O.R.L.'s Professional ABA Clinical Staff
Michael Fabrizio, M.A., BCBA, LBA, CCEP, CHC, CHPC, CHPSE
Owner, Clinical Services Supervisor, Privacy & Security Officer
–Bio: Michael Fabrizio (he/him) is a Board Certified and Licensed Behavior Analyst who is also a Certified Compliance and Ethics Professional (CCEP®), Certified in Healthcare Compliance (CHC®), Certified in Healthcare Privacy Compliance (CHPC®), and a Certified HIPAA Privacy and Security Expert (CHPSE®). Michael received his Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and Master’s Degree in Educational Psychology/Applied Behavior Analysis from West Virginia University. He is a former doctoral candidate in the University of Washington’s Department of Special Education where he specialized in behavior analysis, instructional design, autism, and technical communication.
Michael has worked with children with disabilities throughout his 30-year career, serving as a Senior Educational Specialist for the West Virginia Autism Training Center at Marshall University, an Autism Program Specialist for the Spectrum Center for Educational and Behavioral Development in Berkeley, California, Head Teacher for Morningside Academy, a private school for children with learning differences, and later as the Lead Trainer in Morningside’s Public School Improvement Project. Michael also served as FEAT of Washington’s Clinical Services Director, overseeing their intervention programs for children and teens with Autism.
Michael resides in Seattle, Washington with his husband of 20 years and serves as a partner and Clinical Services Supervisor and Privacy Officer within the Organization for Research and Learning (ORL) a behavior analytic private practice that works with learners with autism. He was also an adjunct professor of behavior analysis for ten years at the University of North Texas Department of Behavior Analysis, an adjunct professor for five years in the Applied Behavior Analysis master’s degree program at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology, and the past president of the Standard Celeration Society, a special interest group within the Association for Behavior Analysis.
Michael has presented more than 100 data-based papers related to his clinical work with children with autism and other disabilities at a range of state, regional, and national professional conferences including the Autism Society of America, the West Coast Special Education Conference, the Association for Behavior Analysis, the Association for the Severely Handicapped, the Association for Science in Autism Treatment, and the International Precision Teaching Conference. Michael has published his work in such professional journals as the Journal of Precision Teaching and Celeration, the Behavior Analysis Digest, the European Journal of Behavior Analysis, the Behavior Analyst Today, and the Journal of Speech Language Pathology and Applied Behavior Analysis.
Michael is a sustaining member of the Standard Celeration Society, an ally member of Black Applied Behavior Analysts, and a member of the Health Care Compliance Association, the Society for Corporate Compliance and Ethics, the American Health Information Management Association, the International Association of Privacy Professionals, and the Health Ethics Trust.
Michael also volunteers as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA)/Guardian ad Litem (GAL) for the King County Dependency CASA program.
Kelly Ferris, M.Ed., BCBA, LBA
Owner, Clinical Services Supervisor
–Bio: Kelly (she/her) is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst with 20 years of experience working with children with autism. She earned her Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Special Education from the University of Washington in 2003. Her clinical expertise includes early intervention for toddlers, instructional design, functional communication intervention with speech generating devices, elementary academic instruction, and positive behavior support for children and their families. She has worked with children with autism and their families as a Program Manager at Northwest Behavioral Associates, Program Director for Rising Star Academy at Families for Effective Autism Treatment (FEAT) of Washington, and a Consultant with Fabrizio/Moors Consulting.
Kelly currently resides in Seattle, Washington where she is co-owner and a Clinical Services Supervisor for the Organization for Research and Learning (ORL.). She has served as Conference Chair for the Washington’s Association for Behavior Analysis, Past Vice-President, and a past Board Member of the Standard Celeration Society, a special interest group of the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI).
Kelly has presented numerous data-based papers related to her clinical work with children with autism and other related disabilities at a range of state, regional, national and international conferences, including California’s Association for Behavior Analysis, Association for Behavior Analysis International, and the International Precision Teaching Conference. Kelly has published her applied work with children with autism in the Journal of Precision Teaching and Celeration and the Journal of Speech Language Pathology and Applied Behavior Analysis.
Kelly is a sustaining member of the Standard Celeration Society, a full-member of the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI), the Association for Professional Behavior Analysis (APBA), and Washington’s Association for Behavior Analysis (WABA).
Bill Helsel, Ed.D, BCBA-D, LBA
Case Advisor
–Bio: Bill (he/his) serves as a case advisor with Organization for Research and Learning (ORL). Prior to accepting this position, he was Director of Morningside Teachers’ Academy and Director of Admissions and Enrollment with Morningside Academy, Seattle, WA. For the previous 15 years, he was employed as a Behavior Technology Consultant and Psychologist for the PLEA Agency (Pittsburgh, PA), a partial hospital school program and in-home service provider. During his tenure at PLEA, he also developed and directed the AGILE (Academic Generative Instruction for Learner Enhancement) Learning Program and served as Clinical Director.
Bill received his Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and Economics from the University of Pittsburgh (1981) and his Doctor of Education degree in Educational Psychology from Northern Illinois University (1985). Following post-doctoral training at the Biological Sciences Research Center, University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill School of Medicine (1985-1986), Dr. Helsel became the inpatient unit Senior Clinician and Clinical Administrator at the John Merck Multiple Disabilities Program, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine (1986-1989). He joined the psychology staff of the J. Iverson Riddle Developmental Center as Director of the Intensive Treatment System in fall 1989, and in 1993, Dr. Helsel was invited to direct the Office of Planning, Evaluation, and Development with the Facility Director, Dr. J. Iverson Riddle. During his final year at J. Iverson Riddle Developmental Center, he was Director of Psychology Services. He resigned this position in 1996 to become Clinical Director of a small private provider of behavior supports (in Pennsylvania) that primarily served persons with developmental disabilities and behavior/psychiatric disorders. In Spring 1997, he was recruited to Allegheny University of Health Sciences to serve as Clinical/Community Specialist, Psychologist, and faculty member in the Department of Psychiatry, Division of Neuropsychiatry at Allegheny General Hospital (AGH) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. During this time he was also a Behavior Supports Consultant and Psychologist at Allegheny East Mental Health and Mental Retardation Center, Inc. (Pittsburgh, PA). In 1998 he became Director of Psychology and Research at Black Mountain Center, North Carolina, where he oversaw two separate clinical programs; one for individuals with developmental disabilities and a second for persons diagnosed with Alzheimer’s-type Dementia.
In addition to his clinical experience, he has taught in university and community college settings. In 2001, he completed a 4-week graduate (12 credit) course on the Morningside Model of Generative Instruction at Morningside Academy Summer School Institute in Seattle, WA. Upon invitation, he returned to Morningside Academy (2003, 2009, and 2012) to assist staff and students at the Summer School Institute. Dr. Helsel has published in the areas of behavior assessment, treatment, and organizational management. He has served as President of the North Carolina Association for Behavior Analysis (NCABA), and was co-founder of the Pennsylvania Association for Behavior Analysis (PennABA), where he later served as President. He is also a Past President of the Standard Celeration Society. His clinical research interests focus on teaching and treating individuals with developmental disabilities and/or severe behavior/psychiatric disorders through effective applied behavior analysis and staff performance-management training.
Brandi Allred, M.Ed., BCBA, LBA
Clinical Services Supervisor, Intake Coordinator
–Bio: Brandi (she/her) is behavior analyst who holds a Bachelor of Arts in psychology and an M.Ed. in Applied Behavior Analysis and Special Education from the University of Washington. She lives with her husband and their two children in Shoreline.
Brandi has worked with children with autism in home and school setting in the Seattle area since 2004. She met Michael Fabrizio and Kelly Ferris her sophomore year of her undergraduate education as she began her work as an ABA Therapy Assistant. She continued to work with Kelly and Michael at Families for Effective Autism Treatment (FEAT) of Washington, where she was the Assistant Teacher of FEAT’s Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention program, Rising Star Academy (RSA), for two years. At RSA, Brandi’s interests included facilitating social groups and developing dramatic play activities for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. She left her position with RSA after having her son in 2010.
Currently, Brandi works with clients of ORL in the role of Clinical Services Supervisor. Her experience is working with children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and behavior disorders. Brandi’s areas of interest are programming related to self-advocacy, resilience, pragmatic (social) language, and executive functioning skills. She also enjoys training Therapy Assistants and working closely with families in parent coaching arrangements.
Abdullah Alshehri, Ph.D., BCBA
Consultant
Dr. Alshehri (he/him) has been working in the field of behavior analysis since 2012. He earned his Ph.D. in special education from The State University of New York at Buffalo. In his clinical work, Abdullah has served learners with autism and other developmental disabilities in different settings, including schools, in-home services, as well as in residential services. He also has presented his work at different national and international conferences. Abdullah is passionate about providing quality clinical services that are based on strong relationships and partnerships with the recipients and their stakeholders.
In his free time, Abdullah enjoys reading, and being out in nature hiking and camping.
Archana Shivanna, M.B.A., M.A., BCBA, LABA
Program Manager
–Bio: Archana (or Archie) (she/her) is a BCaBA with a masters in business administration and a bachelor’s degree in information science engineering and is currently completing her coursework for BCBA certification through the Florida Institute of Technology. Archana is passionate about creating equal opportunity for neurodiverse children and advocates strongly for her belief system “learning differently does not mean learning less”. As a parent of a child on the autism spectrum, she’s had first hand experience with the power of Applied Behavior Analysis to improve behavioral and academic outcomes in young children. Archana began working with neurodiverse children in 2019 when she started her ABA career as a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) and later as a BCaBA, worked as a program supervisor in India. She has experience working with children in the age range of 2 to 8 years old and enjoys teaching verbal behavior, independent living skills, leisure skills, academics and parent training. When not working, she enjoys cooking, home organization and watching movies with her family
Andrea Little, M.S., BCBA, LBA
Consultant
–Bio: Andrea (she/her) is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst who began working with ORL (then, Fabrizio/Moors Consulting) when she was in high school. She began as a therapy assistant, providing behavior analytic intervention for children with autism. She later earned her master’s degree in behavior analysis from the University of North Texas. Her training centered around early intervention for children with autism, and parent training. She also gain experience by working in multiple schools and clinic settings, but she ultimately decided to return to Seattle to continue working with ORL. Her areas of interest include behavior-analytic intervention for children with autism, early intervention, and parent/staff training. Andrea is a member of the Association for Behavior Analysis and the Standard Celeration Society. She has presented her research at the International Precision Teaching Conferences and the Association for Behavior Analysis International Conferences.
Emily Sturdivant, M.Ed., BCBA, LBA
Program Manager
–Bio: Emily (she/her) began working in ABA with kids on the Autism, spectrum in 2017 and has been with ORL since 2020. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology degree in 2017 and her Master’s of Education in ABA from Nicholls State University in 2020. Emily is a Board Certified and Licensed Behavior Analyst with experience working with children of all ages, from 18 months to 18 years. She is particularly interested in early intervention, self-advocacy skills, and pragmatic language development. In her free time, Emily enjoys reading, walking her dog, and baking sweet treats to share with her family and friends.
Jess Coimbra, M.S., BCBA, LBA
Consultant
–Bio: Jessica (Jess) (she/her or they/their) is a behavior analyst, advocate, and continuing education provider with a diverse background, both professionally and personally. She has taught, studied, and practiced behavior analysis across the US and Europe. Her passion for behavior analysis was sparked during her undergraduate studies in Portland, cultivated during her graduate studies in the UK (where she achieved top student and awarded best dissertation), fanned by her real-world experience as a junior analyst in the Baltimore/DC metro area, and now flourishes as a consultant here in Seattle. Jess utilizes contextual behavioral processes such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and therapeutic gaming to achieve intrinsically reinforcing behavior change for her clients and their families.
As a neurodivergent second-generation American from a minority culture, Jess is committed to and has first-hand experience in maintaining family and cultural values while adapting environments to accommodate special needs.
Mike Ruehlen, M.Ed., LABA
Consultant
–Bio: Mike (he/his) has been working with young children, teenagers, and adults with autism spectrum disorders, developmental disabilities, and physical disabilities for over 25 years. Mike has worked in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis and as a Precision Teacher for over a decade. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology with a minor in education, learning, & society, and he received his Master of Education degree with an emphasis on Severe and Low incidence Disabilities from the University of Washington in Seattle. He has presented his work on using fluency-based instruction at the Association Behavior Analysis International Conference. Mike is passionate about teaching community integration skills such as self-advocacy, navigation, vocational, and independent living skills. When he’s not at work, Mike can often be found with his wife backpacking the north Cascades, baking breads, or tending to their garden and chickens.
Meaghan Kemp, M.S., BCBA, LBA
Consultant
–Bio: Meaghan (she/her) has been working with children with disabilities since 2008 and began working with O.R.L in 2012. Working with children with disabilities is something Meaghan is very passionate about both professionally and personally. She received her degree in Psychology from Western Washington University and her Master’s degree from the University of Arizona. She has worked with a wide range of learners from toddlers to teenagers. In her free time she enjoys running, reading, cheering on the Seattle Seahawks and Sounders and spending time with family.
Linnea Eldred, LABA
Program Manager
–Bio: Linnea (she/her) is a transplant from Arizona and graduated from Colorado State University with a Bachelors in Zoology. She is currently pursuing her masters degree in ABA from St. Cloud State University. Linnea has worked for ORL since the summer of 2019 and has had the pleasure of working with children on the autism spectrum and related developmental disabilities since 2018. Linnea’s areas of interest include shaping using TAG, self-advocacy, language skills, and early intervention.
When not working, Linnea enjoys hiking and biking around the beautiful Seattle area.
Marissa Cuperus, M.Ed., BCBA, LBA
–Bio: Marissa (she/her) has enjoyed her work with children and adolescents with disabilities in various settings since 2005 and has been with the Organization and Research and Learning (ORL) since 2011. She graduated from Western Oregon University with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology graduated from the University of Washington with a Master’s of Education. While working for ORL, Marissa has provided client support in schools, family homes, and community settings. She has experience with early intervention, behavior management, social coaching, and pragmatic language development. In her free time she enjoys hiking, cooking, and spending time with family and friends.
Samantha Menendez, M.A., LABA
Program Manager
–Bio: Sam (she/her) is a Licensed Assistant Behavior Analyst and has been working in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis since 2019. She is originally from Omak, WA, but moved to New Orleans from 2014-2019. After a year of traveling and volunteering outside of the country, she found herself moving back to Washington and has been with ORL since moving back in January 2020. She earned her Bachelors of Science in Psychology from Loyola University New Orleans in 2018 and is scheduled to graduate from Capella University with her Masters in Applied Behavior Analysis in December 2022. Sam’s areas of interest are programming related to self-advocacy, resilience, pragmatic language, and independent living skills. In her free time, Sam enjoys paragliding, skydiving, rock climbing, hiking, and anything else outdoors.
Shahla Ala’i, Ph.D., BCBA-D
Case Advisor
–Bio: Dr. Alai (she/her) received her B.S. from Southern Illinois University and her M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Kansas. She is an Associate Professor in the Department of Behavior Analysis at the University of North Texas. Shahla and her students collaborate with community partners to serve people who are under resourced and marginalized within current societal structures.
Shahla is a member of an interdisciplinary lab that includes faculty and students from Woman’s and Gender Studies, Applied Anthropology and Behavior Analysis. Shahla teaches courses on technology transfer, ethics, autism intervention, parent training, behavioral systems, applied research methods, behavior change techniques, and assessment. Shahla has served on several boards and disciplinary committees, most notably the ABAI Practice Board and the ABAI Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Board. She has published and presented research on social justice, ethics in early intervention, play and social skills, family harmony, change agent training, supervision and the relationship between love and science in the treatment of autism.
She co-authored a book on supervision and mentoring and another on love and science in the treatment of autism. Shahla has over four decades of experience working with families and has trained hundreds of behavior analysts. She was awarded an Onassis Foundation Fellowship for her work with families, was the recipient of UNT’s prestigious “’Fessor Graham” teaching award, received the 2019 Texas Association for Behavior Analysis Career Contributions award, and the UNT 2020 Community Engagement award.