Maryland Applied Behavior Analysis Therapist | Move Up ABA
Explore the Move Up blog for practical strategies, real-world insights, and resources designed to help children reach their full potential. Built for families. Useful for professionals. Grounded in what works.
Behind the posts
Every article on this blog is written by a member of our team — the behavior analysts, technicians, and family-care specialists who work with Maryland and Virginia families every day.
PhD, BCBA-D
Senior Behavior Analyst
A doctoral-level BCBA with 15+ years in the field, Allison focuses on functional communication training and helping families turn clinical strategies into real life… A Board Certified Behavior Analyst – Doctoral level with more than 15 years in the field, Allison earned her doctorate in Behavior Analysis from Western Michigan University. Her work centers on functional communication training, naturalistic teaching, and helping families translate clinical strategies into real life — the dinner table, the grocery store, the school drop-off line. She is a strong advocate for neurodiversity-affirming, assent-based ABA and has trained dozens of clinicians over her career.
MS, BCBA
Board Certified Behavior Analyst · Autism parent
A BCBA with seven years of in-home and school-based experience, Marissa is also the parent of an autistic child — a perspective that shapes everything she does… A BCBA with seven years of in-home and school-based experience, Marissa holds an MS in Applied Behavior Analysis from Ball State University. Her oldest son was diagnosed with autism at age three, and she spent two years on the parent side of the therapy table before running a session of her own. She knows what it feels like to wonder how you’re supposed to do this at 6 p.m. on a Tuesday with two other kids in the house. She specializes in toilet training, sleep routines, and the everyday skills that most often leave families stuck.
RBT
Registered Behavior Technician · BCBA candidate
An RBT for six years working with kids ages four through twelve, Devon is completing his Master’s on his path to BCBA certification… An RBT for six years, Devon works directly with kids ages four through twelve across home and school-based settings in Northern Virginia, and is completing his Master’s in Applied Behavior Analysis on his path to BCBA certification. Before ABA, he spent four years as a paraprofessional in autism-focused classrooms — work he credits with teaching him that small wins are never actually small. He cares deeply about the craft of being a great technician and writes for clinicians earlier in their careers, because he remembers exactly how steep that first year felt.
BSW
Intake & Family Care Lead
For nine years Sophia has helped families navigate the maze around an autism diagnosis — insurance, school meetings, waitlists, and everything in between… For nine years Sophia has helped families navigate the maze that surrounds an autism diagnosis — insurance authorizations, school meetings, waitlists, second opinions, and the dozens of small decisions in between. She holds a Bachelor’s in Social Work from Fordham University. Often the first voice a family hears, she has walked hundreds of parents through their first conversation about ABA, their first insurance denial, and their first time hearing the word “autism” out loud. She believes families deserve straight answers, real timelines, and someone who actually picks up the phone.
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