Ray Cepeda, M.Ed., BCBA, Founder & Director
Ray Cepeda is the Founder and Director of ABAskills, LLC, a private consultation firm specializing in the education and treatment of children with autism and related learning differences. Mr. Cepeda gained his initial experience under the tutelage of consultants trained by Dr. O. Ivar Lovaas. After being hired by the Lovaas Institute and mentored by Scott Wright (CEO of Lovaas Institute) he became a Workshop Leader and was subsequently promoted to Clinic Supervisor. During his time with the Lovaas Institute Mr. Cepeda was instrumental in establishing a Lovaas Institute satellite office in South Orange, NJ where he supervised and trained a number of ABA therapists to implement the Lovaas model of applied behavior analysis. He completed BACB coursework requirements in applied behavior analysis with Dr. Vincent J. Carbone, Ed.D, BCBA-D and completed the BACB mentorship requirement with Dr. Bobby Newman, Ph.D., BCBA.
He has had over twenty-five years experience supervising home-based programs, functioning in administrative roles at private schools specializing in the education and treatment of children with autism utilizing the principles of applied behavior analysis, consulting with school-based programs around the metropolitan area, integrating and mainstreaming learners with autism into typical learning environments, training parents, and speaking at local and national conferences on topics regarding the use of behavior analytic teaching methodologies and program individualization for children with autism.
Mr. Cepeda is a recipient of the Award of Distinction from Long Island Advocates for his dedication and service to the autism community, and a former member of the Human Rights Committee for the New York Center for Autism Charter School in New York, NY.
Mr. Cepeda’s area of expertise is language development/communication for children who are both vocal and non-vocal.
Click Here for Mr. Cepeda’s Write-up on “Discrimination Training”
Marcia Questel, M.S. Ed., BCBA, Behavior/Program Consultant
Marcia Questel, BCBA, has a Master’s degree in Special Education (Concentration – Autism) and Graduate Certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis from Long Island University. She obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Developmental Psychology with a focus on autism and other developmental disorders, where her passion for researching executive functioning and Theory of Mind began. Her journey in this field started 18 years ago while volunteering in an early intervention center. It was at that time that autism became a part of her and her family’s lives. Since then, she has been dedicated to the autism community, finding the best practices in the field, and serving families. Previously, Marcia provided 1:1 instruction for children and adults, quality assurance management for an autism center in New York, and taught piano to children with autism and their siblings. Marcia is currently working in private practice, providing consultation and training for families and school faculty, and is a Content Editor for ASAT’s monthly publication, Science in Autism Treatment. In response to the current climate, she is conducting survey research regarding access to telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic, engaging in telehealth services through 121 Learning Works and ABA Skills, and is creating supportive content for parents and professionals.
Ms. Questel’s area of expertise is the use of behavioral principals in the context of play to facilitate natural and meaningful social engagement.
Jillian Doran, M.S., BCBA, LBA, ACE Coordinator
Jillian Doran is a Licensed Behavior Analyst and Clinical Coordinator at the Genesis/Eden II Outreach Behavior Clinic. She received her Master’s Degree in Neuroscience, Developmental Disabilities, and Mental Retardation at the College of Staten Island in 2012 and her BCBA from Florida Institute of Technology in 2015. Before joining Eden II Programs in June 2015, Jillian worked at the Marcus Autism Center in Atlanta, Georgia, focusing on decreasing severe behaviors in children and adults with autism. In addition to her work at Eden II Programs, Jillian serves as an active member of the New York State Association for Behavior Analysis (NYSABA), and the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI). Jillian’s research interests include decreasing severe behaviors in adults, the use of multiple schedules, and behavioral economics.
Marissa Ferguson, M.S., BCBA, Behavior/Program Consultant
Marissa Ferguson is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst with a Master’s of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology and a Bachelor’s Degree in Child Advocacy and Policy from Montclair State University. Marissa discovered her passion for working in behavioral science after finding the need for structured and individualized learning environments while working with adults with special needs in a day program setting. While completing her master’s degree, Marissa completed her clinical supervision at Alpine Learning Group in New Jersey. During her time at Alpine, she discovered her love for discrete trial instruction, using complex behavior chains to teach various life skills, and communicating the advantages of behavioral science in terminology accessible for individuals of different professional backgrounds. Currently, Marissa is the Firefly ABA founder and works as a home program coordinator providing supervision, staff training, family consultation, and working as a school and classroom consultant for ABAskills and other select agencies. Marissa specializes in creating visual systems for her learners to facilitate independence across home, school, work, and social settings. Her teaching philosophy is to prepare her learners for successfully navigating through their world while simultaneously looking to advocate for her learners by encouraging people to welcome and accept our learners for who they are.