Julie completed her undergraduate degree in Buffalo NY at Canisius College. It was here at this small college, where her interest in biology and psychology were ignited. The small school environment allowed her to become involved in research projects during her sophomore through senior years. This interest in research and the analysis of data/results motivated her to become a para-professional in an integrated special education preschool.  While working at the preschool, Julie learned about the field of Applied Behavior Analysis and how it was used to help children with Autism to learn pre-requisite skills and social behaviors. Julie attended numerous trainings and soon became an ABA tutor within the district and was involved in training other staff how to redirect behaviors, how to set up programs to teach certain skills and to modify the classroom to help students learn better. Julie graduated with a Master’s in Behavior Analysis from Simmons College in 2010. She completed her board exam and was certified as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst in January 2011.  

A colleague from the preschool recommended applying to Pilgrim Area Collaborative Extended Services (PACES) to complete Home Assessments and School consult as a Behavior Analyst. Julie has been with PACES since 2011, providing home services, parent training, district training, and consultation. She is also the consulting BCBA for the Pilgrim Area Collaborative middle, high school and transitional classrooms.