About the Authors
Patricia Schetter, M.A. has been serving children on the autism spectrum and with other behavioral/developmental challenges since 1990. She has worked as a classroom teacher, behavior analyst providing consultation services in a variety of settings including home and school programs and as a Program Specialist for children with ASD. In addition to holding a masters degree with an emphasis in behavior analysis, Patty has her P.P.S. credential for school counseling and has spent many years as a public school employee. She has been an invited presenter at local, national and international conferences and forums including the California Association for Behavior Analysis, the Association for Behavior Analysis, The International Williams Syndrome Association, the National Autism Conference (PATTAN), the Texas State Conference on Autism, the California Association of Resource Specialists and Special Education Teachers, the Capital Autism Conference, and the Sacramento Asperger's Syndrome Information and Support Network. Patty is the author of Learning the R.O.P.E.S. for Improved Executive Function and The Autism Program Development and Review Protocol (APDAR).
Kandis Lighthall, M.A. received her B.A. from Sacramento State University in 1970. She earned her M.A. in Education with an emphasis in Special Education in 1984, from California State University at Chico. Throughout her career she has worked with many populations however, her main focus area has been students with moderate to severe disabilities including Autism. Kandis began her teaching career in British Columbia, Canada where she established one of the first integrated classrooms for students with moderate to severe disabilities on a general education campus. Upon her return to California she established one of the first inclusive classrooms on a community college campus for students with moderate to severe disabilities. Her classroom was a Special Education Resource Network (SERN) demonstration site for the Individual Critical Skills Model (ICSM). She has been an invited presenter at TASH, CEC, CARS +, the Capital Autism Conference and is the 2006 recipient of The Carol Gray Award for her contributions to the field of Autism education. Kandis has been a successful teacher educator for the past 15 years as a part time instructor at CSU Chico, UC Davis Extension and the Bureau of Education and Research. She recently retired from public education after a distinguished career. Kandis is the author of The School Participation Checklist, R.E.A.D.Y. for Inclusion, and What Makes School Great?
Victoria Bluett-Murphy, M.S., B.C.B.A. is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) with an M.S. in Psychology/Behavior Analysis. She has worked as a behavior analyst in a variety of public and non-public settings for the past 15 years. Her experiences include implementing and supervising home and school based intensive behavioral intervention programs for children with ASD, developing and training others in functional behavior assessment and behavior support plans, training and developing functional analysis assessment and positive behavior intervention plans and conducting extensive staff training and program development for students with ASD.
Victoria has been an invited presenter at many state and local conferences including C.A.S.P. and has taught courses at community college, the California State University and UC Davis Extension. She has conducted program reviews for Local Education Agencies to assist them with developing their programs and services for students with ASD and to assist them in the development of legally defensible programs.
Carissa Stenzel is a new author/illustrator and a senior in high school. She loves drawing, riding her horse, Daisy. Her compassion for all people prompted her to write, "Differences Make Us Unique". Through her writing she show her heart for others and the unique qualities that make each person special, while making the point that everyone can learn to value differences if they make the choice to change. She is planning to pursue a career as a speech and language pathologist.
Contact Information
ABTA
PO Box 8321
Woodland, CA 95776
Phone: (916) 826-1915