Zandra Marie Santella, MA, BCBA

Founder & CEO

Zandra stepped into the world of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) in 2014, kicking off what would become a fulfilling journey in the field. She earned her Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst (BCaBA) credential in 2018, followed by a Master’s degree in ABA in 2019, and finally securing her Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) certification in 2020.

For over a decade, Zandra has been dedicated to working with autistic children and their families, spanning ages 2 to 20 with various skill sets and challenges in home, school, community, and clinic settings.

In 2020, Zandra founded Beauty in Behavior, originally as a blog but later evolving it into a comprehensive platform offering behavior analytic solutions to anyone in need.

Beyond her entrepreneurial ventures, Zandra is committed to promoting diversity and inclusion in ABA. She co-founded the Asian & Pacific Islander Association for Behavior Analysis (APIABA), aiming to foster collaboration, share ABA knowledge, and tackle barriers faced by Asian and Pacific Islander communities.

Her dedication to spreading ABA principles and nurturing the field reflects her belief in compassionate and inclusive practices, ensuring that the benefits of behavior analysis are accessible to all.

Nicole Ferdowsian, M.Ed., BCBA, LBA

Director of supervision

Nicole began her career in 2012 as a teacher, working in both general and special education classrooms. It wasn't until she began teaching in a self-contained special education classroom that she learned about the science of Applied Behavior Analysis. Nicole had the privilege of working alongside her district BCBA to support students, and staff, through development and implementation of Behavior Intervention Plans and evidence-based techniques to promote skill acquisition. She quickly fell in love with the science after seeing all the positive gains her students made and decided to pursue a graduate program. Nicole became a Licensed and Board Certified Behavior Analyst in 2018 and now has experience working in school, clinic, and home settings, servicing clients ranging from ages 2 to 20. Her passion lies within teaching and disseminating the science of behavior analysis to stakeholders, as well as the future generation of behavior analysts, through techniques such as Behavioral Skills Training. In her supervision work, Nicole emphasizes the importance of identifying and staying true to your values to best serve others. It is so reinforcing when others begin to recognize the beauty in behavior analysis, and how our methods can help individuals better navigate the world, advocate for themselves, and achieve their personal goals.

Courtney Jackson, MA, BCBA

director of Caregiver support

Courtney became a BCBA in 2017 and has over 10 years of experience working with the neurodiverse population, ages 6 months to 18 years. Her journey began when she worked as a behavior therapist and early interventionist in 2011. The introduction to ABA and the opportunity to work with the neurodiverse population got her hooked! Her primary role as a BCBA was working with the families of autistic children to target increasing skills, identifying positive supports, and improving overall quality of life. Courtney found her true passion in teaching and coaching parents in implementing strategies to support their child, while feeling empowered and more connected. Through the years of working in the field of ABA, Courtney has collaborated with speech and language pathologists, occupational therapists, mental health professionals, caregivers, teachers, funding sources, and endless school staff, to broaden her scope and understanding of various therapeutic approaches. In 2019, Courtney had her son and realized how empowering it is to have the knowledge of behavioral sciences, in parenting. Becoming a parent further shaped her caring and compassionate approach to behavior-teaching procedures while instilling autonomy, independence and confidence.