Program Directors
Aubyn Stahmer, Ph.D., BCBA-D
Program Director
Aubyn Stahmer, Ph.D., is a clinical and research psychologist, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science at UC Davis, Director of Community-based Treatment Research, UC Davis MIND Institute. Her research focuses on examining the use of evidence-based intervention for children with autism spectrum disorders and their families in school and community settings.
Jessica Suhrheinrich, Ph.D.
Program Director
Dr. Jessica Suhrheinrich is an associate professor of special education at San Diego State University and an investigator with the Child and Adolescent Services Research Center. Broadly, her research aims to improve community-based services for individuals with autism. Dr. Suhrheinrich’s current work integrates implementation science and leadership development to increase the use of evidence-based practices for autism. Additionally, she is the Director of Research and Evaluation for the California Autism Professional Training and Information Network (CAPTAIN) and the Co-Director of the San Diego Leadership and Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (LEND) training program.
Sarah Rieth, Ph.D., BCBA-D
Program Director
Sarah Rieth is an Associate Professor of Child and Family Development at San Diego State University, where her program of research focuses on implementation of evidence-based practices for individuals with autism in community settings and effective professional development for interventionists using both in-person and virtual methods. Current projects include the examination of web-based and distance training models for early intervention and special education providers, implementation of a peer-to-peer psychoeducation intervention for parents of teenage children with developmental disabilities, and addressing gaps and barriers in access to services for underserved, low-resource populations.
Trainers
Janice Chan, M.A., BCBA
Lead Trainer
Janice Chan, M.A., BCBA, is the CPRT lead trainer. She has over 20 years of experience in special education classrooms. Ms. Chan is faculty in the Department of Special Education at San Diego State University where she teaches and coordinates two special education credential programs and engages in school district partnership work. In the community, she volunteers weekly at a high school with her golden retriever, Ramen, who is a certified therapy dog.
Melissa Mello, PsyD., BCBA
Trainer
Melissa Mello, PsyD, BCBA, is a licensed clinical psychologist and a board certified behavior analyst and holds a masters degree in special education. She has over 15 years of experience working with autistic children in a variety of settings. She is certified in a variety of naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions and has extensive experience using behaviorally-based, empirically-validated treatments for children with ASD.
Project Coordinator
Tana Holt, MPH
Project Coordinator
Tana Holt, MPH, is the CPRT project coordinator under San Diego State University and the Child and Adolescent Services Research Center. She has worked with the CPRT team for over 10 years spanning different roles and iterations of this intervention. As coordinator, she assists with participant and data management. Ms Holt is interested in public health research that advances mental health outcomes for autistic youth and the historically underserved. As an avid cyclist, she is also passionate about improving safety and accessibility in the built environment to support healthier communities.
