Meet the rest of the family.

Luisa Baez

Behavior Trainer

Luisa Baez, received her B.A in Psychology. She began working with children as a practicum student through UTA in the fall of 2007 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 BCBA certification. She has experience working with children in one-on-one therapy sessions, integrating kids into the community through 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.

Katherine Baker

Lead Behavior Trainer

Katherine is a sibling of a brother with PDD-NOS, so she always knew she would be working with children. Katherine received her BS in communication disorders from Eastern Kentucky University in 2009. She began working with children in a practicum setting in 2008. After taking a year off to decide her career path, she worked in a preschool for children with hearing impairments and speech delays. For the past year, she has been doing in home ABA therapy and working on her Masters in special education (consultation and collaboration) with an emphasis in autism. Katherine will receive her masters in May 2011. She is currently working towards BCBA certification and looks forward to making a difference in the lives of children and their families!

Jenna Bankhead

Behavior Trainer

Majoring in special education, Jenna received her undergraduate degree from Baylor University in May 2010. She recently completed her ABA coursework there also, earning her master’s degree in educational psychology and is currently working toward her Board Certification. Jenna comes to The Behavior Exchange having previously worked with children and adults with physical and mental disabilities in a variety of settings including camps, schools, churches, the Baylor Autism Resource Center, and the client’s home for several years. Jenna is excited to be a member of The Behavior Exchange family and appreciates the opportunity to share her passion for kids who are exceptional!

Alicia Bravo

Behavior Trainer

Alicia received her B.S. in Behavior Analysis at the University or North Texas in December of 2010, and is currently completing her second B.S. in Rehabilitation Studies. After working with the adult community with developmental disabilities for a year, Alicia decided to explore working with children diagnosed on the Autism spectrum. It wasn’t long before she fell in love with doing early intervention with little ones, and ultimately decided to pursue a career in helping them. When Alicia isn’t working hard at the Behavior Exchange, her hobbies include dog training, cooking/baking, and taking a nice, long drive with her convertible top down.

Arlena 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 camp 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.

Ruben Cruz

Behavior Trainer

Ruben is currently attending the University of North Texas and will be graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis and a minor in Psychology with a focus on Autism in May 2012. Ruben plans on continuing his education and plans to apply to the Graduate program for Behavior Analysis at the University of North Texas. He will soon begin his supervision hours for his BCaBA certification. He has interned at Easter Seals North Texas Autism center in Carrolton. In the fall he will continue to attend the Autism labs headed by Dr. Jesus Rosales, and Dr. Shahhla Alai-Rosales. He has also worked with adults with disabilities at the Denton State Supported Living Center for 2 years. He enjoys hiking, camping, fishing, and riding my Harley.

Kristin Fida

Behavior Trainer

Kristin graduated from Texas Tech University with a B.S. in Human Development and Family Studies in 2009. She went to work for Early Childhood Intervention for 2 years, where she worked with children ages birth to three with an array of delays and disabilities. It was through ECI that she discovered her passion for children with autism. She is currently working on obtaining a Masters Degree in Special Education with an emphasis in ABA therapy. Working with these special children bring her so much joy daily. She is excited to be a part of the Behavior Exchange team and eager to learn and gain more experience!

 

Jessi French

Lead Behavior Trainer

Jessi received her B.A in 2006 from Southeastern Oklahoma State University in Advertising and Public Relations with a minor in English. She soon realized that her true calling was helping children with special needs and she started her training in Applied Behavior Analysis in 2007. She is certified as a Special Education teacher and received her Masters in Special Education with a concentration in Autism Intervention in May 2011. Jessi has worked in a public school special needs classroom and as an in-home ABA therapist. She is currently working towards her BCBA certification and is truly fortunate to have the opportunity to make a difference in childrens’ lives!

 

Johnathan Kline

Behavior Trainer

 

Jessica Murphy

Behavior Trainer

Jessica received her Bachelor of Science degree in Early Childhood Development and Education at the University of Idaho in the spring of 2010. Jessica was honored to be apart of the developmental preschool program in Moscow ID where she worked with children 3 to 4 years old diagnosed with delays and disabilities. Jessica was also selected to be part of a summer internship program with Idaho Health and Welfare’s Infant Toddler Program. During the internship she worked with parents and children birth through age three with a wide range of disabilities. After graduating Jessica was offered the chance to become an IBI Therapist (Intensive Behavioral Intervention). During her time as an IBI Therapist she worked with many children on the autism spectrum. Jessica is excited to be working in the fun, caring environment provided at The Behavior Exchange in the great state of Texas. In her spare time she likes to golf, volunteer at her local animal shelter, and play the guitar.

Alina Truong La

Behavior Trainer

Alina attended Houston Baptist University for her undergraduate and received her Bachelors of Arts in Psychology in May 2011. During her senior year, she worked at The Learning Repertoire, a Pearland clinic for children with Autism and other early developmental delays. She enjoyed her experience so much that when she moved to Dallas, she wanted a similar job in the field of Behavioral Analysis. Alina plans on taking courses to expand her training in ABA therapy. She also plans on going back to school for her Masters in Fall 2012. She is excited about helping these amazing children grow and is proud to be a part of the team at The Behavior Exchange! When she is not working, Alina loves playing flag football, hitting the gym, and staying active!

Jacqueline Baker

Behavior Trainer

Jacqueline graduated from Whittier College with her B.A. in Psychology and Child Development in 2009. She is currently working towards her Master’s degree in Behavior Analysis at the University of North Texas. Jacqueline began working with children with autism in 2008 doing one on one in home ABA therapy. She has also worked as a one on one to a student with autism in a general education setting as well as a contained classroom setting. She loves to see when a skill that the child has been working on generalizes and the sense of joy and independence it brings.

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 working towards her BCBA certification, enjoys being a part of The Behavior Exchange team, and is excited to be doing what she loves!

 

Sarah Prosen

Behavior Trainer

Sarah Prosen graduated from the University of North Texas with a Bachelor’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis. She is currently studying for her GRE and hopes to pursue her masters degree in Applied Behavior Analysis. Sarah began her time with us as a volunteer absorbing all of our techniques quickly and proved her dedication and skills and has been hired as a permanent team member. Sarah is loving every minute and learning all that she can. Our kids love to work and play with Sarah.

 

 

 

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.

 

Buddy The Bee

Mascot, Inspirational Guru

Say hello to Buddy. He’s the mascot here at The Behavior Exchange. But he’s much more than that. He’s our inspiration.

As you can see, Buddy loves to have his picture taken. His smiling face is on every page of the website. We wouldn’t have it any other way! Who would have thought that when Buddy was a youngster, he was withdrawn, difficult and misunderstood?

His story begins in a busy hive in Dallas, Texas. Buddy was born into a family with lots of brothers and sisters and cousins and family friends buzzing around. Unfortunately, he didn’t want any part of it. He was slow to learn and even had problems controlling his stinger. He was a challenge, and his mom and dad knew they needed help.

They searched high and low, moving from place to place looking for answers. They finally landed on The Behavior Exchange. And it was sweet.

At The Behavior Exchange, Buddy’s parents found support, understanding and real solutions based on Applied Behavior Analysis that would bring out the best in Buddy and in them.

It wasn’t easy, and it took time. But before they knew it, Buddy was flourishing. He learned he could be artistic, athletic, happy, musical, and so much more. He could be the best bee he could. Just what his family had always dreamed for him.

If you’d like to discover what your child could be, we hope you’ll contact us. Buddy would love to meet you!