Barbara Gromacki

Barbara Gromacki is responsible for serving as the organizations people leader, leading Human Resources and Talent Acquisition. She is an experienced leader with diverse experience across multiple industries including healthcare, entertainment, manufacturing and industrial technologies both in the public and private sectors.

Committed to serving her community, Barbara has been involved for many years with nonprofit board service. She was elected Chairwoman of Rogers Behavioral Health (RBH) Board of Directors in 2022. Serving as the first female Chair in the organization’s history. She also chairs the RBH executive compensation committee and has served as Secretary, Vice Chair, and on the Governance Committee. Other non-profit board experience includes, Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Northeast Wisconsin, Board Member, American Society of Training and Development NE WI, Board President, and Friends of the Arts – Catholic Memorial High School, Board President, to name a few.

Barbara earned her Bachelor of Art’s degree in Human Resources from St. Norbert College and her Master of Science degree in Leadership and Organizational Behavior from Silver Lake College.

“An organization’s greatest asset is it’s people. That is no exception at Lighthouse. From our therapists and BCBA’s to our Learner Support Team, you can see and feel that you are a part of something bigger with Lighthouse.”

Jeff Hulburt

As CFO, Jeff leads the Finance, Accounting and Insurance Teams. Jeff has deep experience in the healthcare industry serving as CFO, CEO and other leadership roles for other ABA therapy organizations and in the acute care provider space. Jeff served as a board member and board chair for Riverside Community Care, a behavioral health and human services organization in Massachusetts. Jeff earned his bachelor’s degree in Cardiopulmonary Science from Boston University and his MBA with a concentration in Healthcare Finance from the University of Massachusetts.

“While I have worked in healthcare for many years, working in ABA, and specifically with Lighthouse, is quite meaningful.  it is clear the services we provide are life changing for the learners and families we serve. It’s a privilege to be a part of that and I look forward to continuing to be a part of the good work that is being done here.”

Todd Frech

Todd serves as the Chief Technical Officer at Lighthouse Autism Center, where he oversees all aspects of our clinical applications, data management, and integration with various cloud providers. This role is crucial in supporting our comprehensive enterprise data and analytics platform.

Before joining Lighthouse, Todd was a partner at Accenture and has held several prominent CIO and CTO positions within the healthcare and technology sectors. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Computer and Electrical Engineering and a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from Purdue University.

“I am deeply passionate about Lighthouse’s mission to support autistic children and their families. Being part of a team that is dedicated to making a meaningful difference is something I truly value.”

Karen Hjerleid

 Karen Hjerleid is responsible for overseeing new families’ introduction to Lighthouse Autism Center, fostering professional community collaborations, and driving the expansion of services into new communities. 

A seasoned healthcare industry professional, Karen brings extensive expertise in business development, sales, marketing, and operations leadership across diverse sectors, including behavioral health, direct primary care, population management, insurance, home care, and staffing. 

Karen earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Colorado State University and an MBA from Southern Illinois University. 

“I am honored to serve the families and communities we work with, expanding access to high-quality ABA treatment for children with autism. We have the unique opportunity to make a lasting impact during some of the most formative times in these children’s lives, helping them discover their individual paths. It’s truly an inspiring mission.” 

Natalie Lovejoy

Natalie establishes Lighthouse Autism Center’s clinical standards and leads the development of clinical policies, driving the organization’s commitment to excellence in clinical training, quality assurance, and outcomes measurement. Her work focuses on setting and upholding high standards for clinical excellence, creating best-practice policies, and aligning clinical initiatives with strategic goals to foster a high-performance culture focused on continuous improvement and exceptional learner outcomes.

Joining Lighthouse in 2015, Natalie has held various leadership roles, contributing to the organization’s growth and clinical success. She earned both her BA and MA in Applied Behavior Analysis from Western Michigan University.

“At Lighthouse Autism Center, our mission is to uphold the highest standard of clinical excellence as we expand our reach. With growth comes both opportunity and responsibility, and we are committed to ensuring every learner receives the quality care they deserve. This commitment means establishing systems that empower our clinical teams to provide exceptional care, fostering an environment of continuous improvement and accountability. By staying true to these principles, we strive to make a meaningful difference in the lives of the learners and families we serve.”

Leila Allen

Leila Allen is responsible for increasing our in-house knowledge of the rules and regulations impacting quality ABA services and sound business operations within the states we operate, and influencing change where needed to help us fulfill our mission.  Leila will also focus on communicating the value of our reputation in ABA excellence through strategic relationships with payors, advocacy groups, trade associations, professional associations, businesses, government organizations, university/college campuses and other enterprises.

Leila joined Lighthouse in 2012 and has held various leadership positions during her time with the organization. Leila also serves on the Standards Committee for the Autism Commission on Quality. Leila earned her MA from Ball State University and MBA from Strayer University.

“Having been at Lighthouse for so long has given me the opportunity to see so much growth, not only in the company, and our learners, but in our team, and the industry. Watching our learners and team evolve, grow, and adapt has truly been so much fun and makes working at LAC incredibly rewarding. I’ve always believed that our learners are the absolute best thing about this job, and they are, but our team is a close second.”

Katie Meyer

Katie oversees the clinical operations of all centers across all states, including ABA services, diagnostic services, speech therapy services and clinical training. 

A BCBA since 2014, Katie began as a behavioral therapist at our first center in Mishawaka, IN. Over the years, she worked in various clinical positions, gaining a comprehensive understanding of our services and the needs of our learners and their families.  

Katie graduated with a BA in Psychology from Indiana University and a Master’s in Applied Behavior Analysis from Ball State University. 

“Lighthouse has always fostered this profound sense of community, even as we have grown to serve new states. Many of our team members have been with us since our small beginnings, and their dedication in leading our next generation of Lighthouse Legends is something I really enjoy being a part of.” 

Maggie Gendel

Maggie leads the New Center opening team. Maggie previously worked in fundraising and business development at the University of Notre Dame. She first developed her passion for families with special healthcare needs after beginning her early career as a direct support associate working with adults with autism. 

Maggie graduated with a BS in Diplomacy from Seton Hall University and an MBA from Western Governor’s University. 

“Working at an organization with such an impactful mission attracts not only highly talented individuals, but also just really, really good people. To work with such a highly talented and compassionate team that are so deeply committed to our learners and families is something thing that brings so much joy and fulfillment.”