Meet Our Team

Megan Morien is a Chicago-based Behavior Analyst with more than 20 years of experience working with children in the field. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Family and Human Development from Arizona State University before completing her Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology with a specialization in Applied Behavior Analysis at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. In 2008, Megan accepted a position as a junior ABA therapist at an elementary school with an emphasis on inclusion. Soon, she rose to become an administrator and Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) at the school.

In her role as an administrator, she helped families bridge the gap with their children as they transitioned from preschool to the public school education setting. She also oversaw the implementation of curriculum, programming, and other modifications to ensure the success of all students with Individualized Education Plans (IEPs). In addition to training teachers, paraprofessionals, and the related service team on these strategies, she also had the opportunity to supervise 25 BCBA candidates, all of whom successfully earned their BCBA certification.

Megan has extensive experience leading parent training sessions to promote consistency and carryover of skills for behavior intervention plans. Her commitment to parent education results in incredible gains for children in the home, school, and therapeutic settings.

Megan has also been asked to address audiences on a range of Applied Behavior Analytic topics, such as how to implement Functional Behavior Assessments and Behavior Intervention Plans.
Prior to joining the Chicago ABA Therapy team as the Director of ABA Services, Megan gained experience working in various schools in the Chicago area, as well as providing in-home ABA programming in Arizona and Minnesota. She also served as a language instructor for two years in Gifu, Japan.

Samantha Sohngen is a Chicago-based Board Certified Behavior Analyst. She is a leading behavior analyst at Chicago ABA Therapy who has been working with children with disabilities since 2009. Samantha grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio and earned her Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Psychology from Indiana University. She went on to pursue her graduate studies at Vanderbilt University where she earned her Master of Education (M.Ed.) with a focus in special education and applied behavior analysis (ABA). While at Vanderbilt, Samantha gained extensive clinical experience working as a research assistant on a multi-site research study testing the efficacy of a class-wide intervention package targeting students at risk for emotional/behavioral disorders. She also had the opportunity to work with children with ASD, emotional/behavioral disorders, and learning disabilities in clinic-based, school, and in-home settings during her time at Vanderbilt.

After graduating from Vanderbilt, Samantha moved to Chicago and taught special education at a therapeutic day school for students with ASD and behavioral disorders. After receiving her BCBA certification in 2014, Samantha worked at a private clinic serving clients ages 1-12 with ASD before joining the team at Chicago ABA Therapy.

Fun Fact: Samantha loves to cook and hopes to have her own food blog one day!

Madie Szaller is a Chicago Board Certified Behavior Analyst who specializes in pediatric services with extensive experience in both special education and applied behavior analysis. Before joining the Chicago ABA Therapy team, she graduated summa cum laude from the University of Dayton with her Bachelor’s degree in Adolescent Young Adult Language Arts Education and English with a minor in Spanish. Following her undergraduate studies, Madie had the opportunity to pursue a position with Teach for America. During this time, she was nominated for the Sue Lehman Excellence in Teaching Award. She was also chosen to be one of eight founding members of a pilot program that worked to further the positive impact of the corps.

After completing her year with Teach for America, Madie went on to earn her Master’s degree in the Art of Teaching: Special Education from National-Louis University in Chicago before completing her graduate certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis from Penn State University. Throughout her years of experience, she has helped children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other developmental delays make incredible gains in a variety of therapeutic settings, including in-home and classroom-based services.

Kaitlin Conroy is a Chicago-based Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). After growing up in Charlotte, North Carolina, Kaitlin went on to earn her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and Spanish from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia and her Master’s Degree in Special Education from the University of Texas at Austin.

Throughout her years of experience working in the field, Kaitlin has worked in a variety of settings to help children with autism and developmental disabilities build critical communication, social, and functional living skills.

She also has extensive training in groundbreaking evidence-based approaches to applied behavior analysis such as the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM).

Fun Fact: Kaitlin is fluent in Spanish and completed an Iberian Studies Program at Universidad de Salamanca in Spain.

Jennie Herndon is a Chicago-based Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and special education teacher from St. Louis, Missouri.

With extensive experience working with children in a variety of academic and clinical settings, she is a leading member of Chicago ABA Therapy.

Jennie earned her Bachelor’s of Science in Education from the University of Dayton and her Master’s of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis with a BCBA certification at Ball State University.

Fun fact: When Jennifer is not teaching or in an ABA session, you can find her running! As an avid runner, her favorite race is the Nashville Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon.

Sarah is an experienced BCBA with years of experience working in applied behavior analysis to help children make significant gains. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Iowa and her master’s degree from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology.

In addition to her leadership role as a BCBA with Chicago ABA Therapy, Sarah serves as an adjunct professor at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology. She has worked as a clinical supervisor and staff trainer, helping new clinicians uphold the highest standards of care.

“I love being a BCBA for many reasons. First is getting to work so closely with families and their children. I love being a part of their child’s development, teaching families how to foster learning outside of sessions, and seeing the impact our science can have. I also love getting to teach our therapists and future BCBAs. Their development as clinicians, passion for ABA, and love for their clients is inspiring.”

Kaitlin is a BCBA from Canada who recently relocated to Chicago. Before moving to Chicago, she earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Toronto and master’s degree from Brock University. She also completed a Behaviour Science and Technology Intensive Program at George Brown College.

Kaitlin served as a key member of the Ontario Scientific Expert Task Force for the Treatment of Challenging Behaviour. During this time, she contributed to a report published by the task force called “Evidence Based Practices for the Treatment of Challenging Behaviour in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: Recommendations for Caregivers, Practitioners and Policy Makers.”

Kaitlin has years of experience working with children with autism and related developmental delays in a variety of settings. As a skilled and motivated clinician, Kaitlin served in leadership roles at several clinics before joining the Chicago ABA Therapy team.

Kaitlin enjoys the opportunity to collaborate with parents and other professionals to provide individualized care for every child.

Kila is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst with years of experience working with children with autism and related developmental delays.

Before joining the Chicago ABA Therapy team, she earned her bachelor’s degree from Western Michigan University. She went onto her her master’s degree from Ball State University.

As a BCBA, Kila loves seeing her clients grow and develop new skills through the use of evidence-based, data-driven strategies. She frequently collaborates with parents and the multidisciplinary team at Chicago ABA Therapy to provide individualized care for every child.

Lauryn is a Chicago-based Board Certified Behavior Analyst with years of experience working with children with autism spectrum disorder and related developmental delays. After earning her bachelor’s degree in speech and hearing sciences from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, she went on her earn her master’s degree from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology in applied behavior analysis.

As a BCBA, Lauryn enjoys the opportunity to lead a team of ABA therapists to implement the most effective evidence-based treatments to reduce challenge behaviors, build social and language repertoires, and build other key skill areas. She has worked as a part of a multidisciplinary team in a range of settings including clients’ homes, clinics, and schools. Her goal as a BCBA is to help children build essential skills and reach their full potential.

Jenn Baker is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) with years of experience working with children with autism and developmental delays. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Kentucky in Special Education (with an emphasis in Moderate-Severe Disabilities) and her master’s degree from Florida State University in Applied Behavior Analysis.

As a BCBA, Jenn has extensive experience in conducting assessments, programming ABA therapy, developing social group curriculums, facilitating parent training, and more. She emphasizes the importance of individualized programming for every child based on their unique learning styles and needs. The plans for each child also incorporate a multidisciplinary approach based on collaboration with the team’s speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, and physical therapists.

Justine is a Chicago-based Board Certified Behavior Analyst with extensive experience working with children with autism and developmental delays. She earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Michigan State University.

Justine believes that the greatest aspect of Chicago ABA Therapy is giving every client the opportunity to grow in an environment that is conducive to their unique learning needs. As a therapist, she is constantly evolving and adapting to each individual child.

Amanda is a Chicago-based Board Certified Behavior Analyst who specializes in working with children with autism. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and her master’s degree from Pennsylvania State University.

“There are many reasons I love being an ABA therapist. It is an inspiring experience working with children and witnessing them make gains that will serve them in their everyday life. I find it incredibly rewarding being a part of this process, and being able to encourage them along the way!”

Jessica is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst who moved from Miami, Florida to join the team at Chicago ABA Therapy. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Florida International University in Miami and her master’s degree from Nova Southeastern University.

Throughout her master’s program, she developed programs to promote inclusivity in the classroom and after-school programs. She focused on creating interventions that could be implemented to support different needs and abilities in multiple settings using the principles of ABA.

Jessica is fluent in Spanish, Portuguese, and English and has extensive experience providing therapy and communicating in all three languages. As a BCBA, she enjoy working closely with families to help them understand behaviors, ABA, and how they can easily implement interventions at home and in other settings. Jessica is passionate about working with early learners and developing their communication, social, and daily living skills through the careful development of individualized treatment plans and goals.

Carolyn is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst with a diverse history of working with young children with autism and other developmental differences. Before pursuing ABA, Carolyn taught gymnastics to 2-5 year olds with special needs and now brings her energy and enthusiasm for gross motor play to her clients at Chicago ABA Therapy.

Carolyn earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Dance from the University of Illinois and has a Master’s of Education (M.Ed.) from Arizona State University specializing in Applied Behavior Analysis.

In addition to her role as a BCBA, Carolyn specializes in training therapists to run successful, productive, and fun sessions for all of our clients at Chicago ABA Therapy.

Fun Fact: Carolyn is a committed bike commuter and rides her bike year round in Chicago. It is a great way to enjoy being outside in the winter!

Cassie is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) with years of experience working with children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder and developmental delays in various settings. Cassie also has experience working in the field of school counseling and community mental health, where she utilized evidence-based interventions to support both children and families.

Cassie earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Ball State University. Following, she pursued a master’s degree in Counselor Education with a focus in School Counseling. It was during this time where Cassie found her passion for working in the field of applied behavior analysis, pushing her to pursue a master’s certificate from Arizona State University.

Fun fact: Cassie has pursued competitive dance for most of her life and still enjoys this as a hobby!

Jovana Torres is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst with over 10 years of experience working with children. After graduating with a master’s degree in Art Therapy from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago she earned licensure as a clinical counselor working with children and adolescents. In this position, she gained extensive experience utilizing cognitive-behavioral therapy in expressive therapies within after-school programs, private practice, therapeutic schools, and residential centers.

Jovana then continued her education and earned an additional master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis: Curriculum and Instruction, from Arizona State University. Before joining the team at Chicago ABA Therapy, she worked in-homes and Schools within Miami and Chicago providing direct therapy, supervision, and caregiver training.

Fun Fact: Jovana also spent several years as a professional photographer. She still enjoys taking photos of the city, and her dog, for fun!

Jordan is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst with extensive experience working with young children diagnosed with autism.

Jordan earned her master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis from Regis College in Massachusetts, where she published and presented research on ABA.

Before joining the Chicago ABA therapy team, Jordan worked in a clinic in Massachusetts, primarily providing in-home services to children two to eight years old on the autism spectrum. She has also provided consultation to families throughout the United States and in Italy, in addition to presenting at personal development days in public schools in Massachusetts.