Behavior Analyst, Department Lead
Blue Bird Day Employee Since 2017

• Board Certified Behavior Analyst
• Learning Behavior Specialist
• Certified Personal Trainer
• Ironman Certified Triathlon Coach

• Autism Spectrum Disorder 
• Down Syndrome 
• Intellectual disabilities 
• Emotional and Behavior disorders 
• Applied Behavior Analysis 
• AAC and PECS communication systems 
• Intentional Relationship Model 
• Student supervisor 
• VB-MAPP Assessment 
• Behavior modification  
• Skill Acquisition programs 
• Transition planning 
• Caregiver training 

I was working at a Montessori charter school in West Philadelphia in 2007 as an aide in a primary classroom. The one: one aide for a “challenging” student in the 2nd-grade classroom had suddenly left her role, and I was asked to fill in. Our first day together he tried to jump a fence and refused to leave the playground after recess. I stayed with him, telling him, ” I wasn’t going anywhere, so if he needed extra time, that was ok.” He said, “you aren’t going to yell at me?” Nope, I sure wasn’t. That kiddo and I had a great rest of the year. I still keep in touch with his family. When I moved back to Chicago, I immediately enrolled in a special education graduate program, and found a job as a teaching assistant in a self-contained classroom for a student with autism, in Chicago Public Schools. I was a Special Education teacher for nearly 14 years, in a variety of both public and therapeutic settings, with clients ranging from 6 years through 21, before transitioning to Blue Bird Day, where I began as a Kindergarten Teacher and Behavior Therapist while finishing my studies in Applied Behavior Analysis. I have now been a BCBA at Blue Bird Day for the past 2 years, and love how my experiences both as an educator and therapist inform my approach with each client. 

• Greater Chicago Food Depository
• Black Lives Matter
• Women For Tri
• Proud to Run Chicago
• Organization for Autism Research

Masters Certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis
University of Cincinnati

Masters of Education in Special and Elementary Education
Depaul University

Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing and Psychology
Knox College

1. I would like to continue to grow in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis, through education and collaboration with other professionals, and to continue to grow as a therapist overall!

My favorite thing about working at Blue Bird Day is our collaborative approach to therapy. I love being in an environment where I am on a true “team” for each of my clients, informed by different fields of expertise and experience. This allows us to truly offer a global approach to therapy and education of each client, and I’ve seen so many of our kiddos really grow and shine after just a few months at BBD! 

Blue Bird Day fosters socialization, sensory regulation, and pre-academic learning in children ages 2–7 years in therapeutic rotations that simulate  preschool and kindergarten settings. Our compassionate therapists practice a relationship-based and family-centered approach, provide parent training, and collaborate on goals and individualized intensive treatment plans for your child.

We believe in a collaborative and multi-disciplinary team approach to therapy.  A team of occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, dietitians, developmental therapists, behavioral therapists, physical therapists, and therapeutic assistants are created for each child to ensure child and family are fully supported and the best possible results are achieved.  

Options for individualized, group and virtual therapy sessions are available as well. 

Want to learn more or you have a specific question? Feel free to connect with us here!