Ceci Montoya, M.A., BCBA
Clinical Supervisor
Ceci earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Northern Colorado with an emphasis in Statistics. She notes, “I was looking for my first job out of college and I found JAC! I really wasn’t sure at first if I would like it but then I very quickly fell in LOVE!” After a few years of working as a Behavior Interventionist at JumpStart, Ceci earned her Master of Arts from the University of Colorado Denver with a certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis. She then earned her Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) credential in February 2020. Ceci emphasizes, “I love that all of our kids are so different! There are so many misconceptions about this population and it’s incredible to be involved with their treatments and experience their progress firsthand.” In her spare time, she enjoys doing just about any outdoor activity and has hiked to 15,091 ft at the base of Mt. Salkantay in Peru as well as summited nine 14ers in Colorado.
Mackenzie Beabout, M.A., BCBA
Clinical Supervisor
Mackenzie, originally from New Hampshire, moved to Fort Collins, Colorado to attend Colorado State University to earn a Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Studies with a concentration in Prevention and Intervention Sciences. Her intention was to become a child life specialist and provide therapy for children who were in the hospital long term. She then started working at a respite care provider for children with all developmental disabilities and loved working with that population. So upon graduation, she searched for jobs in the field and found JumpStart Autism Center in 2016. Since then Mackenzie has earned a Master of Arts in Special Education with a concentration as an Intervention Specialist with an Emphasis in Applied Behavior Analysis from the University of Northern Colorado. Mackenzie notes, “I love working with the staff here at JAC and how collaboratively everyone here works together. I love seeing the huge progress that the kids who come here make and watching them grow to become more independent.” In her spare time she loves skiing, reading, and spending time in the mountains.
Caitlin Mandia, M.A., BCBA
Clinical Supervisor
After earning her undergraduate degree from Bloomsburg University in Speech Language Pathology, Caitlin began providing ABA services to young children with autism in school and home-based settings. She reflects, “I was inspired by my clients and their families to pursue a career in Applied Behavior Analysis.” Caitlin continued on to earn her Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology with a concentration in Applied Behavior Analysis from Eastern University in Pennsylvania. She joined the JumpStart Autism Center team in March of 2017 and notes, “ I appreciate the daily opportunity to play an integral role in serving individuals with learning differences; helping our clients to reach their full potential is what I enjoy most!” One of Caitlin’s professional goals includes development in Augmentative and Alternative Communication, both aided and unaided systems.
Zoe Whatley, B.S., BCBA
Clinical Supervisor
Zoe joined JumpStart Autism Center in 2018 as a Behavior Technician. Throughout her years on the team, Zoe has grown through various positions supporting our learners while simultaneously earning a Bachelor of Science in Sociology and a minor in Psychology from Eastern New Mexico University. Most recently she moved into the Assistant Clinical Supervisor position and received a Master of Arts in Special Education with a focus on Applied Behavior Analysis from Arizona State University. She notes, “Since starting at JumpStart, I knew almost immediately I wanted to become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and help serve our community. I love being part of the Intensive Support Classroom and helping families. I enjoy working at JAC because of the culture and company values”. In her free time, Zoe enjoys spending time with her puppies, playing pickleball, working out, trying low-carb recipes, and snowboarding in the winter.
Elizabeth Lotz, B.A., BCBA
Clinical Supervisor
Bio coming soon!
Colton James Hall, B.A., BCBA
Clinical Supervisor
Colton’s interest in pursuing a career in psychology stemmed from his love of the Marvel Comic’s character, The Hunk. He notes, “I have always loved The Hulk because he is such a complicated character. I’ve always been interested in him because he has t
hese different sides of him that are at war with one another, and the psychology of it all has always captured my attention”. Colton joined JumpStart in 2020 as a Behavior Technician, then later he helped our team learn and maintain their skills as a Clinical Trainer. Colton earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of New Mexico and is currently completing a Master of Education in Special Education with an emphasis on Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). He is excited to become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and explore how he can continue to help his community in new ways. “I love working closely with kids who need our help and seeing their progress. I love knowing that I’m helping make these kids’, and their families’, lives easier every day”. Colton is very close to his family, and you can find him on his commute to JumpStart talking on the phone with his mom, dad, and brother almost every day. In his free time, Colton enjoys reading comic books, spending quality time with his fiancée, Julia, and hanging out with friends either playing video games or just grabbing dinner.
Aleksei Johnson, B.S, BCBA
Clinical Supervisor
Aleksei began her career in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) in Indiana in 2018. After learning that her family would be moving to Albuquerque from Indiana for her husband’s job, she researched some ABA centers in the area and came across JumpStart. She recalls, “I was very excited and thrilled that I would be able to continue working in the field in a center-based setting.” Aleksei joined our team in 2019 as a Behavior Technician and has since specialized in Clinical Training. She notes, “JumpStart has awesome growth and mentorship opportunities, which led me to become more invested and passionate about pursuing ABA as a career.” Aleksei received her Bachelor of Science degree in Health Sciences from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) as well as a minor in Health Psychology and a Certificate in Nutrition. She recently applied to Arizona State University to pursue a Master of Arts in Special Education: Applied Behavior Analysis. Wish her luck! Her professional goal is to become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and would love to continue to teach others on the clinical training side. In her free time, Aleksei plays indoor soccer on our JumpStart soccer team, takes her dogs and son to the park, and hangs out with her husband whenever they have an opportunity to get a babysitter. She loves traveling and has had the opportunity to visit many different countries abroad including Greece, Italy, El Salvador, Mexico, Canada, and a couple of others. She reflects, “Different cultures and experiences are very interesting to me, and I like to learn about them to better understand and help others.”
Makenna Hulett, B.A., BCBA
Clinical Supervisor
Makenna began working with children and adults with disabilities in high school, which sparked her passion to pursue it as a career. In 2021 she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of New Mexico. Soon after Makenna joined our JumpStart team as a Behavior Technician. She notes, “I enjoy watching our amazing clients make progress in their goals and I love seeing how passionate both the staff and families are in creating a great learning environment for their kids”. Makenna is currently working towards a Master of Special Education with a certification in Applied Behavior Analysis and is expected to graduate in May 2024. Her goal is to create a supportive environment for people with varying levels of disabilities that they can thrive in. Outside of work, Makenna enjoys reading, riding horses, and competing in powerlifting competitions.
Sharon Tafoya, B.S., BCBA
Clinical Supervisor
Sharon brings to JumpStart over ten years of experience working with children. In 2020 she earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of New Mexico where she also gained experience as a Research Assistant in the Evolutionary Psychology Department under Dr. Steven Gangestad. Sharon began working in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and became a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) in 2021. She then joined our JumpStart team in 2022 while simultaneously working toward a Master of Arts in Applied Behavior Analysis from William James College. Her short-term career goal is to obtain her Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) certification, while in the long-run the goal is to continue her education and obtain her Ph.D. to contribute to research in the field. Her favorite part about being on the JumpStart team is that “The work culture here is always positive and as a company, our first priority is our learners. I never feel alone in my decisions as a clinician and I have so many great co-workers who are more than willing to collaborate with me”. When not at JumpStart or working on schoolwork, Sharon enjoys hiking, cycling, and anything outdoors. She also loves reading and writing.
Sana Anwar, M.A., RBT
Assistant Clinical Supervisor
Sana has enjoyed working with children with special needs since middle school. In 2019, she joined our JumpStart team after a friend recommended the Behavior Technician position to her. She notes, “It had everything I was looking for, some
thing to do with psychology AND kids while also getting the opportunity to make a difference. I immediately fell in love with what I was doing!” Sana has earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Communication from the University of New Mexico, and most recently, a Master of Arts in Special Education with an emphasis on Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) from Arizona State University. As she works on becoming a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), she enjoys learning something new every day to feed her passion for helping individuals with learning differences increase their independence and set them up for success. In the future, Sana wants to continue to expand her knowledge and eventually help those in need of ABA services in a third-world country where there is so little awareness. Outside of JumpStart, Sana enjoys reading, hiking, dancing, yoga, working out, traveling, and spending time with her cats. A fun fact is that Sana can speak three languages and only read one!
Cheyenne Boe, B.A., RBT
Assistant Clinical Supervisor
In her role as an Assistant Clinical Supervisor, Cheyenne is committed to fostering an environment that promotes growth, learning, and development. She brings a positive and driven approach to her work, always seeking to enhance the quality of care provided at JumpStart. Through the application of evidence-based Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) principles, she strives to contribute to the well-being and progress of each child under their care. Cheyenne’s professional journey is rooted in a background of elementary education, having earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Early Childhood Development from Western Governors University, and is actively pursuing her master’s degree in Applied Behavioral Analysis. Cheyenne notes “I am inspired by the resilience of the children and families served, and I am honored to be part of a team that is dedicated to making a lasting difference. At JumpStart, we are not just providing services; we are fostering positive transformations and creating a foundation for a brighter future.” Beyond her professional pursuits, Cheyenne finds joy in her free time by immersing herself in music, hitting the slopes to snowboard, and creating connections by making new friends.
Erasmo Torres, B.A., RBT
Assistant Clinical Supervisor
Bio coming soon!
Selena Konneman, B.S., RBT
Assistant Clinical Supervisor
Selena joined our JumpStart team in October of 2018 after her brother recommended it to her! A few months later, she earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Family and Child Studies with a concentration in Human Development and Family Relations from the University of New Mexico. Selena has grown into several positions at JumpStart, including Behavior Technician, Clinical Support Technician, Senior Clinical Support Technician, and most recently Assistant Clinical Supervisor. Currently she is working toward a master’s degree from Arizona State University in Special Education with a concentration in Applied Behavior Analysis. She is excited to continue to advocate for our learners and practice assent-based care as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. She notes, “My favorite part about working at JumpStart is seeing the progress that the learner’s make. It makes me so happy to celebrate all of the wins they have, no matter how small!” In her free time, Selena plays Dungeons and Dragons, tons of video games, attends concerts, and spends time with her husband and six pets. An interesting fact about Selena is that Taylor Swift reposted a picture of her on Instagram once during the 2018 election cycle because she encouraged people to go out and vote!
Heatherlyn Gallardo, A.A., RBT
Senior Clinical Trainer
In December of 2018, Heatherlyn earned an Associate of Arts Degree in Early Childhood Multicultural Education from Central New Mexico Community College. She originally wanted to be a Developmental Specialist with an Early Intervention agency, however, after her practicum, she felt that the time spent with families wasn’t meaningful enough, since this agency only scheduled about an hour of therapy per week. She then joined our JumpStart team in 2019 as a Behavior Technician. Most recently, Heatherlyn moved into the Senior Clinical Trainer role where she is passionate about sharing her knowledge of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) with new staff members in the hope of training more professionals that will continue to make a difference in our community. She notes, “My favorite part about being on the JumpStart team is working with children and watching them progress. Each child at JumpStart has their own unique set of goals and skills they are working to achieve, because each child is unique, and it brings me such joy seeing our learners thrive”. Outside of JumpStart, Heatherlyn enjoys playing lots of video games, trying new food trucks and restaurants with her husband, and playing with her crazy Australian Cattle Dog puppy named, Xia!
Mariana Jimenez-Gonzales, B.A., RBT
Senior Clinical Trainer
Mariana always loved working with kids. In high school, she mentored third-grade students struggling with reading and later worked with younger learners in a daycare setting. Mariana joined the JumpStart team in 2021. She notes, “I have worked with and taught people of all ages and levels of need including our clients as well as training new JumpStart team members”. In 2022 Mariana earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology with a minor in Family and Child Studies from the University of New Mexico. She is excited to go back to school to obtain a master’s degree in clinical counseling as well as continue her growth at JumpStart. Her favorite part about working at JumpStart is being in sessions with learners. “Every one of them has such different personalities and interests that make each day a new adventure. They are so funny and learn so quickly, seeing them grow is one of the most rewarding things in life.” She believes Applied Behavior Analysis is for everyone and anyone can benefit from it. She often takes the things she has learned about behavior and applies it to her own life. “I have a younger brother with ADHD, and I often speak with him about his struggles and try to help him navigate his behaviors to give him the tools he needs to be a successful problem solver”. In her free time, Mariana enjoys painting, Minecraft, yoga, collecting Lego, and being outside.