Staff
The Springboard School's staff is comprised of a well-trained interdisciplinary team including speech and language therapists, special education teachers, occupational therapists, school social workers and child development specialists. We bring decades of collective experience to help both our students and their families thrive.
Lois Mendelson, Ph.D., Director
Lois has been with the program since its inception in 1978 and has been its director since 2002. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Barnard College, a master’s degree from Columbia University, and a Ph.D. from NYU. She completed a seven-year training program in child, couples, and family therapy from the Institute for Child, Adolescent and Family Studies (ICAFS) in New York.
Lisa Bernholz-Balsam, MS, CCC/SLP, Speech and Language Pathologist and Audiologist
Lisa is an ASHA certified, state-licensed speech and language pathologist and audiologist, specializing in the treatment of pediatric speech and language disorders. She earned her MS at the City University of New York, Brooklyn College, and has been with our school since 1998. She also has a private practice in Englewood.
Amy Goldstein, Assistant Teacher
Amy Goldstein joined The Springboard School as an assistant teacher in 2021. She holds a master’s degree in elementary education from Hunter College and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania. She spent 11 years teaching various ages at Temple Sinai’s Early Childhood Center. For 16 years prior to teaching, she worked at the National Child Labor Committee, a non-profit organization in New York City.
Michele Imhof, MS Ed, Special Education Teacher
Michele has over 20 years of experience as a classroom teacher. She holds teaching certificates both in NY and NJ and has three master’s degrees from Bank Street College of Education: early childhood/elementary education, early childhood special education, and early childhood leadership. She has been with our school since 2015. Prior to joining our staff, she was the early childhood director at the Grosvenor Neighborhood House YMCA Tender Care Program in NYC, a SEIT (Special Education Itinerant Teacher) for The Jewish Board and a pre-k teacher at the Weekday School.
Michelle H. Roth, MS, OTR, Occupational Therapist
Michelle earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and an MS in occupational therapy from Columbia University. Prior to joining our staff in 2002, Michelle worked in Manhattan at several special education schools and early intervention centers. She has also been a senior occupational therapist at Focus Children’s Therapy Center since 2002, where she provides occupational therapy for children in a clinic setting.
Yonit Weiss, MS, CCC/SLP, Speech and Language Pathologist
Yonit is a certified speech and language pathologist in both New York and New Jersey. She joins us with over 15 years of experience working in both clinical and school settings. She received a bachelor's degree in speech and language from Queens College and a Master of Science in speech and language pathology from Brooklyn College. Yonit specializes in working with the school-age population, specifically children in grades K-8.