I founded Behavioral Directions LLC in 2001, so I was just getting my practice off of the ground as a solo practitioner. In the beginning, I remember driving a great deal between Virginia and Maryland to work with families and schools. At the time, I was a newly-minted Licensed Clinical Psychologist in the states of both Maryland and Virginia. I also look back fondly on presenting at the 1st VABA conference in Harrisonburg on using activity schedule to create independence for learners. It was an exciting time with a lot of new opportunities and the beginning of my journey into private practice.
I still fully manage and direct all of our services at Behavioral Directions LLC, where I supervise our amazing and dedicated clinic team, work directly with clients, their families and schools as a consultant and advocate, and serve on the Conference Committee for VABA as Co-Chairperson. Over the last few years, it has been a pleasure to be involved in VABA on the Conference Committee and to meet and work with so many others around the state. In addition, I am very excited to run for President-Elect in 2024 in order to have a new avenue to further the growth of VABA and behavior analysis throughout Virginia.
Staying true to your Ethics Code and acting with integrity will go a long way, even if takes more time on a day to day basis to do the right thing. It is important to act with integrity, aligned with the foundational principles of our science, even if no one else is watching. Self-care and work-life balance will support us in this effort. Finally, building relationships with others is always important for client outcomes and our field as a whole.
The sheer volume of growth that has occurred since I began practicing is surprising, and the areas that still need to be addressed as growth occurs to prioritize those who benefit from our science.
VABA has given me a path to give back to the field locally and to contribute to the impact behavior analysis has on our state. As a state chapter, it offers a smaller home and place to belong and connect under the ABAI umbrella.