Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica Zielske MA, MA, BCBA. Them and their team share their story with us below:
Jessica is the CEO and Founder of Atlanta Behavior Academy, a values-driven organization providing community to Behavior Analytic professionals and aiding in the dissemination and education of those outside of the science to aid them in achieving their dreams.
Jessica has a Bachelor’s in Psychology, two Master’s Degrees and is a seasoned Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA).
Her journey into entrepreneurship was prefaced with a roller coaster of experiences. Her first Master’s was in Criminal Justice fueled by a passion for forensic psychology and combating international human trafficking in New York City from John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Following the completion of this Master, Jessica served at an Alternative School in Connecticut for students loosely labeled as “bad kids”, and saw the lack of compassion, individualization, and services for youth who were clearly just needing help. She thought to herself “There has got to be something better to offer the next generation”. She dove into the research and discovered Applied Behavior Analysis.
Initially, Jessica’s application of this science was geared toward individuals ages from 2-21 years old. She worked as a behavior therapist delivering ABA therapy to children with Autism and Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities in the home setting, was promoted to Lead Therapist, then Company Trainer, and knew this science was her calling.
She received her second Masters from Ball State University in Applied Behavior Analysis, became a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and moved to Atlanta, GA. In Atlanta, she ran the Autism Unit of a Psychiatric Hospital for children, overseeing 40 staff members for the 24/7 facility.
In the constant search of an ethical work environment that allowed her to reach her fullest potential, she joined several companies and assisted them in launching clinic-based services, establishing school consultation streams of funding, and was quickly moved into Clinical Director and Regional Director roles in the Atlanta area.
In her director roles, she designed behavior analytic interviewing/hiring procedures, staff onboarding trainings, and was responsible for supporting the leadership teams comprised of 11+ BCBA supervisors.
Jessica then assisted an out-of-state company in expanding their services to Georgia by creating a new branch. Starting off as the only hire in the state, she designed hiring practices, staff onboarding training, a graduate student supervision program, marketing campaigns, and established funding sources via private insurance companies and Medicaid. Within one year, the branch was stable and growing, with a leadership team of seven and low turnover rates, which allowed for the expansion from home-based services into clinic-based operations.
Prior to launching into entrepreneurship, Jessica partnered with a local Community Service Board to develop a hybrid model of care, blending the science of Behavior Analysis with Mental Health Services. In this role, she aimed at achieving a blended form of treatment for a more holistic, wrap-around approach to care for individuals with co-occurring diagnoses and other life variables (e.g., substance abuse, domestic violence, etc.) impacting their overall quality of life.
On February 25th of 2020, two weeks prior to the COVID-19 pandemic hitting the United States, Jessica decided to leave the workforce and create services of support to the younger generation of ABA professionals that she always wished were available to her. She started this venture alone for almost two years before building her values-driven team who she is constantly inspired by and adores dearly. She is passionate about not only guiding the next generation within the ABA field but also disseminating the science of Behavior Analysis to populations outside of the Behavior Analytic Community and helping the world understand what this science truly is. Jessica strongly believes everyone could benefit from having the skills of data collection and data analysis to guide their decision-making and behaviors in their everyday lives as well as in their corporations, organizations and companies.
Beyond her entrepreneurial passions, Jessica is a wife, girl mom, dog mom, fiery karaoke singer, and athlete. She played scholarship college basketball in both Miami and New York at the Division II level. Jessica loves to research and data even outside her professional world and tracks her own behaviors and health data regularly to make objective decisions in her health and life.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The struggles I have experienced as an entrepreneur are not unique to any human. Regardless of one’s professional endeavor, I believe all people navigate and experience fear and the discomfort of uncertainty. Even just launching a business is a trust fall on its own. Add to that the launch being two weeks before a global pandemic hits, on the heels of a personal divorce, all while trailblazing a new area of services in a field where it was not common or well known as it is today. The uncertainty, risk, and potential for fear to guide decision-making instead of my values was an ever-present challenge to navigate. As I teach in my professional development courses and mentorship meetings, when we know what our values are as a human, we can use them as a guide to help us decide the best actions to take. This does not guarantee we won’t feel those uncomfortable emotions, however at least we can know we are moving in the direction of our purpose, and this makes those challenges and obstacles more easy to understand and navigate.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
After failing to find communities and support networks for Behavior Analytic professionals that genuinely modeled ethics and authenticity, we decided to create an environment that would allow ABA professionals to truly bloom together.
Headquartered in Buckhead, the heart of Atlanta, with virtual and remote options available for all around the globe, we believe people should have the opportunity to choose their learning environment based on their goals.
Atlanta Behavior Academy represents the collection of individuals passionate about the field of Applied Behavior Analysis from around the world who are at every stage of their learning journey.
Whatever your starting point is, this community grows alongside you and helps you thrive in the world applying the science of behavior in whatever application sets your heart on fire.
Services we provide:
Mentorship Groups
Virtual CEU Events for Continuing Education (Live & Recorded)
Annual CEU Conference in Atlanta
Mentorship Services + Groups
Supervision Hours for those pursuing Board Certification – Independent Fieldwork & Concentrated
BCBA/BCaBA Exam Preparation Services
Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) Training, Assessment and Supervision
Virtual Professional Development Workshops
School Consultation Services
Individualized Leadership Training for Organizations
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
My hope for the future of our industry is understanding and appreciating the vast application of the science of Behavior Analysis. Due to more prevalent streams of funding in society currently, there is a much stronger emphasis on this science being used for only some populations and not others, when in fact the research demonstrates this is simply not the case. One of our missions is to continue to expand the education, understanding and awareness of what Behavior Analysis really is when the financial influences are stripped away and how many people, populations, organizations and industries it can truly help aid in achieving their vision. We feel called to be a part of the movement to un-pigeon hole ourselves as a field so that Behavior Analysis as a science can be a data-driven mindset tool and resource that all can benefit from.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.atlantabehavioracademy.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/atlantabehavioracademy/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/790450648698894/?mibextid=HsNCOg
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/theblondebehavioranalyst/
