Meet the people who make Soar special. Our team of clinical experts and caring staff is here to guide and empower your family.
Meet the team members who bring Soar’s mission to life each day in our centers.
A Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) holds a master’s or doctoral degree from a university plus board certification in behavior analysis from the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB). At Soar, a BCBA designs your child’s plan for naturalistic, play-based applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy built on the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM), tracks progress, coaches your family, and supervises the technicians who work with your child each day. Our BCBAs keep small caseloads of about 8 children each.
A Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) holds a paraprofessional certification in behavior analysis from the BACB. At Soar, RBTs work one-on-one with your child during ABA therapy, practicing new skills through play and daily routines and following the plan your child’s BCBA designs. We supervise every step. Every new team member must meet clear, objective standards and earn their RBT certification within their first 45 days, closely supervised throughout by BCBAs who maintain small caseloads.
When comparing RBT vs. BCBA roles, the main difference is training and role. A BCBA holds a graduate-level certification and can practice independently, so they assess your child, write the therapy plan, and adjust it as your child grows. An RBT holds a paraprofessional certification, works under a BCBA’s close supervision, and delivers the day-to-day therapy. At Soar, your child’s BCBA and RBT work as one team with speech and occupational therapists.
SLP stands for speech-language pathologist, often called a speech therapist. According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), SLPs help people communicate effectively and eat and swallow safely, and they often work on teams with other professionals. At Soar, speech therapists help young children build language and social communication, including augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) when it fits a child’s needs. Taylor Diemer is Soar’s Head of Speech Therapy Services.
An occupational therapist (OT) helps people take part in the everyday activities that matter to them, like dressing, eating, and daily routines. At Soar, occupational therapy for children with autism builds skills for play, self-care, and daily routines, and some of our OTs focus on feeding in partnership with speech-language pathologists. Kate Brough is Soar’s Head of Occupational Therapy Services.
At Soar, clinical psychologists are part of the psychology team, which is led by Abby Wischkaemper, Head of Psychological Services. They evaluate young children for autism, with each evaluation led by a licensed psychologist, at Soar centers that provide diagnostic services. CHOP-Soar centers in Pennsylvania do not offer diagnostic evaluations at this time.
Soar Autism Center was co-founded by Ian Goldstein, MD, MPH, who serves as CEO, and Jennifer Goldstein, Co-Founder and Chief People Officer. Ian is a physician who pursued advanced training in care model innovation and health policy before founding Soar. Today, Soar’s clinical leaders include heads of psychological services, ESDM implementation, speech therapy, and occupational therapy, guided by a Clinical Advisory Board of autism experts and educators.
