Our Team

Dr. Mark Goldenberg

Executive Director

Dr. Mark Goldenberg is a Board Certified Chiropractic Neurologist and Fellow of the American College of Functional Neurology who specializes in the treatment of Learning Disabilities, Dyslexia, Attention Deficit Disorders, and Spectrum Disorders. Dr. Goldenberg has been practicing in his field since 1985 after graduating from New York Chiropractic College. Not one to remain satisfied with his initial Doctor of Chiropractic degree, he embarked on a path that would lead him to understand the complexities of the nervous system and became a Board Certified Chiropractic Neurologist in 1991. He received his Neurology Diplomat degree in 1991 from the American Chiropractic College of Neurology.

His studies and experiences led him on a quest for a deeper understanding of the brain. In 1999 he earned a Post Graduate Certification in ADHD, Learning Disabilities, and Neurobehavioral Disorders of Childhood from the Carrick Institute for Graduate Studies. In 2010, as a result of ongoing research, Dr. Goldenberg was awarded Fellowship of the American College of Functional Neurology.

Dr. Goldenberg found himself immersed in brain-based research and therapies for learning disorders and started lecturing and writing on the topics of Neuronal Plasticity, AD/HD, Asperger syndrome, Executive Dysfunction, and the Neurology of Learning Disabilities. Dr. Goldenberg decided to devote all of his time to working with children and adults with attention and learning challenges and opened the first Brain Balance Achievement Center in the state of Connecticut. He was a panel member at both the Connecticut Holistic Health Association conference on Learning disabilities and ADHD and the Westport special education PTA meeting on brain modifiability. He was also a Keynote Speaker at the 2003 Interactive Metronome conference. Dr. Goldenberg participated in a study on ADHD with Duke University and CUNY at the College of Staten Island and has appeared on News Channel 12’s Education Notebook. He speaks regularly on the topic of “Brain Imbalance as a Cause of Learning Disabilities, ADHD, Dyslexia, and Spectrum Disorders” at the Annual Conference of the Connecticut Association for Children and Adults with Learning Disabilities.

Sam Solomon

Program Director/Lead Virtual Coach

Sam graduated in 2011 from the Palm Beach Gardens Medical Sciences Program with her CNA certification. She worked as a nurse while continuing her education at Palm Beach State College where she graduated in 2015 with a degree in Art. Sam has a diverse background with success in many fields such as Nursing, Retail Management, Children's Art Instruction, Digital Media Design, Owning and operating her own Cake Baking Business, and being a Full Time Nanny, all before her time at Brain Balance - giving her over 10 years experience working directly with children. As a Nanny, Sam specialized in the development of children and toddlers with neurodevelopmental disorders, including those with nonverbal autism. Having navigated a neurodivergent childhood herself, Sam discovered a deep rooted passion for helping children learn, grow, and to reach their full potential.

At Brain Balance she has been our Lead Sensory Motor Skills Development Coach, as well as a Cognitive Development Specialist, and is now our center's Subject Matter Expert, and both the Head of our Virtual Program and our Center Program Director. She is also the voice behind our Social Media posts, as well as the Artist behind the chalk wall murals that can be found in our lobby constantly changing and individualized to each of our students special interests. Sam is immensely dedicated to helping others and it is seen every day when working with and connecting with the students and families in our center. During her free time Sam enjoys a special interest in interior design and architecture, traveling, creating art, spending time with her partner and their dog, cooking and baking, practicing yoga, and cozying up with a good book or Netflix series. /span>

Chloe Jackson

Administrative Assistant

Chloe graduated from Central Magnet High School in 2017. She began working with children in 2018, and has ever since. She has experience working as a Teacher in a preschool setting, and experience working 1:1 with students through ABA therapy. She also has three years prior experience working in front desk administration in a gym setting. Working as our front desk administrator at Brain Balance seemed to marry the gym and preschool education worlds together for Chloe. She is looking to further her education to become a certified EKG technician and shortly follow that with a certification as an ultrasound technician. In her free time Chloe enjoys working out, and painting.

Danielle Johnston

Lead Coach / Sensory Motor and Cognitive Specialist

Danielle graduated from The University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 2020 with a BS in Kinesiology and a minor in Sport Coaching. She is a NASM certified personal trainer and looking to add on further nutrition and fitness certifications to improve her capacity to help students grow.  Danielle found her passion for coaching through soccer but also enjoys fitness coaching and finding new ways to relate exercise to students. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, trying new restaurants, spending time outside with friends and family, and participating in Pure Barre where she also instructs classes.

Taina Pagan

Virtual Coaching Specialist

Taina graduated from the University of Connecticut with a Bachelor's Degree in Psycholinguistics. During her schooling she has learned, and is now fluent in four other languages: Spanish, Japanese, French, and American sign language. As a foodie and someone who appreciates different cultures Taina can often be found cooking interesting dishes or trying new restaurants. In the rest of her free time, when not at work or brushing up on her language skills, Taina enjoys spending time with family, watching films, spending time with her cat, and traveling whenever she can. She is the eldest of 5 children, and is considered an additional parent to all 4 of her siblings. She loves children and is an incredibly patient, kind, and hard working person who is dedicated to helping her students here at Brain Balance succeed.

Sara Tremonte

Sensory Motor Coach / Cognitive Specialist

Sara graduated from Western Carolina University in 2014 with a degree in Psychology and is currently continuing her education to receive her master’s in childhood and adolescent developmental psychology. She is going to get her certification in play therapy and hopes to work in a children’s hospital after she has completed her schooling. In the small amount of free time she has she loves reading and watching Disney Movies with her cat. Her favorite form of stress relief is working out and she can often be found at the gym.

Ella Nilsen

Sensory Motor Coaching Specialist

Ella graduated from Southern Connecticut State University in 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology, with a concentrated study in mental health, in addition to a minor in criminal justice. Ella plans to pursue her career in forensic psychology, with the long term goal of working with the FBI. She has been exploring the idea of doing her graduate studies overseas, as it would give the opportunity to explore the world, and give alternative perspectives. Ella stepped into a Coach role easily growing up as an athlete herself, mostly focused on gymnastics, but she was also a diver, dancer, volleyball player, and ice skater. Ella worked as a gymnastics coach for 8 years with gymnasts ranging in age from 5 to 15. She was head coach to a gymnastics team aged 7 to 11, who won state championships the very first year they competed as a level 3 team. Long before coaching, she has been working with children since the age of 11 when she worked as a “mother’s helper” and then babysat for a family of four boys on a weekly basis for many years. Ella found Brain Balance as a great place to bring together her passion for helping children to improve and reach their goals, and her passion for mental health as well. She is now a fully trained Sensory and Motor Skill Development Coaching Specialist at Brain Balance, and is currently cross-training as a Cognitive Development Specialist. Ella has a drive towards helping our students succeed that can be seen here every day. Outside of Brain Balance, you can catch Ella enjoying weekends skiing in Vermont, relaxing indoors reading, or taking her dog Louie on long walks outside in the woods.

Annie McCaffrey

Cognitive Development Specialist

Annie graduated from Keene State College in 2015 with a Bachelor's degree in Health Science with a focus on Community Health. After graduating, she moved to Burlington, Vermont where she pursued Yoga Therapy and Postpartum Doula training. While working in the health field Annie also consistently Nannied for multiple families long term since 2016. She then moved to Connecticut and found Brain Balance, where she is now a Cognitive Therapy Coaching Specialist. She is currently cross-training to be a Sensory Motor Specialist, as well. Annie feels passionately about helping families and individuals get in touch with their bodies and realize their potential, and you can see that passion in our center when she is working with our students. In her free time you can find Annie thrifting and participating in vintage markets, cuddling her cat, and enjoying live music!

Apoorva Diviti

Office Aide / High School Intern

Apoorva is currently in 11th grade and will graduate from Wilton High School in 2025. She started volunteering at our center over a year ago, and has progressed from a volunteer to currently being our Sunday front desk administrative intern. She’s passionate about cognitive science, clinical psychology and behavioral science, which initially drew her to Brain Balance, and she intends on pursuing a higher education in these areas. You may catch some of her beautiful murals on our lobby chalkboard wall from time to time. Her hobbies include all kinds of art: drawing, painting, singing, writing, film and more. Specifically, she loves to write screenplays and novels that she hopes to get published one day. In school, she is a part of the Model Congress Club and Debate Club. She is also involved in her school’s theatre productions, participating in musicals like “Legally Blonde” and “Peter and the Star-catcher”. She is fluent in Telugu, a regional language of South India, can read Korean, and is actively learning French. She also has a dog, named Ginger, who Apoorva loves to snuggle up with while reading a book or watching a movie.