Her Story
About Lejla
Lejla Sabotic serves as a behavioral analyst specializing in health care and applied behavior analysis. With nine years of experience, she conducts behavioral assessments, interprets results, designs individualized treatment plans, supervises and mentors technicians, trains parents and caregivers, and collaborates with other professionals such as physical and occupational therapists. Lejla earned her bachelor's degree in communication sciences and disorders from Worcester State University in 2018 and her master's of science in applied behavioral analysis from Bay Path University in 2022. She attributes her professional success to the support of her family, particularly her mom and dad, along with her network of friends, combined with her dedication to hard work and compassion. Lejla values moving with empathy and respect while applying evidence-based practices, always keeping in mind that behind every plan is a real person and family. She advises others in her field to never stop learning, trust themselves, speak up for what is clinically right, build strong relationships, and remain grounded in the ethics of the profession while being practical with clients' lives.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Lejla
01What do you attribute your success to?
I would attribute my success to my family, specifically my mom and dad, and my amazing support system of friends who have been so supportive throughout everything. I remember being up all hours studying after work, and my mom and family would take care of other things I was lacking in my personal life so I could go forward with my education. Combined with hard work and the compassion I mentioned, always wanting to strive and learn more and put the work in to make sure I'm doing it well and the right way.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I ever received is never stop learning. There's always continuing education credits, and it's important to stay up to date with information and learn about different techniques and approaches because what worked maybe 10 years ago is just not working now.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would advise young women entering the industry to have compassion, not stop learning, trust herself, speak up for what's clinically right, build strong relationships, stay grounded in the ethics of our field, and remember that behind every single treatment or plan that we write is a person and a family. Always keep that in mind because we're truly impacting and shaping people's lives. Be practical with people's lives, not everything is textbook concrete.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenges are making sure families have high quality ABA services because there's still a big need for more trained clinicians and technicians, and balancing the administrative and insurance requirements. There's a tremendous opportunity to move forward and be more collaborative and person-centered, and to work with other professionals in the client's life like physical therapists and occupational therapists so we can really be there for the whole client.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The most important values to me are moving with compassion and making meaningful relationships. In my work, I believe in treating every client and family with empathy and respect while still using my evidence-based practices. Having compassion and being able to put myself in their shoes to see how we can truly help them, because every family and client is different.
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