Alyssa St. Amant

My journey into applied behavioral analysis began with a deeply personal inspiration - my little sister was diagnosed with autism when she was young, and 20 years ago, they didn't have any of the resources that they have now. We didn't have the normal peer or sister relationship that two sisters would have because she is on the spectrum, but she taught me all about patience, living in the moment, and appreciating what you have in front of you rather than wanting or wishing what you would have. When I went to school, I originally wanted to be a preschool teacher just to get in the education field, and then when I discovered applied behavior analysis, which is the type of therapy you do with children diagnosed with autism, that is when I completely flourished and went into that field. She has been my joy in life and the one who grounds me when things get tough. I'm really happy to say that she is pretty independent now - she lives on her own, she's able to drive a car, and we're still transitioning into the adulthood phase a little bit, but she's doing really well. I started as an ABA therapist in 2014 after graduating with my bachelor's in child development, and I really bonded well with children with special needs who weren't able to advocate for themselves. I was a therapist for several years before graduating with my master's in ABA in 2018 and becoming a clinical lead therapist, overseeing clinics in the southern New Orleans region. In 2020, I passed my boards and became a board-certified behavioral analyst. Now, I go into schools in the southern region and help children with special needs by creating treatment plans and intervention plans that allow children to be as independent as they want to be. My typical day is very different - I can go on field trips that take me to the zoo, I can go to dentist appointments where the children just need coping skills to help get through their appointment, or I collaborate with teachers, paraprofessionals, and principals to help children with special needs in those classrooms thrive in their most natural setting. I have behavioral contracts with the schools too, and I really help those kids be their most authentic and independent as they can be, because a lot of them cannot advocate for themselves. I have a passion for making school environments the most inclusive that they can be with our special needs population. I think it's really important that every child has a chance to be their most authentic selves in whatever setting they're given, their most natural setting, which is typically school.

• Board-Certified Behavioral Analyst (BCBA)

• Bachelor's in Child Development (2014)
• Master's in Applied Behavioral Analysis (2018)

• Kappa Delta Sorority
• BCBA Board