4893 East Beltline Ave NE Suite 310 Grand Rapids, MI 49525
#1 Rated Behavioral Science Staff in Comstock MI
Thomas Hales M.Ed. LBA, Board Certified Behavior Analyst / Owner
Thomas Hales M.Ed. LBA, Board Certified Behavior Analyst / Owner
Thomas Hales M.Ed. LBA, Board Certified Behavior Analyst / 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
Ashley Hales - Office Administrator
Thomas Hales M.Ed. LBA, Board Certified Behavior Analyst / Owner
Thomas Hales M.Ed. LBA, Board Certified Behavior Analyst / Owner
Ashley received her undergraduate degree for Zoology from Northern Michigan University in 2005. She and Tom (Owner), were both raised in the Grand Rapids area and have 6 children together. She has previous experience as the Director of the Pet Care Center for a local Veterinary Clinic. Ashley loves spending time with her pets and children and singing in a local choir.
She/They
Aaron Garcia M.Ed. LBA, Board Certified Behavior Analyst
Thomas Hales M.Ed. LBA, Board Certified Behavior Analyst / Owner
Aaron Garcia M.Ed. LBA, Board Certified Behavior Analyst
Aaron is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, and received a Master's degree in Applied Behavior Analysis. Aaron also works as a music instructor. When not at work they can be found reading with coffee in hand.
They/Them/Theirs
Alisha Sheetz M.A. LBA, Board Certified Behavior Analyst
Alisha Sheetz M.A. LBA, Board Certified Behavior Analyst
Aaron Garcia M.Ed. LBA, Board Certified Behavior Analyst
Alisha received her BCBA certification in 2017. She graduated with a Masters of Arts in Teaching with a specialization in applied behavior analysis from National University. She has been working with children and their families in the field of ABA since 2013 in the home, community and clinic settings. While practicing in Oregon, Alisha was on the board of the Oregon Association for Behavior Analyst. She is passionate about designing programming that allows the learner and their families to be as independent as possible, engage with their community in a way that is meaningful and provide treatment that is safe, dignified and transparent.
She/Her/Hers
Tammy Newberg - Medical Billing Specialist
Alisha Sheetz M.A. LBA, Board Certified Behavior Analyst
Tammy Newberg - 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.
Kelsey Wilson - Office Assistant & Scheduler
Alisha Sheetz M.A. LBA, Board Certified Behavior Analyst
Tammy Newberg - Medical Billing Specialist
Kelsey is our office assistant and scheduler. She has a BS in Psychology from Grand Valley State University. She previously worked as a tech for our company, but she will be taking on the scheduling role here at ABSI. She is very excited to be back working with ABSI!
She/Her/Hers
Heather Kelley - Behavior Technician
Megan Malinowski - Behavior Technician
Heather Kelley - Behavior Technician
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.
Luke Kelley - Behavior Technician
Megan Malinowski - Behavior Technician
Heather Kelley - Behavior Technician
Luke has been working with Children with Autism since 2014 in positions of in home care, ABA technician, and case management. Luke has a wife and a 17 year old foster son at home.
He/Him/His
Megan Malinowski - Behavior Technician
Megan Malinowski - Behavior Technician
Megan Malinowski - Behavior Technician
Megan is a behavioral technician with us. She is a full time student at Grand Valley State University and working towards a Bachelor’s Degree of science. She has a passion working with kids. In her free time she enjoys being outside, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.
Breanna Greiner - Behavior Technician
Jake Savage- Lead Behavior Technician/RBT
Megan Malinowski - Behavior Technician
Breanna recently received her Associates of Science in Occupational Therapy and is working towards becoming a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant. She recently discovered she had a passion for working with kids when interning at a special needs school this year. In her free time, she loves hiking, kayaking, and cuddling with her 20 pound cat, Alfie
She/Her/Hers
Paige Levitte- Behavior Technician
Jake Savage- Lead Behavior Technician/RBT
Jake Savage- Lead Behavior Technician/RBT
Paige is a new Behavioral Technician with us. She graduated from Olivet College in 2020 with a degree in Psychology. She is new to Grand Rapids and originally resided in Petoskey, Mi. She enjoys reading, record collecting and watching movies in her free time.
She/Her/Hers
Jake Savage- Lead Behavior Technician/RBT
Jake Savage- Lead Behavior Technician/RBT
Jake Savage- Lead Behavior Technician/RBT
Jake is an RBT for the company. Jake went to Grand Valley State University for his undergrad and got his BS in Psychology in 2014. He started doing ABA in 2017 and has been working as a behavior technician since then. In 2021, he started graduate school at Ball State University and is pursing a Master's in ABA. In his free time, he enjoys hanging out with his cat, playing disc golf, playing video games, and reading.
He/Him/His
Taylor Fisher- Behavior Technician
Caitlin Watson- Behavior Technician
Taylor Fisher- Behavior Technician
Taylor is a behavior technician with our company. She is a full time student at Western Michigan University and is pursuing a bachelor's degree in accounting. She has experience with children in many capacities since she is also a substitute teacher. In her freetime, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, playing with her dog, and reading.
Jeff Brewer- Behavior Technician
Caitlin Watson- Behavior Technician
Taylor Fisher- Behavior Technician
Jeff is a new technician here with us. Jeff grew up on the other side of the state in a small town called Coleman, MI. He has a passion for children with Autism that grew from helping raise his niece. His dream job is helping juvenile delinquents. When he's not working, Jeff enjoys motorcycles, listening to music, and hanging out with his two pet cats he shares with his girlfriend, Kelsey, who also works for the company. He is very happy to be a part of the ABSI team!
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Caitlin Watson- Behavior Technician
Caitlin Watson- Behavior Technician
Caitlin Watson- Behavior Technician
Caitlin is a behavior technician with our company. More info to come!
Pronouns: She/They
Liz Ferrier- Behavior Technician
Addy Edgington- Behavior Technician
Caitlin Watson- Behavior Technician
Liz is a behavior technician with our company. More info to come!
Addy Edgington- Behavior Technician
Addy Edgington- Behavior Technician
Addy Edgington- Behavior Technician
Addy is a 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
Whitney Penn- Behavior Technician
Addy Edgington- Behavior Technician
Addy Edgington- Behavior Technician
Whitney is a behavior technician with our company. She loves working with kids. She wants to be a good influence and help out her new clients.She also works for Dean Transportation as a Bus Aide for children with special needs. She's also a Big Alumni advocate for foster care children and teens. She continues to fight for the child welfare community for children/teens in foster care. She grew up locally and has taken some college courses at MSU and GRCC. She plans to continue her college career this summer and aims to get a Bachelor's degree in Social Work. She is also a mother to a 2 yr old daughter who motivates her to be the best she can be every day.
Kenzie Trammell- Behavior Technician
Kenzie Trammell- Behavior Technician
Kenzie Trammell- Behavior Technician
Kenzie is a Behavioral Technician with us. She is working towards her Bachelors Degree of Science from Grand Valley State University. She has a passion for working with the youth! In her free time she enjoys photography, nature and spending time with her family.
Luis Robles- Behavior Technician
Kenzie Trammell- Behavior Technician
Kenzie Trammell- Behavior Technician
Luis is a behavior technician with us. Luis was born in Lima, Peru and came to the U.S. in 2002. Luis is currently studying Exercise Science with a minor in Psychology at Grand Valley State University. In his free time, Luis enjoys playing video games, weight lifting, and playing with his dog Phoebe
He/Him/His
Logan Mallery- Behavior Technician
Kenzie Trammell- Behavior Technician
Logan Mallery- Behavior Technician
Logan is a new behavior technician with us. They currently are a student at Grand Rapids Community College with plans to transfer to Grand Valley for nursing. They have a passion for learning and enjoy meeting new people. In their free time they like to play chess, go out with friends, watch movies, and go to concerts or music festivals.
He/They
Ronie Gipe- Behavior Technician
Lauren Williams - Behavior Technician
Logan Mallery- Behavior Technician
Ronie is a behavior technician with us and also currently works as a paraprofessional at an elementary school in Kentwood. She is going to college, and her goal is to get her bachelors degree in something associated with working with children with special needs. She has worked with children with special needs since she was in high school, and it has become very important to her!
Lauren Williams - Behavior Technician
Lauren Williams - Behavior Technician
Lauren Williams - Behavior Technician
Lauren is currently a Grand Valley student working towards her undergraduate degree in Behavioral Neuroscience with minors in Psychology and Juvenile Justice. She is also working towards being a Registered Behavioral Technician. In her freetime, Lauren likes to cuddle up with her cat, Boba, and watch tv and eat ice cream, play video games, and exercise.
Prounous: She/they
Amber Luckett - Behavior Technician
Lauren Williams - Behavior Technician
Lauren Williams - Behavior Technician
Amber is a psychology major at Grand Valley State University. She has a passion for teaching children and has worked with children for about four years. She enjoys hiking, kayaking, reading, painting, and spending quality time with her friends and family.
Anna Morris - Behavior Technician
Alaysia Brewer - Behavior Technician
Alaysia Brewer - Behavior Technician
Anna Morris is one of our behavior technicians. She graduated from Rockford Highschool in 2020. While in highschool she attended Kent Career Tech Center, taking a class in Health and rehabilitation which focused on people with disabilities. She has been working with kids for 4 years as a nanny and in a daycare setting as well. Coming from a very large family, she has grown to understand children who have disabilities as it hits home having cousins who were born with disabilities. This has also made her grow a large soft spot for this field as an ABA therapist. In her free time she enjoys being outdoors, spending time with friends & family, three cats and one dog!
Pronouns: She, her, hers.
Alaysia Brewer - Behavior Technician
Alaysia Brewer - Behavior Technician
Alaysia Brewer - Behavior Technician
Alaysia is one of our behavior technicians. 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, her, hers.
Liz Heyman - Behavior Technician
Alaysia Brewer - Behavior Technician
Liz Heyman - Behavior Technician
Liz is a behavior technician with our company. More info to come!
Stephanie Reid - RBT
Stephanie Reid - RBT
Liz Heyman - Behavior Technician
Stephanie is an RBT (registered behavior technician) with our company.
She currently holds an Associates degree in Human Services, with an emphasis in child development. She is also progressing towards a Bachelors Degree in Psychology, emphasizing in ABA. She is very passionate about ABA as she has seen it change many families' and childrens' lives over the past 10 years. She aspired to become A BCBA in the future to help even more families and children on the spectrum.
She was first introduced to working with children with ASD and other intellectual disabilities while working as an assistant teacher in a special education classroom while in high school. In short, It was an amazing experience. Later she was introduced to ABA while working for another agency. She was able to observe first hand the way it changes lives. To put it lightly, she was hooked! She continued working hard to become an RBT so that she could be a part of the solution and help improve the quality of life of others. She has had the honor of working with kids from ages 18 months to 21 years old with a wide variance in maladaptive behaviors and barriers to learning. In the past she has specialized in high intensity maladaptation behaviors. This comes from a background of working in a residential setting with individuals with intellectual disabilities and high intensity behaviors.
In addition to this she is also a mom of 4 beautiful daughters ranging from ages 12 years old and to 2 years old. Being a mother is the best thing that has happened to her, apart from the successes she has been able to experience due to my career. As a family she enjoys taking walks on trails, playing family games, learning new things, and spending time with other family and friends. Their favorite places to go are state parks and the beautiful beaches of Lake Michigan.
She is so excited to have the opportunity to work with you and your children and to be a part of the growth to come. Thank you for trusting in us to provide the best therapy for your children and thank you for letting us be a part of your journey.