Lifelong Staff, Psychologists, Teachers, and Therapists
Dana Grote, Ph.D. Shana Cohen, MSSA, LCSW Ben DeVoss, MA, LPC, NCC
(Resume) (Resume) (Resume)
Rose Busch, MS Kirk Thoreson, Psy.D.. Leah Lemoine, BS
(Resume)
Gary Macdonald, Ph.D. Mary Costa, MA Cinamon Romero
(Resume)
Olin Costa, O.D. (Office Dog) Quila, Osage Orphan Kitty
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 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.
Leah Lemoine, 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. Dr. Macdonald is listed at AllTherapist.com
Cinamon Romero: Recently graduated from the University of Colorado-Denver with a degree in Psychology, Cinamon joined Lifelong as our office manager in February, 2010.
Lindsey Spraker: Lindsey Spraker joined Lifelong in January 2010 because of her interest in working with people who have disabilities.
Kirk Thoreson, Psy.D.: Dr.
Thoreson works periodically for Lifelong part-time while he
develops his private practice. For more about him and his
practice, click here.
About
Olin,
O.D. and Quila, Osage Orphan: 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 Shana's lunch. At nine years,
she is getting old by big-dog standards. Her 155 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 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 by the guy that lives in the bushes by the
railroad tracks behind the Osage Building. 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. She is fearless, and as you can see
in her picture above, she even sees Olin's bulk as
nothing more than a furry four-poster that rolls over on her sometimes.
Please support your local animal shelters!
Thanks to Bob Macdonald for most of the photos in the website: www.bobmacdonaldphotography.ifp3.com