Areas of Expertise
- Behavior analysis, early intensive intervention, evidence-based practice, clinical decision making, staff training, autism assessment, medical necessity for ABA, outcome measurement
Education
- B.A. in psychology (advanced), University of Manitoba (1997)
- M.A. in applied behavior analysis, Western Michigan University (2003)
- MBA in healthcare management, Florida Institute of Technology (2016)
- Ph.D. in psychology (behavior analysis), Western Michigan University (2004)
What's My Why?
My why is rooted in a deep commitment to improving the lives of autistic individuals and supporting the families and professionals who care for them. Throughout my career, I have been driven by the belief that behavior analysis, as a science, offers a powerful and effective framework for creating meaningful change when it is applied with compassion, consistency, integrity and heart. I am passionate about building clinical systems that not only produce meaningful outcomes for children and families, but also develop strong teams, future leaders and sustainable models of care. For me, the work is about creating access, raising standards and ensuring that every child and family receives services that are rooted in science, impactful and compassionate.
I teach because it keeps me informed on current challenges in training and provides me the opportunity to mentor and guide aspiring practitioners. My hope is to ensure the next generation of practitioners are prepared to take on challenges and the changing landscape of applied behavior analysis as a profession.
Professional Experience
I am a licensed psychologist and BCBA-D with 30 years of progressive experience supporting individuals with autism and developmental disabilities. As chief clinical officer at Autism Care Partners, I direct clinical strategy and operations across diagnostics, applied behavior analysis, speech therapy and occupational therapy. My expertise includes leading large-scale clinical operations and strategic initiatives within multi-regional service organizations. I also hold academic appointments at Brock University and the University of Massachusetts Lowell, serve on several advisory boards, and am treasurer on the board of directors of the Behavior Analyst Certification Board. Previously, I served as chief clinical officer of Little Leaves Behavioral Services and senior vice president of children’s services at the May Institute, following earlier roles at the Scott Center for Autism Treatment and Florida Institute of Technology.
Media Coverage
ABA Inside Track, Parent Magazine, Acuity News
Selected Publications
Britwum, Kwadwo, Chong, Ivy M., and Yanerys Leon. “A Participatory Action Research Collaborative (PARC) Approach to Building Research Infrastructure Across ABA Agencies.” Behavior Analysis in Practice, 2026, pp. 1-14.
Joseph, Andria, Chong, Ivy, Zofia Das-Gupta, Claudia Bandeira de Lima, Dennis Dixon, Svyatoslav Dovbnya, et al. “Development of a Standardized Set of Outcomes for Autism Spectrum Disorder: The International Consortium for Health Outcomes Measurement (ICHOM).” Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, vol. 117, 2024, article 102451.
Mulraney, Melissa, Umanga de Silva, Andria Joseph, et al. “International Consensus on Standard Outcome Measures for Neurodevelopmental Disorders: A Consensus Statement.” JAMA Network Open, vol. 7, no. 6, 2024, article e2416760.
Jimenez-Gomez, Corina, Sandhya Rajagopal, Regina Nastri, and Chong, Ivy M. “Matrix Training for Expanding the Communication of Toddlers and Preschoolers with Autism Spectrum Disorder.” Behavior Analysis in Practice, vol. 12, no. 2, 2019, pp. 375-386.
Jimenez-Gomez, Corina, Kacie McGarry, Emily Crochet, and Chong, Ivy M. “Training Behavioral Technicians to Implement Naturalistic Behavioral Interventions Using Behavioral Skills Training.” Behavioral Interventions, vol. 34, no. 3, 2019, pp. 396-404.