Senior Leadership

Dr. Christopher Manente
Executive Director, RCAAS; Associate Professor of Clinical Practice, GSAPP Applied Psychology Department

Christopher J. Manente, Ph.D., BCBA, is the Founding Executive Director of the RCAAS and an Assistant Professor of Clinical Practice at the Rutgers Graduate School of Applied Professional Psychology (GSAPP). Dr. Manente's previous roles included serving as an Assistant Professor of Education at Caldwell University, as a consultant supporting students with ASD in schools throughout New Jersey, and serving as the Senior Program Coordinator of Adult Services at the Douglass Developmental Disabilities Center (DDDC) at Rutgers University. Dr. Manente has authored articles in peer-reviewed journals, coauthored book chapters, and has presented at numerous local, national and international conferences on a variety of topics related to the advancement of community-based educational, vocational, and residential opportunities for older learners with autism.

Dr. Joshua Langberg (he/him)
Professor, Department of Clinical Psychology & Director, CYSEW

Joshua M. Langberg, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist, Professor of Psychology, and Director of the GSAPP Center for Youth Social Emotional Wellness (CYSEW). Dr. Langberg joined Rutgers in 2022 after working at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), where he was the Associate Director of Operations for the Clark-Hill Institute for Positive Youth Development and served as the Associate Dean for Research and Operations for the College of Humanities and Sciences (CHS) at VCU form 2018-2021. He received his PhD in Clinical-Community Psychology from the University of South Carolina and completed his predoctoral internship at Duke University Medical Center. Dr. Langberg started his career at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC) and transitioned to VCU in 2011.  

Dr. Vanessa Bal 
Karmazin and Lillard Endowed Chair in Adult Autism, GSAPP Associate Professor, GSAPP Associate Professor; Director of RCAAS-PSC; RCAAS Co-Director of Research 

Vanessa H. Bal, Ph.D., earned her M.Sc. in neuroscience from the University of Oxford and her doctorate in psychology from the University of Michigan. She also completed her clinical psychology internship at the University of Michigan and a postdoc in human genetics at the University of California, San Francisco. Dr. Bal's research program emphasizes a lifespan perspective to furthering understanding of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in adulthood. She employs a variety of approaches to measure and track outcomes and predictors of outcome at different stages of development. In addition to expanding knowledge in these areas, Dr. Bal is leading several projects to develop and refine methods to assess and quantify clinical phenotypes. This includes studies evaluating both biological and behavioral approaches that may be useful in screening and diagnosis, tracking of symptoms across development, and evaluating response to treatment. By emphasizing a multidimensional, lifespan perspective, her research aims to delineate relationships between dimensions of social-communication, language, cognition and emotion in the context of neurodevelopmental disorders in order to inform the development of targeted interventions that capitalize on individual strengths in order to promote well-being for individuals with ASD across the lifespan.

Meet the CSP Coordinators

Ian Bober
Senior Coodinator for the College Support Program

Ian Bober, M.A., BCBA, has a long history of working with autistic children and adults at Rutgers University. After starting as a preschool classroom assistant at the Douglass Developmental Disabilities Center’s Douglass School, Mr. Bober went on serve as Program Coordinator for the Douglass Adult Program. Here he oversaw all clinical activities, specializing in ABA-based vocational and life-skills training for adults with autism, as well as the development and implementation of intervention for challenging behaviors. Mr. Bober came to the RCAAS in 2019 to work in the SCALE program as a Behavioral Technician, then as an Acting Supervisor and Behavior Analyst for the program. In summer of 2022, Mr. Bober accepted the position of Senior Program Coordinator for the CSP, where he now oversees all operations in the facilitation of academic and social support for enrolled Rutgers University undergraduates on the autism spectrum.

Erin Walker, MSW, LSW
Senior Coordinator for the College Support Program

Erin (she/her) holds a Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology with minors in History and Elementary Education from West Chester University in West Chester, Pennsylvania and an MSW with a concentration in Policy and Management from Rutgers University. Erin was also a Fellow in Rutgers School of Social Work’s Aging and Health Certificate program. Erin interned for the Division of Aging Services in Trenton working with New Jersey’s Task Force on the Abuse Against Older Adults and People with Disabilities on helping identify policy and procedure problems within New Jersey and finding better ways to service both communities. Erin also interned with Yachad, a Jewish organization for people with disabilities in Manhattan, New York facilitating social skill groups as well as creating a self-advocacy class for adults with disabilities. Since graduating, Erin worked with the older adult population in a skilled rehab/long-term care facility in Denver, Colorado as the Social Services Director. Erin also worked for a domestic violence and sexual violence agency providing education to the community and high schools about the signs of domestic and sexual violence in Monmouth County, New Jersey. Before to returning to Rutgers, Erin worked for Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters in Boston, Massachusetts as a clinical match specialist working to match adults with disabilities to a volunteer friend in the community. Erin is also a licensed social worker (LSW) in the state of New Jersey.

Keya Pai
Assistant Coordinator for the College Support Program

Keya U. Pai graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology (Honors) and Cognitive Science from Rutgers University. During her undergraduate studies, she held roles at both the Rutgers Center for Adult Autism Services and the Douglass Developmental Disabilities Center. Keya’s professional experience lies in research, mentorship, and behavioral therapy for autistic children and adults with/without intellectual disability. Her interests include promoting mental health, quality of life, and familial relationships in adult autism. She wishes to pursue graduate school for a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and aspires to become a clinical psychologist in the autism research field.

Dianna Rampino
Graduate Student Coordinator for the College Support Program

Dianna Rampino is a Graduate Student Coordinator for CSP at Rutgers University. Dianna earned her BA in Sociology from Clemson University with an emphasis in Social Services and a minor in Psychology. She is enrolled in Rutgers School of Social Work to obtain her Master's in Social Work. Dianna's background is in Special Education, Psychology, and Sociology courses. She has experience working with a caseload of students promoting academics and prosocial student behavior during her undergraduate degree. Her long term goal is to obtain her LCSW and continue supporting students on the spectrum in a higher education setting.

Daniel Juengst
Graduate Student Coordinator for the College Support Program

Daniel Juengst graduated from the University of Delaware with a BA in Psychology. During his undergraduate studies he took on roles working as an assistant behavioral technician at a learning center for autistic children and as an assistant mental health counselor at a high school. His experiences in undergrad have let him to enroll in the MSW program at Rutgers University. Once he earns his MSW he aims to work in schools to help students with mental health and behavioral issues. His ultimate goal is to open up his own practice as a psychotherapist.

Debra Perlmutter
Graduate Student Coordinator for the College Support Program

Debra Perlmutter is a Graduate Student Coordinator for CSP at Rutgers University. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, a Bachelor of Science in Human Development, and a minor in Education from Binghamton University. She is currently pursuing a Master's in Social Work at the Rutgers School of Social Work. Throughout her undergraduate studies, Debra gained valuble experience working with diverse populations, including the neurodivergent community. She also worked in various settings such as schools, a peer advising office, and a psychology research lab. Her long term aspiration is to obtain her LCSW and support children and adolescents in a school environment.

If you are interested in being a part of this team and gaining valuable experience within the field of autism research and support, please see our CSP Training and Research page.