Meet the Team

Leadership Team

Megan Price, MA BCBA

Owner

Lindsey Esquivel, MS, BCBA

Regional Director of Clinical Services, California

Neil Miranda, M.A.Ed., BCBA

Director of Training and Assessments

Dennis Paliwoda, BCBA

Regional Director of Clinical Service, Texas

Tyler Anderson, MA, BCBA

District Supervisor and Quality Assurance Manager

Alexis Melendez, MEd, BCBA

Early Intervention Coordinator

Adriana Ellico, MS, BCBA

Clinical Manager, Inland Empire

Krista Moreno, MA,
Student Analyst

Lead Scheduler

Raquel Alzammar, MA, BCBA

Clinical Manager, Orange County

Elise Mercado, MA,
Student Analyst

Clinical Supervisor

Esmeralda Muñoz, MS, BCBA

Clinical Manager

Morgan Valentine, MA, QASP-S
Student Analyst

Clinical Supervisor

Taylor Harren, MA, BCBA

Clinical Supervisor

Angie Rodriguez

Office Manager

Guadalupe Sanchez, RBT Student Analyst

Clinical Supervisor

Liz Alessi, MS, SLP

Speech Language Pathology Manager

Kevin Spano

Director of Operations

Xitlali Martinez

Intake Coordinator

Steven Jin, MA, BCBA

Laura Reyes, MS, BCBA

Clinical Manager

Alvina Leon, MS, BCBA

Clinical Supervisor

Michael Tacawy, M.S., Student Analyst

Clinical Supervisor

Karen Herrera, MA, BCBA

Mariah Monkman, M.Ed, BCaBA

Josh Almanza, MS, RBT

Megan Price, MA BCBA

Owner & Director of Operations

Megan Price has been in the field of behavior intervention since 2003. Graduating with her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Cal State San Bernardino and going on to complete her master’s degree shortly after in Rehabilitation Counseling in 2007, Megan is a board certified behavior analyst (BCBA). She started her ABA career working for a school district and has years of experience in ABA, including working for in-home providers and with dual diagnosed adolescents and adults with developmental disabilities and mental illness. She also worked on the insurance side of ABA, reviewing assessments and recommendations based on medical necessity and overall quality of services of providers. Megan has a heart for supporting growth and development of behavior technicians and believes with the additional support and training for the one-to-one clinicians, ABA can continue to strengthen the quality of lives of all the families ABAE works with. When Megan is not working, she enjoys making memories with her three sons and her supportive husband.

Lindsey Esquivel, MS, BCBA

Clinical Director, Inland Empire

Lindsey Esquivel has been working with individuals with disabilities since she was old enough to volunteer in her younger brother’s special education middle school classroom. Lindsey’s brother is the person who originally sparked her passion and inspiration to help families and individuals impacted by neurodiversity. Lindsey has been working in ABA since 2013, when she began her career as a registered behavior technician (RBT) working with military families in Colorado Springs, CO, while she completed her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Colorado. Lindsey moved to Hawaii for two years while she completed her master’s degree with St. Cloud State University and accumulated her fieldwork experience hours. After meeting her husband in Hawaii, they moved to California where Lindsey quickly passed her BCBA exam and began her journey as a clinical manager. Lindsey has experience working with children and adults with various diagnosis and of all ability levels. She has worked in clinic, school, and home environments and is well-versed in functional communication training, food toleration, sibling interactions, and managing severe maladaptive behaviors. Outside of work Lindsey practices yoga, eats yummy food and spends time in nature with her husband and dogs.

Neil Miranda, M.A.Ed., BCBA

Clinical Director, Orange County

In 2011, unsure of his future career goals, Neil Miranda began directly assisting developmentally disabled adults in New Jersey. Upon relocating to California in 2013, Neil embarked on his journey into the field of ABA by serving first as an in-home behavior therapist, and then as a behavior interventionist at a non-public school. During this time, Neil’s passion for ABA continued to grow, which led to his decision to enroll in graduate school and pursue board certification as a behavior analyst. In 2016, Neil obtained his Master of Arts degree in Education through National University, while simultaneously completing his ABA course sequence through Florida Institute of Technology. Neil became a board certified behavior analyst (BCBA) in August 2016 and began working as a behavioral consultant for a school district. Within this role, Neil worked primarily with students diagnosed with emotional behavioral disorders and provided staff members, teachers, and Individual Education Plan (IEP) team members with ongoing training and behavioral supports. Neil conducted functional behavior assessments, developed behavior intervention plans, implemented class-wide and individual reinforcement systems, and proposed goals during annual IEP team meetings. In August of 2019, Neil transitioned into a position as an in-home ABA supervisor, before joining the ABAE team as Orange County’s clinical director. Neil has a five-year-old dog named Zoey and loves walking her and taking her to the beach in his free time. Neil is a proud U.S. Army veteran who enjoys working closely with families and staff members, camping, hiking, traveling, and attending baseball games. Neil’s favorite place to visit is Arches National Park in Utah. His goal is to one day visit every active Major League Baseball stadium.

Dennis Paliwoda, BCBA

Clinical Director Adult Services

Dennis received his undergraduate degree from Ohio State and his master’s degree from Arizona State. He has been working in ABA since 2011. He has worked with adults and adolescents in family homes, group homes, schools, day programs, and a locked hospital facility. He has also been a presenter at the international conference Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI). When Dennis is not working with his clients, he enjoys camping and playing hockey with his buddies.

Tyler Anderson, MA, BCBA

Quality Assurance Manager

Tyler Anderson started off his career in the field of ABA during his last year as an undergraduate at UC Riverside, where he received a bachelor’s degree in Sociology. Although he never intended to go into ABA prior to learning about it, he always knew he wanted to do something that would help others and make a difference in people’s lives. When he saw the opportunity to work with individuals with cognitive disabilities, he saw this as the perfect opportunity to fulfill his personal conviction of helping others and make a difference while also gaining valuable work experience for the future. Tyler quickly became one of the top behavior therapists at his former agency where he worked with clients ages two to 21. During his time working one-on-one with clients, Tyler worked daily with clients that displayed severe maladaptive behaviors/skill deficits. At this time that Tyler decided that ABA was the field in which he wanted to build a career. Following the programming provided by his supervisors, he saw how ABA services could not only transform clients’ lives, but also the lives of family, friends, and the community in which our clients are a part of. After working as a behavior therapist for three years, Tyler enrolled in a master’s program at Chapman University to pursue becoming a board certified behavior analyst (BCBA). Since starting his graduate program, Tyler has earned his qualified autism service practitioner supervisor (QASP-S) certification and will complete his master’s in the summer of 2021. Tyler started supervising/managing cases in 2020 and has enjoyed the opportunity to work intimately with families, teachers, and members of the community to create and implement programs that will improve the quality of life for every client he works with. Tyler’s goal as a clinician is to continue to grow and learn so that he can provide the highest quality of services to as many individuals as possible. In addition, Tyler hopes to one day start a support group for families who are impacted by neurodiversity to provide a space where people can come together to share experiences and discuss strategies to live a fulfilling life with a neurodiverse loved one. Tyler also hopes to start an educational group for families who may be experiencing neurodiversity for the first time to spread awareness and knowledge of the research-based strategies offered in the field of ABA. In his free time, Tyler enjoys spending time with family and friends, going fishing, playing basketball, watching sports/movies, and playing video games.

Alexis Melendez, MEd, BCBA

Clinical Manager

Alexis Melendez has been involved with children with disabilities since her senior year of high school. She started as an aide for a moderate to mild special education classroom. She then went on to complete her bachelor’s degree in Communicative Disorders from Cal State Fullerton. After graduating, she began working as a board certified autism technician (BCAT) and went on to complete her master’s degree in Education in Curriculum and Instruction from Arizona State University. Since 2017, Alexis has completed her qualified autism service practitioner supervisor (QASP-S) certification and is in the process of completing her field work hours to sit for her Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) exam. Alexis has experience working with children from ages two to 16, but her passion lies with Early Intensive Behavior Intervention allowing her to work with children from ages two to six. In her free time, Alexis enjoys going to the gym, art, visiting with friends and family, and spending time with her Yorkipoo, Tedi.

Adriana Ellico, MS, Student Analyst

Clinical Supervisor

Adriana Ellico has worked with individuals with disabilities and/or developmental delays since September 2016. She has worked in hospital, home, school, and community settings. In 2018, after receiving her Bachelor of Science degree in Child Development, she began working in the field of applied behavior analysis, where she became a behavioral therapist working with children and adolescents. While working as a behavioral therapist, she pursued her Master of Science degree in Child Life at the University of La Verne and became a certified child life specialist. Following the completion of her clinical internship, she became a developmental specialist, working with infants and toddlers with developmental delays and/or who are at risk of a developmental delay, implementing ABA concepts within the child’s treatment plan. She was so excited she would be able to provide one-on-one support incorporating the principles of ABA to children and families again that she continued her ABA studies. Adriana is in the student analyst program with ABAE and is currently completing the ABA verified coursework sequence with California State University, San Marcos.  Her goal is to become a BCBA and to continue to provide individualized support for children, adolescents, and families. During her free time, she enjoys hiking, exercising, and being outdoors!

Krista Moreno, MA, Student Analyst

Clinical Supervisor

In 2008, Krista Moreno graduated from Cal State University San Bernardino with a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies and set her sights on being a special education teacher. After graduation she began working at a school as a behavior interventionist for children with ASD. She has been in the field for more than 10 years. Krista has experience in DTT, PECS, NET, data collection, parent training, PRT, and more. Krista’s goal is to become a board certified behavior analyst (BCBA) and continue to work with children with autism and their families.

In 2014 Krista got married to her best friend. Krista and her husband enjoy going to the river and riding their quads in Glamis. Krista and their husband have two beautiful boys at home with whom they love spending most of their time.

Raquel Alzammar, MA, Student Analyst

Clinical Supervisor

In 2015, Raquel Alzammar graduated from California State University, Stanislaus with her Psychology degree and began her ABA journey as a behavior interventionist. After seeing the difference ABA can make in the lives of the families she served, she decided to pursue her master’s in ABA. Raquel is passionate about learning, studying, and staying abreast of new ABA research advancements that continue to occur as the field grows. Raquel’s goal is to continue her education to earn her PhD and become a BCBA-D. Raquel recently relocated from the central valley to southern California with her boyfriend and dog. In her spare time, Raquel loves to travel, spend time at the beach, lift weights, and spend time with friends and family.

Elise Mercado, BA, Student Analyst

Clinical Supervisor

Elise Mercado always knew her calling was to work with children, but she was unsure which setting. While attending California State University, Long Beach, she completed her school internship at the Child Life Department in Miller Children’s Hospital Long Beach. This fueled her fire to work in the child development field. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in Child Development and Family Studies and became an elementary school tutor for Learning Tree After School in Yorba Linda. She stumbled upon ABA in 2018, fell in love with the field, and became a registered behavior technician (RBT). She has acquired experience across various environmental settings, both one-to-one sessions and social groups, with clients varying from three to 27 years old. Elise is currently attending Arizona State University to pursue a Master of Arts degree in Special Education (Applied Behavior Analysis). She strives to be a passionate voice, not only for her own clients, but for the autism community. Elise dreams of working with older adults diagnosed with ASD to teach them daily living and vocational skills. Outside of work, Elise enjoys hiking, going to sports games and concerts, and trying new restaurants!

Esmeralda Munoz, MS, BCBA

Clinical Manager

Esmeralda has been working with individuals with disabilities for 11 years in different settings including in home and school settings. She graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Child and Adolescent Development from California State University, Fullerton and with her Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis from National University. Esmeralda has worked with children with many different diagnoses from ages from 3 to 32. Esmeralda has also had the opportunity to support many Spanish speaking families. During her free time, Esmeralda enjoys reading, watching movies, spending time with her family and traveling.

Morgan Valentine, BA, Student Analyst

Clinical Supervisor

In 2018 I graduated from California State University San Bernardino with my bachelors in Kinesiology. While accumulating hours needed to begin Physical Therapy school I accepted a job as a behavior technician. Once I began working in the field of ABA I fell in love and completely changed my path. I then began pursing my Masters in ABA from National University and graduated in fall of 2020. My goal is to become a BCBA and continuing to support children, adolescents, and families. During my free time I enjoy exercising, reading, and going to the beach.

Guadalupe Sanchez, RBT

Clinical Supervisor

Meet Guadalupe, she began her Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) career with ABA Enhancement in February of 2020 with having experience of working with children dating back to 2018 as a former Program Leader for an after-school program. Guadalupe received her Bachelor’s of Arts in Liberal Studies from California State University, San Bernardino in 2020 and her Master’s of Science in Applied Behavioral Analysis from National University in 2024. Between 2020 and 2024, Guadalupe worked as a Behavioral Technician, Registered Behavioral Technician, and a Clinical Supervisor! She comes very excited to the field, eager to always learn more, and plans on becoming a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst in 2025. Since a young age, Guadalupe has always had a passion of working with children and helping them achieve their goals no matter how big or small they are. Guadalupe strides to continue her mission of helping each individual she meets meet their personal goals using ABA interventions and strategies. During her free time, Guadalupe can be found reading a novel, playing her Nintendo Switch, and/or working out.

Liz Alessi, MS, SLP

Speech Language Pathology Manager

Liz received her bachelor’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders with a minor in Christian Studies from California Baptist University. She went onto graduate with her master’s degree from Loma Linda University to become a speech-language pathologist. Liz developed a passion for serving in disability inclusion organizations as well as at a summer camp in Texas for children with autism and learning disabilities. Liz developed a disability inclusion program at a private preschool in Riverside and enjoys working with the pediatric population. Liz worked for ABAE while in school in order to gain experience in a partnering field. She is passionate about providing access to communication, AAC implementation, and language therapy among the rest of the scope of the field.

Steven Jin, MA, BCBA

Steven Jin began his journey in the field of behavior analysis during his undergraduate studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he earned dual bachelor’s degrees in psychology and communication. It was during this time that Steven found his passion for helping others through Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), initially working with adults in the field. This experience ignited a deep interest in behavior analysis and its potential to transform lives, leading him to pursue a Master’s degree in Behavior Analytic Practice from the Florida Institute of Technology. Throughout his career, Steven has worked with a wide range of age groups, from early intervention with young children to supporting late adulthood populations. He specializes in behavior reduction strategies, skill development, and the creation of individualized treatment plans. As a BCBA, Steven values collaboration with families, educators, and other professionals to ensure cohesive care and help individuals achieve their fullest potential. He believes that empowering individuals with communication and self-regulation skills is key to improving their quality of life. When Steven is not working, he enjoys attending basketball games, going on mindfulness walks, spending time with friends and family, and playing video games.

Laura Reyes, MS, BCBA

Clinical Manager

I have a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Social Behavior from the University of California Irvine (UCI). I began working in the field of ABA as part of my internship and I absolutely fell in love with the kids, their progress and the difference I could make in their lives. I have experience working with children and adults with Autism and other disabilities, in the home, school and clinic settings. The success of the people I’ve helped, led me to pursue my master’s of science in Applied Behavior Analysis from Bay Path University. As such, I wish to continue to make a meaningful impact in the lives of those I serve. In my free time I enjoy going outdoors, being around water, watching movies and hanging out with my family and friends.

Alvina Leon, MS, BCBA

Clinical Supervisor

Alvina is a dedicated Clinical Supervisor with extensive experience in early development and severe behavioral challenges, particularly with adolescent clients. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and a Master’s of Arts from Purdue University. Alvina’s passion for helping others is evident in her compassionate approach, as she strives to provide support and love to those who need it most. With a commitment to fostering growth and resilience, she plays a vital role in guiding her team to deliver exceptional care.

Michael Tacawy, M.S., Student Analyst

Clinical Supervisor

Michael graduated from California State University, San Bernardino with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology with a concentration on developmental psychology. Initially, Michael began providing care in the hospital setting with the goal of being in a career that makes a positive impact on people’s lives. Upon entering the field of ABA as a Behavior Technician and seeing that desired positive impact in the lives of the clients and families worked with, he was certain the field of ABA was the one he had to pursue and enrolled in the master’s program. Michael graduated from National University with a Master’s Degree in Applied Behavior Analysis. During this time, he provided services in the home, school, and community settings working with individuals aging from two, through early intervention, to 19. Michael’s passion lies with sibling support and providing individualized care for the clients and families he works directly with. His goal is to become a BCBA and to continue to provide quality services, applying all that he has learned. During his free time, Michael enjoys art, reading, spending time with loved ones, and going on walks with his dog.

Karen Herrera, MA, BCBA

Karen is a board-certified behavior analyst originally from Seattle, WA. She began working in ABA in 2016 and has since worked with learners across all ages, behaviors, and skillsets within multiple settings including homes, clinics, schools, and pediatric psychiatry and behavioral facilities. Her approach to therapy is focused on compassionate care for everyone she works with. She strives to help create an environment that is fun, engaging, and supportive for individuals receiving services and the team supporting them. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, traveling with her dog named Jaq, and training in martial arts.

Mariah Monkman, M.Ed, BCaBA

Mariah, from a young age, always knew she wanted to work with children and teach. After completing her undergrad degree in Communication Disorders and Sciences from Eastern Illinois University, she moved to Texas as a native of Illinois. Mariah has been in the field of ABA since 2017 consistently working with Early childhood intervention practices. After working for 2 years in the ABA field, she realized she had a passion to continue making a difference in the lives of her clients and families. She decided to pursue a Master’s degree in ABA from the University of Cincinnati and completed this fieldwork in 2021. Mariah works as a BCaBA in our Fort Worth, Texas location providing services to our wonderful clients. She comes to ABAE specializing in Early Childhood Intervention and Training. Mariah is a native of Illinois and currently resides in Texas with her fíance and dog. She loves to read, watch movies with her fíance, and finds puzzling very relaxing.”

Josh Almanza, MS, RBT

Josh Almanza has worked with individuals with disabilities and/or developmental delays since August 2021. In September of 2024, Josh graduated with his Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis from Capella University. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in General Psychology from California State University San Bernardino in December of 2022. Throughout his years in the field of ABA, Josh has worked in various settings, including schools, in-home and in-clinic and has worked with individuals between the ages of 3 and 15 years-old. Currently, Josh supports in overseeing the Early Intervention Program and has built strong rapport with IRC coordinators which whom he also collaborates to provide high quality care for children under the age of 3 and their families. Josh is continuously providing parent training and education for the families he works directly with and other families through monthly group parent training session. As a bilingual speaker, Josh has had the opportunity to support Spanish speaking families across all of ABAE’s regions, including, Texas, Inland Empire and Orange County. As the oldest of 9-siblings, Josh has been around children his entire life and his passion to support individuals in attaining a high-quality lifestyle and support their families only continues to grow. Josh is expected to complete his supervision fieldwork hours in December of 2024 and plans to sit for the BCBA exam early 2025.