Elia Lonestar, M.Ed., BCBA

Experience

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  Loyola Marymount University

  Jan 2010 - Apr 2013

  Teachers Assistant at Loyola Village Elementary

  Lions for Learning is a tutoring program through Loyola Marymount University that partners with non-profit elementary and middle schools that possess a diverse student body, strong community values, and value-based education goals. From 2010 through 2013, I worked as a teacher's assistant and in-class tutor for students in the 2nd and 3rd grade at Loyola Village Elementary. I developed my decisive and attentive instructional style here, mastering the skills of identifying and individualizing a child's learning need across all 2nd and 3rd grade classroom subjects. These skills were integral in my future success in the field of ABA. Show less

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  Western Psychological Services

  Jan 2013 - Apr 2013

  Research Assistant

  Western Psychological Services (WPS) is an independent publisher, known worldwide for industry-leading autism assessments, sensory processing measures, and outstanding customer service. WPS has innovated the clinical evaluation, diagnosis, and delivery of therapy for autism, speech and language, school, and occupational therapy. They are the exclusive publisher of "gold-standard" autism, speech, and OT assessments, such as the ADOS-2, ABAS-3,ASRS, SCQ, SRS-2, CASL-2, SPM, SPM-2, PPA Scale, CAPs, OPUS, and Arizona-4.I was a part-time research assistant on the CASL-2 (Comprehensive Assessment of Spoken Language) Project, prior to its publication in 2017. I fostered my analytical and collaborative skills during my time at WPS through coding qualitative data into measurable, quantitative data sets and working closely with the CASL-2 Project Directors and research team. Show less

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  FirstSteps for Kids, Inc.

  Jun 2013 - Dec 2018

  Program Director

  FirstSteps is a top-tier, early intervention ABA agency in the greater Los Angeles area, delivering the most current, empirically validated treatment for autism, while placing an emphasis on collaboration, problem solving, and fun in the child’s treatment. I joined the FirstSteps team in 2013 and worked across all sectors of behavior analytic therapeutic supports for individuals with autism and related disorders, including being contracted with LAUSD, overseeing home, school, clinic, and community based ABA programs, and collaborating across multi-disciplinary providers in the greater LA region. I began my time at FirstSteps providing direct ABA therapy and departed as a Program Director. I contribute my time at FirstSteps as essential in the foundational knowledge, treatment design process, and delivery of high quality behavior analytic services to clients and families. Show less

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  Behavior Change Institute

  Dec 2018 - Jun 2022

  Behavior Change Institute (BCI) is a premier, telehealth ABA agency that provides access to high-quality autism treatment for individuals and families in rural and traditionally underserved communities across the state of New Mexico. I consider my time at BCI as invaluable, as working with populations with limited resources via telehealth fostered my spirit of innovation, authenticity, and connection with the communities I collaborated with on a daily basis. In my unique position, I spoke with and learned from hundreds of families and individuals on their ‘journey’ with autism which ultimately inspired me to pursue entrepreneurial ventures to bridge the gap between digital healthcare and innovative autism treatment solutions. In this role, I was the head of clinical assessments and clinical onboarding of new clients and families, where I: Founded/Launched: ‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾- Family experience initiatives and client onboarding procedures- Client assent protocols and trainings for company-wide implementation- Neurodiversity affirming clinical care standards for clients across their lifespan- Center Based Service clinical curriculum for clinic based services in Southern New Mexico - Medical necessity and funder-specific case conceptualization protocols and trainings for company-wide implementation Strengthened: ‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾- Client growth efforts by conducting 150+ telehealth ABA assessments from 2019 to 2022- Telehealth assessment procedures and family experience standards to foster case stabilization - Adult services & parent coaching clinical quality care standards - Collaborative efforts with indigenous community partnerships and relations with the NM state-run programs (DD Waiver, CYFD, Wraparound services) & IHS Show less During these years, I delivered high quality, therapeutic experiences for dozens of employees and families, through the telehealth treatment modality. I also was appointed as: - Lead clinical assessor for dozens of families within the Shiprock Chapter of the Navajo Nation during the launch of a new service region in 2020- Quality assurance (QA) team member to ensure superior clinical performance standards occurred across 20+ clinical staff members in 2019 through 2022- Co-chair of BCI’s Human Rights and Medical Necessity Committees- Peer Mentor for incoming BCBA clinical staff members Show less

  • Family Experience Clinical Specialist

    Jan 2020 - Jun 2022

  • Telehealth Senior Clinician

    Dec 2018 - Jun 2022
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  Elia Cares Consulting

  Jul 2022 - now

  Founder | Consultant
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  Early Bird Outcomes

  Jul 2022 - now

  Co-Founder
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  Scenic Route Initiative

  Mar 2023 - now

  Co-Founder & Vice President

  Scenic Route Initiative is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to help individuals with autism accomplish their goals in life. There is an undeniable need for greater inclusion and equal opportunities for the autism community across all levels of civic engagement. Our aim is to bridge this gap by designing tools and resources tailored to unique needs of autism. I am bringing my expertise in autism care and digital healthcare to build scalable solutions for the autism community.