Leadership
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Gabriella Nelson, MA, BCBA
CEO & Executive Clinical Director
Gabriella is the founder and CEO of Lively Behavioral Solutions and its Executive Clinical Director, overseeing both North and South County. A BCBA with specialized training that includes sleep training, she created Lively to make ABA feel positive, engaging, and fun for everyone involved. She loves seeing how small steps create meaningful change in a child's life and is passionate about building a team that makes families feel supported, heard, and valued. Her favorite part of sessions is following each child's lead and turning their interests into chances to connect and learn. Outside of work, she enjoys walks, travel, beach days, and time with family and friends.
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Connor Nelson, CPA
Chief Financial Officer
Connor is the Chief Financial Officer at Lively Behavioral Solutions and a Certified Public Accountant. He oversees insurance credentialing, billing, scheduling, intake, and budgeting, and he also consults with fellow ABA business owners. His work lets our amazing therapists focus on providing excellent care to children without worrying about administrative tasks. Connor graduated summa cum laude from Wright State University with a degree in accounting, after serving six years in the Air Force as an Intelligence Analyst. He went on to build his accounting career at Baker Tilly and Vail Resorts. Outside of work, Connor loves traveling, rock climbing, and snowboarding.
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Eliana Moore, RBT
Administrative Director & Clinical Supervisor
Eliana is the Administrative Director at Lively Behavioral Solutions and a Registered Behavior Technician who continues to work directly with clients. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Performance with a minor in Psychology from Chapman University, and she pairs that background with specialized ABA training. Eliana collaborates closely with therapists and supervisors to carry out individualized treatment plans and is committed to finding what works for each child. Her goal is to help clients not just get through life, but enjoy it and live lively. Outside of work, she loves hiking with friends and family and finding new trails.
Clinical Team
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Natalie Mcilwee, M.Ed., BCBA
Clinical Director, South County
Natalie is the Clinical Director for South County at Lively Behavioral Solutions and a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. She entered the field as an RBT in 2015 and became a BCBA in 2020, a career path she is proud of. Natalie loves partnering with children and families through their developmental journey, celebrating every milestone, and helping caregivers feel supported and included. Her favorite activities include sensory and movement play, interactive games, arts and crafts, and daily living skills like dressing and grooming. Outside of work, she enjoys camping, hiking, beach days, and traveling.
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Sarah Rodriguez, MA, BCBA
Clinical Director, North County
Sarah is the Clinical Director for North County at Lively Behavioral Solutions and a Board Certified Behavior Analyst with a master's degree in Applied Behavior Analysis from Pepperdine University. In the field since 2017, she celebrates each child's unique strengths and special interests while applying evidence-based ABA principles to foster meaningful, lasting growth. Sarah prioritizes a play-based approach that helps children feel safe, motivated, and empowered, and she values collaboration with families, educators, and other providers. Outside of work, you can find Sarah enjoying a good book, golfing, going for walks, or spending time at the dog beach with her pup.
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Esther Choe, MA, BCBA
Senior BCBA, North County
Esther is a Senior BCBA at Lively Behavioral Solutions with a Master of Arts in Behavior Analysis Professional Practice from the Florida Institute of Technology. She loves working with children and supporting their caregivers. In her role, Esther oversees client programs, supports RBTs, and provides parent training. She looks forward to teaching new skills, introducing new activities and games, and helping children be successful in every way. Her favorite activities with kiddos include board games, pretend play, books, and sensory and movement play. Outside of work, Esther loves trying new things, exploring coffee shops, gaming, working out, and spending time with her family.
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Ne'chelle Perry, MA, BCBA
BCBA, South County
Ne'chelle is a BCBA and supervisor at Lively Behavioral Solutions with a Master of Arts in Behavior Analysis with an Autism concentration from San Diego State University. She loves watching children grow, learn new skills, and reach their goals, and she values being part of each family's journey. Ne'chelle looks forward most to building strong, positive relationships and creating a supportive space where children feel comfortable learning and growing in confidence. Her favorite activities are board games, reading books, and sensory play. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, playing instruments, walking her dogs, and growing her plant collection.
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Sierra Alvarado, MA, BCBA
Senior BCBA, South County
Sierra is a Senior BCBA at Lively Behavioral Solutions with a Master of Arts in Special Education, emphasizing Applied Behavior Analysis, from Arizona State University. In the field since 2018, she believes every child deserves to feel heard, understood, and encouraged to show up as their most authentic self. Sierra feels privileged to be a consistent, trusted person in her clients' lives and looks forward most to building relationships with families and celebrating milestones, big or small. Her favorite activities are sensory play, mindfulness, and brain games and puzzles. Outside of work, she loves the beach, cooking and baking, exploring nature, and time with loved ones.
Supervisors
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Allison Dorman, MA, RBT
Clinical Supervisor
Allison is a Registered Behavior Technician and supervisor at Lively Behavioral Solutions with a bachelor's degree in Psychology and a master's degree in Special Education with an emphasis in Applied Behavior Analysis. She loves that seeing a learner's progress and a family's excitement makes the tough days worth it. Allison looks forward to teaching functional communication and encouraging play between clients and their siblings or peers. Her favorite activities are puzzles, coloring, and reading together, which open the door to perspective-taking and other goals. Outside of work, she enjoys music, shopping, beach days, and weekends with her cats.
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Krystine Santiago, BA, RBT
Clinical Supervisor
Krystine is a Registered Behavior Technician and supervisor at Lively Behavioral Solutions with a bachelor's degree in Psychology and a minor in Child and Adolescent Studies from California State University, Fullerton. She loves being part of meaningful growth, building trusting relationships, and celebrating the small moments that make a big difference. Hearing from parents that a skill carried over at home is one of her favorite parts of the job. Krystine's favorite activities are arts and crafts, pretend play, songs, and games, often built around each child's interests. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, pickleball, time with her family and cats, and hunting for her next favorite matcha cafe.
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Leticia Espinoza, BA, RBT
Clinical Supervisor
Leticia is a Registered Behavior Technician and supervisor at Lively Behavioral Solutions with a bachelor's degree in Criminology and Public Health. She loves watching children grow, whether over a week or many months, and believes that forming bonds while teaching important life skills gives the work meaning for the whole Lively team. Leticia looks forward to coming up with creative ways to teach, and she often walks away having learned something new herself. Movement activities like dancing are her favorites because they keep everyone on their toes. Outside of work, she recharges with yoga, lifting, and Pilates, which help her show up 100% for her Lively family.
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Brennan Guinet, BA, RBT
Clinical Supervisor
Brennan is a Registered Behavior Technician and mid-tier supervisor at Lively Behavioral Solutions with a bachelor’s degree from UC Irvine, and is pursuing a Master of Arts in Special Education (Applied Behavior Analysis) at Arizona State University, working toward becoming a BCBA. Brennan loves supporting children as they build new skills, overcome challenges, and become more independent, and celebrating their progress together with families. Getting to know each child and weaving their interests into sessions is a highlight, especially when something finally clicks. Favorite activities include board games, LEGOs, puzzles, and imaginative play. Brennan is proud of finding a career that makes a meaningful difference. Outside of work, Brennan enjoys family and friends, writing, philosophy, and faith.
Behavior Technicians
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Courtney Calderon, AA, RBT
Registered Behavior Technician
Courtney is a Registered Behavior Technician at Lively Behavioral Solutions who has worked in ABA since 2016. She loves working with children and families because seeing a family's joy as their child learns is truly magical, and reaching milestones can be life changing for everyone involved. Courtney looks forward to making learning fun by finding creative ways to teach skills and help children feel confident in themselves. Her favorite activities involve movement, outdoor play, and sensory play, which are a fun way to release energy and teach new skills. Outside of work, she loves time with loved ones, running in nature, and thrifting.
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Nolan Soto, BA, RBT
Registered Behavior Technician
Nolan is a Registered Behavior Technician at Lively Behavioral Solutions with a bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of California, Irvine. His favorite part of ABA is empowering children with autism to build meaningful independence and showing parents what their children can achieve on their own. Nolan looks forward to tackling tough routines alongside families and proving that challenging moments don't have to feel so daunting. His favorite activities are open-ended building and problem-solving play, like marble runs, magnetic tiles, and puzzles. Outside of work, Nolan loves spending time with family, discovering new music, and going to concerts and new restaurants with friends.
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Daelyn Renee Johnson, BA, RBT
Registered Behavior Technician
Daelyn is a Registered Behavior Technician at Lively Behavioral Solutions with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from UCLA. A longtime in-home nanny and former Foster Youth Peer Advisor at UCLA's Center for Community College Partnerships, she has always loved being a big sister figure and supporting children through developmental milestones in a safe, nurturing, and engaging environment. Daelyn is especially passionate about naturalistic play, emotional support, and helping parents feel seen, supported, and confident. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling, reading, going to the beach, and drinking matcha.
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Odelia Ku, BT
Registered Behavior Technician
Odelia is a Behavior Technician at Lively Behavioral Solutions and a Public Health Sciences student at the University of California, Irvine. She loves watching children grow and develop new skills, and she enjoys connecting with families and learning how a child's everyday environment shapes them. Odelia comes to each session excited to see how far the children have come since the last one. Her favorite activities are sensory play, outdoor games, and community outings. She is proud to speak both Mandarin and English. Outside of work, Odelia loves trying cafes with good coffee and matcha, along with Pilates, golf, and swimming.
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Daphne Ramirez-Hernandez, RBT
Registered Behavior Technician
Daphne is a Registered Behavior Technician at Lively Behavioral Solutions with a background in psychology. She loves helping children build coping, communication, and social skills so they can share their thoughts, feelings, and needs with the people they love. Daphne looks forward to watching each child's progress over time and building the trust that makes learning feel supportive. Her favorite activities are pretend play to target meaningful goals and movement games like dancing, running, and hopping like a bunny. She is proud of earning her RBT certification. Outside of work, Daphne loves exploring new California cities and making memories with friends at theme parks.
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Lorraine Vara, RBT
Registered Behavior Technician
Lorraine is a Registered Behavior Technician at Lively Behavioral Solutions and a student at Santa Ana College. She loves working with children because the job is so rewarding and she learns something from them every day. Lorraine looks forward most to making her clients smile, having fun, and celebrating milestones as they learn new skills. Building strong relationships and helping children gain confidence are very important to her. Her favorite activities are arts and crafts, sensory play, and reading. She is proud of becoming an RBT. Outside of work, Lorraine enjoys hanging out with friends, thrifting, and going to concerts and festivals.
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Anna Godinez, RBT
Registered Behavior Technician
Anna is a Registered Behavior Technician at Lively Behavioral Solutions and a certified reform Pilates instructor. She loves helping children build skills, relationships, and independence, and she is passionate about teaching functional communication so kids can make their own decisions. Her favorite activities include physical play, motor skill practice, building, and critical thinking games. Anna is proud of her specialized training, becoming an RBT, and continuing her education. Outside of work, she lifts weights, explores trails, and believes in the power of a strong team.
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Ava McClintock, RBT
Registered Behavior Technician
Ava is a Registered Behavior Technician at Lively Behavioral Solutions and a Psychological Science student at the University of California, Irvine. She loves that what may seem like small progress to others is a huge win for her clients and their families, and she builds communication and independence through plenty of fun and silliness. Ava looks forward most to making children laugh and creating supportive ways for them to learn and grow. Her favorite activities are singing songs, dancing, and sensory play. She hopes to become a school psychologist. Outside of work, Ava loves traveling, snowboarding, shopping, and being in nature.
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Vi Trinh, RBT
Registered Behavior Technician
Vi is a Registered Behavior Technician at Lively Behavioral Solutions and a Psychological Science major with a Public Health minor at the University of California, Irvine. Raised in Stockton, California, she is proud to study at UCI, where she was connected with Lively and her passion for working with children. Vi loves celebrating each new milestone and building supportive relationships with her kiddos and their caregivers. Her favorite activities include reading, coloring, sensory play, puzzles, and board games. Outside of work, Vi enjoys the beach, trying new restaurants, and exploring new activities with the people around her.
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Hunter Peterson, RBT
Registered Behavior Technician
Hunter is a Registered Behavior Technician at Lively Behavioral Solutions and a student at Saddleback College. Hunter has always loved working with kids and is proud of becoming an RBT, a longtime dream, and of being part of each child's growth. Watching a child master a skill or reach a milestone they never thought possible is the highlight of the job, along with building relationships with clients and their families. Hunter's favorite activities include new crafts, sensory play, and movement games matched to each child's interests. Outside of work, Hunter loves the beach, traveling with family, and hunting for the best iced coffee.
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Meagan Raft, BT
Behavior Technician
Meagan is a Behavior Technician at Lively Behavioral Solutions with bachelor's degrees in Psychological Science and English from UC Irvine, and is a graduate student at Chapman University studying Marriage and Family Therapy. Meagan loves seeing children master new skills and grow more independent, and finds it inspiring to watch that change reach the whole family. Crafts and games are favorites, since they show off each child's creativity and create space to practice coping skills. Meagan is proud of earning a double major in two fields that mirror each other so well. Outside of work, Meagan enjoys new restaurants, festivals, curling up with a book, and visiting museums while traveling.
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Nina Finch, BT
Behavior Technician
Nina is a Behavior Technician at Lively Behavioral Solutions. Born in Japan and raised in Hong Kong before moving to California, she brings a global perspective to her work. Nina has been passionate about working with children with special needs since high school, when she co-founded an inclusive cheerleading team alongside her school's Adaptive P.E. teacher. She is driven by the joy of helping children discover their strengths and celebrate small victories that lead to big change. Nina is bilingual and speaks Japanese fluently. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with friends, cooking with her mom, and singing.
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Mai Nguyen, BT
Behavior Technician
Mai is a Behavior Technician at Lively Behavioral Solutions and a nursing student at Biola University. She loves helping children through their ABA journey, forming a unique bond with each kiddo, and celebrating their big and little achievements. Mai looks forward to building relationships with clients and their families, teaching new skills, and cheering on milestones as children grow. Her favorite activities are crafts, reading, sports, and board games. She is proud of getting into nursing school. Outside of work, Mai loves the beach, trying yummy foods, and spending time with friends and family.
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Morgan Ayres, BT
Behavior Technician
Morgan is a Behavior Technician at Lively Behavioral Solutions and a Public Health Sciences student at the University of California, Irvine. She finds ABA exciting and fulfilling because she gets to play a role in her clients' everyday lives and development. Morgan loves being a guide who empowers children and gives them the tools they need to thrive. She looks forward most to small milestones, like a child managing a transition, self-advocating, or trying something new. Her favorite activities are competitive games, dancing, and outdoor play. Outside of work, Morgan loves the beach, hiking, and time with loved ones.
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Cheyenne Kittrell-Orner, BT
Behavior Technician
Cheyenne is a Behavior Technician at Lively Behavioral Solutions and a psychology student at Saddleback College. She loves the energy and vibrancy kids bring to every session, and she finds it special to help teach the next generation. Cheyenne looks forward to watching children learn new skills through play, knowing those skills will carry into every part of their lives, and to building relationships with the families who help them grow. Her favorite activities are puzzles and movement play. She is proud of training for and running a half marathon. Outside of work, she enjoys running, reading, cooking, hiking, and time with friends, family, and her pets.
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Maya McGuane, BT
Behavior Technician
Maya is a Behavior Technician at Lively Behavioral Solutions and a Chapman University student studying Psychology with a minor in Health Science. Maya loves watching children make progress over time and become more confident and independent in everyday life. Getting to know each child's silly personality and celebrating every little win is what Maya looks forward to most in sessions. Maya's favorite activities are pretend play and movement games, anything that gets clients cracking up. Maya is proud of balancing school, work, and collegiate water polo as a student-athlete. Outside of work, Maya loves the beach, traveling, and finding cute coffee spots with favorite people.
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Tony Son, BT
Behavior Technician
Tony is a Behavior Technician at Lively Behavioral Solutions who loves supporting children as they build new skills and independence. Watching kids master functional communication skills they once struggled with is one of the most rewarding parts of his work. Tony enjoys building rapport with children and parents and becoming a welcoming, essential part of each family's journey. Some of his favorite activities are matching and puzzle games, and reading books while children describe the characters and scenes with their own imaginations. Outside of work, Tony loves beach walks along the California coast, exploring the sights and beachside restaurants along the way.
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Seraphim Gugsa
Behavior Technician
Seraphim is a Behavior Technician at Lively Behavioral Solutions and a Criminal Justice student at California State University, Fullerton. Seraphim loves working with children and being beside them as they grow and reach new milestones. Building relationships and earning each child’s trust is what Seraphim looks forward to most, from sharing a laugh to getting a hug on the way out, alongside the bigger milestones. Seraphim’s favorite activities are reading, outdoor games, and crafts. Seraphim is proud of staying on track to graduate on time and is fluent in Amharic and English. Outside of work, Seraphim loves trying new matcha spots in Orange County and spending time at the beach.
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Kaley Gosuico
Behavior Technician
Kaley is a Behavior Technician at Lively Behavioral Solutions pursuing a Bachelor of Science, class of 2027. Kaley loves seeing children grow, no matter how small the step or how long it takes, and loves that the rapport building never stops. Being part of a child’s support system and finding connections with kiddos and their families makes the work so rewarding. Kaley looks forward most to helping children learn new skills and gain the confidence and independence to use them in daily life. Pretend play is a favorite for all the creativity, silliness, and wild imaginations it brings out. Kaley is proud of balancing personal life, school, and work. Outside of work, Kaley loves yoga classes and time with loved ones.
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Marlene Hernandez Vazquez
Behavior Technician
Marlene is a Behavior Technician at Lively Behavioral Solutions pursuing a degree in Psychological Sciences with a minor in Education at UC Irvine, class of 2027. Marlene loves getting to know each child and building relationships rooted in trust, so that kiddos and their families feel comfortable, supported, and have fun while learning and growing. Marlene looks forward to celebrating progress and creating fun experiences where children can learn new skills and express themselves. Favorite activities include movement play like dancing and singing, and crafts, especially seeing parents’ reactions to what their little ones create. Marlene is proudly bilingual in English and Spanish and loves connecting with families in both languages. Outside of work, Marlene enjoys time with family and matcha with friends.