Helping Every Child Thrive Through Personalized ABA Therapy
Empowering families with compassionate, evidence-based Applied Behavior Analysis designed to boost communication, independence, and confidence.
About Thrive Behavior Centers.
Thrive Behavior Centers is operated and owned by two dedicated and caring Board Certified Behavior Analysts. We are passionate about providing services of Applied Behavior Analysis for our clients. At Thrive Behavior Center, we work with individuals with autism and other intellectual or developmental disabilities, as well as their families.
We formed the company in 2010, providing in-home, social skills, and summer camps. Our first clinic space opened in 2012.
We are located in the Greater Houston area, with offices in Clear Lake, Texas. Our services include after school social skills programs, a clinic-based connections program, school consultation, and parent and teacher training.
Our connections program and social skills programs offer a ratio of one therapist to each student, which makes for an optimal learning environment. Read more about our behavior analysts below!
Mission Statement
To utilize the science of behavior to compassionately and comprehensively meet the individual needs of the community we serve.
Vision Statement
To grow and support individuals and families to make a real and lasting impact in the community.
Culture & Diversity Statement
Thrive Behavior Centers and Diversity Committee strives to create and maintain an environment of cultural sensitivity, awareness, and inclusion for all client and employee identities. Through sustained openness and compassion for others, we aim to increase our understanding of thoughts, feelings, experiences, and beliefs that differ from our own.
Furthermore, we strive to understand how our own identities and biases impact others in the workplace, as well as our ability to collaborate to deliver quality ABA services. We believe that cultural acceptance and awareness lead to positive change, and we actively pursue opportunities that allow for personal and company growth in these areas.
About Our Behavior Analysts
All of our therapists are licensed Behavior Analysts through the Behavior Analysis Certification Board.
- Training Experience: All therapists no matter their level of experience, go through a detailed and comprehensive training curriculum upon hire. Monthly evaluation continues throughout their employment, in addition to their academic requirements.
- Retention: We only hire therapists with a commitment to the field of ABA. All of our staff are devoted to our clinic for at least 1 calendar year. For this reason, Thrive Behavior Center maintains a very low turnover rate.
Meet Our Staff
Jennifer C. Strickland, MA, BCBA, LBA
- VP Clinical Operations
Jennifer Strickland is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst from Houston, Texas. Jennifer received her undergraduate degree in Psychology from Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. She then attended the University of Houston-Clear Lake where she received her Master’s degree in Psychology as well as her certification in Applied Behavior Analysis.
John Pugh, MA, BCBA, LBA
- Director of Adult and Maladaptive Behavior Care
John Pugh is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst living in League City, Texas. He began his career in 1998 working as a camp counselor for children with special needs. Since that time, John has received a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Missouri Southern State University.
Lourdes Barrachina-Lemus, MA, BCBA, LBA
- Director of Quality Assurance and Compliance
Lourdes Barrachina-Lemus is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst from El Salvador. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Houston and her master’s in Behavior Analysis from the University of Houston–Clear Lake. Lourdes began her career at MHMRA in Houston, Texas, gaining experience in individualized ABA therapy, in-home services, and parent training.
Alexandra Kehlenbeck, MA SpEd, BCBA, LBA
- Houston Regional Clinical Director
Alex is originally from Long Island, New York, where she graduated from St. Joseph’s College and earned her general and special education teacher certificates. After moving to Texas in 2009, she began her career in special education as a teacher before transitioning to ABA at Including Kids, Inc. in Humble.
Carla Cramer
- Houston Billing Manager
Carla Cramer has been a part of the Thrive Behavior Center administrative team since 2014, coming to us from Northwest Ohio. She has worked her way up from Administrative Assistant to Office Manager, overseeing both company’s locations. Carla has a Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies with a Minor in Counseling from the University of Toledo.
Adriana Marsiglia, MA, BCBA, LBA
- Board Certified Behavior Analyst
Adriana Marsiglia is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst from Venezuela. She received her Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology and Master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis at the University of Houston-Clear Lake. She gained experience as a therapist in the Severe Behavior Disorders Research Clinic (SBDRC), Applied Behavior Analysis-Skills Early Intervention Program (ABA-SkIP), Connecting The Dots (CTD) and the Verbal Behavior Clinic (VBC) at the Center of Autism and Developmental Delays
Jenni Hammons
- Regional Office Administrator
Jenni Hammons is the Regional Office Administrator for the Thrive Behavior Center Northwest office as well as our In-Home Program. She is originally from Orange County, California, and moved to Northwest Houston with her husband, Evan, in 2016. Jenni loves to sing, is a huge Disney fan and Harry Potter fan, and loves her dogs Baloo and Willow.