2026 APBA Awards
Congratulations to our 2026 Award Recipients!!
Join us on Friday, March 13 at the APBA Convention at the Awards Ceremony during breakfast to celebrate these amazing members of our community! All are invited.
2026 Jerry Shook Award Recipient - Mariel Fernandez
Mariel Fernandez, MS, BCBA, LBA began working in behavior analysis in 2001 and earned her master’s degree in applied behavior analysis at Auburn University in 2004. She has extensive experience in clinical operations, compliance, and regulatory/public policy.
Prior to joining CASP, Mariel led the Regulatory Affairs department at Blue Sprig Pediatrics, focusing on advocacy, public policy, and legislative initiatives across 19 states. Mariel is the presiding officer of the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) Behavior Analyst Advisory Board, Chair of the Metro-Care Services Public Advisory Committee, and Past President of the Texas Association of Behavior Analysis Public Policy Group (TxABA PPG) She also serves as a subject matter expert for the Policy Council on Children and Families, specific to the Autism Services benefit through Texas Medicaid.
Mariel was honored with the Blue Sprig CEO Award, in 2020, for her work preparing the organization to shift to telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic. She was also the recipient of the 2022 Autism Law Summit "Implementation Award" for her work in Texas to pass behavior analyst licensure and secure access to ABA for beneficiaries of Texas Medicaid.
Mariel is a native of Indianapolis, Indiana. She currently resides in Dallas, Texas, with her husband Carlos and two miniature schnauzers, Cooper & Jax. Mariel enjoys spending time with friends and family, traveling, cooking, and walking/ cycling on the city’s hike and bike trails.
Excellence in Ethical Practice Award - Dr. Matthew T. Brodhead
Matthew T. Brodhead is an Associate Professor at Michigan State University. Dr. Brodhead is recognized within the academic community as a leader in the area of behavioral treatments for autism and as one of the foremost experts in the areas of ethics and professionalism in the practice of applied behavior analysis. Dr. Brodhead currently serves as an associate editor for the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis.
2026 International Advancement of the Practice of Behavior Analysis Award - Dr. Julie Koudys
Julie Koudys Ph.D., C.Psych., BCBA-D is an Associate Professor and Clinical Coordinator in the Department of Applied Disability Studies at Brock University, Ontario, Canada. She completed her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at York University, Toronto, Ontario. She is a Registered Psychologist, Registered Behaviour Analyst (Ont.), and a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst at the doctoral level. She has worked with children and youth on the autism spectrum, and those with developmental disabilities, learning disorders, and mental health challenges for over 20 years. She is passionate about the integration of research into practice and partners with community providers to support clinical research and evidence-based practice. Dr. Koudys serves as the International Representative on the Board of Directors for the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB). Dr. Koudys was an appointed member of the Government of Ontario’s Clinical Expert Committee for ASD and the Autism Advisory Panel for the Ontario Autism Program. She was Chair of the Ontario Scientific Expert Taskforce for the Treatment of ASD, for which she received the 2017 Research Award from the Ontario Association for Behaviour Analysis (ONTABA). She is an active contributor to various volunteer committees for which she received the 2018 President’s Service Excellence Award from ONTABA.
Madden & Reed Effective Teaching of Behavior Analysis Award - Dr. Kara Wunderlich
Kara Wunderlich, Ph.D., BCBA-D, ABA Online Academic Coordinator and Assistant Professor, joined the School of Behavior Analysis in 2025 as a faculty member and Academic Coordinator for the ABA Online program. She earned her Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Florida in 2015. She previously served as a faculty member in the special education and behavior analysis departments at the University of Georgia and Rollins College, respectively. Her research interests are diverse, encompassing automatically reinforced behavior, the scientist-practitioner gap, and the scholarship of teaching and learning. She has published and presented her work in both traditional behavior analytic outlets and in scholarship focused on teaching and learning in higher education.
2026 Student Award - Cassie O'Hara
Cassie O'Hara is a current doctorate level student at the University of Florida. Cassie received her master’s degree in applied behavior analysis at Aurora University and her bachelor’s degree in psychology at Indiana University. Cassie is a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and has extensive clinical experience working with individuals with developmental disabilities. Cassie is now pursuing her doctoral degree in psychology with an emphasis in behavior analysis to pursue her passion for expanding the reach of behavior science. She is a member of the Behavioral Health and Technology Lab under the advisement of Jesse Dallery and a research assistant for the Promote Up Study. Cassie is excited to grow her research skills as it relates to health behavior and work amongst such an incredible interdisciplinary team.