Staff, Psychologists, Teachers, and Therapists
Rose Busch, MS Leah Noyes, BS Cinamon Romero, BA
(Resume)
Gary Macdonald, Ph.D. Mary Costa, MA Lindsey Spraker, LSW
Carolyn Wolfe Olin Costa, OD (Office Dog)
Lifelong Staff
Rose
Busch, MS: Rose was a special education teacher in Denver
Public Schools before she retired. Recently retired from Lifelong
and the Denver Public Schools, she is still taking care of us
and our clients.
Shana
Cohen, MSSA, LCSW:
Shana Cohen has
been a Licensed Clinical Social Worker since 2008.
Shana holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and a
Bachelor of Science degree in Organizational Communications from
Mary
Costa, MA: Mary
Costa founded Lifelong with Gary Macdonald in 1993. Mary
discovered while working with Gary at the Community College Denver's
learning disability program that the teaching techniques she learned and
applied with ESL students worked remarkably well with people who have
learning disabilities. She has become expert in identifying the
needs of adults and adolescents with learning problems and she remains a
very competent teacher of English as a second language, as well.
Mary lived, worked and studied in Mexico City, where she earned her
bachelor's degree in ESL curriculum development and taught English at
the National Autonomous University of Mexico (U.N.A.M.) at the E.N.E.P.
Acatlan Campus. She later returned to the U.S. where she pursued her interests in ESL and learning differences and
earned a Master's degree in Applied Linguistics.
Ben DeVoss, MA, NCC, LPC: Ben
DeVoss currently splits his time between
Graland Country Day School and
Lifelong. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the
Dana Grote, Ph.D.: Dr.
Grote holds a Bachelor of
Science degree in Psychology from
Colorado
State University (1995) and Master
of Arts and
Doctor of Philosophy degrees
in Clinical Psychology from the University of Detroit
Mercy (1998/2000).
She is a licensed clinical psychologist who conducts psychological
evaluations for clients with learning and developmental disabilities and
psychiatric disorders. She also has experience in neuropsychology,
cognitive rehabilitation, and working with clients with mild traumatic
brain injuries. Dr. Grote is a native of Colorado and married with
two children. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, skiing,
volunteering, and spending time with friends and family. See Dr.
Grote's
resume
for more information about her.
Caroline Hale,
LCSW:
Caroline Hale, MSW, LCSW received her Bachelors of Arts Degree in
Sociology from the
Leah
Noyes, BS:
Leah Lemoine
holds a Bachelor of
Science degree in Education from
Gary Macdonald, Ph.D.:
With Mary Costa, Dr. Macdonald founded Lifelong AES, Inc. in 1993
to fill a gap in services to adults with learning, developmental, and
mental health disabilities. Formerly the director of the
learning disability program on the Auraria campus in downtown Denver, Dr. Macdonald has
focused his practice on evaluating adult learning and
performance problems and translating evaluation results into real-life
solutions for cognitive weaknesses in the workplace, home, and community.
Assessment and psychotherapy for people who have nonverbal learning
disabilities, social or interpersonal problems, and/or Asperger's
Disorder are professional interests. Gary is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and
a Licensed School Psychologist. After conducting
more than 2000 learning disability, AD/HD, general cognitive, and mental
health evaluations, Dr. Macdonald has also become expert in
what is probably the most underserved of populations: people considered
to be slower learners who do not have disabilities (i.e., people with
IQ's between about 70 and about 89). Dr. Macdonald has consulted
with testing agencies on their accommodations
policy and has been an expert witness in court cases regarding
ADA issues as they relate to people with learning and developmental
disabilities. See Dr. Macdonald's
resume for more about his
background.
Cinamon Romero,
B.A.: Recently graduated from the
University of Colorado-Denver with a degree in psychology, Cinamon
joined Lifelong as our office manager and intake specialist in February, 2010.
Lindsey Spraker,
LSW, CTRS:
Lindsey Spraker received her Bachelor of Science degree in Therapeutic
Recreation, with a minor in Psychology, from the University of Wisconsin
- La Crosse in 2006. She is currently a Certified Therapeutic Recreation
Specialist, a title many people get confused by; but if you ask her
about it, she’ll be glad to tell you anything you want to know! She went
on to complete her Master of Social Work from the University of Denver
in 2009 with a clinical concentration and obtained a certificate in
Animal Assisted Therapy. Lindsey has over nine years experience in
working with individuals of all ages who have differing abilities,
learning capacities, limitations, and special needs. She utilizes many
different therapeutic approaches; the most important being the one that
best serves the client. Lindsey moved from Wisconsin to Denver in 2007
and admits it to be one of her best decisions yet. In her spare time,
she enjoys hiking, playing softball, spending time with her family
(including her pack of dogs) and having friends come to visit. See
Lindsey's
resume.
Carolyn
Wolfe: Part time instructor and always our expert in adult basic
education, Carolyn came to us from the Community College of Denver and
has many years of experience teaching adults.
About
Olin
Costa,
O.D. and Quila, Osage Orphan Cat: In semi-retirement from
more strenuous, traditional
Newfie pursuits,
Olin (O'lean) comes to Lifelong three
times per week to sleep under Mary's desk and eat Leah's lunch. At
eleven years,
she is getting old by big-dog standards. Her 150 pounds continue to bring smiles to faces around the office, especially
when she has lost track of Mary's whereabouts and runs from room to
room looking for her without forgetting to check the trashcans along the
way for donuts. Quila the cat wandered into the Osage Building
courtyard one day where she was found by one of our students. She was
so small that she was mistaken for a squirrel, but, once inside, she bravely explored all of our
offices and eventually found a home with Gary,
Mary and Olin. She was tiny and remains a smallish cat, though she
has a bit of a pot belly now.
Please support your local animal shelters!
Thanks to Bob Macdonald for most of the photos in the website: www.bobmacdonaldphotography.com
