Kaileigh Anne Tayek, MA, is proud to serve as the Executive Director of Providing Autism Links & Support (PALS). With more than 16 years of experience in education, program development, and nonprofit leadership, she is passionate about creating innovative opportunities that foster social growth, independence, self-advocacy, and meaningful community engagement for individuals of all ages and abilities.

Holding a degree in Music Education from Bowling Green State University and a Master of Arts in Arts in Medicine from the University of Florida, Kaileigh Anne has built a career at the intersection of education, health, the arts, and disability services. Prior to joining PALS leadership, she served as the Program Manager for the University of Central Florida’s Center for Autism & Related Disabilities (2024-2026), supporting programs and partnerships that expanded access and opportunities for neurodivergent individuals and their families. Additionally, she was the Director of Arts & Wellness at Central Florida Community Arts (2014-2024), where she led collaborative initiatives with organizations including AdventHealth, the City of Orlando, Universal Orlando Foundation, and The Walt Disney Company.

As a national conference speaker on accessibility and inclusive programming, Kaileigh Anne is recognized for developing award-winning, evidence-informed programs that strengthen communication, social skills, emotional well-being, and quality of life. She is especially passionate about building strategic partnerships across healthcare, education, public health, business, and community sectors to create sustainable pathways of support for individuals with autism throughout Central Florida. Outside of her professional work, Kaileigh Anne enjoys making music, cooking, biking, and spending time with her family.

Rebekah Lugo, M.Ed, joined the PALS staff as their first full time salaried staff member in May 2025. She has worked in Public Service & the non-profit sector for over 12 years. She proudly brings her systematic thinking and problem solving skills to PALS as their Operations Manager. Bekah’s many years as a speaker, educator, teacher, writer, & performer, make her a well rounded leader that looks forward to supporting the growth and development of PALS. She helps provide the structure required to successfully run the organization but moreover she carries her creativity and passion which allows her to dedicate herself to creative problem solving and moving PALS forward as an organization. In addition, Rebekah brings over 15 years of management & training experience, ensuring she can provide the resources the team needs to successfully deliver on PALS’ mission to serve the ASD community. Outside of her professional life, she loves her two dogs Lola & Basil and spends much of her time creating art.

Lydia joined the PALS team in May of 2026 as a Program Manager for UCF CARD. She has a Master’s degree in Higher Education from Wilmington University and a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Bethel University. She began her career working for Michigan State University Extension before transitioning to Beacon College, a higher education institution that specifically works with students with learning disabilities. There, she initially worked within Housing & Residential Life, helping students navigate social-emotional situations, connecting them to wrap-around support services, and facilitating community and educational programming. Before coming to PALS, she served as the Director of Admissions at Beacon College and Evaluations Coordinator for their summer programming, where she helped guide transitional conversations with students and families, collect data on a student’s skills and readiness for post-secondary steps, and provide comprehensive evaluation and recommendations for next steps. Lydia’s passion for working with individuals with autism and related disabilities stemmed from growing up with her younger brother and was the catalyst for choosing this field. In her spare time, she enjoys going to Disney, spending time with her husband and family, watching the Detroit Lions, and snuggling with her dog.

Jessica Frank serves as the Assistant Program Manager for Providing Autism Links & Support (PALS), where she is dedicated to creating meaningful opportunities that promote social connection, skill development, and community engagement for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and their families. In her role, Jess helps develop PALS programs, mentors facilitator staff, creates curriculum and resources, and works closely with community partners to ensure participants have access to supportive, enriching, and equitable experiences. Drawing upon her background in Clinical Psychology and Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), she is passionate about translating evidence-based practices into engaging, accessible programs that foster independence, self-advocacy, and lifelong learning.

Jess earned her Bachelor of Science in Clinical Psychology from the University of Central Florida in Spring 2025 and is currently pursuing her Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology at UCF. Her academic and research interests focus on improving outcomes for neurodivergent individuals through research that informs clinical practice and emphasizes the intersectionality of neurodiverse identities. She is passionate about bridging the gap between research and real-world application to better support individuals with ASD and related neurodevelopmental conditions. Through her work with PALS, Jess combines her commitment to scientific inquiry with her passion for empowering individuals, supporting families, and developing skilled professionals who make a lasting impact in the ASD community.

Melanie Bailey holds a BA from Rutgers University and brings 15 years of high-level operations experience in the logistics & transportation industry. After a successful career in logistics, Melanie was in search of a more purpose driven career. She made the difficult choice to pivot and made a meaningful career change. Melanie is now an award-winning playwright, creating and producing her own shows to fulfill the creative side of her life. During the day, she also functions as the Office Administrator for PALS, where she has served since November 2025. Melanie is honored to support the ASD population and is proud to contribute her organizational skills, creativity, and passion to the PALS community. If you call PALS’ offices, Melanie is likely the friendly voice you’ll hear on the line. With Melanie, at the helm of constituent communications, PALS has been able to better connect with constituents and their families as well as grow a Volunteer Guild to help support programs.

Holding a bachelor’s degree in English with a minor in creative writing from the University of North Florida, David Eckstein-Shoemann began working for PALS in 2026 as their Social Media Content Collector. He is a neurodivergent on the autism spectrum who is experienced in taking pictures and creating reels. For David, one of the benefits of being neurodiverse is his very active imagination. He often envisions what type of angles and locations would create a great picture or an entertaining reel. Throughout his career, David has learned how to connect with others online and in real life. In person, he’s connected with people on the spectrum by sharing similar interests such as the literary and visual media they enjoy. This bleeds into his social media life as he connects with others online by liking and commenting on their content. He regularly shows support for the accounts of others and has occasionally been able to collaborate with them. David is thrilled to be involved in this kind of work. He loves his job and the team of people he works with. He’s especially proud of his part in the effort to raise awareness for services for people who are neurodivergent. He greatly enjoys filming people socializing and having fun adventures. David strives daily to edit pictures and videos to the best of his ability to provide the best quality content possible.

Dr. Burns received his Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from the University of Massachusetts where he first worked with children with autism serving first as a teacher and then as the Research Coordinator at the Walden Preschool. He retired from the Department of the Navy (DoN) where he spent 30 years working in research, development, and implementation of training. In addition to serving on the PALS Board, Dr. Burns volunteers in the Orange County Public School system as a mentor.

George Rosen is the Managing Member of Florida Business Valuations, LLC. He has extensive experience (20 years) in small business sales, mergers and acquisitions and has valued and sold hundreds of privately held companies. He holds an active Florida Real Estate Brokers License, is a member of the Institute of Business Appraisers, Appraisal Institute, and Business Brokers of Florida. In addition to his role with Florida Business Valuations, George is the Director of Business for Sale Florida, a business brokerage company.

Dr. Daly received her Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology with specialization in developmental disabilities from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. She started her 25+ years of experience serving individuals with autism spectrum disorders as an assistant in an inclusive preschool program. Prior to joining UCF CARD, she was Director of Training at Emory University Autism Center. While at Emory, she was Program Director of the nationally recognized Walden Toddler Program, an inclusive model demonstration program for the treatment of toddlers with autism. She is a licensed psychologist and board-certified Behavior Analyst, and has served as consultant to NEC-TAC on best practices for ASD. She has been the recipient of multiple grants from agencies that include Autism Speaks, Georgia Childcare Council, the Parker Family Foundation and Department of Education. She presents locally, nationally, and internationally on topics related to ASD, Incidental Teaching, and Early Intervention in ASD. She teaches future speech language pathologists at UCF. Her research and training interests include incidental teaching, social interaction, and early intervention. She has served on the PALS Board since 2003.

Gina Gilbert, BSN, RN, joins PALS with a long-standing career in the medical device industry as a nurse executive leading clinical, sales, and marketing teams to deliver value and improve customer experience. She is a business entrepreneur commercializing new products and raising start-ups from the ground floor to acquisition. She has also worked with multiple billion-dollar medical device manufacturers in enterprise-wide domestic and global roles to lead clinical strategy and develop people, processes, products, and programs focused on healthcare worker safety and efficiency, impacting clinical and cost-effectiveness.
On a personal note, Gina is a committed advocate for the autism community, volunteering time to support and grow participation and access to services. She has been dedicated to her family, raising 3 adopted children, now young adults. She has a son on the autism spectrum who is at one of the many pivotal stages in his life, making a transition from High School. Gina’s family has been grateful recipients of PALS and UCF CARD services over the years. She hopes to contribute to the continued impact of this organization and join the team to make a difference in the lives of those affected by autism in our community.

Ryan Hoesten is an ASHA-Certified Speech-Language Pathologist with over 10 years of healthcare experience, including direct patient care, clinical supervision, and leadership roles. Ryan received his Bachelor of Science & Master of Arts in Communication Sciences & Disorders at UCF. He has worked at Prescribed Pediatric Extended Care (PPEC) centers and led speech therapy departments for behavioral health organizations. Ryan highly values a multidisciplinary approach to care. He is trained in Hanen More than Words, experienced in augmentative & alternative communication (AAC), and he has been awarded for Continued Education. Ryan has a passion for teaching & training families, students, and clinicians.

Dr. Renu Velisetty is the Founder of Lotus Integrative Psychiatry, an outpatient psychiatry clinic. She completed her psychiatry residency at Albany Medical College and child & adolescent fellowship at the University of South Dakota. In an effort to provide more holistic options for families, she also completed advanced training in therapy, integrative psychiatry, and mind-body medicine so she can offer individualized care for all ages, including children and adults. Dr. Velisetty practiced as an attending physician in Des Moines, Iowa where she trained psychiatry residents and was on the board of Iowa Chapter of Children’s Advocacy Centers. She believes in holistic healing through both integrative practices and traditional psychiatry. As a mother of two young girls, Dr. Velisetty is a passionate advocate for children’s mental health and aims to educate others with the goal of supporting those with autism.

Peter Schoemann is a partner of Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, LLP. He has more than 25 years of experience in corporate and partnership tax law, mergers and acquisitions, and the negotiation of joint venture agreements for real estate transactions. He is a member of the Florida Bar and is a Certified Public Accountant in Florida (status of CPA license is inactive). Prior to practicing law, Peter clerked for the Honorable Carolyn P. Chiechi of the United States Tax Court. He earned a Bachelors and Masters in Accounting, a Juris Doctor, and an LLM in Tax, all at the University of Florida.
Peter shares a personal note: My wife (Christine), who is also a lawyer, gave up her legal career to raise our four children, including our sons David and Kenny, both of whom have autism. Christine was formerly on the Florida Governor’s Commission on Disabilities. I previously was Chair of the Board of Disability Rights Florida, the Seminole County Chamber of Commerce, and Leadership Seminole. Together, for 12 years, all six of us ran Breaking Barriers Martial Arts, a martial arts program that trains people with special needs. We are now running Eck-Schoe Productions and Publications, LLC, an entity that is self-publishing books intended to show the diversity and depth of people with autism, producing art, and is now producing a short film, in which two of the lead actors (as well as much of the crew) are people who have autism and other special needs.

Dr. Yasmin Lugo is a licensed clinical psychologist who is very passionate about helping others transform their lives. She has been providing psychological services for over 20 years and her areas of interest include: the effects of trauma, depression, anxiety and emotional disorders. In addition to being specialized in trauma, she has a special interest in how mothers of children with autism cope with the daily process of managing the complexity of a child with special needs.
Dr. Lugo has her own private practice: Krecer Psychological Services, LLC. During her career, she has helped countless of clients with the challenges and struggles they’ve had during their life journey. Her primary approach is trying to look for the technique that best fits her client’s needs; educating them in these techniques and helping them begintheir healing process. Dr. Lugo specializes in EMDR, Cognitive Behavioral therapy, Mindfulness therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Emotional Focused therapy, IPT, Solution Focused and Strength-Based therapy. Dr. Lugo also works as an associate professor at Valencia College.
Dr. Lugo’s life changed after having two children on the spectrum. Currently, she and her husband homeschool her youngest son and support her oldest son while he transitions to adulthood. Dr. Lugo advocates for children and adults with autism in order for them to have the same opportunities that their neurotypical peers have.
When she is not homeschooling or working, Dr. Lugo enjoys spending time with her family, and you may see her around the Central Florida area enjoying different restaurants, at the theater (especially musicals) and community events.

Punam Desormes is a Clinical Instructor and Undergraduate Program Director in the School of Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Central Florida. She also serves as collaborating faculty to the UCF Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Collaborative & Florida Alliance for Assistive Services and Technology (FAAST) Atlantic Region Demonstration Center (ARDC). Desormes obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at UCF and her Master of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology at the University of Florida. She is a RESNA Certified Assistive Technology Professional (ATP) with clinical expertise in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) and autism spectrum disorders. She has extensive experience in serving pediatric populations in the school, private practice, and home-health settings. Desormes is dedicated to providing individuals with complex communication needs (CCN) access to multimodal communication systems.
Desormes is a member of the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA) and the Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA).

Serving Loyal Source since inception as President of Government Services, Brian Moore is a recognized creative solutions and results-oriented leader. Known as the authoritative driver for the continued- and extremely successful- navigation of the ever-changing Staffing and Government Services industry economic landscape, Moore’s expert analysis of changing labor dynamics and the influence of economic changes on the workforce market prompted the launch of Loyal Source into Government Services in the early stages of business. Under Brian’s leadership, Loyal Source was awarded Small Business of the Year 2014 and Fastest Growing Staffing Company 2015 status.
Brian is well-known for being a passionate advocate of Providing Autism Links and Supports, a local Orlando organization supporting children with Autism at every stage, and other complex neurodevelopment disorders. Spearheading Loyal Source’s philanthropic involvement for the cause, Moore donates much volunteer time to The Loyal Source Foundation in the support of PALS and has significantly abetted the company in raising substantial contributions for the organization to date. Brian is the Chair of PALS main fundraiser, Derby Day Orlando.

Jonathan’s journey began when he first started playing football in the ninth grade. That experience led to more than 30 scholarship offers, a collegiate career at the University of Notre Dame and the University of Toledo, and four seasons of professional football in the Canadian Football League. Today, he is passionate about using those experiences to create opportunities for the next generation.
His connection to the autism community is both personal and professional. Jonathan has family members on the autism spectrum, giving him firsthand insight into the importance of patience, understanding, and creating environments where every child can thrive. Through PBM, he has also partnered with organizations that serve neurodivergent youth and is committed to making sports and movement more inclusive, accessible, and empowering for children of all abilities.
As a member of the PALS Board of Directors, Jonathan looks forward to helping expand community partnerships, increase awareness, and support programs that create meaningful opportunities for individuals with autism and their families. He believes every person deserves the chance to learn, grow, and discover their unique strengths through encouragement, education, and community.

Adam Reres, PhD, CCC-SLP, PMP, is a licensed speech-language pathologist, who has worked directly with individuals with ASD and ID across a range of settings, providing speech-language therapy, augmentative and alternative communication support, and communication intervention to help clients build the skills they need to connect with others and participate more fully in daily life.

Dr. Reres is also a Lecturer and Clinical Supervisor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Central Florida, where he trains and supervises the next generation of speech-language pathologists. A significant part of that work involves preparing clinicians to serve individuals with ASD, intellectual disabilities, and complex communication needs with skill and confidence, extending his impact on this community well beyond his own caseload. He currently provides speech therapy support for UCF’s Inclusive Education Services to provide services for UCF students.
His research background adds another dimension to this work. Dr. Reres holds a PhD in Public Affairs, Health Services Management and Research from UCF and studies how healthcare policy and access to services affect people with communication disabilities, including individuals who rely on AAC. This research lens shapes how he thinks about the barriers ASD and ID communities face in getting the support they need, and how those barriers might be addressed at a systemic level. His long-term goal is to enhance the design and implementation of payment systems to improve the delivery of therapeutic and healthcare services for vulnerable populations.

Dr. Reres holds an active ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence and is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP).

Cerena Hardney is a seasoned business leader with extensive experience driving strategic growth, building high-performing teams, and fostering meaningful partnerships. As the mother of a son on the autism spectrum, she is deeply committed to advancing awareness, inclusion, and opportunities for individuals with autism and their families. Cerena is honored to serve on the PALS Board of Directors, where she leverages her experience and personal passion to support the organization’s mission and strengthen its impact throughout Central Florida.