2022 OHABA Conference Key Note Speaker: Tyra Sellers

Title: Leading with Compassion

Tyra P. Sellers, JD, PhD, BCBA-D

Director of Ethics

Tyra P. Sellers, JD, PhD, BCBA-D is the owner of TP Sellers, LLC. She earned a B.A. in Philosophy and M.A. in Special Education from San Francisco State University, a J.D. from the University of San Francisco and a Ph.D. from Utah State University. Her professional and research interests focus on professional ethics, training and supervision, assessment and treatment of severe problem behavior, variability, and verbal behavior. Dr. Sellers has over 20 years of clinical experience working with individuals with disabilities in a wide variety of settings. She is an Associate Editor for Behavior Analysis in Practice and serves on the editorial board for three other journals.

Title:  Behavior Analysis and Equity in Public Education: An Abolitionist Approach

Dr. Malika Pritchett serves as an Associate Researcher for the Community Youth Development and Prevention Team within the KU Center for Community Health and Development and a lecturer for the KU Online Applied Behavioral Science Program.

Dr. Pritchett received an AS degree from Collin College, a BS in Communication Sciences & Disorders from Texas Woman's University, a MS in Behavior Analysis from the University of North Texas, and a PhD in Health Services Research with a concentration in Behavior Analysis from the University of North Texas.

Dr. Pritchett’s research interests include bioethics, human rights, community-based participatory research, and positive behavior supports. Her research investigates oppressive, colonial research practices in the science of applied behavior analysis and the impact these practices have on establishing and perpetuating researcher-participant power imbalances. Dr. Pritchett utilizes a behavioral systems science approach, such as ecobehavioral analyses and interventions, to inform collaborative policies, strategies, and research practices that are interwoven with a commitment to social justice, including racial justice.

Dr. Pritchett is a licensed and board certified behavior analyst, her clinical experience spans various human services sectors including private practice, residential institutions, nursing facilities, municipalities, public schools, colleges, and universities.

Title: Affirming Sexual and Gender Orientations Through ABA Methodology

Nicholas Maio-Aether, MAMFT, MSPSY, LBA, BCBA, owns Empowered: A Center for Sexuality in St Louis, where he and his occasional teams of partnered Universities' students work to assist humans with and without disabilities achieve sexual access, sexual freedom, gender affirmation, and self-control of compulsive behaviors. Nicholas and his team have worked throughout the US training BCBAs/Behavior Analysts so persons in Individualized Supportive Living (ISL) programs gain access to applicable and generalizable comprehensive sex ed and sexual opportunities. Nicholas provides Sexual Behavior Analysis (SBA), and has assisted polycules, kinksters, gay couples, trans and nonbinary humans, among others, on their journeys. Trained by GLSEN in 2003, Nicholas started Gay-Straight Alliances across Alaska while in high school, and provided them sex ed materials and trainings. Nicholas spent five years managing Hustler Hollywood in St Louis before moving into Behavior Analysis, and joined AASECT, where he currently sits on two committees. He then completed a Sex Therapy practicum under Linda Weiner, LMSW, CSTS, in 2019 before getting a second Masters in Marriage & Family Therapy, and meeting those hour requirements under Angela Skurtu, LMFT, CST, along with his LGBTQIA+ Family Systems Specialist certificate in 2021. He is now a PhD candidate in Clinical Sexology at Modern Sex Therapy Institute.

Title: Coming Soon

Dr. Kazemi is the Chief Science Officer at Behavioral Health Center of Excellence (BHCOE) and a professor at CSUN, where she has founded the graduate program in behavior analysis and written a book on supervision. Her passions are supporting emerging leaders as well as leveraging advanced computer technology for practical training.

Topic: Power and Empowerment: Honoring By Decision and Design

Andratesha Fritzgerald is committed to excellence in education. She has worked in the East Cleveland City School District as a teacher, curriculum specialist, administrator and director.  Most recently she has been appointed to Director of Human Resources.  As a Martha Holden Jennings Foundation Scholar, Fritzgerald exhibited excellence in teaching and a strong commitment to urban education from the very start of her career. She was featured in Education Week, a national publication, twice.  With a passion for Universal Design for Learning, Culturally Responsive Teaching and Antiracism, she has led the collaborative initiative to craft implementation plans, design lab templates, professional development symposia and professional practice cadres. She models expert learning while equipping  others to do the same. Tesha has a Master’s Degree in Urban Secondary Teaching, with an emphasis on language arts instruction.  She also has an Ed.S. degree in administration and is currently pursuing her superintendent’s license.  She loves writing and has been published most recently in What Really Works with Universal Design for Learning (Corwin Press) and on Think Inclusive’s blog about inclusion advocacy and educational resources.  Her new book Antiracism and Universal Design for Learning: Building Expressways to Success , (CAST Professional Publishing) was  released in August of  2020.  Fritzgerald has presented at local, state and national conferences and takes joy in developing new ways to view and address educational dilemmas.  

She is a speaker, author and inclusive practices implementation consultant. Her life’s work is to awaken, celebrate and activate  brilliance by breaking barriers and stereotypes  of teachers, leaders and students to actualize achievement wherever it seems impossible. A self proclaimed book nerd, Jeopardy enthusiast and imagination expert, she loves writing and dreaming out loud with her husband, two children and committed educators who believe in academic success for all.  She is the founder of Building Blocks of Brilliance Education Consulting Firm, established in 2018.  Connect with her on Twitter @FritzTesha 

Thank you to our Sponsors

Platinum Sponsors

Gold Sponsor