Aspire Employee Monica Drowos
IBHS Training Director
Monica attended West Virginia University (WVU) where she obtained her Bachelor of Science degree, Summa Cum Laude, in Psychology. Following her first course in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), she discovered her passion: using ABA to improve the lives of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), such as Autism, and their families. During her time at WVU, she became a research assistant in the ABA lab, under the supervision of Dr. Clair St. Peter, where she worked in an alternative education classroom for students with chronic or severe challenging behavior.
Upon graduation, Monica relocated to Baltimore, Maryland to work at the Kennedy Krieger Institute (KKI; an affiliate of Johns Hopkins) on the Neurobehavioral Inpatient Unit. While in Baltimore, Monica obtained her Master’s degree in ABA at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, while simultaneously completing her practicum at KKI. During her time at KKI, Monica obtained rigorous clinical training in the assessment and treatment of severe problem behavior as well as research and supervisory experience working alongside some of the world’s top Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs). Monica also served the role of Supervisor of Patient Services where, she gained experience in Organizational Behavior Management (the use of ABA principles in the workplace to improve employee performance). Monica received her BCBA in November, 2017.
Since graduating from UMBC, Monica worked across multiple in-home, school, and residential facilities, expanding her repertoire from problem behavior to include skill acquisition programming driven by assessments such as the Verbal Behavior Milestones Assessment and Placement Program (VB-MAPP) and the Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills (ABLLS).
Monica is devoted to developing effective, empirically-based, behavior intervention strategies that work for the client and with families. She respects the struggles that come with implementing complex treatment strategies and understands the importance of client satisfaction as it relates to implementing effective strategies with integrity. Monica focuses on developing plans that families can integrate into their daily routines resulting in successful outcomes.
BCBA Certification Number
1-17-28085
Education
2015-2017 University of Maryland, Baltimore County, MA, Human Services Psychology
2010-2014 West Virginia University, BS, Psychology
Practicum
2015-2017 Kennedy Krieger Institute
Master’s Capstone
Urich, M. A. (2017, June). Efficacy of and Preference for Two Variations of Token Systems That Include Differential Reinforcement within the Token-Exchange Schedule. Unpublished master’s capstone, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD.
Publications
Iannaccone, J. A., Urich, M.A., Hardesty, S. L., & Bowman, L. G. (in preparation). Towards an efficient model of group staff training:the utility of video critiques.
Szabo, M. M., Urich, M. A., Duncan, C. L., & Aballay, A. M. (2016). Patient adherence to burn care: A systematic review of the literature. Burns, 42(3), 484-491.
Szabo, M. M., Urich, M. A., Duncan, C. L., & Aballay, A. M. (In press). Response to letter to the editor: “Why aren’t our work results in burn care excellent?” Burns.
Scholarly Works
Hardesty, S. L., Iannaccone, J. A., Urich, M. A., & Bowman L. G. (2017, May). Do supervisors know best? Examining differences in responses by employees on the performance diagnostic checklist. Poster presentation at Association for Behavior Analysis International Annual Conference, Denver, CO.
Iannaccone, J. A., Hardesty, S. L., Urich, M. A., Dillon C. M., & Bowman, L. G. (2016, May). Corrective feedback as the aversive factor during demands. Poster presentation at Association for Behavior Analysis International Annual Conference, Chicago, IL.
Iannaccone, J. A., Urich, M.A., Hardesty, S. L., & Bowman, L. G. (2018, May). Towards an efficient model of group staff training: the utility of video critiques. A paper presented at Association of Behavior Analysis International Annual Conference, San Diego, CA.
Iannaccone, J. A., Urich, M. A., Hardesty, S. L., & Bowman, L. G. (2014, November). A generalization assessment of functional communication across stimuli. Poster presentation at the Maryland Association for Behavior Analysis Annual Meeting, Baltimore, MD.
Lugo, M., Hardesty, S. L., Urich, M. A., & Bowman, L. G. (2016, May). An evaluation of high and low preferred tokens during a time-based schedule. Poster presentation at Association for Behavior Analysis International Annual Conference, Chicago, IL.
Szabo, M. M., Corman, L. A., Duncan, C. L., Johnson, R. J.,Urich, M. A., Moffett, K. S., Andrade, O., & Black, P. G. (2014, March). Family division of responsibility for disease management and treatment adherence in adolescents and young adults with cystic fibrosis. Poster presentation at the Society of Pediatric Psychology Annual Conference, Philadelphia, PA.
Urich, M. A., Hardesty S. L., & Bowman L. G. (2016, May). An assessment of caregiver compliance with child demands. Poster presentation at Association for Behavior Analysis International Annual Conference, Chicago, IL.