Westlake Village

Kevin Shapiro, MD, PhD, a renowned expert in cognitive neuroscience, is Executive Director of Research and Therapeutic Technologies at Cortica. Dr. Shapiro uses his expertise to identify and address the underlying causes that may impact a child’s development.

Erin Hafey is a BCBA and leader in the field of ABA with over 18 years of experience working with children, adolescents, and adults with autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders. She has served as Regional Clinical Director at Easterseals where she oversaw the quality of clinical ABA services provided to individuals with autism. She has expertise in a range of Early Intervention programs for autism, including classroom-based programs. She received her Masters in Clinical Psychology from Notre Dame de Namur University and her BA from University of California, San Diego, in Urban Studies and Public Health.

Karen oversees our sensorimotor and communications team in Westlake Village. She brings extensive experience conducting assessments and providing clinical and school-based occupational interventions to children and young people under 21 years of age. She also has experience in program development, supervision/mentoring, and family/educator training.

Karen joins Cortica from Chatterbox Pediatric Therapy Center in Idaho. While at Chatterbox, Karen introduced occupational therapy intervention to an existing Speech-Language clinic and grew the program to an immensely successful team of 10 occupational therapy staff serving numerous children with various sensory, motor, developmental, communication, and behavioral needs.

Karen was also responsible for a school contract where she collaborated with the multidisciplinary special education team to evaluate students and implement Individualized Education Program services. This collaboration focused on facilitating the use of school-based sensory strategies, including flexible classroom seating, sensory integration/regulation, sensory-behavioral intervention, functional vision screening, fine motor skills, visual perceptual skill development, core/extremity strengthening, and teacher/family education.

Through occupational therapy intervention and therapist mentoring, Karen is committed to helping each child reach their fullest potential through effective goal-directed therapy, sensorimotor integration, and motivating each child and therapist to meet their goals.