ABA TECHNOLOGIES - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Instructional Designer and Program Coordinator
Aaron Bevacqua earned his Master of Science from Florida Institute of Technology and his B.A. from Rollins College. Since 2007, he has applied the principles of behavior analysis with a wide range of individuals, from children and adults with developmental delays to student-athletes and teachers in mainstream education. As a clinical supervisor, he guided ABA graduate students in conducting assessments and managing caseloads. Additionally, he developed systems to monitor and improve treatment fidelity and clinical outcomes and created competency-based training for technicians new to the field.
Aaron's research areas include assessing treatments for escape-maintained problem behavior, as well as the effects of a response-card system in the general-education setting. In his current role with ABA Technologies, Inc., he works as a curriculum and instruction specialist designing and delivering online instruction to students seeking certification in behavior analysis.
Job Titles:
- Professional Development Specialist
Abigail Petronelli is a current graduate student at Florida Institute of Technology in the master's program for organizational behavior management (OBM) and is a Registered Behavior Technician at the Scott Center for Autism Treatment. Abigail received her undergraduate degrees in psychology and women's studies at the University of Florida in 2018. She was involved in research (across several labs) in behavior analysis focused on clinical research with children with autism, risky and choice behaviors, and OBM. Abigail's current interest areas range from women's studies to behavior analysis. This includes addressing the prevalence of discrimination towards marginalized people, the development of inclusive workplace cultures via analysis and improvement of diversity training, targeting behaviors that increase inclusivity and establishing supportive managers.
Adam Hockman works with ABA Technologies, Inc., on integrating new educational technologies and instructional design practices into its growing product line. Formerly, he worked as a research associate with the Mechner Foundation in New York City. Alongside Dr. Francis Mechner and his colleagues, Adam assisted in developing educational technologies and implementing behavior analytic practices in a private school setting.
Adam is actively engaged in applying behavior analytic instructional design and precision measurement to the advancement of health professional education and clinical interventions. He consults with professionals to introduce and integrate Precision Teaching into their clinical practice, including speech-language pathology and medicine.
Recently, Adam worked as a member of ONtraCk, a team of clinicians and technologists developing an educational platform for pediatric cancer patients. Team ONtraCk was formed at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai (Oct. 2017) and placed as a top finisher in its annual hackathon. In addition, Adam is co-founder of Mifa Music Training, a precision teaching-based music learning organization in NYC, and currently serves as the managing editor for the Standard Celeration Society. He received his undergraduate training in communication sciences and disorders from Utah State University.
Adele studied Multimedia & Design in her hometown of Cape Town, South Africa and began gaining marketing experience as a graphic designer for a small importing company. She moved to the United States in 2000 and owned a business in the hospitality industry where she gained experience in both graphic design and social media marketing. She joined Florida Tech as an Administrative Assistant II for The Foosaner Art Museum in 2017 and then moved to the School of Psychology department while pursuing her degree in Business Administration and Marketing Management at Florida Tech. She joined ABA Technologies as the Creative Services Administrative Assistant II in 2021 and is currently the Marketing Operations Specialist as well as the Production Manager for KeyPress Publishing since 2022.
Alicia Norris is Chief Financial Officer at ABA Technologies, Inc. As a member of ABA Technologies' executive team, Alicia manages daily operations and leads the implementation of organizational policies. She also works closely with other team members developing strategic goals and initiatives to increase overall profitability. Prior to her CFO position, Alicia's role was executive assistant to the CEO and product development specialist, where she oversaw the careful and timely execution of multiple projects. Throughout her career, Alicia has focused on optimizing business operations with skilled problem solving while always attending to customers' needs to identify creative and cost-effective solutions.
Alicia is a graduate of the University of Central Florida with a degree in Business Administration. Alicia plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Strategic Planning and Financial Management. Outside of ABA Technologies, Alicia enjoys being with her family and two boys. She also loves being outdoors, traveling, and riding horses in the discipline of dressage.
Ashley Johnson earned her B.A. in English from the University of Florida in 2007. She previously worked in film production and human resources in entertainment and technology companies in Orlando and Los Angeles. She is part of the curriculum team and is interested in the international dissemination of ABA and projects that work toward that goal.
Job Titles:
- Academic Program Support Manager
William "Bill" Carlucci received his MS in applied behavior analysis from Florida Institute of Technology. In 2002, he began his career as a behavior assistant for individuals in foster care and also earned his BCaBA. William has worked in early intervention, intensive behavioral group home settings, and a state inpatient psychiatric program. From 2010-2016, he worked as a senior-area behavior analyst and chair of the local review committee for the Agency for Persons with Disabilities in Volusia and Flagler counties. Soon after, William became a regional clinical training coordinator for Positive Behavior Supports Corporation, later moving into a lead position where he developed and supported other coordinators. Additionally, William has been a co-instructor for ABA Technologies since January of 2010. His ongoing interest in shaping competent behavior analysts has seen him move from a co-instructor into the role of lead instructional manager in 2019. William serves on the Florida Association of Behavior Analysis as a member-at-large.
Job Titles:
- Academic Program Delivery Manager
- Board Certified Behavior Analyst
Carlos has been a Board Certified Behavior Analyst® (BACB®) since 2007 and received his master's in applied behavior analysis from Florida Tech in 2006. Carlos' master's thesis was published in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. As a member of the ABA Technologies team, Carlos has been a co-instructor for the ABA Online program since 2010.
He loves teaching online courses because it allows him to share his passion for behavior analysis with students and colleagues. Carlos has helped translate some of the courses into Spanish to bring ABA to new audiences. Prior to joining ABA Technologies, Inc., Carlos worked for seven years as a lead therapist at QuestKids, an early intervention agency. During that time, he learned to conduct various skill assessments such as the Verbal Behavior Milestones Assessment and Placement Program (VB-MAPP), develop verbal behavior programs, teach a variety of skills to children with developmental disabilities, train caregivers, and provide supervision.
Carlos is currently working on a conceptual paper on the different effects of consequences and antecedents on behavior and is developing an Excel version of the Standard Celeration Chart. Additionally, Carlos helped translate sections of the VB-MAPP into Spanish and has developed Spanish presentations on verbal behavior.
During his free time, Carlos enjoys reading, drawing, playing guitar, listening to music, and exercising. He is very excited to help disseminate behavior analysis around the world.
Job Titles:
- Instructional Design Specialist
Cassie's past professional experience includes nine years working in zoological facilities. She received extensive training in animal husbandry, environmental enrichment, animal training, and education. Through working in zoological facilities with animals, Cassie learned about the science of behavior and has been fascinated ever since.
She is a graduate of the Applied Behavior Analysis and Organizational Behavior Management master's programs at the Florida Institute of Technology. While in graduate school, Cassie had the privilege of learning from the team at ABA Technologies, Inc. about curriculum and instructional design. This experience ignited her passion for the teaching and dissemination of behavior analysis. Cassie is currently a curriculum development specialist.
Cathy is the HR Manager and came to us from Florida Institute of Technology where she had over 20 years of service. Her positions while there were in the Office of the SVP/Provost, the Office of the EVP/Provost, and in Human Resources. In her most recent position as Manager of Academic Operations, she was responsible for many responsibilities handled in the office of the SVP/Provost office, such as faculty contracts, budget oversight for all academic units, and faculty SACS accreditation compliance as well as serving on numerous committees. Cathy has over 14 years of Human Resources experience in both higher education and corporate HR. She continues to be an Adjunct faculty for Florida Tech Online and teaches HR Management classes at the undergrad level.
Cathy graduated from Florida Institute of Technology with a Master of Science degree in Human Resources Management and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration/Management.
As a senior engagement manager for ABA Technologies, Inc., Chris Morrissey provides support for strategic plans through structured analysis and research related to business objectives and the development of new business lines focused on expansion in the corporate sector. Chris prepares, negotiates, and finalizes contracts with partners that increase company reach and revenue opportunities. He creates financial models, investigates new technologies-including business intelligence tools and e-learning solutions-and develops key contacts in both international and domestic markets to explore the creation of new products. Chris's strategic thinking and planning is complemented by his exceptional ability to translate complex technical concepts to a non-technical audience.
His current role is informed by years of diverse business experience including, but not limited to, solving complex business and technology issues, business consulting, and directing a team of IT professionals addressing finance, commodity trading, procurement, human resources, and manufacturing. Among many professional achievements, Chris led a global, cross-functional project with teams in Argentina, Brazil, China, France, and the United States. He also implemented a maintenance/procurement solution across 19 manufacturing/processing facilities in the United States and Canada, driving significant savings in operating expenses and procurement costs.
Chris earned a Masters of Business Administration Specializations: Corporate Finance, Strategy Courses in Advanced Strategy, Advanced Corporate Finance, Operations and Supply Chain Management from New York University-Stern School of Business, and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Finance from Regis University, Denver, Colorado.
Job Titles:
- Academic Program Support Manager
Christi became a BCaBA in 2000 while providing in-home verbal behavior programming to children with ASD. In her first 10 years in the field, she worked on teams overseen by Dr. Vince Carbone. During that experience, she developed a passion for verbal behavior. Christi earned a Master of Science in applied behavior analysis from Florida Institute of Technology in 2002 and became a BCBA the same year.
Christi has an extensive background in implementing ABA methods in a variety of venues such as homes, schools, companies, as well as in the courtroom as an expert witness in the field of ABA. Christi was the clinical director of an ABA clinic in Hawaii for four years and consulted for a number of years. She now works for ABA Technologies, Inc., and teaches for FIT. Christi is highly motivated to help disseminate ABA and provide ongoing support and protection of the field's integrity by teaching people to have better standards of practice.
Christina has brought her attention to detail and digital communications to the creative team at ABA Technologies, Inc. As inbound marketing coordinator, she implements strategies that build brand awareness, generate new leads, and create a vibrant social media presence. Christina is skilled at conducting market research and coordinating trade shows and events that promote ABA Tech's products and services. Outside of ABA Tech, Christina enjoys spontaneous road trips and spoiling her mini-dachshund.
Christine Freche has worked in healthcare and human resource industries for over twenty years. Her small-business experience has allowed her to implement business strategies that build better and more competitive organizations. At ABA Technologies, Christine supports employees with HR processes and policies. Outside of the office, she enjoys spending time with her family and fur babies, gardening, and traveling to the mountains. Christine's husband is a retired Air Force officer and their son serves in the Air Force.
Job Titles:
- Instructional Design Assistant
Christine Galliano earned her BA in English and secondary education from New Jersey City University. She previously worked in the field of education as an English teacher. She is part of the curriculum team and is interested in the implementation of ABA within public education.
Job Titles:
- Academic Program Support Manager
Christine Ratcliff received her master's from Florida State University, and a BA from Western Michigan University. Christine first worked as a public-school consultant in North Florida before starting at the Florida Association for Behavior Analysis (FABA). While at FABA, she managed professional development offerings for behavior analysts. Christine then served as a senior program specialist and the director of public relations at the Behavior Analyst Certification Board. After a decade at Board, she became a clinical auditor for The Behavioral Health Center of Excellence, Los Angeles, CA. Christine is a member of the public policy committee of the Colorado Association for Behavior Analysis.
Job Titles:
- Academic Program Senior Support Manager
Corey L. Robertson received his Master of Science in applied behavior analysis and organizational behavior management from Florida Institute of Technology in 2006 and became a BCBA in 2007. He began his career in 1998 as an exceptional education teacher for Orange County Public Schools and has since worked as a behavior analyst for several organizations; working in homes, schools and community settings with parents, teachers, and staff to improve the lives of children and adults with and without disabilities.
Since 2007, Corey has been dedicated to developing competent behavior analysts through his work as lead co-instructor for Florida Tech's online course sequence in ABA, and through direct and distance supervision of certificate-seekers. Corey has served as a member-at-large and as president for the Florida Association of Behavior Analysis and maintains the "BehaviorGuy" Facebook page and website.
Job Titles:
- Academic Program Support Manager
Dennis is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and has previously served as a behavior therapist to children with Autism, a supervisor, and a training coordinator. During his time as a supervisor and a training coordinator, Dennis discovered his passion for the field of Organizational Behavior Management (OBM), specifically in the mentoring, guidance, and development of other professionals using the science of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). He is currently working toward completing his PhD in Behavior Analysis at Florida Tech, focusing on OBM. His current doctoral research is centered around ways to improve feedback delivery, training and coaching employees and organizational leaders, and the incorporation of technology to improve these practices. Dennis also serves on the Board of Directors of the OBM Network as Director of Outreach, disseminating OBM through webinars, writing, and public speaking.
Job Titles:
- President and Founder of Betz Behavioral Consulting
- Vice President of Clinical Product & Senior Consultant
Dr. Alison Betz, President and Founder of Betz Behavioral Consulting, received her PhD from Utah State University. She also completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Munroe-Meyer Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center. Alison previously served as faculty at Florida Institute of Technology and has taught everything from single subject design, assessment and treatment of severe behavior, to OBM. Her primary research and clinical interests are assessing and treating severe behavior, evaluating efficient teaching procedures for individuals with autism, and examining the effects of conditioned reinforcement. She has published in the areas of functional analysis, applied behavior analysis, and autism in co-authored book chapters and in prestigious behavioral journals. Alison serves on the editorial boards of the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis Education and Treatment of Children, and Behavior Development Bulletin.
Jose emigrated from Cuba with his sister during the height of the revolutionary takeover by Fidel Castro. Forced to leave his parents behind (and later reunited when they were allowed to leave), he moved to Miami to live with relatives. As he left Cuba for the last time, he witnessed his neighbors being executed in the street. He was not permitted to bring anything of value with him, and even his own stuffed toy was stripped away before exiting Cuba. Speaking no English, he entered America, where he experienced a radical cultural and social shock.
Early on, Jose turned his traumatic uprooting into an insatiable desire to better the lives of vulnerable people in deep need of comfort and genuinely useful action. His determination to channel fear, anger, and resentment into positive change for all people has steered his lifelong commitment to behavior analysis. Jose tied his interests and passion back to a neighbor in Cuba-locked in his home, feared by others for his problematic behavior. Others described this man as "loco," but even as a child, Jose realized no one should live such a life, fueling his desire to help the "loco."
Our founder Dr. Jose Martinez-Diaz made the trip to beautiful Morgantown, WV, to receive an award from his alma mater, West Virginia University (Ph.D. ‘84).
Job Titles:
- Executive Vice President
- Senior Vice President, Product Strategy
Dr. Kristin Myers-Kemp is the executive vice president of ABA Technologies, Inc. As an executive team member, Kristin helps to ensure ABA Tech stays on course toward its mission and oversees the efforts of the Curriculum and Instructional Teams. Kristin is the program director for the ABA Online Program, a collaboration of ABA Technologies, Inc. and Florida Institute of Technology.
Kristin received a Master of Science in applied behavior analysis from FIT in 2005. After several years of working in child welfare for the University of Florida Behavior Analysis Services Program, Kristin returned to FIT and completed a Ph.D. in behavior analysis under Dr. David Wilder in 2011.
Kristin has experience in child welfare, parent training, treatment of problem behavior, and has been a co-instructor for the ABA Online Program at FIT since 2007. Today, Kristin is most passionate about curriculum design and training students in the science of behavior analysis.
Job Titles:
- Program Manager and Instructional Designer
Emily Meyer earned her master's degree in organizational behavior management from Florida Institute of Technology's School of Behavior Analysis in December 2012 and became a BCBA that same year. Before her introduction to behavior analysis, Emily received her bachelor's degree in education (with a major in varying exceptionalities) through the University of North Florida. Her professional career began in 2004, serving as a public-school special educator for four years, during which time she earned her first master's degree in education. As a teacher, Emily served children with disabilities in kindergarten through third grade by co-teaching in inclusive classrooms. This environment gave Emily the opportunity to collaborate with professionals in various disciplines including administrators, psychologists, behavior analysts, general and special educators, as well as the parents of the children she taught.
Upon her introduction to Jose and his courses in behavior analysis, Emily realized how the understanding of this applied science could positively impact her skills as a teacher. Since that time, Emily has been excited to share the "good news" of behavior analysis with other professionals, especially those working in the field of education.
Emily uses her experiences in education to help explain the concepts of behavior analysis to audiences from various backgrounds. This ability is invaluable in her current position as curriculum and instruction manager for ABA Technologies, Inc.
Job Titles:
- Administrative Coordinator
Emily is a graduate of Florida Institute of Technology where she studied applied behavior analysis. There, Emily took interest in the application of instructional design and OBM to issues facing education and public schools. She completed an internship with Andrew Houvouras and Brevard Public Schools where she focused on bringing classroom teachers technological tools to improve their practice. Energized by her experience at FIT, Emily went on to enroll in the hybrid master's program in ABA.
As the executive administrative coordinator, Emily manages the office and schedules of the executive teams, along with other administrative duties. Outside of ABA Technologies, Emily enjoys reading, traveling with friends, and spending time with her husband Tyde (a 3rd-grade teacher in Brevard County).
Evelyn Kendall graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education from Florida State University and became an elementary teacher. During this time she served on interdisciplinary teams to help students with various needs and backgrounds including serving as the school coordinator for the schools ESOL (English Speakers of Other Languages) population. In her time as a teacher, she saw a severe learning gap in the areas of behavior management and behavior support which led her to pursue a Master's degree in Applied Behavior Analysis & Organizational Behavior Management at Florida Institute of Technology. Her goal is to further disseminate ABA into education and implement OBM practices to improve school processes and management systems. As a former intern at ABA Technologies, she had opportunities to assist with professional development projects and learning instructional design principles. Evelyn has a passion for providing lifelong learning opportunities to teachers, students, and other behavior analysts, no matter the age. Evelyn is accomplishing this currently as a Quality Assurance Specialist at ABA Technologies Inc.
Job Titles:
- Instructional Designer and Program Manager
Job Titles:
- Academic Program Senior Support Manager
Jan Montgomery graduated with a Master of Science in psychology with an emphasis in applied behavior analysis from North Dakota State University and became BACB certified in 2000. Her career has included working at a head-injury rehabilitation program where she directed a secure, locked unit for violent offenders, chairing LRC committees, consulting with group homes for individuals with developmental disabilities and providing behavior workshops for caregivers and professionals. From 1997 through 2008, Jan worked with dependent children and their caregivers, beginning with a pilot project with the Positive Parenting group, based on Dr. Glenn Latham's work.
Jan served on the Florida Association for Behavior Analysis (FABA) executive board from 2003-2006 and from 2009-2011. She was elected and served as president of FABA from 2009 to 2010, and her presidential speech highlighted the ongoing need for behavior analysts to work with individuals with mental health diagnoses. In addition, organizational management, professionalism and ethics training have been recent, specific study pursuits.
Jana Burtner brings a wellspring of creative-design experience to ABA Technologies, Inc. As a digital designer with a background in marketing and communications, Jana develops and maintains the creative elements and presentations that engage audiences with behavioral science content. Prior to ABA Technologies, she served in numerous creatives roles-teaching graphic design in a public high school, leading marketing and communication efforts for a large medical practice, and working as senior creative designer for a top-25 accounting firm with offices across the United States. Jana is a BFA graduate of James Madison University.
Outside of work, she volunteers with Afrikana Independent Film Festival (design work, event photography), and formerly served as the communication director for TEDxRVA and production designer for TEDxRVAWomen. Jana has a keen interest in bringing community-focused ideas to action through powerful designs that shape how people interact with their world.
Job Titles:
- Instructional Designer III
Jennifer Roe brings a unique array of experience to the instructional design team at ABA Tech, ranging from public broadcasting, commercial voice-over, and multimedia production, to writing, editing, brand development, and arts management.
A graduate of Davidson College, Jennifer hosted a daily program of classical music on WDAV. There, she produced "The Main Street Sessions" and "Radio Chopin," and hosted programs distributed nationwide by NPR, APM, and PRX. An active voice-over professional, Jennifer's speaking and singing voices pop up everywhere from eLearning modules to steakhouse commercials.
KaCee Costello-Vargo earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in graphic design from Siena Heights University. Upon graduating in 2019, KaCee has been running her own freelance design business. She started full time for ABA Technologies, Inc. in 2021, as the inbound marketing specialist and has since been promoted to Digital Designer II.
Job Titles:
- Building and Sustaining Meaningful and Effective Relationships / the Consulting Supervisor and New Supervisor Workbooks
Job Titles:
- Content Development and Analytics Specialist
Job Titles:
- Content Strategist
- Strategist
Mark McNeillie is the Content Strategist at ABA Technologies, Inc.
Matt Tullo is a Media Design Specialist at ABA Technologies, Inc.
Job Titles:
- Learning Community and Communications Manager
Job Titles:
- Vice President of Operations
Job Titles:
- Corporate Strategy Analyst
Job Titles:
- Public Relations and Communications Manager
Job Titles:
- Instructional Design Specialist
Job Titles:
- Relationship Manager, Innovative Products
Job Titles:
- Senior Client Partner, Growth Initiatives