The NDBI Navigator

In this episode of the NDBI Navigator Narratives Podcast, Dr. Jamie sits down with Dr. Deanna Swain, clinical psychologist and assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Colorado. Dr. Swain shares how her work spans clinical practice, informatics, and research — all with a shared goal of improving access to meaningful, evidence-based support for autistic children and their families.

In this episode of the NDBI Navigator Narratives Podcast, host Dr. Jamie sits down with Dr. Bonnie McBride, a Professor of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics at the University of Oklahoma Health Campus and the Director of the Oklahoma Autism Center. The conversation covers Dr. McBride's extensive background, her perspective on Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions (NDBI), and the unique community-based service delivery models she has implemented in Oklahoma.

In this episode of the NDBI Navigator Narratives Podcast, host Dr.Jamie sits down with Ania Petrova, BCBA and founder of Comprehensive ABA, to explore her professional evolution from traditional ABA to Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions (NDBI). Ania shares what led to her “aha moment” with neurodiversity-affirming care, the systemic barriers that make this work challenging, and how she is helping agencies and schools shift toward more compassionate, developmentally appropriate models of support.

In this episode, we’re joined by Janice Chan, lecturer in the Department of Special Education at San Diego State University and long-time trainer in Classroom Pivotal Response Teaching (CPRT). Janice shares her two-decade journey through autism research, classroom teaching, and implementation coaching—and how her lived experience as a special education teacher shapes her approach to scaling NDBIs in school systems. Janice’s background spans research and practice, beginning with early work in Dr. Laura Schreibman’s UCSD lab comparing PECS and PRT, and evolving into deep engagement with CPRT and the translation of NDBIs into real-world classrooms. Janice shares that the CPRT online learning module will be released to the public for free following the completion of the current research phase. Current study sites include California, Illinois, and Indiana.

In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Melanie Pelichia, clinical psychologist and implementation scientist at the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for Mental Health, where she leads groundbreaking efforts to embed high‑quality, evidence‑based autism interventions in public service systems. With over 25 years of experience, Melanie shares her evolution from traditional ABA to Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions (NDBIs), and how she’s driving large‑scale change through community‑partnered research and clinical innovation. Melanie’s work centers around community-based implementation of NDBIs with a focus on equity, family engagement, and fidelity. 

In this episode, we’re thrilled to welcome Dr. Ariana Boutain, BCBA-D and Chief Clinical Officer at the Atlanta Autism Center. With nearly two decades of experience, Dr. Bane shares her inspiring professional journey — from starting in traditional, compliance‑driven ABA to becoming a passionate champion of Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions (NDBIs). She opens up about what sparked her shift: noticing the gaps in traditional treatment models for very young autistic children, diving deep into developmental science, and discovering the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) and the broader NDBI framework. She shares how these approaches have transformed her clinical work, her team’s training practices, and even her own parenting.

In this episode of NDBI Navigator Narratives, Dr. Jamie sits down with Tamara Kasper, a dual-certified Speech-Language Pathologist and Board Certified Behavior Analyst, to talk about what happens when speech science, behavior analysis, and play-based motivation truly come together.

In this episode of NDBI Navigator Narratives, Dr. Jamie sits down with Dr. Pamela Rollins, professor at UT Dallas and a leading voice in developmental language research, for a powerful conversation on the social foundations of language development. Drawing on over 40 years of research and clinical experience, Dr. Rollins reminds us that language cannot develop in isolation—it must be built on social engagement, reciprocity, and joint attention. 

In this episode, we’re joined by Renee Hoffman, BCBA, LPC, and Melissa Looney, BCBA‑student, to explore Pathways Early Autism Intervention— a Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Intervention (NDBI) parent‑training program designed to help families nurture early social communication skills in young children with, or suspected of having, autism. Pathways blends ABA principles with child development science to address the core social challenges of autism rather than just surface‑level behaviors. Developed by Renee and her business partner Michelle (a speech‑language pathologist and BCBA), Pathways grew out of their work in Early Childhood Intervention (Part C) programs and their shared belief that parents should be at the center of their child’s learning journey. Renee and Melissa also share how their backgrounds in education, speech therapy, and early intervention shaped their belief that the most powerful outcomes happen when parents are supported as their child’s first and most consistent teacher.

In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Sophia D’Agostino, Assistant Professor at Utah State University in the Department of Special Education and Rehabilitation Counseling. Her research and teaching focus on early childhood special education with a mission to improve preschool inclusion for children with disabilities. Dr. D’Agostino’s work centers on Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions (NDBIs) in preschool classrooms, particularly in community-based programs such as Head Start, state-funded preschools, childcare programs, and inclusive early childhood special education settings. Her research investigates how NDBI strategies are implemented in real-world classrooms, how comfortable teachers feel using them, and what supports are needed for high-quality implementation.