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November 21, 2008

PCDI Hosts Meeting of International Autism Intervention Professionals

The Princeton Child Development Institute's Executive Directors, Mr. Edward Fenske and Dr. Gregory MacDuff recently hosted a full day conference to discuss relevant issues in providing science-based intervention for people with autism and successful program replication. The conference included directors from PCDI's dissemination sites in New Jersey, New York and international sites in Turkey and Poland. Directors from each dissemination site trained at PCDI for twelve months prior to opening their own programs. Presenters shared their program's successes and disseminated new ideas.

Attendees included David Sidener, Ph.D. of Garden Academy, Edward Fenske, M.A.T., Ed.S. of PCDI, Kevin Brothers, Ph.D. of Somerset Hills Learning Institute, Kara Reagon, M.Ed. of PCDI, Gregory MacDuff, Ph.D. Executive Director of PCDI, Paul Schreiber of Somerset Hills Learning Institute, Patricia J. Krantz, Ph.D. Executive Director Emeritae of PCDI, Lynn E. McClannahan, Ph.D. Executive Director Emeritae of PCDI, Claire Poulson, Ph.D. Professor of CUNY,  Donna Farrell of the Institute for Educational Achievement (IEA), Dawn Buffington Townsend, Ph.D. of IEA, Binyamin Birkan, Ph.D. of TOHUM, Istanbul, Turkey, Ania Budzinska, Ph.D. of the Institute for Child Development (IWRD), Gdansk, Poland and Susan Vener, Ph.D. of the New York Child Learning Institute.

October 28, 2008

Board of Trustees Grants John H. Ewing Emeritus Status

The Board of Trustees of the Princeton Child Development Institute (PCDI) recently recognized John H. Ewing, of Basking Ridge, for his dedication and service by granting him emeritus status.  

Ewing, a former state senator, was a member of the PCDI's Board of Trustees from September 1979 through October 2008. He also served as President and Chairman of the Building Capital Campaign Fund in 1984.

With Ewing's leadership and guidance PCDI was able to move from leased building space to a permanent facility located on Cold Soil Road in Princeton where it is still based today.

May 10, 2008

Pamela and Roland Machold honored at Spring Sensations 2008

On May 10, 2008, Princeton Child Development Institute hosted Spring Sensations, an annual gala for programs that benefit people with autism. The generosity of sponsors, as well as live and silent auctions, raised over $270,000.

Pamela Machold, founder of Princeton Child Development Institute and her husband, Roland Machold, were honored. PCDI's Executive Directors, Dr. Gregory MacDuff and Mr. Edward Fenske, presented them with the first PCDI Founders' Award for their contributions to the achievement of PCDI's mission to provide cutting-edge treatment to individuals with autism and the dissemination of science-based intervention around the world.

PCDI was founded in 1970 by Pamela Machold and her mother Peggy Pulleyn. Their vision was a program with a science-based approach to teaching people with autism. Nearly 40 years later, the Princeton Child Development Institute remains the "Gold Standard" for autism intervention programs around the world.

Mr. Edward Fenske, PCDI Executive Director,

Roland and Pamela Machold, and

Dr. Gregory MacDuff, PCDI Executive Director

March 2, 2006

Volunteers Address Invitations to Spring Sensations

Volunteers are addressing invitations for Spring Sensations, an dinner/dance auction for the benefit of Princeton Child Development Institute's programs for people with autism. This year's gala will be held on May 6, 2006 at the Westin Princeton at 6:00 pm. Reservations for $150 per person can be made by calling 609-924-6280.

back row, left: Michelle Bacher, Susan Edwards, Maria Gomez
front left: Ilona Sansone, Henrietta Renzi and Laura Morgan (event chairs), Dina Elkins, Sherry Kuo

February 14, 2006

Princeton Child Development Institute Awarded $22,000 Grant

Princeton Child Development Institute (PCDI) is the recipient of a $22,000 grant for its Adult Life-Skills Program, awarded by The Daniel Jordan Fiddle Foundation of Ridgewood, NJ. The foundation's mission is to honor the individuality of every person with autistic spectrum disorder so that each may participate throughout their lifetimes in vocational, recreational, educational and residential opportunities that are suitable, stimulating and sustainable and allow for maximum integration in the community. Understanding that the life-span issues associated with autism presents unique challenges to families and caregivers, The Daniel Jordan Fiddle Foundation provides grants to programs that address these challenges.  

This award will support the goals of PCDI's Adult Life-Skills Program to provide specialized services to adults with autism so they can acquire the skills that are necessary to expand their employment options.   Enhancing quality of life by increasing adults' participation in community recreation and leisure activities is also an important goal.

PCDI serves children, adolescents, and adults with autism by providing intervention programs based on the science of applied behavior analysis.   These programs are developed and implemented at its headquarters in Princeton, New Jersey, and are also used as models by other organizations across the U.S. and abroad.

(left) Gregory S. MacDuff, Ph. D., Director, PCDI Adult Life-Skills Program,

(center) Linda Walder Fiddle, Executive Director of The Daniel Jordan Fiddle Foundation,

(right) Steven Walder, Trustee of The Daniel Jordan Fiddle Foundation

December 27, 2005

Santa Rides to Support People With Autism

Santa Claus rode his motorcycle around the Mercer Mall to raise money for the Princeton Child Development Institute, a non-profit program of people with autism. Cold Stone Creamery in the Mercer Mall donated 25% of the day's sales to PCDI.

September 28, 2005

Mel Karmazin Foundation gives a gift to PCDI. 

Mel Karmazin (CEO of Sirius Satellite Radio) and his daughter, Dina Elkins of Princeton were at the Princeton Child Development Institute (PCDI) to attend a dedication ceremony of PCDI's new playground “Aunt Mary's Place” named for Mel Karmazin's mother Mary, who died last year.   The state-of-the-art, 2,900 sq. ft. playground is a gift from the Mel Karmazin Foundation.

Speakers at the dedication included Ann Marie Vaurio, Esq., Executive Vice President of PCDI's Board of Trustees, Patricia J. Krantz, Ph.D., Executive Director of PCDI, Dina Elkins, and Mel Karmazin.  

Dr. Krantz thanked Mr. Karmazin and said, “Aunt Mary's Playground is much more than a beautiful, safe place for children.   It is a classroom to teach younger children to imitate the play of older children;   to teach the joy of sharing a see saw ride with another child;   to teach children with autism to break free of their restricted patterns of behavior and to explore new worlds;   To prepare them to one day successfully play on other playgrounds with typically developing children.”

Mel Karmazin added that he typically keeps his philanthropic activities anonymous but because of his grandson's diagnosis of autism, he wishes to bring more attention to the importance of effective intervention for young children with the disorder.     He closed his remarks by saying that he is proud to support PCDI and the hard work and dedication of PCDI's skilled professionals.

(left to right) Mel Karmazin visits with a PCDI student; Dr. Lynn McClannahan, Mel Karmazin & Dr. Patricia Krantz;

Board of Trustee Members: George Sarkar, Ann Vaurio, Dina Elkins, John Goedecke Jr., Mel Karmazin, Richard Simkus, & Jerry Rovner

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