Katie Worrell, M.A., BCBA, LBA

Executive Director & Founder

Katie has been working in the field of ABA since 2008. She has worked with children aged 1-22 in home, clinic, community, and school settings and has served as a 1:1 behavior therapist, supervisor, and clinical director at companies both in California and Texas, before she founded Topaz ABA. 

Katie attended UCLA for undergrad, where she received a Bachelors in Psychology with a minor in Child Development. She continued her education at California State University where she earned a Masters in Educational Psychology with an emphasis in Special Education. She received a post graduate certification through Florida Institute of Technology in Applied Behavior Analysis, and received her BCBA (Board Certified Behavior Analyst) in 2013. 

Katie started Topaz ABA in order to focus on what really matters, helping parents enjoy their time with their child and feel more confident in handling behaviors when they arise. Having worked at numerous large ABA companies, Katie wanted to focus on keeping Topaz ABA about the clients and the quality of services. 

Katie spends the majority of her free time chasing after her two girls, Edith and Paige. 

Director of Training & Development

(English/Spanish)

 Valeria has worked in the field since 2019. She received her Bachelors in Applied Learning and Development and her Masters in Early Childhood Special Education with a focus on ABA from the University of Texas at Austin. Valeria was a Dual-Language Early Childhood Special Education teacher for 4 years with children ages 2-6 years old. She has experience working with children 18 months to 9 years old in clinic-based ABA services. Valeria is a passionate Board Certified Behavior Analyst that focuses on providing assent-based ABA services, creating meaningful and impactful treatment plans and programs for learners, and delivering exceptional therapy by training highly-efficacious behavioral therapists to create strong bonds and provide high-quality learning opportunities. She is committed to helping Topaz families reach their goals! 

Valeria spends her free time traveling, reading books, enjoying live music, and cuddling with her dog and cat. 

Clinical Supervisor

Kelsey has been working in the field of ABA since 2017. It started when she moved from pre-nursing degree into health sciences and landed an internship at a severe behavior clinic that served children from all over the state of Missouri. This was when she knew she wanted to become a BCBA! She has worked with children and adults aged 2-24 in-home, community, in-clinic, and at schools as a 1:1 therapist and supervising BCBA in both Missouri and Texas. She has also led various social skills groups for children aged 5-17. She values person-first therapy in which therapy incorporates interests and build up motivation to help individuals lead a quality life with confidence in themselves. She is excited to serve families at Topaz in varying environments to promote generalization of skills!

She attended the University of Missouri for undergrad and received a degree in health sciences with a minor in psychology and human development and family sciences. Then, she returned back to Texas and received her graduate degree in Autism and Developmental Disabilities from University of Texas- Austin. She received her BCBA (Board Certified Behavior Analyst) in 2020.

In her free time she likes to travel, try new spots to eat, listen to live music, spend time with friends and family, and hang out with her cat named Tito.

Clinical Supervisor

Payge received her bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in American Sign Language at The University of Texas at Austin and her master's in Applied Behavior Analysis from the University of North Texas. She has been in the field of ABA since 2020 and has experience working with children aged 2-10 years old, providing ABA Therapy. Payge is excited to provide services and support to her clients and their families. She looks forward to working with the Topaz Team in making a positive difference in people’s lives. 

In her leisure time, Payge loves to spend time with her husband and son, exploring new coffee shops and restaurants.  She is passionate about animals and currently has two dogs and two cats.  In her down time, she enjoys hikes with her boys. 

Clinical Supervisor

Adam is a highly motivated and dedicated clinician with nearly a decade of experience providing compassionate, evidence-based ABA therapy. Committed to family-centered care, Adam empowers clients and their families with the tools and strategies they need to thrive. His educational background includes a Bachelors in Behavioral Sciences from Concordia University Texas, and a Masters in Behavior Analysis Practice from Florida Institute of Technology. Throughout his career Adam has served as a member of his company's therapist advisory board, as well as a Lead Clinical Trainer where he oversaw the development and implementation of training programs for Registered Behavior Technicians. Now, as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst(BCBA) his experience working with clients aged 2 to 31, across various settings (including home, school, clinical and community environments) allows him to effectively tailor interventions for each client's individual needs.

In his free time Adam enjoys reading, exploring the outdoors through camping, and spending quality time with his family.

Clinical Supervisor

Brianna has been in the ABA field since 2018. She received her Bachelors of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Social Work from Texas State University in 2016. She then pursued her Master's degree in Special Education with a concentration in Applied Behavior Analysis and graduated from Texas State University (again) in 2018. Brianna has experience working with children ranging from 18 months to 11 years old in both clinic and home settings. She is passionate about helping children achieve their highest potential by providing high quality, assent based therapy. She strives to create meaningful treatment plans and foster collaborative relationships that will allow the child and family to learn and succeed as a family unit. Bri is extremely excited to be treating families at Topaz ABA. 

In her free time, Bri enjoys reading, listening to true crime podcasts, or spending time with family and friends. She is an avid coffee drinker and loves trying new coffee shops or bookstores when time allows!