• Home
• About The Institute
• Programs and Services for Adults
• Programs and Services for Children and Families
• Workshops, Training and Consultation

Corporate Staff

Roger Strauss, Ph.D., is the Executive President of the Institute and one of the co-founders of the agency. He is responsible for the overall operation of the organization, chairs the Senior Management Team, a unique group management structure, and is a member of the Board of Directors. Dr. Strauss has extensive experience in the field of community mental health an in successfully providing support to adults and children with persistent mental health and developmental needs. He was the Executive Director of Washington County Mental Health Center in Vermont for 30 years and participated in the Vermont State Mental Health and Developmental Disability initiative to help people who once lived in state hospitals or state schools return to the community. In addition Dr. Strauss brings a clinical background to his work with his experience as a Clinical Psychologist for the Ann Arbor VA Hospital in Michigan and Boston VA Hospital, as well as a legal perspective; he received a law degree from Harvard in 1960 and his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Michigan in 1967. Dr. Strauss' interests include the delivery of mental health services in rural settings and the development of creative and unique ways to solve organization and service delivery problems.

Elaine J. Lussier, A.S. is the Executive Vice President for The Institute and one of the co-founders of the agency. She is responsible for the oversight of the Vermont Corporate business office, a member of the senior management team and is a member of the Board of Directors of The Institute. Elaine received her associate degree in business and brings 33 years of experience as the Director of Finance and Administration at Washington County Mental Health Center to her work with The Institute. Elaine also spent two years at Columbia University's Lamont Geological Observatory in New York collecting and analyzing oceanographic research data. She has served on the board of many non-profits, including the Vermont Chapter of the March of Dimes, Washington County Group Home and School, and The Girls Scouts of America; she is the past Deputy Governor for Vermont to the National Counsel of Community Mental Health Centers. Elaine also served as Fiscal Consultant to Guardianship Trust of VT, Council of Community Mental Health Centers, and is the Founder and Executive Director of Applied Management Technologies Inc. She is currently the Chairwoman of the Board of Trustees, Montpelier Lodge of Elks #924. 

George M. Durham, M.A. is the Vice President in charge of Program Administration and is one of the co-founders of The Institute. Mr. Durham's extensive clinical expertise, program development experience and reputation throughout New England, complemented by the expertise and experience of Dr. Kelly, were instrumental in the rapid development of The Institute during its early years. Originally in charge of development and oversight of the program services of the Institute, Mr. Durham now serves as a consultant at large, assisting Institute clinicians and directors in program development, case consultation, and staff training. He brings with him experience from a 50 year career in education and human services, including developing and operating a school for children with autism in Connecticut, consultation to numerous state and private residential and day programs for people with behavioral and intellectual disabilities and starting and directing Johnston State College's special education initiative to train people to develop and manage community based services for youth and adults with severe disabilities. Mr. Durham received his B.A. from the University of Michigan and completed his M.A. and all Ph.D. course work at California State University at San Francisco. He also completed coursework at the University of Hartford in Connecticut and became a certified Assistant Superintendant of Schools and Director of Special Education Services. He has been a licensed elementary school teacher and child and family therapist as well. Subsequent to his formal education, Mr. Durham received large grants from the state of Connecticut to travel around the country to visit outstanding university and community-based programs providing him with an intense and prolonged training experience in applied behavior analysis. Special interests include specialized foster care for children and adults, transitional issues for children moving into adulthood, family training and new and innovative staff training models.

Kim M. Kelly, Ph.D., BCBA, is the Vice President of Clinical Services and is one of the co-founders of The Institute. She is responsible for the quality of the clinical work of the agency and oversees the work of the Corporate Clinical Office, which provides support to each state including: developing and monitoring of clinical standards, developing and distributing educational materials and trainings, clinical risk review, and abuse prevention support. Dr. Kelly brings with her 30 years of experience in community services for people with developmental disabilities, education and intervention strategies for children with autism, research, and staff training. Her professional interests include autism spectrum disorder, developmental disabilities, creating safe and respectful environments, multicultural education, and applied behavior analysis. She has published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disabilities, co-written book chapters,  presented at local and national conferences and taught as adjunct faculty at several colleges. She completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Minnesota under Dr. Catherine Lord, graduating summa cum laude. She completed her masters and doctorate at the University of Vermont.

Sarah Miller, M.B.A., is The Institute’s Controller. She is responsible for financial operations, including corporate relationships with financial institutions and insurers, management of cash flow, investment portfolio, audit function and regulatory and contract reporting compliance, and accounting system design and supervision.  Ms. Miller serves as trustee and manages daily operations of self-funded health and 403b deferred compensation plans. She is a participating member of the organization’s senior management team, staff liaison's to The Institutes Board of Directors and  manages the corporate office physical plant operations. Sarah was previously employed by the State of Vermont in accounting/auditing roles for several agencies, including four years as a Medicaid rate-setting auditor. She currently serves as Vice President of the Vermont State Employees’ Credit Union, having previously been Treasurer and Secretary, and as Treasurer of the Central Vermont Medical Center Auxiliary and the Zonta Club of Chittenden County. Ms. Miller received her M.B.A. from the University of Vermont; and her A.B. with Honors from Middlebury College.

Barbara Caparulo, Psy.D., serves as The Institute’s Director of Quality in Applied Clinical Practice and is responsible for developing and monitoring quality indicators of clinical practice in the agency, clinical risk management and supporting states to provide respectful and safe environments for those we serve.  She was State Director of The Institute’s Massachusetts programs for seven years, and previously Massachusetts’s Clinical Director. She received her Master’s Degree in Developmental Psychology from Yale University, where she worked as a researcher investigating the causes of autism at the Yale University School of Medicine Child Study Center for many years. Her doctorate in clinical and organizational psychology was earned at the Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology in Boston. She has published in the American Academy of Child Psychiatry, the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disabilities, the British Journal of Developmental Psychology, Pediatrics, and other peer-reviewed journals. Her professional interests include the biological bases of behavior, autism, aging and Down Syndrome, neurobiological disorders of development, creation of healthy and affirming environments, and staff training.  Dr. Caparulo frequently is an invited speaker on issues related to developmental disabilities and consults with individuals, families and human service organizations.