A Note from the Desk of the CEO
May 7, 2026
As we dive into the second quarter of 2026, I want to take a moment to share how APBA is working to support you.
We kicked off 2026 with a gift to the field: free first-year membership for all new BCBAs and BCaBAs. We see this not just as a benefit to those individuals, but as an investment in all of us. When new professionals are connected early with the professional community, it strengthens the entire field. If you’re onboarding new staff, we encourage you to connect them with APBA (we’ll take it from there!).
Our Annual Convention in March was our largest to date! Many of you shared how welcoming the event felt, and even the Sheraton staff commented that we were one of the kindest groups they’ve hosted in a long time! It takes all of us to create an environment where people feel included and respected, so thank you for showing up and making it such an unforgettable experience! If you were unable to join us, you can purchase on-demand sessions through Behavior Live until September!
We were honored to recognize this year’s award recipients, Matt Brodhead, Julie Koudys, Mariel Fernandez, Kara Wunderlich, and Cassie O’Hara. If someone in your network is making a meaningful impact, I encourage you to start thinking now about nominations for next year. Nominations are open to anyone, and APBA membership is not required to be considered. Make sure the people who inspire you get the recognition they deserve!
APBA’s mission is to promote and advance the science-based practice of behavior analysis by advocating for public policies and informing, supporting, and protecting practitioners and consumers. We are proud to partner with organizations that are also working toward the promotion and protection of the services we are dedicated to providing. This work relies on subject matter experts (SMEs) who share their wealth of knowledge through Board service, committee, grant or workgroup participation, or as representatives of APBA on valuable joint initiatives with partner organizations. These efforts promote a unified message to policy makers, stakeholders, and consumers that is critical for the future of our profession. While APBA represents all applications and areas in which professional behavior analysts provide services, autism treatment represents the highest percent of practitioners. For this reason, we are proud to partner with the Council of Autism Service Providers, whose mission is to cultivate, share, and advocate for best practices in autism services. Together, CASP and APBA recently published the ASD Assessment Guidelines for Behavior Analysts which serve as a tool to help practitioners identify and assess the diverse needs of clients with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) across clinical, educational, and residential service settings in an ethical and effective manner. We will be co-hosting a free CEU event on May 14 at 3:00 PM EST to support clinicians in applying this work.
We have seen strong engagement in sessions related to public policy, reflecting the increasing impact of public policy on day-to-day practice. APBA allocates significant resources towards public policy initiatives through our Public Policy Committee and related workgroups and through our involvement in the ABA Coding Coalition. We have a dedicated public policy track for the second year at our upcoming virtual Leadership Conference, so make sure to sign up so you can stay in the loop!
We are actively working to expand pathways for you to be involved in APBA. We currently have openings on both our Board of Directors and Accreditation Board, and we are seeking nominations (self or others) from individuals with a demonstrated commitment to service and a desire to improve the field. These are volunteer roles (i.e., unpaid), and I won’t pretend that board service is easy! APBA relies heavily on the time, expertise, and dedication of our incredible board members to stay responsive to the needs of our community. For this reason, we seek active members who have demonstrated their commitment to service through participation in their state ABA organizations and/or other national or international partner organizations. The value that your service brings to the field benefits not only the profession but also builds your leadership skills, expands your network, and plays a direct role in shaping the future of the field. We’ve also created other ways to get involved with APBA outside of Board service, so please join us!
Our monthly professional development themes continue to gain traction, and we’ve received encouraging feedback about our Practitioner Guides, which are designed to help translate learning into practice, supervision, and staff training. We hope you’ll join us on Thursdays at 3:00 PM EST.
Thank you for being part of APBA and for the work you do every day. APBA remains committed to advancing the field in a way that reflects the voices, needs, and integrity of our community. I hope to see you at an upcoming event or see your name among those helping to shape the future of our field.
With appreciation,
Molly