Get to know us
Individual Bios
The Illinois Association for Behavior Analysis (ILABA) is dedicated to advancing the science and practice of behavior analysis across Illinois. Our mission is to promote access to effective, ethical, and evidence-based behavior analytic services for individuals, organizations, and communities.
President
Zhihui (John) Yi
Zhihui Yi is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and the clinical coordinator of the Cognition Behavior and Mindfulness Clinic at the IDHD Family Clinic at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Zhihui received his master’s degree in Arizona State University’s Applied Behavior Analysis program, and is currently a doctoral candidate in Rehabilitation Science at UIC. Zhihui is dedicated to promoting access and disseminating evidence-based intervention for persons with autism, especially among minority groups.
Zhihui’s research interests include relational frame theory, early intervention, and the neurological impact of behavior therapy. He has presented his research in more than 50 conferences and has published 14 papers in peer-reviewed journals.
Secretary
Jasmin Sunny
Jasmin Sunny is a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) with over 9 years of experience in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), specializing in supporting individuals with diverse behavioral and developmental needs. With 3 years of focused experience working with the adult population, she brings a strong understanding of person-centered care and individualized behavior support across various settings including in-home, community-integrated living arrangements (CILA), and community day services programs.
In addition to clinical experience, Jasmin also has experience in adult services outreach throughout the Chicagoland region, building professional relationships and connecting individuals, families, and service providers with resources and support services. Her combined clinical and outreach experience provides a well-rounded perspective on the importance of collaboration, community integration, and continuity of care for self-advocates, families/caregivers, and service providers.
Passionate about empowering individuals to achieve greater independence and quality of life, Jasmin’s committed to evidence-based practices, collaborative partnerships, and creating meaningful opportunities for the individuals and communities she serves.
Treasurer
Marla Root
Marla Root is the founder and director of Root Consulting, LLC, which operates the Illinois Autism Insurance Coalition. The Coalition supports families, providers, state agencies, and health care systems in building service capacity and parity to ensure people with ASD have access to prescribed treatments such as mental health, applied behavior analysis, and speech and occupational therapies. Marla’s work led to her receiving the 2021 Trailblazer Award from the Milestones Autism Resource Center and the 2018 Autism Speaks’ Implementation Award for her efforts in monitoring Ohio’s autism mandate for ABA and providing educational support to families.
Experiences as an administrator of a community mental health center, a home and community-based service provider, and program development led to her 2010 Advocate of the Year award by The Governor’s Council for People with Disabilities. Marla is the proud parent of Eli, who is 25 years old, and is highly impacted by ASD/ID.
Communications Coordinator
Dana Mascio
Dana holds a master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. Since 2008, she has worked with individuals of all ages—from toddlers to adults—across a variety of settings, including therapeutic day schools, public schools, vocational programs, and in-home environments. Through her experiences in schools, Dana discovered the powerful impact of direct therapy and cross-disciplinary collaboration for individuals with autism and other special needs.
Her professional interests include effective supervision, Relational Frame Theory (RFT), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), which inform her ongoing efforts to support both clients and the professionals she mentors. Dana currently serves as the Center Director in the western suburbs of Chicago, where she remains dedicated to fostering growth, independence, and meaningful outcomes.
Conference Coordinator
Blair Monfre
Blair holds a Master’s in Applied Behavior Analysis from Southern Illinois University, earned in 2013. She has been working in the field since 2009 and became a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) in 2014. Blair has extensive experience working with children with autism, ages 2–21, across various settings, including therapeutic day schools, school districts, in-home, and in-clinic environments.
Currently serving as the Clinical Director at Total Spectrum, she oversees autism services across Illinois. Blair is dedicated to delivering inclusive, client-focused ABA therapy and is actively involved in expanding access to services through the Medicaid system.
Student Representative
Lynn Schumacher
Lynn Schumacher is a Board-Certified Behavior Analysis (BCBA) who is currently working towards her doctorate degree in ABA through Southern Illinois University in Carbondale (SIUC). Lynn has a Master’s Degree in Applied Behavior Analysis and Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education with a certification in Special Education through Mount Saint Mary’s University in Maryland. Lynn gained her BCBA certification in 2024 and has focused on working with those diagnosed with Autism, most specifically children ages 2-10 years old.
Lynn worked first as register behavior technician (RBT) before earning her masters in ABA and beginning to work as a BCBA. Lynn worked as a RBT then BCBA at an Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention (EIBI) clinic in Maryland known as Early Autism Services (EAS). While working in Maryland, Lynn worked with a diverse group of families in Baltimore City and other surrounding areas. During her time as EAS, one of Lynn’s main focuses was to train and educate future RBTs on the principles and procedures of ABA as well as prepare them for the RBT exams.
Lynn currently works as a BCBA supervisor at SIUC’s Center for Autism Spectrum Disorder as well as provides supervision to master students in SIUC’s ABA program who are working towards their BCBA degree. Her current research interest involves stimulus preference assessments and generalization.
Member at Large
Jamine Dettmering
Jamine Dettmering is a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) with over 20 years of experience working in human services. Before earning her Master of Arts in Psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology (TCSCPP) in 2014, Jamine worked as a treatment coordinator and behavior and training specialist for a human service provider in Eastern Iowa that served individuals with intellectual disabilities, mental illness, and traumatic brain injury. Jamine relocated to Chicago to pursue her PhD in Applied Behavior Analysis at TCSCPP, where she is currently a doctoral candidate. Since earning her BCBA certification in 2016, she has provided services in a variety of settings in the Chicagoland area, including home, school, community-integrated living arrangements (CILA), community day services programs, hospitals, and foster care.
Jamine is dedicated to providing trauma-responsive, neurodiversity-affirming care to DCFS youth. She believes in taking a harm-reduction approach to intervention that prioritizes client autonomy. In addition to working as a consultant in the Comprehensive Assessment and Response Training System Program at UIC, Jamine works as a BCBA consultant with BIOS ABA Consultants and disseminates compassionate and responsive practices through mentoring other BCBAs, providing training to organizations, and presenting at conferences. She has also taught Applied Behavior Analysis courses as an adjunct instructor at both TCSCPP and National Louis University.
Member at large
Ruchi Sharma
Ruchi Sharma MA., BCBA (LBA) has worked in the applied behavior analysis field for 20 years. Ruchi is a licensed and certified behavior analyst in the state of Illinois and her secondary role at her job is facilitating DEI initiatives across her current organization and its offices. Ruchi applies the DEI lens when working and serving vulnerable populations across the state of Illinois.
Dedicated to DEI based initiatives throughout her life, she began this journey growing up and living in Gaborone, Botswana next door to Apartheid South Africa. Her curiosity led to evaluating why some people are treated differently than others, this further grew into discovering systemic barriers for some groups vs others and is currently and consistently working on dismantling these barriers and supporting people and communities from the global majority and anyone who has been disenfranchised.
Ruchi believes in speaking up through actionable allyship, collaboration with people from various backgrounds and perspectives, direct communication, courageous conversations, development of educational and training materials that promote equity, inclusion, belonging, allyship and diversity.
Member at large
Chivon Niziolek, PhD, BCBA-D
Member at large
Meg Valesey, MPsy, BCBA
Meg (she/they) has been a BCBA since 2017 and has worked across a number of environments. Meg‘s work experience includes working in adult services, funded primarily by the Medicaid and Medicare Waivers; a school setting based on a contract with the district; at a clinic and in-home organization that was primarily funded by insurance; in an animal research lab with invertebrate species; in a synchronous, and blended program as an adjunct professor in behavior analysis; and as a clinical reviewer for a funder of services. Throughout their career, Meg has used a wide variety of assessments, behavior reduction programs, skill acquisition programs, staff training tools, collaboration skills, and have advocated for themselves, staff, and the people being supported. Meg enjoys finding new and innovative ways to apply and disseminate our science, while practicing in alignment with my values of inclusion, learning, and pragmatism. Meg has a master’s in psychology and a Graduate Certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis, both from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology, and is currently working to complete their dissertation in fulfillment of a PhD in Behavior Analysis. In each of these roles, Meg‘s goal is to help disseminate effective systems that aid in behavior analysts doing their jobs more effectively, improving supervision practices (for trainees, new, and experienced BCBAs alike), and increasing their competencies within the field.
Proud Partners in Advancing Behavior Analysis
ILABA is proud to align with leading organizations in behavior analysis. These affiliations reflect our commitment to upholding the highest standards of practice, ethics, and education in the field. Together, we foster professional excellence and support the growth of behavior analysts across Illinois.
Being a member of ILABA has afforded me key networking relationships, and even more importantly, key mentors who have become friends.
– Stephanie Howard
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Whether you’re a seasoned professional or just starting your journey in behavior analysis, ILABA is here to support your growth and amplify your impact. Become a member, join a committee, or explore upcoming events to connect, learn, and lead in the field.