VtABA hosts an annual meeting in the winter for its members to keep them up to date on the chapter's activities over the year. Board Member nominations take place after the annual meeting and elections are held online in the spring.
VtABA organizes and provides an annual conference to professionals and the community by bringing nationally recognized leaders in the fields of applied behavior analysis and education to speak on topics ranging from current research to implementation of behavior analytic principles in an applied setting.
VtABA firmly believes that current research is the cornerstone of effective behavior analytic principles and thus supports and promotes behavior analytic research within the state of Vermont. Our goal is to advocate for the implementation of effective behavior analysis services across disciplines to meet the individualized needs of persons within the state of Vermont.
- Utilize the VtABA website and social media to increase communication between members and provide resources that will benefit behavior analysts and the greater community.
- Offer continuing education credits for BCBA’s and BCaBA’s by providing local trainings on topics relating to the field of applied behavior analysis.
- Organize networking events for behavior analysis professionals.
- Advocate for and ensure that certification through the Behavior Analysis Certification Board is the standard for professional behavior analysis practice in Vermont.
- Support and advocate for an accurate representation of behavior analysis outside the field of applied behavior analysis within professional presentations, materials and media.
- Contribute to the common goal of supporting the betterment of others through effective practice by engaging in and adhering to a respectful and effective collaborative working relationship with other professionals.
Board Members
The Team Behind the Vermont Association for Behavior Analysis
Megan Gargano, MA, BCBA, LBA
Chair Emeritus
Megan received her Master of Arts in Applied Behavior Analysis from Northern Vermont University and recently became a BCBA. Megan has been working for Northwestern Counseling & Support Services in the School Based Autism Program since April 2013 where she began as a Behavior Interventionist. She is currently one of the Team Leaders of this program, working to provide services to children with Autism and other Neurodevelopmental disabilities in the public schools of Franklin and Grand Isle counties.
In addition to her primary role at NCSS, Megan has been a Handle With Care Trainer for six years and uses this experience to educate mental health professionals and team members on least restrictive interventions and ethical treatment practices. Her experience as an Interventionist, a Behavior Consultant, and now as a BCBA supervisor have allowed her to gain a wealth of knowledge that she uses to create effective and ethical treatment for clients receiving ABA services.
Angela Elcan, MS, BCBA, LBA
Chair
Angela Elcan graduated with a Masters of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis from Western New England University. While working at The New England Center for Children in both Boston and Abu Dhabi (UAE), Angela gained valuable experiences with children and young adults in both residential and day programs. Although different experiences, Angela's work in both programs focused on communication, self-help, and vocational skills for children with autism. During her time in Abu Dhabi, Angela gained experience running Functional Analyses and developing treatment plans for a variety of maladaptive behaviors under trained and experienced BCBAs. When Angela returned to Vermont, she took a job with Northwestern Counseling & Support Services. In 2019, Angela became a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. Angela is currently a Behavior Consultant at Northwestern Counseling & Support Services where she works with children ages 0-8 in a home, community, and clinic-based services.
Colette Imbeau
Vice Chair
Colette has worked at the Essex Westford School District for the past 12 years in various roles; as a paraeducator, as a behavior consultant, and most recently and as a BCBA since 2017. She is working on obtaining her teaching license with an endorsement in special education. Colette is interested in further exploring how trauma informed ABA can improve the field of Applied Behavior Analysis. Outside of work, Colette enjoys exploring her own form of HRE, which involves a combination of gardening, cats, and tea.
Sierra Smith
Treasurer
Sierra received her Master of Arts in Education: Applied Behavior Analysis degree in 2018 from Johnson State College and earned her Board Certified Behavior Analyst certification in 2019. Following graduation, she continued her behavior analytic work as a school-based behavior consultant for Northwestern Counseling and Support Services. In this position, she developed coaching skills and found a passion for using ABA to support skill development in adults as well as children. Sierra then transitioned to Essex-Westford School District to complete her BCBA supervision hours and gain experience working in early intervention as a behavior interventionist and essential early education summer preschool teacher. During this time Sierra pursued professional development in evidence-based strategies including Dr. Gregory Hanley’s Balance Program, Practical Functional Assessment, and Skill-Based Treatment as well as the Early Start Denver Model to support young students with Autism. rnrnrn
In 2019, Sierra began her current position as Social-Emotional Learning Coach for two elementary schools at EWSD. This position was brand new for the district, which challenged her to strengthen and apply her knowledge in organizational behavior management to improve school-wide systems of support and SEL assessment and intervention practices. As an SEL Coach, she continues to be committed to the dissemination of behavior analysis through strengthening instructional practices across all tiers of need, improving multi-tiered systems of support, using behavioral skills training to coach staff members in instructional and behavioral practices, and developing and overseeing the implementation of positive behavior intervention plans and skill-based SEL intervention groups. Sierra's areas of interest in the ABA world include Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, trauma-informed behavior analysis, OBM, Early Intervention, Teacher and Parent Training, Positive Behavior Supports, and Applied Animal Behavior.
Porsche Trombley
Vice Treasurer
Porsche received her Master of Education in Applied Behavior Analysis from Northern Vermont University in 2020 and became a Board Certified Behavior Analyst in July 2021. She has worked for Northwestern Counseling and Support Services since she graduated with her bachelor’s degree in 2016, starting out as a behavior interventionist and gradually moving up to school-based behavior consultant, which is the position she has held for the past three years. Her area of expertise is in school-wide positive behavior supports and working with students who struggle with emotional and behavioral disorders. Porsche’s interests in the field of ABA include OBM, Positive Behavior Supports, addiction, and teaching ABA to others. As part of VtABA, Porsche hopes to disseminate accurate knowledge of ABA as a practice and promote its ethical and effective application throughout the state by providing trainings to BCBAs and other entities. In her free time, Porsche enjoys being outdoors, cooking, reading, and spending time with her family.
Elizabeth (Libby) St. Pierre, MA, BCBA, LBA
Secretary
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, MS, BCBA, LBA
General Board Member
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 Pratt
General Board Member
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,
preschools, and in-homes in California and Pennsylvania and moved to
Vermont in 2019. She worked as a Clinical Behavior Specialist with the
INCLUSION program at the Howard Center for the past 3 years. Leigh is
passionate about training the next generation of behavior analysts. In
her spare time, she enjoys spending time hiking, cycling, and
snowshoeing.
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,
preschools, and in-homes in California and Pennsylvania and moved to
Vermont in 2019. She worked as a Clinical Behavior Specialist with the
INCLUSION program at the Howard Center for the past 3 years. Leigh is
passionate about training the next generation of behavior analysts. In
her spare time, she enjoys spending time hiking, cycling, and
snowshoeing.
Kristen Burkholder, MS, BCBA, LBA
General Board Member
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.
© 2010-2023 Vermont Association for Behavior Analysis | JCloud
- Design & Development Studio J Creative
Scroll to Top