Liza Ashley
Founder, CEO​
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Liza grew up in Western MA on an organic farm in Leyden. She has been in the field of autism services since 2016, working in both direct service and supervision roles in ABA as well as in roles surrounding family support and resource connections.
Liza is a Behavior Analyst with a Master’s in Education and concentration in Applied Behavior Analysis. With a passion for providing the most empathetic, client-centered care, Liza returned to her hometown area to start Zephyr after finding out that her passion aligned with a need in the region.
She envisions Zephyr as a community organization that celebrates unique personalities and where children and staff members alike come to have FUN.
Liza’s favorite activities as a kid were imaginative play with stuffed animals and building fairy houses in the woods of Leyden!​​​​​
Alex Marquez
Co-Founder, Executive Director
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Alex grew up in Chicago but found his way to the East Coast after attending Connecticut College. With a background in startup environments, he enjoys building day-to-day operations around a clear mission and purpose.
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At Zephyr, Alex focuses on making sure the team has the resources and support they need to do their best work. He enjoys building the behind-the-scenes systems that allow the people at Zephyr to focus on what matters most: creating a place where children, families, and staff feel supported and excited to be here. He believes great work and a fun, inclusive culture can and should go hand in hand.
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Growing up, Alex loved spending afternoons in his neighbor’s garage learning to restore antique cars, sparking an appreciation of cars that has stuck with him ever since.
Katherine Hulley
Board Certified Behavior Analyst, Group Curriculum Coordinator
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Katherine grew up in the Chicago area and moved around a bit until putting down roots with her husband and daughter in Western MA when she joined the Zephyr team in 2022. After graduating from Vanderbilt with her Master's degree in Early Childhood Special Education and receiving her BCBA certification, Katherine held a variety of roles working with young children. She worked for many years as a preschool teacher and most recently as a preschool education coach, supporting teachers to implement classroom practices that supported all children.
Katherine is passionate about using play and joy to build relationships with children, to teach skills that are meaningful to them, and to foster their authentic interest in the world around them. She enjoys thinking creatively about supporting each child's skill development in ways that feel fun and collaborative!
Katherine's favorite activity as a kid was hosting all her dolls at her pretend restaurant to make them elaborate playdoh pizzas and desserts!
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Nicole Black
Care Coordinator,
Recruitment & Training Specialist
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Nicole grew up in small town Ohio before coming to Massachusetts to earn a degree in Anthropology from Mount Holyoke College. She worked in DCF contracted group homes for many years including an autism specific group home before joining Zephyr. She is actively pursuing an MS in ABA with the goal to become a BCBA.
As the Recruitment and Training Care Coordinator she is passionate about promoting learning and growth for both clients and team members and works to provide support and guidance to create a safe, fun, and rich learning environment.
When she was younger, Nicole was an avid reader and video game player, her first game being the Madeline PC game. Despite that she still found time to play football with her brother and soccer with her sister.
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Orianna Rzucidlo
Care Coordinator,
Outreach & Operations Specialist
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Orianna grew up in a small town in Western New York, always having love for working with children. This passion for working with kids is driven by the desire to support and uplift others.
She earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a minor in Sociology, which deepened her understanding of human behavior and community systems. After graduating, Ori made her way to Western Massachusetts, where she discovered Zephyr. Through her work at Zephyr, she developed a strong sense of purpose and enthusiasm for the field of ABA and community support.
Ori is able to combine her passion for working with children with meaningful support for individuals and families. She's inspired by the lasting impact she can make while helping strengthen the community through compassionate, meaningful support.
As a kid, Ori was always in the dance studio she grew up going to, participating in a wide variety of classes. When she wasn't dancing, she spent her time exploring nature engaging in lots of pretend play, making fun crafts or spending time with her pets!
Rachel Paul
Care Coordinator,
Outreach & Operations Specialist
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Rachel grew up in a small town in Northern Connecticut where she has always had a passion for enjoying the little things in life. Her experience working with children is something that has consistently revived a childlike curiosity, spirit, and wonder about the world for her.
She earned her Bachelors in Business Management at Endicott College, and after exploring different avenues, found herself at Zephyr with a desire for learning something new. Rachel is currently enrolled in an MSW program with an ABA concentration and is excited to be completing a BCBA practicum experience with Zephyr.
Her work at Zephyr encourages community engagement and promotes accessibility through progressive approaches to ABA. She centers her work around warmth, patience, and inclusion and is passionate about making those around her feel uplifted. As a child, you could find Rachel building intricate worlds for her Littlest Pet Shop toys and singing any chance she got.
Rosemary Brault
Care Coordinator,
Group Curriculum Specialist
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Rosemary grew up in Western Massachusetts. She always had a passion for working with kids and is heavily involved in her local chapter of Special Olympics, where she both coaches kids and plays alongside them as a Unified Partner. Rosemary is currently in the process of completing her Bachelor’s in psychology and hopes to become a BCBA one day.
Rosemary’s favorite activities as a kid were reading to her stuffed animals and going on backyard adventures with her brother.