Kristen has worked for SD Associates, LLC since March of 2018 and has experience in school, community, and center-based settings. Kristen became a Board Certified Behavior Analyst in 2021 and currently holds a position as a Behavior Analyst. In this role, she designs, trains, and implements ABA-based interventions, including the assessment and treatment of challenging behavior as well as skill acquisition and skill-based assessments. Other areas of interest for Kristen include Organizational Behavior Management, Behavioral Gerontology, and trauma.

Paula graduated from Texas State University - San Marcos with a Master's degree in Special Education with an emphasis in Applied Behavior Analysis. In 2015, she became a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and shortly after, she relocated to Vermont. Her career as a BCBA started as a behavioral consultant for a designated agency where she transitioned into the role of Supervising BCBA. Paula opened and managed Valley ABA, a center-based program that specializes in Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention (EIBI) for children between the ages of 2-5. In addition to EIBI, Paula expanded the program to include services for adolescents and young adults, addressing adaptive behavioral skills, social communication/skills and community programming. Today, Paula is the Managing BCBA at the St. Albans location for Autism Care Partners. A center-based facility offering ABA, speech and occupational therapy for children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). With 14 years of working in the field of ABA, her experience includes serving clients between the ages of 2-22 across home, community, school, and center-based settings.

Libby graduated from St. Lawrence University in 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, and began her career in ABA immediately after as a behavior interventionist at NCSS working with school-aged children. In 2016, Libby began working for SD Associates where she continued to build on those foundational skills when becoming an RBT, and was inspired to further pursue a career in ABA. She graduated from Arizona State University with a master’s degree in Special Education: Applied Behavior Analysis in 2020 and is currently a Behavior Analyst at SD Associates. Libby has held her BCBA Certification for just over one year, and continues to promote behavior analytic strategies in support of individuals in schools, homes, and clinical settings. In her free time, you'll find Libby enjoying the outdoors and spending time with her family and her pets.

Lauren Mercik is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst originally from Suffield, Connecticut. Lauren received her undergraduate degree at St. Michael’s College and continued her education at Massachusetts’ Bay Path University where she completed a Master’s program in 2015. Lauren previously worked at the May Institute before accepting a position at St. Albans’ Northwestern Counseling and Support Services, returning to Vermont in 2016. Lauren specializes in programming for school-aged students with autism and developmental disorders in classroom, residential, and clinical settings. In her spare time, Lauren enjoys spending time on the lake with friends and family, and watching sporting events.

Leigh graduated from Western New England University with bachelors degrees in Mathematics and Psychology and obtained her master's degree in Psychology from University of the Pacific in 2015. She became a Board Certified Behavior Analyst in 2016. She has worked in a variety of settings including residential homes, alternative schools, public schools, preschools, and in-homes in California and Pennsylvania and Vermont. She worked as a Clinical Behavior Specialist with the INCLUSION program at the Howard Center for 3 years and recently moved to New Hampshire. Leigh is passionate about training the next generation of behavior analysts. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time outside as well as time inside with her two cats.

Jen is a BCBA currently working at Keene Perspectives in White River Junction. Her interest in ABA began at Binghamton University for her undergraduate education. She obtained her master's degree from Western New England University while working at the New England Center for Children in their residential and home-based programs. She became a Board Certified Behavior Analyst in 2019. Jen worked as a BCBA at NeurAbilities Healthcare in Pennsylvania from 2020-2022. Wanting to be closer to family in New England, she moved to Vermont in August of 2022. In her free time she likes to hike, garden, and cook.