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/his) 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, the American Institute of Healthcare Compliance, 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 where he serves as an independent voice advocating for the best interests of children who have experienced neglect or abuse.


Kelly Ferris, M.Ed., BCBA, LBA

Owner, Clinical Services Supervisor

–Bio:  Kelly (she/hers) 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).


Image of Dr. Bill Helsel, one of the Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) professionals at Organization for Research and LearningBill 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). At RSA, Brandi’s interests included facilitating social groups and developing dramatic play activities for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

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 intervention related to improving clients’ self­-advocacy and autonomy, resilience, pragmatic (social) language, and executive functioning skills. She also enjoys training Therapy Assistants and working closely with families in parent coaching arrangements.


Image of Andrea Little, one of the Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) professionals at Organization for Research and LearningAndrea 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.

A headshot of Janani Vaidya from the shoulders up. They are smiling, wearing glasses, and have blue highlights in their hair.

Janani Vaidya, M.S., BCBA, IBA

Case Advisor

–Bio: Janani (they/their) is a behavior analyst, faculty member, researcher, and student mentor. In addition to serving as an administrative faculty member within the Applied Behavior Analysis Department of the National Louis University in Chicago, they provide consultation and supervision in the areas of staff training, client advocacy, gender and sexual behavior, assent-based practice, and clinical behavior analysis. Janani works from a contextual behavioral lens and they employ a nonlinear, interbehavioral philosophical approach to all of their work. In terms of their professional interest and areas of focus, Janani employs the values of client autonomy, advocacy, and enrichment when they work as a service provider. They love offering resources and support around perspective-taking and shaping appetitive repertoires for clients and their families. 

Krishna Lakhani, M.S, BCBA, LBA

Program Manager

–Bio:­ Krishna (she/her) has been working in the field of ABA since 2019 and is very  passionate about her work. Krishna particularly loves working with children and bringing meaningful changes to their lives. Krishna holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and French from the University of Washington and a Master’s in Applied Behavior Analysis from Arizona State University. She have worked with a wide range of learners, from as young as three years old to 21 years old. Krishna’s clinical interests include self-advocacy, assent-based treatments, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Relational Frame Theory (RFT). Growing up, Krishna had the opportunity to live in different parts of the world and was immersed in different cultures. She is an Indian who was raised in Madagascar and Tanzania before moving to the United States, and she places particular importance on the need for ABA services to be culturally responsive and respectful. Krishna speaks six languages, and continues learning new ones as a hobby. Outside work, she enjoys being by the water, watching movies, and going on long drives.


Image of Meaghan Kemp, one of the Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) professionals at Organization for Research and LearningMeaghan 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, M.S., BCBA, LBA

Program Manager

–Bio: Linnea (she/her) is a transplant from Arizona and graduated from Colorado State University with a Bachelors in Zoology. She earned 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 Teaching through Acoustical Guidance (TAG), teaching activities of daily living, self-advocacy skills, language skills, and early intervention.

When not working, Linnea enjoys volunteering with Seattle parks and recreation teaching people about nature.

Shahla Ala’i, Ph.D., BCBA-D, CPBA-AP

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.