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 decided to continue his education and is currently working on his Doctor of Behavioral Health degree from Cummings Graduate Institute.

Kyra relocated to Chattanooga to pursue a career in ABA. She earned a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and Behavioral Health, as well as a Master's degree in Education from Tusculum University. Kyra continued her education at the Florida Institute of Technology to earn her certification as a BCBA. She has worked with children in various professional settings, but has developed a passion for ABA therapy. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, visiting the beach, and going to concerts.

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. Recently she completed her masters degree in Exceptional Student Education with a focus in Applied Behavior Analysis at the University of West Florida, got her supervision hours at Elevate, and passed the BCBA exam! Emily is excited to start work as a BCBA and begin this new chapter of her career. In her off time she enjoys hiking, gardening, and going to festivals and markets with her fiance (soon to be husband).

Nathalie has over 10 years of experience working with children in various settings. She grew up in Chattanooga, Tennessee. She has a Bachelors of Arts in Child and Family Studies from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Nathalie graduated with a Masters in Special Education and passed her Behavior Analysis Board Exam in 2022. When she is not working or in school, Nathalie likes to read, play with her animals, and travel to new places.

Lauren received a Masters in Applied Behavior Analysis at Jacksonville State University. She moved from her hometown of Alexandria, AL to explore a new city and to grow in the field of ABA. She has worked in the field as a Registered Behavior Technician for 2 years and has worked in clinic, school, and home setting. Lauren has special interests in social skills and verbal behaviors. In her free time, you’ll find her doing a puzzle, hanging out with her family, or binge watching Netflix. 

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. 

Tori has been an Elevate employee and RBT since May of 2019. After receiving her bachelor's in Psychology from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC), After years of providing ABA therapy and developing an intense appreciation for the field, she quickly realized her true passion lies in Behavioral Analysis. She is currently completing a master's degree in Applied Behavioral Analysis at The Florida Institute of Technology to become 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.

Ally grew up in a small town and moved to Chattanooga to pursue a bachelors degree in Psychology at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. She has been working with children for around 5 years in a variety of settings and became interested in ABA after an RBT gave a presentation in one of her classes at UTC. After graduating, Ally became an RBT and it reaffirmed her desire to be in this field. She is currently completing a Masters Degree in ABA at Florida Institute of Technology to become a BCBA. When Ally is not working she is usually hanging out with her dog, visiting family, or grabbing dessert with friends.

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.

Amelia is from Murfreesboro, TN and moved to Chattanooga in 2017 to attend UTC. She graduated UTC with a BS in Psychology, and is in Liberty University's masters program to become a Clinical Mental Health Counselor. Amelia has multiple years of experience working with children with different backgrounds. Her sister has a diagnosis of autism and the  first experience with ABA was with her. Amelia saw how much it helped her, and is thankful to now be the one to help others. In her free time, Amelia likes to go to the pool, spend time with family or friends, play trivia, and hangout with her dog and cat. 

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. 

Destiny is from a small town in Georgia and moved to Chattanooga in 2019 after falling in love with the area and all its beauty! She is a Senior at Dalton State College and is studying Psychology, with plans to get my masters at UTC starting next fall. In her free time Destiny loves to be outdoors, playing with her dog, going to festivals and traveling! She started her journey in ABA when doing research on what career path she want to pursue with Psychology. Destiny is excited to be a part of this team and continue to learn everyday! 

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. 

Bailey is originally from South Florida but moved to Chattanooga this year.  She has experience working with children in various settings for over 9 years. Bailey has always had an affinity for children and passion for  childhood development. After being introduced to ABA therapy she has plans to pursue an education at Chattanooga State this coming fall. When Bailey is not working you can find her cooking for loved ones and exploring all of the beautiful scenery in Tennessee.

Allison is originally from Chattanooga and stayed because she loves it here. She graduated with a B.S. in Psychology and a concentration in social sciences with plans on pursuing her BCBA certification. Allison has worked in a variety of settings with children and has always known working with children was going to be her lifelong career.  When she is not working or doing homework, she enjoys being with my friends, spending time with my dog- Bubba :)- and spending time with family! 

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 a senior, with plans to attend a graduate program. 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. 

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 also plans to get her Masters Degree in the near future. In her free time, she enjoys serving her church, spending time with friends, and playing volleyball and pickle ball. 

Sarah is from a small town in northeast Alabama, not far from Chattanooga. She is currently a senior pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in psychology at SNHU, and is planning to work towards her Master’s with a concentration in ABA.Sarah did not plan to pursue ABA until she learned more about it, but she absolutely loves the field now! Sarah has always loved working with children and helping them learn. When she is not at work, she is spending time with her son or at the gym.

Allison is originally from Memphis, TN and moved to Chattanooga to attend UTC. She graduated with a BS in child and family studies, and is currently finishing her master's program at Texas Woman's University to become a Certified Child Life Specialist. Allison has many years of working with children in a variety of settings. While waiting to complete her child life internship she came across RBT as a possible career that was similar to child life. When Allison is not working she enjoys hanging out with her friends, going to a cycle class, and getting dessert.