Meet The
Assent CONFERENCE presenterS

Brittney is currently a 3rd year master’s student at the University of Nevada, Reno’s Behavior Analysis Program under the advisement of Dr. Bethany Contreras. She completed her undergraduate degree at University of Nevada, Reno in Neuroscience in 2022. Brittney has worked as a Behavior Technician (RBT) since 2021 at the Learning Consultants. She has experience in Precision Teaching, and Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention (EIBI). Her research interests include Assent within clinical practice, functional communication, and interdisciplinary research with Neuroscience and Behavior Analysis.

Speaker information coming soon!

Presenter information coming soon!

​Faris R. Kronfli received his master’s degree in Behavior Analysis from the University of Maryland Baltimore County in 2014 and his Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Florida in 2019. His research has included the assessment and treatment of problem behavior among at-risk youth and individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). While at the University of Florida, Dr. Kronfli helped establish a social skills clinic for adolescents and adults on the spectrum and has continued to focus on developing programs to support individuals as they transition to adulthood. He was the recipient of the 2018 B.F. Skinner Foundation Florida Graduate Student Research Award and the 2019 Christopher Rubow Memorial Award. He is currently the program coordinator for the Behavior Analysis Research Clinic’s school-based consultation program and an Assistant Instructional Professor at the University of Florida.

Janani Vaidya (they/them) is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, researcher, writer, and editor. Currently, they are a faculty member of the Applied Behavior Analysis program at National Louis University. Janani also serves as an affiliate researcher with the Louisiana Contextual Science Research Group and the Assent Lab, and a co-chair for the Gender and Sexual Diversity Special Interest Group (GSD SIG) of the Association of Contextual Behavior Science (ACBS). Trained in behavior analysis and contextual behaviorism, Janani's work outside of higher education includes (1) skill-building and advocacy work with disabled and/or neurodivergent adults (2) facilitating related staff training, (3) conducting research that focuses on developing theoretical frameworks for gender and sexuality, implicit bias, harm reduction, assent-based skill building and practice, disability justice and access, and equity and (4) working for and conducting sensitivity training for a variety of media and publishing outlets. Besides their work, Janani is a voracious reader and frequently haunts local bookstores and coffee shops. You can find them on Twitter: @JananiVaidya and Instagram: @janani.vaidya, and learn more about their work at jananivaidya.com.

​Jeff Gesick earned his Master’s degree in Behavior Analysis at the University of North Texas in 2012. Jeff is currently the Clinical Director for and a partner at a locally-owned behavior analytic organization, The Learning Consultants (in Reno/Sparks, Nevada). The Learning Consultants provides applied behavior analytic intervention services to children and adolescents, most of whom have an autism spectrum diagnosis. Jeff has a background in practice and research in the science and practice of behavior analysis, and has been a supervising consultant or clinical director for over 10 years. Jeff is responsible for the clinical policies and procedures of practice at the Learning Consultants, and has worked with the leadership team to make client assent a critical feature of all services. Jeff directs, oversees, and updates clinical practices, and the clinical model has led to the Learning Consultants becoming an emerging leader on assent-based procedures in applied behavior analytic service delivery. Jeff also consults with outside organizations to help them implement evidence-based behavior analytic practices that include client dignity, choice, and assent or self-determination. Additionally, Jeff supports ongoing clinical and practice-based research through retrospective program evaluations and prospective research, which is frequently presented at regional and national conventions.

Kai is a first-year PhD student who earned his B.S. in Psychology with a concentration in behavior analysis in 2021 from the University of Florida. Kai then worked as a registered behavior technician at the Florida Autism Center specialty research clinic at the UF Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment. During this time, he worked with multiple age groups and clients with varying abilities. He has worked on several projects with senior staff for clients with complex physiological variables on sociability research, teaching foundational learning skills, and developing interventions for noise sensitivities. Additionally, he aided in the implementation of revised training procedures for staff in the Early and Intensive Behavioral Intervention Clinic. His research interests include development and expansion of assessment tools and interventions for remote work environments.

Liz is currently a graduate student in the Master’s program in Behavior Analysis at the University of Nevada, Reno and is working under the mentorship of Dr. Bethany Contreras. Liz is a Registered Behavior Technician and has experience providing direct services and consultative support in public school settings, as well as in clinic-based settings. Liz is interested in researching the role of linguistic and cultural diversity on service delivery for those receiving ABA-based services, in addition to supporting the development of an evidence-based related to assent procedures in the context of ABA-based services.

Dr. Mari-Luci Cerda BCBA, LBA is a Mesoamerican Indigenous woman (Nahua, Otomi, Raramurri & Kikapu), wife, mom, Autist, and board-certified behavior analyst with over 19 years experience working with Neurodivergent individuals and their families.

A former special education teacher, behavior specialist, and inclusion coordinator of 17+ years, Mari has a deep passion for advocacy work with both schools and clinics to develop trauma-responsive, neurodiversity responsive practices. Her work focuses on shifting language and systems used in practice to REFRAME (TM)  and move away from unintentional ableist frameworks that are often rooted in traditional therapy and educational settings. 
 

Much of her work pulls from IRM (Indigenous Research Methods) and models of care rooted in Cultural Safety and Responsiveness. Dr. Cerda recently opened her own trauma-responsive. ND affirming clinic, The Lighthouse Learning Center in 2021, with the goal of creating a model of true neurodiversity affirming and responsive practices. Mari is also the co-founder of the The LEAP Institute, a non-profit with a mission to address the disparity of diverse practitioners in the behavioral and related services fields supporting Autistic individuals and their families. 

Melisa completed her Masters of Science in Communication Disorders from California State University at Northridge in 2011 and worked as a Speech Language Pathologist on the Navajo Reservation in Northern New Mexico for several years. She then completed coursework and fieldwork to become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst in 2014, joining a group of around 400 professionals in the world who have both as SLP and BCBA credential.

Melisa has worked in ABA centers in New Mexico since 2014 across all ages. She currently owns and operates Balance Speech and Behavior in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She has utilized Skills Based Treatment (SBT) with individuals with severe and dangerous problem behavior and is currently conducting research on this method. The Balance Speech and Behavior team are developing innovative ways to use the science of ABA to support adults on the spectrum to design and utilize a circle of care to move closer to their goals and create a higher quality of life for themselves.

​Dr. Michelle Kuhn is the co-founder and Chief Clinical Officer at Galliant Autism Care as well as a professor at St Edward's University. She has been in the field of special education for over 20 years and has been teaching in higher education for over 5 years. In that time, she has worked in schools, homes, and clinics with individuals from early intervention through adulthood. Her research focus has been predominantly on social communication and staff training. At Galliant she has set up extensive trainings for staff of all levels focusing on neurodiversity and assent based services. She is originally from the south side of Chicago and completed both her undergrad and masters at the University of Illinois. She later completed her PhD at the University of Texas.

Worner Leland (they/them) is a former researcher and educator with Upswing Advocates, a current educator with Sex Ed Continuing Ed, a current collaborative writer with the Assent Lab, and a past president of the Sexual Behavior Research and Practice SIG of ABAI. Their work focuses on sex education, assent and consent education, and harm reduction and coercion reduction education in behavior analysis.