Speakers for the 2025 pennaba Conference
Valerie LaCerra, MA, BCBA, LBS
Valerie LaCerra is an Advanced Clinical Trainer and Advisor at Behavior Interventions Inc. and has over a decade of experience in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). As a Level 6 Trainer in Practical Functional Assessment and Skills-Based Treatment (PFA/SBT) through FTF, she supports BCBAs in implementing compassionate, research-informed ABA. Val believes trust is fundamental to an environment where clients and clinicians thrive.
Val's ABA journey started at Pennsylvania State University Harrisburg under Dr. Richard Foxx and Julie Aukerland-Brandt. There she co-authored a chapter in "Controversial Therapies for Autism and Intellectual Disabilities" (2016) and conducted research that was later published in Behavior Analysis in Practice (2024). In 2021, she co-founded Behavior Interventions’ Enhanced Program in Mount Joy, Pennsylvania, supporting children with intense behavioral needs using PFA and SBT. She is presently influenced by Goldiamond’s Constructional Approach and the work of TV Joe Layng and Jesús Rosales-Ruiz.
Jessica Ellis, MA, BCBA, LBS
Jessica Ellis, MA, BCBA, LBS, is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst at Behavior Interventions Inc. She earned her Master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis from Penn State University–Harrisburg. Jessica specializes in supporting clients with severe problem behavior using Practical Functional Assessment (PFA) and Skill-Based Treatment (SBT) through the Enhanced Program at Behavior Interventions. She holds a Level 5 credential in PFA and SBT through FTF Behavioral Consulting.
With over seven years of experience in ABA, Jessica began her career as a Therapeutic Support Staff (TSS). Throughout her career, she has worked with individuals ranging from 18 months to 21 years old in various settings. During her graduate studies, she completed an internship under Dr. Richard M. Foxx, which laid the foundation for her dedication to evidence-based interventions for severe problem behavior.
Tim Caldwell, Ph.D., BCBA-D, LBS
Tim Caldwell, Ph.D., BCBA-D serves as the Director of Research and Program Development for Vista Autism Services, overseeing the behavioral research, staff training, and clinical development of ABA-based intervention. Tim completed his Ph.D. in Applied Behavior Analysis in January of 2019 at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. His main areas of clinical work include development of staff training and programming implementation systems, as well as ongoing supervision of BCBA candidates and BCBA’s. His research interests include, staff training, caregiver training, analytic behavior, advanced verbal behavior, derived relational responding, stimulus equivalence, verbal self-prompting, and verbal problem-solving. Tim serves as an Adjunct Professor with The Pennsylvania State University’s School of Behavioral Sciences and Education, and The Chicago School of Professional Psychology teaching undergraduate and graduate level courses in ABA. Tim’s research has included an analysis of script training to teach recall of past events, the examination of stimulus equivalence technology to improve parent training outcomes as well as the use of analytic behavior within behavior analysts practicing in the field. In addition, Tim currently serves on the PennABA Executive Council as the Central Region Member.
Daniela fazzio, Ph.D., BCBA-D, LBA
Dr. Daniela Fazzio is a behavior analyst and clinical leader with over twenty five years of experience in autism services. Currently the Director of Alpine Learning Group's Center for Autism, she has previously held leadership at multiple reputable autism service organizations in the United States and Canada.
Dr. Fazzio earned her Ph.D. in Psychology with specialization in Applied Behavior Analysis from the University of Manitoba and holds certification as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst-Doctoral (BCBA-D) and Licensed Behavior Analyst in New York State.
She has taught graduate courses in behavior analysis a the University of Manitoba and Simmons University, teaching Ethics and Legal Issues and Research Methods, in addition to creating the first undergraduate certificate in ABA in Canada. She has extensively researched staff and parent training in discrete-trial teaching and published in journals including Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders and Behavior Modification. She co-authored "Discrete-trials teaching with children with autism: A self-instructional manual."
Dr. Fazzio currently has serves on the Standards Committee for the Autism Commission on Quality (ACQ) and has been recognized as a Subject Matter Expert by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board. She has presented at conferences across North America and Brazil on evidence-based autism interventions.
Kellie custer, ma, bcba
Kellie Custer, MA, BCBA, is the Lead Behavior Analyst at the Capital Area Intermediate Unit, where she collaborates with school teams to support students with diverse educational and behavioral needs. As a former special education teacher with a passion for fostering collaborative relationships, Kellie specializes in bridging the gap between behavior analytic practices and the dynamic environments of schools. She has extensive experience in developing individualized interventions, training educational staff, and promoting ethical and effective practices within interdisciplinary teams. Kellie’s research interests include practitioner burnout and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), with a focus on enhancing well-being and resilience among educators and behavior analysts.
James chok, Ph.D., BCBA-D
Dr. James T. Chok is a licensed psychologist, neuropsychologist, and Board Certified Behavior Analyst. Dr. Chok received his doctoral degree from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and completed a one-year internship and two-year postdoctoral fellowship in neuropsychology at McLean Hospital/Harvard Medical School. Dr. Chok previously served as the Senior Director of Clinical Services for the Residential Treatment Facility at Melmark Pennsylvania, which specializes in the treatment of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Intellectual Disability, and severe challenging behavior. He now maintains a private practice in West Chester, PA. Dr. Chok previously served as the Vice President of the New Hampshire chapter of the International OCD Foundation is a graduate instructor for UMASS Boston. He is a published author in peer-reviewed scientific journals and regularly presents research at professional conferences. In 2011, Dr. Chok was the recipient of the Outstanding Practitioner Award given by the Berkshire Association for Applied Behavior Analysis and Therapy.
