Meet The Team

Larry Humphreys, M.A. BCBA
Executive Director/Owner

Larry is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), with over 17 years of experience in working with individuals with Autism/Special Needs and their families. He founded Behavioral Autism Therapies (B.A.T.) with the desire to enhance the quality of life of individuals with Autism/Special needs and their families. His ultimate goal is to make a difference in these individuals’ lives by providing high quality behavioral intervention services and implementing effective Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) strategies.

Prior to starting his own agency, Larry started his career as a co-teacher for Julie Ann Singer in West Los Angeles. He then worked for other agencies as a behavioral therapist and clinical supervisor. He was responsible for developing the behavioral program for the special education department at the Burbank Unified School District. As a behavior analyst, he was also part of the team that developed the original behavioral program for the dual diagnosed/mentally ill unit of College Hospital in Cerritos, CA. He is currently an adjunct professor for the Applied Behavior Analysis Certification Program at National University in Ontario, CA

Larry received his Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University and his Certification in Applied Behavior Analysis from National University.

Mia Humphreys, MBA
Administrative Director/Owner

Mia is responsible for overseeing the administrative and business operations of B.A.T. Mia has over 22 years of experience in the financial services industry, as a retiree for the largest bank and trust company in the country. Through her various positions with this bank, her primary focus was providing the highest level of service to her clients and helping them achieve their financial goals. She has worked with mass affluent and high net worth individuals in various professions, including real estate investors, doctors, attorneys, CPAs, corporate executives, entrepreneurs, entertainers, etc. Through her years of experience in the corporate world, she developed strong interpersonal skills, learned the business/financial operations of a large financial institution, and gained knowledge in organizational behavior.

She received her Bachelor’s of Arts Degree in Economics (with minor studies in Music) from California State University, Fullerton and Master’s of Arts Degree in Business Administration (MBA) from Pepperdine University.

Dr. Loc Le

PH.D, BCBA-D, CLINICAL DIRECTOR

Dr. Loc Le is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA-D) with over 30 years of experience working with individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities. Dr. Le received his Bachelor’s Degree in psychology from UCLA and his Master’s Degree and Ph.D. from Claremont Graduate University in the area of Applied Developmental Psychology.

His training and expertise in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) include Discrete Trial Training, Pivotal Response Training, Picture Exchange Communication, Positive Behavior Support Strategies, Video Modeling, and other naturalistic teaching strategies. He has worked in the home, school, and community environments conducting functional behavioral assessments and developing and implementing behavior intervention plans. He has created extensive parent education and staff training programs. In addition, Dr. Le has been serving as an adjunct professor at National University teaching the verified course sequence in ABA. Dr. Le has published research in peer-reviewed journals such as the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis and the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, has co-authored a book chapter in Advanced Abnormal Child Psychology, and has presented findings at numerous conferences.

Cherissa Surio

Human Resource Director

Cherissa is a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst who has been providing ABA services to individuals with disabilities since 2006, earning her certification in 2013. Over the course of her career, she has worked with children and adults with autism and other special needs by developing skills sets in order to improve their quality of life and creating behavior intervention plans with programs suitable for growth. She has trained parents and staff with the fundamentals of Applied Behavior Analysis, supervised and mentored team members for career development, and collaborated with other professionals to ensure coordination of care.

She has grown with B.A.T. since 2011. Her clinical experience began as behavior therapist then taking on the role of a lead supervisor, assistant clinical director and regional director. In 2021, she became BCBA consultant and trainer for a special needs school overseas. In 2022, she transitioned to the administrative department in the role of Human Resource Director, collaborating with both administrative and clinical departments, while taking the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis to assess, implement and evaluate overall company policies and procedures. Outside of work, Cherissa enjoys spending time with her 3 boys and husband.

Priscilla Holt-Gomez

Director of Quality Assurance

Priscilla Holt-Gomez is a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst working with individuals and families with special needs. Priscilla has a vast working knowledge of ABA and implements her expertise through her support of therapists and supervisors, providing trainings and ensuring the quality of services company wide. Additionally, Priscilla takes great pride in supporting new therapists and new leads as she provides training in Discrete Trial Training (DTT), parent training, data taking, and more. Priscilla earned her Bachelor's in Psychology from CSUSB and began working with B.A.T. as a Therapist in 2015. In 2016 she earned her master's in education with an Emphasis in ABA and stepped into the role of Lead Therapist. In 2019 she was certified by the BACB as a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst and became an Assistant Clinical Director then promoted to Regional Director . She is currently now the Director of Quality Assurance which the primary goal is to provide checks and balances company wide. In her free time Priscilla enjoys being outdoors and spending time with her family. Priscilla has found purpose in making a difference in the lives of those around her, one family at a time.

Cody Catano

Regional Director

Cody is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst who has been implementing Applied Behavior Analysis to produce meaningful changes in behavior with both children and adults, earning his certification in 2018. He has vast experience in providing different ABA methods such as Discrete Trial Training, Pivotal Response Training, and Verbal Behavior. He has experience working both in-home and in the school setting conducting functional behavior assessments, developing and implementing behavior intervention plans, designing individualized programs that focus on improving language and communication, self-advocacy, independence, and adaptive and self-help skills. He has been at B.A.T since 2017, starting out as a behavior therapist and moving up to a clinical supervisor. He earned his B.A. in Psychology from the University of California, Riverside and his M.S. from National University in Applied Behavior Analysis. Cody enjoys working together with families to reach their goals as a team and in his free time enjoys camping, hiking, and surfing.

Gerson Gutierrez

Regional Director

Gerson earned his B.A. in Sociology from the University of California, Riverside and his M.A. from National University in Applied Behavior Analysis. Gerson enjoys collaborating with families and other professionals to reach their goals as a team. During his free time he enjoys spending time with his family, pets, engaging in sports such as soccer and boxing, all while taking time to create music. Additionally, Gerson manages Special Olympics sporting events on Saturdays to help expose kiddos of multiple ages to engage in new activities.

Gerson is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst who has had the opportunity to work with multiple kiddos which have included in home and school district services. In doing so, he has been able to implement strategies provided through Applied Behavior Analysis to help create independence and autonomy for each of his consumers. Gerson has been able to effectively establish intervention strategies to create meaningful changes in behavior with both children and adults to reach each of their individual milestones.

Gerson has been a part of the BAT family since 2013 and earned his certification in 2022. Throughout his time with BAT, he has taken on the roles as therapist, supervisor, and assistant clinical director. When providing support for families in multiple areas and regions, he has utilized his experience to provide quality services through ABA methods such as Discrete Trial Training, Pivotal Response Training, and Verbal Behavior. Additionally, Gerson has taken part in facilitating functional behavior assessments, developing and implementing behavior intervention plans, designing individualized programs that focus on improving language and communication, self-advocacy, independence, adaptive, self-help, while implementing parent training in efforts to create a better quality of life for each family.

Illiany Pulido

Regional Director

Illiany is a bilingual Board Certified Behavior Analyst who has been at Behavioral Autism Therapies since 2016 and earned her certification in February, 2020. Prior to joining our team, she worked with young children and adolescents in the school setting for several years. She is a Regional Director at B.A.T. and has vast experience in providing different ABA methods such as Discrete Trial Training, Pivotal Response Training, and Verbal Behavior. Illiany specializes in conducting and managing Functional Behavior Assessments, developing and implementing behavior intervention plans, and designing individualized programs that focus on improving communication, social, adaptive and self-help skills. She conducts parent trainings and disseminates information to families in both English and Spanish. She earned her B.A. in Sociology with Minors in Applied Developmental Psychology and Education from UCLA. She earned her M.A. in Child Development from Cal State San Bernardino. Lastly, she earned her Graduate Certificate in ABA from National University. Illiany enjoys working with families and therapists and aims to make a positive impact in their lives. Hobbies include spending time with family and traveling."

Bruce Le

Assistant Clinical Director

Bruce is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst who has been in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis since 2013, earning his certification in 2020. He has vast experience in providing different ABA methods such as Discrete Trial Pivotal Response Training and Verbal Behavior. He has experience working in home settings, conducting functional behavior assessments and developing behavior intervention plans, social, adaptive and self-help skills. Bruce did his undergraduate B.A at University of California, Santa Barbara with. and received his M.A from National University with a emphasis on Applied Behavior Analysis. On his free time, he enjoys visiting new places and spending time outdoors.

Hannah Bray

M.S., BCBA

Assistant Clinical Director and Early Intervention Director

Hannah is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst who provides and oversees the treatment of individuals with special needs using evidence-based techniques to help children, teens, and adults achieve meaningful outcomes. Her passion has always been working with infants and toddlers, which she gets to share through B.A.T.’s early intervention program. She earned her board certification in 2020 after graduating from National University with an M.S. in ABA, as well as earning a B.A. from the University of San Diego. Hannah enjoys collaborating with individuals and families to implement a variety of different ABA strategies and methods, as well as completing functional behavior assessments, and designing personalized programs focusing on improving socially significant behaviors to create opportunities for growth for each individual she works with. Hannah is enthusiastic about providing therapy that serves the individual’s needs, which can include improving language and communication, social skills, independence, play and leisure skills, and adaptive and self-help skills. She has been with B.A.T. since 2017 where she started as a behavioral therapist. When Hannah is not helping families, she enjoys being a native San Diegan by playing beach volleyball.

Salena Balderrama

Clinical Supervisor

Salena’s passion to work with families began in college. She has worked with individuals on the spectrum for 10+ years; ranging from early intervention to adult transition. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology (Family and Child development) from Azusa Pacific University. As the desire to make a bigger difference in the lives of others grew, she continued her education at National University. She received her Master’s of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis. Finally, she became a Board Certified Behavior Analyst in 2021. Thus, her journey as a clinical team member at B.A.T. began in 2022. She has a wide range of expertise in providing different ABA methods such as Discrete Trial, Pivotal Response Training and Social Skills. She has involvement in the home/school settings, conducting functional behavior assessments and developing behavior intervention plans, social, adaptive and self-help skills. During her free time she enjoys traveling, going to concerts and playing videos games.

Natalie Garcia, PSY.D, BCBA

Clinical Director

Natalie Garcia is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), with several years of experience working with children and families. Her training and expertise is in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) include Discrete Trial Training, Pivotal Response Training, and Positive Behavior Support Strategies. She has provided services in the home, school, and community settings, conducting functional behavioral assessments as well as developing and implementing behavior intervention plans. She has also been involved in developing a parent support group. Natalie Garcia also administers diagnostic assessments for a variety of disorders, in Spanish and English.

Natalie Garcia earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from the University of California, Riverside and her Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Family Psychology from Azusa Pacific University. She is also a member of the American Psychological Association.

Madison Lentz

Assistant Clinical Director

Madison is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, with 5+ years’ experience working with individuals with autism and other special needs both within the home and school settings. She has a passion for implementing behavior analytic strategies and interventions to those with special needs and is dedicated to assisting those individuals to achieve independence and socially significant changes within their lives. Before joining the B.A.T. team, she worked with a wide range of individuals who ranged in age from 3 years old to 18 years old within the school setting. As one of the Assistant Clinical Directors here at B.A.T., she is able to continue supporting individuals within the school settings with several of the districts we work with. Madison enjoys being able to work with a variety of individuals and their families by creating personalized program goals that fit the need for each individual she works with. Madison earned her B.S. in Criminology and Criminal Justice from Northern Arizona University and her M.A. from Arizona State University in Special Education with an emphasis in Applied Behavior Analysis. She earned her BCBA certification in 2022. In her free time, Madison enjoys spending time with her family, watching Harry Potter and diamond painting.