Our Team
Farrah Ladha
Senior Director of Autism Services
Farrah is responsible for the overall strategy and operations of Autism Services at Lumenus. Her goal is to provide comprehensive services that puts our clients and families first. With 20 years in the healthcare industry, she holds an MBA from Harvard Business School, MA in Comparative Politics from American University, BBA in Honors Business and a BA in Economics from The University of Texas at Austin bringing extensive expertise to her strategic and operational leadership.
Melissa Fielding
Director of Customer Care, Autism Services
Melissa oversees intake and client services, ensuring seamless, compassionate support for clients and families. As the Director of Customer Care, Melissa is dedicated to optimizing processes, improving client satisfaction, and enhancing accessibility to services. With over 20 years of leadership experience, Melissa specializes in strategic planning, process improvement, and building high-performing teams. In her previous role as a Global Director for an international education company, she helped develop programs for children with learning challenges while enhancing service delivery to meet country and government standards.
Melissa has advanced training in Business and Leadership through Canadian Management Institute, Stephen Covey, ELM Performance Inc and EPC Coaching. Melissa brings a client-first approach and is deeply committed to making a positive impact in the autism community, ensuring that clients receive the highest standard of care and support.
Erica Franco
Program Manager, Autism Core Clinical Services
Erica is a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst (BCBA) and is registered to practice in Ontario (R.B.A. (Ont.). She has 17 years of experience supporting children with autism and their families, focusing on meeting their needs and celebrating their strengths and achievements. Erica has worked with children in both intensive and group-based settings. For 13 years, she has been with Lumenus (formerly Adventure Place), providing oversight for programs such as ABA Services, Entry to School, and Urgent Response Services.
Erica collaborates with caregivers and professionals to implement strategies across environments, optimizing learning outcomes. She has contributed to research, presented at conferences, and in 2022, her article “The Effects of a Caregiver-Implemented Toilet Training Package” was published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disabilities. Most recently, she co-authored a monolith in People Skills for Behavior Analysts.
Lori Galliera
Program Manager, Autism Services
Lori oversees programs including Caregiver-Mediated Early Years, Entry to School, Foundational Family Services, and Urgent Response Services. She provides clinical leadership to interdisciplinary teams, ensuring best practices and quality standards. Collaborating with partners including Surrey Place and the Toronto Autism Services Network, Lori supports curriculum development and integration. With over 30 years in Community Services, she has led diverse programs for children and youth with complex needs, achieving high compliance with regulatory standards. She has managed various clinical programs for children and youth including Day Treatment, Live-In Treatment, Foster Care, Sexual Abuse Treatment Program and Respite Services and has received high compliance rates for meeting regulatory standards in Ministry Licensing and Accreditation.
Lori has a Diploma in Child and Youth Care Worker from Fanshawe College and has completed Advanced Leadership Courses at Queens School of Business, Executive Education Series. Lori values the opportunity to support children/youth and families living with autism by providing them with a range of specialized programs tailored to meet their child’s unique needs.
Kathleen Molina-Kelly
Manager of Customer Care, Autism Services
Kathleen oversees the intake process, coordinates family support services, and ensures seamless access to care for clients. She is also responsible for leading an integrated intake team dedicated to providing high-quality support, maintaining efficient service delivery, and fostering positive client experiences.
Kathleen holds an Honors degree in Applied Psychology from McMaster University and has worked at Lumenus and its legacy agency, The Etobicoke Children’s Center, for 19 years. She has held various key positions which have allowed her to develop exceptional skills in building rapport and establishing trusting relationships with families, creating a foundation for effective and collaborative care. Leveraging over 20 years of experience working with children with autism and their families, her approach is characterized by empathy, dedication, and a genuine passion for helping families navigate their unique journeys with confidence and support.
