Meet Our Team

Megan Morien is a Chicago-based Behavior Analyst with more than 15 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 a Lead Behavior Analyst, 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.

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.

Nicole 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 master’s degree in Autism Studies from the University of Massachusetts Lowell.

As a BCBA, Nicole collaborates with parents and the multidisciplinary care team to promote skill acquisition and create behavior change programs based on assessment outcomes. She individualizes behavior programs to promote the highest level of success for every child.

Nicole also has experience facilitating social skills groups and training new ABA therapists in the most effective therapeutic approaches.

• Michigan State University, Bachelor’s degree
• Michigan State University, Master’s degree
• “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 teachers and ABA therapists we are constantly evolving and adapting to each individual child.”

• Western Michigan University, Bachelor’s degree
• Ball State University, Master’s degree in progress
• “I love watching my clients grow and develop new skills. I couldn’t imagine doing anything other than ABA! My clients are the highlight of my day.”

• University of Michigan, Bachelor’s degree
• Pennsylvania State University, Master’s degree in progress
• “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!”

• Indiana University, Bachelor’s degree
• Ball State University, Master’s degree in progress
• “Being an ABA therapist is such a rewarding experience. I love seeing the incredible gains kids make and their excitement when they reach new goals. The kids have taught me just as much as I have taught them.”

• Ohio University, Bachelor’s degree
• Ball State University, Master’s degree
• “I love working as an ABA therapist because it has taught me many valuable things, but the biggest thing is that if a child can’t learn the way we teach, we adapt our methods and teach the way they learn.”

• Michigan State University, Bachelor’s degree
• Roosevelt University, Master’s degree in progress
• “ABA therapy allows kids to uncover their true potential and I am so proud to play a part in the
  progress they make each day.”

• University of Dayton, Bachelor’s degree
• “I love seeing the positive changes ABA therapy makes in a child’s day to day life. It’s truly inspiring to be a part of!”

• Northeastern Illinois University, Bachelor’s degree
• “ABA therapy is giving these extraordinary children and families tools to succeed for the rest of their lives. There is no better feeling than being a part of that success!”

• Eastern Illinois University, Bachelor’s degree
• Ball State University, Master’s degree in progress
• “If they can’t learn the way we teach, we teach the way they learn,” O. Ivar Lovaas.

• Columbia College Chicago, Bachelor’s degree
• The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, Master’s degree in progress
• “I love ABA for all its potential to help families and people of all kinds.”

• Grand Valley State University, Bachelor’s Degree
• “I love how ABA gives me the opportunity to see direct results in every child that I work with! Being able to see how everything that we do helps in even the smallest of ways is the most rewarding experience!”

• Carthage College, Bachelor’s degree
• “The best part about being an ABA therapist is the reciprocity, I help children make incredible gains on a daily basis but they teach me patience, kindness and playfulness! ABA therapy is such a special field, I am honored to be a part of it!”

• Bob Jones University, Bachelor’s degree
• “ABA therapy has broadened my perspective as a whole when working with kiddos who have a diverse set of needs. I look forward to working with my kiddos each day!”

• University of Dayton, Bachelor’s degree
• Ball State University, Master’s degree in progress
• “What I love about being an ABA therapist is seeing the strides our clients make. I have seen the positive impact ABA therapy has in the lives of our clients and I love being a part of that.”

• Indiana University, Bachelor’s degree
• The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, Master’s degree in progress
• “I feel so proud when a child accomplishes a new goal. I love seeing the progress the children make from session to session. They motivate me to be a better therapist every day!”

• University of Nevada-Las Vegas, Bachelor’s degree
• “Everyday brings something new and wonderful to experience. What stays constant is the joy and love I have for ABA therapy. It is truly an honor to witness firsthand the strides these kiddos makes every single day.”

• Purdue University, Bachelor’s degree
• “I am so excited to be in a field that gives me a framework for making such a clear difference in a child’s life!”

• University of Michigan, Bachelor’s degree
• The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, Master’s degree in progress
• “I’m excited to be a part of a child’s journey, and it makes me extremely proud to see them accomplish new skills! “

• University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Bachelor’s degree
• Ball State University, Master’s degree in progress
• “Working as an ABA therapist is truly a rewarding experience because it provides me the opportunity to help my clients grow and develop skills. I am amazed by them everyday!”

• University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Bachelor’s degree
• Arizona State University, Master’s degree
• “Being an ABA Therapist is like being a superhero. Big or small, every gain feels like you are saving the world.”

• Saint Xavier University, Bachelor’s degree
• Ball State University, Master’s degree
• “I love knowing that we are teaching individuals skills they may use the rest of their lives, which not only affects the life of the child, but also their family, neighbors, and community.”

• Indiana University, Bachelor’s degree
• Arizona State University, Master’s degree in progress
• “I was introduced to the world of ABA when my brother was diagnosed with autism. It was incredible to grow up seeing the positive impact ABA therapy has had on his life. I became an ABA therapist to hopefully impact other children’s lives in the same way!”

• Ball State University, Bachelor’s degree
• Indiana University, Master’s degree (in Education)
• Arizona State University, Master’s degree in progress (in ABA)
• “I love being an ABA therapist because of the positive, loving environment I get to work in. The kids are so impactful and I am in a field where I am constantly learning.”

• University of Phoenix, Bachelor’s degree
• Capella University, Master’s degree
• “I love being an ABA therapist because I enjoy seeing the children I work with grow. This field inspires me to learn more and push for growth within myself. My favorite part of being an ABA therapist is seeing the faces of each child light up with excitement everyday. Their energy keeps me going.”

• Illinois State University, Bachelor’s degree
• “I’ve always had a passion for working with children, and ABA allows me to do that in the most rewarding way. Seeing the children thrive makes me more dedicated and inspired to become the best therapist I can be. Being a part of their learning and growth process is the greatest reward.”

• Bowling Green State University, Bachelor’s degree
• The Chicago school of professional Psychology, Master’s degree
• “I love being a therapist because working with children is amazing and watching them learn and grow is a reward in itself.”

• University of Michigan, Bachelor’s degree
• Oakland University, Master’s degree
• “I have been using ABA strategies throughout my career without knowing it. Now that I am studying and implementing the strategies, I am seeing how productive it is for the population of students I have been with for the past 10 years.”

• Valparaiso University, Bachelor’s degree
• “My favorite part about being an ABA therapist is seeing the excitement and happiness of clients when they know they are successfully using new skills and can generalize the skill throughout their daily routines.”

• Loyola University Chicago, Bachelor’s degree
• “I love being an ABA therapist because I get to be highly involved in the process of helping young children learn skills that they will use for the rest of their lives. ABA Therapy is rewarding in itself and brings so much joy to me, the children, and their families. My favorite part of being a therapist is that I get to watch each child develop and flourish every single day!”

• University of Alabama, Bachelor’s degree
• “Being an ABA therapist has allowed me to be a part of a bigger picture. I love seeing our clients grow through each session and meet their goals. Their progress is truly inspirational.”

• Indiana University, Bachelor’s degree
• Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Master’s degree
• “I love working in this field because I like problem-solving and using this skill to make an impact on the lives of the kids and families I work with.”

• University of Kansas, Bachelor’s degree
• “Coming into work and watching my kiddos blossom is a joy and privilege. I feel so lucky that I get to be surrounded by awesome kids who constantly bring a smile to my face.”