Meet The Team

Michelle Santangelo, Founder and Director of the BEL Center, established the organization in 2015 to deliver best practice ABA services in Southern Vermont and Western Massachusetts. She directly supports children, families, school teams, and therapists, while also supervising employees and BCBA candidates, developing clinical programming, and overseeing operations.

 

Michelle is committed to supporting neurodivergent children, their families, and caregivers, believing in ABA's effectiveness to enhance each individual’s quality of life and expand opportunities across the lifespan. She particularly values collaborating with her clinical team to cultivate inspiring, meaningful, relationship-based, engaging, and respectful strategies for fostering skill development and independence for each child and their support network.

 

Before the BEL Center, Michelle worked as a Montessori teacher, a coach for autistic young adults, and a behavior specialist. During her decade of service at the BEL Center, she has contributed to the creation of various clinical programs, most notably the Intensive Early Behavioral Intervention clinical day program. This program has helped young children aged 2 to 6 develop emotional regulation strategies, functional communication skills, self-help skills, personal independence, and pre-academic skills, preparing them to transition into less restrictive learning environments with improved capacities to advocate for their own wants and needs.

 

Outside of work, Michelle enjoys spending time with her family and dogs, exploring the New England outdoors, practicing mindfulness, and following her enduring interests in psychological flexibility, verbal behavior, and the pursuit of joy.​​

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Corinna Briggs serves as a Supervising Behavior Therapist and Safety Trainer at the BEL Center, where she has contributed significantly for over a decade. Her comprehensive background in education and behavioral therapy renders her an invaluable member of the team.

 

Prior to her tenure at the BEL Center, Corinna acquired substantial experience across various preschool environments and functioned as a paraprofessional in a public elementary school. This foundational experience equipped her with a thorough understanding of child development and learning processes. ​  Her colleagues and supervisors frequently commend her proficiency in training and mentoring aspiring behavior therapists, a testament to her profound technical expertise, inherent leadership, and empathetic approach.

 

Driven by a commitment to early education, she proactively pursues advanced training and certifications. She completed RBT training and numerous courses in early education and childhood development, and is a certified Safety Care Trainer. Her specialized training encompasses expertise in Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) methodologies, Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), and Michelle Garcia Winner’s Social Thinking curriculum, enabling her to deliver individualized and holistic support.

 

Beyond her professional obligations, Corinna dedicates time to her two young children and engages in outdoor pursuits such as horseback riding and gardening. These personal interests reflect her nurturing and dedicated disposition, which contributes to her efficacy as a therapist.

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Though new to the BEL Center, BCBA Miranda Bohl has lived and worked in the Brattleboro area for over ten years. In her previous role as a BCBA for the Windham Southeast Supervisory Union, she consulted at schools throughout the district, working with neuro-diverse learners in classrooms from pre-school to high school. For the last five years, she has been based at Guilford Central (elementary) School. At Guilford, she relished the opportunity to form strong relationships with her students as they navigated the challenges of inclusion in a public school setting, and to witness their growth from year to year.  In her work at the BEL Center, Miranda hopes to make use of her first-hand knowledge of those challenges to provide support for students as they make the transition from Center to School. 

 

For most of her life prior to becoming a BCBA, Miranda was a professional horseman. From 1999-2012 she owned and operated Baymare Farm in Springfield, Vermont, where she taught riding and horsemanship to members of the community from all walks of life. She obtained her certification as a Therapeutic Riding Instructor from PATH International in 2009 and has maintained it ever since, serving on the board of the Southern Vermont Therapeutic Riding Center from 2021 until 2024. Though the leap from barn to BCBA might seem like a big one, Miranda believes that she owes her understanding and compassion for all forms of human behavior to the education she received from the horses as much as to the one she received in graduate school. 

 

Outside of work, Miranda is an accomplished amateur cellist. She especially loves spending time rehearsing with her neighborhood string quartet. Whether in the workplace, the barn, or in a friend’s living room playing Mozart, harmony and teamwork are vital components of her outlook on life.

Magdalen began her tenure at the BEL Center as a classroom assistant and has since advanced to a Registered Behavioral Technician (RBT) and Behavioral Therapist.

 

Magdalen’s core motivation is community building and fostering strong work environments through collaboration. She is open to new challenges, values leadership and feedback, and strives to communicate empathetically. Her ultimate professional goal is to become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA).

 

Magdalen recently served as a coach for Girls on the Run (GOTR) at Saxtons River Elementary School, where she was once a participant. This leadership role allowed her to reconnect with her community and foster teamwork, understanding the daily anxieties of students, social expectations, and the importance of self-esteem.

 

As a classroom assistant, Magdalen closely observed and learned from BCBAs and RBTs, quickly grasping the value of their educational, emotional, and behavioral support. Despite her initial unfamiliarity with ABA principles, she focused on providing attentive support to individuals and families under the guidance of BEL Center leaders. This dedication enabled her transition to a behavioral therapist, where she continues to learn and grow.

 

Outside of work, Magdalen finds stress relief and focus through running, a passion since childhood. She also explores new physical activities that prioritize strength and flexibility, and enjoys walks with family or friends. She is an avid reader and music listener, frequently exploring local bookstores and record shops, and welcomes recommendations for new genres. Her preference for film and television leans towards comedy, as it reflects the importance of humor and joy in her life.

Phoebe has grown up at the BEL Center, and has been contributing to the center's overall humor and joy since the spring of 2023.

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Phoebe is best known for her enthusiastic morning greetings of everyone on the team, her attentiveness during group meetings and daily lessons, and her inspiration during rest routines.  She caters her style to each therapist and child, and can often be found enjoying a favorite ball or curled up in one of her cozy beds.

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Phoebe aims to settle her puppy mind, relax into long walks, and soak up as much sun as she can find.

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When she is not working at the BEL Center, Phoebe enjoys bird watching, napping on the deck beneath the flowers, and snuggling with her favorite humans.

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​Photo and  Bio Coming Soon!

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