Ellen Karalis, MA, BCBA is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and the founder of Comprehensive Behavior Development. She received her master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology and her bachelor’s degree in Psychology at Illinois State University.

Ellen’s journey within ABA began in 2009, when she completed an internship as a behavior technician with an ABA company in central Illinois. She immediately fell in love with the kids and the field, and she began her graduate coursework soon after. Over the span of her career, Ellen has worked in a variety of settings, including home-, clinic-, and community-based ABA programs.

Though Ellen loves every aspect of the field, she particularly enjoys developing an individualized curriculum for each child. She analyzes each child’s data carefully at the weekly team meeting and makes data-based decisions in order to ensure that each child is learning and growing to his/her maximum potential. Ellen also enjoys training and educating parents so that families may provide their child with opportunities for generalization throughout their daily routines.

Ellen is the mother of two spunky girls and she appreciates, more than ever, the multitude of hats that parents wear. This is why she finds it especially important to collaborate with parents and caregivers to develop goals that address daily stressors which may affect the parent-child relationship.

Jessica Montalvo, MA, BCBA is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst with a master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis from Ball State University and a bachelor’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Northern Illinois University.

Since entering the field in 2015 as a behavior technician, Jessica has been passionate about helping individuals achieve meaningful progress. Jessica finds that each day in this field offers a new opportunity to learn and grow, which is one of the things that makes her work so fulfilling. For Jessica, there’s nothing more rewarding than seeing a child’s progress unfold over time. 

Jessica has experience providing ABA services in both clinic and in-home environments. Over time, she has found that in-home therapy offers unique advantages, such as the ability to teach skills in the child’s natural environment—where they live, learn, and interact every day. This setting also encourages greater parent involvement, allowing caregivers to observe sessions and contribute meaningfully to treatment goals. Her approach emphasizes collaboration with families to create lasting, practical improvements in daily life.

Jessica is dedicated to making a positive impact through compassionate care, ongoing learning, and a deep commitment to the individuals and families she serves.

Betsy Lopez is the Administrative Manager & Billing Specialist for Comprehensive Behavior Development. Betsy has worked in the medical field for over 20 years, and has spent the majority of her career focused on office administration of pediatric therapy services. Throughout her years working in pediatric facilities, she has gained experience as a behavior technician and medical biller.

In 2016, Betsy played an instrumental role in building an Applied Behavior Analysis department within a nationwide pediatric therapy clinic. Through this experience, she developed a deep understanding of ABA administration, treatment, and billing. She proudly became the company’s lead ABA administrator, training office staff to complete tasks ranging from patient-centered account management to handling insurance claims. Betsy’s passion for client advocacy on the insurance front quickly spilled over to patient-centered care, and she began working with children as a behavior technician. Betsy loved working directly with children and their families. This experience was invaluable to Betsy, as she is now a mother to two loving and energetic boys. Following her journey into parenthood, Betsy has made her way back to “behind the scenes” advocacy for the families here at Comprehensive Behavior Development, where she manages client accounts, insurance claims and benefits, scheduling, and other administrative tasks.

Betsy goes above and beyond to make sure our families and providers are well taken care of, whether it’s helping clients understanding a bill or addressing issues with insurance companies, Betsy works hard to ensure that our providers are able to focus on patient-centered care. She makes sure parents feel comfortable addressing administrative concerns and will help find a solution.

Becky Goodman, RBT, is a Registered Behavior Technician, associate consultant, hiring and training manager, and marketing manager. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Southern Illinois University in early childhood special education.

While completing her bachelor’s degree, Becky worked as a Supportive Living Assistant to adolescents and children with autism. During that time, she observed and assisted in a few clients’ ABA programs. She started noticing drastic differences in the outcomes of those clients receiving ABA therapy compared to those who were not; The clients receiving ABA ended up being more equipped to take on the core skills of daily living, communication, socialization, and so much more. After having that experience and seeing the results firsthand, Becky knew she wanted to focus her career in this area.

In 2015, Becky began working as a Behavior Technician and her passion for helping her clients grew quickly. Since then, she has been consistently honing her skills, expanding her knowledge and experience, while her passion for her work continues growing. She is personable and patient with her clients and families. Becky is dedicated to building a strong team of therapists in order to provide quality services to our families.