Live on December 10-19th, 2025
Recording With Purchase Only

Rejected 2025 Conference

An Online Conference for Behavior Analysts and Educators
Presenter(s): Over 18 practitioner-led presentations
CEUs: Earn 20 CEUs including Ethics and Supervision

Original price was: $200.00.Current price is: $100.00.

Sale!


What is Rejected?

Rejected isn’t your typical ABA conference. It was created to spotlight the voices, practices, and topics often pushed aside by journals, gatekeepers, and traditional conference committees.

In 2025, we’re going deeper:

  • Challenging the myth that publications are the only path to expertise
  • Centering practitioner knowledge, lived experience, and practice-to-research insights
  • Celebrating innovation, compassion, and the kind of work that actually changes lives

Last year we welcomed over 1,000 attendees worldwide. This year, we’re building something even bolder.

Our Theme for 2025

Expertise is more than publications. Practice is research. Lived experience is expertise.

We’re done letting Reviewer 2 decide who gets a platform. The best ideas in ABA aren’t always published, and that’s why they belong at Rejected.

A Different Take on Expertise (Dreyfus & Dreyfus)

We’ve modeled this year’s theme around the Dreyfus & Dreyfus framework of skill development: from Novice to Expert. Their research shows that expertise grows through experience, reflection, and practice, not just through rules or publications.

That’s why Rejected 2025 is about elevating the knowledge that comes from doing the work in homes, schools, clinics, and communities.

Because the truth is, the best ideas aren’t always the ones that get published. They’re the ones practitioners, families, and advocates live every single day.


Presentations You Won’t Hear Anywhere Else

This year’s lineup includes 16 live sessions with voices from across the field. Just a few highlights:

  • Rejecting the Four Function Frame: Why Relational Approaches Work Better — Nicole Skotz
  • Essential Proactive Strategies for Supporting Adults — Shanda Brown
  • An Autistic BCBA’s Insights: Navigating ABA with Lived Experience — Michelle Zemen
  • From Principles to Progress: The Nurture Effect in Practice — Nicole Parks
  • How to Incorporate Compassionate Care and Behavior Science Together — Taylor Ortiz

Every session is practical, affirming, and immediately useful in your day-to-day work.


Why Attend?

  • Earn 20 CEUs including Ethics and Supervision
  • Lifetime replay access with no expiration
  • Affordable registration for maximum access
  • Global learning community
  • Real-world expertise from practitioners, advocates, and educators, not just academics

Who Is This For?

  • Behavior analysts seeking practice-centered strategies
  • Educators and school-based professionals
  • Parents and advocates looking for affirming approaches
  • Service providers across fields

Ticket Options:

  • Value-Based Pricing: (available just a few days) Starting at $25
  • Early Bird Registration (Oct 24th to Nov 17th): 50% Off at $100
  • Registration (Nov 17th to Dec 19th): $200

Need Financial Assistance?
Our goal is to make Rejected 2025 accessible to as many people as possible, while still compensating our presenters fairly and covering the costs of running the event. If finances are a barrier, we offer options for reduced pricing or assistance, because we don’t want cost to keep anyone from joining the conversation. Simply email megan@dobettercollective.us

All tickets include lifetime access to replays and CEU certificates.

Original price was: $200.00.Current price is: $100.00.

If you purchase this course you will earn 100 Points worth $10.00!
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Description

December 10, 2025

December 10th at 630pm to 730pm EST

Rejecting the Four Function Frame: Why relationship, context, language, and matter

1 LEARNING

“Join Nicole Skotz for an hour of critical reflection on the long-standing narrative of the four functions in behavior analysis. These categories, taught in school and ingrained in daily practice, are not enough. To truly expand our understanding, we need a reframe. In this session, you’ll explore the role of learning history, the therapeutic relationship, and the functionality of language as often overlooked indicators for understanding and supporting clients. Together, we’ll rethink how we’ve been trained to view behavior, ask critical questions, and make space for new perspectives. “

PRESENTER(S)

Nicole Skotz, M.S., BCBA

Nicole Skotz, M.S., BCBA, is a behavior analyst with nearly a decade of experience supporting neurodiverse teens and adults. Over the years, she has worked in clinical settings, built programs for adolescents, launched a CEU platform called Beyond the Task List, and most recently, founded her own private practice.

In her work, Nicole combines her expertise in behavior analysis with ACT and RFT with a focus on executive functioning and ADHD. She’s especially passionate about helping individuals better understand how their brains work so they can navigate challenges with more clarity and confidence.

Her current focus includes supporting individuals with ADHD and anxiety, and designing continuing education workshops for professionals. Through her trainings, she aims to make topics like ACT and ADHD more practical and relevant for behavior analysts. Above all, Nicole is committed to evolving as a professional and helping others do the same-both in how they practice and how they show up in the world.

!Important! – Per Presenter Agreement, this course expires Jan 6, 2025 at 11:59pm

December 10th at 8pm to 9pm EST

Essential Proactive Strategies: Supporting Adults with Mental Health Disorders and Disabilities

1 Learning

This webinar explores essential proactive strategies for supporting adults with mental health disorders and disabilities. Attendees will learn the significance of proactive approaches in behavioral assessments and how to effectively communicate their value to caregivers. The session emphasizes cultural responsiveness, client rights, and the ethical responsibility to “do no harm” while enhancing quality of care. Participants will also examine how to integrate client preferences, environmental factors, and social validity into treatment planning, collaboration, and progress monitoring. NOTES: Focused on creating and sharing resources for BCBAs who support the adult population, with an emphasis on caregiver training and dismantling ableist culture through compassionate, person-centered approaches

PRESENTER(S)

Shanda Brown, BCBA
Board Certified Behavior Analyst since 2019, Shanda brings over a decade of experience supporting adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and mental health needs. Rooted in her journey from Direct Support Professional to Behavior Consultant, she now focuses on caregiver training, anti-ableism advocacy, and Organizational Behavior Management. Through her work at DOTMHA, Shanda leads with cultural humility and system-level insight—creating inclusive, person-centered environments that empower both clients and care teams.
December 11, 2025

December 11th at 630PM to 730pm EST

How to Incorporate Compassionate Care and Behavioral Artistry into Everyday Practice

1 Learning

In this webinar, we will discuss how to connect with others using a relationship-based model. We will explore the key components of compassionate care and assent-based approaches. How does the concept of behavioral artistry fit into today’s evolving field? What does trauma-assumed care entail? When and how should we incorporate these qualities into our sessions? These topics—and more—will be discussed and further explored during the webinar.

PRESENTER(S)

Taylor Ortiz, MS, BCBA, LBA
Taylor Ortiz, MS, BCBA, LBA, is a licensed behavior analyst in Connecticut and North Carolina with 12 years of experience in the field of ABA. She is passionate about teaching others how to foster empathy and kindness in today’s evolving field. As a single mother, she applies her expertise in child development to raise her 3-year-old son to be a compassionate member of society. Taylor strives to make a lasting impact on all the clients and families she has worked with. She is also deeply interested in integrating neuroscience with behavior analysis to enhance the field.

December 11th at 8pm to 9pm EST

An Autistic BCBA’s Insights: Navigating ABA with Lived Experience

1 Learning

An Autistic BCBA’s Insights: Navigating ABA with Lived Experience is a personal and professional exploration of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) through the lens of an autistic practitioner. Presented by Michelle Zeman, MA, BCBA, LBA, the talk shares her journey from early diagnosis and therapy experiences to her career in ABA and leadership roles. The presentation addresses common criticisms of ABA, clarifies misconceptions, and highlights the importance of individualized, client-centered, and trauma-informed approaches. Key themes include honoring client dignity, embracing neurodiversity, differentiating between socially significant and non-harmful behaviors, and incorporating the voices of autistic advocates into practice. The session emphasizes collaboration with families, schools, and communities to ensure therapy is meaningful, respectful, and affirming.

PRESENTER(S)

Michelle Zeman, MA, BCBA, LBA
Michelle is an Autistic Board Certified Behavior Analyst, certified since 2016. She has worked with a variety of clients — ranging from ages 2-16 and in multiple settings (telehealth, clinic, school, home, and community). She has experience with multiple assessment tools, has experience writing assessments and reassessments, and has worked with clients that display a variety of behaviors and skill sets. She has mentored and supervised a number of BTs, RBTs, BCaBAs, and new BCBAs. Finally, she has Clinical Director experience. She is a firm believer of compassionate care for all, and focusing on client-directed, client-centered goals that are socially significant to the client.
December 12, 2025

December 12th at 12pm to 1pm EST

From Principles to Progress: The Nurture Effect as a Blueprint for Change

1 Learning

In The Nurture Effect, Anthony Biglan offers a compelling vision for building a more caring, cooperative, and equitable world, one rooted in decades of behavioral science. This session bridges Biglan’s evidence-based framework with the practical tools and strategies of applied behavior analysis (ABA), illustrating how our science can move beyond individual interventions to influence systems, policies, and cultural norms. Through the lens of prevention, reinforcement, and environmental design, attendees will explore how ABA can be leveraged to reduce coercion, increase prosocial behavior, and create large-scale change. Participants will leave with a clearer roadmap for applying behavior-analytic principles to some of society’s most pressing challenges, moving from theory to progress in their own spheres of influence.

PRESENTER(S)

Nicole Parks

Nicole has been working as a behavior analyst for two decades and has worked with clients of all ages. She has experience in early intervention, substance abuse, psychiatric disorders, organizational behavior management and acceptance and commitment therapy. Nicole has a strong proficiency for project management, operations and employee relations . She founded Rooted Consultation in 2020 to help new and established businesses focus on ethical and sustainable business practices. She is passionate about ensuring people are happy at work and specializes in employee training and retention programs. Nicole’s love for behavior science and expanding the reach of ABA has driven her to advocate for behavior analysts in spaces outside of autism and developmental disabilities. To that end, Nicole provides supervision and mentorship to both aspiring BCBAs and those looking to expand their knowledge base. When she isn’t trying to save the world with behavior analysis, she enjoys traveling with her husband and kids and trying to convince adorable wild animals to let her take care of them.

December 12th at 130pm to 230pm EST

Building Trust & Connection in Parent Training Though Cultural Humility

1 Ethics

There is no one-size-fits-all approach in Applied Behavior Analysis, particularly when working with families from diverse cultural backgrounds and behavior analysts who overlook cultural differences and implement interventions that ignore a family’s lived experiences and cultural values risk being ineffective (Bumstead & Boyce, 2005). This training challenges practitioners to move beyond protocol-driven models and instead build genuine, trust-based relationships with caregivers. Rooted in the framework proposed by Fong et al. (2016), this session will guide participants in developing cultural awareness, addressing implicit bias, and integrating acceptance into every step of caregiver training. Participants will learn strategies for developing trust, integrating acceptance-based approaches, and delivering parent training that honors each family’s values, history, and strengths. We will examine common barriers such as power dynamics, cultural mismatches, and clinical rigidity using reflective storytelling, real-life scenarios, and research-informed tools. Behavior analysts will learn how to center family voices, build rapport, and create more socially valid interventions. By leading with curiosity and compassion—not just contingencies—we build ethical, effective, and enduring partnerships. In the field of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), family engagement is more than a checkbox,it’s the foundation for meaningful, lasting behavior change. This training aligns with cultural competency regulations by promoting self-awareness, respectful collaboration, and individualized care, as outlined in Fong et al. (2016), which emphasizes the necessity for behavior analysts to develop cultural awareness skills to ensure ethical, effective, and inclusive practices across diverse populations.

PRESENTER(S)

Dominique Shorter-Taylor, MS, BCBA, LBA
Dominique Shorter-Taylor, MS, BCBA, LBA is a powerhouse in Applied Behavior Analysis and the CEO of Supervision University and Shorter-Taylor Behavior Consulting, as well as the Co-Founder of Beyond ABA, LLC. She is best known as Dom the BCBA Mom on YouTube, where she creates engaging, relatable content on life as a BCBA, different career paths, and her journey as an autism mom. A proud alumna of South Carolina State University (HBCU), Dominique earned her master’s in Clinical Psychology in Chicago and became a Board Certified Behavior Analyst through The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. With over 14 years of experience serving children and adults with autism and other developmental differences, she is committed to expanding access to high-quality ABA services in underrepresented communities. Dominique has delivered powerful talks at WIBA, BABA, CalABA, and on radio, television, and expo stages nationwide. She is passionate about building culturally competent professionals and making ABA accessible to all who can benefit from it. Outside of her professional work, she treasures time with her husband and four children, leads in Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and serves in her church’s media ministry.
December 13, 2025

December 13th at 10am to 12pm EST

Breaking Myths & Building Skills for Meaningful AAC Support

2 Learning

Supporting nonvocal or limited language learners is a part of many of our daily roles, but could outdated practices be holding us back? This training is your chance to refresh your approach and make a bigger impact. Through visuals, interactive activities, and practice opportunities, you’ll gain the tools and confidence to support AAC users in meaningful and effective ways. What to Expect:
  • Debunk AAC Myths: Challenge outdated ideas and understand the truth behind effective AAC implementation.
  • PECS vs. High-Tech AAC: Discover when and why high-tech AAC options often surpass traditional PECS approaches.
  • Actionable Strategies: Learn how to introduce AAC in low-pressure, individualized, and meaningful ways.
  • Core vs. Fringe Words: Explore the importance of core vocabulary and practice strategies for building language across settings.
  • Interactive Activities: Engage in skill-building exercises to help you feel prepared to support AAC users confidently.
This training includes 50+ pages (!!!) of visual resources to help you bring what you’ve learned back to your team and confidently advocate for AAC best practices. NOTES: It’s very interactive! We have a packet of resources that we’ll send out prior so they can have them ready to participate in the activities. We also would prefer if attendees could have their videos on so we can see them practicing the AAC strategies and provide any in-the-moment feedback.

PRESENTER(S)

Morgan van Diepen, BCBA
Morgan van Diepen is a BCBA with over 15 years of experience in ABA, working closely with families, educators, and neurodivergent advocates. She is the co-founder of ABA Visualized and the self-published author of a bestselling book collection that ranks among the top titles in Behavioral Disorders in Special Education and Parenting Children with Disabilities. Morgan has presented at national conferences and developed custom trainings for clinical organizations and school districts. She remains committed to making behavior expertise more approachable, compassionate, and accessible to those who need it most.
and Janna Bedoyan, NBCT & AAC Specialist
December 14, 2025

December 14th at 10am to 12pm EST

Creating Visual BIPs for Confident Parent and Staff Support: A Practical Guide to Creating High-Quality Behavior Plans & Teaching Them to Your Team

2 Learning

We surveyed hundreds of BCBAs, parents, teachers, and behavior staff — and what we found was pretty alarming. So many BCBAs shared that they quietly struggle to create Behavior Intervention Plans (BIPs) they feel confident in, and teams often leave trainings feeling unsure about how to put the plans into action. This training is designed to change that. First, we’ll walk you through a clear, step-by-step process for choosing strategies and creating visual BIPs that are easier to develop and far more approachable for your teams. Then, in part two, we’ll focus on how to teach these plans effectively — asking the big question: Is BST always the best approach? You’ll leave with fresh strategies, ready-to-use visuals, and a framework that helps your entire team feel prepared and supported.

In our surveys, we found that 79% of behavior professionals reported feeling unprepared to independently develop Behavior Intervention Plans (BIPs) when they started. And now, only 35% reported feeling effective at teaching behavior recommendations to their teams. This uncertainty often results in ineffective plans, under-supported families, and increased burnout for BCBAs.
It’s time for a change.

In this training, you’ll learn how to create high-quality, visual BIPs that are easy to develop, approachable for your teams, and actionable in practice—helping everyone involved feel confident and prepared to support learners effectively.

~ What to Expect ~

  • Review survey results from over 200 behavior professionals to understand common barriers in BIP creation and implementation
  • Learn the 4 essential components every BIP needs
  • Introduce a shift to a situation-based BIP
  • Create your own visual BIP through step-by-step guidance
  • Learn and practice two lesser-known evidence-based strategies for teaching behavior recommendations to better individualize your support
  • Receive a packet of ready-to-use resources to implement immediately
  • + more!

PRESENTER(S)

Morgan van Diepen, BCBA
Morgan van Diepen is a BCBA with over 15 years of experience in ABA, working closely with families, educators, and neurodivergent advocates. She is the co-founder of ABA Visualized and the self-published author of a bestselling book collection that ranks among the top titles in Behavioral Disorders in Special Education and Parenting Children with Disabilities. Morgan has presented at national conferences and developed custom trainings for clinical organizations and school districts. She remains committed to making behavior expertise more approachable, compassionate, and accessible to those who need it most.
December 15, 2025

December 15th at 12pm to 1pm EST

Disseminating our Science Online

1 Learning

Behavior analysts often have amazing ideas and expertise, but struggle to find ways to reach more people in outside-the-box ways. This webinar, Disseminating Our Science Online: Entrepreneurial Lessons in ABA, will guide you through practical strategies for sharing your knowledge through digital products, online content, and entrepreneurial efforts. Using a roadmap approach, participants will see how ABA principles can be applied to tasks like audience engagement, product creation, and online teaching in a way that is clear, ethical, and effective.

During this session, you will learn how to identify opportunities for online impact, describe audience needs in simple, jargon-free language, and identify the first actionable steps toward building or growing an online behavior analytic product or service. You will walk away with a clear framework for moving from ideas to action and the confidence to start reaching more people with the science of behavior.

PRESENTER(S)

Leanne Page, BCBA
Leanne Page is a board certified behavior analyst, approved BACB continuing education provider, parent coach, mom of two, founder of Parenting with ABA, and best-selling author of Parenting with Science: Behavior analysis saves mom’s sanity, Enjoy Parenting: The busy mom’s behavior toolbox, and The Calm & Connected Journal. At ParentingwithABA.org, Leanne supports families through free content, online courses and workshops, and parent coaching. Leanne supports professionals through continuing education all about providing compassionate care to families and resources for parent training. Leanne also founded The Behavior Bosses Collective, which provides training and a mastermind group for online ABA business owners.

December 15th at 130pm to 230pm EST

Developing Authentic Play and Social Repertoires

1 Learning

For too long, social skills instruction has leaned on scripts, rehearsed exchanges, rote teaching, and extrinsic reinforcers. Mastery has too often been defined as “looking and acting more neurotypical,” rather than developing skills that foster authentic engagement and support the learner’s own goals. While these methods can produce surface-level responses, they fall short in nurturing the flexibility, motivation, and connection needed for meaningful relationships. In this session, we will examine how a neurodiversity-affirming, play-based model can move the field forward by prioritizing the learner’s voice, motivation, and autonomy.

Through case examples and practical strategies, behavior analysts will see how to reframe “social skills” instruction as the cultivation of authentic social lives. This approach not only supports skill development but also enhances self-determination, belonging, and long-term outcomes for neurodivergent learners.

Join us to explore cutting-edge, evidence-based practices that challenge traditional models, strengthen your clinical repertoire, and align with a values-driven, neurodiversity-affirming vision of behavior analysis.

PRESENTER(S)

Ashley Rose

Ashley Rose is founder and clinical director of Mission Cognition Social – Emotional- Behavioral Wellness program providing direct service behavior analytic, group based programing to preschoolers through adults with varying disabilities. Ashley has worked in the field of applied behavior analysis and special education since 2002, in roles such as a paraprofessional, in home ABA provider, inclusion teacher, parent trainer, IEP advocate, and school district behavior specialist. In 2013, Ashley opened Mission Cognition to meet the needs of a growing population of learners who did not have equitable access to fun and friendships. Since opening, the program has become an established U.S and international model for trauma informed, neurodiversity-affirming, naturalistic, relationship based ABA. Ashley specializes in the development of play and social behaviors, disseminates information via multiple invited professional development trainings yearly, and provides ongoing professional consultation and training to parents, providers and organizations domestically, as well as internationally.

and Dr. Megan DeLeon Miller, BCBA-D
December 17, 2025

December 17th at 9am to 10am EST

Naming the unspoken stuff that happens between us

1 Ethics

Being in relationship with others, it is unavoidable that our own previous learning histories will sometimes get in the way. Oftentimes, the feelings, thoughts and behaviours that we experience are unconscious, which mean they are out of our awareness. This can make it very difficult to understand what is happening, for us and the other person. Without a doubt, this impacts our clinical and personal relationships, so it is vital that we have some understanding of these processes to better inform our practice.

PRESENTER(S)

Kelly Taylor
Certifying as a BCaBA with the BACB in 2003, Kelly has spent almost 3 decades supporting Neurodiverse learners and their families. In 2020, Kelly began the long journey to becoming a Transactional Analysis (TA) Psychotherapist and has recently set up in private practice. Noticing that the clinical work we do with families and in educational settings needs more than what the course sequence teaches, Kelly uses her knowledge and experience of TA to better inform our working and personal relationships, so that we can better understand our humanity and that of others.
and Dr. Megan DeLeon Miller, BCBA-D

December 17th at 130pm to 230pm EST

Redefining Success in ABA: Leadership, Innovation, and Community Growth

1 Supervision

Redefining Success in ABA: Leadership, Innovation, and Community Growth explores how professionals can expand their impact beyond traditional clinical roles in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). This session examines evolving definitions of success in the field, emphasizing leadership, entrepreneurship, and community engagement as essential to meaningful progress.

Presented by Jeron Trotman and Kelly Baird, this session draws from their shared work across initiatives such as BMBA (Black Men in Behavior Analysis), ABAVerzus, and the Behavior Technician Association (BTA). These platforms serve as models for redefining what leadership looks like in ABA by promoting equity, inclusion, and community-driven professional development.

Attendees will gain insight into the power of mentorship, collaboration, and intentional representation across roles and identities in the field. Through storytelling, strategy, and interactive discussion, participants will be invited to rethink the traditional career ladder and explore new, sustainable ways to create lasting impact in behavior analysis.

PRESENTER(S)

Jeron Trotman, MS

Jeron Trotman, MS, is a highly skilled, Board-Certified Behavior Analyst with over a decade of experience in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). He earned his Master of Science in Psychology with an emphasis in ABA from Purdue University and holds a Bachelor of Science in Sociology from the University of New Hampshire.

Dedicated to increasing diversity and representation in ABA, Jeron has made significant contributions to the field. He excels at building strong relationships with clients and caregivers, creating a supportive environment for all involved.

Jeron is the President and Founder of Black Men in Behavior Analysis (BMBA), where he enhances the presence and representation of Black men in the field, promoting diversity and inclusion. He is also the Founder of ABAVerzus Block Party, an organization redefining community engagement in ABA through vibrant experiences.

An active member of several professional organizations, including Black Men in Behavior Analysis the Association for Professional Behavior Analysts and the Georgia Association of Behavior Analysis, Jeron’s interests include creating community, empowering the next generations of clinicians, and making a lasting impact in the field of ABA. He resides in Atlanta, GA.

Kelly Baird, BCBA, LBA, IBA

Kelly Baird, BCBA, LBA, IBA, is the founder of Black Women in Behavior Analysis Appreciation Day (BWIBAAD), the Vice President of Operations at ABAVerzus, and the Chief Operating Officer of The Behavior Technician Association (BTA). She is also the co-founder of The ABA Collab, the parent company of ABAVerzus, Black Men in Behavior Analysis (BMBA), BWIBAAD, and BTA. Additionally, she introduced The ABA Pathfinders initiative to promote inclusive ABA pathways across universities, high schools, and employer settings.

Kelly is the creator of the Civil Discourse platform through ABAVerzus, designed to facilitate honest, respectful conversations across roles in the ABA field, supporting collaboration, reflection, and professional accountability. As a mother of a child with autism, Kelly is deeply committed to creating empowering spaces for clinicians and fostering meaningful networking and speaking engagement opportunities. She is passionate about increasing visibility for underrepresented professionals, bridging pathways for career advancement, and disseminating
the science of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) beyond traditional ABA spaces.

Through BWIBAAD, Kelly has established a platform to celebrate and support Black women in behavior analysis, cultivating a community of empowerment and professional growth. At ABAVerzus, she leads innovative initiatives that revolutionize ABA events, creating engaging experiences that unite and uplift the ABA community. Her work is rooted in advocacy, collaboration, and elevating clinician voices, making her a recognized leader in the movement to diversify and strengthen the field.

December 18, 2025

December 18th at 12pm to 1pm EST

Both Client and Clinician: A Mother’s Trauma, a BCBA’s Truth — and the Compassion That Could Change Everything

1 Learning

Compassionate care is an essential, yet underemphasized, component of effective Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) service delivery. While practitioners are well-trained in behavioral interventions, the emotional needs of parents often receive less attention, despite their critical role in treatment outcomes.

This presentation offers a dual perspective: that of a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and a mother whose first child was born blind with Down syndrome. The trauma of receiving such a life-altering diagnosis reshaped both her parenting and her professional practice. Personal reflections will be interwoven with evidence documenting the heightened stress, depression, and anxiety parents face (Ritzema, 2011), the financial strain and social isolation they experience (Shahali et al., 2024), and the shame that can further complicate their adjustment (Marcinechová et al., 2023). These compounding factors can make it difficult for families to fully engage in therapy, even when interventions are evidence-based.

Recent discussions in the field have argued that compassion is so central to effective treatment that it should be considered an additional dimension of ABA (Penney, Bateman, Veverka, Luna, & Schwartz, 2023). In this session, compassionate care will be defined and differentiated from empathy and sympathy. As Taylor, LeBlanc, and Nosik (2019) emphasize, compassion requires action—offering a solution to suffering—rather than simply acknowledging it. Attendees will learn practical strategies to recognize caregiver fatigue, respond to trauma with sensitivity, and build collaborative partnerships that empower parents. Real-life examples—including both clinical cases and personal experiences—will illustrate how compassion not only strengthens the parent–analyst relationship but also improves child outcomes.

By the end of this session, participants will leave with actionable tools to balance evidence-based interventions with compassion, ensuring families feel understood, supported, and valued throughout their ABA journey.

PRESENTER(S)

Monica Castro, BCBA

Monica Castro is a board-certified behavior analyst and proud mother of two daughters, Rio and Riz. Rio, who is blind and has Down syndrome, has been at the heart of Monica’s journey, teaching her resilience, joy, and the power of compassionate care. As both a provider and a parent, Monica brings a unique dual perspective to the field of ABA—understanding what it means to sit on both sides of the table.

With over 30 years of experience working with children and adults with disabilities, Monica has dedicated her career to creating meaningful change for families. Her professional path has included school-based services, community programs, and parent training, but it was her experience as a mother that shifted her practice forever. Living through the challenges and triumphs alongside her daughters, Monica came to see that true progress only happens when families feel seen, supported, and cared for.

Today, Monica is the founder and owner of an ABA company serving families across multiple states. She continues to advocate for parent support, mentor professionals, and push the field toward more compassionate, family-centered care. Her life’s work blends professional expertise with lived experience, guided by one central belief: that compassion is not optional—it is essential

December 18th at 130pm to 230pm EST

Cultures of Support: Implementing PBS in Diverse Organizations to Reduce Restraint and Promote Positive Behavior

1 Learning

Coercive practices, including physical restraint, continue to pose significant ethical and practical concerns across various organizational settings. This presentation addresses the critical need to shift away from these harmful interventions towards proactive, positive, and evidence-based strategies. We present a comprehensive framework for implementing Positive Behavior Supports (PBS) in multi-operational companies lacking a prior history of these practices, emphasizing its efficacy in reducing restraint and promoting positive behavior

This presentation draws on data collected during a system-wide implementation of PBS. Baseline assessments revealed inconsistent practices and a reliance on reactive strategies. Following targeted training, data-driven decision-making, and the introduction of individualized support systems, significant improvements were observed. Specifically, fidelity checklists demonstrated an average increase of 13.2% in PBS implementation across participating organizations between 2024 and 2025, with the largest gains observed in specific programs where a BCBA was specifically hired to oversee operations and implementation measures.

Case studies from diverse organizations are presented to illustrate how PBS can be successfully implemented to reduce restraint incidents, improve staff engagement, and promote positive outcomes for individuals. We emphasize the importance of ongoing training, data collection, and collaboration with families and stakeholders to sustain positive change and build organizational cultures that prioritize support and respect.

PRESENTER(S)

Nicole Sorensen, MS, BCBA, LBA

Nicole Sorensen, MS, BCBA, LBA, serves as the Director of Therapeutic Practices at MyPath, leading organization‑wide efforts to embed Positive Behavior Supports (PBS) and trauma‑informed practices across residential and day‑school programs. Her leadership centers on objective observation, practical fidelity measurement, and coaching systems that help stakeholders apply ABA consistently and humanely, reducing reliance on restraint and seclusion. Nicole’s career spans diverse settings across the United States and internationally, shaping her commitment to culturally responsive, person‑centered support. She was elected to the BACB Board of Directors for the 2025–2028 term and has taught in higher education. Nicole is pursuing an EdD in Applied Leadership & Organizational Behavior Management at the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay (expected 2028). Her dissertation focuses on practical dissemination of ABA within diverse systems through policy alignment, educator toolkits, and capacity‑building pathways (train‑the‑trainer, micro‑credentials, and communities of practice). Her current work emphasizes implementation science, interdisciplinary collaboration, and elevating humane, evidence‑based practices across complex service settings.

December 19, 2025

December 19th at 10am to 11am EST

Beyond Bullying: A Phenomenological-Behavioral Lens on Prejudice, Power, and Psychological Flexibility in Schools

1.5 Learning

Bullying in schools is often addressed through surface-level interventions that target behavior without fully understanding the lived experiences, meaning-making, and identity processes underlying those behaviors. This webinar draws on emerging research, including a phenomenological-behavioral study of adolescent prejudicial bullying, to examine how relational frames (e.g., distinction, coordination, deictic) contribute to rigid patterns of exclusion and harm. Participants will be introduced to the Functional Self-Discrimination Measure and Interview (FSDM-I) as a tool for accessing adolescent perspective-taking and values, and how this approach can guide systemic interventions rooted in psychological flexibility and equity. We will also connect these insights to restorative practices and leadership frameworks that move beyond discipline toward belonging, repair, and sustainable systems change.

PRESENTER(S)

Holly Blais, BCBA

Holly is an aspiring leader, self-proclaimed maverick, and positive deviant in applied behavior analysis (ABA). Despite having over 20 years of experience in education, disability support, systems management, and applied behavior analysis, there is always more to learn and reflect upon to honestly “do better.” As a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, Licensed Applied
Behavior Analyst, certified special education teacher, and a doctoral candidate in educational leadership, Holly brings a unique perspective that extends ABA’s reach far beyond its traditional applications.

Holly’s innovative approach integrates contextual behavioral science (CBS) with ABA principles, leveraging advancements in leadership theory, contextual psychology, and research to address complex societal challenges. Their work empowers those often forgotten, like educators and students, as a necessary voice of change. Holly is dedicated to creating more inclusive, effective, and accessible behavioral interventions that can truly change the world through the power of behavioral science. Thus, their application of behavioral science to areas such as multi-tiered support systems, bullying, leadership behavior, trauma-informed practices, restorative practice, and diversity initiatives has been shown to extend the reach of ABA. As a neurodivergent thinker, Holly’s dyslexia has become an asset in tackling complex organizational challenges, allowing Holly to develop novel solutions that push the boundaries of what is thought of as “traditional” within ABA.

December 19th at 12pm to 1pm EST

The Interdisciplinary Behavior Analyst

1 Learning

Although interdisciplinary practice is an essential part of behavior analytic work, behavior analysts often lack the critical skills to collaborate. Recent criticisms of behavior analytic providers have shed light on areas in which behavior analysts may be lacking when it comes to training and service delivery. For example, there has been an increased focus on the development of a “compassionate care” repertoire of skills for behavior analysts working with patients and families (e.g., Taylor et al., 2018). Furthermore, survey data have suggested that behavior analysts may not be receiving adequate training in essential relationship-building skills that could enhance the level of care they provide (i.e., Leblanc, Taylor, & Marchese, 2020). Behavior analysts are often criticized for having poor collaborative and consultative skills, particularly when working with professionals from other fields (e.g., Critchfield et al., 2017).

This professional learning experience will acknowledge our historical and theoretical psychological roots and discuss relevant and necessary skills from consultation and collaboration.

PRESENTER(S)

Erica Ranade

Erica S. Ranade is a board-certified behavior analyst, nationally certified school psychologist, and
licensed psychological practitioner working in Kentucky, USA. She is currently a PhD student in
curriculum and instruction specializing in special education and in diagnostic equity and cultural

Lauryn Toby

Lauryn M. Toby is a licensed clinical psychologist and board-certified behavior analyst working in
Indiana, USA. She specializes in the assessment and treatment of neurodevelopmental disorders and is passionate about improving the training of new clinicians in the field of behavior analysis.

December 19th at 130pm to 230pm EST

The ABA Career Journey: From Technician to Clinical Director

1 Learning

How do you move from an entry-level role in applied behavior analysis to a leadership position that influences teams and services? In this interactive Q&A session, Jerry Idicula, BCBA and Area Clinical Director at Centria, shares his journey from working as a behavior technician in 2015 to overseeing and training other BCBAs today. Jerry will answer questions from Dr. Megan and other colleagues about the lessons he’s learned, the mentorship that shaped his path, and the strategies that helped him succeed. Participants will walk away with practical guidance on navigating early career challenges, finding strong training opportunities, and translating learning into effective clinical practice.

This session is designed for those at the start of their ABA career, current RBTs, early-career BCBAs, and anyone looking to understand how to build a meaningful and sustainable path in the field.

PRESENTER(S)

Jerry Idicula

Jerry Idicula is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) serving as the Area Clinical Director of Services for Centria in Metro Detroit. His career in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) began in 2015 as a behavior technician, and since then, he has gained extensive experience in various capacities serving communities across Michigan.

Jerry earned his Master of Education in Educational Psychology from Wayne State University in 2018 and has been a BCBA since 2019. He is passionate about leadership development, consulting on complex clinical cases, and effectively disseminating the science of behavior analysis to empower practitioners and families

December 19th at 630pm to 730pm EST

Designing Instruction That Lasts

1 Learning

In early intervention, behavior analysts often rely heavily on assessment and curriculum results to guide programming. While tools such as the VB-MAPP, ABLLS-R, and PEAK provide valuable snapshots of learner repertoires, they are not roadmaps for long-term, durable skill development. Without thoughtful instructional design, learners may acquire isolated skills that fail to generalize, maintain, or meaningfully impact quality of life.

This presentation will highlight how integrating principles of instructional design with precision teaching can strengthen early intervention programming and produce learning that lasts. Participants will explore how to move beyond “teaching to the assessment” by identifying socially significant learning outcomes, designing sequences that build fluency, and embedding strategies that ensure retention and generalization. Precision teaching tools and concepts, including the Standard Celeration Chart, pinpointing, and RESA will be introduced as a means of monitoring progress, guiding instructional decisions, and accelerating learner outcomes. This presentation will illustrate how careful instructional design can transform early intervention programming from checklist-driven therapy into dynamic, individualized instruction that maximizes learner independence and success.

PRESENTER(S)

Austin Miyamoto, BCBA, IBA

Austin is a behavior scientist and analyst and serves in various roles at several organizations. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Developmental Psychology from Keiser University, and a Master’s Degree in Behavior Analysis from Florida Institute of Technology. He holds both the Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and International Behavior Analyst (IBA) credentials. Austin is passionate about all things behavior analytic, but specifically precision teaching and standard measurement hold a special place in his heart (#HeartTheChart). His professional work includes but is not limited to having worked with individuals from young childhood, all the way to adults, spanning numerous settings and locations. He has worked with individuals diagnosed with a wide range of behavioral and emotional disorders, along with neurotypical individuals, and organizations. Professional interests outside of precision teaching include – relational frame theory, sexuality and sexual behavior, supervision, and staff training. Outside of work in his free time, Austin likes to bake, read books of any genre, and go to Disney.

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