Elise Velez-Garcia

Elise Velez is a board-certified behavior analyst (BCBA) who has worked in the field of applied behavior analysis for 4 years. She designs and implements interventions for autistic kids, figuring out their needs related to maladaptive behaviors and replacing them with functionally equivalent ones, while also creating developmental goals. A technician implements the plans directly under her training and supervision, and she monitors progress through data to make adjustments. Her path to this role began with working with preschool kids in college at Eastern Michigan University where she double majored in political science and art, followed by AmeriCorps work in schools, a preschool assistant director position, and then discovering ABA via a behavior technician role on Indeed, which led her to pursue her master's in Applied Behavior Analysis. She attributes her success to resilience, having worked through challenging situations as a technician, and she advises young women entering the field to take care of themselves and avoid burnout by using PTO and breaks. She holds the BCBA certification, which she passed on her first attempt after three months of study, and previously held the RBT credential.