Q & A with Molly Dubuque

5 Questions with Molly Dubuque, MA, BCBA, LBA (KY) 

CEO, Association of Professional Behavior Analysts (APBA) 

1. What first inspired you to pursue behavior analysis? 
   After winning a high school award, the local paper interviewed me each year to see where life had taken me. During my freshman year of college, I was a political science major and spent a lot of my time helping a family I had babysat for since middle school. The mom was seriously ill, and I supported her kids while also joining advocacy efforts for the medication that was improving her quality of life. 

That story caught the attention of Dr. Pat Ghezzi from UNR’s Behavior Analysis program. He called and invited me to train in the Early Childhood Autism Program. I’ve always been a helper, and in ABA, I found the most effective way to help. I stayed at UNR for both undergrad and grad school and had the opportunity to learn from experienced faculty and so many brilliant students. I’ll always be grateful for Pat’s call. It led me to a community, a career, and a way of living that has changed my life. 

2. What’s one piece of advice you give to those entering the field? 
   Stay curious and stay connected. This work is too complex and too important to do alone. Build relationships with people who will answer your “dumb” questions without judgment and remind you of your worth when you forget it. Sometimes you’ll need someone to help you unpack a research article, and sometimes you’ll just need a good pep talk. Create a community that can do both. And remember: it doesn’t have to be tied to your workplace. Jobs change, but real connections last. That’s where professional membership and live conferences come in. APBA is an international association. Find your people, wherever they are, hold them close, and celebrate your hard work- preferably while holding a puppy, playing a game, or dancing at the next annual event in New Orleans!

3. What key experiences have prepared you to lead APBA? 
   I’ve served in leadership roles at the state and national level, including with NABA, KYABA, the BACB, and APBA, which gave me a broad view of the field’s needs. I’ve designed and overseen fieldwork to prepare graduates to enter the workforce, so I understand the importance of high-quality training. I’ve worked in startups, small clinics, and large organizations which has given me a deep understanding of the challenges behavior analysts face. Across all these roles, I’ve focused on systems, sustainability, and supporting ethical, meaningful practice. This is the first time in 26 years that I’m stepping out of clinical practice. I love the work we do and am committed to making APBA a “home base” where practitioners can access resources, connect with others, and recharge at our fun events! 

4. What excites you most about the future of APBA? 
   What excites me most is the opportunity to build a truly connected, supportive professional community. Our mission is to support the science-based practice of behavior analysis which means supporting both the practitioners and the consumers we serve. As someone who’s been in the trenches of clinical work, I know firsthand how challenging the landscape can be. Funder policies shift, licensure and certification standards evolve, and public understanding of what we do continues to grow and change. We are constantly adapting, learning, and advocating, not just at conferences, but with prospective clients, during interdisciplinary collaboration, and even with our friends and family when we least expect it!  That’s why I’m so energized by the work APBA is doing to support practitioners in the field. I’m excited to continue building on the strong foundation already in place, to expand our resources, offer practical, engaging training, and create spaces where practitioners feel empowered, informed, and connected. I want APBA to be a place where people feel seen, where high standards are met with high levels of support and quality training, and where science and compassion exist side by side. I truly believe that if we come together, share ideas, celebrate our wins, and support one another through the challenges, we can move behavior analysis forward in powerful, meaningful ways. 

5. What do you want behavior analysts to know about you as APBA’s new CEO? 
   I’m here to listen. I know what it’s like to be in the field juggling demands, advocating for resources, and supervising staff. I want APBA to be a place where you feel represented, resourced, and revitalized. This field has given me so much, and I’m committed to doing the work to give back in a meaningful way.