About Us

Advancing Education in Behavioral Health Care

Catalight Academy is the premier education hub in the autism and I/DD fields. Access top-tier professional development opportunities to further your career, diversify your case load and master your specialty.

Who Can Join Catalight Academy? 

Clinicians  

Practicing clinicians who want to deepen their expertise in autism, mental health and disability care can access specialized, research-based education, helping them deliver more impactful, evidence-driven care. 

Students 

Students enrolled in accredited universities and pursuing careers in the I/DD field can gain advanced knowledge and practical skills, making them better prepared as they enter the workforce. 

Parents and Caregivers 

Families who want to better understand their child’s unique needs will gain confidence and practical skills, enabling them to foster meaningful growth and connection at home through caregiver-led strategies. 

Redefining Clinical Pathways

We offer a variety of online postgraduate certificate programs and continuing education courses. Each offering meets the highest standards of quality and relevance to enable you to improve client experiences and outcomes.

All Courses & Programs

Advanced Certification Programs

These advanced programs are designed to coach clinicians through the practical implementation of a clinical program or concept. They require clinicians to demonstrate high fidelity and ability to implement the clinical program or concept.

Programs

Participants will learn how to implement a service line and can leverage associated program manuals and worksheets in their practice. Programs are available on-demand with a virtual, instructor-led capstone session.

Courses and Webinars

These courses, available on demand, are taught by industry-leading clinicians. They focus on expanding knowledge on a specific topic and help participants keep up with license and certification requirements.
Instructors

Brianna Fitchett, MPH, MA, BCBA

Developer

Degrees/Credentials

  • Masters Public Health: Healthcare Administration, National University
  • BCBA, Florida Institute of Technology
  • MA, Special Education, Moderate/Severe Disabilities, Notre Dame de Namur University
  • BA, San Francisco State University

Current Position

  • Vice President of Clinical Impact, Catalight

Programs

  • Chat Program
  • Compass-Behavioral Program
  • Everyday ABA Workshop

Doreen Samelson, EdD, MSCP

Developer and Instructor

Degrees/Credentials

  • Licensed Psychologist
  • MSCP, Alliant International University
  • EdD., Counseling Psychology, University of the Pacific
  • 30 Credit Hours in Special Education and Psychology Credited Toward a Teaching Certificate in Severely Handicapped Education, Western Oregon State College
  • MA, Major in Psychology, Minor in Ecology and Behavioral Biology, The University of Minnesota
  • BA, Major in Psychology with a Minor in Biology, San Francisco State

Current Position

  • Chief Clinical Officer, Catalight

Programs

  • Compass-Behavioral Program

Jennifer Ikola, BCBA

Developer and Instructor

Degrees/Credentials

  • MS, Psychology with emphasis in Applied Behavior Analysis, Kaplan University
  • BS, Health Sciences emphasis in Pre-Medicine, California Baptist University

Current Position

  • Clinical Manager, Catalight

Programs

  • Chat Program
  • Calibrate ABA Program
  • Compass-Behavioral Program
  • Everyday ABA Program
  • Everyday ABA Workshop

Julie Wittman, MEd, PhD, BCBA

Developer and Instructor

Degrees/Credentials

  • Board Certified Behavior Analyst, Certificate #1-20-46505
  • Verified Course Sequence from University of Washington for BCBA
  • Experience acquired at the Center on Disabilities and Human Development at the University of Idaho, Clinical Services
  • MEd in Special Education, University of Idaho
  • PhD, Animal Physiology, University of Idaho
  • BS, Animal Science, Cornell University

Current Position

  • RUBI Certified Trainer
  • RUBI Certified Provider

Programs

  • RUBI Program
  • RUBI Workshop
  • RUBI Advanced Certification

Disclosures

  • Julie is a member of the Association for Behavior Analysis, International (ABAI)
Karen Bearss

Karen Bearss, PhD

Creator of RUBI, Developer and Instructor

Degrees/Credentials

  • Licensed Psychologist #Y60675554
  • PhD, Clinical Child Psychology, University of Florida
  • MS, Clinical Psychology, University of Florida
  • BS, Psychology, University of Florida

Current Position

  • Creator of RUBI
  • Vice President of Caregiver Mediated Care Solutions, Catalight

Programs

  • RUBI Program
  • RUBI Workshop
  • RUBI Advanced Certification

Disclosures

  • Dr. Bearss receives royalties from Oxford University Press and grant funding from NIMH and the Eagles Autism Foundation.

Lindsey Sneed, PhD, BCBA-D

Developer and Instructor

Degrees/Credentials

  • Licensed Psychologist #PSY34154
  • PhD, Clinical Psychology, Walden University
  • MS, Applied Psychology, Walden University
  • MS, Educational Counseling, National University
  • BA, Counseling Psychology, William Jessup University
  • RUBI Certified

Current Position

  • Vice President of Clinical Excellence, Catalight
  • Adjunct Professor, University of San Francisco

Programs

  • Calibrate ABA Program
  • Compass-Behavioral Program
  • RUBI Program
  • Everyday ABA Program

Ryan Martin, PhD, BCBA

Developer and Instructor

Degrees/Credentials

  • Licensed Psychologist NC #6207
  • BCBA #1-21-49115
  • BS, Child Development, Colby-Sawyer College
  • MS, School Psychology, Northeastern University
  • PhD, School Psychology, University of Massachusetts Boston

Current Position

  • Director of Research, Catalight
  • Adjunct Assistant Professor, Temple University

Programs

  • Everyday ABA Program

T. Lindsey Burrell, PhD

Developer and Instructor

Degrees/Credentials

  • Licensed Psychologist #PSY003805
  • MA and PhD, Clinical Psychology, Texas Tech University
  • BA, Psychology, West Virginia University

Current Position

  • Master RUBI Trainer
  • Owner of Burrell Behavioral Consulting
  • Licensed Psychologist at Atlanta Children's Center, Atlanta, GA

Programs

  • RUBI Program
  • RUBI Workshop
  • RUBI Advanced Certification
CAMFT ACE Occupational Therapy Speech-Language Pathology Board American Psychological Association

While we strive to offer widely recognized continuing education credits, we strongly recommend verifying acceptance with your specific licensure board to ensure compliance with their requirements. Our accreditations cover a broad range of licensures across multiple states, but it is the learner's responsibility to confirm eligibility with their respective board. Please note that we are unable to provide individualized guidance regarding specific licensure requirements.