Suzanne Miller
Sue works for Croyle-Nielsen Therapeutic Associates as Compliance Officer for our adults with intellectual disabilities and/or autism. She joined the team in January 2019.
Sue graduated from Millersville University in 1998 with a bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education-Biology. She is the mother of two adult children: one has Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and intellectual disabilities, while the other is a special education teacher in Pennsylvania. She started her career in 1992 as a Parent Coordinator for an Early Intervention/ Early Childhood Agency and later became the Supervisor of the Early Intervention Program. From 2005 to 2011 she was the Executive Director of K.T.Services, a self-directed support corporation so her daughter could receive necessary supports and services. From 2014 to 2019, she worked as a compliance officer for an agency that provides unlicensed services to adults with intellectual disabilities and autism. She brings 27 years of professional and real-life experiences in the world of disabilities to Croyle-Nielsen.
Sue volunteers at Emmanuel Baptist Church as a Leader of the Special Needs Ministry alongside her husband. Her desire is for people with disabilities to have an everyday life!
In her spare time, Sue enjoys reading, hiking and kayaking with her dog, gardening, hanging out with her daughter and visiting her grandson.
Melissa Beam
When not working, Missy enjoys camping, crafting and spending time with her husband and granddaughters.
Joanne Spaid
Joanne has been working with the ID population for 26 years. She began her career as a Residential Program Worker with DBHS, where she was later promoted to Program Supervisor and then Program Director II. She supervised ID Services group homes for over 20 years.
Currently, Joanne shares her years of experience working with Croyle-Nielsen, working with individuals who receive services from the In-home and Community Services Program.
Carrie Shawley
Carrie has worked in the human services field since 2003 and serves as the Behavior Support Supervisor at Croyle-Nielsen Therapeutic Associates. She graduated from North Star School District and went on to earn a B.A. in sociology from the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown. Throughout her career, Carrie has devoted her focus to helping youth and their families in various roles including a drug/alcohol rehabilitation counselor, a mental health worker at a partial hospitalization program, and a therapeutic staff support.
In 2015, Carrie continued her education and earned a M.A. in human services counseling (marriage and family). After receiving her master’s degree, she became a Licensed Behavioral Specialist under the Pennsylvania State Board of Medicine and worked as a behavior specialist consultant and mobile therapist.
Carrie currently provides Behavior Support to adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and supervises the program. Carrie resides in Somerset with her husband and children and enjoys spending time with family and friends.
Samantha Hauser
Sam works for Croyle-Nielsen Therapeutic Associates as a Behavior Support Specialist. Before joining the Croyle-Nielsen team, Sam was a Behavioral Health Technician working in schools with kids with Intellectual disabilities and/or autism.
Sam graduated from West Virginia University with her Bachelor’s in Psychology in 2019. She enjoys the role she has at Croyle-Nielsen, the team she works with, and helping others achieve their goals.
When Sam isn’t working, she takes pride in coaching the Richland Lady Rams Varsity softball team. When not working or coaching, Sam enjoys spending time with her friends and family, going to concerts and on vacations, playing sports, and being outside with her puppy.
Sabrina Barnosky
Sabrina is a graduate of Mount Aloysius College with a Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Therapy. After working in the therapy field for two years, primarily with the elderly population, Sabrina discovered her passion with working with individuals with disabilities. Sabrina made a career change and became an Employment Training Specialist. She found great joy and success working one on one with the people she supported while assisting each with finding employment of interest and advancement in the workforce. Sabrina also continued her career by developing an HCH/Companion program for the agency she was working with. She worked in the Employment/HCH field for 10 years before transitioning into a manager role of a day program. With that combined time, Sabrina has more than 15 years’ experience. Throughout her career progression, Sabrina has gained experience working with various age populations, individuals on the Autism Spectrum, IDD, Alzheimer’s, dementia, and mental health diagnoses.
Sabrina believes in being an advocate for the people she supports. That everyone has a right to make choices that affect their lives and live in a safe, healthy, happy, respectful environment. Sabrina takes pride in the work she has accomplished throughout her careers and the friendships she has made.
When not at work, Sabrina is a nature girl and a music lover. She loves to embrace the comforts and simplicity of nature. She feels that music is her therapy and believes in the quote “ Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and life to everything”.
Merissa Sandusky
Merissa works for Croyle-Nielsen Therapeutic Associates as the Interim Residential Program Director. She has a degree in Human Services and 10 years professional experience working with adults with intellectual disabilities. It has always been Merissa’s passion to serve others.
Merissa has a special interest in non-verbal individuals and those on the autism spectrum. This passion grew once she had her son, Jaidyn, who is on the spectrum himself along with having spina bifida.
Merissa is a strong believer in the power of positive thinking in the workplace and is looking forward to sharing techniques with her co-workers and staff.
In her spare time, Merissa enjoys spending time with her friends, family and her son, Jaidyn. Merissa also coaches three Elementary Cheer squads and the Varsity Cheer squad for Richland School District.
Savannah Taylor
Savannah is a graduate of Clarion University where she completed her Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a focus in Special Education. Before joining CNTA, Savannah gained personal care experience serving as a direct support professional to her aunt who is diagnosed with an intellectual/developmental disability. Her aunt is her biggest inspiration, showing her that life always has it’s challenges but the good moments are truly great!
In Savannah’s spare time, she loves to hang out with her two cats, read, challenge herself completing escape rooms, and travel.
Christina Killinger
Christina “Tina” Killinger joined CNTA as the Residential Coordinator and was quickly promoted to Residential Program Specialist after showing her drive for helping our individuals. While Tina is newer to the IDD field of work, she feels like she’s been a part of it forever now and has truly embraced the CNTA Culture of Gratitude!
Tina graduated from Saint Francis University where she majored in psychology and minored in social work and education. Tina comes from a very large family who gets together every other weekend! Tina’s love of animals is a true hobby of hers so much that they were actually part of her wedding vows. Her husband now vows to love her no matter what new pet she brings home! Tina also loves to cook and bake and is always tweaking recipes to give them her own special twist.
Nicole Schoop
Nikki Schoop is one of our longest serving employees in our IDD support programs. Nikki began her career at CNTA as a Direct Support Professional where she made significant impact in our individuals’ lives. She quickly rose to the challenge and was promoted to a House Manager three months later. Continuing to show her skills and love of our profession, Nikki was then promoted to a newly formed position as a Residential Coordinator where she’s served for the past year.
Nikki has ventured in other jobs, coming and going in the IDD support field and has come to realize this has always been and always will be where her heart lies. She feels CNTA is a great fit for her and loves helping people. Getting to see our individuals makes her heart shine.
In her free time Nikki loves car rides with her daughter when they blast music and scream-sing at the top of their lungs. Nikki adores animals, especially her big teddy bear Kiera, a Great Dane. She also has three cats, Sapphire, Sage, and Radar. She spoils her grand puppy, Appa James, and two grand kitties, Aladdin and Fettucine. Nikki’s most favorite thing in the world is when she travels to Hatteras Island every year with her family. Her fondest memories are jumping the waves with her kids and chilling on the beach.
Sally Yutzy
Sally is the perfect addition to CNTA because she will move mountains for anyone she cares about both at home and in the work setting.
Sally is married with three children, four grandchildren and one great grandchild!
Melissa Melikant
Missy is a Registered Nurse with over 16 years of healthcare experience. She began her career as a personal care aide out of high school and strived to advance in her career. She obtained her Associate of Science in Nursing degree from Mount Aloysius College in 2015. She successfully completed her NCLEX shortly thereafter and began her career as a Medical Surgical Registered Nurse. While working, she obtained her Bachelor’s degree from Gannon University in 2018. Missy has spent most of her nursing career in the geriatric population and is a certified Gerontological Nurse through the ANCC. In previous positions, she worked as a case manager for a home and community-based program for the elderly then as a staff developer and infection control nurse in a nursing home during the COVID pandemic, and most recently as a neuro/stroke nurse at a local hospital.
In her spare time, Missy enjoys spending time with her husband, son and 2 dogs. She also enjoys volunteering with Bible2School and Emmanuel Baptist’s Special Needs/ABLE ministry. Through volunteering with ABLE, she learned she had a passion for the IDD community and learned that these individuals are at higher risk of medical complications due to their inability to communicate symptoms. She joined the CNTA team, because she feels all individuals should receive optimal medical care and early intervention to promote their independence in their home and community.