Meet The Team
Laura Cwynar, M.Ed., BCBA, LBS
Board Certified Behavior Analyst | Founder/CEO
Laura Cwynar is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst that has worked in the field of autism and special education for over 15 years. Laura received her Master of Education degree from the University of Pittsburgh with a major in Early Intervention with a specialization in autism. During her studies at Pitt, Laura earned her ABA certificate and was a recipient of the Early Intervention/Autism Specialization Scholarship. Laura has worked in both the home setting and private day school setting in Pittsburgh as well as Northern Virginia. She has worked with a variety of learners ages 2-22. Laura has been a Board Certified Behavior Analyst with the BACB since 2009. Laura’s areas of expertise include: language development, organizational behavior management and data collection and analysis. Laura loves data! She sees it as a way of showing the successes of her clients, team members and families that she works alongside. Laura is also passionate about disseminating ABA and enjoys teaching those around her about the positive impact of ABA. In her free time, Laura enjoys gardening and spending time with her family, friends, cats and chickens.
Cara Thomson, M.Ed., BCBA, LBS
Board Certified Behavior Analyst
Cara Thomson is a Pittsburgh native who grew up in the South Hills. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Saint Vincent College in 2017 and went on to complete a Masters in Education in Child Psychology from Duquesne University in 2019. Cara also completed a graduate certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis through The Pennsylvania State University. Cara joined the ABAS team in 2019 as an RBT and worked for about 2 years while accruing the supervised hours to sit for the BCBA exam. She is thrilled to continue her career working closely with children and families as a BCBA. Cara enjoys catching up with friends, reading, listening to music and podcasts, and cheering on Pittsburgh sports teams.
Caroline McDevitt, M.Ed., BCBA, LBS
Board Certified Behavior Analyst
Caroline recently graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with an M.Ed in Applied Behavior Analysis. She has been working in the field of ABA since she was an undergraduate student at the University of South Carolina and found a passion for early intervention services. For the past two years at ABAS, her favorite part of the job is getting to connect with the clients through play, creativity, and compassion, as well as watching them grow and succeed! In her free time, Caroline loves to travel, thrift, read, and spend time in nature.
Victoria Hall
Registered Behavior Technician
Victoria graduated with a B.S. in Biology from Coastal Carolina University in 2020. While in college she helped to teach therapeutic horseback riding lessons and found a passion for helping others and working with children with autism. Victoria has been an RBT for 2 years in Myrtle Beach and looks forward to learning and growing with the ABAS team.
Ashleigh Dolan
Registered Behavior Technician
Ashleigh graduated from Allegheny College with a B.S. in Psychology. In college, Ashleigh did internships at Crawford County Mental Health Awareness as well as under the early childhood learning counselor at the YMCA which is where she was introduced to ABA for the first time. Ashleigh is so excited to join the ABAS team and can’t wait to see where this journey takes her.
Holly Schlossnagle
Registered Behavior Technician
Holly is a Masters level student studying psychology with experience working in the mental health field. In her free time, she enjoys spending time outside and reading.
Jordyn Walker
Behavior Technician
Jordyn is a graduate of the University of Maryland where she obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Developmental Psychology. She also holds an Associate’s Degree in Early Childhood Education from Butler County Community College. Formerly a preschool teacher and nanny, working with young children is her passion! Outside of work, Jordyn loves cuddling with her dog, going to yoga and Pure Barre, reading, and thrifting. She hopes to obtain a Master’s Degree in Counseling in the near future!
Behavior Technician
Caroline has a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing and has previously worked as a psychiatric RN. Behavioral health and working with children was her passion throughout college and has only grown since beginning her career in the field. Caroline is so happy to be working with an amazing team that shares those same passions and feels so lucky to be working with such a brilliant group of kids.
Annie Eckle, M.Ed., BCBA, LBS
Board Certified Behavior Analyst | Clinical Director
Annie Eckle graduated from West Virginia University with her Bachelor of Science degree in Speech Pathology and Audiology with a Certificate in Disability Studies. In August 2015, she began her Masters Degree at the University of Pittsburgh in the Early Intervention with Autism Specialization program where she also pursued her Applied Behavior Analysis certificate. Annie sat for her BCBA exam in August 2017 and passed on the first try. She also became a Licensed Behavior Specialist in Pennsylvania. Annie has been working for Allegheny Behavior Analysis Services, LLC since December 2016 and has loved seeing the company grow through her positions as an RBT, BCBA, and now as the Clinical Director. She enjoys watching the kids learn through play every day and seeing the staff grow in their skills and confidence. She has a passion for managing and addressing burnout risks, candidate supervision, and continuing education to keep ABAS up to date with the most recent discoveries. In her spare time, Annie enjoys spending time with family and friends, reading, cooking, and checking out new restaurants in Pittsburgh.
Eva Rybak, M.Ed., BCBA, LBS
Board Certified Behavior Analyst | Social Media & Marketing
Eva studied Early Intervention and Applied Behavior Analysis at The University of Pittsburgh during which time she accrued supervision hours through the Theiss Early Autism Program and then ABAS. After 2 years as an RBT with ABAS Eva began working as a BCBA along with eventually taking over managing the companies social media pages. In her free time, Eva enjoys listening to music and making art.
Mia Manganaro, MEd, BCBA, LBS
Board Certified Behavior Analyst
Mia attended the University of Pittsburgh for both her undergraduate and graduate studies. She received her Masters of Science in Applied Developmental Psychology, which led her to the field of ABA and her career here at ABAS. Mia has loved working at ABAS for the past two years, connecting with various clients and their families to learn and build new skills. Mia also has a background working at the Children's Institute, where she developed a passion for working with children on the Autism Spectrum. Outside of work, Mia loves to travel to new places and cook with friends.
Mikaela Leonzio
Registered Behavior Technician
Mikaela attended Slippery Rock University where she received her Bachelor's Degree in Fine Arts concentrating in Psychology. She would like to further her education in Art Therapy in the future. Mikaela got into the field of ABA after working hand in hand with kids during her time as an Undergrad and ended up loving it! She is now a Registered Behavior Technician.
Casey Schick
Registered Behavior Technician
Casey graduated from Duquesne University in 2014 with her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology. She went on to study School Psychology at the University of South Florida and graduated in 2017 with her Education Specialist degree. In 2018, Casey became a certified School Psychologist in the state of Pennsylvania and worked in multiple schools. However, she decided that she wanted to utilize the data collection and progress-monitoring skills she obtained in graduate school on a regular basis. As a result, she is eager to apply these skills as an RBT. Casey hopes to further her education and gain the experience needed to eventually become a BCBA.
Carly Bishop
Registered Behavior Technician
Carly began her career in behavioral therapy at a psychiatric hospital for boys diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. After a year, she moved to Houston, Texas, where she earned her Registered Behavior Technician certification and discovered her passion for Applied Behavior Analysis. During her three years in Houston, Carly provided therapy in both clinical and school settings, working with a diverse client population. Recently, she returned to her hometown of Pittsburgh and is thrilled to be back. In her free time, Carly enjoys hiking with her dog, quad riding, creating art, and traveling.
Jex Djeric
Behavior Technician
Jex attended Southern New Hampshire University, where she obtained her B.A. in Psychology in 2024. For roughly the past five years, Jex has been cooking for and connecting with the residents at a local senior living community. Now, Jex is eager to begin her career in the psychology field and pursue her passion for helping others. Jex loves being out in nature and spending time with her pet bird, Dino. Jex also enjoys doing a variety of creative activities, such as photography, scrapbooking, cross-stitch/embroidery, crafting, as well as cooking and baking.
Doreen Schoppen
Office Manager
Doreen has been working in the Human Resource field for many years, most recently at a behavioral health rehabilitation services agency for the past six years. She attended Robert Morris University and has a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Business Administration. She also has experience working and volunteering with children. Doreen loves spending time with her family and friends and can usually be found attending one of her children’s activities.
Carina Liberatore, M.A., BCBA, LBS
Board Certified Behavior Analyst
Carina graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 2019 with a B.S. in Psychology and B.A. in Communication. While there, she worked in an inpatient psychiatric hospital for 4 years where she helped care for children & adolescents with various acute mental health diagnoses. This experience helped to shape her passion for the field and pushed her to begin pursuing her M.A. in Behavior Analysis Practice at the Florida Institute of Technology. Carina has been working as a RBT for a little over a year now. Originally from Delaware, she enjoys traveling, spending time with friends, and painting.
Shayla Walker
Behavior Technician
Shayla graduated from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 2019 with a B.A. in Psychology and a minor in Child and Adult Advocacy Studies. This is Shayla’s second position in ABA services since graduation, Shayla has experience working as a mobile BHT and is excited to begin with ABAS in the clinical setting. Shayla plans to further her education in ABA therapy. Shayla enjoys playing piano, hosting craft nights with friends, and hiking in her free time.
Noah Wissinger
Registered Behavior Technician
While in high school, Noah enjoyed his time at his vocational school for Early Childhood Education where he was introduced to working with children with autism and behavioral disorders. Noah graduated with his bachelor's degree in 2022 and continued his education and recently graduated with his master's in Community Psychology from Point Park University. While attending college, Noah worked within multiple inpatient facilities and as a mental health/ drug & alcohol counselor. He hopes to continue his education to become a BCBA and eventually receive his LPC licensure. Noah enjoys spending his free time hiking, swimming, and spending time with his friends and family.
Sarah Marangoni
Behavior Technician
Sarah is currently in school finishing up her bachelor degree at Seton Hill University for Behavioral Health! She has worked in Special Education at the AIU for 3 years working with emotional support high school aged classrooms before moving on to at-home/ community services with children with autism/ behavioral disorders. Sarah plans to continue to get her masters in ABA and become a BCBA while also continuing her education with a Social Work getting her LBS as well! Sarah is so excited to start her journey at ABAS and to see where it takes her in her career!
Ashley Foster
Behavior Technician
Ashley joins the ABAs team with several years of experience in childcare and ABA therapy. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Criminology/Criminal Justice from the University of Maryland. Originally from the DC metro area, Ashley moved to Pittsburgh to put down roots, and spends her free time crafting, traveling, and exploring the outdoors with her rescue dog, Zeke.
Dana Patenaude
Diversity & Inclusion Consultant
Dana's current role with ABAS is the Diversity and Inclusion Consultant, though previously she worked at ABAS as a Registered Behavior Technician for two years and a BCBA for two years. At this time, she is a doctoral candidate in Penn State's Special Education program. Her future goal is to be a professor in Applied Behavior Analysis and Special Education related fields and to continue conducting research regarding inclusive practices, Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices, and social validity. Dana is excited to be continuing her work with the ABAS team to ensure all company practices are equitable for both clients and staff.
Hannah Lawson
Ethics Officer
Hannah received certification as a BCBA in 2020 and has enjoyed serving clients on the autism spectrum in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and now where she resides in South Dakota. Hannah first gained experience in the field at ABAS where she worked for five years, first as an RBT and then as a BCBA. Hannah now joins the team remotely as Ethics Officer. In this role she provides staff training and consultation in accordance with the BACB’s Ethics Code for BCBAs and RBTs. With a focus on prevention through education as well as objective and evidence-based ethics solutions, Hannah helps support all clients and staff at ABAS.