Brian R. Lopez, Ph.D., BCBA
Director of Psychology & Research
Clinical Neurodevelopmental Psychologist
Dr. Lopez has specialized in the diagnostic assessment and evidence-based treatments of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and other neurodevelopmental disabilities. Dr. Lopez is a New Mexico native who returned to the Land of Enchantment after training and working in California and Colorado. At JumpStart, Dr. Lopez is a member of our early diagnostic team providing parent training and behavioral consultation. In his role as Chief Executive Officer (CEO), he collaborates with JumpStart’s Clinical Directors and Supervisors to oversee our Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) programs as well as mentor and interact with members of our team at all levels to foster growth and encourage professional development.
Before founding JumpStart in 2008, Dr. Lopez worked at the University of New Mexico’s School of Medicine’s Center for Developmental and Disability and UNM’s Department of Psychiatry’s Center for Neuropsychology. There he specialized in the diagnosis of young children with ASD and helped supervise clinical psychology interns and post-doctorate candidates. At UNM’s Center for Development and Disability (CDD), Dr. Lopez was an Assistant Professor in Pediatrics and a member of the multidisciplinary diagnostic team that conducted ASD evaluations, collaborated on a range of research projects (e.g., social skills groups, early treatment initiation in newly diagnosed families with ASD, and MEG studies on very young children diagnosed with ASD). Prior to moving back to New Mexico, Dr. Lopez worked in San Diego at the Center for Autism Research Evaluations and Services. He earned his Ph.D. from the California School of Professional Psychology-San Diego in 2001, where he specialized in the treatment and diagnosis of individuals with ASD. Similarly, he completed his APA Internship at Denver Health Medical Center and his post-doctorate training at San Diego’s Children’s Hospital Institute for Developmental Research.
Outside of JumpStart, you can find Dr. Lopez spending time with his family, getting into the great outdoors, and traveling. He enjoys working on his golf game as well as attending professional baseball and hockey games with his two sons and daughter.
Allison Lopez, M.Ed., BCBA
Chief Executive Officer
Allison came to work in the field of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) by chance! After completing a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Delaware in 2009, she moved to Colorado Springs, CO and came across a job advertisement for a tutoring position. While called a “tutor”, it was actually a Behavior Technician position. She recalls, “After seeing the progress of my first two learners, I quickly realized that I had found something I truly enjoyed doing every day.” Allison joined the JumpStart team in 2012 as a Behavior Technician while completing a Master of Education in Special Education: Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Autism and Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) from Arizona State University. Since then she has specialized within ABA in Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention (EIBI), Verbal Behavior, Precision Teaching, and Instructional Design. In her spare time she enjoys nerding out on Precision Teaching and instructional design literature, cooking, running, watching documentaries and stand up comedy, traveling (especially to anywhere warm with a beach), and spending time with her strong-willed, energetic daughter who loves to dance, sing, and cartwheel all day long. Allison’s favorite quote is by Maya Angelou, “Do the best you can until you know better. Then, when you know better, do better.”
Professional activities and associations:
- Member of the Standard Celeration Society
- Member of the Association of Professional Behavior Analysts
- Member of the Association for Behavior Analysis International
- Member of the Colorado Association for Behavior Analysis
- Member of the New Mexico Association for Behavior Analysis
Crystal Lane, MBA
Chief Operations Officer
With experience in administration, medical billing, and working with children, Crystal found her niche and home with JumpStart in 2013. Before obtaining her Bachelor of Arts in English Literature with a minor in Biology from the University of New Mexico, she gained experience in administration and billing with Durable Medical Equipment (DME), Orthotics, and Physical Therapy in Arizona and Washington. Additionally, she has worked with elementary-aged individuals with developmental disabilities and other related disorders as an Educational Assistant in a special education classroom at Rio Rancho Elementary. Crystal also has personal experience with individuals with Autism and developmental disabilities, which allows for her to deeply connect with what our learners and their families are experiencing. In 2022, Crystal earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Eastern New Mexico University. As the Director of Operations, Crystal plays a key role in contributing to the big picture of JumpStart by ensuring clinical practice management and daily business operations run smoothly and as efficiently as possible. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two sons, hanging out with friends, playing board games, playing (or watching) sports, trying new restaurants, gardening, and crocheting.
Molly Boxall, M.Ed., BCBA
Chief Clinical Officer
Before working at JumpStart, Molly earned a Bachelor of Science in Speech and Hearing Science as well as a Bachelor of Science in Family and Human Development from Arizona State University. She then spent some time in Germany as an au pair before joining the JumpStart team as a Behavior Interventionist in 2012. Molly became the first intern at JAC in 2014 while she earned her Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction with a focus in Applied Behavior Analysis from Arizona State University. Molly’s favorite part about working at JumpStart is the culture and heavy focus on collaboration and teamwork. Outside of JAC she enjoys crafting and sewing, trying new recipes on Pinterest, traveling, and spending time with her husband and three kids.
Sabrina Cranford, M.Ed., BCBA
Chief Learning Officer
Sabrina began with our JumpStart team in 2013 as a Behavior Interventionist as she was finishing up her Bachelors in Speech and Hearing Sciences from the University of New Mexico. She originally wanted to be a speech-language pathologist and was looking for more experience working with children with developmental delays. She volunteered at a camp with children with ASD, then searched for a job within the field and found JumpStart. Finding her passion for serving individuals with ASD, she completed her Masters in Curriculum and Instruction from Arizona State University in 2016. Sabrina notes, “Seeing progress with our learners is definitely the most rewarding aspect of this field. I also enjoy my time at JumpStart working with other really talented and motivated behavior analysts and behavior technicians that are constantly learning more and doing better than they did the day before.” In her spare time Sabrina enjoys buying and smelling candles, reading books, watching documentaries, and talking about behavior analysis with my friends.
Professional activities and associations:
- Member of the Colorado Association for Behavior Analysis
- Member of the Arkansas Association for Behavior Analysis
- Member of the Association for Behavior Analysis International
- Member of the Association for Professional Behavior Analysts
- Member of the Standard Celeration Society
Cassie Mohr, M.A., BCBA
Director of Clinical Quality
Cassie received her Bachelors degree in Psychology and Sociology from Wichita State University in Wichita, Kansas. After undergrad, she began working with children and adults with a variety of mental health and developmental disabilities. She recalls, “I found the autism population to be what I was most drawn to, as I appreciate the unique qualities of each individual with autism.” Cassie then earned a Masters degree in Applied Behavior Analysis and Autism from Ball State University. She enjoys working with all populations of the ASD community, especially within early intervention, pre-verbal, and severe challenging behaviors. Cassie notes, “I love working at JAC because of the dedication that JAC shows to clients and staff. I love seeing new staff develop their passion for the clients, and I love seeing the clients make progress toward their goals.”
Professional activities and associations:
- Member of the Colorado Association for Behavior Analysis
- Member of the Association of Professional Behavior Analysts
- Member of the Standard Celeration Society
Mari Lee, M.Ed., BCBA
Clinical Director
(Albuquerque)
Mari joined the JumpStart team in 2013 as a Behavior Technician after a recommendation from a JumpStart employee. She recalls, “I didn’t think this was going to be my future career but ended up loving it!” She earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology with a minor in Psychology from the University of New Mexico and then went on to receive a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction: Applied Behavior Analysis from Arizona State University. Mari specializes in focusing on early intervention and teaching communication while decreasing maladaptive behaviors and also enjoys training others. She notes, “I love that JumpStart is such a supportive environment. Everyone is on the same team, working together to reach the same goal of changing the lives of the children and families we serve.” Outside of JumpStart Mari enjoys gardening, cooking, reading, binge watching shows, wine tasting and collecting, as well as spending time with friends and her three dogs.
Sara Taft, M.Ed., BCBA
Clinical Director
(Rio Rancho)
After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of New Mexico, Sara was looking for experience working in a field that focused on early interventions. She began working at JumpStart in 2015 as a Behavior Technician after it was recommend as a place to gain more experience. Finding her passion for working with children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Sara then attended Arizona State University and received a Master of Education in Applied Behavior Analysis. Sara is always looking to learn and grow within the field and notes, “My professional goals include continuing to learn and educate myself on new evidence based practices to better support my learners and their families.” In her spare time Sara enjoys running, reading, painting, and spending time with her family.
Kara Batson, M.S., BCBA
Director of Professional Development
Kara began working as a Behavior Technician in Colorado Springs, CO after answering a “help wanted” advertisement to make meaningful change in the lives of children with ASD. Her travels and professional pursuits then led her to a clinical career in behavior analysis working with learners on the autism spectrum. Kara has earned a B.S. in Psychology and B.SW in Social Work from Colorado State University as well as an M.S. in Applied Behavior Analysis and Autism from The Sage Colleges. Her clinical interests include implementation of Skills Based Training, Pretend Play and Language Assessment and Curriculum (PPLAC) and Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT) strategies. Kara’s specialty within Applied Behavior Analysis is early intervention and her professional goals include continuing to build a clinical repertoire that best serves her clients through the use of precision teaching protocols and measures. Her favorite quote is by Alexander Den Heijer, “When a flower doesn’t bloom you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower.”
Faith Lyle, A.A., RBT
Assistant Director of Clinical Training
Faith came into the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) field sort of by accident! She was interviewing for a job in Colorado Springs at a therapy center for military families and was interviewed by the director of the autism center because the therapy center director was out for the day. She asked Faith if she had ever worked with children or if she was interested in working with children. She was open to it and was hired as a Behavior Technician. “I guess you can say I have found my calling. I truly love what I do and am thankful for the community I work in.” says Faith. She became part of the JumpStart family in March of 2016 as a Behavior Technician and now oversees the training of our staff as an Assistant Director of Clinical Training. She notes, “I love the people I work with at JAC. Everyone is so driven and committed to their jobs and helping families. Being able to see the impact that our work has on families and the individual is what keeps me motivated.” Faith earned her Associate of Arts in Psychology from Pikes Peak Community College and enjoys being a mom, cooking, horseback riding, hiking, and traveling.
Sherlyn Baca, M.Ed., BCBA
Assistant Clinical Director
Sherlyn began her journey in the field of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) by volunteering in the ASD community. She loved working with the population, so she decided to make it her career and joined the JumpStart team in 2015. “I love the positive environment that focuses on doing the best we can for both our staff and clients! I also love that everyone is truly passionate about their job,” says Sherlyn about working at JumpStart. Sherlyn received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of New Mexico and then earned a Master of Education from Arizona State University. When she isn’t working, Sherlyn enjoys playing with her dog, hanging out with family and friends, watching movies and traveling.