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  • When Not to FBA: Five Classroom Strategies to Implement Before Conducting an Assessment

     Abstract:

    Given the broad dissemination of FBA processes in public education, more and more schools have access to professionals who can provide these supports. However, what happens when a referred student would benefit from a simple reward system instead of one of the many function-based treatments at our disposal? Also, what should clinicians do when a teacher has multiple students in their classroom with mild to moderate behavioral challenges? In these cases, it may be difficult or altogether unworkable for a teacher to implement several different interventions that have been produced from functional assessment processes. As such, this talk will review five practical classwide and individual approaches for addressing challenging behavior in public school settings.  

     Learning objectives:

    1.     Participants will be able to state one strategy for improving classroom transitions.

    2.     Participants will be able to state two benefits of using choral-response instructional strategies.

    3.     Participants will be able to state the basic procedures of the Good Behavior Game.

    4.     Participants will be able to describe two simple reward systems.

    Matthew J. Cicoria MS, BCBA, LBA
    Behavioral Consultant, Licensed Behavior Analyst (VT)
    Positive Behavioral Outcomes, LLC

    (603) 568-3646
    matt@behavioralobservations.com

  • From Overwhelmed to Onboard: Supporting Joyful, Accessible Travel for Individuals with Autism and Their Families

    Session Description
    Travel is often viewed as a luxury—but for families of individuals with autism, it can feel out of reach. Sensory sensitivities, unpredictable routines, and limited accessibility can make vacations more stressful than serene. Yet these families may benefit most from rest, renewal, and joyful connection. In this practical and inspiring session, Certified Autism Travel Professional and Board Certified Behavior Analyst France Fischer Area shares how behavior analysts can help make travel not only possible, but deeply meaningful.

    France will explore common barriers families face, including logistical planning, financial strain, safety concerns, and emotional stress. Drawing from research and clinical experience, she’ll examine how extended caregiving without structured breaks can affect caregiver well-being and family systems—impacting relationships, quality of life, and mental health.

    While more travel providers are adopting autism-friendly practices, families still face uncertainty navigating new environments, managing behavior in public spaces, and securing accommodations. These challenges, along with a lack of planning support, contribute to why many families rarely travel—even when they want to.

    With over 28 years in autism services and accessible travel, France presents a new perspective: that behavior analysts are uniquely equipped to support joyful, successful travel. Attendees will learn how to apply core ABA strategies—such as antecedent interventions, reinforcement, and generalization—to increase travel readiness, reduce barriers, and build positive memories.

    Participants will leave with practical, actionable approaches they can integrate into clinical work, as well as a renewed understanding that joy, rest, and exploration are not luxuries—they are essential parts of a full and meaningful life.

    Learning Objectives

    ·       Describe common barriers to travel for individuals with autism and their families, and identify how these barriers impact family quality of life.

    ·       Analyze how core ABA principles (e.g., antecedent strategies, reinforcement, generalization) can be applied to support successful travel experiences.

    ·       Identify specific tools and strategies—including visual supports, structured planning, and accessible accommodations—that behavior analysts can recommend or help families implement.

    ·       Discuss the emotional and relational benefits of joyful travel for families and how supporting these experiences aligns with holistic, values-based ABA practice.

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  • Leading the Conversation: Ethics, Influence & the Future of ABA

    An ethics-based workshop for every BCBA who wants to lead the conversation, build public trust, and champion the true power of behavior analysis—one conversation at a time.

    As the field of Applied Behavior Analysis faces growing public scrutiny, behavior analysts can no longer afford to stay silent or siloed. Whether it’s a misinformed TikTok, a skeptical parent at an IEP meeting, or a neighbor at a summer BBQ, the story of ABA is being told—often inaccurately—and it’s our ethical responsibility to take it back.

    In this dynamic, interactive session, Board Certified Behavior Analysts Elissa Johnson, M.Ed., BCBA, LABA and Kim Heald, MS. Ed., BCB, LABA, ACC, join forces to explore the intersection of ethical dissemination and personal leadership. Drawing from the BACB Ethics Code and principles of communication science, this workshop equips participants with the mindset and skillset needed to become confident, compassionate ambassadors for our science—no podium required.

    Attendees will engage in guided reflection, real-time practice, and strategic planning to uncover their unique voice, broaden their influence, and respond skillfully when ABA is questioned or misunderstood. This session is ideal for anyone who wants to strengthen the public face of behavior analysis and grow as a leader within and beyond the field.

    Learning Objectives

    By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

    ·       Identify ethical obligations related to public dissemination and representation of behavior analysis.

    ·       Differentiate between formal supervision and informal leadership as avenues for influencing the perception and impact of ABA.

    ·       Practice using three specific communication strategies to respond effectively to challenging public comments about ABA.

    ·       Develop a personal dissemination plan that aligns with their values and leverages their unique sphere of influence.

    ·       Construct a clear and values-driven elevator speech that accurately and compassionately represents ABA to general audiences.

Speakers and Courses

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  • Stop Supervising, Start Leading: The Functional Approach to Behavioral Leadership

    Course Description

    Effective supervision in behavior analysis is about more than holding a title—it’s about meeting the diverse needs of each performer through a functional approach. Too often, behavior analysts fall into a kind of behavioral myopia, neglecting to apply core principles of behavior when the focus shifts from consumer outcomes to individual and team development. This talk redefines supervision by breaking it down into four essential response classes—leading, training, coaching, and managing—each designed to meet specific performance needs and foster mentorship within teams.

    Using an Organizational Behavior Management (OBM) framework, this session delves into how behavioral science principles can be applied to every supervisory interaction, cultivating an environment where staff feel guided, empowered, and motivated. Attendees will gain actionable strategies for promoting both individual and collective growth, wellbeing, and a shared commitment to excellence.

    Learning Objectives

    Participants will identify the four functional components of supervision in ABA (leading, training, coaching, and managing) and their application to practitioner development.

    Participants will be able to explain how the Performance Diagnostic Checklist (PDC) guides targeted supervisory interventions.

    Participants will describe strategies to promote ethical integrity and professional accountability through structured supervision practices.

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  • Teaching Yourself to Follow Through: The Missing Piece in Health and Wellness for Behavior Analysts

    In this dynamic and personally reflective session, Brittnay Duguay, BCBA, IFBB Bikini Pro, and Functional Nutritionist, explores what happens when behavior analysts turn the science inward. Grounded in the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis and infused with lived experience, Brittnay challenges the “all-or-nothing” mindset that often derails even the most well-intentioned wellness efforts. She’ll discuss how traditional fitness and coaching models fall short—and why an ABA-informed approach to self-management, sustainability, and wellness may be the missing piece for many professionals.

    This session will encourage attendees to reflect on their own patterns of follow-through, motivation, and burnout. It will invite them to apply behavioral strategies not just for client outcomes, but for their own health, fulfillment, and professional longevity. Woven through the discussion is a provocative return to B.F. Skinner’s question: “Why are we not acting to save the world?” In an era of increasing burnout and mental health concerns, this session positions behavior analysts as uniquely equipped to lead by example—using our science to create a healthier, more sustainable future for ourselves and others.

    Whether you're struggling to get back to the gym, maintain habits beyond January, or just feeling the slow drain of professional fatigue, this session offers a space to reframe what wellness looks like when you bring behavior analysis to the mirror.

    Learning Objectives:

    ·       Identify common self-management barriers experienced by behavior analysts, including all-or-nothing thinking, burnout, and environmental misalignment.

    ·       Describe how ABA principles can be used to design and maintain personal health and wellness habits with long-term sustainability.

    ·       Explain the limitations of traditional fitness and behavior change models, and how an ABA-informed approach can provide more effective support for lasting change.

    ·       Reflect on the role of behavior analysts in modeling behavior change and self-care as part of our professional legacy and ethical responsibility.

Photograph of a smiling woman with dark wavy hair, wearing a cream blazer over a navy blouse, sitting outdoors near a stone wall.

  • Leading the Conversation: Ethics, Influence & the Future of ABA

    An ethics-based workshop for every BCBA who wants to lead the conversation, build public trust, and champion the true power of behavior analysis—one conversation at a time.

    As the field of Applied Behavior Analysis faces growing public scrutiny, behavior analysts can no longer afford to stay silent or siloed. Whether it’s a misinformed TikTok, a skeptical parent at an IEP meeting, or a neighbor at a summer BBQ, the story of ABA is being told—often inaccurately—and it’s our ethical responsibility to take it back.

    In this dynamic, interactive session, Board Certified Behavior Analysts Elissa Johnson, M.Ed., BCBA, LABA and Kim Heald, MS. Ed., BCB, LABA, ACC, join forces to explore the intersection of ethical dissemination and personal leadership. Drawing from the BACB Ethics Code and principles of communication science, this workshop equips participants with the mindset and skillset needed to become confident, compassionate ambassadors for our science—no podium required.

    Attendees will engage in guided reflection, real-time practice, and strategic planning to uncover their unique voice, broaden their influence, and respond skillfully when ABA is questioned or misunderstood. This session is ideal for anyone who wants to strengthen the public face of behavior analysis and grow as a leader within and beyond the field.

    Learning Objectives

    By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

    ·       Identify ethical obligations related to public dissemination and representation of behavior analysis.

    ·       Differentiate between formal supervision and informal leadership as avenues for influencing the perception and impact of ABA.

    ·       Practice using three specific communication strategies to respond effectively to challenging public comments about ABA.

    ·       Develop a personal dissemination plan that aligns with their values and leverages their unique sphere of influence.

    ·       Construct a clear and values-driven elevator speech that accurately and compassionately represents ABA to general audiences.

  • Burnout Is a Systems Problem: Why Good People Are Leaving ABA—and What Actually Changes That

    Session Description

    Burnout and turnover in Applied Behavior Analysis are often attributed to individual resilience, leadership style, or workforce shortages. However, when burnout appears consistently across organizations and roles, it points to a systems-level issue rather than personal failure.

    This session examines burnout as a predictable outcome of organizational design that impacts agency owners, supervisors, and frontline BCBAs alike. Participants will explore how supervision structures, caseload expectations, role clarity, and organizational norms contribute to professional exhaustion, ethical risk, and staff attrition. Rather than focusing on leadership theory, the presentation centers on how systems shape behavior—and where meaningful leverage for change exists at different levels of an organization.

    Designed for a mixed audience of agency owners and practicing BCBAs, this session provides a shared framework for understanding burnout and offers practical, systems-informed strategies that support sustainability, retention, and quality of care in ABA organizations.

    Learning Objectives

    At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to:

    • Explain burnout as a predictable outcome of organizational systems rather than an individual-level issue.

    • Identify common organizational variables—such as supervision structure, caseload design, and role ambiguity—that contribute to burnout and ethical risk in ABA settings.

    • Differentiate between short-term retention tactics and system-level changes that support long-term sustainability.

    • Apply systems-informed strategies appropriate to their role (agency owner or practicing BCBA) to reduce burnout risk and support workforce stability.