Our Therapists

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Sarena is the founder and clinical director of Elevate Behavior Services.  Sarena is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst originally from Gainesville, Florida. She received her Masters Degree in Special Education from the University of Florida. After starting her career in the classroom, she was introduced to ABA and immediately began to pursue certification. Sarena completed her Applied Behavior Analysis coursework through Florida Institute of Technology. Since obtaining her certification, she has gained experience working with children with autism and related disabilities in home, clinic, and school settings, as well, as job coaching through Vocational Rehabilitation.

Cory is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and the Assistant Clinical Director at Elevate. He is from a small town in west Tennessee and moved to Chattanooga in 2009 to attend UTC. After earning his Bachelor's in Secondary English Education, he taught for the Hamilton County Department of Education for 5 years. While teaching, he obtained his Master’s Degree in Applied Behavioral Analysis from the University of Cincinnati in 2017. He obtained his Board Certification and licensure in 2019. Cory has recently completed his Doctor of Behavioral Health degree from Cummings Graduate Institute.

Emily worked as a BCaBA and RBT in Tampa before moving to Chattanooga in 2019 and joining the Elevate team. She’s been working in the field of applied behavior analysis for 8 years now. She completed her Masters degree in Exceptional Student Education with a focus in Applied Behavior Analysis at the University of West Florida, and passed her BCBA exam in 2022! In her off time she enjoys hiking, gardening, and going to festivals and markets with her husband.

Tori has been an Elevate employee since May of 2019. After receiving her bachelor's in Psychology from UTC and  years of providing ABA therapy and developing an intense appreciation for the field, she quickly realized her true passion was in Behavioral Analysis. She recently completed a master's degree in Applied Behavioral Analysis at The Florida Institute of Technology and became a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. In her free time, she enjoys trips to Walt Disney World, brunch with her husband and friends, and long drives listening to her favorite playlists.

Kayley is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst who moved to Chattanooga from Louisiana and started working at Elevate Behavior in July 2023.  She has been working in the field of ABA for 3 1/2 years.  She earned a bachelors degree in Human Development and Family Science with and earned a Master’s in Behavior Analysis from Florida Institute of Technology.  Kayley has a special interest in teaching children how to communicate using different modalities like PECS and AAC.  She also enjoys teaching social skills and daily living skills.  In her free time she likes to go on hikes, cook, watch movies and take care of her plant children.

Amanda was born and raised in Knoxville, Tennessee. Go Vols! After completing her undergraduate and graduate degrees at the University of Tennessee, Amanda spent eight years as a special education teacher.

In 2020, Amanda decided to transition to a new career path in ABA. She worked as a RBT while completing her coursework through Florida Institute of Technology, ultimately earning her certification as a BCBA in 2022.

In her free time, Amanda enjoys spending time outdoors, whether it's hiking through the mountains, kayaking on the lake, or simply enjoying a cup of coffee with her husband and their two-year-old son. 

Dacey comes to Elevate after working as a Clinical Director and Behavior Analyst in Nashville. Dacey began working as a therapist in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis in 2004.  She obtained her Master’s Degree in Psychology from the University of Phoenix and gained Board Certification in 2014. She has spent the past 10 years supporting children and adults in middle Tennessee across home, clinic, and community settings. In her spare time she enjoys camping, reading, travel and hiking with her dog and friends.

Micha'el grew up in a small town in Georgia and moved to Chattanooga in 2006 after falling in love with the area. Micha'el comes to Elevate with numerous years of experience managing medical practices in both billing and practice management. Micha'el has 4 adult children and 8 grandchildren! Spending time with them is one of her favorite things to do. When not with the family, Micha'el loves to explore downtown Chattanooga and the surrounding areas, drive the backroads in her convertible, read, garden and travel. 

Haven joined the team at Elevate in hopes of getting experience working with children who have specialized needs. She recently graduated with her Bachelor's in Psychology from the University of Tennessee. She is now working towards her Master's degree in clinical mental health counseling from Bellevue University. She is so excited to be working with such an amazing team and wonderful kids! Haven hopes she can make a positive impact on these kids lives and take the positive impacts they leave with her! In her free time Haven enjoys crocheting, reading new books, going to the movies, crafting, and hiking!

Fran King is Elevate Academy’s head teacher, specializing in personalized education for students with autism. She is dedicated to creating an inclusive, supportive, and engaging learning environment tailored to students’ needs. She began her journey in the field of ABA as a RBT In October of 2022 right before she graduated with a  degree in Child and Family Studies from the UTC. She was born and raised in Chattanooga, and has always loved working with people and families. She spent a large majority of her high school and college years working as a nanny and server at Pizzeria Cortile. Outside of work, you can catch Fran spending time with friends or family, watching movies, or hanging with her tiny dogs Oscar and Steve! 

Riana was born in Nebraska, but moved to Chattanooga at a young age, so she considers Chattanooga home. She graduated from University of Tennessee at Chattanooga with a B.S in psychology and is currently pursuing a Masters Degree in Social Work.  After completing an internship for school at a local behavior clinic, she learned how important ABA is and decided to begin RBT training. In her free time Riana enjoys exploring new places around town, spending time with family, and going to watch the sunset with friends.

Katti is from Michigan and attended Western Michigan University where she was first introduced to ABA therapy. She knew right away she had a passion for the ABA field. Katti moved to TN to finish her undergraduate degree in psychology at UTC. She loves working with children and making a positive impact in their lives. In her free time, you'll find her playing with her chinchilla, exploring new places in Chattanooga, and spending time with her friends. 

Ashlynn was born and raised in Cookeville, Tennessee. She moved to Chattanooga to attend UTC and pursue her bachelors degree in psychology. Her first interest in psychology was mainly based around clinical mental health, but she is so happy to have learned more about ABA. She is currently obtaining her Master's Degree in ABA to pursue certification. She has loved working with children of many different backgrounds, and has always found behavior fascinating. When Ashlynn is not working, you can find her spending time with friends and family. 

Larissa is from a small town outside of Knoxville and moved to Chattanooga to pursue a bachelor's degree in psychology at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. She is currently a senior with the hopes of continuing her education in occupational therapy. Larissa has always enjoyed working with children and helping them reach new goals. When she is not busy, Larissa enjoys going to the gym, hiking with her dog, and spending time with her family and friends. 

McKinley is originally from Athens, Georgia. She moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee to attend UTC where she obtained her Undergraduate Degree in Psychology. After graduating, she knew she was passionate about working with people with disabilities, but she was unsure where to begin. After being introduced to ABA Therapy, she knew this job would be a great fit. She is currently getting her Masters Degree in ABA. In her free time, she enjoys serving her church, spending time with friends, and playing volleyball and pickle ball. 

Sarah was born in Kennesaw, Georgia but lived internationally throughout her adolescence. She moved to Chattanooga to attend UTC and pursue her bachelors degree in English. During undergrad, Sarah volunteered as a Mosaic mentor for college students with ASD. She immediately fell in love with the community and decided to make her passion a profession. She is currently pursuing a Master’s in Speech Language Pathology and hopes to specialize in patients with ASD.   When Sarah is not working, she enjoys going to the gym, thrifting, and spending time with loved ones.

Victoria worked at a nursery throughout high school where she discovered her strong passion for working with children! She went to UTC and graduated with a bachelor’s in Psychology. After graduating college, she moved back home to Nashville where she discovered ABA therapy through research. She began working at an ABA clinic there. She wanted to continue working in ABA therapy in Chattanooga and discovered Elevate! Through our website she admired our passion we have for our children and immediately knew she wanted to work here. In her free time, she loves to go swimming, hang out with friends, go shopping, and watch movies.

Chloe grew up in Chattanooga. She is currently pursuing her Bachelor's degree in psychology from UTC. After graduation she plans to continue her education and get her Masters degree in mental health counseling. She has a passion for the field of psychology and discovering fun new ways to enrich others' lives. She loves working with children and has experience in a variety of different settings. She found out about ABA through her own research and immediately took steps to pursue her goal of becoming an RBT. In her free time Chloe loves going to the gym, cooking, and spending time with friends.

Alyson is originally from Rainsville, Alabama but moved to Dalton, Georgia in late 2022 after getting engaged. She is in the process of transferring schools so she can further her degree in social work with a concentration on child and youth service opportunities. Alyson began her journey with Elevate after researching careers in the area that would best align with her studies and learned about ABA therapy.  In her free time you can find her hanging out with her sisters, on a new adventure with her fiance, or spending time with friends and family!

Kes is from Chattanooga, Tennessee. She completed her bachelors degree in psychology from UTC in 2024. She has always loved working with children and helping them express their individuality. She is currently Elevate Academy’s assistant teacher. She assists Mrs. Fran in providing creative learning experiences to their students. She appreciates watching her students progress over the year while keeping their experiences enjoyable. In her pass time she enjoys swimming, crafting, and spending time with her cats.

Alex is at elevate because she wanted more experience working directly with children with disabilities. She has had some experience before through volunteering but nothing like this! Her future career goal is to become an occupational therapist who works with kids with disabilities. She is passionate about continuing to create safe and welcoming learning spaces for this community. In her free time she to listen to music and podcasts, do puzzles, and go to the gym!

Anna is originally from Franklin, TN. She moved to Chattanooga to attend UTC. She recently graduated with her Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science. She has been teaching swim lessons

for many years and the past couple years with special needs. She discovered Elevate and loved that she could take her teaching experience to a new level and a new direction. In her free time she loves to workout, cook, and enjoy time with her friends.

Ashley joined the Elevate team because of the uplifting, positive environment that includes so much care and support for everyone. Her passion for working with Elevate clients stems from growing up with a brother on the Autism spectrum. She strives to provide her clients with the same compassion and support she would like for him to receive. In her free time she enjoys being outside, creating art, and going to concerts!

Lauren grew up in Murfreesboro, TN and moved to Chattanooga in 2019 to attend UTC. She recently obtained her B.S in Exercise Science with a minor in Psychology in hopes to pursue Occupational Therapy. After graduating, she began looking into careers surrounding therapy and discovered ABA. She felt like this aligned perfect with her passion for creativity and playing a direct role in helping others improve! When Lauren isn’t at Elevate you can find her traveling, outdoors, getting coffee, or spending time with friends and family.

Morgan was born and raised from Nashville, TN but moved to Chattanooga in 2021 to pursue a Psychology degree at UTC. She found she enjoyed studying children’s behavior and wanted to work directly with them. She  was introduced to ABA therapy by a professor and immediately knew this was where she was meant to be. Morgan is passionate about seeing the direct impact ABA therapy has on children and their families! Inter free time, she enjoys going to Pilates, hanging out with friends and family, traveling, and binging tv shows. 

Laci started working at Elevate because she has always had a huge heart for kids, and she knew that working here would be an amazing opportunity to make an impact on their lives. Laci is graduating from UTC in December with a Bachelor’s of Psychology minoring in Child and Family studies, so Elevate is the perfect place to be! After graduating, she hopes to pursue a Master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling, and ultimately, continue to work with children! In her free time, you can find Laci spending time with her dog and friends.

Gabby is from Memphis, Tennessee. She graduated from Sewanee with a B.S in neuroscience, and moved to Chattanooga to pursue an Education Specialist degree in School Psychology at UTC. Gabby has been an RBT since May 2022, and is motivated by seeing the positive impact that ABA therapy can have on children and their families. Gabby loves working at Elevate because everyone is positive and uplifting. In her free time, Gabby loves to read, bake desserts, and spend time with family. 

Jordan joined Elevate to advance in her career! She is currently enrolled at Florida Institute for Technology to obtain her masters degree in ABA. She is very passionate about helping children improve in ways that will benefit their future. She loves creating meaningful relationships with the kids and her coworkers while making a difference in these kids lives! In her free time she likes to go shopping, be outside, watch movies, and bake!

Amanda joined us at Elevate because she loves helping people, especially kids that need a little bit of extra help to navigate through life. She is thankful to be part of a team that’s so kind and passionate about helping these kids live their lives to the fullest. In her free time Amanda likes to travel. She has been fortunate enough to visit 30 countries so far, and  can’t wait to check more off her list! She also likes making things and tinkering. She loves trying new, artsy, crafty hobbies! She also likes to go to rock and mineral shows to expand her rock collection!

Emilee moved to Chattanooga from a small town to study Psychology at UTC. She has always known that she wanted to work with children. She learned about ABA in her undergraduate and became interested in being an RBT after graduating. Making a difference in the everyday lives of families in her new community has become her passion. In her free time, Emilee loves reading, spending time outdoors, shopping, and spending time with friends.

Sydney is grateful to be at Elevate because she has always been passionate about helping people. Sydney is currently studying psychology at University of Tennessee Chattanooga. She is particularly interested in working with autistic children because I believe early intervention and support can make a huge difference in their lives. Sydney is eager to apply what she is learning from Elevate and her studies to create positive and impactful experiences for our kids and their families. In her free time, she enjoys hanging out with friends and family, working out, exploring a local cafe or park, and watching movies. 

Alyvia is at elevate to make a difference in our clients daily life! She has seen first hand how much progress clients’ can make through ABA, and is so excited to begin working with older kids to improve social, communication, and living skills. She has a B.S. in Psychology and loves  learning more about behavior everyday! She is currently a graduate student at UTC studying Clinical Mental Health Counseling. In her free time she loves spending time reading, crafting, and taking her dog on hikes.