Our Team

Kelle has 25+ years working with children and adults with Autism. She started working with children with Autism in 1988 for her senior project at The Greenhill School of Dallas. This lead her to Texas Christian University where she graduated with a B.S. in the Study of Exceptional Students in 1992. Kelle taught in Carrollton-Farmer's Branch ISD for 3 years where she was nominated for Teacher of the Year by the Down’s Syndrome and Autism Society of Texas. In 1995, Kelle started her graduate program with Syracuse University in Rome, Italy then went on to complete her M.Ed. in Behavioral Interventions from University of North Texas in 1996. She returned to CFBISD as a Crisis Interventionist, Behavior Resource Specialist and Autism Specialist from 1996-2000. 

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Jenn graduated from the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) in 2007 with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. She continued on at UNO to attain her Master’s of Science degree in School Psychology in 2010. While in graduate school Jenn worked as an in-home behavior therapist. After moving to Austin in 2010, she was employed at a local school to serve children with autism in the special education department. She joined CTAC in 2011 and acquired her supervision hours while working as a therapist. Jenn earned her BCBA in 2013, and after being a supervisor since 2015, she was promoted to Assistant Clinical Director in 2020.

Aarti currently works as a Director of Clinical Research at Central Texas Autism Center (CTAC). She completed her PhD in Applied Behavior Analysis in 2016 from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. She has been working in the field for almost 20 years, empowering individuals with special needs and their families from different cultures and sections of the society, globally. She has extensive experience in clinical practice across various hospitals, non-profit organizations, and public schools. She is very passionate about research and applications of Behavior Science to promote learning in individuals with and without disabilities. Her areas of interest in behavioral research are: Replication and extension of Skinner’s analysis of verbal behavior, Early childhood development and education, Autism, Developmental Disabilities, Equivalence-based Instructions, Transfer of Stimulus Control, Advanced language skills acquisition, Functional assessment to prevent severe problem behaviors in young individuals with and without disabilities, and extension of Skinner’s analysis of behavior in understanding of machine learning and Artificial Intelligence (AI). She leads applied research projects at CTAC in collaboration with Texas Christian University (TCU) and FAHB lab at California State University at Northridge (CSUN). When she is not engaging in research, she is consulting, supervising clients, and doing professional trainings for the new staff at CTAC. She is also passionate about teaching various concepts and applications in ABA/VB. In her down time, she enjoys doing yoga, wildlife excursions, and trips to National Parks with her family

Valentina is originally from Caracas, Venezuela. After moving to the US in 2011, she attended Tulane University and earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and French. While volunteering as a research assistant at a developmental lab, she found her love for working with kids. In 2016 she joined the behavior analytic field as an Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) and now has 4 years of experience working with children diagnosed with autism in both the in-home and clinical settings. She joined CTAC in October 2020.  In 2021, she completed the Master’s program at Capella University, and passed her BCBA exam. In 2022, Valentina was promoted to Assistant Supervisor.

Andrea graduated from Florida State University with a Bachelor's degree in Psychology in 2010. She continued on to graduate school at Florida State University's Applied Behavior Analysis program and received her Master's of Science degree in 2012. Since graduating and becoming a BCBA, she has worked in verbal behavior clinics and in homes, providing one on one ABA therapy as well as supervising other therapists. She joined the CTAC team in 2014 and became supervisor in 2016. She is now a Senior Supervisor.

Christy graduated from Texas A&M University with a B.S. in Biomedical Sciences and Psychology in 2014. She graduated from University of Texas at Austin with an M.Ed. in Special Education: Autism and Developmental Disabilities in 2015. Christy has experience working with children with Autism using the science of Applied Behavior Analysis in the in-home and center settings. She earned her BCBA in 2016 and moved to the Dallas area. In 2017, she moved back to Austin and joined the CTAC team.

Michelle received a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Delaware. After graduation, she moved to Texas to attend graduate school at the University of Texas at Austin. In 2014, she received her M.Ed. in Autism and Developmental Disabilities. During her graduate studies, Michelle worked as a behavior therapist in a clinic setting, as well as in-home and in school. She became a BCBA in 2015 and joined the CTAC team in 2016.

Jessica graduated from University of Texas at Austin with a BS in Human Development and Family Sciences in 2010 and with a Master’s of Education in Autism and Developmental Disabilities in 2013. She earned her BCBA in 2016. Before joining CTAC, in 2014, she worked with children ages 18 months to 5 years in child development centers in Austin for 5 years. Jessica has now worked with children with autism and other developmental disabilities for over 6 years.  She is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and a Supervisor for our Buds Program.

Vicki graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 2011 with a Bachelor's degree in Social Work and a minor in American Sign Language. Vicki became a Registered Behavior Technician and has worked with children and teens with autism since 2011. She joined the CTAC team in 2017, and graduated from Texas State University in 2020, with a Master's of Education with a concentration in Applied Behavior Analysis.  Vicky became a BCBA in 2020, and is now part of our Supervisor team.

Mariel received her B.I.S. in Elementary Education from the University of Texas at El Paso in 2011. She then moved to Austin, Texas to attend the University of Texas at Austin and received her M.Ed. in Special Education with a concentration in Learning Disabilities and Behavioral Disorders in 2012.  After graduation, she worked as a lead teacher at KIPP Austin Leadership Elementary for four years, obtaining experience in general education, inclusion, and special education settings.  She joined the CTAC team in August of 2017, as a BCBA Therapist, then became a Program Manager, and recently promoted to Assistant Supervisor in 2020.

Alecia graduated from the University of Miami with a B.A. in Psychology and a B.A. in Studio Arts in 2013. She lived in Miami, FL for 3 years after graduation and worked for a private clinic credentialed as an Registered Behavioral Technician (RBT) in various settings including clinic-based, in-home, and in school. After completing coursework through Florida Institute of Technology (FIT), she passed her BCaBA exam in 2015. She moved to Austin for graduate school at the University of Texas at Austin and received her Master’s of Education in Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) in 2018. She joined the CTAC team in September of 2017, and has now been a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) since 2018. In 2022, Alecia was promoted to Assistant Supervisor.

Candy graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a bachelor’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders in 2000. She returned to the University of Texas and earned her M.Ed. in Early Childhood Special Education in 2003. Candy has been a BCBA since 2004 and worked at CTAC for 10 years before working in a public school for 8 years. She is excited to be back at CTAC, serving as a supervisor in the Academy program. 

Noah Akey graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a B.A. in Middle Eastern Studies in 2016. He has two years of experience working as an RBT, at clinics in Phoenix and in Austin. He has provided behavioral health therapy to children, teenagers, and adults in clinic, home, and school settings.  Noah joined the CTAC team in 2021.  In his free time, Noah enjoys learning languages, math, dancing, fighting games, and reading.

Arundhuti graduated from The University of Houston in 2020 with M.Ed. in Special Populations and is working towards taking her BCBA exam. She has 3 years of experience teaching children using drama techniques and has recently joined the CTAC team. In her free time, she likes to hike with her family, read, paint and create DIY projects.

Samantha graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with a B.S. in Applied Learning and Development. She has been with CTAC for 3 years working in family's homes and at the center. Before coming to CTAC, she worked as a therapist in Brooklyn, NY at a school for children with autism. Samantha is a Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst.

Mary Claire graduated in May 2021 from the University of Texas at Austin, with a Bachelor's Degree in Special Education.  She is currently pursuing her Master's Degree in Early Childhood Special Education at the University of Texas at Austin. She joined CTAC in 2021, and is working toward getting certified as an RBT.  When not at work, Mary Claire loves going to restaurants, gardening, playing with her puppy, Biscuit, and hanging out with friends & family.

Amy Cadle grew up in Attleboro, Massachusetts. She graduated with a B.S. in Psychology, in 2020, from Sacred Heart University, in Fairfield, Connecticut. She is certified as a Registered Behavior Technician and is currently pursuing her Master's to become a BCBA. Amy joined CTAC in 2021, and has been in the ABA field for a little over a year. In her free time, Amy likes to play sports, bake, and take her dog hiking.

Christine is a Dallas native and in 2016, received her bachelor’s degree in Theatre Arts with a minor in Shakespeare Studies from Southern Utah University. She moved to Salt Lake City, Utah where she began working in a group home with individuals who have autism and other developmental disabilities. In 2019, she began working at an after school program with children who have an autism diagnosis and became a Registered Behavior Technician serving youth ranging from 6 to 20 years old. She moved to Austin in 2020 and has been working for CTAC since that time. Her goal is to study to become a BCBA. When she’s not at CTAC, Christine is usually deciding between going for a drive with her dog, watching movies, or rereading the Harry Potter series.

Paul graduated from Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa, with a B.A. in Communications in 2017.  In 2018, he received his Master's in Philosophy from Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland. He moved to California and worked as an ABA Therapist from 2018 to 2021, and then relocated to Austin.  Paul joined CTAC in 2022, and is currently pursuing his Master's to become a BCBA. When he is not studying or at work, he enjoys his time with his partner, going for runs, playing instruments, reading, and spending time with family.

Angela graduated from Aurora University with majors in Psychology and Philosophy, then earned a Masters Degree in Liberal Arts from St. Edwards University, Austin, TX, in 2020. She is currently working on her BCBA certification, and will graduate in Spring of 2022. She has 5 years' experience working with children, and 3 of those years have been dedicated to working as an RBT. She is passionate about helping her clients to learn skills that will lead to an enjoyable and functional life. In her free time, Angela can be found running, roller skating, and knitting.

Ieshia is from Memphis, Tennessee. She received her Bachelor's Degree in Anthropology and Sociology from Rhodes College in 2014. Ieshia taught Special Education for four years before moving to the Central Texas area in 2021. She received her Master's Degree in Education with a concentration in Autism and Applied Behavioral Analysis from Texas State University in December 2021. Ieshia is currently a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) and plans to take the BCBA exam in 2022. 

Joe graduated from Saint Thomas Aquinas College, Sparkill, New York, with a B.A. in Communications in 2008. From news rooms to marketing, his path lead him to start working in special education for three years in New York. He moved to Austin in 2018 and worked at Williams Community School for 2 years, becoming a registered behavioral technician during that time. Currently, he aspires to start his Master's program, so he can pursue becoming a BCBA. He joined the CTAC team in March of 2020.  When he is not at work, Joe enjoys spending time with family and friends. He also plays in hockey leagues around Austin.

Mallory Lamparter graduated from the University of Arizona, Tucson, in 2018 with a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and a minor in Public Health. She moved to Austin, TX in the summer of 2019 to work with CTAC. She is a Registered Behavior Technician and has been working with children with autism and special needs for 3 years. She is currently applying to graduate schools to pursue her BCBA. 

Tabatha is a Laredo, TX native with a bachelor's degree in Psychology from Texas A&M Corpus Christi. After graduating, in 2016, Tabatha moved out of state to Leominster, Massachusetts. It was there where she was introduced to ABA Therapy. She worked at Beacon ABA Services providing in-home and center based services for three years, until she decided to move back to her home state to pursue higher education in Behavior Analysis. She plans on becoming a Board Certified Behavior Analyst in the near future. In her spare time Tabatha enjoys listening to podcasts, reading books, and exploring the city of Austin. 

Leland was born in Houston, TX, and grew up in the North Dallas area. He studied psychology and anthropology at the University of North Texas in Denton, TX. After graduating in 2020, he started working on his graduate program for Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), but after moving to Austin and working at an ABA clinic, he quickly fell in love with the field. He is now pursuing his Masters at Arizona State University, so he can later earn his BCBA certification. Leland joined CTAC in 2022.  His joy for different cultures inspires his hobbies which are cooking for friends, playing music, Capoeira, and western sword fighting. 

Michael Sampson has been working with kids with disabilities since 2015, where he worked at a weekend respite program made specially for kids with disabilities. After this great introduction, his experience only flourished, and went on to work at summer camps for kids with severe disabilities, and as a teacher at an ABA school for kids with autism since 2017, in New England. He graduated with a B.A. in Psychology and Criminology from Stonehill College, North Easton, Massachusetts, in 2017. While working with kids with autism and other disabilities, he decided to pursue his Masters in Severe Special Education at Boston College, Newton, Massachusetts, and graduated in May 2020.  He joined the CTAC team shortly after and obtained his BCBA certification in April of 2022. Michael moved to Austin to escape the brutal New England winters. When not at work, he likes to run, spend time with friends and explore the city Austin. 

Nathaly Sanchez graduated from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey in 2017, with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology.  Nat has 5 years experience in the ABA field.  She is currently pursuing her Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis and expects to graduate in the Spring of 2022.  In her free time, Nat enjoys reading ABA books, spend time with friends and family, and go jogging! Nat's goal is to become a BCBA by end of 2022.

Neyda Sanchez graduated from the University of California (UCLA), with a B.A. in Psychology and Minored in Disability & Education Studies in 2019.  She has worked with children with autism in educational settings and has conducted research on ABA. After graduation, Neyda moved to Austin to attend the University of Texas for her Master's program. She graduated with a Master's in Special Education with a concentration in Autism and Developmental Disabilities in 2020. Neyda joined CTAC the fall of 2019 and is preparing to sit for her BCBA exam in 2021.

Daniela Tellez is an international student from the Yucatan peninsula, Mexico, who moved to Austin to pursue her Master’s Degree in Special Education with a concentration in Autism and Developmental Disabilities at The University of Texas.  She earned her B.A. in Psychology from the Universidad Anahuac and studied abroad in Spain at the Universidad de Sevilla. Her plan is to test for the BCBA certification once she finishes her Master's.  Dani has experience working at an inclusive preschool and collaborating at a Children’s Rehabilitation Center. In her free time, Dani enjoys reading and spending time with family and friends.

Danielle received her Bachelor of Science from Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana in 2017.  She has been working as a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) since 2018. In July 2021, she moved to Austin and joined the CTAC team. When not at work, she loves to read, hike, and spend time with her husband and cat.