Sara Weinkauf

PhD, BCBA, LBA

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.

Rebecca Giammatti

MS, BCBA, LBA

For more than two decades, Rebecca Giammatti has focused her career on advancing high-quality, evidence-based autism services that meaningfully improve outcomes for children and families. She began working in the field in 1999, providing direct clinical services as a behavior analyst across home, school, and center-based settings. Throughout her clinical career, she developed particular expertise in the intensive early intervention of toddlers and preschool-aged children with autism, with an emphasis on building foundational communication, social, and learning skills during critical developmental windows.

Rebecca co-founded and led a multi-site autism services organization in Connecticut that served hundreds of children and families. As chief clinical officer and later chief ethics and compliance officer, she oversaw clinical program development, quality assurance, provider training, and regulatory compliance across multiple locations. Her leadership was grounded in the integration of strong clinical standards with operational rigor, translating complex federal and state requirements into sustainable systems that supported ethical practice, clinical excellence, and responsible growth. Under her leadership, the organization achieved accreditation from nationally recognized quality assurance bodies.

Rebecca's work has consistently operated at the intersection of clinical care, quality oversight, and healthcare regulation. She has collaborated with researchers, advised provider organizations, and contributed to policy discussions to ensure that reimbursement structures and regulatory frameworks align with best clinical practices and patient-centered care.

As director of government affairs for the Council of Autism Service Providers (CASP), she brings a clinician's perspective to state and federal policy initiatives, working to ensure that legislation and regulatory decisions reflect the realities of clinical service delivery and uphold high standards of care. She also serves on the Connecticut Association for Behavior Analysis (CTABA) Public Policy and Legislative Outreach Committee. Rebecca holds a master's degree in Autism and Applied Behavior Analysis from The Sage Colleges.

Mariel Fernandez

MS, BCBA, LBA

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.

Ask a BCBA®

Direct access to autism specialists—fast.

Navigating a recent autism diagnosis for your child is overwhelming. Information about services is often full of confusing jargon and the wait to speak with a provider longer than you’d like.

That’s why we’re bringing the experts to you. Submit your general questions about autism services or ABA below, and one of these Board Certified Behavior Analysts® (BCBAs®) will connect with you directly. It’s how we’re helping you get the information you need to make the best decisions for your child.

Sara Weinkauf

PhD, BCBA, LBA

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Rebecca Giammatti

MS, BCBA, LBA

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Mariel Fernandez

MS, BCBA, LBA

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Fill out this form with general questions about ABA and one of our behavior analysts will get in touch with you via email within three days.

Information from our BCBAs is educational only and should not be considered a behavioral health diagnosis or personalized guidance plan. Responses do not initiate a provider-client relationship and are not intended as a substitute for professional medical, mental health, or behavioral advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

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