Rebekah Cianci, MS, MEd, BCBA, LPC (She/Her)
Rebekah is the director of Crescent Bloom. She moved to New Orleans in 2009 and received a Bachelor of Science from Tulane University. She has worked in Applied Behavior Analysis since 2011, as a line therapist, BCaBA and as a BCBA. She has a Masters of Education in Special Education from Xavier University in Ohio and a Masters of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Loyola University New Orleans. She completed her mental health training at Family Service of Greater New Orleans working with parents, families and providing services to victims of crimes. She has worked with individuals with autism/autistic clients across the lifespan, providing early intervention ABA through vocational and social emotional support for adults. Rebekah is also a RADAR trained forensic interviewer.
Amanda Leigh Rivera, MA, BCBA, LBA (She/Her)
Amanda is a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst and is licensed by the state of Louisiana. As a Louisiana native, she is honored to serve the autism community in a place she calls home. Amanda has been working in the field of applied behavior analysis for 6 years. She started as a line technician in an early intervention clinic, which quickly ignited her passion for serving autistic individuals.
Amanda graduated from the University of Holy Cross with a B.S. in Psychology. She has an M.A. in Linguistics from California State University and a Graduate Certificate in Applied Behavioral Analysis from Ball State University. She is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Applied Language and Speech Sciences at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette as well as pursuing her Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) in speech-language pathology.
Amanda believes each person is unique and that treatment should be tailored to each client’s specific needs. She is driven to ensure that everyone achieves success inside and outside of the classroom and believes that working together with parents, teachers, and other service providers (e.g., SLPs, OTs, PTs, etc.) will guarantee that success. Amanda is particularly passionate about helping individuals to engage in purposeful and meaningful communication whether that be symbol-based Augmentative Alternative Communication (AAC), sign language, gestures, or spoken language.
Keith DeVilliers, MEd, BCBA, LBA (He/Him)
Keith was introduced to ABA and began working in the field in 2017 in a clinical setting. During his time there he quickly witnessed the progression children were making with the help of ABA therapy and decided to become a BCBA. While there he worked with children of varying diagnoses between the ages of 2-10 providing early intervention targeting a variety of skills and behaviors. Throughout his time there he received supervision from exceptional Behavior Analysts that provided him with the knowledge and skills necessary to take on his own clients.
Keith graduated from the University of New Orleans with a B.S. in Psychology. He also has a Masters of Special Education from the University of West Florida. He is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and is licensed by the state of Louisiana. Keith believes that we are all created equally but uniquely. ABA therapy should be individualized to the client! He feels that ABA therapy should be used in a way that respects the dignity of the client. He also strives to create a more accessible and rewarding environment for his clients by working on communication, living skills, community skills, and social skills.
Amanda Poole, MA, BCBA, LBA (She/Her)
Amanda was born and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and moved to New Orleans in 2016 after earning her Bachelors in Sociology from Louisiana State University. She was quickly introduced to the field of Applied Behavior Analysis and worked in an early intervention clinic-based setting as a Line Technician and Case Manager. Amanda decided to pursue a Masters in Exceptional Student Education and later obtained her Board Certification and State License. She has also worked in school and community-based settings before joining Crescent Bloom Consulting in Fall 2023. Amanda believes that ABA services should be tailored to each individual and implemented in a way that enables the client to thrive in their environment. Currently, she is leading the middle school social skills group and is keen on exploring areas where teenagers might require assistance as they transition into young adults.
Chusse-Ionna Dardar, MA, BCBA, LBA (She/Her)
Chusse is a native of Lafayette, Louisiana. During her high school years, she developed a passion for community advocacy while volunteering with her school's buddy system and local Special Olympics. She earned her undergraduate degree from Louisiana State University and then moved to New Orleans in 2019, where she began working as a line technician at an early intervention clinic. Chusse fell in love with the field of applied behavior analysis while working at this clinic and quickly advanced to the position of case manager.
In 2021, she earned her Masters of Arts in ABA from Ball State University and obtained her BCBA and LBA credentials. She then began working as a BCBA for an autism company, providing community, school, and in-clinic services to children aged 2-13. In August of 2023, Chusse joined Crescent Bloom Consulting.
Chusse is passionate about providing individualized care that not only benefits the client's family but also enriches the client's life. She believes that ABA treatment should be based on providing clients with the resources and skills to advocate for themselves. Chusse also prioritizes gaining knowledge of strategies that will help the client grow and flourish in the community and school setting.
Shakera Matunda, BS (She/Her)
Shakera joined Crescent Bloom as an ABA Line Therapist in 2021. In June 2023 she took on a role of the Office Manager. She serves as communication bridge between our clients and service providers. She organizes and leads Crescent Bloom camps and assists in the hiring process. Shakera is also a certified Safety Care trainer.
Fig Johnson (They/Them)
Fig joined Crescent Bloom Consulting as an ABA Line Therapist in 2021 and has since took on a role of Community Coordinator or Liason. They organize community partnerships with local organizations in order to create an inclusive network of community spaces for our clients. Fig is the author of Crescent Bloom Newsletter as well as the organizer of Summer Speaker Series. They are a certified Safety Care Trainer. They also assist in organization of Crescent Bloom camps and are one of the Crescent Bloom camp leads.
Jerahnaye Ellis, BS (He/Him)
Originally from Thibodaux, Jerarnaye moved to New Orleans to explore work opportunities. He is gained experience in various fields, from landscaping, construction and other jobs, he found his way into the ABA field where he has nearly half a decade of experience. He joined Crescent Bloom in the Summer of 2022 and has since taken on Admin responsibilities, assisting BCBAs and the Office Manager. The main thing that has kept him going is how much growth he's seen with all the varying clients he's had the opportunity to work with. He loves exercising and watching a good documentary.
Theo Praprotnik Malej, BS (He/Him)
Originally from Slovenia, Theo moved to the United States to pursue higher education in Psychology. Theo joined Crescent Bloom as a Line Therapist in 2022. In the last year he has taken on additional admin responsibilities, organizing and leading Crescent Bloom Camps, and working on the company website. Theo is looking forward to pursuing BCaBA certification in the future. He loves seeing our clients progress in their communication skills and encourages their self-advocacy.
Stansheyaka “Sashi” Washington (She/Her)
Sashi joined Crescent Bloom Consulting as an ABA Line Technician in 2022. In the Fall of 2023 she began her role as a leader of Social Groups. She is a full-time student at Capella University pursuing her degree in Psychology pre-counseling. Sashi has always had the desire to work with exceptional children and finds it very rewarding to see them progress. She knows the value of creating genuine and lasting connections and looks forward to helping our clients create them with their peers.