The NDBI Navigator

In this episode of NDBI Navigator Narratives, Dr. Jamie sits down with Ohud Alhaqbani, BCBA, ESDM Certified Trainer, PhD researcher, and founder of ABA Blue Light, to discuss the power of parent-mediated intervention, cultural adaptation, and increasing access to evidence-based autism supports across the globe

Originally from Saudi Arabia and now based in the United Kingdom, Ohud shares her journey into the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM), her passion for Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions (NDBIs), and her work translating and adapting evidence-based practices for Arabic-speaking families. Together, Dr. Jamie and Ohud explore how parent coaching can help bridge service gaps, why cultural adaptation matters, and how empowering caregivers can transform outcomes for autistic children and their families.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/315696768_Learning_by_Doing_and_Learning_by_Observing_Training_Parents_in_Saudi_Arabia_to_Implement_the_Natural_Language_Paradigm

In this episode of the NDBI Navigator Podcast, Dr. Jamie sits down with Dr. Ana Maria Hernandez Villalobos, a medical doctor, psychologist, pediatric neuropsychologist, and certified ESDM and JASPER therapist and trainer based in Monterrey, Mexico. Dr. Ana Maria shares her inspiring journey into NDBI and her passion for bridging science, culture, and family connection to ensure that high-quality early intervention is accessible to Spanish-speaking families across Latin America. Together, they explore the challenges and opportunities of implementing NDBI within different cultural contexts, shifting from a traditional medical model to a collaborative, family-centered approach, and empowering both therapists and caregivers in the process.

In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Jessica Brian, psychologist, senior clinician scientist at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, and associate professor at the University of Toronto. A long-time champion of caregiver-mediated interventions, Dr. Brian shares her journey into Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions (NDBIs) and her leadership in developing the Social ABCs program. With decades of experience at the intersection of research and clinical practice, Dr. Brian highlights the power of empowering caregivers, listening to parents, and grounding early intervention in meaningful everyday interactions. Dr. Brian and her team continue refining Social ABCs, updating their website with new video content and caregiver-friendly summaries of the latest research. As they expand their reach, the core mission remains unchanged: to empower families, listen deeply to their insights, and support meaningful developmental outcomes through play and connection.

In this episode of the NDBI Navigator Podcast, Dr. Jamie welcomes Dr. Grace Gengoux, a nationally recognized expert in evidence-based autism intervention, clinical psychologist, BCBA-D, and faculty member at Stanford University. Together, they explore the power of motivation, flexibility, and collaboration in supporting autistic children through Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions (NDBIs), with a special focus on Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT). Dr. Gengoux shares her journey into the field, the science behind pivotal behaviors, and groundbreaking research on parent coaching, telehealth delivery, and optimizing intervention approaches for diverse learners.

In this episode—Dr. Jamie welcomes international guest Enron Seiti from Tirana, Albania. Enron shares the incredible work being done at the Help the Life Association, a nonprofit parent-founded organization dedicated to providing services and support to children with developmental disabilities and their families. He’s been deeply involved with the association for nearly 15 years. Together with their dedicated team, they’ve built a network of services that now spans six cities, empowering families, training young professionals, and advocating for change in a country where less than 5% of children and people with disabilities receive services. With more than 25 years of impact, Enron reflects on the organization's evolution, the challenges of service delivery in Albania, and how Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions (NDBIs), particularly the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM), are transforming care for young autistic children in the region. Enron also shares practical advice for professionals wanting to learn more about NDBI: seek mentorship, exchange ideas openly, and be willing to question existing approaches to find better solutions. His experience confirms that NDBI is not only more natural and enjoyable but also more effective for children — and more freeing for therapists.

In this episode, we’re joined by Christine Gomez, an NDBI mentor at the Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center (SARRC) in Phoenix, Arizona. Christine shares her journey into the field of autism intervention, how she discovered Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions (NDBIs), and how her work in inclusive preschool classrooms has shaped her views on child development, play, and parent collaboration. With deep experience in implementing Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT) and integrating developmental strategies like the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM), Christine offers a grounded, joyful, and developmentally affirming perspective on early learning environments.

In this inspiring episode, Dr. Jamie is joined by Natalia Santamaría, a psychoeducator and expert in Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions (NDBIs), who shares her powerful journey into NDBI practice and her work to bring parent-mediated, evidence-based interventions to families across Latin America. Natalia describes how her early work in Montreal led to a deep appreciation for Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT) and later the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM). She recalls reaching out directly to Dr. Lynn Koegel for mentorship when formal certification was financially out of reach — a bold move that shaped her trajectory. After returning to Argentina, Natalia became a driving force in translating and adapting NDBI materials into Spanish and expanding access to caregiver coaching and naturalistic intervention strategies across the region. Natalia reminds us that while research is important, accessibility matters. Her passion for culturally adapting materials and building bridges across languages shines through, offering a compelling vision for what it looks like to bring high-quality early intervention to families everywhere — not just in English-speaking or high-resource contexts.

In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Tracy Raulston, Assistant Professor in the Applied Behavior Analysis program at Texas State University. She shares her journey from classroom teaching to doctoral research, and how her passion for developmental science, early intervention, and child-led learning shaped her commitment to Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions (NDBIs). With over 20 years of experience in autism support and early childhood special education, Tracy brings a unique blend of clinical practice and research insight to the conversation. 

In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Ilene Schwartz, Professor Emeritus at the University of Washington and founding developer of the Project DATA model. With more than four decades of experience, Dr. Schwartz reflects on the evolution of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), the rise of Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions (NDBIs), and what it really means to support children with autism through compassionate, developmentally grounded practice. Dr. Schwartz shares stories from her early days at the May Institute and her graduate work at the University of Kansas, all the way through building inclusive NDBI programs at the University of Washington. She challenges outdated practices and offers a modern, deeply humanistic vision for behavior analysis today.

In this episode, we’re joined by Teresa McFarland, M.Ed., BCBA, Director and Senior Consultant for Thrive Collaborative, to explore her 22-year journey from traditional behavior therapy to Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions (NDBIs) that prioritize relationships, motivation, and joy. Teresa shares how Thrive uses models like the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) and Enhanced Milieu Teaching (EMT) to create developmentally respectful, family-centered services across home, school, and clinic settings. Thrive’s work centers on naturalistic, relationship-based therapy with a strong focus on parent coaching and collaborative care. Teresa also shares her professional evolution—from an undergrad volunteering with autistic children, to graduate training at Vanderbilt under Ann Kaiser, to building Thrive Collaborative as a space for affirming, play-based care.