SIG Leadership

Dr. Joanna B. Thompson is a full-time Assistant Professor at McNeese State University, who teaches online and face-to-face courses in the ABA program. She serves as the VCS Coordinator and the Director of Research. She earned her Bachelor’s and her first Master’s Degree in Psychology with a dual concentration in Experimental Psychology and Applied Behavior Analysis from McNeese State University. She then worked on an additional Master of Science Degree in Experimental Psychology from Texas Christian University before earning her Doctoral Degree in Experimental Psychology under the advisement of Dr. Mauricio R. Papini. She has been a Board Certified Behavior Analyst since 2015. Her clinical experience includes early intensive behavioral intervention, verbal behavior, self-injurious behavior, working with adolescents, and pediatric feeding behaviors. Dr. Thompson is a Behavioral Neuroscientist who studies the neurobiological basis of addictive behavior as it relates to reward. More specifically, her research interests include, but are not limited to: identifying the precursors to addiction--before the behavior becomes habitual; understanding the behavioral and brain processes that underly the initiation into substance use, abuse, and other addictive behaviors; and pharmacological manipulations involving alcohol, benzodiazepine anxiolytics, cannabinoids, and opioids, and medication acceptance as it relates to feeding. She currently serves as the principal investigator of the Thompson Animal Laboratory and as the Faculty Advisor for the Student Association for Methods in Behavior Analysis (SAMBA).

Lindsay Hauer has been a Board Certified Behavior Analyst since 2006 and has extensive experience with severe behavior disorders and pediatric feeding disorders in a variety of settings. Lindsay has a diverse background having worked at Kennedy Krieger Institute and Marcus Autism Center in addition to running her own private in home practice. Lindsay is currently the Lead Clinical Director at Positive Behavior Supports Corp. She is well versed in working collaboratively with clients, families, staff and other educators to help facilitate positive behavior change and gain exceptional outcomes for families as well as to modeling and training those working around her. In addition to several poster presentations Lindsay has been published in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis

Melinda Robison has been a Board Certified Behavior Analyst since 2016. Her primary areas of focus include severe behavior disorders, pediatric feeding disorders, and caregiver education. Melinda obtained clinical experience at both Cook Children’s Child Study Center in Fort Worth, Texas (current employer) and Munroe Meyer Institute’s severe behavior program and pediatric feeding program in Omaha, Nebraska. Currently, Melinda runs the Behavior Disorders Clinic at Cook Children’s Child Study Center, a grant funded two week intensive parent training program aimed at reducing maladaptive behaviors, increasing functional skills, and providing support and guidance to families who are otherwise without resources. In addition to 13 years of field experience in ABA, Melinda has also presented at several conferences including TxABA, ABAI, and Pediatric Society of Texas. Additionally Melinda has had the opportunity to disseminate data through poster sessions, symposiums, and publications in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis

Megan Oard has been a Board Certified Behavior Analyst since 2019 and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. at the University of Texas at Austin in Special Education. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology and Master’s in Special Education at the University of Texas at Austin. She works as a clinical supervisor at Empower Therapy. She has a scope of providing applied behavior analysis for adolescents with comorbid behavioral diagnoses. Megan’s research interests include repetitive and compulsive behaviors, feeding intervention, and challenging behavior.