Dr. Suzanne Jacobsen, Ed.D., BCBA-D

Registered Psychologist and Founder, ABA Learning Centre

As a Registered Psychologist and Board Certified Behaviour Analyst – Doctoral, I have been providing consultative ABA services to families of children with autism since 1998, but have assisted families facing the challenges of autism, brain injury and other complex developmental disabilities since 1979. I received my Doctoral Degree in Educational Psychology and Special Education from UBC in 1990 and completed a two-year post-doctoral study in the Department of Social and Educational Studies. My prior work as a teacher included teaching children in regular and special education classrooms and coordinating services in a large school district for children with learning differences, learning disabilities, and behavior disorders. I have also taught university students about children with autism and developmental disabilities, including courses in assessment and appropriate interventions. As a mentor to the professionals at ABA Learning Centre, I have participated in presenting many workshops and training sessions. Over the last 25 years I have provided workshop training throughout the province in school districts and communities and I have also presented workshops and training about autism internationally in the United States and China.

Dr. Elizabeth Athens, BCBA-D

Clinical Director

I have a doctorate in Psychology with a minor in Special Education from the University of Florida. I am also a Board Certified Behavior Analyst – Doctoral level. I completed pre and post doctoral internships at the Marcus Autism Center in Atlanta, Georgia, where I served individuals with ASD and their families in clinical, home, and school settings. I have been providing behavioral interventions to children with ASD for over 10 years, beginning my work at an autism clinic as an undergraduate at the University of Nevada, Reno. I have participated in training teachers, caregivers, and new behavior analysts in providing behaviorally based interventions, and have published articles on evidence based behavioral interventions while also serving as an editor for a peer reviewed journal for applied behavior analysis.

Sherise Devine, M.S., BCBA

Program Manager
I have been working in the field of applied behaviour analysis since 2002. In this time I have directly implemented, designed, trained, and supervised ABA programming in-home as well as daycare, school, and other community settings with children between the ages of 2 and 15. I have successfully collaborated on teams with speech language pathologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, psychiatrists, pediatricians, nutritionists, and other related professionals, as well as run teams via distance using current technology. I currently hold a Master’s of Science degree in Applied Behavior Analysis and am a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst. I have presented at local and international ABA conferences and have taught introductory ABA courses to students at the University of Manitoba
 

Rob Livingston, M.A, BCBA

Program Manager
I am a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst. I have worked with individuals with disabilities since 1993. I specialize in working with children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ages 2-19). My job description includes assessing and developing intervention programs for children diagnosed with autism. I manage teams in home based, clinic based and distance programs. I also provide training in home and at our clinics on an ongoing basis as well as supervision for aspiring behaviour analyst to fulfill their requirements to become board certified. I also serve as the president of The Group ABA Children’s Society and my family also provides home support for an adult with autism.
 

Gabriel Schnerch, M.A., Ph.D. Candidate, BCBA

Coordinator of Education and Research
I am a Ph.D. Candidate in Clinical Psychology through the University of Manitoba, and a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). I have worked clinically using applied behaviour analytic and cognitive-behavioural approaches to therapy over the last 6 years with a variety of clients on the autism spectrum, including preschool and school-age children with autism, and adolescents and young adults on the “high-end” of the autism spectrum (including Asperger Syndrome and PDD-NOS). In addition, I have also taught university courses in applied behaviour analysis, learning theory, and child development, at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. I currently offer individual sessions of cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) focused on interpersonal skills, distress tolerance, and self-regulation for adolescents and adults, and group CBT for adolescents with Asperger’s/High-functioning Autism/PDD-NOS. In addition, I provide some limited behavioural consultation for ABA therapy, primarily with adolescents on the autism spectrum, and on an as-needed basis at the In-Clinic Richmond location.
 

Richard Stock, M.S., BCBA

Program Manager
I was first introduced to Applied Behavior Analysis in 1996 at the University of Manitoba and I have worked with individuals with autism since 1999. I have a Master’s of Science degree in Applied Behavior Analysis and I am a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. I am currently a Ph.D. Candidate in Special Education at the University of British Columbia with an emphasis in autism. I have extensive experience providing hands-on behavioral intervention to children with ASD in home, pre-school, and public school settings. I teach university courses in ABA and autism and have presented at national and international ABA conferences.
 

Kaori Ohashi, B.Sc., B.Ed., BCBA

Program Manager/Teacher
I am a certified teacher and have been working with children with autism in the field of ABA since 2001. I have completed my Master’s of Arts in Special Education at The University of British Columbia with a specialization in autism and ABA. During the 2007-2008 school year, I was the head teacher at the Phoenix Academy of Learning which is an independent ABA/VB school for children with autism. I am currently working on home teams and am the head teacher for Fawkes Academy Distributed Learning.
 

Dennis Tal, B.A

Program Supervisor
I have been working with children with Autism and Aspergers ranging from 22 months old to 19 years of age for 12 years. I have extensive experience managing a family’s home ABA Program and working collaboratively consulting with school programs and with family’s implementing IEP goals, behaviour plans and functional assessments of behaviour. I have worked collaboratively with SLP’s, OT’s, SEA’s and social workers since 1998. I come with a family centered approach that prioritizes family goals with the learners developmental needs. In my years in the field I began as a Behaviour Interventionist eventually developing to Team Leader, Associate Behaviour Consultant and Program Supervisor. It is the rewards of seeing these children develop which drives me to continue developing in this field.
 

Kristen Kringhaug, B.A., BCaBA

Program Supervisor
I have been working in the field of ABA/VB since 2004. I have had experience working as a BI, a Lead BI, a Student Program Supervisor and now as a Program Supervisor in individual home programs, school and classroom settings, group therapy programs and social skills groups. I have had the pleasure of working with a wide array of ages and skill levels. I have worked collaboratively with SLPs, OTs, teaching staff, and other professionals from the autism community. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Kwantlen Polytechnic University. I did my BCaBA coursework through the Florida Institute of Technology. I plan to pursue a Masters degree in Special Education with specialization in autism and applied behaviour analysis in the future. There is nothing more rewarding then being part of a child’s progress and that is why I do the work I do.

 
 

Ryan Konarski

Student Program Supervisor

I have been providing services for children and adolescents with developmental disabilities since 2004.  With beginnings in behavior intervention, I now specialize in working collaboratively with families, schools, and communities in order to provide optimal environments for the successful implementation of behavior support plans.

I am completing a Master of Arts degree and BCBA certification at UBC in Special Education with a thesis topic addressing the enhancement of positive behavior support approaches.  I also coordinate a research project utilizing a strength-based approach to intervention with children with FASD.

Joanna Nguyen

Student Program Supervisor

I have been working with children with autism and developmental disabilities since 2004. I have a B.A. in psychology and early childhood education from Simon Fraser University. I am currently working towards completing my Master’s of Arts degree in Special Education with focus on autism and developmental disabilities at the University of British Columbia.
 

Stephen Chinn

Student Program Supervisor

I have extensive clinical, academic, and research experience with children, adolescents, and adults with developmental disabilities. Since 2001, I have worked as an interventionist and consultant with families in home, school, and community settings. I am completing my M.A. in Special Education at the University of British Columbia and am working towards becoming a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. The focus of my M.A. research is on the design and implementation of family-centered, positive behavior support interventions with families of children with developmental disabilities and severe problem behavior.

Alaina Rigby-Jones, BA

Student Program Supervisor
I have been working with children with special needs since 2004 and have been with ABA Learning Centre since 2005. I have worked with children from ages 2 to 18 in both group applied behaviour analysis and one-to-one. I received my Bachelors of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Learning Disabilities from Simon Fraser University. I have also completed the Disability and Applied Behaviour Analysis Program at Douglas College and am working towards my BCaBA certification. Currently, I am working at the centre-based program in Richmond and on home teams.

Lynn Service, BA

Training Facilitator and Student Program Supervisor
I have worked with children with Autism and other developmental disabilities since 2005. I have experience working with children aged 2 to 18 in both group and one-on-one settings. My B.A. is in Psychology from the University of Victoria where I studied both child development and ABA. I recently completed the Disability and Applied Behaviour Analysis program at Douglas College and am now working on my supervision towards my BCaBA certification.
 

 Jennifer Horgan M.SC

Student Program Supervisor

I have been working in the field of applied behaviour analysis since 2006. I have had the opportunity to work with children and adults in home, school, and community settings. My experience includes working with individuals with; ASD, acquired brain injury and other developmental disabilities.  I have a Master’s of Science degree in Applied Behaviour Analysis, from Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland. I am currently working as a Student Program Supervisor and working towards my BCBA certification.  I joined the ABALC team in 2011 and work in the Richmond Clinic.