This month, we’re excited to share the story of Megan Adkins, BCBA and Clinical Manager at Autism ETC’s Clarksville-Professional Park location. Megan’s journey in behavioral health began while living in Louisiana with her husband, who was serving in the military.

“After earning my Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, I was eager to find a job in my field. I started working at an outpatient behavioral health clinic that offered marriage and family therapy, and cognitive behavior therapy. Then, in 2012, my husband and I moved to Clarksville when he was stationed at Fort Campbell, KY. I started working as a substitute teacher in the school system and found myself gravitating towards positions in the special needs classroom. Initially, I considered pursuing a Master’s degree in special education, but I quickly realized that wasn’t the right path for me. One of my supervisors, who had experience working with children on the autism spectrum, introduced me to Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy. My primary client was receiving ABA services from Autism ETC. After sitting in on some of his BCBA’s sessions, I thought…’This has to be it!’ and started looking into ABA therapy as a career. In September 2014 I applied to Autism ETC and was hired as an ‘ABA tutor’.

“In May of 2015, a new certification was created, and I became a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT). I started looking into Master’s programs and enrolled in Arizona State University’s Masters of Education program with an emphasis in ABA. I was promoted to Lead RBT, working 50 to 60 hours a week while raising a toddler. It was a very busy time!

To help further our education and provide further instruction, Kayla Ziolko, Autism ETC’s Clinical Manager, started offering small group meetings, study groups, and training sessions. She has been my biggest mentor and cheerleader. With her support, I graduated in May 2018 and completed the hours required to sit for the BCBA board exam. Unfortunately, I did not pass on my first attempt. That was a difficult moment, and I questioned whether I was in the right place. However, with the support of my coworkers, I studied and passed the BCBA exam in May 2019. I will soon celebrate 6 years of being a BCBA!”

“In 2019, Autism ETC moved into a new location on Professional Park Drive. What an amazing journey: watching the Clarksville location grow from 6 staff members in a 3-room building to a 10,000 square foot, state-of-the-art ABA center with over 60 employees. That same year, Kayla relocated to Autism ETC’s new Glendale location and the Clinical Manager position became available. I was honored Rhonda Manous, Autism ETC’s Executive Director and Kayla believed I was the best person for the job.”

“There are so many things that excite me about coming at work every day: watching the clients learn and grow; becoming a mentor myself under the guidance of Kayla and Kelly Roos (Autism ETC’s Clinical Directors); collaborating with our team of BCBAs; and interacting with our staff of RBTs. Everyone works together: we collaborate, grow, and support one another.
In 2016 my husband left the military, and we had the opportunity to relocate. We chose to remain in Clarksville, and I believe we made the best possible choice. I have had a lot of opportunities to grow at Autism ETC and I don’t want to go anywhere else! I have met many life-long friends during my tenure, and I have had the honor of watching many clients come and go after graduating from our services. I am thankful that Rhonda took the chance on me in 2014. I cannot wait to see what comes next.”