consultant
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Kendra McCuine is an educational consultant, special educator, and former program director with expertise in dyslexia and other language-based disabilities. She has worked with students and families in a wide variety of roles, teaching within both public and private language-based school programs, working as a private Orton-Gillingham tutor, and serving as director of a language-based school program for students grades 2-8.
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Kendra earned a master’s in Education from Lesley University, with teaching residencies at both the Carroll School and Buckingham Browne & Nichols. She holds a Certificate of Advanced Study in Language and Literacy from the MGH Institute of Health Professions, and is a long-time member of the Orton-Gillingham Academy. Kendra serves on the Board of Directors for the International Dyslexia Association, Massachusetts Branch and speaks regularly at both local and national conferences.
As the proud parent of school-age children with learning difficulties, Kendra knows firsthand the joys and challenges of parenting and advocating for kids who learn differently. Her unique blend of empathy, experience, and technical knowledge enable her to offer expert and compassionate guidance to families.
Johanna Nielsen PhD
Clinical Psychologist
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Dr. Nielsen is a licensed psychologist specializing in neuropsychological, educational, and developmental evaluations. Her areas of speciality include ADHD, mood/anxiety disorders, learning disorders, autism spectrum disorders, and acquired brain injury/concussion, as well as complex medical conditions such as prematurity, pediatric cancer, epilepsy, and stroke.
Dr. Nielsen earned her doctorate in Clinical Psychology at Temple University. She completed her pre-doctoral internship at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, followed by an APPCN-approved postdoctoral fellowship in pediatric neuropsychology at Children’s National Hospital.
Dr. Nielsen has published in prominent journals and presented her work at scientific conferences including the International Neuropsychological Society. Her research has focused on understanding the interactions between cognitive and emotional functioning across development. She is also engaged in research on risk and resiliency in survivors of brain tumor and pediatric cancer.
Becca Parrish PhD
Clinical Psychologist
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Dr. Parrish is a licensed psychologist specializing in developmental, educational, and neuropsychological evaluations. Her areas of specialty include early childhood development, autism spectrum disorders, learning disabilities, ADHD, executive functioning, and anxiety/mood disorders.
Dr. Parrish obtained a bachelor’s degree from Duke University with majors in Psychology and Human Development. After working in a independent therapeutic and special education school for children and adolescents, she earned her doctorate in School and Counseling Psychology at Northeastern University with clinical internships at South Shore Mental Health and a therapeutic collaborative day school. Dr. Parrish completed her post-doctoral fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital’s Aspire Program and the Learning and Emotional Assessment Program (LEAP), with a focus on neuropsychological assessment and autism spectrum disorders. Prior to joining Achieve New England, Dr. Parrish served as a school psychologist and clinical supervisor in Newton Public Schools. With nearly a decade of experience in public schools, Dr. Parrish has honed a deep knowledge of special education law, IEP development, and school-based services.
Jill Pineda PhD
Clinical Psychologist
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Dr. Pineda is a licensed child psychologist specializing in neuropsychological, educational, and developmental evaluations. Dr. Pineda’s expertise includes neurodevelopmental disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, learning disabilities, and social-emotional challenges. She also has expertise and experience in the assessment of individuals with sensory differences (e.g., hearing, vision).
Dr. Pineda completed her graduate training in School Psychology at the University of Florida, specializing in working with individuals with autism spectrum disorder and other neurodevelopmental disabilities. Following a pre-doctoral internship in pediatric neuropsychology and pediatric consultation at Kennedy Krieger Institute and Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, she completed her postdoctoral fellowship in neuropsychological assessment at Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School. Dr. Pineda has worked as a staff psychologist at both Kennedy Krieger Institute and Massachusetts General Hospital. Her work has published in prominent journals such as the Clinical Neuropsychologist, Autism Research, and Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions.
Julie Weieneth PhD
Clinical Psychologist
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Dr. Weieneth is a licensed clinical psychologist with expertise in the assessment of developmental, learning, and social-emotional challenges in children and adolescents. Her areas of specialty include ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, anxiety, mood disorders, executive functioning, and school-related challenges.
Dr. Weieneth received her doctorate in clinical psychology with a child and family concentration from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Her research interests focus on the assessment of ADHD and disruptive behavior disorders in early childhood, and she has published in several prominent journals.
Dr. Weieneth gained specialized training through her predoctoral internship at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center/Worcester State Hospital and postdoctoral fellowship at the Developmental Medicine Center, Children’s Hospital Boston/Harvard Medical School. She has extensive experience with IEP development, teacher consultation, counseling, and assessment in school settings. Prior to joining Achieve, Dr. Weieneth served for fourteen years as a staff psychologist in therapeutic school settings, including the Manville School in Boston and the New England Academy in Beverly.
Casey Oakman BA
Practice Coordinator
Casey earned her bachelor's degree from Framingham State University. Before joining Achieve, she worked as a lead medical office administrator for Mass General Brigham in Internal Medicine and Neurology. In her spare time, Casey enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with family.