Our People
We employ BCBA's and RBT's to care for your child. Our BCBA's offer direct and supervised treatments.
Ginger Story, Clinical Director, M.Ed., BCBA, LBA
Ginger has been working in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis since 2001. She is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) with licenses in Tennessee and Virginia. She graduated from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville with a BS in Human Ecology with a concentration in human and child development and pursued a career in education by obtaining an M.Ed. from Converse College. While in graduate school, she discovered her passion for ABA Therapy. She attended Penn State to obtain her post graduate certificate and became board certified in 2009. She has worked with ages 1 to 75 with various diagnoses, but her passion is working with young children and their families. She specializes in verbal behavior, reduction of problem behaviors using skills based treatment, and general skill development for developmental delays. Ginger is a certified trauma trainer and is passionate about training teachers, caregivers, families, and therapists in recognizing the signs of trauma and how to support children to help them thrive. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Arc of Washington County. In her free time, she stays busy raising her 2 daughters.
Mary Jo Zinnanti, Assistant Clinical Director, M.A., BCBA, LBA
Mary Jo Zinnanti (BCBA, Kingsport) began her professional career as a Kindergarten teacher in 2015. Ginger Canty introduced her to ABA the first year she taught kindergarten, it was at that point Mary Jo knew what she wanted to do. Mary Jo decided ABA was her calling and went on to earn her Master’s degree in ABA from Ball State University in 2019. Mary Jo is passionate about working with children of all ages and abilities and their families. She is trained in Mary Barbera’s Turn Autism Around program to increase verbal behavior strategies, and Dr. Greg Hanley’s skills-based training program to reduce problem behaviors. In her free time, Mary Jo takes pleasure in spending time with her husband Nick, and their daughter.
Emilee Chacon, M.A., BCBA, LBA
Emilee Chacon (BCBA, Kingsport) has worked in ABA since 2020 starting as an RBT before deciding to pursue a career in applied behavior analysis. She graduated from Arizona State University with a BA in Sports Business and then pursued a MA in Special Education with a specialization in Applied Behavior Analysis. She is passionate about early intervention and providing services to young children.
Amanda Rathbun, M.A., M.Div., BCBA, LBA
Amanda Rathbun (BCBA, Kingsport & Newport, TN) has worked with children of varied abilities for over 30 years in a variety of settings. In 2017 Amanda took a step back from her position with an international nonprofit in order to pursue further education. During this time she worked in the classroom setting. One student inspired her to change careers and pursue the field of ABA. She began working as a RBT in 2018 and graduated with her second Master's degree, an M.A., in 2023 from Ball State University, specializing in Applied Behavior Analysis. Amanda is passionate about serving her community to provide accessible opportunities for individuals and families living with disabilities. She is also our Certified Safety Care Trainer for our staff. Amanda and her husband Dave have a growing family of 4 children, 2 sons-in-law and 3 beautiful grandchildren.
Shyla Taylor, M.A., BCBA, LBA
Shyla received her Bachelor of Science in Communication and began her career working in public relations and sales. While she loved these experiences, her true passion developed years later on a personal level, with her own son’s autism diagnosis. Witnessing the progress he made through Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) helped inspire her to want to help other children and families in need.
Shyla began working in the field of ABA as a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) within the school system, and later earned her Master’s degree in ABA from Ball State University in December 2023. These academic and professional experiences, combined with her personal journey as a parent, have shaped her approach to client interaction and ABA programming.
Outside of work, she loves church and spending quality time cooking and playing with her two children and family. Shyla loves being able to make a positive impact in the lives of others, and she is committed to supporting children and families in their autism journey every step of the way.
Our Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs)
Kenzie Byington, B.A. Psychology, University of Tennessee
Hope Houser, Lead RBT, B.S. Psychology, Applied Behavior Analysis, Capella University.
Ashley Forbes, B.S. Psychology (Behavioral Health concentration), Tusculum University
Maci Lindner, B.S., Child and Family Studies, Carson Newman University
Mallory Marsh, B.S., Interdisciplinary Studies, Minor Communicative Disorders, ETSU
Skyler Mondragon, B.S. Early Childhood Development/Education, East Tennessee State University
Mia Oakley, B.S. Psychology, Liberty University
Leah Smith, M.Ed. Special Education, Austin Peay University.; B.S. Rec. Therapy, Murray State Univ.
Tiffany Smith, M.A. Behavior Analysis Practice, F.I.T.; B.S. Psychology, Lander University
Sarah Smithson, M.A. Applied Behavior Analysis, Ball State; B.S. Clinical Psychology, ETSU
Taylor Williams, B.A. Fine Arts, Milligan University
Erin Zinnanti, B.S. Media Communications, Minor in Sociology, East Tennessee State University
Other On-Site Employees
