Meet the Team

Educational Learning Experience
The Administrative Team
Beth Laub - Assistant Executive Director
Denise Blair - Assistant Program Director
Cheryl Lachant - Curriculum Coordinator
Lauren Telesmanic - Occupational Therapy Supervisor
Deborah Bolzan - Speech Therapy Supervisor
Theresa Gurrieri - Physical Therapy Supervisor

Beth Laub
Assistant Executive Director of Education
Beth has been working in the field of special education for 20 years. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree of Science in Special Education from Fordham University, a Master’s Degree in Special Education and a School Building Leadership Certificate from College of St. Rose.
She began her teaching career at SAIL at Ferncliff Manor Residential School located in Yonkers NY where she worked with children with multiple disabilities. Working closely with children with a focus on how they learn, as much as what is taught, allowed her students to achieve goals, grow and learn to be the best they could be. That is her philosophy for all of education, focus on the student and what they need to be successful always. After many years of working directly with the children, she made the shift into school administration so that support can be spread to the staff along with the children. In 2010 Beth became the Director of United Preschool in White Plains NY where she learned how to become a team’s Director, not the Director of the team. Her guiding mantra is “listen to listen, not respond”, it is the only way to understand and meet the needs of our students.

Denise Blair
Assistant Program Director
Denise joined The Arc of Sullivan Orange Counties in 2014, following fifteen years of working with children with disabilities of all ages and in many different capacities. Her career began at Hawthorne Country Day School in Hawthorne, NY teaching Early Intervention, Preschool and K through 2nd grade children with disabilities. She holds a Masters Degrees in Childhood Education and School Building Leadership from Mercy College. Denise views a collaborative school environment as the key to creating successful teachers and students. She believes partnerships with parents and community members are essential to enriching the school experience for each student.

Cheryl Lachant
Curriculum Coordinator
Cheryl Lachant has been working in the field of special education for over 20 years. She has a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, a Bachelor of Science in Special Education and a Masters in Special Education from Buffalo State College. Her teaching career started in the Buffalo Public Schools as a special education teacher. After 25 years in the classroom, 21 of which were at the Educational Learning Experience, she made the move to Curriculum Coordinator. Cheryl believes that collaboration and teamwork is what makes for a positive, learning and nurturing school environment and that caregivers are an integral part of this. She also feels it is important to remember that every child has unlimited potential. As spoken by the great Dr. Seuss, “Kid you’ll move mountains.”
