Interview with Ashleigh Watson, BCBA

January 25, 2023

golden-user

• Tell us a bit about your job as a BCBA.  I am a full time BCBA at a private special education school in the high school program.  I work with students ages 14-18 with multiple disabilities.  I write behavior support plans for students on my caseload to decrease maladaptive behaviors, provide training to staff and get to collaborate with other professionals such as teachers, occupational therapists, physical therapists, and speech therapists.  I work part time at Golden Care where I provide parent training, supervision to RBTs, and complete initial assessments.  There is a focus on communication, adaptive, and social skills.  I have worked with such a variety of clients/students in my career.  I love all the different experiences and knowledge I gain from working in different settings.
• What drove you to the BCBA profession?  I started my career as a special education teacher and also did in- home ABA therapy.  I worked with BCBAs on a daily basis and I learned so much from them and I just knew this is the job I was meant to do.
• How do you balance your career and family?  I am a very schedule oriented person.  This helps me to balance both my career and home life.  So I make time in my schedule to spend time with them.  We love traveling, cooking, and trying new restaurants!  I have recently started taking kickboxing classes with my brother and cousins.  This has been such a fun way to unwind after a long day at work!
• What advice do you have for prospective Golden Care candidates? I would tell them what a great company Golden Care is to work for!  I have referred several people I know to work here because of the great experience I have had!
• What have you gained from working at Golden Care?    I have worked for Golden Care now for just over 5 years now.  I have worked for a number of other agencies in my career.  I feel that Golden Care really values their employees both as professionals and personally.  I feel appreciated for the hard work that I do each day.  When you feel appreciated for what you do it makes you want to do your very best work.
• What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?  The best advice I have been given is how important self care is.  You have to take care of yourself so that you are able to help others.
• What’s the one thing you’d tell your younger self?  One thing I wish I could tell my younger self is that it will all work out in the end and you will find a job where you make a difference and you will feel fulfilled in your career
• What is your proudest moment at Golden Care/ in your work as a BCBA?  Some of my proudest moments at Golden care is just hearing from parents at what a difference ABA therapy has made for their family and everyday life.  When a child learns a new skill you have been working on it’s a great feeling!