How I got here
I'm a first-generation American. My parents are Portuguese immigrants, and growing up between two cultures — two languages, two ways of seeing the world — taught me something early: you can't truly help someone until you understand where they're coming from.
I stumbled into this field. Genuinely.
I was studying psychology in undergrad when a job posting for a BT crossed my path. I didn't have a plan. I just applied. And from the very first session, I knew I was exactly where I was supposed to be.
Working with children and families felt right in a way nothing else had. So I stayed. And as I worked under different BCBAs — some who were exceptional, some who weren't — something became very clear to me.
The quality of supervision changes everything. It changes what a BT believes they're capable of. It changes how a family experiences care. It changes what a child's day actually looks like.
I saw both sides. And I decided I didn't want to be a bystander. I wanted to be part of the change.
That decision is why I became a BCBA. And it still drives everything I do.
"I saw what good supervision does for a BT. And I saw what bad supervision takes away. I couldn't unsee either."
The good BCBAs I worked under showed me what this field can be at its best. They checked in before sessions. They asked what I thought. They explained the why behind every decision. They made me feel like my presence mattered — not just my data sheets.
The not-so-good ones showed me something too. What it feels like to implement programs you don't fully understand. To have your concerns brushed aside. To dread the supervision visit instead of looking forward to it. To slowly start doubting yourself in a job you once loved.
I watched what that did to BTs around me. To their confidence. To the quality of care their clients received. To how long they stayed in the field before burning out.
I decided that if I was going to become a BCBA, I was going to do it differently. Not perfectly — but intentionally. With the BT's growth and the family's experience at the center of every decision.
That's still the standard I hold myself to every day.
What I actually think is wrong
Our field talks a lot about hours. How many hours of ABA. How to get more hours approved. How to keep the hours going.
I think we've gotten it backwards.
Kids don't need more hours in a room with a therapist. Kids need their families to understand them. And families can only do that when we actually invest in teaching them — not just servicing a caseload.
We should be working ourselves out of a job. Every session should bring a family closer to not needing us anymore. There should always be a plan to reduce hours, to build independence, to hand the tools back to the people who will be there long after we're gone.
That's the work I believe in. That's the standard I hold myself to.
Who I show up for
A lot of the families I work with are immigrant families. Families navigating a system that wasn't built with them in mind, in a language that might not be their first, carrying a cultural context that gets ignored more often than it should.
I see you. I'm with you. I will meet you where you are — always, respectfully, without judgment.
That's not just a professional stance. It's personal. I grew up in a household where my parents were figuring out America in real time. I know what it means to need someone in your corner who actually gets it.
I want to be that person for the families I serve.
What I believe
- Families are the most important intervention. Professionals come and go. Families are the constant. We should be investing in them.
- Every behavior is communication. Even the loud ones. Especially the loud ones.
- BTs deserve real support. Not just task lists. Not criticism disguised as supervision. Genuine mentorship.
- We are on the same team as the families we serve. Always. Even when it's complicated.
When I'm not working
I'm reading. I'm spending time with my little one. I'm probably drinking coffee and thinking about my next trip.
I keep my personal life mostly private here — but what I'll say is this: being a mom has made me a better BCBA in ways no training ever could. The humility it takes to raise a child is something I carry into every single session and supervision call.
Credentials
- Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA)
- International Behavior Analyst (IBA)
- Approved CEU provider through IBAO
- BACB + QABA provider approval coming August 2026
- 10+ years in early intervention
- 200+ families supported
- Bilingual: English + Portuguese
Credentials tell you what I've done. Values tell you who I am.