Chief Executive Officer
James E. Carr, PhD, BCBA-D, ICE-CCP
He is the past editor-in-chief of The Analysis of Verbal Behavior and has served on the editorial boards of 11 behavior analysis journals, including 4 appointments as associate editor. Dr. Carr is the past president of the Colorado, Alabama, and Mid-American Associations for Behavior Analysis. He received his doctorate in 1996 from Florida State University under the mentorship of Dr. Jon Bailey and previously served on the behavior analysis faculties at University of Nevada-Reno (1996-1999), Western Michigan University (1999-2008), and Auburn University (2008-2011).
Board of Directors
As the governing body of a nonprofit corporation, the BACB’s Board of Directors is responsible for establishing the organization’s mission, overseeing its Chief Executive Officer, and deciding important matters about the organization’s activity. Directors typically serve a three-year term and may have the opportunity to serve a second term. Directors serve in an unpaid, volunteer capacity and represent a cross section of stakeholders that includes practitioners, consumers, employers, faculty, and administrators. Additional information about the Board of Directors is available in the BACB’s bylaws.
Breanne Hartley, PhD, BCBA-D
Dr. Hartley’s areas of interest include optimizing patient progress, effective supervision of staff, and systems analysis. She has publications in Behavior Analysis in Practice, and she has spoken across the country on topics through workshops and presentations regarding issues concerning behavior analyst practitioners, such as staff training, supervision, treatment plan development, and navigating the insurance denial and appeals process for insurance funded ABA therapy.
Julie Koudys PhD, C.Psych., R.B.A. (Ont.), BCBA-D
She is passionate about the integration of research into practice and partners regularly with community providers to support applied research and evidence-based practice. Along with her graduate students, she has published numerous research articles and book chapters and has presented more than 100 papers and workshops, including invited addresses, at both national and international conferences. Dr. Koudys has a long history of service, including serving as an appointed member of the Government of Ontario’s Clinical Expert Committee for ASD and the Autism Advisory Panel for the Ontario Autism Program. She was the 2026 recipient of the International Advancement of the Practice of Behavior Analysis Award from the Association of Professional Behavior Analysts.
Ivy Chong, PhD, BCBA-D
Ivy previously served as Senior Vice President of Children’s Services at May Institute (2017–2023), overseeing the operations of home, school, and center-based services. From 2008–2017, Ivy served as the Director of Autism Services and Training at the Scott Center for Autism Treatment and Associate Professor in the College of Psychology and Liberal Arts at Florida Institute of Technology. Ivy is a licensed psychologist (FL, MI) and BCBA-D and maintains leadership roles on several advisory boards and has presented at numerous conferences nationally and internationally.
Sarah Richling, PhD, BCBA-D
Sadie Anderson, RBT
As a teenager, she became really passionate about the benefits that ABA had to offer for improving the lives of individuals with disabilities. The inspiration to help others in her community through ABA led to her work in vocational support for individuals with disabilities seeking job-related training, helping to build inclusive environments, and teaching organizations how to create systems that support accommodations in the workplace. Sadie has been a community resource in Tennessee, serving on various panels to provide support related to inclusion, caregiver training, and compassionate care in treating individuals with disabilities.
Berenice de la Cruz, PhD, BCBA-D
Dr. de la Cruz has served as a teacher, behavior analyst, supervisor, director, and professor, and has extensive experience training caregivers, educators, and professionals in the application of ABA. Her research and practice focus on public policy advocacy, ethics, cultural adaptations, AI, and evaluating the use of ABA by caregivers and professionals to support individuals in natural environments. She is actively engaged in professional service, currently serving as President of the Texas Association for Behavior Analysis, as a Board Member of the Autism Society of Texas, and as a founding member of the Mexican Association for ABA Practitioners (Organización Mexicana de Practicantes de Análisis Conductual Aplicado; OMPAC). In 2026, Dr. de la Cruz was the inaugural recipient of the TxABA Behavior Analysis Trailblazer in Texas award. She regularly presents nationally and internationally in English and Spanish.
Jennifer Genovese, BCaBA
Jennifer brings her experiences as a parent of a child on the spectrum, her work in the school setting, and her work in the field of ABA as an RBT and later as a BCaBA to the BACB Board of Directors. She is deeply honored to have the opportunity to serve alongside a distinguished group of individuals committed to enhancing a field that she feels passionate about.
Anita Li, PhD, BCBA-D
Anita has written over 30 research articles and chapters and presented more than 50 papers and workshops, including invited addresses, at both national and international conferences in behavior analysis. Her research interests include organizational practices and equity practices in ABA, instructional design, and translational research examining productivity and training effects. She is on the conference committee board for the Women in Behavior Analysis, the DEI board for the Association of Behavior Analysis International, and serves as a subject matter expert for the BACB.
Chrissy McNair
Chrissy is the former Director of Employment Services at Embracing Autism (Columbus, OH) where Chrissy led the organization to find meaningful employment for adults experiencing developmental disabilities. Chrissy is passionate about supporting parents and caregivers of loved ones with special needs, is a public speaker in the areas of relationship building between families and teachers/therapists, as well as improving self-care for the caregiver. Chrissy enjoys hiking, tennis, paddle boarding, is an avid podcast listener, and fully into the pickleball craze. Chrissy lives in Portland, OR with a spouse, children, two dogs, a rescue cat, and three backyard chickens.
Nicole Sorensen, MS, BCBA
Currently, Nicole focuses on trauma-informed ABA practices and reducing coercive interventions while maintaining clinical effectiveness. She has taught at Simmons University and Purdue Global University and collaborates with organizations to promote ethical, client-centered care. Her research interests include organizational behavior management and non-aversive behavior systems. She is currently a doctoral candidate in Applied Leadership at the University of Wisconsin Green Bay, where her research examines the psychological and organizational conditions that influence the use of restraint and strategies that support sustainable, non-coercive practice.
Nicole is actively involved in professional service, having served on the Wisconsin Association for Behavior Analysis Board and chaired committees on diversity and inclusion. She is committed to equity, mentorship, and advancing compassionate ABA practices. Nicole received the 2023 WisABA Award for Significant Contributions to Behavior Analysis.
Rebecca Womack, MS, BCBA
Rebecca has been privileged to deliver ABA services to children, adolescents, and adults both in the United States and overseas. She enjoys providing education and consultation services to ABA professionals and organizations. Through her advocacy efforts and dedication to quality, her ultimate goal is to make a significant impact through effective and efficient services utilizing the science of behavior analysis.