Women in Behavior Analysis - WIBA

12/12/2025

📣 Speaker Announcement for ! 📣

We are honored to announce that Dr. Sarah Lichtenberger, Ph.D., is an invited speaker at WIBA's Women Behaving Boldly Virtual Conference on January 15th & 16th, 2026!

Dr. Lichtenberger is a distinguished leader whose career has been defined by clinical excellence and an unwavering commitment to ethics. She earned her Ph.D. in Behavior Analysis from Western Michigan University and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the prestigious Kennedy Krieger Institute.

Dr. Lichtenberger's Bold Commitment:
⏺ Ethics Leadership: Dr. Lichtenberger served as the Ethics Education Manager and Assistant Director of Ethics at the Behavior Analyst Certification Board® (BACB®), overseeing critical initiatives to strengthen ethical decision-making worldwide.

⏺ Clinical Excellence: With over 10 years of clinical experience, she specializes in early intervention and the assessment and treatment of severe interfering behavior.

⏺ Community Advocacy: She actively contributes to the professional community as an Ethics Subject Matter Expert for APBA, a board member for COABA, and a member of the Behaviorists for Social Responsibility Sustainability work group.

As Dr. Lichtenberger notes: "Every aspect of behavioral service delivery comes back to ethics. When we strengthen ethical repertoires across our field, we strengthen the lives of every person we serve."

🤔 Wonder what critical topic she will be discussing—perhaps ethics in practice or the future of professional development? Titles, abstracts, and learning objectives for all speakers are coming soon! Keep an eye out for updates!

Don't miss the chance to learn from this leading voice in ethics and clinical integrity!

Secure your spot for the two-day, two-track virtual event now - for just $99 for 30 CEUs: https://behaviorlive.com/conferences/wiba-boldly26/registration

12/11/2025

Introducing the 22nd annual Forbes list of the World's 100 Most Powerful Women: https://www.forbes.com/lists/power-women/?utm_campaign=ForbesMainFB&utm_source=ForbesMainFacebook&utm_medium=social

The list was determined by four main metrics: money, media, impact and spheres of influence.

These 100 —including 17 newcomers—command a collective $37 trillion in economic power and influence more than 1 billion people.

Illustration: Oriana Fenwick for Forbes

12/10/2025

🚀 Speaker Announcement for ! 🚀

We are incredibly excited to announce that Portia James, M.A., BCBA, is an invited speaker at WIBA's Women Behaving Boldly Virtual Conference on January 15th & 16th, 2026!

Portia James is a highly sought-after BCBA and Organizational Behavior Management (OBM) Specialist dedicated to creating workplaces people don’t have to recover from. As the Founder & CEO of Behavior Genius® and co-founder of Genius Operations™, she helps businesses scale ethically and sustainably.

Portia's Bold Mission in Action:

⏺️ Radical OBM & Workplace Safety: She is a leading voice in applying OBM to build inclusive and psychologically safe environments, detailed in her 2023 book, "Radical OBM: Organizational Behavior Management for Regular Folks."

⏺️ Systems Change: Portia’s philosophy is grounded in the idea that ABA must serve a socially significant purpose through systems that prevent burnout and address workplace trauma and systemic issues.

⏺️ Equity & Inclusion: She is a fierce advocate and builder of bridges for Black business owners and champions expanding leadership opportunities for historically excluded groups within the field.

As Portia often states "Effective behavior change at the organizational level is just as important as change at the individual level—and both are essential to the future of the field."

🤔 Wonder what she will be presenting on—perhaps building ethical organizations or achieving radical impact? Titles, abstracts, and learning objectives for all speakers are coming soon! Keep an eye out for updates!

Secure your spot for the two-day, two-track virtual event now: https://behaviorlive.com/conferences/wiba-boldly26/registration

$99 for 20 CEUs!

12/10/2025

Women in Behavior Analysis just reached 25,000 followers on LinkedIn!

Thank you to every clinician, researcher, educator, student, and leader who has joined this community of practice. Your engagement is what makes WIBA a space where behavior analysts come together to learn, uplift one another, and push our field forward.

This milestone reflects more than a number—it represents a growing network committed to elevating women’s voices, strengthening mentorship, celebrating scientific excellence, and expanding opportunities across behavior analysis.

We are grateful for your support and excited for what lies ahead, including WBB Virtual in January 2026 and the annual WIBA conference in July, 2026 in Chicago, upcoming volunteer opportunities, and new professional spotlights for our global community.

Thank you for helping us grow, connect, and inspire. 🥰
Onward to the next 25K and beyond.

https://www.linkedin.com/company/51645742/admin/dashboard/

12/09/2025

Grace Hopper and her team were troubleshooting the Mark II computer at Harvard in 1947 when they discovered the source of their malfunction: a moth, trapped between the contacts of a relay. With characteristic wit and precision, Hopper carefully taped the deceased insect into the logbook and wrote beneath it, "First actual case of bug being found." The moth is still there today, preserved in the Smithsonian. It was typical Hopper -- meticulous, clever, and always looking for ways to make the abstract world of computing more tangible and human.

Born on this day in 1906, Rear Admiral Grace Murray Hopper would go on to revolutionize how humans and computers communicate, teaching machines to understand our language rather than forcing us to speak in theirs. Her desire to make computers more accessible led Hopper to invent the compiler in 1952, which allowed for the use of English instructions as opposed to numerical code that had to be interpreted by a computer. She also co-invented the Common Business Oriented Language (COBOL), the first universal computer language used in business and government.

Considered by many “the first lady of software,” Grace Hopper was a visionary who consistently demonstrated her interest in pushing boundaries and exploring new territories. As journalist Morley Safer, who interviewed Hopper for 60 Minutes in 1983, observed: "She is more than just a superb mathematical talent; it was Grace Hopper who helped teach the machines a language, stopped them from speaking in undecipherable numbers, enabled them to speak in English or French or German or whatever language you choose." She was also a mathematics professor during a time when such careers were highly unusual for women and was actively involved with the U.S. Navy for over 40 years.

Dr. Hopper was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016 by President Barack Obama. In a speech, he commended her decades of service, observing: "While the women who pioneered software were often overlooked, the most prestigious award for young computer scientists now bears her name. From cell phones to cyber command, we can thank Grace Hopper for opening programming to millions more people, helping to usher in the information age and profoundly shaping our digital world."

To inspire kids with Grace Hopper's remarkable story, we highly recommend the picture book, "Grace Hopper: Queen of Computer Code” for ages 5 to 9 at https://www.amightygirl.com/hopper-queen-of-code

She is also featured in a fun activity book about pioneering women in technology, which includes a variety of hands-on STEM projects: "Gutsy Girls Go for Science: Programmers" for ages 8 to 11 at https://www.amightygirl.com/gutsy-girls-programmers

For adult readers, we recommend the two excellent biographies on this technology trailblazer, we recommend "Grace Hopper: Admiral of the Cyber Sea" (https://www.amightygirl.com/grace-hopper-cyber-sea) and "Grace Hopper and the Invention of the Information Age" (https://www.amightygirl.com/grace-hopper-information-age)

For a fun way to celebrate this pioneering computer scientist, she is among several women of science featured on the "Greatest Women in Science Socks" for teens and adults at https://www.amightygirl.com/greatest-women-in-science-socks

For more books for all ages starring girls and women who love science, visit our blog post, "60 Books to Inspire Science-Loving Mighty Girls," at https://www.amightygirl.com/blog?p=13914

12/08/2025

📣 Speaker Announcement for ! 📣

We are delighted to announce that Dr. Mirari Elcoro, Ph.D., BCBA-D, LABA, will be an invited speaker at WIBA's Women Behaving Boldly Virtual Conference on January 15th & 16th, 2026!

Dr. Elcoro is a Professor of Psychology & Philosophy at Framingham State University and a dedicated scholar who bridges basic science with application. She received her M.S. and Ph.D. in Behavior Analysis from West Virginia University.

Dr. Elcoro's Bold Focus:
⏺ Integrating Disciplines: Her primary research and teaching interests lie at the fascinating intersection of Behavior Analysis and Neuroscience, integrating knowledge from the history of science and behavioral pharmacology.

⏺ Basic to Applied: She has conducted research in the experimental analysis of behavior and successfully applies behavioral principles outside the laboratory.

⏺ Mentorship & Education: Dr. Elcoro is passionate about the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning and has taken on significant leadership roles, including director of faculty mentoring and co-creator of the faculty of color mentoring program at Framingham State University.

🤔 Wonder what intriguing topic she will be exploring—perhaps the behavioral neuroscience connection? Titles, abstracts, and learning objectives for all speakers are coming soon! Keep an eye out for updates!

Don't miss the opportunity to learn from this leader in academic research and mentorship!

Secure your spot for the two-day, two-track virtual event now: https://behaviorlive.com/conferences/wiba-boldly26/registration

12/06/2025

🎉

The MIT graduate made history, unseating Lucy Guo, Taylor Swift and Kylie Jenner.

12/05/2025

📣 Speaker Announcement for ! 📣
We are thrilled to announce that Tiki Fiol, MS, BCBA, is an invited speaker at WIBA's Women Behaving Boldly Virtual Conference on January 15th & 16th, 2026!

Tiki is the President of Teaching Interventions Keeping Individuality, Inc., and brings over 20 years of diverse experience providing ABA across multiple environments, from schools and homes to residential facilities.

Tiki's Bold Expertise & Impact:
⏺ Complex Case Consultation: Tiki has extensive clinical experience working with the most intensive and challenging behaviors, including assisting clients with medical/dental desensitization and working with registered s*x offenders.

⏺ Ethics and Legal Expertise: She is a recognized ABA Expert Witness, consulting with public and private entities, including the State Attorney’s Office in the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.

⏺ Organizational Leadership: Tiki is highly active in state and national advocacy, currently serving as the Secretary for the Florida Association for Behavior Analysis (FABA) and an elected Member at Large for the Association of Professional Behavior Analysts (APBA). She is also a Founding Officer and Past President of the Association for Behavior Analysis of Brevard (ABAB).

⏺ Training & Mentorship: She provides clinical oversight and mentorship to developing practitioners, ensuring strong, sound, and ethical practice.

🤔 Wonder what she will be presenting on—perhaps complex case work, ethical challenges, or leadership? Titles, abstracts, and learning objectives for all speakers are coming soon! Keep an eye out for updates!

Don't miss the chance to learn from this leader in clinical practice, ethics, and professional advocacy!

Secure your spot for the two-day, two-track virtual event now: https://behaviorlive.com/conferences/wiba-boldly26/registration

12/03/2025

🚀 Speaker Announcement for ! 🚀

We are incredibly excited to announce a true pioneer, Dr. Maranda Trahan, PhD, BCBA-D, will be an invited speaker at WIBA's Women Behaving Boldly Virtual Conference on January 15th & 16th, 2026!

Dr. Trahan is a nationally recognized leader in aging-related behavior services and is co-coordinating senior care programming at Abilities Behavior Services (Trinity Services). Her work merging Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) with dementia care has been groundbreaking!

Dr. Trahan's Bold Achievements:
⏺ Pioneering ABA Gerontology: Dr. Trahan launched the nation’s first ABA clinical practice dedicated to seniors with dementia in Florida back in 2014, redefining support for older adults with cognitive decline.

⏺ Specialized Expertise: She specializes in behavioral assessment, caregiver training, and program development for older adults with and without dementia.

⏺ National Training & Development: Following her postdoctoral fellowship at Johns Hopkins University, she now develops training materials for clinicians nationwide on managing the behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia.

Dr. Trahan's vision and dedication are paving the way for practitioners to bring compassionate, evidence-based strategies into gerontology.

🤔 Wonder what she will be presenting on—perhaps a masterclass in behavioral gerontology? Titles, abstracts, and learning objectives for all speakers are coming soon! Keep an eye out for updates!

Don't miss the chance to learn from a leader who is defining the future of ABA in aging care!

Secure your spot for the two-day, two-track virtual event now: https://behaviorlive.com/conferences/wiba-boldly26/registration

Early 🐦 registration $99 for 20 CEUs!

12/01/2025

📣 Speaker Announcement for ! 📣

We are honored to welcome Dr. Charna Mintz, Ph.D., BCBA-D, as an invited speaker for WIBA's Women Behaving Boldly Virtual Conference on January 15th & 16th, 2026!

Dr. Mintz is a powerhouse in the field, currently leading all clinical delivery, management, and research efforts for Action Behavior. She directs the clinical council, ensuring all processes align with BACB ethical standards and driving the analysis of clinical data for research.

Dr. Mintz's Bold Impact:

⏺ National Leadership: She is a dedicated Board Member for the Association of Professional Behavior Analysts (APBA), having served a presidential term that concluded in 2023.

⏺ Advocacy & Policy: As a former President of the Washington Association for Behavior Analysis (WABA), Dr. Mintz successfully co-chaired the legislative committee that saw the passage of the behavior analyst licensure bill into law in 2015.

⏺ Extensive Experience: With her BCBA certification since 2004, her background spans significant roles including Vice President of Clinical Operations, Chief BCBA at a large adult residential facility, and Clinical Director for early intervention programs.

🤔 Wonder what insights she will be sharing on clinical research, ethics, or leadership? Titles, abstracts, and learning objectives for all speakers are coming soon! Keep an eye out for updates!

Don't miss the chance to learn from this influential leader in ABA clinical practice and policy!

Secure your spot for the two-day, two-track virtual event now: https://behaviorlive.com/conferences/wiba-boldly26/home

Early 🐦 rate: $99 for 20 CEUs!

11/30/2025

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