Kelly Sheehan
Kelly Sheehan is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and the Founder of Eligius Behavior LLC, an independent ABA therapy practice established in 2024. Credentialed since 2009, she is licensed to practice in Ohio, Tennessee, Nevada, Connecticut, Missouri, Kansas, Massachusetts, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Iowa, Georgia, Illinois, and Utah. With more than 15 years of experience in behavioral health and education, Kelly specializes in delivering ethical, evidence-based Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services for children with autism and related behavioral needs. She also supervises fieldwork students and mentors aspiring behavior analysts, while building systems that support clinician development, family engagement, and sustainable service delivery.
Kelly earned both her undergraduate degree in Early Childhood Education and Child Studies and her Master of Education in Special Education from Vanderbilt University, where she focused on high-incidence disabilities and applied behavior analysis. Her graduate work included research on school-wide positive behavior support and risk reduction for antisocial behavior, as well as participation in federally funded training initiatives. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Behavior Analysis at Capella University, where she has earned President’s List honors. In addition to her BCBA credential through the Behavior Analyst Certification Board, she is a Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor and a CPI Nonviolent Crisis Intervention Instructor.
Throughout her career, Kelly has served in clinical and leadership roles across home-, school-, and community-based settings, including supervising teams of behavior analysts across multiple states and supporting military families through TRICARE-funded services. Her background spans education, clinical intervention, organizational behavior management, and professional writing. A natural relationship builder and systems thinker, she is known for translating behavioral data into clear, actionable strategies for families, clinicians, and executive teams. Beyond her professional work, Kelly is active in volunteer service and has traveled extensively, experiences that continue to inform her resilient, adaptable, and values-driven leadership style.
• Board Certified Behavior Analyst
• President's List Summer 2024
• President's List - Fall 2024
• Organizational Behavior Management Specialist (BEHP 1237)
• Certified Marketer Level 1
• Certified Ohio Behavior Analyst
• UX Foundations: Accessibility
• UX Design: 1 Overview
• Vanderbilt University - M.Ed.
• American Psychological Association (APA)
• Alpha Phi Omega (Lifetime Member)
• Association of Professional Behavior Analysts
• Adopt A Golden Atlanta
• Vanderbilt University
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to a combination of intentional choices and fortunate opportunities. Knowing I wanted a career in education, I pursued the strongest program I could—Vanderbilt—which introduced me to behavior analysis, a field I hadn’t known existed.
What I love about behavior analysis is its versatility. It allows me to work across areas from education and wellness to intervention, while my dissertation focuses on organizational behavior management.
This flexibility has kept me engaged in the field for years, giving me a wide range of experiences and the ability to grow with a profession that continues to evolve.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering this field is to gain experience across a range of areas. Life changes and priorities shift, and having a diverse skill set allows you to pivot without leaving your career. Whether it’s school services, home-based work, or clinical practice, exploring different settings not only makes you more marketable but also gives you the flexibility to adapt your career as your circumstances evolve.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges in my field is navigating the shift toward a medical model of service delivery. While laws in all 50 states now require coverage for autism services—which has greatly increased access for families—it also means much of our work focuses on deficits rather than broader skill development. I value the access it provides, but the medical model can sometimes limit the scope of what we can address with clients.
Another challenge is the growing influence of private equity in the field. Many agencies are now privately backed, which introduces new business priorities that may not always align with clinician-led care. While clinicians remain at the heart of service delivery, balancing clinical goals with business considerations requires careful navigation.
These challenges also present opportunities: they push us to advocate for more holistic approaches, expand the ways we deliver services, and find innovative solutions that meet both client needs and organizational goals.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values that guide me in both my work and personal life are supporting families and clinicians, ensuring fair compensation and resources for technicians, and maintaining access to high-quality, evidence-based services. These principles help me stay focused on both the people I serve and the professionals who make that service possible.
Locations
Eligius Behavior LLC
Broadview Heights, OH 44147