Leadership & Board of Directors

Mike spent the vast majority of his 35-year professional career as a Harrisburg, Pennsylvania business, tax and securities lawyer with the firm of McNees Wallace & Nurick, LLC. Mike received his law degree, with honors, from Duke University School of Law (1984) and his undergraduate degree, cum laude, from Princeton University (1980).  He retired from private practice in 2014 and later took a position as Chief Strategic Officer and General Counsel of The Vista Foundation, from which he retired in July of 2018. He is currently pursuing a Masters of Systematic Theology degree at Mount Saint Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, MD.

In 2002, Mike joined with a group of parents to found a program that became known as The Vista School® (“Vista”) specializing in the education and behavioral health care of children with autism spectrum disorder.  In 2003, after significant efforts at collaboration with the Pennsylvania Department of Education (“PDE”), Vista became the first such program in nearly thirty years to receive Approved Private School status which allows privately-operated special education schools to receive direct tuition funding from PDE.  In 2004, Vista was specially licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare (“DPW”) to provide a unique behavioral health care service that is funded by Medical Assistance (Medicaid), joining a short list of dual-licensed (PDE/DPW) facilities of this kind in the Commonwealth.  In 2008, Vista partnered with another private, nonprofit organization and Penn State Hershey Medical Center to bid on DPW’s $1.6 Million grant to establish one of three Commonwealth regional centers, which provide hands-on training for professionals and support to families while working to close the gap between autism research and intervention practices.  That consortium was selected as the preferred bidder for the Central Pennsylvania Regional Autism Center in June of 2008.

Beginning as a one-room schoolhouse in 2002 serving four children, Vista today serves 115 students in a four-building campus in Hershey, Pennsylvania.  Its outreach program currently serves approximately 125 other students in their home school districts.  In 2015, Vista Adult Services began a community integration and job placement service for adults with autism spectrum disorder, and in 2016 it opened four group homes serving the adult autism population.  In 2017, Vista started a center-based birth-to-three program to serve the youngest age group of individuals diagnosed with autism.

Patricia holds an educational specialist degree in educational leadership from Liberty University and a master’s degree in school business leadership from Wilkes University. Pat has a background in educational finance and business operations. Prior to coming to Vista, held positions as business and operations manager at the Penn State Hershey Cancer Institute and operations manager for the Penn State Center for the Protection of Children, both at The Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. She also served as executive director of business and finance for the Lebanon Campus of HACC and was the assistant director of business affairs for the Palmyra Area School District. Pat enjoys walking and hiking in her down time. She resides in Annville and is a mother of two adult children. Pat’s goal is to expand Vista’s financial development.

Alicia has expertise in behavioral health. She holds a master’s degree in applied behavior analysis (ABA) from The Pennsylvania State University and is a board-certified behavior analyst and a licensed behavior specialist. She is a member of the Association of Professional Behavior Analysts, has participated in research regarding effective toilet training strategies, and has presented at related conferences. For 20 years, Alicia has focused on providing treatment and consultation to individuals with autism and their families across the life span. She is passionate about ensuring individuals receive effective treatment and have the highest quality of life. Her passion for ABA comes not only from the research of successes in the field but also from the pleasure of witnessing successful interventions that make a difference in one’s life. Alicia strongly believes that growing an individual’s personal and behavioral independence is how one measures success in this field.

Meredith has nearly 20 years of progressive HR experience in a multitude of industries. Her background and experience with diverse HR customers have given her the ability to drive results and influence the general business.

Before joining Vista in May of 2021, Meredith was a senior human resources business partner with a national organization made up of providers in the field of autism treatment. While in her role, Meredith was partnering with executive leaders to continuously evolve and improve the culture of the business.

Meredith holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Hamilton College in Clinton, New York, and obtained her HRCI credentials in 2008.

She lives in southern York County with her husband, Sean, and her daughter, Kayleigh. She feels fortunate in her career to continue supporting those who work in direct care with people with autism. Meredith finds it deeply rewarding to have the opportunity to see the world from a perspective that is different from her own….and at Vista, that perspective is nurtured and cherished.

Joe holds a bachelor’s degree in speech communications with a concentration in radio and TV. He has over 20 years of experience in marketing, promotions and special events. Prior to coming to Vista, Joe worked for 17 years with Susquehanna Radio/Cumulus Media in York and has spent the last 12 years working in various non-profit development roles with the Muscular Dystrophy Association and most recently with the York County Literacy Council. Joe resides in York, PA with his wife, Theres, son Collin and dog Brownie. He also has two older children and one granddaughter. In his free time, Joe enjoys running, playing disc golf, traveling, and spending time with the family.

Kendra holds a master’s degree in education from Temple University and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Maryland. She is a board-certified behavior analyst and a licensed behavior specialist. Since 1997, Kendra has worked in the field of behavior analysis with a focus on the education and treatment of individuals with autism spectrum disorders. She started Vista Outreach Services in 2003 and Vista’s Early Intervention program in 2017. She has presented at professional conferences including Association for Behavior Analysis International, Association for the Advancement of Behavior Therapy, and Northeast Federation for Precision Teaching Conference. Kendra lives in Harrisburg with her husband and son. Her interests include developing systems that support making meaningful differences in people’s lives and translating research into practice.

Sabrina holds a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Oregon and is certified in Quality Management through the Pennsylvania Office of Developmental Programs. Sabrina worked 10 years in customer service and administrative management with Peace Health, a non-profit health care system located in Oregon, Washington and Alaska, prior to relocating to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania in 2000. She worked for Northwestern Human Services in Administration before joining The Vista School® in July 2004. She has experience in compliance, licensing, financial reporting, office management, customer service, and human resources. She currently resides in Midtown Harrisburg with her beloved Australian Shepherd “Nissa,” and enjoys playing the guitar, hiking, and writing. Sabrina feels her work enables Vista to function at its best and to “keep the lights on.”

Jessica holds a master’s degree in career and technical education from Ball State University and is working toward her doctoral degree in curriculum and instruction through Liberty University. Jessica has worked for over 10 years in education and training. 

Before joining Vista in February 2019, Jessica ran research projects in public health sciences and created training platforms for individuals with a terminal diagnosis. While in this role, Jessica was creating opportunities for underserved individuals to have access to primary healthcare.

Jessica feels passionate about the quality of training and professional development opportunities that she and her team are able to provide to Vista staff and Vista families. She strongly believes in assisting individuals reach their full potential through various training opportunities in order to give back to those who receive Vista’s services.