Our Executive Team
Jen Sabin, M.A., BCBA
Executive Director, Founder
Under the direct tutelage of Dr. Ivar Lovaas, Jennifer Sabin began working with children on the autism spectrum, while completing her Bachelor’s degree at the University of California, Los Angeles. Upon completion of her degree, at a local behavioral agency, Jennifer continued her commitment and dedication to children with autism and pervasive disorders by providing supervision and workshop services on an international level. Ultimately, Jennifer directed the establishment of a successful behavioral center located in Sydney, Australia, which is currently serving individuals on the autism spectrum. In 1997 Jennifer received her Master of Arts degree in Clinical Psychology, with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy, from Pepperdine University, and subsequently became a Board Certified Behavior Analyst in 2004. Jennifer Sabin’s expertise and vision of providing quality intervention services for individuals on the autism spectrum led to the opening of Working With Autism, Inc. (WWA) in 1997. Since WWA’s inception, Jennifer functions as the Executive Director, monitoring and overseeing all clinical and administrative services.
Hilya DelbandTehrani, PsyD
Consulting Expert Clinician
Dr. Hilya is a clinical psychologist and child development specialist with over 20 years of experience working with children with autism and their families. In addition to her expertise in addressing the needs of the whole child using evidence-based interventions, she draws upon the latest advancements in neurobiology to conceptualize what children need to grow and thrive. Dr. Hilya offers training and consultation services to the WWA team in the area of autism evaluations.
John-Paul Prakash, M.A., BCBA
Chief Operating Officer
John-Paul joined the WWA family in 2006 holding a Master of Arts in Psychology with an emphasis in Marital Family Therapy. He initially became interested in early intervention for children with autism while working as an elementary school counselor. During this time, John-Paul noticed there was a lack of adequate support and trained specialists to help children with special needs. He joined WWA to be part of a well-established institution designed to nurture the growth and potential of every child.
John-Paul excelled in providing behavioral services and treatments in the school and home environments. During his time with WWA, he has gained comprehensive experience implementing treatment plans as a direct interventionist and designing treatment plans as a Case Supervisor. John-Paul held a robust desire to provide his clients with the most effective evidence-based treatments and subsequently became a Board Certified Behavior Analyst in 2011.
As the Chief Operating Officer, John-Paul is extremely passionate about overseeing the successful day-to-day administrative, clinical, and operational functions at WWA. He has extensive clinical experience as a BCBA and as the previous Clinical Director, in addition to over a decade of involvement and knowledge working collaboratively with all administrative departments. As the COO, John-Paul maintains the success of all WWA administrative operations and ensures the high standards and professionalism of the Clinical Services.
Jennifer Strauss, M.S., BCBA
Director of Clinical Services
Jennifer Strauss became part of the WWA family in 2000 holding a degree in Psychology from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Prior to joining WWA, Jennifer started working in Special Education classrooms, Special Education Centers, and in California Residential programs. Jennifer’s love for children, community service, and behavioral health solidified her decision to continue focusing on autism and furthering her education. While working full-time at WWA, Jennifer earned her Master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis and is currently a practicing Board Certified Behavior Analyst with over 2 decades of direct experience working with children and adolescents on the autism spectrum.
Jennifer has held numerous positions during her time at WWA which include Senior Behavior Instructor, Staff Development Specialist, Training Coordinator, and Clinical Coordinator. Her extensive experience allowed her to provide clinical staff and families with the guidance and knowledge required to promote effective and significant services. She excelled in fostering open and collaborative communication with parents and families to ensure the specialized WWA treatment plan incorporated the family’s perspective in addition to Applied Behavior Analysis.
As the current Director of Clinical Services, Jennifer oversees WWA’s clinical operations including the development and implementation of clinical protocols, overseeing all clinical aspects of school and home services, and supervisor training of Program Managers and BCBA staff. Ensuring that WWA’s treatment model aligns with both evidenced-based and best practices, Jennifer assists in the development and delivery of clinical trainings to staff, and is passionate and committed when working with families to ensure they are thoroughly informed about all features included in WWA services.
Our Administrative Team
Daniel Skelton
Human Resource Manager
Daniel Skelton joined WWA in 2021. Daniel joined WWA in 2021 with experience working in Human Resources from a variety of different industries, including nightlife and marketing. Daniel has been interested in the Behavioral Health Industry for years and studied psychology at both Pasadena City College & Pacific Oaks University prior to joining the WWA team. His favorite aspect of working in Human Resources is creating strong team relations and curating healthy and welcoming company culture. Daniel decided to join WWA because he wanted to be involved with a company that actively makes a difference in his community. As the HR Manager, Daniel recruits and trains employees, as well as manages personnel files, claims, company records, creates policies and procedures and does what he can to ensure the success and happiness of every employee.
Erika Estrada
Billing Manager
Erika became part of the WWA team in 2022 with over 9 years of extensive experience and knowledge regarding insurance billing and financial analysis in the behavioral field. Erika decided to join WWA in order to support our families by managing all billing aspects of the behavioral services so each family can focus their attention on the treatment, as well as gain access to all services. As the Billing Manager, Erika ensures that all billable services are accurately documented in order to prevent any issues that may impact the continuity of services and provides families with concise statements as necessary.
Sandra Rodriguez
Scheduling Manager
Sandra joined WWA in September of 2019 with experience working as an Administrator in the Behavioral health industry, where she noticed families who were seeking specialized services indicated many challenges in securing and scheduling services for their children. Sandra decided to join WWA to ensure that any family who was in need of services would be able to confirm and receive services in an efficient, easy, and supportive process. She enjoys assisting families in securing services for their children as she knows the process and procedure can be very confusing.
As the Scheduling Manager, Sandra assists families with all of staffing and scheduling needs. This includes finding substitutes when an instructor is unavailable so that no child is left without services. Sandra has knowledge of what specific needs each schedule entails and is able to effectively meet the expectations of every WWA family with their scheduled services. Sandra welcomes collaboration and feedback from all WWA families, so they feel welcomed and satisfied with the services that are being provided.
Clinical Team
Adam Di Panni, M.A., LMFT, BCBA
Clinical Coordinator
Adam has been part of the WWA Team since 2010, holding a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of California Los Angeles and a Masters degree in Psychology from Phillips Graduate Institute. Adam began his journey in Behavior Analysis in 2007 as an instructor, and has enjoyed helping children with special needs and providing training and support for families and staff. In 2018, Adam obtained his License in Marriage and Family Therapy, followed by taking advanced ABA coursework and obtaining his BCBA in 2019.
During his tenure at WWA, Adam has assumed various additional responsibilities within the organization. In 2016, he took on the role of Case Supervisor, offering clinical supervision to both clients and staff, while also providing valuable parent training to families. In 2022, Adam was promoted to a Clinical Coordinator, overseeing WWA’s Program Managers to support, develop, and monitor treatment plans, assess client program and make necessary adjustments to intervention strategies. Additionally, Adam supports in the training and supervising of behavior technicians, ensuring adherence to best practice and treatment protocols.
Adam possesses a genuine passion for aiding individuals, particularly adolescents, and finds great joy in working towards their development and independence. He is thrilled to contribute to a role that allows him to assist children in acquiring essential skills while also supporting the professional growth of clinical supervisors in the ABA field.
Carlos Aguirre, M.S., BCBA
Clinical Coordinator of New Hire Training
Carlos joined the WWA team in 2015 and has since made significant contributions over the last eight years. With a Masters of Science degree in Applied Behavior Analysis from Western Connecticut State University, Carlos embarked on his journey in Behavior Analysis driven by curiosity. However, he quickly realized that ABA was his true calling and found immense joy in assisting children with autism, as well as providing training and support to families and staff.
Carlos’ dedication to the field motivated him to pursue advanced ABA coursework, culminating in his BCBA certification in 2021. Throughout his time at WWA, Carlos has taken on additional responsibilities. In 2022, he assumed the role of Clinical Coordinator of New Hire Training, where he imparts crucial training to behavior technicians joining the team. He also ensures their ongoing growth and proficiency by providing Safety-Care training and continuous support, enabling them to effectively meet the unique needs of our clients.
Carlos is truly devoted in helping others, particularly children. His current role allows him to not only assist children in developing essential skills but also contribute to the growth and training of behavior technicians as they progress in the field. Carlos is thrilled to be in a position where he can make a meaningful impact and continue supporting individuals in need.