Easter Seals Disability Services

Easter Seals Bay Area Congratulates Three Team Members on Earning BCBA Credentials

Professional Development in Applied Behavior Analysis Supported by CVS Caremark All Kids Can™ Grant

OAKLAND, CA. – December 16, 2011 – Easter Seals Bay Area is pleased to announce that Michelle Ficcaglia, Jennifer Cowherd and Audrey Niblock have all earned Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) credentials.  As a board certified behavior analyst, each of these professionals brings a wide breadth of experience and expertise to ensure that individuals and families affected by autism and other disabilities get meaningful answers and help. 

Michelle Ficcaglia, who serves as the Clinical Director for Easter Seals Bay Area’s Autism Project, and Jennifer Cowherd, Program Manager for Easter Seals Bay Area’s award-winning Kaleidoscope After-School Program, were able to pursue their BCBA certification through a grant from CVS Caremark’s All Kids Can™ program, committed to supporting children with disabilities and promoting inclusion.  Easter Seals Bay Area received the CVS Caremark All Kids Can™ grant for $20,000 in May of 2009, to strengthen local autism services through Professional Development in Applied Behavior Analysis. The grant was awarded to Easter Seals Bay Area in response to families’ need for greater access to autism services.

“The expertise that each of these women bring to Easter Seals is invaluable to our exceptional team of professionals, all of whom share our commitment to improving the lives of children in our community,” said Dr. Michael Pelfini, president and CEO, Easter Seals Bay Area.  “The CVS Caremark All Kids Can™ Grants enabled two of our top staff to obtain their BCBA credentials, which will help Easter Seals Bay Area continue to lead the way in providing critical services to those living with disabilities, in particular autism, in the Bay Area.”

Michelle Ficcaglia, Ph.D., BCBA-D is the Clinical Director of Autism Services for Easter Seals Bay Area, and works directly with Easter Seals Bay Area Clinical Supervisors in the East Bay, South Bay, Peninsula and North Bay to ensure the on-going clinical integrity and highest quality standards in the delivery of all aspects of Easter Seals Bay Area’s comprehensive autism treatment solutions.  Audrey Niblock, M.A., BCBA, serves as a Program Supervisor with Easter Seals Bay Area’s North Bay Autism Project.    Easter Seals Bay Area is a leader in providing comprehensive, evidence-based evaluation and treatment for individuals from birth through young adulthood diagnosed on the autism spectrum. Easter Seals Bay Area offers innovative therapies as well as training, support, and education services to create life-changing solutions for those with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their families. 

Jennifer Cowherd, MA, BCBA, is the After-School Program Manager for Easter Seals Bay Area’s award-winning Kaleidoscope After-School Program.  Kaleidoscope offers a community-based, comprehensive and creative approach to recreation, education and socialization services for youth ages five to 22 years with developmental disabilities. For more than 25 years, the Dublin-based program has been teaching vital independent living skills to Tri-Valley youth with disabilities.

For more than 85 years, Easter Seals Bay Area has provided help, hope, and answers throughout the Greater Bay Area to children and families affected by disabilities by transforming the lives of children and families affected by autism; by transforming solutions by delivering innovative, evidence-based programs with a world-class team of experts; and by transforming communities by partnering with others to scale our impact.  Read more about Easter Seals Bay Area.

Media Contacts:
Jennifer Hwang, 415.420.3259, jhwang@esba.org
Dana Young, 415.378.7998, dyoung@esba.org