Conference Speakers

Linda A. LeBlanc, PhD, BCBA-D, Lic-Psy

Keynote: Providing Compassionate Care and Building Therapeutic Relationships (1.5 CEUs)

Successfully working with families of children with autism requires technical behavior analytic skills and critical interpersonal relationship-building skills. As practitioners strive to respond efficiently and compassionately to distressed families of children with autism, technical skills must be balanced with fluency in relationship-building skills that strengthen the commitment to treatment. The presentation reviews the importance of these skills, the results of a survey and an outline of important therapeutic relationship skills that should inform the repertoire of any practicing behavior analyst, strategies to cultivate and enhance those skills, and discussion of the potential effects of relationship variables on treatment outcomes (Taylor, LeBlanc & Nosik, 2018). Specific skills that should be targeted in supervision are reviewed along with strategies for teaching skills such as active listening, compassionate responding, and self-monitoring social responses.

Learning Objectives:

1. Attendees will be able to identify the role of perspective taking skills in building therapeutic relationships with families
2. Attendees will be able to distinguish between sympathy, empathy, and compassion.
3. Attendees will be able to identify two strategies for strengthening relationships with families

Biography: Linda A. LeBlanc, Ph.D., BCBA-D, Licensed Psychologist is the President of LeBlanc Behavioral Consulting and the past Editor in Chief of the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. Her 25 year career has included academic positions at Claremont McKenna College, Western Michigan University and Auburn University as well leadership positions in human services organizations. She established LeBlanc Behavioral Consulting in 2017 and consults to technology companies, universities, and behavior analytic human service organizations. Her professional interests include behavioral treatments, supervision and mentoring, and ethics. She is a Fellow of ABAI and is the 2016 recipient of the APA Nathan H. Azrin Award for Distinguished Contribution in Applied Behavior Analysis.

Workshop: Success As a Consulting Supervisor (3 Supervision CEUs)

Newly certified BCBAs need support and guidance to succeed in their initial efforts to supervise the fieldwork experience of aspiring behavior analysts. If a BCBA has never provided Fieldwork Supervision before, the task can be daunting regardless of how long you have been certified. The Consulting Supervisor is a BCBA who has been certified for at least 5 years who supports the new BCBA. This presentation provides guidance for those who are providing or are preparing to provide Consultation for new BCBA supervisors. The workshop provides detailed guidance and activities for the each of the twelve months of a one-year consultation relationship, describing the approach, tools and resources found in LeBlanc and Sellers (2022) The Consulting Supervisor Workbook. The workshop focuses on building a strong bi-directional relationship, reflection and planning activities, and how to use assessment and self-assessment to develop a 6-12 month individualized plan of coverage of topics for the consultation and for the new supervisor’s oversight of fieldwork.

Learning objectives:
Through this workshop, attendees will:
1. Attendees will be able to describe the importance of consultation with new BCBAs for: the Consulting Supervisor, the new BCBA, the supervisees and trainees of the new BCBA
2. Attendees will be able to describe the importance of assessment and self-assessment in evaluating scope of competence and planning for supervision activities
3. Attendees will be able to select topics for a competency based curriculum for the new supervisors
4. Attendees will complete a reflection activity to identify the values that guide their supervision and clinical work
5. Attendees will be able to identify the core components of an agenda to effectively plan for consultation and supervision meetings

Adithyan Rajaraman, Ph.D., BCBA-D, LBA

Keynote: Advocating for Trauma-informed Care in Applied
Behavior Analytic Practice and Research (1.5 CEUs)

Trauma is pervasive and can have lasting impact on an individual’s physical and emotional health. Some Intellectually and  developmentally disabled individuals, who are at a differentially greater risk for experiencing traumatic events, may also exhibit intractable, dangerous behavior, which may or may not be related to previous trauma exposure. Despite a growing acknowledgement of the importance of understanding the impacts of trauma on therapeutic approaches and outcomes across human service disciplines, discussions of trauma have been relatively infrequent in applied behavior analytic (ABA) practice and research. ABA has a rich history of successfully addressing dangerous behavior; however, certain evidence-based procedures may warrant reconsideration in light of the potential impacts of trauma on individuals and their behavior. In this presentation, after deconstructing barriers to assuming and including trauma in behavior-analytic approaches, I will describe a conceptual framework for incorporating trauma-informed care (TIC) into ABA. I will provide some case examples of how the core commitments of TIC could be applied to assessments and treatments of dangerous behavior to prioritize safety, assent, choice, and skill development. Because behavior analysts may struggle to gain “buy-in” with caregivers and colleagues due to the counterintuitive nature of certain procedures, I will defend the inclusion of certain procedures (and omission of others) by invoking TIC as a guiding compass. What I hope you abstract from case examples is not a specific set of procedures, but an overall approach and an evidence-based strategy—guided by values of compassion, empathy, and dignity—that you would feel comfortable and confident in applying to your practice right away.

Following this presentation, attendees should be able to:
1. Define trauma and trauma-informed care
2. Describe the core commitments of trauma-informed care (TIC) as they related to applied behavior analysis (ABA)
3. Describe examples of how trauma-informed strategies could be incorporated into ABA-based services to contribute to positive treatment outcomes with respect to dangerous behavior
4. Articulate several reasons why an increased emphasis on TIC in ABA is both timely and warranted

Biography: Adithyan (Dithu) Rajaraman has been blessed to teach, interact with, and learn from children and adolescents with and without disabilities for 15 years. Dithu completed his Doctoral training in Behavior Analysis at Western New England University, under the advisement of Dr. Greg Hanley. In 2019, he joined the faculty at UMBC, where he taught and mentored undergraduate and graduate students of Psychology with an emphasis in behavior analysis. In the fall of 2022, Dithu joined the faculty at Vanderbilt University Medical Center as an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, where he serves as Director of Behavior Analysis Research within Vanderbilt Kennedy Center’s (VKC) Treatment and Research Institute for Autism Spectrum Disorders (TRIAD). Dithu has published research in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, Behavior Analysis in Practice, the International Journal of Developmental Disabilities, and Autism. In addition, Dithu has been privileged to conduct and disseminate collaborative research across multiple continents. Dithu’s research and practice interests include the assessment, treatment, and prevention of dangerous behavior, with an emphasis on investigating compassionate, trauma-informed approaches to behavioral assessment and intervention. This research aim is intimately connected to the goal of being able to provide safe, dignifying, yet highly effective behavior-analytic services to underrepresented individuals in underserved communities.

Workshop: Prioritizing Safety, Assent, Choice, and Skill
Development in the Assessment and Treatment of
Dangerous Behavior via The Enhanced Choice Model (3 CEUs)

There are many compelling reasons why behavior analysts are embracing more compassionate approaches to care. Such a cultural shift away from antiquated, coercive practices shows promise in improving several aspects of the present and future of applied behavior analysis. Delineating safe, humane, dignifying methods of assessing and treating dangerous behavior seems a timely next step to proceed with compassion. This interactive workshop will have multiple phases. First, I will briefly survey the landscape of behavior analytic practices aimed at addressing dangerous behavior in service of providing a compelling rationale for more compassionate approaches to assessment and treatment. Second, I will describe procedures and expected outcomes of contemporary practical functional assessments (PFA) and skill-based treatments (SBT), emphasizing commitments of the process that prioritize safety and skill development. Third, I will discuss how the PFA and SBT can be embedded in an Enhanced Choice Model to further prioritize client assent, autonomy, and choice. Fourth, I will highlight features of the process that reflect compassionate care and are aligned with commitments of trauma-informed care. Finally, although I will share case examples throughout, I will invite you to share your diverse and unique experiences in assessing and treating dangerous behavior and discuss the feasibility of and steps
to incorporating components (or all) of the process into your everyday practice. In addition to actionable strategies, I hope you leave this workshop with an appreciation that it is possible to meaningfully address dangerous behavior without ever evoking it and while prioritizing safety, assent, and compassion throughout.

Following participation in this workshop, attendees should be able to:
1. Specify the gap between the aspiration of “compassionate care” and lingering best-practice recommendations
2. Describe practical functional assessment and skill-based treatment procedures
3. Describe the distinguishing features of an “enhanced choice model” of skill-based
treatment and associated expected outcomes
4. Describe how components of the enhanced choice model could be applied to one’s own
everyday behavior-analytic practice

Paul “Paulie” Gavoni, Ed.D., BCBA

Breakout: Using OBM to Improve Service Delivery (1 Supervision CEU)

One of the focuses of Behavior Analysts and providers consulting with and supporting Educational and Autism related programs should be to design strategies that accelerate and sustain good practice. As such, they must look beyond the behavior of the learners by broadening their focus to include systems and the behavior of the providers and leaders at the individual, group, and organizational level. This presentation will focus on the improvement of services through the lens of Organizational Behavior Management (OBM) as a means of creating meaningful behavior change by improving and developing processes and systems, closing gaps in staff performance, improving retention, and ultimately increasing learner achievement.

Learning Objectives:

1. The participants will be able to describe a systems approach to behavior change.
2. The participant will be able to state key strategies to problem solving using OBM principles
3. The participant will be able to list key components of performance diagnostics in assessing performance issues in schools.

Biography:  Specializing in human performance, coaching, and organizational leadership, Dr. Paul “Paulie” Gavoni is a behavior scientist and educator who has worked across education and human services for almost three decades. In this capacity, he has served the needs of children and adults through various positions including: COO, Vice President, Director of School Improvement, Leadership Director, Professor, Assistant Principal, School Turnaround Manager, Clinical Coordinator, Therapist, and District Behavior Analyst. Dr. Gavoni is passionate about applying Organizational Behavior Management (OBM), or the science of human behavior, for making a positive difference to establish safe, productive, and engaging environments that bring out the best in faculty and staff so they can bring out the best in the learners they serve. He is an active board member of the Opioid Awareness Foundation and World Behavior Analysis Day Alliance.

Known for his authenticity and practical approaches, Dr. Gavoni is the host of the Top 1.5% globally ranked Crisis in Education Podcast and a sought-out speaker at a variety of Educational and Behavior Analytic Conferences Internationally. He is the Wall Street Journal and USA Today best-selling co-author of The Scientific Laws of Life & Leadership: Behavioral Karma; Quick Wins! Accelerating School Transformation through Science, Engagement, and Leadership; Deliberate Coaching: A Toolbox for Accelerating Teacher Performance; and MMA Science: A Training, Coaching, and Belt Ranking Guide. He is proud to introduce OBM and Applied Behavior Analysis to worldwide audiences through his numerous publications.

Beyond his work in education and human services, Dr. Gavoni is also a former Golden Gloves Heavyweight Champion and a highly respected striking coach in combat sports. Coach “Paulie Gloves,” as he is known in the Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) community, has trained world champions and UFC vets using technologies rooted in the behavioral sciences. Coach Paulie has been featured in the books Beast: Blood, Struggle, and Dreams a the Heart of Mixed Martial Arts, A Fighter’s Way, and the featured article Ring to Cage: How four former boxers help mold MMA’s finest. He is also an author who has written extensively for various online magazines such as Scifighting, Last Word on Sports, and Bloody Elbow, where his Fight Science series continues to bring behavioral science to MMA. Finally, Paulie was also a featured fighter in FX’s highest- p rated show at the time, The Toughman, and as an MMA coach in the Lifetime reality series Leave it to Geege.

Zachary Bird, PhD, BCBA-D, LBA; Liz Brown, MA, BCBA, LBA & Amanda K. Cash, MA, BCBA, LBA

Breakout: Kids with Disabilities Grow Up: Behavior consultation in adult service settings (1 CEU)

The Virginia DD Waiver allows individuals with disabilities to access behavior analytic services through therapeutic consultation. Medicaid requires that the behavior analysts providing therapeutic consultation complete a functional behavior assessment (FBA) and a subsequent behavior support plan (BSP) for each individual. Within Principled Behavior Consultants’ therapeutic consultation services, 81% of our adult clients live in an adult service setting (e.g., group home, sponsored residential, assisted living). Adult service settings may provide additional challenges, like conflicts with housemates, limited resources, and staff turnover. However, evidence-based assessments and interventions are still needed (and possible) in the face of these challenges. This presentation will review case studies of behavior analytic work completed within adult services.

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify the challenges related to conducting FBAs and BSPs within adult service settings
2. Identify various indirect and direct assessments to use when conducting an FBA
3. Describe how functional analyses can be safely conducted in adult service settings
4. Describe at least 3 different BSP interventions that have been effective in adult service settings

Biographies:

Dr. Zachary Bird is the Founding Consultant of Principled Behavior Consultants. He’s a Doctoral-level Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA-D) licensed in Virginia. He has more than 14 years of experience working with a variety of populations including individuals with developmental disabilities and conduct disorders. His expertise is in the assessment and treatment of severe disruptive behavior across a variety of settings. Additionally, he provides consultation with schools on classroom management and systematic instruction. He earned his PhD in Behavior Analysis at Simmons College and his master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis from Western New England University. His peer-reviewed research was published in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. You can listen to him as a co-host of the ABA-focused Functional Relations Podcast.

Liz Brown is a Behavior Consultant at Principled Behavior Consultants. She is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and Licensed Behavior Analyst (LBA) in Virginia. Since 2016, Liz has been lucky to serve children, adolescents, and adults in different community, clinic, and in-home settings in both Virginia and North Carolina. While earning her Master’s Degree in Psychology with a concentration in Applied Behavior Analysis at UNC Wilmington, she participated in clinical research treating pediatric feeding disorders in children.

Amanda K. Cash is a Behavior Consultant at Principled Behavior Consultants. She is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), a Licensed Behavior Analyst (LBA) in Virginia, and a doctoral student. She earned her master’s degree from Providence College and then completed additional coursework in Special Education Leadership through Drexel University and in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) through Florida Institute of Technology. Prior to joining PBC, she worked in public and private schools as a special educator, behavior analyst, and educational consultant. She is passionate about effective instructional practices and helping clients become as independent as possible.

Kirk Kirby, M.A., CSCC, CUSABB & Colleen Suzio, Ph.D., BCBA-D, LBA

Breakout: Applications of Behavior Analysis in Sports, Health, and Fitness (1 CEU)

The application of behavior analysis in sports, health, and fitness is an area of increasing interest in the field of applied behavior analysis (ABA). However, only .12% of board- certified behavior analysts work in the sports, health, and wellness industry. So, how does one get into this area of work? How do behavior analysts apply the science to sports, health, and wellness while collaborating with other professionals? During this talk, behavior analytic technologies will be discussed with applications specific to health and sports related behaviors. Furthermore, graphical displays of interventions employed for various athlete behaviors will be reviewed and discussed.

Learning Objectives:

1. Participants will be able to identify sports, health, and wellness related behaviors that can be targets for behavior analytics.
2. Participants will be able to identify a number of behavior analytic interventions that can be employed within sports, health, and wellness.
3. Participants will be able to identify various methods to graph sports, health, and wellness related behaviors

Biographies:

It has been the mission of Kirk Kirby to incorporate the science of human behavior and Precision Teaching to help change the world. As the co-founder of TeamABA, Kirk has taken that mission to the forefront by creating one of the most unique companies in the world.
Kirk holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Journalism from Virginia Union University, a Master of Arts in English from Virginia Commonwealth University and a graduate certificate in Sports Psychology and Performance from Ashworth College. He is currently seeking a Psy.D. focusing on Sports and Performance Psychology from the University of Arizona Global Campus. The proud native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania started his career in behavior analysis twelve years ago by co-founding the Washington DC metropolitan area-based SPARKS-ABA along with his wife, Beverly Kirby, BCBA, LBA and Soraya Dos Santos, BCBA, LBA.
After his collegiate and “cup of coffee” professional playing days were completed, Kirk continued to be involved in sports by coaching various levels of athletes in football, basketball, and baseball for nearly twenty-seven years. His passion for sports, Behavior Analysis, Precision Teaching, diversity within the field, and ABA program opportunities for Historically Black Colleges and Universities has the driven the entrepreneur to travel all over the country disseminating the science to all that will listen.

Colleen Suzio is currently a board-certified behavior analyst and is a licensed behavior analyst in CT. She earned her doctorate in Applied Behavior Analysis from Endicott College. In 2014, Dr. Suzio graduated from the University of Saint Joseph with a Master’s degree in Autism and Applied Behavior Analysis. Professionally, Dr. Suzio has a passion for disseminating the science of behavior analysis especially in the areas of sports, health, and fitness in addition to compassionate care and cultural responsiveness. Dr. Suzio has had the opportunity to present at a number of behavior analytic conferences and has published her work. In addition to her work with TeamABA University, she consults to school-based teams working with learners who have complex learning profiles. Personally, she enjoys Crossfit, hiking and being outdoors as much as possible as well as spending time with her family, friends, and her dog.

Jamie Collins-Facteau, BCBA, LBA & Jennifer McMurtrie, BCBA, LBA

Breakout: Progress Notes: Designing Internal Audit Systems that Drive Company Practice to Prepare Your Small Business for Big Audits (1 Ethics CEU)

Providers have a responsibility to our clients, funders, and the field of ABA to produce accurate and reliable documentation of services. Developing accurate documentation in notes that are structured to pass payer audits is a challenge ABA companies face. This presentation will outline the phases our organization completed to develop best practices for provider documentation of rendered services. The following will be highlighted and discussed throughout the presentation: the importance of conducting internal audits, the benefits to the client and funders, maintaining ethical standards for documentation, developing and using clinical audit scorecards/rubrics for individual CPT codes, and using the audit process for company decisions to improve performance.

Learning Objectives:

1. Learners will identify the importance and benefits of internal audits
2. Learners will identify the ethical code related to standards of documentation

Biographies:

Jamie Collins-Facteau completed her undergraduate degree in biology at Virginia Tech in 2003 and then returned to her hometown of Virginia Beach. In 2004 Jamie began her career as a special education teacher with Southeastern Cooperative Education Programs (SECEP), a regional public education program. Following her start as an educator, she pursued her Master’s Degree in Education at Old Dominion University which she completed in 2007. Jamie taught for two years in an autism specific classroom before being promoted to an Educational Specialist in the same program. In 2011, Jamie entered the BCBA coursework at Florida Institute of Technology and was fully certified as a Behavioral Analyst in 2013. She continued her career in special education until 2015, at which point, she moved into private ABA services as a Supervising BCBA with Coastal Behavior Consulting, LLC. During her eight years at Coastal Behavior Consulting, she was instrumental in driving the growth of the small company. In 2018, Jamie was named Clinic Director at Coastal Behavior Consulting and served in the position for four years. Currently, she is the Clinical Director at EMG Consulting, LLC in Virginia Beach.
Jamie also co-leads a Clinical Director Special Interest Group through the Council of Autism Service Providers (CASP). She has presented at the Association of Professional Behavior Analysts, 12th Annual Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Jamie lives in Virginia Beach with her wife Danyell, two daughters, Brynn and Cara, and their dog, Max.
As the field of ABA continues to grow and evolve, Jamie continues to focus her passion on providing quality service to families while helping develop other BCBA’s into confident practitioners.

Jenn became a behavior analyst in 2015 and began working with EMG Consulting in 2016. Previously, she worked for Southeastern Cooperative Educational Programs (SECEP), from 2003 to 2018, holding positions as a Special Education Teacher and an Education Specialist. Jenn received her undergraduate degree at the University of North Carolina-Wilmington in Athletic Training Sports Medicine. While working as a Certified Athletic Trainer for Chesapeake and Virginia Beach Public Schools her passion for working with children emerged and she then completed her master’s degree in Special Education with endorsements for Emotional Disturbance and Specific Learning Disabilities from Old Dominion University. Jenn then went on to complete the coursework to become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) at the Florida Institute of Technology. Jenn is a member of the Virginia Association for Behavior Analysis (VABA) and the Association of Professional Behavior Analysts (APBA).

Saundra Bishop, BCBA, LBA, CCTP

Breakout: I Downsized My ABA Company – How One Woman Saved Her Business and You Can Too (1 CEU)

Many ABA companies are struggling right now. Small companies and big companies can’t find and retain RBTs. Small business owners are having trouble paying their bills. Large companies are closing their practices in entire states. In 2018, the turnover rates for RBTs ranged in studies from 30% to 75% (Molko, 2018). These numbers are likely the same or higher since the COVID pandemic and companies are also finding that the workforce pool is significantly smaller as well. In addition, since the pandemic began the field has also seen a 13% increase in turnover rate in Clinical Directors. Saundra Bishop, BCBA, LBA, CCTP has run a successful business for 13 years and pivoted in several ways during the pandemic. However, in March of 2022, she made the decision to downsize her company in order to stay open, provide services, and maintain a consistent workforce. In this workshop, Saundra Bishop will normalize the experience that many ABA owners are currently going through. She will discuss ways to recruit and retain using OBM strategies first and then the steps of downsizing. Her focus on following the ethical and supervision guidelines during a downsize make this a must see.

Learning Objectives:

1. Attendees will explore reasons providers are leaving the field and OBM strategies that can be used to retain staff
2. Attendees will explore reasons new staff are not joining companies and OBM strategies that can be used to attract staff
3. Attendees will learn the process to downsize taking into account the BACB ethical and supervision guidelines

Biography:  Saundra Bishop, BCBA, LBA, CCTP is the founder, CEO, and Clinical Director of BASICS ABA Therapy. She is also President of DC ABA. She has over 20 years of experience working in Applied Behavior Analysis and with people with Autism/Autistic people and has been a BCBA for 13 years. She is especially passionate about Trauma-Informed Behavior Management and models that focus on self advocacy rather than compliance. She is a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional and also certified to give trainings that qualify for Type-2 CEUs, DCPS CEUs, and CFSA foster parent hours. She has written a handbook called The Trauma Informed Behavior Management Handbook that walks providers through the steps of creating a trauma informed treatment plan. She was a foster parent for 7 years and has 4 children with and without special needs (3 who are adopted). She loves competitive storytelling and bike riding.

Joshua M. Pulos, Ph.D., BCBA, LBA (VA) & Benjamin S. Riden, Ph.D., BCBA-D, LBA

Breakout: We’ll See You at the Cross Road: The Intersection of Behavior Interventions, Culturally Responsive Practices, and MTSS (1 CEU)

The literature supporting individualized interventions implemented with students as they move through different tiers of a multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) framework is as rich as the history of hip-hop. From DJ Kool Here to A Tribe Called Quest to the Wu- Tang Clan, hip-hop has grown, adapted, and evolved into something different yet still recognizable. We can see similarities with the evolution of individualized supports in the tier 2/tertiary worlds of MTSS. Yet, these interventions remain grounded in their histories despite many shifting from their traditional paper and pencil methods to more electronic means of delivery (e.g., apps, websites). In this presentation, we will highlight behavior contracts, daily behavior report cards, and check-in/check-out within the context of culturally responsive teaching practices within an MTSS framework.

Learning Objectives:
Participants will
(a) review the literature supporting the use of behavior contracting, daily behavior reports cards, and check-in/check-out;
(b) learn the important steps when developing the aforementioned interventions through a culturally responsive lens; and
(c) articulate the data collection and analysis procedures inherent to each intervention.

Biographies:

Joshua M. Pulos, Ph.D., BCBA, LBA-VA is an Assistant Professor of Special Education at James Madison University. His research and teaching focuses on (a] behavior-analytic strategies coupled with comprehensive secondaiy transition education to promote the positive postsecondary outcomes of students with significant disabilities; (b) diversity, equity, and inclusion; (c] secondary transition evidence-based practices predictors; and (d] school-based behavior analysis consultation.

Dr. Benjamin Riden is an assistant professor at James Madison University. He is a former middle and high school special education teacher in the mountain west He earned his Ph.D., from Penn State University and is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst at the Doctoral Level. His research interests include using the principles of applied behavior analysis to support students with challenging behavior, preparing teachers to effectively manage their classrooms, and single case research design. Dr. Riden’s scholarship can be found in journals such as Education and Treatment of Children, Journal of Special Education Technology, Journal of Behavioral Education, Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, Remedial and Special Education.