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Dr. Ronald Leaf is a licensed psychologist who has over thirty years of experience in the field of autism. Dr. Leaf began his career working with Professor Ivar Lovaas, while receiving his undergraduate degree at UCLA.
Subsequently, he received his doctorate under the direction of Dr. Lovaas. During his professional training at UCLA, he served as Clinic Supervisor, Research Psychologist, Lecturer, and Interim Director of the Young Autism Project. He was extensively involved in many of the Young Autism Project research investigations, contributed to The Me Book, and is co-author of The Me Book Videotapes, a series of instructional tapes offering training for teaching autistic children. He is co-author of A Work in Progress, a manual on behavioral treatment of autism, It’s Time for School! Building Quality ABA Educational Programs For Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders, and Sense And Nonsense In The Behavioral Treatment of Autism: It Has To Be Said and Crafting Connections: Contemporary Applied Behavior Analysis for Enriching the Social Lives of Persons with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Dr. Leaf has consulted nationally and internationally to families, school districts, day programs and residential treatment facilities. Dr. Leaf served as the Director of Straight Talk’s Developmental Disabilities Services division for 15 years. This program provided residential and day treatment for adults with developmental disabilities. Dr. Leaf is also the Executive Director of Behavior Therapy and Learning Center, a mental health agency providing treatment, consultation and related services to parents, program staff and school personnel in the United States.
John McEachin is a licensed psychologist who has been providing behavioral intervention to children with autism as well as adolescents and adults with a wide range of developmental disabilities for more than 35 years. He received his graduate training under Professor Ivar Lovaas at UCLA on the Young Autism Project. During his 11 years at UCLA, Dr. McEachin served in various roles including Clinic Supervisor, Research and Teaching Assistant, and Acting Director. His research has included the long-term follow-up study of young autistic children who received intensive behavioral treatment, which was published in 1993.
In 1994 he joined with Ron Leaf in forming Autism Partnership, which they co-direct. In 1999 they published A Work in Progress, a widely used behavioral treatment manual and curriculum for children with autism. Dr. McEachin has lectured throughout the world and co-authored numerous books and research articles. He consults regularly to families, agencies, and school districts, assisting in the development of treatment programs and providing training to parents, group home staff, and classroom personnel.
Mitchell Taubman worked with Dr. Lovaas as an undergraduate at UCLA in the early 1970s. He treated children with autism, ADHD and other disorders. He then attended the University of Kansas, studying with such founders of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) as Dr. Donald Baer, Dr. Todd Risely, Dr. James Sherman, and his doctoral advisor, Dr. Montrose Wolf.
After completing his Ph.D., Dr. Taubman returned to UCLA and served as adjunct assistant professor of psychology and as co-principal investigator with Dr. Lovaas on a federal grant directed at autism treatment. One of his special interests in Teaching Interactions which he brought from the Kansas model to autism treatment. After his post-doctoral work, Dr. Taubman obtained his license as a clinical psychologist and served as clinical director of Straight Talk, a program providing residential and day treatment services to adults with autism and other developmental disabilities. He currently serves as Director of Autism Partnership, where he provides treatment oversight, training and consultation around the world. Dr. Taubman is the co-author of It’s Time for School! Building Quality ABA Educational Programs For Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders and Sense And Nonsense In The Behavioral Treatment of Autism: It Has To Be Said and Crafting Connections: Contemporary Applied Behavior Analysis for Enriching the Social Lives of Persons with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
