Lina Slim

PHD, BCBA-D, CCC-SLP

Dr. Lina Slim-Topdjian, Ph.D., BCBA-D, CCC-SLP, is Founding Executive Director of ASAP – A Step Ahead Program, LLC, since 2004. ASAP is an educational and behavioral consulting clinic that serves children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), apraxia, and speech-language and behavioral disorders.

Dr. Slim is a Certified and Licensed Speech-Language Pathologist and Doctoral Level Board Certified Behavior Analyst, with over 30 years-experience, specializing in the diagnosis and management of children with Apraxia, neurodevelopmental and behavioral disorders, and Autism, with a focus on Interprofessional Collaborative Practice and Education.

Let’s Work Together: A Framework for Effective Collaboration Competencies Saturday @ 8:00am

ABA and Speech Therapy overlapping but complementing
Saturday @ 9:00am

Sakurako Tanaka

PHD, BCBA-D

Sakurako Tanaka, is a mother of a child with autism and is a Doctorate Level Board Certified Behavior Analyst. She is the Chairperson of Asia-Pacific ABA Network Foundation (Japan), NPO Asia-Pacific ABA Consortium (Singapore) and The Mirai Souzou Foundation (Japan). She is also a member of the International Standards Committee and Subject Matter expert in QABA.

Dr. Tanaka, has over 20 years of experience in early intervention for Autism, engaged in the development and dissemination of the science of Applied Behavior Analysis in Japan, has made contributions in the field of ABA in the US and Canada, with a focus on language, bilingualism and cultural diversity.

As a mother and advocate: “Finding the path together“
Saturday @ 1:00pm

Communication and Language Improvement: “Listen! Now hear that sound?: An Introduction to Phonetics for the ABA therapists”
Day 2 – Asynchronous Presentation

Marianne Clancy

Registered Behavior Technician, mother of an individual with ASD

Marianne Clancy is the mother of a young adult son with autism, and two daughters. She has spent two decades collaborating with behavior analysts and educators, to promote her son’s learning opportunities and maximize her children’s successes. Due to her commitment to parent-professional alliances, Marianne has served on the Parent-Professional Partnership Special Interest Group (SIG) and the Autism SIG of The Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) and has served as a parent Board Member for The Association for Science in Autism Treatment. As a Registered Behavior Technician, Marianne provides ABA therapy to individuals with autism under the supervision of board-certified behavior analysts

A Parent’s Role in Cultivating a Lifestyle of Learning, in the School, Home and Community
Day 1 – Asynchronous Presentation

Smita Awasthi

PHD, BCBA-D

Smita Awasthi, Ph.D., BCBA-D holds a Doctorate in Behavior Analysis and has 36 years of clinical experience in the field of special needs. During this period Smita has worked on capacity building, skilling therapists, parent training, advocacy, education and mentoring students in latest technologies in autism intervention.
She wears many hats and has many Firsts to her credit. In 2004 she became the first Board Certified behavior analyst from India and the region. She provided leadership in the dissemination of behavior analysis by forming “ABA India” a non-govt organization and an affiliated Chapter of ABA International. She led ABA India in presenting to the Govt. of India, the need for recognition of ABA.

Can My Child Talk? Evidence for the Emergence of Vocals in Non-Vocal Children With Autism
Sunday @ 1:00pm

Robert Davidson

MS, BCBA

Rob Davidson obtained his Masters in Psychology with a concentration in Applied Behavior Analysis in Developmental Disabilities from Auburn University in 2008. Rob and his wife Amanda are the owners of Anchors Aweigh ABA, an in-home based company providing ABA services in the Jacksonville, Fl area.

Rob has experience working with children, adolescents, and adults with Autism and other Developmental Disabilities. He was worked in clinic, community, in-home, and school settings. Rob’s interests in behavior analysis include problem behavior reduction, food selectivity, and the dissemination of behavior analysis.

Rob spent two years living in the Philippines from 1999-2001 and is fluent in Tagalog. He hopes to use his familiarity with the Filipino language and culture to help grow the field of Behavior Analysis in the Philippines.

Sleep Intervention for Children with Autism
Sunday @ 8:00am

Kylan S. Turner

PHD, BCBA-D, LBA

Kylan Turner is a doctoral-level Board Certified Behavior Analyst® (BCBA-D®) and an Associate Professor of Practice in the Department of Behavior Analysis at Simmons University. She has worked with individuals with developmental disabilities and their families since 2003.

Dr. Turner received her doctorate in Special Education from the University of Pittsburgh in 2012. Generally, she is interested in conducting evaluations of interventions to address challenging behavior. Specifically, she has specialized in researching interventions provided through caregiver training to address prevalent sleep and feeding behavior problems in children with autism.

Feeding Problem in Individuals with ASD
Sunday – Day 2 – Asynchronous Presentation

Jennifer Donnelly

MADS, BCBA

Jennifer received her Master of Applied Disability Studies from Brock University and she is a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst. She has worked with individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities since 1999, utilizing the principles of Applied Behaviour Analysis with a special emphasis on Verbal Behaviour. She has experience working with a wide range of learners providing consultation and instruction. Jennifer has also traveled the world developing and presenting workshops to parents, professionals, and school boards.

Teach the Mand Using Augmentative Systems and Pushing for Vocals
Sunday – Day 2 – Asynchronous Presentation

Teaching Social Skills and Play Skills
Sunday – Day 2 – Asynchronous Presentation

 

Michael Ray

MA, BCBA

Michael Ray is the Senior Centre Clinician at the Lizard Children’s Centre in Adelaide South Australia. He holds a Masters Degree in Psychology with a respecialization in Applied Behavior Analysis from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology. Michael began working in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis as a Behavior Therapist in 2011 and became registered as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) in 2016. During his career Michael has designed and delivered training on 1 to 1 and social skills behavioral interventions in the United States, India, South Africa, and Australia. His current area of focus is in designing and implementing Skill-Based Treatments for children who display significant challenging behaviors, as well as training other clinicians in the Practical Functional Analysis of challenging behavior and the design and delivery of Skill Based Treatments based off of the results of their analysis.

Introduction to Practical Functional Assessment (PFA) and Skill Based Treatment (SBT)
Sunday – Day 2 – Asynchronous Presentation

Practical applications of the PFA and SBT
Sunday – Day 2 – Asynchronous Presentation

 

Kristine Gomez

MA ED, BCBA

Kristine is a board-certified behaviour analyst and currently works as a program supervisor for Lizard Centre, Adelaide. Prior to joining Lizard, she has several years of experience working as a behaviour analyst, in-home tutor, and as a special education teacher for children with developmental delays across various age groups. She has a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Santo Tomas, Manila (cum laude honours) and a Master of Arts in Education major in Special Education from the University of the Philippines (research grant awardee). She undertook Applied Behaviour Analysis courses through Florida Institute of Technology.

Introduction to Practical Functional Assessment (PFA) and Skill Based Treatment (SBT)
Sunday – Day 2 – Asynchronous Presentation

Practical applications of the PFA and SBT
Sunday – Day 2 – Asynchronous Presentation

 

Shalini Das

MA ED, MSC OT, BCBA

Shalini Das is an Occupational Therapist and Behavior Consultant, and owner and founder of Symbiosis Pediatric Therapy Inc. in Greater Vancouver, British Columbia (BC) Canada. She is currently leading a team of more than 50 professionals offering Therapy services exclusively for children. Shalini is recognized as a pioneer, dedicated advocate and practitioner, who has advocated successfully for changes to how pediatric therapy services can be provided in a team approach based in BC. For over 23 years, Shalini has devoted her career in making a difference for the children and their families. She is a strong advocate for creating awareness of Autism and related diagnoses and is well known in the community.

Interdisciplinary Clinical Assessment of Young Children with Developmental Disabilities
Saturday – Day 1 – Asynchronous Presentation

Relationship Between Stereotyped Behaviors, Interests and Atypical Sensory Responses in Children Diagnosed With Autism Spectrum Disorder – a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and an Occupational Therapist’s Perspective
Saturday – Day 1 – Asynchronous Presentation

 

Ling Chong

MSC, BCBA

Ling is the first Board Certified Behaviour Analyst (BCBA) who came back to Malaysia in 2015. While working towards her certification, Ling gained valuable experiences within the field in the UK, Kuwait and then Hong Kong prior to her return home. In her first few years back in Malaysia, she found the awareness of behaviour analysis low and surrounded by misconceptions. She started small, providing behavioural services with a center that believed in ABA as a fundamental treatment for children with Autism, while working on getting her team credentialed. She talked in organizations, schools and universities, spreading word of Applied Behaviour Analysis and the importance of getting the credential to facilitate the delivery of proper, high quality services that help clients improve, in line with the first ethical principle of Behaviour Analysis – to do no harm. Ling was awarded as one of the successful people in Malaysia by British Publishing House and her biography was published in the Britishpedia Encyclopaedia. Ling is currently doing her PhD in Psychology at University of Reading Malaysia (UoRM). She is particularly interested in repetitive movement in individuals with Autism.

Why do Children with Autism Flap Their Hands: A Review in Stereotypical and Repetitive Behaviours
Sunday – Day 2 – Asynchronous Presentation

 

Judith A. Lucas

MD

Communication and Language Improvement: Listen! Now hear that sound? An Introduction to Phonetics for the ABA TherapistsDr. Judy Lucas is the Medical Director and co-chief of the Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics at the Albany Medical Center in Albany, NY. She earned her medical degree at the SUNY Health Sciences Center in Syracuse, NY and completed her pediatric residency and chief residency at the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. From there, she joined the faculty at Albany Medical College and was a general pediatrician in the Division of General Pediatrics for more than 13 years. After more than a decade in practice, she became aware of the lack of resources for children with developmental and behavioral disorders. Through coursework and independent study, she became board-certified in developmental and behavioral pediatrics. She was instrumental in developing the Developmental and Behavioral Pediatric Practice at the Albany Medical Center. She and her team provide comprehensive care for children from birth through early adulthood. She has a great deal of expertise in providing longitudinal care for individuals with autism spectrum disorder.

Prepare for Launch: Benefits to an Interprofessional Approach Throughout Childhood to Facilitate Transition to Adulthood for Individuals with Autism
Sunday – Day 2 – 9:00 AM

Recent Developments in the Field of Autism and Medications in the Child with Autism
Sunday – Day 2 – 10:00 AM

 

Louricha A. Opina-Tan

MD

Dr. Louricha A. Opina-Tan, is a family and community medicine specialist. She finished B.S. Public Health (cum laude) and Doctor of Medicine at the University of the Philippines Manila and then completed specialization in Family and Community Medicine at the Philippine General Hospital. She started teaching family and community medicine in 2008. She is now a Second Year Fellow of the FAIMER (Foundation for the Advancement of International Medical Education and Research) Regional Institute at the Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China. She has authored and contributed in local and international publications on the initiation and development of interprofessional education here in the Philippines, based on CHDP’s experiences in the community. Together with other health professions teachers and practitioners, she designs and participates in various interprofessional learning activities for different students and trainees across different settings, to further promote collaboration in health education and practice. “Doc Richa” is happily married to Alvin, an epidemiologist, and a proud mother of two lovely kids, Jia and Joaquin.

Developing Collaborative Competencies thru Community Based Health Programs
Saturday – Day 1 – Asynchronous Presentation
Discovering Action Points: Assessments of Determinants of Collaboration in Education and Practice
Saturday – Day 1 – Asynchronous Presentation

 

Maria Relucio

PHD, BCBA, IBA

Dr. Relucio is a trained academic for almost two decades in the areas of Philosophy, Education and Behaviour Analysis. She received her PhD in Social Justice Education at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto. Her own lived experiences as a parent and a professional made her choose Behaviourism and Applied Behaviour Analysis as routes to claim social justice and ethics in Education. In her greater belief in Social Justice and reflections from BF Skinner and other forerunners of Behaviourism, she uses Behaviour Analysis as a platform to challenge, change and hopefully eradicate the gate-keepers’ mechanisms that perpetuate inequities in education, and in the society at-large.

Corporate Culture & Applied Behaviour Analysis: From Contingency-Shaped to Rule-Governed Behaviour using Organizational Behavior Management OBM
Sunday – Day 2 – Asynchronous Presentation

Laura Ferguson

MA, BCBA

Laura Ferguson is originally from Scotland, UK and is the Owner and Founder of Nessie Consulting LLC., based in Colorado, USA. She is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) with over 15 years of experience working with children, teens and adults with autism and other developmental disabilities. Through Nessie Consulting LLC., Laura provides consultation services to clinics, centers and individual families, supervision to individuals pursuing BACB certification and presents workshops across the United States, Europe and the Middle East. Her international experience has allowed her to be culturally sensitive, communicate effectively with families and staff despite language barriers, and gain knowledge of applied behavior analysis services and needs in different countries.

Putting the FUN(ctional) in NET: Designing and Teaching NET Lesson Plans and Essential for Living LRND Events
Sunday – Day 2 – Asynchronous Presentation