Meet Our Staff

Samantha was born and raised in Florida and moved to Las Vegas in 2014. She received a Bachelor's of Arts degree from FIU in 2004; a Master's of Science degree from UCF in 2006; and a Master's of Arts degree from UWF in 2016. Sam has worked in the field of applied behavior analysis and with individuals diagnosed with Autism since 2011. Sam completed courses at FIT and became a Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst (BCaBA) in 2014. In 2016, she became a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and a Licensed Behavior Analyst (LBA) in Nevada. Since then she has also obtained state licensure in Arizona and Washington. She is committed to cultivating an organization of ethical practitioners and effective service delivery. She has a deep love for the field of ABA and the families that she serves.

 Cassandra is originally from California and moved to Las Vegas in 2016. She received her Associates in Social and Behavioral Sciences in 2015 from West Hills College. Her career started in the Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) field as a receptionist and has continued to grow within the administrative side of ABA. She is usually working behind the scenes to ensure staff are able to provide remarkable services to our clients and their families. In June 2023 she obtained her RBT certification and started providing ABA services to clients at LLT. During her free time, Cassandra likes to spend time with family and friends, DIY crafts, and going to the beach. 

Sophia moved to the Las Vegas area at the beginning of 2018. Prior to that she lived in

Oregon, Michigan, and California. She currently has her BCaBA but is planning on going back to school for her master’s in quantitative psychology and work towards becoming a BCBA. She has two King Charles Spaniels that are not spoiled but “well taken care of”. She spends all of her free time with them, her husband, and her little sister going on adventures and reading books.

Carla is from Las Vegas, Nevada. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology with a minor in Counseling in 2008 from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She was first introduced to Applied Behavior Analysis during her undergraduate years. She spent her time working with victims of Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Drug Abuse, and Adolescents while pursuing a career in Marriage and Family Therapy. During this time after some soul searching, Carla followed her true passion and began to work with young children as a preschool teacher and behavior technician in 2010 in Las Vegas, Hawaii, and Virginia . Her passion for working with young children on the spectrum took a whole new meaning when her son was diagnosed during her first year of graduate school.  In 2018, Carla completed her Master’s degree in Special Early Childhood Education from George Mason University, Graduate Certificate in Applied Behavioral Analysis from Florida Institute of Technology in 2020 and became a Board Certified Behavior Analyst in June 2021. Carla’s primary experience has been in early intervention, parent training, and working directly with individuals diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Carla is passionate about spreading Autism awareness, learning, empowering families to make changes, and advocacy. During her free time, Carla enjoys spending time with her family on road trips and singing.  

Giovanna (Gina) is originally from San Diego, California. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology in 2013 from San Diego State University. During her undergraduate years, she always gravitated towards child development-focused coursework, but didn’t start working with children until 2015 when she got a job as a behavior technician in San Diego. After moving to Las Vegas with her fiancé in 2017, Gina began working as a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT). In 2020, she obtained her Masters of Science degree in Psychology with an emphasis in Applied Behavior Analysis from Capella University and became a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). Gina is passionate about teaching communication skills through play and helping children learn independent self-care skills. Although she loves working with kids, she is also passionate about using ABA principles to improve employee satisfaction in the workplace. In her free time, Gina enjoys buying new houseplants and playing with her two dogs Luna and Mango. 

Sammie was born and raised in Kansas and moved to Las Vegas shortly after becoming a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) in 2022. She began working in the field of applied behavior analysis (ABA) in 2015 as a behavior technician. She obtained a Bachelor of General Studies in Applied Behavioral Science at the University of Kansas in 2019 and a Master of Arts in Behavior Analysis at the University of Houston-Clear Lake in 2022. Sammie has worked with children, adolescents, and adults diagnosed with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in a variety of settings, including early intervention clinics, caregiver-training clinics, public school districts, and an intensive outpatient clinic focused on the treatment of severe, maladaptive behavior. Sammie is passionate about promoting learning through playful, naturalistic interactions. She strives to promote a joyful environment for children, families, and employees to grow and learn together. In her free time, Sammie is likely to be found training, playing, cuddling, or exploring dog-friendly spaces with her rescued corgi/best friend, Gus. Sammie also loves plants, reading, game nights, and traveling. 

Macy was born in the suburbs of Phoenix, Arizona and was raised there alongside her four siblings. She joined the field of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) in 2019 as a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) after spending the previous five years working with children. In 2020, she received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a minor in Cognitive Neuroscience from Temple University located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Shortly after, Macy moved to Las Vegas, Nevada and began working at Little Lemons Therapy. She graduated from the Florida Institute of Technology (FIT) with a Master of Arts in ABA Practice in 2022 and became a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and Licensed Behavior Analyst (LBA) in 2023. Macy has worked with children on the autism spectrum of all ages and has experience in a variety of treatment settings. She strives to provide compassionate ABA services to her clients, while promoting independence and self-advocacy, and having fun along the way. Outside of the clinic, Macy can be found trying restaurants around town, watching the Philadelphia Eagles or working on a craft. 

 Kristin Mellinger is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and a Licensed Behavior Analyst in Nevada. She started in the field of Special Education and Autism in 2001 and has over 20 years of experience working with infants through adults with autism and other developmental disabilities. Kristin has worked in a variety of settings including schools, early intervention, in-home, and in-clinic.  She completed her Bachelor of Science from California State University-Fullerton in Child Development in 2007, received her Masters of Science from National University in Special Education in 2011 and a Masters of Education in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Applied Behavior Analysis in 2012. She loves llamas, going to concerts, traveling with her family (and sometimes without them), and feels strongly that pineapple is indeed a pizza topping.  

 Charlena is from Pennsylvania and moved to Nevada in 2022. In 2005 she received her bachelor's degree in Psychological and Social Sciences from Pennsylvania State University. In 2007 she began her ABA journey, working with children with Autism and neurological disorders. She received her Master's of Science in Psychology in 2014 and completed her ABA course sequence in 2016 from Saint Joseph'sUniversity. Charlena currently has her BCaBA and will begin school in the Spring to become a BCBA. She is family oriented and enjoys cozying up on the couch in front of the fireplace with a good book!

 Kayla was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada. Kayla obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at Nevada State College in 2021. During her undergrad, she was grateful to take up the internship opportunity at Little Lemons Therapy for her capstone course. Before working as an RBT, Kayla had previous experience working with adults diagnosed with developmental and intellectual disabilities. She learned that her passion was working with children diagnosed with Autism, and making a difference in this population. Shortly after, she became a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) at Little Lemons Therapy. Kayla soon found her passion within the field of Applied Behavior Analysis and found herself working towards becoming a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) to further make a difference in this field. Kayla completed her Master of Science in Psychology with a concentration in Applied Behavior Analysis at Capella University in 2023 and hopes to sit for her BCBA exam upon the completion of her supervised fieldwork hours toward the end of the year. In her free time, Kayla can be found playing with her puppies, OneWheeling, or finding different food places to try around the city.  

 Kris is a California native who moved to Las Vegas, Nevada in 2017.  She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Communicative Disorders from CSUF in 2008, and began working in the field of ABA in 2005 as a Behavior Therapist in Southern California. She has obtained experience in a rich variety of settings with children and adults ages 2 to 22.  When she first moved to Las Vegas she took a position with a non profit agency that served the community of Las Vegas, and she quickly grew a passion for serving the families of the city.  Kris came to Little Lemons full time in October of 2023, and will be pursuing her BCBA.  Kris is extremely passionate about providing services for families who have children or adults on the spectrum; she also enjoys baking, collecting house plants, traveling, and spending time with her boyfriend and dog.