Meet Our Collective
CEO/Founder
Philip Grant, MA., BCBA
Philip began his career in ABA in 2003 as a Behavior Therapist. He cultivated his expertise over the last decade through various clinical positions ranging from Behavioral Specialist to Behavioral Consultant to Program Manager, and currently, as the CEO and Founder of Adapt. He has worked with hundreds of individuals from 2 to 70 years of age with varying diagnoses ranging from Autism to MR to ADHD to OCD. He is also a Board Certified Behavior Analyst with a Master's in Education and an emphasis in Applied Behavioral Therapy.
Philip's professional goals are to advance the field of ABA through continued research and the development of modern, pragmatic applications, to educate "whoever wants to learn" on the principles and successful implementation of ABA, and to provide the highest quality of professional service to each individual he works with. He is truly inspired by redefining possibilities!
COO/Director of Clinical Operations
Amy’s background includes a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work and a Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy from Gonzaga University. She also earned a Master’s Degree in Special Education with an emphasis in ABA therapy from Arizona State University. Amy is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), a Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC,) as well as certified in PEERS TM. Her experience includes working with survivors of assault, providing counseling to individuals, couples, families, and children. Over the last decade, Amy has focused on working directly with children and families diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders utilizing ABA (Applied Behavioral Analysis) therapy.
Within the field of ABA, she has primarily worked in direct therapy and supervision, implementation of treatment targets, development of clinical resources, and clinician development. Amy is always eager to continue her growth and development as a professional, to best help the clients she serves. In her free time, Amy enjoys spending time with family and friends and getting out to the beach as much as possible.
Amy Zora, MA., NCC., BCBA
Directors
Senior Clinical Director
Brandon Garay, M.Ed., BCBA
Brandon began his career in ABA upon completion of his B.A. in Psychology from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. His first experience in the field of special needs took place while teaching in Madrid, Spain. After a year of teaching, Brandon returned to the states and began working in various public schools as both a behavior therapist and a paraprofessional. He also participated in after-school sports programs for individuals with special needs. He have over 2 years of experience working in a public school setting and over four years of experience providing in-home therapy. After completing his Masters of Education degree in Applied Behavior Analysis, Brandon began his goal of working towards becoming a BCBA. Brandon earned his BCBA in 2021 and has worked as a Clinical Director since.
Ashley Macatangay, MS., BCBA
Clinical Director
In 2014, Ashley completed her Bachelor's degree and acquired her license as an Occupational Therapist (OT) in the Philippines. As an OT, she worked with children from 1 to 15 years of age with various diagnoses including Autism Spectrum Disorder, Down Syndrome and Cerebral Palsy. In 2017, she joined the world of ABA as a Behavior Technician. She obtained her certification as a Board Certified Autism Technician in 2018 by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board. She practiced as a Program Manager, working with children ages 3 to 18 years for almost 3 years. She completed her Master's degree in Applied Behavior Analysis in 2020 from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology and then acquired her license as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst in 2021. Ashley's passion for the outdoors and for helping children and their families have always been inspired by the saying "Leave Them Better Than You Found Them"
Jessica Pavon, MA., BCBA
Clinical Director
Jessica’s journey in the special education field began in 2013 when she was required to take additional courses to fulfill her full time student status. Her passion laid in the healthcare field and working with children. Although her major was nursing, she soon discovered a new passion. In 2014, Jessica switched majors from nursing to Communicative Disorders and obtained her Bachelor's from San Francisco State University in 2016. Soon after, she began working as a Behavior Therapist and obtained her certification as a Registered Behavioral Technician a few months later. As she continued to work closely with families and clients, she realized she wanted to continue her education, and in 2020 Jessica earned her Masters in Special Education from Arizona State University. Jessica completed her certification as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst in 2021.
Alejandra Cornejo-Gonzalez, MA., RBT
Senior Program Manager/Clinical Director
Alejandra was born and raised in Oakland, Ca. She obtained a B.S in Health Science with an option in Nursing and minor in Music, from Cal State East Bay. She completed her Masters program in Education with a concentration in ABA from Arizona State University. Beginning her journey back in 2007, Ali started working for the Unified School District of Oakland as an aide to a special needs classroom and came in contact with the field of ABA. She has been working in ABA now for the last 7 years. She is currently completing her requirements to become certified as a BCBA. Her passion is providing support to the kiddos and families of Adapt and making a positive impact in their lives.
Managers
Jennica Ivy Capingian, M.S., RBT
Program Manager
Jennica was born and raised in Sunnyvale, CA. Wanting to branch outside of her hometown, she moved out to Southern California after college. Jennica received her B.A in Sociology from California State University, Long Beach. During her time at Long Beach, Jennica also started her career in ABA, working as an RBT for 2 years. Her passion to help others has only grown so much more as she entered the field. In 2022, she obtained her M.S in Applied Behavioral Analysis from National University. She hopes to one day direct her own ABA company and help many other families and children.
Lizbeth Pinon-Sosa, MA., RBT
Program Manager
Lizbeth earned her Bachelors and Masters degree at San Jose State University. She began working with children shortly after graduating from her Bachelors. After working with kids, she found her passion to continue her education and build her skills and knowledge of children and teens. She is passionate and enjoys working with children and families, to positively impact their life. Liz is currently earning her Masters degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. On the weekends, she enjoys volunteering and offering free art classes for kids and families.
Shainamel Pilapil, MA., RBT
Program Manager
Shaina earned her B.A in Psychology at UC Merced in 2018 and her M.A in Developmental Psychology in 2021 at San Francisco State University. Her passion for working with children began in graduate school as she worked as a researcher at a family interactions lab, working directly with preschoolers and their parents. Since joining Adapt, Shaina has fallen in love with the career as a Behavior Therapist and working with kids across all age groups. She values family and aspires to make a positive difference in other people's lives.
Pearl Holmes, BA.,RBT
Senior Behavior Therapist/Program Manager
Pearl was born and raised in San Francisco, CA. She began her career in ABA while completing her undergraduate degree in psychology at San Francisco State University. Pearl has 2 years of ABA experience and lifelong lived experience as a sibling to an individual with autism. She is passionate about providing children and their families with quality services. Pearl is currently completing her Masters degree in Special Education (Applied Behavior Analysis) at Arizona State University.
SeniorTherapists
Suzanne Hernandez, BA.,RBT
Senior Behavior Therapist
Suzanne received her BA in Political Science from UC Berkeley in 2020 with a minor in Human Rights. During her time at UC Berkeley she worked at an early childhood education program where she became familiar with the field of ABA. She has since practiced center based, home based, and school based ABA. Her passion lies with working with children and will continue to pour into the children and families she works with. Suzi is currently earning her Masters degree in Marriage and Family Therapy.
Angelica Bacon, BA.,RBT
Senior Behavior Therapist
Angie received her Bachelor of Arts from John Jay College of Criminal Justice and Masters of Arts in Forensic Psychology from Grand Canyon University. After graduating, Angie worked with adults with severe mental illness and substance abuse issues in Brooklyn, NY. In 2022, Angie moved back to Daly City, CA after living in New York City for 5 years. Angie wanted to work with children after working with adults for 4 years. Luckily, she found Adapt and now loves what she does. Angie is earning her Masters degree in Marriage and Family Therapy with the goal of receiving a counseling license to hopefully work in a school setting!
Lorena Nicols Medrano Osorio, BA., RBT
Senior Behavior Therapist
Lorena earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology in Peru before moving to the United States to pursue her master’s in Applied Behavior Analysis. She has over two years of experience in the ABA field, working as a behavior therapist and behavior specialist across home and school settings. Lorena has worked with children ranging from 3 to 16 years old and is passionate about making a meaningful difference in the lives of her clients and their families. She believes that every child has the potential to thrive with the right support and is committed to fostering growth, confidence, and independence in each individual she works with. Outside of work, she enjoys playing Quadball and watching movies with her dog, Peluda.
Vanessa Rodarte, BA.,RBT
Senior Behavior Therapist
Vanessa received a Bachelors of Arts in Psychology from the University of California, San Diego. She began her career working with children and teenagers as a youth Mixed Martial Arts instructor. In 2019, Vanessa discovered her passion for ABA and in 2020, she completed her certification as a registered behavioral technician (RBT) by the Behavior Analysts Certification Board. Working with children has always been a joy for Vanessa. She is eager to continue to grow in the field of ABA with Adapt and continues to strive to positively impact the lives of others. Vanessa is currently earning her Masters degree in Marriage and Family Therapy.
Reginald Bongco, BA.,RBT
Senior Behavior Therapist
​Reggie grew up in Antioch, CA. He has his Bachelors degree in Health Sciences from California State East Bay. Reggie has 2.5 years experience working as an Registered Behavior Technician. In that time, he spent 6 months training new Therapists. Reggie is currently enrolled in a Masters Program, working towards earning his BCBA. In his free time, Reggie enjoys power lifting, bodybuilding, Muay Thai, and boxing, as well as spending time with his wife and son.
Ariana Harris, AA., RBT
Senior Behavior Therapist
Ariana was born and raised in Northern California. She has an Associates degree in Psychology, Child and Adolescent development, and Behavioral sciences from San Jose City College. She is currently finishing up her BA at Arizona State University in Psychology and getting ready to begin her Masters in Applied Behavior Analysis once finished. Ariana has 3 years and 9 months of experience working as a Behavior Therapist and is hoping to be a BCBA once finished with school.
Therapists
Briant Hernandez, BA
Behavior Therapist
​Briant is a California native, born and raised in Santa Clara. He received his Associates degree in Psychology from Foothill Community College. He was an honors student, dean’s list academic winner, and first generation college student. He is currently studying at San Jose State University for his Bachelor’s Degree. He plans to earn his Master’s degree after receiving his Bachelor’s degree and carry on his passion to becoming a BCBA. Briant has 6 months of experience working as a Behavior Therapist. In his free time, he loves to stay active, primarily playing basketball.
Monica Ramos Estrada, BA., RBT
Behavior Therapist
Monica is born and raised in the East Bay Area. She earned her bachelor’s degree at CSU Stanislaus in Business, but after entering the field of ABA she fell in love! Since then she has accumulated her knowledge and experience as an RBT for 3 years and counting. Monica loves working with children with all kinds of needs and plans on returning to school to continue helping more children in a classroom setting. In her free time Monica enjoys giving back to her community through the nonprofit organization she works with, being with her family and friends, and traveling.
Jessica Pong, BA., RBT
Behavior Therapist
​Jess is a born and raised Bay Area native, currently residing in Daly City. She earned her Associate’s Degree in Psychology from Skyline Community College in 2020. She then transferred to San Francisco State University to continue her education and received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology in 2023. During her studies at SFSU, she worked as an intern for the San Francisco LGBT Center in 2021, helping transitional aged LGBTQ+ youths with various resources and services. During this time, Jess had developed a deep love for helping youths at an age where they needed it most, recognizing that children and teens these days are at their most critical point of growth before adulthood. This, in turn, kickstarted Jess’ passion for advocating for healthy development for the youth along with proper care and attention for such age groups. Jess also worked at the Aspire East Palo Alto Charter School for the 2024-2025 school year as an instructional assistant. She worked with elementary students in the Special Education program, helping children with their educational and behavioral goals while also providing a positive and encouraging environment to those in need in order for them to flourish. This wonderful experience further solidified her joy for working with the youth as she saw the future in them that she wishes to nurture and care for with all of her heart. Jess is hoping to soon start her Master’s Program to work towards earning her BCBA credentials. Jess loves spending time with her friends, family, and her two cats, Miso and Pookie. She also loves Sanrio, Rilakkuma, and other cute characters! She loves Sanrio so much that she has various Sanrio tattoos!
Jenn Taylor Smith
Behavior Therapist
Coming soon . . .
Administration Specialists
Tyler Becks, BA
Head of Scheduling and Client Relations
Tyler is a California native, born and raised in the Bay Area. He obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Event planning and Business from Long Beach State University. Tyler began his career over four years ago, as an Event Coordinator for a program based out of Hawaii. Through this position, he refined various skills and applications in a variety of relevant areas. Tyler joined Adapt almost three years ago and has been an invaluable asset to the clients, team members, and company. He is in charge of scheduling and client relations, as well as assisting in a variety of other aspects of the company, including employee management and payroll. In his free time, Tyler enjoys going for walks with his dog and spending time with his family and friends.
Sandra Arroyo
Scheduling, Client Relations, and HR Coordinator
​Sandra is a California native, born and raised in the Bay Area. She has completed coursework in computer concepts and has a background in logistics coordination. In addition, she also has experience in healthcare sales and scheduling. Sandra joined Adapt over a year ago and has quickly proven to be a valuable asset to the clients, team members, and company. Sandra assists scheduling and HR in client relations, scheduling development, as well as assisting in a variety of other aspects of the company. In her free time, Sandra enjoys spending time with her family and being outdoors.
Helen Calderon, M.S.
HR Specialist
Meet Helen Calderon: A vital part of Adapt's HR team for four years! Helen holds a Master of Science in Human Resource Management from FIU. Beyond her professional dedication, Helen finds joy in simple pleasures like beach outings, movies and spending quality time with her family. With a genuine passion for supporting employees and driving organizational success, Helen brings practical expertise and empathy to her role. Committed to cultivating a positive workplace culture where everyone can excel, Helen is dedicated to helping employees while contributing to the company's success.
Matthew Breidt, AA
Billing Contractor
Matthew grew up in Colorado and moved to California after high school. He is currently attending the College of San Mateo to earn his Associates Degree in Accounting. He closely shadowed the billing process and eventually worked towards his role as a billing contractor. In his free time, Matthew enjoys spending time outside with his dog or online with his friends.
Why is Adapt called a "Behavioral Collective"
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" We call ourselves a behavioral collective for two simple reasons...
One, at Adapt our intention is to assemble a collection of the most talented, passionate individuals in the field aimed towards the collective goal of providing the highest quality of service to our clients and their families. Two, within this group of people, diversity of thought and experience is paramount. Under the umbrella of ABA techniques and methodologies, we will continue to collectively develop an evolving, multi-faceted, and comprehensive approach to the individuals we serve. Our strength comes as a whole and every individual is hired with the intention to contribute in their own unique way with their own unique capabilities."
NOTICE: The Department of Consumer Affairs receives questions and complaints regarding the practice of psychology. If you have any questions or complaints, you may contact this department by calling 800-633-2322 or (916) 574-7720, or by writing to the following address: Board of Psychology, 1625 North Market Street, Suite N-215, Sacramento, CA 95834