BACB GOVERNANCE

Angelika Anderson is an Associate Professor at Monash University, Melbourne, Australia. She earned her PhD in Educational Psychology at the University of Auckland (New Zealand) in 2002. Her early work at the University of Auckland included evaluations of large scale programs and school-based innovations, but also the development and delivery of the curriculum for Resource Teachers Learning and Behaviour (RTLB); a new kind of professional charged with facilitating inclusive education in New Zealand. Today her research interests continue at the interface between developmental psychology, Applied Behavior Analysis and educational psychology. Her primary research interests are in developing and trialling efficient, often technology-based behavioural interventions, able to be implemented in low resource environments, targeting diverse populations, including adults with ASD and typically developing children in schools. In her work she also aims to promote evidence-based practice in psychology and education, by engaging with local stake-holders. She teaches and supervises psychology students enrolled in professional programs, and introduces them to Applied Behavior Analysis.

Dr. Jonathan C. Baker is a Clinical Faculty Specialist at Western Michigan University. He was previously an Associate Professor and coordinator of the Gerontology Certificate program, as well as a faculty member in the Behavior Analysis and Therapy Program in the Rehabilitation Institute at Southern Illinois University. He received his PhD from Western Michigan University (2009) in Behavioral Psychology, an MS (2005) in Applied Behavioral Sciences and a certificate in Gerontology from the University of Kansas, and a BS (2003) in Behavioral Psychology from Western Michigan University. He is a Doctoral level Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA-D). Dr. Baker is on the Editorial Board for The Analysis of Verbal Behavior (TAVB). He has served as a guest Action Editor for TAVB and the Psychological Record, and serves as a guest reviewer for the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, the Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, The Behavior Analyst, Behavior Analysis in Practice, The Psychological Record, and The American Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease & Other Dementias. Dr. Baker is the current chair of the Behavioral Gerontology Special Interest Group with ABAI and past president of the Mid-American Association for Behavior Analysis. Dr. Baker’s main research interest is behavioral gerontology, including the assessment/treatment of behavioral excesses and developing programs that remediate behavioral deficits in older adults with dementia, as well as treatment adoption. His interests also extend to adults and older adults with developmental disabilities.

Dr. Ivy Chong, BCBA-D is the Senior Vice President of Home, School, and Center based Services at the May Institute. She previously served as the Director of Autism Services and Training at the Scott Center for Autism Treatment for 9 years and Associate Professor in the College of Psychology and Liberal Arts at Florida Institute of Technology. She has specialized in the assessment and treatment of individuals with ASD and developmental disabilities for 20 years, holds a doctorate in Psychology specializing in Behavior Analysis from Western Michigan University, and completed an MBA in Healthcare Management in 2016. Professional interests include early detection, diagnosis and evaluation of autism, linking assessment to treatment, and development of training systems. Dr. Chong is on the editorial board for Behavior Analysis: Research and Practice, an APA online journal, and has served as a guest reviewer for Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, Behavior Interventions, Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, and Behavior Analysis in Practice. She has presented at numerous conferences and maintained leadership roles on local and national boards.

Dr. Iser DeLeon received his Ph.D. from the University of Florida, where he is currently Professor of Psychology. Prior to this, he was an Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Director of Research Development for the Department of Behavioral Psychology at the Kennedy Krieger Institute. In addition to his role on the Board of Directors of the BACB, Dr. DeLeon serves the behavior analytic community through membership on the Board of Directors of the Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior as well as the editorial boards of The Behavior Analyst, the Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, and the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, which he also served as Associate Editor. His research has focused on assessment and treatment of behavior problems in persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities, determinants of choice and preference in this population, and translation of basic behavioral processes towards enhancing therapeutic and instructional arrangements.

SungWoo Kahng is an associate professor and chair of the Department of Health Psychology at the University of Missouri (MU) and the Founding Director the MU Graduate Programs in Applied Behavior Analysis. He is also the Director of the Applied Behavioral Intervention Service of the MU Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Prior to his current position, he was a faculty member in the Department of Behavioral Psychology and a senior behavior analyst on the Neurobehavioral Unit at the Kennedy Krieger Institute as well as an associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Dr. Kahng graduated from Kalamazoo College with a bachelor’s of arts in psychology and received his Ph.D. in behavior analysis from the University of Florida. He is currently an Associate Editor for the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis where he also served on the Board of Editors. Additionally, he is on the Board of Editors for Behavioral Intervention and has served as an ad hoc reviewer for numerous other journals. He is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and a Licensed Behavior Analyst in the State of Missouri. Dr. Kahng is the recipient of the 2003 B.F. Skinner New Researcher Award given by Division 25 of the American Psychological Association. Dr. Kahng has co-authored over 70 peer reviewed articles and chapters. The focus of his research and clinical work has been on assessing and treating behaviors exhibited by individuals with developmental disabilities. He is also interested in a broader research agenda, which includes topics related to obesity and aging. Finally, he has mentored numerous undergraduate, master’s level, and predoctoral students as well as post-doctoral fellows.

Dr. Eric Larsson is the Executive Director of Clinical Services at the Lovaas Institute Midwest, where he implements a program of intensive early intervention services for families of children who suffer from severe behavior disorders, including autism. This intensive early intervention program is widely regarded as one of the most thorough and highly supervised behavior therapy programs in the field. Dr. Larsson is also conducting a systematic research evaluation of the effects of this high intensity program. He is a member of the Clinical Faculty in the Psychology Department at the University of Minnesota, where he teaches classes in Applied Behavior Analysis and in Autism. He holds an adjunct appointment at the University of Kansas. Dr. Larsson served as Associate Research Director of the NIMH Multi-site Replication Study of the UCLA Young Autism Project. He has been providing intensive early intervention services since 1976, and has supervised such services since 1983. He is currently a board member of the Association for Science in Autism Treatment, the Autism Recovery Foundation, the Minnesota Northland Association for Behavior Analysis, and the Autism Treatment Association of Minnesota. He serves on the Autism Advisory Boards of both the Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies and the Association of Professional Behavior Analysts. He is the Policy Chair of the Minnesota Chapter of Autism Speaks. He serves on the Medical Advisory Board of Erik’s Ranch and Retreats. He is the honorary President of the Fundaçion Planeta Imaginario in Barcelona, Spain. In 2013, he received the Provider of the Year Award from Autism Speaks in Washington, DC and the Jerry Shook Leadership Award from the California Association for Behavior Analysis (CalABA).

Mr. Lister earned his undergraduate degree in Psychology from the University of Florida and has worked in field of behavior analysis for 28 years. Mr. Lister has worked in a variety of settings applying his skills as a behavior analyst including the direct provision of behavior analysis services, supervision of behavior analysts, and development/management of service delivery programs. Furthermore, Mr. Lister had an instrumental role in the development of a nationally recognized treatment program for individuals with Prader-Willi Syndrome (a genetic disorder characterized by life threating hyperphagia and other serious behavioral issues). In 2004, Mr. Lister co-founded Behavior Analysis Support Services, Inc., which currently provides a variety of behavior analytic services, intensive early intervention for children with autism, community based services for persons with development disabilities, parent training for the Department of Children and Families, and the sub-contracting of behavioral services for a large not-for-profit agency. BASS presently has 50 employees, 18 of whom are Board Certified at the Doctoral, Masters, or Bachelors levels.

Eli Newcomb is the Director of Education and Research Coordinator at The Faison Center located in Richmond, VA. He oversees a team of behavior analysts, all facets of instruction for over 150 clients, and research initiatives and activities of the Center. Mr. Newcomb has taught behavior analysis and education courses at the graduate level and presented at local and national behavior analysis conferences and other events. He obtained his Master of Education in Special Education from Virginia Commonwealth University. Mr. Newcomb is a Virginia-licensed, Board Certified Behavior Analyst and is a member of the Association for Behavior Analysis International, Virginia Association for Behavior Analysis, and Association of Professional Behavior Analysts. As a member of the Board of Directors for the Virginia Association of Independent Specialized Education Facilities, Mr. Newcomb serves as Chairman of the Ways & Means Committee and advises the Board on issues relevant to the application of behavior analysis to education, autism, and the treatment of severe problem behavior in private school settings.

Pamela Skudlarek received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education from Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven. Mrs. Skudlarek has been involved in the field of education in various teaching positions for over 20 years. She has worked as an employee of Milestones Behavioral Services (formerly the Connecticut Center for Child Development) since 2004.

Dr. Bridget A. Taylor is Co-founder and Executive Director of Alpine Learning Group and is Senior Clinical Advisor for Rethink. Dr. Taylor has specialized in the education and treatment of children with autism for the past twenty-eight years. She holds a Doctorate of Psychology from Rutgers University, and received her Master’s degree in Early Childhood Special Education from Columbia University. She is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and a Licensed Psychologist. She is an Associate Editor for the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis and serves on the editorial board of Behavioral Interventions. She is a member of the Behavior Analyst Certification Board and serves on the Autism Advisory Group for the Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies. Dr. Taylor also serves on the Scientific and Community Advisory Board for SPARK a new program at the Simon’s Foundation Autism Research Initiative. Dr. Taylor is active in the autism research community and has published numerous articles and book chapters on effective interventions for autism. She is a national and international presenter and serves in an advisory capacity for autism education and treatment programs both locally and abroad.

Jennica is the mother of three (ages 20, 18, and 10). Her 18-year-old, Dustin, was diagnosed with Autism in 2001. Since his diagnosis, she has dedicated herself to becoming an educated consumer and advocate of applied behavior analysis through networking with parents and professionals, attending workshops on behavior analysis and autism, and writing informational literature for consumers and educators. Mrs. Nill is a 2004 graduate of the Partners in Policymaking program, “an innovative national model of leadership training for people with developmental disabilities, parents and family members." She applied this advocacy training in providing testimony before New York State officials and committees in support of behavior analysis and the recognition of BACB certifications. In 2006/2007 she successfully completed the Special Education Advocate Training (SEAT) TM, an intensive education advocacy project of the USC UCEDD and COPAA. Since 2009, she has been employed at the Long Island Advocacy Center (the LIAC) as an education advocate, parent trainer and intake coordinator. Jennica has previously served as Consumer Representative to the BACB Board of Directors from 2005-2012. She wrote an article, entitled “Professional-Consumer Partnership," that was published in the March 2006 BACB Newsletter.

Javier Virués-Ortega is a senior lecturer and director of the Applied Behaviour Analysis programme at that University of Auckland (New Zealand). Before his tenure in Auckland, he has been assistant professor at the University of Manitoba (Canada), post-doctoral researcher at the Insitituto de Salud Carlos III (Spain), and clinical psychology resident (Spain Health Ministry competitive residence program). He has completed pre- and post-doctoral scholarships at the University of Hawai’i and the University of Florida under the supervision of Dr. Stephen N. Haynes and Dr. Brian A. Iwata, both renowned scholars in the field of behavioural assessment. His research focuses on the neural, emotional, and behavioural factors of problem behaviour, particularly among individuals with developmental disability. He also has an interest in the extension of behaviour analysis applications to general clinical psychology and complex language processes. His work has been supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and other reputed international agencies. He is author of over eighty specialized publications.