Meet Our Directors

Kerri LaMontagne, M.Ed., BCBA, LBA

Kerri LaMontagne was named Director of Cyzner Institute in March 2024 following the retirement of founder and director Dr. Lisa Cyzner. As Dr. Cyzner noted, “Kerri has the education, experience, ethics, and fortitude for this role.”

Kerri began her work with the Cyzner Institute in 2005, and has worked with children with various disabilities since 1994. She graduated from The George Washington University with a Master of Science in Infant Special Education and began her career working in Arlington, Virginia, public schools as a preschool coordinator. This experience reinforced her belief that early intervention is critical to the development of a special needs child.

Kerri also holds a Master’s Certificate in Behavioral Intervention in Autism through the University of Massachusetts and is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA).

Tracey Luna, B.A.

Tracey Luna is the Administrative Director of Cyzner Institute and serves as the primary contact and coordinator for all of our families and the staff of Cyzner. Tracey is responsible for office administration, communications, insurance processing and invoicing, and other daily operations at Cyzner Institute.

Tracey joined Cyzner Institute in 2006, bringing more than 17 years of experience in Human Resources and financial management. She graduated from Moravian College in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, with a Bachelor of Arts. Tracey previously worked in healthcare, where she gained a breadth of knowledge in healthcare benefits and insurance programs. At Cyzner, Tracey works to help parents access the support and services they need for their children.

Samantha Ayres, M.Ed., BCBA, LBA

Samantha Ayres is the Clinical Director, Lead BCBA of Cyzner Institute. Samantha’s responsibilities include working with RBTs on program implementation, facilitating the training process for newly certified BCBAs, onboarding new staff members, assessment and evaluation of client progress, and facilitating parent education.

Samantha joined Cyzner Institute in April 2022 and has been working with the ASD population for the last 10 years. She graduated from the University of South Carolina in May 2017 with a Bachelor of Arts in Public Health. In May 2019 she graduated from Arizona State University with a Master of Education in the Curriculum and Instruction of Applied Behavior Analysis. She passed her licensing exam to become a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst in August 2019. 

Lisa E. Cyzner, Ph.D., OTR/L

Dr. Cyzner founded Cyzner Institute in 2003 after identifying a need for a resource center to support exceptional children and their families in the greater Charlotte area. She believes that early intervention combined with individualized therapeutic support helps to lay the foundation for future success for many of these children. Dr. Cyzner received her Masters of Science in Occupational Therapy from Columbia University, NY, NY in 1993. She was recognized for both academic scholarship and leadership in her field through various awards: the Veteran’s Administration Health Professional Scholarship, the National AMBUCS Award and Columbia University Incentive Award. Dr. Cyzner was also awarded the Maxwell J. Schliefer Distinguished Service Award from Exceptional Parents Magazine in 2009.

Dr. Cyzner completed all requirements for her Ph.D. from the Department of Occupational Therapy at New York University, NY, NY in November of 2000. Her doctoral dissertation is entitled: Occupational Therapy Embedded in Daily Life: The Parents’ and the Therapist’s Reported Experiences of Participating in Occupational Therapy Invention for Children with Difficulty with Self-Regulation. She received the Metropolitan New York Occupational Therapy Association Small Grants Fund to assist with data collection, analysis, and management processes for her dissertation. Other research that Dr. Cyzner has conducted and/or participated in has included topics related to: foundations of child and family policy and policy research, services for children with pervasive developmental disorder, development of a set of guidelines for occupational therapy clinical practice for children with difficulty with self-regulation, and evaluations of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. While at N.Y.U. from 1996-1999, Dr. Cyzner was an instructor and guest lecturer for classes for entry-level occupational therapy students.

Meet Our Staff

  • Donna Birnberg, MED

    Instructional Team Leader & Curriculum Specialist

  • Kate Breuer, MSW, LCSW

    Counselor & Parent Liaison