CEO, Executive Clinical Director, Case Supervisor, Parent Consultant

Gabriella Nelson, an accomplished Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) with seven years of experience in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). Passionate about her career, Gabriella has ventured into establishing her own ABA practice, driven by her commitment to delivering top-quality care to individuals and families in need. With a focus on supporting individuals with autism and other developmental disorders, Gabriella tailors her interventions based on the principles of ABA, ensuring personalized care for each client.

At the core of Gabriella's practice is the belief in creating a nurturing and supportive environment for optimal growth and progress. Additionally, Gabriella takes on the crucial role of training Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs) and emphasizes parent training, recognizing the pivotal role parents play in their child's development.

For those seeking a dedicated and experienced BCBA, Gabriella stands out as a professional who possesses expertise and radiates warmth and genuine care.

Chief Financial Officer

Connor Nelson, a Certified Public Accountant, is the Chief Financial Officer at Lively Behavioral Solutions actively contributing to business operations and providing consulting services to fellow ABA business owners. Connor's primary role is insurance credentialing, billing, scheduling, intake processes, and budget/forecasting. Graduating Summa Cum Laude from Wright State University with a degree in Accounting, Connor brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his role.

Before joining Lively, Connor dedicated six years to the Air Force as an Intelligence Analyst. His professional journey continued at Baker Tilly, a top ten accounting firm, where he initiated his accounting career post-graduation. Following that, he enriched his skill set by working in financial reporting at Vail Resorts, a public company.

Though his work Connor helps our amazing therapists focus on providing excellent care to the children without having to worry about administrative tasks.

Beyond his professional pursuits, Connor finds joy in traveling, rock climbing, and snowboarding during his leisure time.

Senior BCBA - North County

Melissa first worked with individuals with disabilities in 1996, when she was still a child, helping them play baseball through Little League Challenger Division®. Many years later, she received her Bachelor’s degree in Behavioral Science and a Master’s degree in Psychology. In 2015, Melissa found ABA, which she promptly studied at the Florida Institute of Technology. She is now pursuing her PhD.

Senior BCBA - South County

Natalie Mcilwee has shown dedication and growth in her career within the ABA field. In 2015, she stepped into the field as an RBT and progressed to become a BCBA in 2020. She is committed and passionate about providing effective and personalized ABA services. Natalie's deep empathy and care for her clients and their families are apparent, as she derives joy from helping them succeed in various aspects of their lives.

Outside of work, Natalie prioritizes a healthy and fulfilling lifestyle. Engaging in activities like exercising, camping, and exploring the world reflects her adventurous spirit and dedication to personal well-being. This balanced approach not only enhances Natalie's own happiness but also enriches her ability to bring positivity and enthusiasm to her work with clients every day.

Mid-Tier Supervisor

Esther is a dedicated mid-tier supervisor at Lively Behavioral Solutions with a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from California State University of Fullerton. Currently pursuing her Master's degree to become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), Esther brings over three years of experience in the Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) field and over eight years of working with children across various settings including ESL, after-school programs, and church programs.

At Lively, Esther plays a pivotal role in implementing behavioral treatment strategies, conducting data collection, supporting Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs), providing parent training, and overseeing client programs. Her passion for helping others is matched by her compassion and commitment to ensuring a positive and enjoyable work environment.

Outside of work, Esther finds joy in music, dancing, watching movies, playing computer games, trying new things, and exploring new coffee shops.

Mid-Tier Supervisor

Evelyn Cuevas Ramirez, an ambitious and caring Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) pursuing a Masters of Arts in Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) on her path to become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. With two years of experience in ABA, Evelyn has provided excellent care and committed work for many families with a variety of needs and expectations. Aside from her career in ABA, Evelyn is also an accomplished scholar, with an Associate’s degree in Social and Behavioral Sciences as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Criminology.

In addition to working tirelessly with her clients, Evelyn is concurrently pursuing a Masters of Arts in applied Behavioral Analysis MA in ABA Special Education to pursue a career as a BCBA In her free time, Evelyn is also a passionate artist, who specializes in painting and photography.

Evelyn utilizes her wide variety of experiences to empathize with and communicate with children along every step of their developmental journey. With her gentle and fun personality, Evelyn works closely with parents to provide personalized care for each child that she works with.

Mid-Tier Supervisor

Krystine Santiago, born and raised in the Los Angeles County, is a passionate and dedicated Registered Behavior Technician at Lively Behavioral Solutions. She works 1:1 with clients building connections, taking data, and implementing ABA strategies to strengthen skills that not only helps the client but the entire family. Her passion for ABA started in high school when she was handpicked by one of her teachers to join a basketball team that included students on the spectrum. Working together on a team with a group of incredible individuals, she saw the difference she was making by boosting their confidence while working on increasing their social skills. She has a bubbly and outgoing personality that allows her to easily connect with her clients.

She graduated from California State University, Fullerton with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a minor in child and adolescent studies. Her combined knowledge in psychology and child and adolescent studies allows her to apply what she has learned to understand behaviors, individual and cultural differences, and to promote child well-being in real-world situations across diverse populations. She is currently working towards her master’s degree and BCBA credentials to further immerse herself and grow in the ABA field.

When Krystine is not working or studying, she loves to spend her free time with her family, baking, going to Disneyland, or trying new restaurants!

Senior Registered Behavior Technician

Sierra is a dedicated RBT at Lively who is currently in training to become a mid-tier supervisor. She grew up in Orange County and attended Cal State Fullerton, where she received her bachelor's degree in psychology. Sierra is currently working towards her master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis and is looking forward to becoming a BCBA.

Sierra has been an RBT since 2018 and has worked with individuals with ASD and Down syndrome ages 2-20 years old. Sierra loves teaching her kiddos and seeing the world through their eyes. It brings her immense gratitude knowing she is impacting the lives of many children who will grow up to be amazing adults. Sierra loves watching her kiddos reach great milestones and getting to share the progress and success stories with their families.

Outside of her work, Sierra enjoys cooking, baking, being in nature, and spending time with her husband.

Registered Behavior Technician

Allison Dorman, a Registered Behavior Technician at Lively Behavioral Solutions, has a role that requires her to provide exceptional services to children and their families all over Orange County. Being considerate, kind, and understanding toward clients and their homes is one of her responsibilities and a strong value that Allison strives to display during each session.

With a high school diploma and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from California State University of Fullerton as of Spring 2024, Allison is equipped with the knowledge and skills to work with children and their families to meet their needs and desires. Allison plans to pursue a Master’s degree in Special Education — Applied Behavioral Analysis at Arizona State University with the goal of becoming a Board Certified Behavioral Analyst.

Allison finds joy and contentment through her role as an RBT every day. Seeing her clients grow and progress with each session excites her to go to work every day.

Allison enjoys listening to music, attending concerts, trying new coffee shops, and spending time with her friends in her free time.

Registered Behavior Technician

Eliana Moore works as a Behavioral Technician at Lively Behavioral Solutions, using her background in psychology and specialized training in ABA techniques to provide specialized care for her clients. Eliana collaborates closely with other therapists and supervisors to implement individualized treatment plans, and is committed to finding what works for each child.

Eliana is currently working to earn a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts degree in Theatre Performance at Chapman University, as well as a minor degree in Psychology. At Chapman, Eliana serves as the Co-President for “Cross the Line”, a student created theatre for social change group.

When Eliana began her career in ABA, she discovered her passion for helping her clients not only “get through” life, but enjoy it, and live lively! Eliana is dedicated to the ongoing learning component of ABA, which she believes is crucial in the field; she is committed to staying up to date on the latest research, and best practices being discovered.

In her free time, Eliana loves hiking with her friends and family, and is always on the lookout for new trails to try!

Registered Behavior Technician

Nolan Soto is excited to overcome any challenge given to him as a Behavior Technician at Lively Behavioral Solutions. His inspiration to join the profession stemmed from his bond with his two cousins with autism. Through these personal experiences, Nolan has gained an understanding of the unique needs and challenges that people with autism have. He is also not afraid to jump for hours and definitely enjoys the exercise.

As Nolan works towards his Bachelor's Degree in Psychology at the University of California, Irvine, he is enthusiastic about furthering his understanding of behavior analysis and expanding his skills in helping those with autism. His academic pursuits are not just a means to an end but help with continuous growth and his desire to help people.

Outside of work and studies, Nolan finds joy in hanging out with friends, whether it's playing beach volleyball, having weightlifting sessions, or simply critiquing the latest music albums with them.

With dedication to continuous growth, Nolan is excited to continue his journey of empowering children with autism and their families at Lively Behavioral Solutions.

Behavior Technician

Behavior Technician

At Lively, Anna is dedicated to helping work 1:1 with kids, collaborating with Mid-Tier and BCBA to follow treatment plans, working with parents, collecting data, and implementing treatment goals utilizing ABA strategies. Anna combines fresh creativity with solutions. Her goal is to empower clients to reach their full potential. Anna is a Pilates Instructor and aspires to achieve her Master’s degree for her professional career.

Outside of work, Anna prioritizes exercise and a healthy, fulfilling lifestyle. She enjoys hiking, flag football, and volleyball.

Behavior Technician

Courtney Calderon, a behavior technician, works at Lively, providing behavior analysis services and practices under the direction and supervision of a BCBA. Courtney’s primary role at Lively is providing 1:1 ABA therapy services to children, assisting them in mastering new skills and achieving their goals through data collecting and collaboration with the supervisor to ensure the quality of services. Courtney has been providing services to children and adults in various settings since 2016, which speaks to her love for this work. Courtney's aspirations are to finish her degree and continue to grow in her professional career in this field.

Courtney's goal is to continue her professional growth with Lively and serve as a BCBA on the team.

Before joining the Lively team, Courtney worked at various ABA companies throughout Orange County, which she calls home. When not working, Courtney enjoys playing tennis, roller skating and relaxing with her cat. A random fact about Courtney is her secret love for the limelight, as a child she had the aspiration to be a beat boxer or singer.

Behavior Technician

Dana Yan, a behavioral technician at Lively Behavioral Solutions, uses her background in Psychological Sciences to provide individualized service and care for her clients. As she collaborates with families, peers, and supervisors to cultivate personal goals, she also encourages positive growth and development using ABA therapy for each client.

She has a background working with younger kids as a teacher's assistant in dance studios; when she discovered ABA, she became greatly interested in how she could help her clients and make an impact by watching them reach their goals.

Dana is currently working to earn a Bachelor of Arts in both Psychological Sciences and Dance at University of California, Irvine, and wishes to pursue a PhD or PsyD in clinical psychology in the future.

Outside work, she enjoys dancing, working out, trying new food, and spending time with friends.

Behavior Technician

Dylan Merritt is a passionate BT at Lively with an ABA background starting in childhood. Growing up, he attended the UK school system, so switching to the American school system was difficult. However, with the help of his own RBT, he was able to overcome behavioral hurdles and adapt to life in the States. As someone who has gone through ABA, he is a testament to the program's effectiveness. Dylan wants to help kids the same way his own RBT helped him.

Dylan is currently working on majoring in psychology with a minor in music theory. He has his sights set on becoming a neuroscientist, to develop new ways to treat mental disorders with a specific focus on teens with depression. Outside of ABA, Dylan is an accomplished musician, having played drums and contrabass in a jazz band and performing quint drums in a Cal-State winning drumline.

In his spare time, Dylan enjoys playing drums in his band, working out, riding motorcycles and working on cars. He is also a lover of nature, frequently making road trips to Joshua Tree among other national parks.

Behavior Technician

Behavior Technician

Mario Balderas, from Loma Linda, CA, is a passionate Behavioral Technician dedicated to making a difference in the lives of children. Currently pursuing a degree in the Rosemead School of Psychology at BIOLA University, Mario brings a blend of academic knowledge and hands-on experience to his role.

With a heart for helping others, Mario has honed his skills by working one-on-one with children in summer camps and volunteer-based environments. He finds fulfillment in witnessing the small victories of progress during each session, fostering a positive and supportive environment for growth and development.

In pursuit of his professional aspirations, Mario plans to further his education and obtain a Master's degree in Psychology, with the goal of embarking on a career in School Psychology. He sees each interaction with the children as an opportunity to make a meaningful impact and is driven by the joy of connection and growth.

Beyond his work, Mario enjoys a diverse range of interests and hobbies, including collecting music, running, rock climbing, and screenwriting. These pursuits not only provide him with personal fulfillment but also fuel his creativity and zest for life.

Behavior Technician

Behavior Technician