Association for Behavior Analysis International

Dr. John Austin is an internationally recognized expert in human performance, winner of the OBM 2025 Network Lifetime Achievement Award and author of #1 Amazon bestselling book, "Results: The science approach to better productivity, profitability, and safety."

He is CEO of Reaching Results, where he teaches leaders to create more effective work environments. Dr. Austin was also a professor of psychology at Western Michigan University. He has consulted with organizations for thirty years to improve productivity and safety.

John and his teams have been instrumental in delivering over 10,000 work improvement, quality, and safety projects that have generated millions of dollars in improvements to businesses. They have coached over 350 senior leaders from many companies and nineteen countries to help them improve business performance.

In the area of improving work performance John is the most published author between 1977-2019 in the Journal of Organizational Behavior Management. Overall, he has published nearly 100 articles and chapters, delivered hundreds of presentations at regional, national, and international conferences and business meetings.

John coaches leaders, teaches courses on behavioral leadership, difficult conversations, and safety leadership, and is an event speaker on these topics.

Matthew T. Brodhead is an Associate Professor at Michigan State University. Dr. Brodhead is recognized as one of the foremost experts in the areas of ethics and professionalism in the practice of applied behavior analysis. He also specializes in restraint and seclusion in public schools, along with choice and social skill development of children with autism. Dr. Brodhead serves as an associate editor for the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, the leading journal of his academic discipline. In 2024, Dr. Brodhead received the Outstanding Mentor Award from the Association for Behavior Analysis International in recognition of his excellence in advising and mentorship.

Mirela Cengher, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Dr. Cengher earned her Ph.D. in Psychology from The Graduate Center, City University of New York, and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Kennedy Krieger Institute and the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Dr. Cengher has over 20 years of research and clinical experience working with individuals with developmental disabilities. Her research program integrates verbal behavior and stimulus control, with a focus on variables that influence the acquisition of verbal behavior and the emergence of derived relations. More recently, her work has emphasized bilingual language acquisition in individuals with developmental disabilities. Her work has been supported by funding from different organizations, including the Organization for Autism Research.

Dr. Cengher serves as Associate Editor for Behavior Analysis in Practice and The Analysis of Verbal Behavior, and as a guest Associate Editor and editorial board member for several additional behavior-analytic journals (e.g., the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis).

Andy Craig is an Associate Professor and Chair of Behavior Analysis Studies at SUNY Upstate Medical University, where he also directs research in the Golisano Center for Special Needs. Andy is the incoming Editor-in-Chief and currently an Associate Editor for the Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior. He serves in leadership positions in APA Division 25, the Society for the Quantitative Analyses of Behavior, and the Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior. Andy’s research focuses on topics broadly related to persistence, treatment maintenance, and stimulus generalization, and he approaches these questions from basic, translational, and applied angles. He is a recipient of the B. F. Skinner Foundation New Researcher Award from APA Division 25 and the Joseph V. Brady Significant Research Contribution Award from the Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior. He likes 90’s music, pizza, running, and exploring the great outdoors of Central New York.

Heather Forbes, Ph.D., BCBA-D, CCC-SLP is an Assistant Professor of Communication Sciences and Disorders at West Chester University. She is a dually credentialed speech-language pathologist and doctoral-level board certified behavior analyst. Her research focuses on interventions to improve communication for children with autism and other developmental disabilities, with a particular focus on evidence-based practice, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) interventions, and collaborative service delivery. Heather has previously presented on topics related to evidence-based speech and language intervention, communication instruction by parents, pseudoscientific and fad communication practices, and interprofessional collaboration among education and healthcare providers.

Sarah Frampton, PhD, BCBA-D, is an Assistant Professor in the Applied Behavior Analysis master’s program at the University of Nebraska Omaha. She has held leadership roles in organizations providing behavior-analytic services to individuals with disabilities across the lifespan, including the May Institute and Marcus Autism Center. Her research examines verbal behavior, generative learning, and efficient instructional practices. Dr. Frampton serves as an Associate Editor for Behavior Analysis in Practice and on the editorial boards of the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, The Analysis of Verbal Behavior, and the Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior. She has been recognized with the Excellence in Behavior Analytic Research Award from Simmons University, the Early Career Researcher Award from the Verbal Behavior Special Interest Group, and the Researcher of the Year Award from the Language and Learning Clinic at Marcus Autism Center.

Dr. Peter Gerhardt is the Executive Director of the EPIC Programs in Bergen County, New Jersey. Dr. Gerhardt has over 40 years of experience utilizing the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis in support of adolescents and adults with autism spectrum disorders in educational, employment, residential, and community-based settings. He is the author or co-author of a number of articles and book chapters on the needs of adolescents and adults with ASD. Most recently, he co-authored, with Dr. Shanna Bahry, “Make it Meaningful: Creating Programs that Matter into Adulthood for Learners with ASD.” He has presented nationally and internationally on related topics. Dr. Gerhardt serves as Co-Chairman of the Scientific Council for the Organization for Autism Research and is on numerous professional advisory boards, including the Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies. He currently serves as associate faculty in the Institute for Behavioral Studies at Endicott College. Dr. Gerhardt received his doctorate from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey’s Graduate School of Education.

Amy Gravino, M.A., is an autism sexuality advocate, professional speaker, and Relationship Coach in the Center for Adult Autism Services at Rutgers University. She is also the President of A.S.C.O.T Consulting, which offers autism consulting, college coaching, and mentoring services for organizations, schools, individuals on the autism spectrum, and their families. Ms. Gravino obtained her master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis from Caldwell University in 2010 and is the co-creator of the AASK (Adult Autism and Sexuality Kit) sex education curriculum. She has given TED talks, spoken twice at the United Nations for World Autism Awareness Day, and presented worldwide to audiences on a variety of topics related to autism, with a dedicated special focus and research on the subject of autism and sexuality. Amy was the recipient of the Marblejam Center’s Global Autism Advocacy Award in 2024 and currently serves as a founding member of the Emerging Leaders initiative at Autism Speaks and on the Boards of Directors of Yes She Can, Inc. and the Golden Door International Film Festival of Jersey City. She has co-authored a chapter on autism and sexuality in the Handbook of Quality of Life for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Amy’s work has also been featured in Spectrum, the leading online news source for autism research, and other outlets. Visit www.amygravino.com to learn more.

Alycia Halladay is the Chief Science Officer of the Autism Science Foundation where she has been for the past 12 years. Prior to joining ASF she was the Senior Director of Clinical and Environmental Sciences at Autism Speaks. Collectively, she has spent over two decades in research, science, and advocacy, understanding autism. This includes previous work at Rutgers University where she received a PhD and completed a fellowship in pharmacology and toxicology examining the role of neurotoxicants in model systems of autism. She has authored over 3 dozen scientific publications in autism spectrum disorders, manages collaborative networks in autism and oversees the scientific funding of the Autism Science Foundation. She hosts a biweekly podcast which explains new autism science to the community and is also the parent to a 16-year-old daughter on the spectrum.

Kimberly Kennedy serves as an Assistant Regional Inspector General in the Office of Inspector General’s Office of Audit Services (OIG/OAS) in San Francisco, California. With more than 24 years of service in the OIG, she provides leadership and oversight for audit teams responsible for evaluating the efficiency, effectiveness, and integrity of programs administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Kimberly supports the planning, coordination, and execution of audits that promote transparency, safeguard federal resources, and strengthen program performance. She plays a key role in supporting OIG’s independent oversight mission to protect the health and welfare of the public, contributing to high impact audit work that promotes accountability and strengthens the management of key health and human services programs.

Dr. Cody Morris is an Associate Professor, Graduate Programs Director of Behavior Analysis, and Chair of the Office of Research Integrity at Salve Regina University. The overarching goal of Cody’s research and clinical focus is improving the practice of behavior analysis. This entails several topics, including client involvement in therapeutic decisions, assessment and treatment strategies for challenging behavior, and organizational practices. Currently, Cody serves as an Editorial Board Member for the journal Behavior Analysis in Practice, as the Director of the Executive Board for the Rhode Island Association for Behavior Analysis, and as the host of the All Things Behavior podcast.

Dr. Nicole Rodriguez is Director of the Early Intervention Program in the integrated Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders at the Munroe-Meyer Institute and Professor and Director of the PhD Program in Applied Behavior Analysis at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. She has received training at leading institutions in which behavior analysis is taught and applied, including post-baccalaureate training at the University of Florida, clinical and research training at the Kennedy Krieger Institute/Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, graduate training at the University of Kansas and Western New England University, and postdoctoral training at the Munroe-Meyer Institute. She has authored book chapters and published peer-reviewed research in leading journals, including the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, and The Analysis of Verbal Behavior. Dr. Rodriguez advances UNMC’s academic and research mission nationally and internationally through teaching, clinical and research consultation, mentorship, and service, including editorial leadership with JABA. Her research interests include complex verbal behavior, emergent responding, stimulus control, research methodology, and safety skills.

Amber Valentino is a board-certified behavior analyst with a doctoral degree in clinical psychology. Amber has over 20 years of experience in the field of ABA, working in a variety of healthcare settings. She serves as the Chief Clinical Officer of Mindcolor Autism (https://www.mindcolorautism.com/). Amber's professional work has concentrated on developing clinical standards and leading research initiatives designed to ensure high-quality service provision and oversight within ABA organizations. She is the author of a book that tackles the research-to-practice gap and has contributed to the research literature through numerous peer-reviewed articles and book chapters. Amber dedicated eight consecutive years as the associate editor for two leading behavior analytic journals (The Analysis of Verbal Behavior and Behavior Analysis in Practice). She remains actively engaged in the editorial realm, serving on editorial boards and as guest associate editor and guest editor for various publications.

Dr. Joel E. Ringdahl is a Professor of Special Education in the Communications Sciences and Special Education Department at the University of Georgia (USA) and Co-Director of the University of Georgia’s Center for Autism and Behavioral Education Research (CABER). He received his Ph.D. (1999) and MA (1995) in Psychology from Louisiana State University afer earning his BS (1992) in psychology from the University of Florida. Dr. Ringdahl is a licensed psychologist and a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. He served as editor-in-chief for Behavior Analysis: Research and Practice and has been an associate editor for the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis and The Psychological Record. He currently serves on a number of boards of editors. Dr. Ringdahl’s research interests include functional analysis and treatment of severe challenging behavior exhibited by individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, stimulus preference assessments, functional communication training, and translational research in the areas of response persistence and relapse and behavioral economics. Dr. Ringdahl has published numerous peer-reviewed articles, co-edited two textbooks on behavior analysis, and has been a funded researcher through the National Institutes of Health (USA) for close to 25 years. In his clinical work, Dr. Ringdahl has worked in hospital and university-based clinics, state facilities, community facilities, schools, and in private homes. In those settings, Dr. Ringdahl has worked across the age range with individuals ranging in age from two years old to 90 years old.