Observations on the Health of Applied Behavior Analysis in Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities. John Cone, PhD, BCBA   (Abstract)

Thursday, February 16 • 11:00 a.m. – 11:50 a.m.

Glenda Vittimberga was serving on the CalABA Board of Directors as Secretary when she died tragically on February 16, 2004 at age 36. She was a native of Rhode Island and received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Rhode Island. Glenda received her master’s and doctorate degrees in Clinical Psychology at West Virginia University, where she specialized in assessment and intervention for behavior problems in children with developmental disabilities. She completed a clinical internship at the Kennedy Krieger Institute at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She then joined the outpatient faculty at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine as a faculty in the Child and Family Therapy Clinic and as co-director of the Communication and Behavior Development Clinic. In 1998, she became Associate Professor at the Charter College of Education at California State University, Los Angeles in the School Psychology Program of the Division of Administration and Counseling. Her responsibilities included teaching courses in applied behavior analysis, individual assessment, and interventions for severe behavior problems. Glenda’s research interests focused on the systematic exploration of variables contributing to the efficacy of interdisciplinary communication-based interventions. She was published in many peer-reviewed journals and presented at various conferences, including ABA and CalABA. Glenda’s success as an academician was evidenced by how highly regarded she was by her students and colleagues and by her early promotion to Full Professor in 2003. She was an active participant in service to the university and the community, serving on several boards. Glenda was licensed by the Board of Psychology of the state of California.

Glenda was an esteemed board member, colleague, and friend. In the months following her passing, Drs. Bruno and Jacklyn Vittimberga, Glenda’s parents, and the CalABA Board of Directors discussed various ways to honor Glenda’s memory. In 2005, the CalABA Board of Directors voted to add a special lecture to its annual conference in Glenda’s memory. Each year, the lecture will be presented by an invited speaker who either worked closely with Glenda in the field or who works in an area that was of special interest to Glenda.

The 2006 CalABA conference marks the first year for this very special memorial lecture and will be presented by Dr. John Cone. Dr. Cone was one of Glenda’s professors at West Virginia University and became a professional colleague and friend when she moved to Southern California in 1998. His presentation, "Observations on the Health of Applied Behavior Analysis in Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities," draws on examples from work with persons with developmental disabilities, a population with whom Glenda focused her own research and writing.

2006 CalABA Outstanding Contributor to Behavior Analysis: Teodoro Ayllon, PhD

From Natural Contingencies to the Token Economy and Back   (Abstract)

Thursday, February 16 • 1:00 p.m. – 1:50 p.m.

Dr. Teodoro Ayllon was Professor of Psychology and Special Education at Georgia State University in Atlanta from 1968-97, and is currently Professor Emeritus. He received his Bachelors and Masters degrees from the University of Kansas, and his PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Houston in Texas. Dr. Ayllon is a fellow of the American Psychological Association; a Diplomat in Clinical Psychology, American Board of Professional Psychology; and a Licensed Psychologist in the State of Georgia. He has been in private practice in Atlanta since 1975. Former positions include Associate Director of Training, West Philadelphia Community Mental Health Consortium; and Associate Research Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania. Prior to that, he was Director of Clinical Research at Anna State Hospital, Illinois, and Adjunct Associate Professor in the Psychology Department at Southern Illinois University. Dr. Ayllon’s original research on the application of operant techniques to mental illness took place at the Saskatchewan Hospital in Canada. He has published over 80 scientific articles, and 4 books on therapeutic methods involving the emotional and behavioral problems of adults, teenagers and children. They include, Ayllon & Azrin, The Token Economy: A Motivational System for Therapy and Rehabilitation, Prentice Hall, 1968; Ayllon, Milan, Roberts, & McKee, Correctional Rehabilitation and Management: A Psychological Approach, Wiley Interscience, 1979; Ayllon & Freed Stopping Baby’s Colic, Putnam, N.Y., 1989; Ayllon, T. How to Use Token Economy and Point Systems, Pro-Ed, Inc., Tx, 1999. Dr Ayllon has served as a consultant to a variety of private organizations, state and federal agencies dealing with mental health as well as with community-related issues.

Conversation Hour
Thursday, February 16 • 5:00 – 6:00 p.m.

Take advantage of this opportunity to meet our keynote and invited speakers in this informal conversation hour. Ask questions, talk about current issues in the field or just share a funny story.

Poster Session and Cash Bar Social
Thursday, February 16 • 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Catch up on the latest in research and practice in behavior analysis while also catching up with old friends and making new ones, all at the same time!

Job Fair and Graduate Program Expo
Thursday, February 16 • 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Learn about master’s and doctoral programs in the region that offer an emphasis or track in behavior analysis. Faculty and students from a number of colleges and universities will be available to talk with interested parties. Employers seeking professionals with training and experience in behavior analysis will also be available to meet with prospective job applicants. This is a great opportunity for job seekers to learn about employment opportunities, and for employers to access the talented pool of Western Region behavior analysts.

2006 CalABA Lunch, Awards Ceremony, and Auction
Friday, February 17 • 11:30 a.m. – 1:20 p.m.

Don’t miss out on this outstanding afternoon of food, fellowship and the opportunity to recognize contributors to the field. Celebrate the 2006 CalABA award recipients of the Outstanding Contributor Award and the Julie Vargas Student Research Award. Bid on B.F. Skinner memorabilia in an auction by the B. F. Skinner Foundation to benefit the B. F. Skinner Foundation and CalABA. Three items will be available this year (click on links for photos):

• Signed color photo. Color photo (about 5X6 inches) of Skinner, signed by him. There are fewer than half a dozen of these with original signatures. Proceeds from the sale of this item will go to the B. F. Skinner Foundation.
• "Schedules of Reinforcement" mock-up. Made by Appleton Century Crofts before the publication of the book, presumably for a convention. It is mostly blank paper, but has a few pages put together from individual typed lines. These few pages include a table of contents and one page of cumulative records. There is no signature, nor any marks by Skinner, but this is a one-of-a-kind item. Proceeds from the sale of this item will go to CalABA.
• Harvard address stamp. Open to bidding by students only. A stamp with Skinner's William James Hall address that Skinner used for return addresses for professional correspondence. Makes a better imprint than shown, but requires a stamp pad (not included). Proceeds from the sale of this item will go to the B. F. Skinner Foundation.

Pre-register for the lunch to make sure you have a seat for this event, as it is expected to sell out quickly.

2006 Julie Vargas Student Research Award

This cash award was established through a donation from Dr. Julie Vargas to promote research by students in the field of behavior analysis. The deadline for applying for this award is December 15, 2005. See the Julie Vargas Student Research Award web page for details and submission instructions.