Autism in Action™ Bios
View Beverly Braman's bio | View Susan Catlett's bio
Beverly J. Braman, Ph.D.
Dr. Beverly J. Braman is an Autism Consultant who has worked with individuals with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in a "hands-on" capacity for 30 years. Dr. Braman began her scholastic career at Western Michigan University where she received her B.S. in Education (1981). It was during that time that Dr. Braman had her first encounter with a captivating individual with autism; it was that chance meeting which motivated her academic and career goals. Intrigued by autism, Dr. Braman was compelled to continue her education at Vanderbilt University where she earned her M. Ed. in Special Education (1983) and ultimately her Ph.D. in Educational Psychology and Individual Differences from the University of Houston (1995). Dr. Braman's graduate work was geared specifically to the study of autism with an emphasis on self-injurious behavior and intervention efficacy. She has studied the science of applied behavior analysis (ABA) extensively, and has published peer-reviewed research in the area of autism.
Over the years, Dr. Braman has worked with children with autism, their parents, and teachers in a variety of settings across the United States and abroad including; day treatment and residential programs, private schools, public schools, military schools, community-based programs, and in families' homes. Dr. Braman is particularly interested in the behavioral features of autism and specializes in working with children on the autism spectrum who are experiencing significant behavioral challenges. She has served as an Autism Consultant for a statewide grant training parents and teachers, as Project Coordinator for a statewide intensive treatment autism grant serving children experiencing especially challenging behaviors, and consults for the Department of Defense Education Activity training parents, teachers, and other autism consultants in the use of ABA with individuals on the spectrum.
Working as a private consultant since 1987, Dr. Braman is both a national and international presenter who has conducted hundreds of training workshops for teachers, therapists, psychologists, and parents sharing her years of "hands-on" experience in order to enable those attending the workshops to utilize the principles of ABA and improve the quality of life for individuals with ASD. Dr. Braman has been instrumental in establishing intensive early intervention and specialized autism programs using the elements of ABA in public schools. She has been recognized for her service to people with ASD by the Autism Society of America-Greater Houston Chapter and has served as adjunct faculty for the University of Houston teaching Applied Behavior Analysis to graduate level educators.
Dr. Braman is co-founder of Autism in Action™, (formerly known as "Autism-How-To"), and is co-author of the Instructional Objectives Handbook, Autism and ABA: A "How-To" Handbook for Teachers, and the invaluable Autism "How-To" Teaching Program series.
Even though Dr. Braman's accomplishments are many and her schedule full, with her boundless energy she continues working regularly with individuals that have ASD in a "hands-on" capacity. She views this as critical to remaining true to her passion for helping individuals that have autism, and necessary for supporting their families and teachers in a relevant and meaningful way. Dr. Braman has seen that for individuals with ASD, using the right procedures in a realistic way results in an outcome where "a better tomorrow starts today"!
Susan M. Catlett, Ph.D.
Dr. Susan M. Catlett is an Autism Consultant who for the past 15 years has focused her area of expertise towards helping school districts to build capacity in the areas of educational and behavioral programming for individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Dr. Catlett holds a Master of Education (1991), with an emphasis in Severe and Profound Disabilities, and has a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology and Individual Differences from the University of Houston (1999). Dr. Catlett also holds lifetime teaching certificates in the areas of Elementary Education, Generic Special Education, Severe and Profound Disabilities, and Autism and Emotional Disorders.
While completing her graduate coursework, Dr. Catlett conducted various research studies using the principles of applied behavior analysis (ABA). While pursuing her doctorate degree at the University of Houston, Dr. Catlett completed an internship with the U.S. Department of Education in Washington, D.C., investigating inclusive educational practices throughout the United States. After returning from Washington, Dr. Catlett began working in the homes of children with ASD. Finding this unique opportunity to be immensely fulfilling, Dr. Catlett expanded her endeavors by working with these children at school, and training teachers at their respective school district's request. In 1994, Dr. Catlett received the Alice H. Hayden award, an international honor in recognition of outstanding doctoral work in special education and achievement in research, teaching, and community service.
By working as a private consultant, Dr. Catlett has assisted numerous school districts in the development of policies and procedures for conducting functional behavior analyses, implementation of behavior intervention plans, as well as provision of in-home, community, and parent training services. Dr. Catlett has also assisted school districts in implementing applied behavior analysis (ABA) for students on the autism spectrum.
Dr. Catlett has presented at local, national, and international conferences on a variety of topics and has taught undergraduate and graduate special education courses on the topics of applied behavior analysis (ABA) and exceptionalities at several Texas universities.
Dr. Catlett is co-founder of Autism in Action™, formerly known as "Autism-How-To", created in 2001. She is also the co-author of the Instructional Objectives Handbook, Autism and ABA: A "How-To" Handbook for Teachers, and the invaluable series of Autism "How-To" Teaching Programs.
Dr. Catlett feels that she is blessed by being able to pursue a profession which she finds to be personally fulfilling, while helping improve the lives of those that face the challenges of ASD. Dr. Catlett is both dedicated to the principles of ABA in the field of ASD and excited about the successes she has seen when ABA is used. Dr. Catlett is continually inspired by her "hands-on" work with individuals with ASD and truly believes that "a better tomorrow starts today"!
