Sara has been a Board Certified Behavior Analyst® (BCBA®) since 2010. She began her behavior analytic education and training with an undergraduate degree in psychology with an emphasis in behavior analysis from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. She earned her master’s degree in behavior analysis from the department of behavior analysis at the University of North Texas and her doctorate degree in infant and early childhood development with an emphasis on mental health and developmental disabilities from Fielding Graduate University.

Sara has behavior analytic experience across a wide variety of contexts and has dedicated her career to enhancing quality of life for individuals with autism and their families, as well as supporting service providers in achieving that goal within a collaborative and supportive environment. Her primary area of expertise is increasing the quality of autism intervention services across home, clinic, school, and other community settings through high-quality staff training and support and systematic treatment program evaluation and guidance.

Sara currently serves as director of education and resources for The Council of Autism Service Providers (CASP). She also has experience conducting and publishing behavior analytic research and book chapters; providing support services across the lifespan for individuals with a variety of developmental disabilities and behavioral disorders; training staff to use effective behavior management strategies in residential facilities; working with parents and caregivers of children with a history of abuse and/or neglect; and providing consultation to support school staff in overall classroom management strategies and individualized support for neurotypical children with behavior challenges.

Mariel began working in behavior analysis in 2001 and earned her master’s degree in applied behavior analysis at Auburn University in 2004. She has extensive experience in clinical operations, compliance, and regulatory/public policy.

Mariel currently serves as vice president of government affairs for The Council of Autism Service Providers (CASP). Previously she led the Regulatory Affairs department at Blue Sprig Pediatrics, focusing on advocacy, public policy, and legislative initiatives across 19 states. Mariel is the presiding officer of the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) Behavior Analyst Advisory Board, chair of the Metro-Care Services Public Advisory Committee, and past president of the Texas Association of Behavior Analysis Public Policy Group (TxABA PPG). She also serves as a subject matter expert for the Policy Council on Children and Families, specific to the Autism Services benefit through Texas Medicaid.

Mariel was honored with the Blue Sprig CEO Award in 2020 for her work preparing the organization to shift to telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic. She was also the recipient of the 2022 Autism Law Summit “Implementation Award” for her work in Texas to pass behavior analyst licensure and secure access to ABA for beneficiaries of Texas Medicaid.