Michelle (Shell) is the founder of Leaps Ahead Early Intervention. She has dedicated over 25 years to supporting children diagnosed with ASD and other disabilities and their families across Australia. She is based at LAEI's Glenorchy centre but provides services statewide in Tasmania.
Michelle is a Board Certified Assistant Behaviour Analyst (BCaBA) and Inclusive Educator. She is currently a board member of the Association for Behaviour Analysis Australia (ABAA).
Michelle has trained many ABA therapists, provided programs and consultations in childcare centres, pre-schools and schools, and delivered presentations at national and international conferences. She has a particular interest in toilet training, feeding, life skills, functional communication and addressing social skill issues.
Jess is the Clinical Supervisor at LAEI and has over 20 years of experience working with children and adolescents with ASD and challenging behaviours. Along with sharing knowledge and experience with fellow colleges, Jess loves coaching parents and working directly with participants. As a lifelong learner, Jess continues to seek professional development opportunities in the areas of ACT, Relational Frame Theory and Verbal Behaviour.
Jess is a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst (BCBA) and Developmental Educator with a Master’s in ABA (Applied Behaviour Analysis), a degree in Disability Studies and Early Childhood Education. Jess is currently working remotely from Canada. When not at work you can find Jess climbing 100m rock faces, mountain biking and hiking!
Theresa joined Leaps Ahead in 2020. Returning to the workforce now that her children are school-aged, she was eager to join a team that makes a difference in peoples lives and believe in the advantages that early intervention makes to a children and their families. She has over 25 years experience working reception, accounts and administration roles.
Theresa's youngest child has additional needs and she believes that this gives her an advantage in understanding what some parents are going through and gives her a better perspective in her role at Leaps Ahead.
In her own time, she loves travelling the world and spending time with her family.
Romy is a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst (BCBA) and member of the Australian Associaion of Social Workers (AASW). She holds a Masters in Business, Social Work and Teaching in ABA (Applied Behaviour Analysis).
Romy has over 7 years experience working in the disability field and joined the LAEI team in 2018. She found that supporting families and their children with disabilities by helping them reach their maximum potential was her real passion.
Jess began working at LAEI in 2015 and is passionate about supporting families to achieve their personal goals. She holds a Bachelors Degree in Behavioural Science and a Diploma of Counselling and is currently studying a Masters in Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA). She has completed extensive training in ABA, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), adolescent grief & trauma, and crisis prevention. Jess has over 10 years’ experience in the disability/mental health field and is recognised by the NDIS as a registered Behaviour Support Practitioner.
Roni joined the LAEI team in 2015 as an ABA therapist and under the guidance of Michelle, became a Program Supervisor in 2023. She holds a Bachelors Degree in Behavioural Science and is currently studying a Masters in Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA).
Roni has always had an interest in children's development and is passionate about making a difference in the lives of children with ASD, and their families. She enjoys supporting children to express themselves and learn new skills through ABA-based therapy.
Jamie joined the LAEI team in 2024 after moving to Tasmania from Canada. She holds a Bachelor Degree in Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) with a specialisation in ASD and has worked in this field for over 8 years.
Jamie has an interest in working with children and families. She loves to see the meaningful impact that our work does for the lives of her clients and their families. In her spare time, Jamie enjoys travelling, spending time with her family and friends, and being out in nature.
Sarah is currently on extended leave until early 2024!
Sarah has been working in the disability field for over 10 years. Prior to moving to Tasmania, she worked with children and in aged care in Melbourne.
Sarah is now a motivating ABA Therapist and has truly found her calling at LAEI. For her, the best thing about her job, is the positive changes in the kids. Sarah enjoys spending time with her family.
Nazi has a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology of Children with special needs and a Master of Clinical Psychology. Nazi is very passionate about ABA and has over 5 years experience working in the field. For her, the best part of her job is working with kids and making positive changes in the lives.
Outside of work, Nazi enjoys traveling and exploring in nature.
Joel joined the LAEI team in 2021 and is currently studying a Bachelor of Psychological Sciences at UTAS. He enjoys working closely with and engaging in the children's interests and passions. Joel tailors his sessions to be supportive, uplifting, and productive while prioritising his client's enjoyment and self-expressions.
Outside of work Joel enjoys writing, playing games, swimming and hanging out with dogs.
Bridget joined the LEAI team in 2023. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from UTAS and is currently studying a Bachelor of Psychological Science.
Bridget has over 15 years experience working as a counsellor and case manager in community services. She enjoys supporting children and their families, working together using ABA to create opportunities for growth and connection.
Bridget is also a singer and singing teacher and has been running her singing school for 26 years. She loves to spend time with her family, perform in theatre productions around Tasmania and relaxing at the beach.
Sian joined the Leaps Ahead team in 2023. She holds a Bachelor of Teaching and is currently studying a Bachelor of Psychological Science at UTAS. Sian has worked as a primary school teacher for 3 years and is passionate about helping children learn new skills.
Outside of work she enjoys crocheting, travelling and trying new foods.
Katherine works an Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) therapist in the North and North West of Tasmania.
She has a passion for enabling children to reach their full potential and finds work within ABA incredibly rewarding.
Katherine is in her final year of psychological science, minoring in behavioural science. After graduating, Katherine would like to continue her studies to become a clinical psychologist.
In her free time, Katherine loves experiencing new things. She especially enjoys travelling, hiking, food and spending time with family and friends.
Kaylee has a background in early childhood education in childcare settings, where she supported a diverse range of children.
She is passionate about working with neurodiverse children and developing resources to assist with their individual challenges.
Kaylee is enjoying learning more about ABA therapy and the impact this has on children's learning and wellbeing. Outside of work she enjoys spending time with her children and their two dogs.
Natalia has been working with children and adolescents with additional needs and challenging behaviours for over 5 year. She has also worked in Learning Support Services, assisting students with a range of disabilities from kinder to grade 12 in a variety of settings.
Natalia is passionate about ABA and the positive impact in the children's lives. She enjoys helping children to improve their communication skills and show them ways to handle various social interactions. Natalia will be continuing her studies in Psychological Science.
Petria holds a Bachelor of Business and is currently studying Psychological Science with emphasis on Cognitive and Behavioural Neuroscience. Petria has experience as a mentor/counceller in private practice and is a research assistant with UTAS research into sibling influence on the development of child with ASD.
Petria enjoys working within the diversity of the autism spectrum and thrives to meet the needs of her clients through tailored therapeutic supports to maximise their individual capacities.
Outside of work, Petria is a busy mum of two that loves running, cycling and yoga. She used to regularly competes in half-marathons around Tasmania and now running for fun and supporting fundrarisers, like Autusim Australia.
Caitlin started training and working as an ABA therapist with another company in 2015 before moving to Western Australia, where she worked full-time as an ABA therapist for a number of years before returning to Tasmania. She joined the LAEI team early 2024.
Caitlin completed an Honours Degree in Psychology in 2016 and a Masters in ABA in 2023. She loves seeing the positive impacts that ABA can have on the individual and those around them.
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