Committees

Ambassador's Committee

The Ambassador's Committee aims to disseminate information about ABA to relevant groups outside our field, with a set introduction to ABA that can be presented to any group followed by a short presentation about the application of ABA relevant to that group. We are working on materials and selecting target audiences right now and would love your assistance. If you are interested in either preparing materials or presenting to audiences, please fill out the form below and we will contact you shortly.

Want to get involved? Email us at [email protected]

School Committee

ORABA's School Committee is dedicated to help Oregon public schools gain access to ABA providers and support for students and teachers currently receiving ABA services, as well as participating in local collaboration groups and assisting with the creation of formal procedures related to ABA in schools.

Want to get involved? Email us at [email protected]

Conference Committee

ORABA's conference committee organizes our yearly ABA conference (in October) and includes planning all aspects of the event (theme, guest speakers, location, food, sponsors, parent and student opportunities, materials, brochure, CEU setup, etc.) It meets approximately once a month via zoom.

Want to get involved? Email us at [email protected]

Public Policy Committee

This committee is working on legal issues related to the regulation of the practice of ABA in the state.

Want to get involved? Email us at [email protected]

DEI

Committee

ORABA's DEI Committee is dedicated to supporting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in ORABA as well as in the practice of ABA in the state of Oregon.  

Want to get involved? Email us at [email protected]

Fundraising Committee

ORABA's Fundraising Committee works to help provide funding for ORABA and disseminating ABA in Oregon.     

Want to get involved? Email us at [email protected]

Directors/Leadership Group

ORABA's Director's and Leadership Group is a place where clinical directors and other leadership positions can connect with other ABA leaders in the state.  

Want to get involved? Email us at [email protected]

Sam Garcia
Public Policy Committee Co-Chair
[email protected]

Sam received his Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis and Autism from The Sage Colleges, Esteves School of Education, in 2014. Sam has over 16 years of experience working with individuals with developmental delays and autism spectrum disorder (ASD).  Sam is a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and Licensed Behavior Analyst (LBA) in Oregon. Prior to moving to Oregon in 2019 Sam has worked as a Clinical Manager with the ABRITE Organization in the Santa Cruz and Santa Clara counties. Sam currently serves as Assistant Clinical Director providing ABA services within the mid-Willamette Valley. Sam’s clinical interests continue to concentrate on language acquisition in children, natural environment teaching and staff training. Sam also enjoys fishing, hiking and biking with his family and friends.

Jaclyn Connelly
Public Policy Committee Chair
[email protected]

Jaclyn graduated from Brandman University with a Master of Arts in Marriage Family Therapy and went on to complete coursework in Applied Behavior Analysis at National University.  Jaclyn is a Licensed Behavior Analyst (LBA) and Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) in the state of Oregon. Jaclyn has been practicing in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis for twelve years.

Prior to practicing in Oregon, Jaclyn practiced in California providing ABA services in home, community, school settings, residential facilities, and adult day programs. Jaclyn has worked in various capacities from a Behavior Technician to a Region Director. Jaclyn now works for Kadiant as the Region Director for the Pacific Northwest. In her spare time, Jaclyn enjoys spending time with her husband, son, and dog as well as hiking and exploring Oregon.

Nirvana Kowlessar 
Ambassador Committee Chair
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Nirvana Kowlessar has been in the field of ABA for 11 years. She received her BA in Biology in 2011, and worked up to a Master’s Degree in Teaching and ABA in 2015. In 2010, she began working in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) as a Behavior Technician, providing direct support to individuals and families impacted by autism and felt compelled to stay and grow in the field. She now owns and operates her own clinical practice, Mighty Oak ABA, based in the SE Portland area. 
Nirvana is a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and Licensed Behavior Analyst (LBA) in Oregon and has worked in Oregon since 2016. Her professional interests include advocacy for parents and families with autistic individuals, OBM, having completed multiple Organizational Behavior Management (OBM) courses program through Florida Institute of Technology, and representing ABA with a dynamic lens of inclusion, diversity, acceptance, and compassion. Outside of ABA, Nirvana treks all over the PNW nature with her husband, 3 year old son, and their dog, Dutch, while looking for a good donut or strong cup of local coffee.

Lauren Saunders

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee Co-Chair
[email protected]

Lauren is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst in Portland. Lauren attended Stephen F Austin State University in Texas and earned her MA degree in psychology with a focus on exposure to nature, mindfulness, and expressions of empathy. Lauren started her career as a behavioral health specialist for adults with cognitive disabilities and complex medical needs. While in that role, she completed ABA coursework through the University of North Texas and became a BCBA in 2017. Following her love for trees and mountains, Lauren moved to Oregon in 2018 with her partner, dogs, and rabbit. Lauren values accountability, reform, and challenging the status quo.

Trinity Schuman
Student Representative
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 I am so excited to be starting a position with ORABA this Spring. My educational background has been focused in special education with course content in elementary education. I am a Registered Behavior Technician with Mighty Oak ABA and plan to become a BCBA after attending graduate school in Portland for Applied Behavior Analysis. In my free time, I enjoy taking my dog, Honey, to the dog park and teaching her fun tricks. I also like reading and writing poetry!