4893 East Beltline Ave NE Suite 310 Grand Rapids, MI 49525
#1 Rated Behavioral Science Staff in Grand Rapids, MI
Thomas Hales M.Ed. LBA, Board Certified Behavior Analyst / Clinical Director/Owner
Aaron (Son Shin) Garcia M.Ed. LBA, Board Certified Behavior Analyst/Assistant Clinical Director
Thomas Hales M.Ed. LBA, Board Certified Behavior Analyst / Clinical Director/Owner
Tom received their certification as a BCBA in 2016. After receiving an undergraduate degree from Grand Valley State University in Music Education, Tom went on to work as a non-certified teacher in a self-contained room autism classroom. During this time Tom earned their Master's Degree in Applied Behavior Analysis through Arizona State University. Tom worked as a BCBA at several companies in the greater Grand Rapids area before starting The Applied Behavioral Science Institution in 2018. Tom's primary influence has been by the work done by Dr. Gregory Hanley, who's approach to working with children focuses on empowering autistic individuals to find their own voice and develop a strong sense of self advocacy. Tom has worked with children with disabilities in the clinic, home, school, and community settings for the past 12 years. Tom runs The Applied Behavioral Science Institution with Ashley and together they are raising 6 children in the Rockford area.
He/Him/They/Them
Ash Hales - Practice Manager/Owner
Aaron (Son Shin) Garcia M.Ed. LBA, Board Certified Behavior Analyst/Assistant Clinical Director
Thomas Hales M.Ed. LBA, Board Certified Behavior Analyst / Clinical Director/Owner
Ash received their undergraduate degree for Zoology from Northern Michigan University in 2005. Tom (other owner) and Ash, were both raised in the Grand Rapids area and have 6 children together. Ash has previous experience as the Director of the Pet Care Center for a local Veterinary Clinic. They love spending time with their pets and children, playing games with friends, and singing in a local choir.
They/Them/Theirs
Aaron (Son Shin) Garcia M.Ed. LBA, Board Certified Behavior Analyst/Assistant Clinical Director
Aaron (Son Shin) Garcia M.Ed. LBA, Board Certified Behavior Analyst/Assistant Clinical Director
Aaron (Son Shin) Garcia M.Ed. LBA, Board Certified Behavior Analyst/Assistant Clinical Director
Aaron has worked as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst for the last 4 years after receiving their M.Ed degree in ABA from the University of Arizona. Aaron strives to bring a collaborative, client centered approach to their work with people in a way that celebrates the strengths in everyone. Outside of ABSI, Aaron is a practicing Zen Buddhist Priest at the Grand Rapids Buddhist Temple, and a loving co parent with their spouse Jean to their two cat children Donut and Mu.
They/Them/Theirs
Garrett Bock - M.A. LBA, Board Certified Behavior Analyst
Garrett Bock - M.A. LBA, Board Certified Behavior Analyst
Aaron (Son Shin) Garcia M.Ed. LBA, Board Certified Behavior Analyst/Assistant Clinical Director
Garrett earned his BCBA in 2025, following working in the ABA field for 7 years. After receiving his undergraduate degree in ABA at Western Michigan University, he moved to northern michigan to work as an RBT before finding his passion and pursuing the next stage in his academic journey. Heavily influenced by the work of Dr. George Hanley, Garrett prefers to take a client-lead approach to ABA, with a focus on creating a strong foundation of trust between client and therapist. When not in the office, Garrett is an outdoor sports enthusiast and can usually be found biking, hiking, or floundering about on a paddle board, usually trying to look too-cool-for-school.
He/Him
Grant Gibson-Qualified Behavioral Health Professional
Garrett Bock - M.A. LBA, Board Certified Behavior Analyst
Grant Gibson-Qualified Behavioral Health Professional
Grant has worked in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) for the past seven years, beginning as a Technician before advancing to a Qualified Behavioral Health Provider (QBHP). He earned his Master’s in Applied Behavioral Analysis from Capella University in 2022. In his free time, he enjoys exploring creative expression through various mediums, listening to philosophy podcasts, gym, and diving into fantasy football stats analysis.
He/Him
Lou Graham - Pursuant of National Accreditation/ RBT
Garrett Bock - M.A. LBA, Board Certified Behavior Analyst
Grant Gibson-Qualified Behavioral Health Professional
Lou is a passionate artist and dedicated student who recently completed a Bachelor’s degree in Art Studio in May 2024. After relocating from Georgia to Michigan in June 2024, they are now pursuing a Master’s degree in Applied Behavioral Analysis. Outside of academics, Lou enjoys spending time with their two dogs and horse, often going horseback riding and hiking with them. A lover of unique finds, they also enjoys thrifting and exploring local shops. With a blend of creativity and a commitment to understanding behavior, Lou is excited about the future and the opportunities that lie ahead.
They/Them/Theirs
Tammy Newberg - Medical Billing Specialist
Sue Livingston - Assistant Medical Billing Specialist
Sue Livingston - Assistant Medical Billing Specialist
Tammy has been doing medical billing for 10 years. She received her Associates of Applied Science from Baker College of Muskegon with her major being Medical Insurance Billing and Coding. Tammy also works as a Program Assistant with the Special Education department and is also a substitute teacher when needed.
Sue Livingston - Assistant Medical Billing Specialist
Sue Livingston - Assistant Medical Billing Specialist
Sue Livingston - Assistant Medical Billing Specialist
Sue joins our team as an Assistant Medical Billing Specialist after retiring from a lengthy career as an Executive Assistant at Amway Corporation. She returned to school as an adult learner and earned her BBA from Davenport University in 2014, graduating with highest honors. In her free time, Sue enjoys caring for her perennial flower garden, playing golf, bowling or downhill skiing, attending concerts, traveling, and most of all, spending time with her 4 grandchildren!
She/Her
Lisa Hallada - Office Assistant and Scheduler
Sue Livingston - Assistant Medical Billing Specialist
Lisa Hallada - Office Assistant and Scheduler
Lisa started her journey as a direct care worker working with autistic children in 1998 and made her way into the medical field and working with the psychiatric patients. After a car accident took her ability to work hands on with patients she went into the administration end of things. Working in both medical and therapy offices she was missing something. That something was the love of children. When a position opened up as scheduler here she jumped at the chance to be able to here with the children. In her free time you can find her by the water, in the woods with her partner, her best friend or with her grandson.
She/Her
Alaysia Brewer - Lead Floating Technician & RBT
Alaysia Brewer - Lead Floating Technician & RBT
Alaysia Brewer - Lead Floating Technician & RBT
Alaysia is a lead behavior technician and an RBT. She is originally from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, where her tribe resides (Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians). She grew up on the reservation with her grandmother, but left after high school to pursue a degree in Behavioral Neuroscience at Grand Valley State University. In her free time I love to be creative! Painting, drawing, writing, and dancing are some of her favorite past times.
Pronouns: She/They
Addy Edgington- Floating Technician & RBT
Alaysia Brewer - Lead Floating Technician & RBT
Alaysia Brewer - Lead Floating Technician & RBT
Addy is a lead behavior technician with our company. They are currently working towards an associates degree at Grand Rapids Community College for psychology, in order to achieve a degree in psychiatry. Their passion is to work with kids and mental health. In their free time they love to spend time with friends and watch true crime documentaries.
Pronouns: They/She
Morgan Latchaw- Human Resources Assistant & RBT
Alaysia Brewer - Lead Floating Technician & RBT
Morgan Latchaw- Human Resources Assistant & RBT
Morgan is an RBT and our human resources assistant. Some of her passions include traveling, fitness, and of course working with children! She hopes to go back to school to get her masters in child psychology and become a BCBA.
Paige Levitte - Engagement Specialist & RBT
Heather Kelley - Registered Behavior Technician (RBT)
Morgan Latchaw- Human Resources Assistant & RBT
Paige is a Behavior Technician who also duels as our human resources assistant! She graduated from Olivet College in 2020 with a degree in Psychology. She loves live music, record collecting, antiquing and spending time with her cat Marjorie.
She/Her/Hers
Heather Kelley - Registered Behavior Technician (RBT)
Heather Kelley - Registered Behavior Technician (RBT)
Heather Kelley - Registered Behavior Technician (RBT)
Heather is a Behavior Technician with us. She received her undergraduate degree from Grand Valley State University in 2016. Since graduation, Heather has been working in a variety of positions in the mental health field.
Cathy Allore- Behavior Technician
Heather Kelley - Registered Behavior Technician (RBT)
Heather Kelley - Registered Behavior Technician (RBT)
Cathy worked in the public school system 25 years with autistic kiddos. She also provided ABA therapy for 6 years. She became a docent (tour guide) at the Grand Rapids Art Museum 8 years ago. Her heart is in Maryland with her 3 grandchildren which she tries to visit often. She enjoys machine sewing quilts, yoga and playing with her 80 pound chocolate lab mix on Lake Michigan. She lives with her husband in Rockford.
She/Her/Hers
Dan Hoffmann- Behavior Technician
Khynin McLeish - Behavior Technician
Max Blackstock- Behavior Technician
Daniel Christopher Hoffmann is logical, absurdist, loquacious, and boring.
A silly man who enjoys socializing with groups of people as much as he loves being alone.
When he's not working with clients; he can be found reading, listening to informational podcasts, grading trading cards, gaming, or writing.
He/They
Max Blackstock- Behavior Technician
Khynin McLeish - Behavior Technician
Max Blackstock- Behavior Technician
Max just recently graduated from Ferris with a BA in science, Focusing on forensic psychology after finding their passion for psychology in high school. They're from the east side of the state, grew up both in a family very involved in healthcare but also as a "medical disaster" themselves so they have a lot of personal experience in the medical field. They've worked with both advocating and providing both DSP and CLS services to people with disabilities for the last 6 years. In their free time, they're involved with music, writing, the arts, and their dog Reid, named, yes, after Spencer Reid from Criminal minds. They're an avid fanboy to too many things to list and they're always down for both a night out or a solid weekend spent on the couch.
Pronouns -He/they
Khynin McLeish - Behavior Technician
Khynin McLeish - Behavior Technician
Khynin McLeish - Behavior Technician
Khynin has had a passion for working with children for all her life, volunteering at a local daycare in her home state of Indiana for most of her late childhood to middle teen years, and is excited to get back into the swing of things! In her free time, she enjoys DND, Magic the Gathering, and petting her fluffy little cotton ball of a cat, Takara.
She/Her/Hers
Pru Warren - Behavior Technician
Pru Warren - Behavior Technician
Khynin McLeish - Behavior Technician
Prudence "Pru" Warren, born and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan, has always been a passionate advocate for children and individuals navigating the mental health system. With many years of experience working as a Direct Support Professional (DSP) and group home manager, she has gained a deep understanding of the challenges faced by individuals and families in need of support. As a mother of two grown children, including one on the autism spectrum who received ABA treatment himself, Pru has firsthand experience in navigating services and advocating for those who need a voice. It’s something she believes very strongly about.
Currently, she is just six classes away from completing her Bachelor's in Sociology and is instead preparing to pivot direction and begin her next academic journey in Social Work. Pru plans to pursue her master's degree and become a counselor, focusing on empowering and supporting children, whom she believes are the "best humans in the world."
Pru is also the host of a podcast that dives deep into the world of professional wrestling, particularly with Michigan & Indiana independent wrestlers. She believes in the power of community and communication, whether it's in the ring or in the realm of mental health advocacy. Pru is also an accomplished writer and photographer.
She/Her
Sara Gilbert - Pursuant of National Accreditation
Carlee Larsen - Registered Behavior Technician (RBT)
Carlee Larsen - Registered Behavior Technician (RBT)
Sara has worked with children and adults with autism for over 20 years in various settings including schools, camps, and group homes. She became a behavior technician in 2021. She lives in Wyoming with her husband and 4 cats. She enjoys hiking and gardening in her spare time.
Carlee Larsen - Registered Behavior Technician (RBT)
Carlee Larsen - Registered Behavior Technician (RBT)
Carlee Larsen - Registered Behavior Technician (RBT)
After graduating high school in 2022 Carlee knew she immediately wanted to go straight into the childcare industry! She has worked with children ever since she could remember, and it’s always been her passion! Watching them develop and learn has always been the most rewarding part of working with children. Her time outside of work is taken by hanging out with friends, family, and her cat! She also loves thrifting, reading and all things music!
She/Her/Hers
Alexandria Sadler- Behavior Technician
Carlee Larsen - Registered Behavior Technician (RBT)
Alexandria Sadler- Behavior Technician
Alexandria started working in the autism field in 2021 when the pandemic was still present. She fell in love with the job and aim to further her education in the psychology or ABA field. Before that, she volunteered and worked within her local school district at the elementary schools. When not working, she spends time with her German Shepard, plays video games, or embraces creativity with paint/color pencils or whatever media she feels. Her ultimate goal is to make a difference in others and the world and she has found a way to do that in the behavior field.
She/Her/Hers
Kendra Kelly- Behavior Technician
Jackson Irwin- Behavior Technician
Alexandria Sadler- Behavior Technician
Meet Kendra, she/her/hers pronouns. She is currently in her last semester of her undergraduate degree in Psychology and minors in Youth and Society, and Women's and Gender Studies. In the fall, she plans on attending Grand Valley's Master of Social Work program. She loves all things art and music, spending time with friends and family, and playing with her dogs.
She/Her/Hers
Jackson Irwin- Behavior Technician
Jackson Irwin- Behavior Technician
Jackson Irwin- Behavior Technician
Jackson Irwin has recently graduated with a degree in psychology from Grand Valley State University. He has lived in Rockford for his whole life and has past experience working kids as a swim coach. Some of his hobbies include swimming, playing video games, and going on nature walks whenever Michigan weather allows it!
Ruby Taylor - Registered Behavior Technician (RBT)
Ruby Taylor - Registered Behavior Technician (RBT)
Ruby Taylor - Registered Behavior Technician (RBT)
Ruby is currently a student at GRCC working towards a degree in Business Administration. I have always had a passion for teaching and I'm so excited to be a part of this team. In my free time I enjoy camping, hiking, and thrifting with my friends and loved ones.
Kevin Newberg - Behavior Technician
Ruby Taylor - Registered Behavior Technician (RBT)
Ruby Taylor - Registered Behavior Technician (RBT)
My name is Kevin Gerritt Newberg. I just graduated from Newaygo High School in May of 2024 and I will be attending Ferris State University in the fall of 2024 studying Radiography and Education. I enjoy hiking, shopping, live music events, playing video games, swimming, and building aquarium ecosystems.
He/Him/His
Hailey Rooker - Behavior Technician
Ruby Taylor - Registered Behavior Technician (RBT)
Devon Longoria - Behavior Technician
Hailey just recently graduated from GVSU with their bachelors in psychology and minors in applied statistics and writing. In their free time Hailey enjoys playing saxophone, sewing, writing, and spending time with friends and family.
They/Them
Devon Longoria - Behavior Technician
Devon Longoria - Behavior Technician
Meet our employee Devon! He enjoys doing things like camping, traveling, and spending time with his family. Some of his favorite things are dirt bikes, palm trees, and being outside. He is currently in the process of getting his bachelors degree in Criminal Justice.
He has always had a passion working with kids and has many years experience doing so.
He/Him
Rachael Johnson- Behavior Technician
Rachael had 2.5 years experience working as a behavior tech prior to joining the ABSI family. She is passionate about equality and inclusion, especially for young humans, which keeps her coming back to the ABA field. As a Grand Rapids native, Rachael spends most of her free time with family and friends. Her nieces and nephew are the most important people in her world! She likes reading, going to concerts, doing arts & crafts, and just being outside:) Rachael lives nearby with her sweet sweet kitty, Jerrylu.
New Employee
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