Founded and run by our team of educated individuals, VBA® prides itself on our diverse backgrounds in the Applied Behavior Analysis field and the passion we bring to our work. Our team has worked extensively with children who have been diagnosed with autism amongst other developmental disabilities.
Matthew Howarth, PhD, BCBA-D
Dr. Howarth started VBA® in 2012 after earning his Ph.D. in Applied Behavioral Analysis at the Teachers College at Columbia University in New York, New York. Dr. Howarth, up to and including his work at VBA®, has been providing ABA services for 20 years and has been working with children in educational settings for almost three decades. His vast experience includes a term of service as the State Director of Beacon Services of Connecticut, an early intervention agency which provides ABA services to children from birth to the age of three, and a term of service as the Supervisor of Resources for Students with Autism for the San Diego Unified School District (the “District”). During his time with the District, Dr. Howarth successfully trained District teachers and paraprofessionals to proficiencies in providing ABA services to District students which rivaled those offered by Non-Public Agencies (“NPA’s”). In his work, Dr. Howarth strongly supports children, and promotes their development of verbal skills and inclusion in the least restrictive environment.
Dr. Howarth is an expert in a variety of evidence based pedagogical practices, in advancing the language capabilities of children with language delays and autism, in constructing positive behavior plans based on functional analysis assessments, and in developing staff training models. Additionally, he believes that if a child is struggling, the teacher must modify his or her procedures until the child demonstrates success. His child-centric and data-driven philosophies coupled with his sensitivity to each individual student, have created an environment at VBA® in which children are making enormous developmental strides.
Heather O'Shea, Ph.D., BCBA-D, President
Dr. Heather O’Shea has spent over 20 years working with families and children with special needs. She earned her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from California School of Professional Psychology, specializing in services with children and families in the educational, medical, and legal systems. She started her career in Applied Behavior Analysis in 2004 and enrolled in the very first BACB Course Sequence ever offered in California, getting her BCBA in 2005. She worked as a Case Manager, Clinical Director, and Chief Clinical Officer before joining VBA® as President in 2020. She is proud to oversee an organization committed to providing evidence-based intervention and specializing in serving clients with profound needs. She is a regular presenter at national conferences and was appointed to the Council of Autism Service Providers (CASP) Board of Directors in 2024. Her commitment to quality service delivery, ethics, training and mentorship have driven her dedication to the field. Her mission is to impact the field and leave a lasting positive impact on all of those impacted by and committed to improving the lives of those touched by autism.
Elizabeth Sarto, PhD, BCBA-D
Dr. Sarto is a Clinical Director at VBA®, and is a principal architect of VBA’s curriculum. Dr. Sarto grew up in New York, where she received her education and training in the field of special education. She received her Ph.D in Applied Behavior Analysis from Teachers College at Columbia University in 2017. Prior to that, she earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Fordham University in 2004, and a Master of Science in Teaching with certifications in early childhood education and special education from Fordham University in 2007.
Dr. Sarto has been working with children with Autism, implementing applied behavior analysis, and training teachers, for over a decade. During that time, she has provided in-home and in-school direct service to children, formulated and implemented individualized education plans, developed research-based curriculum, and trained teachers to implement applied behavior analytic instructional procedures. Before joining VBA®, Dr. Sarto served as a Special Education Itinerant Teacher (“SEIT”) at some of the leading agencies in the New York City area including YAI/New York League for Early Learning and AHRC, and as a classroom teacher in CABAS® schools.
Dr. Sarto completed intensive research in an effort to further the curriculum for VBA® and to improve client services. Specifically, she conducted a study on the components involved in effective teacher supervision and training. Dr. Sarto’s research endeavors drive the philosophy of VBA® of providing data-driven services to provide the optimal results for its clients.
Lyndsi Patton, M.Ed., BCBA, Director of Insurance Services
As Director of Insurance Services for Verbal Behavior Associates, Lyndsi orchestrates services provided by a team of incredibly dedicated professionals. She and her team strive to treat their VBA families as they do their very own. Lyndsi has been with VBA® since 2021 and has over 20 years of experience working with children and adults with developmental disabilities including autism. She has a passion for helping children find their own special interests. Lyndsi is proud to be part of a team that exemplifies her verve for navigating the complex world of autism and improving quality of life as it is defined uniquely by each family and client.
Lyndsi loves surfing, diving, biking, and enjoying the outdoors in general.
Kyle Motherspaw, M.Ed., BCBA, Director of Retention
Kyle Motherspaw, M.Ed., BCBA has worked in behavioral health services for over 16 years in a variety of settings and roles. Kyle attended the University of Redlands for his undergraduate degree in Psychology and earned his Masters of Education from Arizona State University. In 2008, he started his career in a residential treatment facility that provided treatment to male adolescents struggling with a variety of mental health and behavioral challenges. In 2010, Kyle moved to San Diego where he began his focus in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). Since starting in the field of ABA, he has worked in the home, clinic, public school, non-public school, and operations settings.
Kyle joined VBA® in 2017 with a focus on the delivery of clinical services. In 2018, he moved into the dual role of Scheduling Manager and Clinical Supervisor. Kyle oversaw the scheduling department for 5 years maximizing client service delivery, before transitioning into his current role as the Director of Retention in 2022. As the Director of Retention, he has the pleasure and honor of focusing on the quality of staff experience at VBA®. His mission is to continue to develop ways to increase staff satisfaction and longevity in the field of ABA.
Kathleen Burggren, M.S., Director of Talent Strategy
Kathleen Burggren serves as the Director of Talent Strategy at VBA®, bringing over 9 years of experience in developing and leading operations teams within the ABA industry. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Oklahoma and a Master of Science in Marketing from the University of North Texas. With a passion for leveraging technology-enabled solutions to optimize workflows, Kathleen is dedicated to ensuring quality service delivery for clients and families.
Andrew McNally, M.S., BCBA, Director of Special Education Services
Andrew McNally, M.S., BCBA is an accomplished education professional with over 18 years of experience in special education and behavior analysis. He is the current Director of Special Education Services at Verbal Behavior
Associates ®.
Previously, Andrew was the Director II of Special Education at Grossmont Union High School District, overseeing all Moderate/Severe and Adult Transition programs. Andrew also served as an ABA Supervisor at San Diego Unified School District and has held adjunct faculty positions at National University and San Diego State University, teaching graduate-level courses.
Andrew holds a Master of Science in Educational Counseling and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Virginia Tech. He is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and holds an Administrative Services Credential and a Pupil Personnel Services (PPS) Credential. His work has been recognized with several awards, including the “Above and Beyond” award by the San Diego Community Advisory Committee of Special Education. As a dedicated advocate for students with disabilities, Andrew has presented at various conferences, including the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) and the California Association for Behavior Analysis (CalABA).
Andrew is married to a special education teacher and they have two children.
Cleo Sczechowicz, M.S., BCBA, Assistant Director of Special Education Services
Cleo Sczechowicz is an Assistant Director of Special Education Services at VBA®. Cleo received her education and training in Boston, Massachusetts where she received her Masters degree in Applied Behavior Analysis from Simmons College in 2014 and earned a Bachelor of Science in Behavioral Neuroscience from Simmons College in 2007.
Cleo has been providing direct service to children and young adults in-home and in-school for over ten years. In more recent years, Cleo has been servicing school clients with severe problem behaviors across southern California. Cleo has conducted dozens of training sessions for school district employees and has trained school psychologists to conduct Functional Analyses as part of a Functional Behavior Assessments and to design and implement effective behavior intervention plans for their students.
In 2018, Cleo presented research at ABAI studying the efficacy of conducting Functional Analysis Assessments (FAA) in public school settings, and training school staff to implement behavior plans with fidelity based on FAA findings. Cleo also presented research sharing the results of a study looking at the efficacy of a treatment package comprised of a delay tolerance procedure followed by a denial tolerance procedure.
Heather Diaz, M.A., BCBA, Assistant Director of Special Education Services
Heather Diaz began working at VBA® as a behavior interventionist in 2012. Prior to this, Heather worked in education for several years in San Diego and Texas. She obtained her Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education from Point Loma Nazarene University, and a Masters degree in Psychology from Walden University. Throughout several years with VBA®, Heather developed her knowledge of Applied Behavior Analysis and achieved BCBA certification in 2016. Heather continues to support and nurture the mission statement of VBA ® through her ongoing work as an Assistant Director of Special Education Services, by collaborating with districts to provide quality and effective support to students and district employees, both at the paraprofessional and administrative levels.