Executive Board

Originally from Ohio, I lived in Florida since 1988 and moved to Colorado in 2014. I have been a Florida Certified Behavior Analyst since 1989 and a Board Certified Behavior Analyst since 2008. I owned and operated a behavioral consulting firm for 14 years, with 30 employees, providing behavior analysis services throughout Florida for individuals with developmental disabilities as well as mental health problems, for both children and adults.

I mainly concentrated on children with developmental disabilities, with a specialization in autism, and individuals who were dually diagnosed. I have experience in clinic and home-based settings, as well as residential and institutional settings. I have worked in the field of developmental disabilities for over 30 years and directed clinical services for several agencies. I have worked in direct care, management, and government. I worked in state government assisting the Senior Behavior Analyst, overseeing behavioral services throughout Florida, including developing regulations in the Home and Community Based Medicaid Waiver as well as helping develop regulations regarding the use of restraint and seclusion, oversight and monitoring of behavior analysis services, and residential licensing of group homes.

I have directed clinical services for a number of agencies and have provided direct service to individuals with autism and developmental disabilities. I specialize in working with persons with severe problem behaviors. I have a passion for behavior analysis and its value in the lives people with autism and developmental disabilities. I have done research on behavioral procedures and training of behavior analysts. I am also a professional guardian for a young man with a developmental disability and have seen how ABA has had such a positive impact this has had on his quality of life.

I am currently the Chief Operating Officer for Firefly Autism. I have been a part of legislative efforts, here in Colorado, including helping get Medicaid funding for ABA, eliminating caps for HIMAT, and expanding Medicaid Waiver services. I have helped Firefly Autism become a national leader in the ethical and effective, state-of-the-art behavioral services for individuals with autism and related disorders.

I have a passion for behavior analysis and its value in the lives people with autism and developmental disabilities. I have done research on behavioral procedures and training of behavior analysts. I have worked directly with children and adults and have seen tremendous impact ABA has on the their lives. I am also a professional guardian for a young man with a developmental disability and have seen how ABA has had such a positive impact this has had on his quality of life. In the words of Catherine Maurice, “Behavior analysis saves lives”. I have seen this first hand …

Rebecca Urbano Powell is the Executive Director of Seven Dimensions Behavioral Health. Rebecca has been working in the field of ABA since 2001 in clinic, community, home, and school settings. From 2005-2014, she helped start and grow the ABA Program in Tustin Unified School District in Orange County, CA to 80+ ABA staff and 120+ students. Rebecca has co-authored and led teacher/staff trainings in ABA, behavior management systems, and inclusive schooling for district employees and BCBA level clinicians. Rebecca is passionate about implementing organizational behavior management strategies to improve employee performance and client experience. Her current passion project is advocating for public policy to remove barriers to quality treatment across funding sources and settings, including medically necessary ABA in Colorado schools.

Jeff Kupfer received his doctoral degree in psychology from University of Florida, specializing in experimental analysis of behavior. He has conducted research in animal models of complex learning and psychopathology, as well as research examining environmental influences on bipedal travel in persons with visual loss. Jeff is a licensed psychologist in Massachusetts, Colorado, and Nebraska, a doctoral-level Board Certified Behavior Analyst and is a Founder and Trustee for the Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies. Jeff has been practicing behavior analysis since 1984 specializing in the treatment of severe behavioral disorders in persons with brain injury, developmental disabilities, mental illness, and other neurological disorders. He has published in the areas of behavior analysis, pharmacology, and visual impairments, and has served as a guest reviewer and guest editor for professional journals including The Behavior Analyst, Perspectives on Behavior Science, and Brain Injury. Jeff is a consultant for learning Services Neurobehavioral Institute-West in Colorado. His Research interests include delay discounting and impulsivity in persons with brain injury. Jeff enjoys hiking, training for triathlons, and walking with his two dogs.

Emily Ice is the Executive Director of Step-In Autism Services and a behavioral sleep treatment mentor for Behavior Analysts across the globe. As ED, she understands the challenges associated with accessing funding sources necessary for providing quality care. She has been actively involved in Medicaid reform for Alaskan Medicaid and has co-led the COABA Medicaid subcommittee to advocate for Colorado ABA stakeholders. It is her aim to continue this advocacy and improve the Colorado Medicaid coverage for ABA.

As a behavioral sleep treatment mentor, Emily strives to increase access to ABA for treatment of sleep disturbances. Emily’s doctorate research focuses on the behavioral conceptualization of sleep and analyzing contingencies affecting sleep. Since 2001, she has worked with families, children, and adults experiencing developmental disabilities in home and center-based settings, witnessing the impact that sleep treatment and ABA has on the entire family unit. Emily’s passion is to empower Behavior Analysts to become sleep curators for their clients.

Sarah Lichtenberger is the Assistant Director of Ethics for the Ethics Department at the Behavior Analyst Certification Board®. She earned her Ph.D. in Behavior Analysis from Western Michigan University. She completed her postdoctoral fellowship at the Kennedy Krieger Institute in the Neurobehavioral Unit Outpatient Clinic. She has 10 years of clinical experience specifically with a focus in early intervention and severe problem behavior.

I have been given the opportunity to serve at great organizations throughout my career as a BCBA. From Developmental Pathways in Aurora to private organizations such as Easter Seals, Firefly/Aspen Center for Autism, and Trumpet. I grew the foundations of my own business, Tanner Autism Services of Colorado, and have been serving as CEO there since 2016. I enjoy taking advantage of the beauty in the mountains in my spare time, and spending time with friends.