Bryant Silbaugh is the the Interim Executive Director of the ABA Quality Help Desk. Bryant has been engaged in ABA service delivery, research, teaching, and entrepreneurship since 2008. He earned his Ph.D., in Special Education / Autism Spectrum Disorders at the University of Texas at Austin. He is a former professor of special education, author of the ABA industry's first book on quality control, and a master clinician. Bryant has published numerous studies in peer-reviewed journals and given numerous talks at scientific conferences, and continues to conduct research on ABA service quality. Bryant is also the Founder, CEO, and Board President of NASQN.

Olivia Banks is the Associate Clinical Director at The Place for Children with Autism, where she leads clinical quality initiatives across the organization. Since joining The Place in 2020, she has directed the development and implementation of large-scale quality improvement projects, including the ABA Service Delivery Quality (ASDQ) system to measure clinical quality and support positive client outcomes. Olivia has been active in the field of ABA since 2012, working in home, community, school, and clinic settings with diverse behavioral profiles, diagnoses, and age groups across Florida, Michigan, and Illinois. She earned a bachelor's degree in behavioral sciences from Western Michigan University in 2014 and a master’s degree in psychology with a focus in ABA from Florida State University in 2016. Her professional interests include behavioral systems analysis for improving ABA service delivery quality and the implementation of pay-for-performance and scorecard systems to enhance clinical performance.  

Jeremy Wilson has been dedicated to advancing services and support for individuals with autism and developmental disabilities since 1998.

With a master’s degree in Special Education (moderate to severe disabilities) and a teaching credential from Cal State Northridge, Jeremy further specialized by completing his coursework for Board Certification in Behavior Analysis in 2009. In addition, he earned his PhD in Psychology with a focus on Applied Behavior Analysis from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, bringing deep expertise to his work. Jeremy possesses a wealth of experience across clinical and administrative domains, excelling in areas like clinical mentorship, compliance, quality assurance, continuous improvement, high performance work teams, and organizational behavior management. Known for his commitment to high standards, he has been instrumental in initiatives to elevate service quality and optimize operations through effective auditing and process improvement. In his previous role at 360 Behavioral Health, a California-based organization serving over 1,700 individuals with autism and employing more than 1,500 providers, Jeremy managed key departments including quality assurance, clinical compliance, credentialing, registration, and client intake. His work there included leading cross-functional teams on numerous initiatives aimed at driving continuous improvement. In his roles at NASQN, he is passionately focused on fostering service excellence and ensuring adherence to best practices within the ABA field.

​Dr. Michelle Ficcaglia is the founder of Thoughtful Parenting and a consultant on high quality ABA services. She has been working with children and families for more than 25 years.  Additionally, Michelle works with small and midsize companies throughout the US to develop and  implement their internal clinical quality assurance measures to ensure consistent clinical excellence throughout the organization. Michelle holds a BA in psychology from Claremont McKenna College, a PhD in Special Education from UC Berkeley, and is also a doctoral level Board Certified Behavior Analyst. Michelle has an extensive background working with children diagnosed with autism, ADHD, and related challenges.  Michelle has co-authored scholarly and mainstream articles on a variety of topics impacting the autism community.  

Nia Flowers is a Quality Improvement Coordinator and Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) with over a decade of experience working with children, adults, and families on the Autism Spectrum. She brings classroom, residential, clinic, and home experience to Hopebridge Autism Therapy Centers. Nia is a powerful force in the workplace striving for excellence through quality services and advocating for diverse, equitable, and inclusive practices throughout the organization. Nia finds solace in her husband and two children, and in her free time enjoys reading, watching movies, and spending time with family.

Anne Metzger has nearly 20 years of expertise in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and has been a BCBA for nearly 13 years. She holds a Master's degree in Special Education and is a doctoral candidate at Capella University to earn a PhD in Behavior Analysis. She has completed all her coursework and is focused on her dissertation study in trauma-informed care in behavior analysis.

Anne has held various operations and clinical leadership roles, including Chief Operating Officer, Regional Clinical Director, Senior Clinician, and Program Director, granting her the opportunity to work in ABA clinics, within the community, at home, and in public and private schools.  Throughout her career, the quality of services has always been at the forefront of her mind.  She has developed countless policies, procedures, and job aids and assisted in developing and implementing various quality assurance tools and systems.  Anne is also deeply passionate about access to care and mentoring BCBAs in communicating medical necessity to funders.  She has extensive experience in navigating Medicaid, commercial, and self-funded insurance adverse determinations in a multitude of states.  She is honored to serve as a Subject Matter Expert at the National ABA Service Quality Network and is excited to assist the ABA community.

Valerie Zimmerman, M.S., BCBA, LBA, has dedicated over 14 years to the field of behavior analysis. Her journey began with a bachelor's degree in Behavior Analysis from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, where she gained experience working with children in a Head Start program and various ABA settings. During her undergraduate studies, she provided in-home ABA services and co-directed the on-campus autism program. Valerie furthered her expertise with a Master's in Behavior Analysis from the University of North Texas. Her graduate work included contributing to the development of the ABA unit for the university's new autism center. Upon returning to Wisconsin, she provided in-home services before assuming her current role as VP of Clinical, Quality and Outcomes at Mindcolor Autism. Valerie is passionate about enhancing clinical quality, OBM, and promoting the understanding of behavior analysis among parents and colleagues. She is honored to serve in the role of SME for the ABA Quality Helpdesk for NASQN. 

Alexandra Tomei brings over 14 years of experience in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) to the Help Desk. Currently, she serves as the Director of Clinical Standards at BlueSprig Pediatrics. In this role, she demonstrates a strong commitment to ethical guidelines and data-driven decision-making. Her responsibilities include creating, planning, developing, and implementing strategies related to clinical procedures in partnership with policy development. She examines outcomes of clinical support and drives initiatives focused on collected data. Her leadership is further evidenced by her ability to coach clinicians in standards of care, participate in interdepartmental collaborations, and ensure that clinical policies support overall business outcomes. In addition to her clinical and leadership experience, Alexandra has served on school and association boards, providing strategic guidance and expert advice. As a school board secretary for four years, she ensured documentation of governance and alignment with various duties. She played a key role in overseeing the implementation of COVID protocols, demonstrating leadership during rapid and uncertain changes. For the Colorado Association for Behavior Analysis (COABA), Alexandra has served as the Professional Development Chair since January of 2024, following two years as a volunteer on the committee. She successfully supports engagement in professional development for behavior analysts and RBTs throughout the state, ensuring the content provided is diverse, forward-thinking, and aligned with the mission and values of the organization. Additionally, she has served on multiple CASP SIGs and as a subject matter expert for APBA, supporting the advancement of the field through various paths.

Alexandra's engagement in policy development and advocacy extends through her role at BlueSprig and her involvement with the COABA public policy committee. She was part of the team that advocated for ABA in schools and rate increases for CO Medicaid, earning the ALS Advocacy award in 2023 for their efforts. Her organization's multi-state presence has allowed her to delve deeply into regulation, policy, and law beyond Colorado. She is passionate about public policy and advocacy, having co-authored a paper and actively presented at various conferences on the subject. Her advocacy work has equipped her with the skills to navigate complex regulatory environments and champion the needs of those they serve. Alexandra holds a Master of Education (M.Ed.) degree and is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). In 2014, she completed the LEND program at the University of Washington, with her area of research focused on behavioral-based feeding and collaboration across disciplines.