DIRECTORS

Kelly Pieropan, MA, BCBA has a broad education in the field of intervention for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD).  She earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from St. Cloud State University, located in Minnesota.  She later went on to Los Angeles where she pursued a master’s degree in counseling from Loyola Marymount University. Kelly has over nine years experience working with children diagnosed with autism and other developmental disabilities. She has an extensive background in applied behavior analysis and verbal behavior.

In addition, before entering the field of autism, Kelly worked with severely emotionally disturbed children.  She has been the clinic supervisor for FEAT of Minnesota and has held the position of supervisor and lead therapist for three Los Angeles non-public agencies. She has had professional training on teaching language based on Skinner’s Analysis of Verbal Behavior, as well as utilization of the Assessment of Basic Language and Learner Skills (ABLLS).  Furthermore, Kelly has attended over 200 hours of ABA and Behavioral Assessment workshops throughout the United States.

In Kelly’s experience she has conducted numerous initial assessments, as well as setting up individualized programs according to the child’s needs.  She has provided numerous workshops and intensive training for both staff and parents covering techniques of applied behavior analysis, including discrete trail teaching and verbal behavior. Kelly has provided consultation to families outside of our service area, school personnel and others directly involved with the child.   

Faith Mitchell, MA, MFT graduated from Phillips Graduate Institute in Hollywood, California and has been a licensed MFT since 1993. Faith has worked with children for over 15 years.  She has worked as a school counselor for Manhattan Beach Elementary and Intermediate Schools as well as a teacher’s assistant for Special Education at Mira Costa High School. She has also worked in the Torrance Unified School District as an Intervention Specialist and currently has an Emergency Teaching Credential. Faith is highly trained in Crisis Counseling, Parent Education and Conflict Resolution.

During her years in private practice, her nephew was diagnosed with autism. In watching her nephew and family struggle, she became very involved with autism and learned more about Applied Behavior Analysis and Discrete Trial Training.  Kelly and Faith first met while Kelly was supervising Faith’s nephew’s home program. Realizing the enormous need for services of children afflicted with autism, Kelly and Faith chose to combine their talents.  Confident in their extensive experience in working with special needs children, they decided to start an agency together.
 

Selena Emond, M.A., BCBA, earned her Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Political Science at San Diego State University in 1990. She earned her Master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis with an emphasis on children with developmental delays and severe behavior problems at the University of Maryland in 2003. Her clinical training and work was completed at the Kennedy Krieger Institute at John’s Hopkins in the Neurobehavioral Outpatient Clinic.

Selena is currently a developmental psychology doctoral candidate at the University of Maryland. Her interests include examining the relationship between parent training programs and possible effect(s) on parent’s perceptions of their child’s school readiness, parenting self- efficacy as well as parent’s ratings of their child’s behavior. She is a member of the American Psychological Association and the California Association for Behavior Analysts. Her awards include the University of Maryland’s Dissertation Fellowship Award and the International Positive Psychology Fellowship Award.

As a Director at ABC, Selena is responsible for directing clients receiving services in the Orange County area, directing staff/parent training workshops on ABA principles, overseeing continuing training of supervisors, evaluating therapists and staff, conducting monthly clinic meetings, writing initial behavior assessments and functional analyses, and editing progress reports and attending IEP meetings.