9th Annual Ethics in Professional Practice Conference

Afffiliation:

President & Co-Founder, Pyramid Educational Consultants (PECS)
Vice Chair, Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies Board of Directors

Presenter Bio:

Andy Bondy is president and co-founder of Pyramid Educational Consultants. Dr. Bondy is an innovative leader in the field of autism and applied behavior analysis. He directed a statewide public school system for students with autism for fourteen years. He is co-author of the PECS Training Manual. He also wrote the Pyramid Approach to Education, a training manual that offers an integrated orientation to developing effective educational environments blending applied behavior analysis with functional activities and creative communication strategies. Dr. Bondy received his MA and Ph.D. from the UNC Greensboro, and completed his clinical internship in 1976 at the University of Kansas Medical Center. Dr. Bondy has presented numerous papers, lectures and workshops in regional, national and international conferences and conventions on behavior analysis, PECS and the Pyramid Approach to Education. He has remained active in research and writing, and continues to develop new and innovative methods of helping children with autism and related developmental disorders.

Afffiliation:

CEO & Founder, ULEZI, LLC
Co-Founder, Pivot 2 Inclusion, LLC

Presenter Bio:

Nasiah is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, with a Doctorate degree in Education from Loyola University of Chicago.  She holds a Master’s degree in Special Education from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from the American College of Education.  She is a graduate of the Infant Studies Specialist program at Erikson Institute of Chicago. In addition to her BCBA credential, she is an Illinois licensed special education teacher and an Illinois Early Intervention provider and State evaluator.  Professionally, she has served as a special educator, clinician, educational administrator and professor of special education.  Her clinical experience spans infancy through adulthood.  Currently, she is the CEO & Founder of ULEZI, LLC and serves as a court appointed special advocate, for children in the Illinois foster care system.  She is also a Board member for the Illinois Association for Behavior Analysis. She is a champion for diversity, equity and inclusion and is deeply committed to using her skills and experiences, paired with the science of applied behavior analysis, to assist, uplift and transform the lives of the people she supports and serves, in positive and meaningful ways.

Afffiliation:

BRIAN CONNERS, BCBA, LLC – Speaker, Consultant, Author

Presenter Bio:

Brian Conners, Ph.D., BCBA began his career working in a private, special education school for students ages 5-21 with severe developmental disabilities, behavioral disorders, and co-morbid psychiatric conditions where he worked first in the classroom and later as behaviorist for the school’s behavior department.  His time at this school ignited his passion in the field and carved his path for his future. He later transitioned to working in the public educator sector where he worked as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and New Jersey Department of Education certified school psychologist. During his time in the public schools, he case managed and provided behavioral and psychological services for students with emotional and behavioral disorders for a highly specialized in-district special education program. 

After working in the schools, Brian created and owned a full service behavioral healthcare agency in New Jersey that had provided high quality Applied Behavior Analysis services to children, adolescents, and adults with autism, developmental disabilities, behavioral disorders, and psychiatric conditions.  His agency provided services in client’s homes, public and private schools, agencies, and hospital-based settings. Through his dedicated work to families and individuals with disabilities and his passion for providing high-quality and ethical Applied Behavior Analysis services, he was able to get the agency approved by the New Jersey Department of Education, New Jersey Division of Developmental Disabilities, various insurance agencies, and later as a nationally recognized Behavioral Health Center of Excellence.  He later left operating a full service agency to focus on teaching and research at the university level and public speaking and consulting through his own practice.

With over 10 years experience working in the field, Brian developed the graduate program in Applied Behavior Analysis at Seton Hall University and continues to work at the university as a Faculty Associate teaching courses in Applied Behavior Analysis and special education, conducting research through his lab, and mentoring students in the field.

Afffiliation:

Professor Emeritus, Department of Psychology, Utah State University
Founder, Behavior Works

Presenter Bio:

Susan G. Friedman, Ph.D. is a professor emeritus in the Department of Psychology at Utah State University. She has helped pioneer the cross-species application of behavior analysis to animals, using the same humane philosophy and scientifically sound teaching technology that has been so effective with human learners. Susan has co-authored chapters on behavior change in four veterinary texts, and her popular articles have been translated into 14 languages. She gives seminars on animal learning at conferences and consults with zoos around the world. Susan is a member of Karen Pryor’s Clicker Expo faculty and teaches yearly hands-on animal training workshops with Steve Martin (www.naturalencouters.com). Susan was appointed to the F&WS Condor Recovery Team from 2002 – 2010, after which time the team was retired due to the success of the birds in the wild. She is the Chairperson of the Scientific Advisory Committee of American Humane Association (AHA) Film and TV Unit, and a member in good standing of ABAI, ABMA, IAABC and IAATE. Last year she was included on the Vet Tech College’s list of “15 Animal Professors to Know.” Susan’s acclaimed online course, Living and Learning with Animals for behavior professionals, has provided even wider dissemination of effective, humane behavior change practices to students in over 35 countries (www.behaviorworks.org). And she shares fun videos with a science twist at facebook.com/behaviorworks.

Afffiliation:

Senior Associate in Psychology, Boston Children’s Hospital
Senior Lecturer, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Faculty Member, Center for Bioethics, Harvard Medical School

Presenter Bio:

Gerald P. Koocher completed his B.A. degree in Psychology at Boston University, and his MA and PhD in clinical psychology at the University of Missouri. From 1971 through 2001 he served successively as an intern, post-doctoral fellow, and ultimately as Chief of Psychology at Boston’s Children’s Hospital and Judge Baker Children’s Center. During this period he also served as a full time faculty member (Associate Professor) at Harvard Medical School. In June, 2001 Dr. Koocher became Professor and Dean of the School for Health Studies at Simmons College (Boston). He later served as Associate Provost at Simmons and became Dean Emeritus at Simmons in 2013. In June of 2013 he became Dean of the College of Science and Health at DePaul University in Chicago. He returns to Massachusetts frequently and continues to hold a medical staff appointment at Children’s Hospital and as Lecturer in Psychology at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Koocher was elected a Fellow of twelve divisions of the American Psychological Association (APA) and a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He has earned five specialty diplomas from the American Boards of Professional Psychology (Clinical, Clinical Child /Adolescent, Family, Forensic, and Health Psychology). He has been licensed as a psychologist in Illinois, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and the District of Columbia. Currently Editor of the journal Ethics & Behavior, Dr. Koocher previously served as Editor of the Journal of Pediatric Psychology and The Clinical Psychologist. He has published more than 350 articles and book chapters and authored or edited 17 books. Areas of his expertise include: • Adaptation to chronic and life-threatening illness in childhood (especially cancer, cystic fibrosis, and diabetes). • Coping with bereavement and loss, psychological assessment. • Professional and scientific ethics, and mental health malpractice. Very active in professional affairs, Dr. Koocher served as President of the Massachusetts and New England Psychological Associations and of four APA divisions (Clinical Psychology, Pediatric Psychology, Psychotherapy, and Children, Youth, and Family Services). He served as President of the APA (2006).

Afffiliation:

Director, Graduate Program in Autism/ABA Studies, Endicott College

Presenter Bio:

Mary Jane Weiss, Ph.D., BCBA-D is a Professor at Endicott College, where she directs the Master’s Program in ABA and Autism and is a mentoring faculty member in the Doctoral program.  She also conducts research with the team at Melmark. Weiss has worked in the field of ABA and Autism for over 30 years. She received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Rutgers University in 1990 and she became a Board Certified Behavior Analyst in 2000. She previously worked for 16 years at the Douglass Developmental Disabilities Center at Rutgers University, where she served as Director of Research and Training and as Clinical Director. Her clinical and research interests center on defining best practice ABA techniques, exploring ways to enhance the ethical conduct of practitioners, evaluating the impact of ABA in learners with autism, teaching social skills to learners with autism, training staff to be optimally effective at instruction, and maximizing family members’ expertise and adaptation.  She serves on the Scientific Council of the Organization for Autism Research, is on the Professional Advisory Board of Autism New Jersey, is a regular reviewer for a variety of professional journals, and is a frequent member of service committees for the Behavior Analyst Certification Board. She is also a Past President of the Autism Special Interest Group of the Association for Behavior Analysis International, a former member of the Board of the Association for Professional Behavior Analysts, and a former Vice President of the Board of Trustees for Autism New Jersey.

We are planning a hybrid event with a smaller in-person gathering with electronic option. Watch for announcements.