Consider us your extended family.

Tammy Cline-Soza

M.S., Board Certified Behavior Analyst, Executive Director

For Tammy, it all became clear while working as a student therapist in the North Texas Autism Project (NTAP) nearly 15 years ago. Under the direction of Dr. Shahla Ala’i-Rosales, she went into homes of families with children with autism and provided one-on-one behavior therapy. She was struck by how many families needed help and how few resources there were to help. She had found her life’s work and quickly declared her undergraduate major in Behavior Analysis.

As an undergraduate, Tammy was extensively involved in many University projects as well as in the community. Tammy worked with an after-school program designed for at-risk children and implemented a Precision Teaching curriculum with the help of her mentor Dr. Jesus Rosales-Ruiz. Tammy was the Academic Coordinator and also taught at-risk youth how to train dogs as a way to teach them about behavior, help them develop a skill, and ultimately, help the dogs they work with through ORCA. She also spent time in Florida, teaching undergraduate students and working with at-risk school age children and also earned a certificate in Positive Behavior Support.

Tammy has diverse experience applying her knowledge and often volunteers her time to help others in need. She is an animal lover and uses behavioral techniques to train animals such as Forest, a penguin that she trained on a volunteer trip to South Africa. She has helped clean and rehabilitate penguins and other coastal birds effected by oil spills. She also volunteered in the West Indies to teach children how to read and write.

As a result of her enthusiasm and participation in so many programs and her knowledge of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), Tammy pursued her education and gained valuable experience as a graduate student in Behavior Analysis. Tammy has become a valued resource for many organizations in North Texas, including the Autism Society of Collin County, Autism Society of Dallas, Easter Seals Autism Board, University of North Texas’ Autism Task Force, ARC of Dallas, Life Path, Metrocare, , Highland Park ISD, and many other school districts and private agencies. She has also presented at ABA conferences, the University of North Texas, the Autism Society of Collin County, the Autism Society of Dallas and at many other events and for organizations throughout the Metroplex.

In 2008, Tammy was honored to win the Angel Award from the Autism Society of Collin County, an organization she strongly supports for the great work it does to support, educate and advocate for the local community.

After many years in the field — working, learning, volunteering and collaborating — Tammy officially expanded her private practice and founded The Behavior Exchange, Inc. in 2004. Today, it has grown and offers an array of unique and family focused services for the ever-growing number of North Texas families in need. Her contributions to the local community have been great, but are just the beginning.

Meet the rest of our family. 

 

Leanne Brown
Behavior Manager

Leanne has her Master’s degree in Educational Psychology and is currently working toward receiving her BCBA certification. Leanne has a wide background of experience with behavior, special education, and autism. She has been working with children with autism for several years in the role of classroom teacher, teaching both elementary and high school. She also worked in educational research on behavior management and teacher time use, with papers published in each. Leanne loves to learn about different cultures and has studied special education systems in Costa Rica, Honduras, and Germany. She is excited to use this knowledge at The Behavior Exchange to work closely with kids, families, and schools.

Janice Cline
Administrative Assistant

Nitchy Santiago
Behavior Trainer

Nitchy Santiago has had the pleasure of working at The Behavior Exchange for 2 years. She has a B.A. in the field of psychology and is currently working on obtaining a Master’s Degree in Speech-Language Pathology at Texas Women’s University. Nitchy has a passion for helping children reach their full potential through the use of functional communication.

Luisa Baez
Behavior Trainer

Luisa Baez, B.A in Psychology, in fall of 2007 began working with children as practicum student through UTA and loved ABA so much that she decided to pursue a career in it. She joined The Behavior Exchange team two years ago and is currently working on getting her BCaBA certification. She has experience working with children on one-on-one therapy sessions, integrating kids into the community by having a great variety of community outings, and has also been a shadow for kids at school. She strongly believes that by using behavioral techniques and positive reinforcement we can make a big difference in the child’s life and therefore in the family and the community as a whole.

Arleena Campbell
Behavior Trainer

When Arleena was growing up, she had 2 brothers who had Muscular Dystrophy Duchenne and they inspired her to want to teach children. She was also a cmap counselor for the Muscular Dystrophy Association for 6 years. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis from the University of North Texas and has received her Positive Behavior Support Certification. Arleena has been working with many children on all ends of the spectrum for 7 years and is excited to continue to work with them at The Behavior Exchange.

Adam Cline
Team Leader

Adam graduated from Texas Tech University in 2006 with a B.A. in Psychology. He is currently working towards his Master’s Degree in Secondary Education as well as BCBA certification at the University of North Texas. Adam has experience in coaching, and has worked in summer camps and public pools through the YMCA. Adam spent 4 years of his life on the road with a touring band, and will incorporate his knowledge and experience with music into The Behavior Exchange’s curriculum. Adam is excited and very passionate about helping improve the lives of the children and families that make The Behavior Exchange such a fun and unique place.

Amanda Ruffin
Behavior Trainer

Amanda Ruffin graduated from the University of North Texas with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and a minor in Behavior Analysis. She was blessed with the opportunity to work with a child with autism for a year during her undergraduate studies. This experience inspired her to continue her study of Applied Behavior Analysis and working with children. She will begin the Masters program in Applied Behavior Analysis at UNT this fall and begin working towards her BCBA certification. She enjoys being a part of The Behavior Exchange team and is excited to be doing what she loves!

Jennifer Mott
Behavior Trainer

Jennifer received her B.A. in Psychology from Texas Woman’s University in 2001. In 2009, she earned her M.Ed. in Special Education from the University of North Texas. Before joining The Behavior Exchange, Jennifer taught Special Education using behavioral techniques in both public and private schools, and also worked as an ABA in-home therapist. She is currently working toward earning her BCBA certification, and is very excited to be part of the team at The Behavior Exchange.

Interested in working at The Behavior Exchange?

We look for “gems.” They are rare, but beautiful finds. If you have that spark, that twinkle in your eye, and a love for behavior analysis and applying it to make a REAL difference, we would love to hear from you.

Send your resume to info@behaviorexchange.com.