Name: George P. Linke, Jr., Psy.D.
Graduation year: 1998
Dr. Linke explains that even as young child, he had always been curious and had an interest in psychology. Specifically, this interest developed through a relationship with a close family friend who worked as a learning disabilities counselor. In college, Dr. Linke pursued a major in psychology and later applied to LIU: C.W. Post to begin his clinical training in preparation for his own career working with individuals who have various types of developmental disabilities. During his academic work, Dr. Linke cites his exposure to applied behavior analysis (ABA) as a formative experience that directly influenced the course of his future training.
Dr. Linke explains that his atypical career path was shaped by many influential figures and experiences during his clinical psychology training at LIU and beyond. At Post, Dr. Linke describes his clinical supervisor, Dr. Mike Hurley, as a life coach and reliable source of sound advice. Linke also recalls an exciting class with Dr. Stephen Ruffins in which he diagnosed movie characters and felt encouraged to seek new and interesting clinical as well as life experiences. Dr. Linke also considered Dr. David Roll an incredibly valuable advisor who helped cultivate his passions. Importantly, Dr. Roll also connected Dr. Linke to the Alpine Learning Group, where he began training in ABA with co-founders Dr. Bridget Taylor and Linda Meyer, both internationally recognized experts in autism. Dr. Linke believes this year grounded his interest in the field of ABA and autism.
Another influential training experience for Dr. Linke was the post-doctoral internship at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the Kennedy Krieger Institute in the Department of Pediatrics. Here, Dr. Linke participated in both inpatient and outpatient work in the NeuroBehavioral Stabilization Unit, although he acknowledges that this rich clinical experience was too rigorous to take advantage of the wealth of opportunities he was exposed to at Hopkins. During internship, Dr. Linke grew under the guidance of Drs. Louis Hagopian, Cathleen Pizazza, Patricia Kurtz and Jennifer Zarcone, and more recently Dr. Michael Cataldo, who shared experiences from their business backgrounds that laid the groundwork for Dr. Linke to explore his more recent career in business.
After graduation, Dr. Linke joined Melmark, a multi-state, non-profit serving children and adults with intellectual disabilities, autism, and other neurological and genetic disorders. Initially, Dr. Linke trained individuals in evidence-based teaching models and behavior analytic programming. Dr. Linke acclimated quickly to the field of business over the course of the next eight years as he was selected for promotion on numerous occasions before becoming the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer in 2007. Dr. Linke used this position to strategically direct and grow the multi-million dollar company, which now employs a staff of over 1,000 to serve over 1,000 individuals across Pennsylvania and Massachusetts.
Dr. Linke believes that his background in clinical psychology directly influenced his experience in business. Linke sees similarities between family systems and business environments, both of which require problem-solving that accounts for relationships within the larger picture. Success in business also relies on a leader’s ability to communicate effectively, encourage others, and endorse self-reflection, each of which are skills drawn from Linke’s clinical background. After a 17-year tenure, Dr. Linke left Melmark to pursue a dream of starting his own business using his diverse skill set and established business acumen. March 2016 marked the launch of Linke Resources, LLC, an executive search and consulting firm in the fields of health care, behavioral health, residential treatment and educational services. Linke Resources works primarily with organizations that serve people with intellectual disabilities, autism, rehabilitative needs and behavioral health needs.
In his free time, Dr. Linke spends time at his beach home in New Jersey with his two daughters, where he enjoys nearly any activity on the water including crabbing, fishing, and boating.
Dr. Linke can be contacted at gplj@linkeresources.com. To learn more about Linke Resources, visit www.linkeresources.com