Autism New Jersey Welcomes Dr. Joe Novak as Director of Clinical Content

Will Enhance Clinical Content, Trainings, and Conference

Autism New Jersey’s commitment to providing families and professionals with evidence-based education and resources is strengthened as we welcome Joe Novak, Ed.D., BCBA-D, CCC-SLP, ATP in the role of Director of Clinical Content.

Joe has spent his nearly twenty-year career using the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and speech-language pathology to improve the lives of individuals with autism in a variety of positions and settings. He started his career as an instructional aide in a school setting and later worked as a speech-language pathologist (SLP) in private and public-school settings. In 2015, Joe transitioned into administration and worked in director roles at both a private school for individuals with autism as well as an autism services agency. Joe is passionate about BCBA/SLP collaboration, the effective integration of educational and assistive technology, and modern curricula/assessment as key areas to enhance clinical outcomes.

“When I think about autism services in the state, Autism New Jersey is the first organization that comes to mind. Their commitment to the autism community – from professionals, to parents, to individuals with autism – is remarkable, and I am so incredibly proud to have the opportunity to now work at this impactful organization,” said Dr. Joe Novak, Director of Clinical Content.

Joe’s experience working directly with individuals with autism, particularly those individuals requiring augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), as well as providing clinical and operational guidance to BCBAs, SLPs, and organizations as a whole, will bring an additional level of expertise to the agency’s education and training initiatives.

“For decades, Autism New Jersey’s clinical expertise has enhanced our own helpline, website content, conferences, and public policy efforts. Joe brings a new depth of multidisciplinary experience to the team, and we are excited to work with him to produce more high-quality content and events that inform and enhance autism services across the state,” said Dr. Suzanne Buchanan, Executive Director.