Our Team

Meet Keely,
Founder of Early Bird’s ABA

Keely has been passionate about Applied Behavior Analysis since 2001, when she immediately knew during her very first ABA training that she had found the career she wanted to pursue. From the beginning, her goal has been to help children with autism and developmental disabilities learn, grow, and experience greater independence.

While earning her undergraduate degree in Psychology from Georgia State University, Keely provided in-home ABA therapy, gaining hands-on experience working directly with children and their families. She went on to earn her Master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis in Developmental Disabilities from Auburn University and became a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) in 2007.

Keely began her career as a BCBA through a post-graduate fellowship in Alabama, where she continued to develop her clinical skills and deepen her understanding of individualized ABA treatment. In 2008, she returned to her home state of Georgia and expanded her experience working with individuals with developmental disabilities and mental illness.

Throughout her career, Keely has worked with individuals ranging in age from 10 months to 65 years old and has extensive experience supporting individuals with challenging behaviors, including aggression, self-injury, property destruction, and other behaviors that can interfere with learning and daily life.

While she has enjoyed working with individuals across all ages and needs, her greatest passion is working with children and developing communication and verbal behavior skills. She believes that effective ABA should focus not only on reducing challenging behaviors, but also on teaching meaningful skills that help children communicate, connect with others, become more independent, and participate fully in their communities.

Today, Keely brings that same passion and dedication to Early Bird’s ABA. She is committed to creating a practice where children and families feel supported, respected, and truly cared for.

Outside of ABA, Keely enjoys spending time with her two children and two dogs. She loves traveling, hiking, and exploring waterfalls whenever she gets the chance.

“My passion is helping children find their voice, discover their strengths, and feel confident in what they can accomplish.”

From a young age I had a passion for working with children. I first started babysitting for friends and family. After that I moved into teaching gymnastics to young kids. Over the years I came across several kiddos with Autism. I was drawn to them, and it sparked a passion for helping kids be successful in their day-to-day activities.

In college I studied communication and was on track to become an SLP (Speech Language Pathologist). I loved helping kids communicate and express themselves successfully. I graduated from Georgia State with a bachelor’s in communication. From there I married my husband, and we continued growing our family. I then worked in the school system as an SLP-A for a few years. At this point we had 3 beautiful girls. While working in the schools I was introduced to the field of ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis). I realized this field would allow me to help children in all environments, not just in school or a therapy room. I decided to pivot my plan and get my masters in ABA and pursue my BCBA (Board Certified Behavior Analyst) certification. That’s when I found Early Bird’s ABA in 2017.

I initially worked as an RBT (Registered Behavior Technician) while going through school. When I graduated with my degree in ABA, I worked under Keely learning how to become a supervisor. In 2020 God completed our family with 1 more baby girl, while also blessing me with my BCBA certification. I then worked in-home as a BCBA until we decided to open our first clinic in 2022. We then quickly expanded to 2 clinics! In 2023 I joyfully accepted the offer to become a co-owner. This has been such a rewarding journey, and I am eternally grateful to God and my family and friends for always encouraging me along the way! Supporting our community and celebrating the growth of both parents and children is so deeply rewarding, and I am truly grateful every day for this opportunity.