Crystal Lo, VBA’s Clinical Director, started out as one of our Behavior Interventionists. Five years later she’s worked her way up and every day is still a surprise! After 5 years, Crystal has some amazing stories about why she loves VBA and what comes to her from the relationship. You also won’t believe what she hasn’t been telling us all these years…
Get to know Crystal; she’s a lovely person and puts her all into VBA. We’re very pleased to share her story, and encourage you to get to know her better in the near future. You can reach Crystal at crystal.lo@vbacalifornia.com.
- How long have you been at VBA and what is your position? I joined VBA as a Clinical Director in January, 2016…so it will be 5 years at the end of this year.
- What inspired you to pursue a career in this field? Like many clinical people here at VBA, I started as a Behavior Interventionist right out of undergrad. Getting to work with kids initially brought me to the job, but it was the parents who inspired me to keep going. In those first years I witnessed a lot. I actually watched three mothers completely upend their lives by leaving their spouses because they could not accept their child. I could not imagine; having all of your hopes and dreams for your child dashed by a diagnosis, and then having to navigate this new world that you’ve been thrown into alone, but without the support you thought you’d have. These families’ demonstrations of strength, sacrifice, resilience and moxie left an indelible mark on me. They helped me find my career, but more importantly they taught me what it
means to be a strong person. - What do you like the most about your position and the least? I enjoy the problem-solving process that’s associated with learning and programming for acquisition; not just at the client level, but also with staff training and development.
- If you weren’t at the office, what would you be doing instead? In another life I think I would love to be a visual merchandiser or be involved in event planning in some way. I get excited about every aspect of throwing an event (florals! invitations! color palettes!) and I love how these types of projects require so much attention to detail (yes, there is a HUGE difference between these 20 calligraphy font options that everyone thinks “looks the same” 😉
- How do you define success? I think it’s that point in life when you are truly content with who you are, where you are, and what you have.
- What three books would we find on your bookshelf at home? I have too many. But I will admit, if I don’t get into a book within the first few chapters, I most likely won’t ever finish it. I currently have about 5 books on my nightstand that are not that great. But when I do get into a book, I’ll finish it in one sitting. I did just receive the book Blindspots yesterday and look forward to reading it.
- How has outside knowledge or experiences prepared you for this role? The funny thing is, my entire life I’ve been insistent about NOT being a teacher…and then I ended up getting a PhD in (wait for it) TEACHING!. I believe I’ve learned the most in the couple years that I spent teaching. For my career, they are by far my most valuable experiences so far.
- What’s the most interesting place you’ve travelled to? Probably the Galapagos Islands
- What is one thing nobody at VBA knows about you? I won the gold medal for the running long jump at my school’s annual junior Olympics in 5th grade