Exceptional care. Every client. Every day.

At Behavioral Initiatives, our dedicated team of seasoned professionals takes great pride in working with individuals and families to help them attain a higher quality of life. The success of our clients is our utmost priority. We not only teach our clients skills that can help them be successful in the present, but we also assist them in developing skills that will have lasting effects and make positive, long-term changes in their lives.

STAFF BIOS
Meet the people behind the quality service Behavioral Initiatives is known for.

Edmund Bartlett

Edmund Bartlett

Co-founder & Chief Operating Officer

Edmund Bartlett is the Co-Founder and Chief Operations Officer of Behavioral Initiatives. He holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration. He is also experienced…

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Edmund Bartlett

Edmund Bartlett

Edmund Bartlett is the Co-Founder and Chief Operations Officer of Behavioral Initiatives. He holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration. He is also experienced and trained in leadership, management, and process improvement for over a decade.

“We are here to serve by bringing positive value to all who are involved. Ideally, self-actualization is what we seek, and that’s what we support.” This is a passion both Ed and Sarah share to bring high-quality ABA services to those in need. This is their life purpose.

Sarah Bartlett

Sarah Bartlett, M.S., BCBA

Co-founder & Chief Clinical Officer

Sarah Bartlett is the founder, and Chief Clinical Officer for Behavioral Initiatives. She graduated from Florida State University with a Master’s of Science degree in Psychology, specializing in Applied Behavior Analysis. She…

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Sarah Bartlett

Sarah Bartlett, M.S., BCBA Chief Clinical Officer

Sarah Bartlett is the founder, and Chief Clinical Officer for Behavioral Initiatives. She graduated from Florida State University with a Master’s of Science degree in Psychology in 2004, specializing in Applied Behavior Analysis. She is a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst who has worked with a diverse population, including children, adolescents, and adults with autism and other developmental disabilities. She has also worked with children with varying exceptionalities, typically developing children with behavioral problems, and adults with various disabilities.

She has provided services in settings that include family and group homes, center-based facilities, and schools through regular and special education classrooms. Sarah has conducted training, supervision, and management of verbal behavior therapists, as well as provided supervision for BCBA and BCaBA applicants. She has also provided behavioral acquisition and reduction services to individuals with autism or other developmental disabilities and their families. Throughout her career, she has conducted training for parents, teachers, and professionals in behavior management and teaching language skills to children with autism.

Janelys Castro

Janelys Castro, M.Ed., BCBA

Clinical Supervisor

Janelys Castro is a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and Clinical Supervisor at Behavioral Initiatives. She has a Master’s degree in Education Curriculum and Instruction of Applied Behavior Analysis…

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Janelys Castro

Janelys Castro, M.Ed., BCBAClinical Supervisor

Janelys Castro is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and Clinical Supervisor at Behavioral Initiatives. She has a Master’s degree in Education Curriculum and Instruction of Applied Behavior Analysis from Arizona State University. She has experience working in various home, school, and community settings, specializing in the treatment of individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders.

Janelys has experience in developing and implementing behavior plans to help reduce problem behaviors and increase a variety of adaptive coping mechanisms, including functional communication, life, and social skills. She has provided training to parents, caregivers, and staff on the implementation of ABA procedures and how to teach functional communication skills to promote better living across different settings.

Maria LaBianco

Maria LaBianco , BCBA

Clinical Supervisor
Maria is originally from Springfield, Massachusetts. She moved to Fort Lauderdale after completing her Bachelor’s degree in 2004 from Westfield University

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Maria LaBianco

Maria LaBiancoClinical Supervisor

Maria is originally from Springfield, Massachusetts. She moved to Fort Lauderdale after completing her Bachelor’s degree in 2004 from Westfield University. She received her Master’s degree in Psychology with a focus on Applied Behavior Analysis in 2012 from Kaplan University while parenting an infant and a 2 year old toddler and attained her Board Certification in 2018.

She has 10 years of experience working with children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder between the ages of 18 months and 12 years old. She also worked for 2 years on a project to enhance social skills with children diagnosed with Down’s Syndrome. She joined Behavioral Initiatives in September, 2015 as a behavioral therapist and advanced to become a Behavior Analyst and Clinical Supervisor when she achieved her Board Certification in March of 2018.

Kristine Britton

Kristine Britton, M.S., BCBA

Clinical Supervisor

Hi my name is Kristine Britton. I am a Clinical Supervisor/BCBA with Behavioral Initiatives….

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Kristine Britton

Kristine Britton, M.S., BCBA Clinical Supervisor

Hi my name is Kristine Britton. I am a Clinical Supervisor/BCBA with Behavioral Initiatives. I graduated with a Master’s Degree in Professional Behavior Analysis at Florida Institute of Technology and I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing. I have always had a passion for working in the health care field, specifically with children. I was first introduced to the field of ABA through my sister who worked with children diagnosed with ASD, I fell in love with the field and have never looked back.
I have several years of experience working with early intervention children and have provided services in home, clinic, school, and community settings. The most rewarding part of my job is seeing the growth our clients make and the positive impact our services have on improving their lives.

Mercedes Diego

Mercedes Diego, BCaBA

Assistant Clinical Supervisor

Mercedes Diego is an Assistant Clinical Supervisor at Behavioral Initiatives. She obtained her Bachelors in Psychology at Florida International University and completed her coursework and supervision fieldwork to…

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Mercedes Diego

Mercedes Diego, BCaBAAssistant Clinical Supervisor

Mercedes Diego is an Assistant Clinical Supervisor at Behavioral Initiatives. She obtained her Bachelors in Psychology at Florida International University and completed her coursework and supervision fieldwork to become a BCaBA. In the future, she has plans to obtain her Master’s Degree.

She has worked with individuals with developmental disabilities in the school, home, clinic, and community settings. Mercedes is particularly interested in Feeding Therapy. Among her other passions include helping children overcome food aversions and improving the eating habits and behaviors of children.

Michelle Labiste

Michelle Labiste, RBT

Senior Behavior Therapist

Michelle Labiste is a Registered Behavioral Technician at Behavioral Initiatives. She is currently finishing her Bachelors in Psychology at Florida International University with plans of…

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Michelle Labiste

Michelle Labiste, RBTSenior Behavior Therapist

Michelle Labiste is a Registered Behavioral Technician with Behavioral Initiatives. She is currently finishing her Bachelors in Psychology at Florida International University with plans of obtaining her Masters in ABA.

Michelle has always been passionate about working with kids, especially those with special needs. She discovered her calling a few years ago while participating in an annual walk for the cause. After taking a course in ABA, the science of it truly fascinated her and sparked her passion even further.

Marina

Marina Paula, RBT

Behavior Therapist

Marina Paula is a Registered Behavior Technician and graduated from Florida International University with a Bachelor’s in Recreation and Sport Management…

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Marina

Marina Paula Behavior Therapist

Marina Paula is a Registered Behavior Technician and graduated from Florida International University with a Bachelor’s in Recreation and Sport Management. She was born in Brazil and speaks Portuguese, English, and Spanish.

She has a passion for helping others and has always known that she wanted to work with children. She was introduced to ABA through a close friend and ever since then, has been in awe of how much this field helps improve the lives of those with ASD. Seeing all the progress and small accomplishments her clients have made has been a huge fulfillment for her and has influenced her to continue her education to obtain a Master’s in ABA.

Maylin

Maylin Cordero, RBT

Behavior Therapist

Maylin always knew she wanted to work with children and has done so for most of her career. She was exposed to ABA while working at a daycare and was impressed by how much children receiving the service were improving…

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Maylin

Maylin CorderoBehavior Therapist

Maylin always knew she wanted to work with children and has done so for most of her career. She was exposed to ABA while working at a daycare and was impressed by how much children receiving the service were improving. She decided she would become an RBT to help more children improve and help the families understand their children. Maylin has never looked back and loves what she does.

David Kim

David Kim, RBT

Behavior Therapist

David Kim is a Registered Behavioral Technician at Behavioral Initiatives and graduated as a triple major from Florida Atlantic University with a Bachelor’s degree in Biological Science, Psychobiology, and Psychology.

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David Kim

David KimBehavior Therapist

David Kim is a Registered Behavioral Technician at Behavioral Initiatives and graduated as a triple major from Florida Atlantic University with a Bachelor’s degree in Biological Science, Psychobiology, and Psychology. In graduate studies at FAU, he obtained three years of combined research and education in Clinical Neuropsychology and Molecular Neuropsychopharmacology before working in the drug addiction field as a therapist.

Working in both detox and residential settings for three years with patients from multiple age groups battling alcohol and substance abuse along with mental health disorders, he then focused on early developmental disorders, specifically children living with ASD. Driven with a passion in hopes of starting a family soon personally, he embraced the opportunity to work with children diagnosed with ASD. Similarly, while working in the field, he was amazed at the progression seen from children he worked with through ABA principles.

Juliette Rodriguez

Juliette Rodriguez, RBT

Behavior Therapist

Juliette is a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) at Behavioral Initiatives. She has always had a passion for working with children, which led her to work as a Teacher’s Assistant for almost 5 years.

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Juliette Rodriguez

Juliette RodriguezBehavior Therapist

Juliette is a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) at Behavioral Initiatives. She has always had a passion for working with children, which led her to work as a Teacher’s Assistant for almost 5 years. While working there, she always seemed to have a strong drive for working with small groups of children with an Individualized Educational Plan (IEP). These children required extra help and attention, and they always seemed to excel over time. Juliette has always been fond of learning about the functions of the brain, which is why she pursued and graduated with her Bachelors of Arts in Psychology degree as Cum Laude from Florida International University. While pursuing her degree, she took an Applied Behavior Analysis class, and upon learning about the field, she felt this is where she belonged. After passing her board exam and working with Behavioral Initiatives, she has seen lots of children thrive, and her heart has grown fonder of this beautiful field. Juliette has plans of obtaining her Master’s in Psychology in Behavior Analysis in the near future.

Mia Virtue

Mia Virtue , RBT

Registered Behavior Technician

Mia Virtue is a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) at Behavioral Initiatives. Mia developed an interest in Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) when her younger…

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Mia Virtue

Mia VirtueRegistered Behavior Technician

Mia Virtue is a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) at Behavioral Initiatives. Mia developed an interest in Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) when her younger brother was diagnosed with Autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Since then she become extremely passionate about making a difference in the lives of those who have exceptionalities.

Prior to becoming a RBT, Mia was in the field of education for 3 year where she worked closely with children with ASD and other developmental disabilities. Mia implemented IEP’s and facilitated small group while teaching. Outside of her interest for ABA, Mia loves animals and is a dog mom of 2.

Mia obtained her Bachelor’s of Science degree in Biomedical Engineering and is currently a candidate for a Masters Degee in Applied Behavioral Analysis at Florida Institute of Technology (FIT). Mia is working towards the BCBA credential and very passionate about Science, Education and Behavioral Analysis.

Samintha Jeudy

Samintha Jeudy , RBT

Behavior Therapist

Samintha Jeudy is a Registered Behavioral Therapist at Behavioral Initiatives. She graduated with her Bachelors in Health Science with a concentration in Behavioral and a Mental….

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Samintha Jeudy

Samintha JeudyBehavior Therapist

Samintha Jeudy is a Registered Behavioral Therapist at Behavioral Initiatives. She graduated with her Bachelors in Health Science with a concentration in Behavioral and a Mental Health at Florida Atlantic University. She aspires to get her Master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis to become a Board Certified Behavioral Analyst.

Samintha has always had an interest in helping others, specifically children. Growing up in her spare time, she use to babysit toddlers, and volunteer at Broward General Hospital. It wasn’t until she was indulged in her studies about Human Growth and Development that she realized what it is exactly that she wanted to do. It was because of that her passion ignited towards ABA to make the little changes … into BIG changes!

 elisa valero

Elisa Valero, RBT

Behavior Therapist

Elisa Valero is a Registered Behavioral Technician (RBT) working with Behavioral Initiatives. 

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Elisa Valero

Elisa ValeroBehavior Therapist

Elisa Valero is a Registered Behavioral Technician (RBT) working with Behavioral Initiatives. 

She currently has her Bachelor’s in Supervision and Management with a minor in Psychology. She is planning on beginning her Master’s Degree soon. Elisa’s passion in this field started when she was 16 years old volunteering in a nonprofit organization for children with disabilities ranging from the autism spectrum to cerebral palsy. Ever since she knew she had to pursue a career that helped these children thrive as best as possible. She plans on furthering her education to become a BCBA.

Thanks to Behavioral Initiatives, her goals are being achieved one step at a time. 

Her personal mission statement is:

“To positively impact the lives of every person I encounter.”

Jennifer Obregon

Jennifer Obregon, RBT

Registered Behavior Technician

My name is Jennifer Obregon and i am a registered behavior technician(RBT). Since i was little, i always said i wanted to work in the medical field with kids.

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Jennifer Obregon

Jennifer ObregonRegistered Behavior Technician

My name is Jennifer Obregon and I am a registered behavior technician(RBT). Since i was little, i always said i wanted to work in the medical field with kids. I went to school for nursing and finished my first year. I knew after i graduated for my first year, that being a nurse isn’t what i really wanted. I heard about ABA services through a family member and i decided to give it a chance and become an RBT.

Working with children with special needs is something truly special to me. They uplift me everyday and motivate me to be the best version of myself for them.

Jocelyn Muralles

Jocelyn Muralles, RBT

Registered Behavioral Technician

Jocelyn Muralles is a Registered Behavioral Technician (RBT) at Behavior Initiatives since 2020. Jocelyn previously received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology at Florida…

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Jocelyn Muralles

Jocelyn MurallesRegistered Behavioral Technician

Jocelyn Muralles is a Registered Behavioral Technician (RBT) at Behavior Initiatives since 2020. Jocelyn previously received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology at Florida International University. Jocelyn found her way back to the rewarding field of behavior therapy after being away for more than 9 years. She is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Applied Behavior Analysis. Jocelyn is passionate about seeing the progress kiddos make and impacting the lives of those kids and parents alike.

Linnette Vazquez

Linnette Vazquez, RBT

Registered Behavior Technician

My name is Linnette Vazquez, I graduated from FIU with a bachelor’s Degree in Psychology. I have always loved working with children. They bring out my creativity and imagination.

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Linnette Vazquez

Linnette VazquezRegistered Behavior Technician

My name is Linnette Vazquez, I graduated from FIU with a bachelor’s Degree in Psychology. I have always loved working with children. They bring out my creativity and imagination. They really show love in the purest form. I knew that I wanted to help kids since my teen years. I volunteered at daycares and summer camps all the way through high school, and I also babysat children. A classmate introduced me to ABA and I couldn’t have been happier. I fell in love right away, so I decided to get my RBT certification in 2021. I am currently starting my master’s to become a BCBA.