Meet Our Staff
Brilliant Minds has an amazing group of instructors and Behavior Analysts! Please take the time to get to know our staff!

Gina Ballone, MS, BCBA Clinical Director Gina Ballone has been working in the field of ABA for over 11 years. She first gained experience in teaching language to children with autism during her undergraduate studies at Florida State University in Tallahassee. She was part of a research team under the supervision of Dr. Bailey and his doctoral student Dr. Scott Cross. Upon completion of her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, she decided to pursue her Master’s degree in Psychology/ABA through FSU at their Panama City campus (FSU-PC). During graduate school she and another student started an in-home therapy group, in which they trained other students to work with children with autism in their homes... a program that exists to this day! After her completion of a graduate degree, Gina was offered a position at Behavior Analysis Inc., in which she worked under Dr. Starin, as well as other prominent behavior analysts. During her work there she supervised a team of behavior therapists, as well as wrote verbal behavior programs, precision teaching and behavior reduction programs. She also did parent trainings and workshops for families. Her company appointed her to be the Behavior Analyst to consult at the Miami Children’s Hospital, Dan Marino Center. There she oversaw all verbal behavior therapy programs as well as conducted on-site consultation to non-behavioral staff at the Dan Marino Center. She had the opportunity to assist in training Speech, Occupational and Physical Therapists as well as provide consultation at the Dan Marino Summer Camps. Gina has attended numerous workshops in Verbal Behavior, as well as advanced consultation workshops at the Carbone Clinic. She has presented at FABA, as well as other trainings throughout the years. She is the Clinical Director of Brilliant Minds and has been with the organization for over the past 6 years. Gina is also a practicum supervisor for the graduate students in the FSU-PC Master’s ABA program.

Megan Bausch, MS, BCBA Behavior Analyst Megan Bausch received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of West Florida. She then went on to graduate school to the prestigious Applied Behavior Analysis Master’s program at FSU-PC. During her schooling, she presented at the 2008 Florida Association for Behavior Analysis (FABA) conference and attended many workshops on Verbal Behavior. Megan implements one-on-one therapy, assists in curriculum development, and conducts supervision and parent training. Her research interests include capturing motivation and increasing spontaneous vocalizations in early learners. Megan has worked for Brilliant Minds for over the past 3 years and continues to contribute to the success of our children!

Kassi VanderPloeg, MS, BCBA Behavior Analyst Kassi VanderPloeg earned her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a minor in ABA from Midland Lutheran College in Fremont, NE. She has over 2 years of experience working with children who have autism. Kassi was an undergraduate intern at the Monroe-Meyer Institute at the University of Nebraska, Omaha. During her experience there, Kassi was able to work in the early intervention program, as well as the severe behavior program, where she was able to help with conducting functional analyses and many other behavioral procedures. Kassi also worked in the department for pediatric feeding disorders with Dr. Cathleen Piazaa, one of the leading researchers in the area of feeding disorders. Before graduating the Master’s ABA program at FSU-PC, Kassi trained and supervised new graduate students and updated programs for her clients through FSU-PC. Brilliant Minds is so excited to have Kassi as part of their dynamic team!

Alison Thome, BS, BCaBA Behavior Therapist Alison Thome attended the University of Georgia where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Child and Family Development in 2000. After graduating, Alison decided to pursue her dreams of acting in New York City. Her “acting” abilities and dynamic personality are what makes her such a strong therapist... it’s not uncommon to find her singing, dancing and doing handstands for the kids! After leaving New York, Alison was happy to find her true calling in working with kids who are developmentally delayed. One of her favorite aspects of ABA is implementing the Stimulus-stimulus pairing procedure (also referred to as Automatic Reinforcement procedure) and seeing children speak some of their first words. In 2010, Alison was nominated for the Rotary Club's Group Study Exchange and traveled as a team member to India, visiting several schools and facilities for children with special needs. She both observed and consulted all over Southern India, gaining a better understanding of the needs of special needs children within different countries. After returning to the States, she presented at local Rotary Clubs about both her travels and Autism Awareness. In 2011, Alison presented at a "Beyond Words" clinic in Mississippi regarding ways to incorporate ABA into the daily practice of Speech, Occupational and Physical Therapy. Also at the 2011 Florida Association for Behavior Analysis conference's Ignite presentation, she was a co-presenter of "Become the Cookie: Creative Ways to Become a Conditioned Reinforcer." She is a member of both FABA and ABAI. Alison began working at  Brilliant Minds in 2005 and is a Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst.

James Blanchet, BA Behavior Therapist James Blanchet is a graduate of the University of West Florida with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Criminology. His primary focus was on neuroscience with an intense focus on information processing within the brain. His research was conducted with Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) and how the patients can adapt and learn the skills of life. His work also extended into underdeveloped children and the assessment of delayed skills and concepts. Being a professional musician and a music major early in his education, Jim is fascinated with the creation and nuances in early speech and how sounds are manipulated in the mouth to create speech. Education and learning are at the root of Jim's training. His flexibility, creativity and understanding establishes a fabulous and exciting learning environment.

Samantha McGee, BA Behavior Therapist Samantha McGee received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from California State Polytechnic University. Before entering the field of ABA, Sam was the Director of a Day Camp for children, including kids on the autism spectrum. As an athlete and avid softball player, Sam has developed a special interest and skills in analyzing and teaching gross motor movements in children with motor deficits. She has developed lessons for teaching word recognition and early reading skills. Her main research interests include analyzing establishing operations as it pertains to language development. She is also interested in social skills training for children with Asperger Syndrome.

Last Updated: 1/26/10