With her early background as a classroom teacher in Tennessee, Claire Norris, QBA, has specific knowledge of the various learning styles and individualized needs of all students. Her education includes a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies from Austin Peay State University, and a Master of Art in Teaching with a focus in Applied Behavior Analysis. As a Behavior Interventionist at Autism Behavior Services, Inc., Claire implemented behavior and treatment plans, collected and graphed behavior data. After becoming a masters-level BCBA, she performs behavior assessments and develops treatment and behavior plans for individuals across the autism spectrum. Claire has a deep commitment to the practice of applied behavior therapy; she joined the QABA Board to make sure that all certified clinicians meet the strictest standards in order to provide consistent, high-quality care. QABA is fortunate to have such a qualified clinician as Claire to serve on our Board of Directors.

Dr. Sheena Piehota, QBA, BCBA, currently works in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis providing a variety of behavior analytic services to military families. She completed her Ph.D. (I/O psychology) program at Capella University where she also received her M.S in Psychology with a focus in Applied Behavior Analysis (2014). Dr. Piehota earned her B.S. in Psychology from the University of Central Florida (2012), and has over 9 years experience working with children with disabilities. Prior to her work in Applied Behavior Analysis, she worked in education with children in PK-12th grades. Dr. Piehota focuses her current practice in verbal behavior and functional communication.

Dr. Liliane Rocha, DBH, QBA, BCBA, completed her graduate training in behavior analysis at the Graduate Center (CUNY), and her doctoral degree in behavioral health, with a focus on integrated care at the Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health. She has broad interests in Behavior Analysis, particularly in how behavior analytic strategies can be used in large scale to improve systems in healthcare. She is interested in improving the care for people with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) starting at the pediatrician’s office. 

She has worked with behavior analysis, in a variety of settings, including a Psychiatric Hospital leading a team of behavior analysts who designed behavior interventions to decrease the use of restrictive interventions during acute psychiatric admission. At the hospital, she also had the opportunity to work in performance management and quality improvement projects where she had the opportunity to exercise her OBM (Organizational Behavior Management) skills. She is a certified ACT Matrix facilitator and uses the Pro-social Matrix in crisis-management trainings.

At this time, she is a faculty member and student advisor in the doctoral of Behavioral Health program at Cummings Graduate Institute in Arizona. She is a consultant who provides consultation to local schools and hospitals, as well as international consultation in Brazil, her native country. She is interested in ways to bring behavioral analytic treatment to areas with difficult access to quality services. To that end, she has developed a telehealth practice, where she supervises behavior analysts serving children with ASD in Brazil.

Dr. Kirkhart graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. in Psychology from West Virginia University. He also earned his M.A. in Clinical Psychology from West Virginia University, then completed his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. His pre-doctoral internship was at the Department of Clinical and Health Psychology at Shands Hospital, University of Florida College of Health Professionals. Dr. Kirkhart is a licensed psychologist in Maryland and is past Chair of the Psychology Department and a past interim Chair for the Department of Teacher Education, both at Loyola University Maryland. His two primary research interests are in medical/health psychology, primarily focusing on those with serious or chronic medical conditions such as factors that affect general adaptation and adjustment to the medical conditions (i.e., adjustment to chronic pain conditions, adaptation to lifestyle changes in managing diabetes, etc.), and in the prediction of adjustment and adaptation to future medical procedures (i.e., predicting adjustment post organ transplantation). His second primary research interest is in basic research examining learning and memory, in the conscious and unconscious learning and memory, rule-governed behavior, and a functional analysis of language in efforts to understand how verbal behavior affects other behavior. Additionally, he has research interests in mentoring and teaching in psychology, adult psychopathology, and interpersonal psychotherapy models and methods.

Jessica Swanson is one of the first Qualified Behavior Analysts (QBA) in the country. She also has her Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) credential, is a licensed behavior analyst (LBA), and a certified autism specialist (CAS). Additionally, Jessica earned a Master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis with an emphasis in autism.

Jessica entered the field of ABA after her then 2-year-old daughter was diagnosed on the autism spectrum.  Jessica works as a behavior analyst while running the company she founded, Summit Health Services Inc., which provides ABA services to clients in four states.

When not working in the field of ABA, Jessica spends time with her husband of nearly two decades, her 9-year-old daughter, and 7-year-old son.  Jessica is a military spouse who currently resides in the Washington, D.C. area.

Dr. Valencia Church-Williams, EdD, QBA, CAS is a scholar-practitioner with 20+ years of experience at both the K-12 and post-secondary levels. In addition, she has extensive administrative, instructional, and clinical experience through her work as a literacy educator, administrator, behavior specialist, and consultant in urban environments such as Durham Public Schools, Chicago Public Schools, Richland County School District One & DC Charter Schools and rural environments such as Granville County Schools and Orangeburg 5 Consolidated School District.

Church-Williams is a licensed school administrator, special educator, and a certified Behavior Analyst having earned a bachelors in education from UNC-Chapel Hill, a doctorate in Special Education Leadership from Northcentral University and having completed post-doctoral studies at Clemson University's Center for Behavior Analysis. She recently earned recognition as a certified Parent Educator, a credential accredited by the Positive Discipline Association and the National Board of Certified Counselors. She also serves as the board chairman for Revitalize Charter School in Raleigh, North Carolina and a member of the Equity and Integrated Systems Committee for the Association of Positive Behavior Support.

Dr. Church-Williams formerly served as a clinical faculty member at The Johns Hopkins University where she taught special education compliance, applied behavior analysis for teachers, and educational psychometrics. She was also the Director of Student Support Services for a large, urban charter network in Washington, DC where she specialized in compliance, anti-discrimination, and disabilities services as the Section 504 and Title IX coordinator. Throughout her career, she has worked to support youth and adult learners and fought to protect their civil rights along with their access to high-quality literacy education and socio-emotional education.