About Us

Our Promise

By bringing together highly qualified BCBAs and experienced therapists from throughout Indiana, we provide your child with cutting-edge and effective behavioral therapies. Whether in-home or center-based, Engaging Minds will facilitate cooperation with your local schools, coordinate local and state-wide funding resources, and tailor your child’s program to meet the specific needs of your family.

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People… it’s all that matters

We understand because we’ve been there. Established by local parents of children with autism, Engaging Minds is determined to bring families the highest quality Applied Behavior Analysis.

Engaging Minds Autism Services was founded by Clinton and Angela Paul after their two boys were diagnosed with autism and demonstrated tremendous success with ABA. They have been providing ABA therapy services since August 2012 and opened their first center in Kokomo in April 2014. After an increasing demand outside the Kokomo area, they launched their second center in Muncie in June 2016. It is their passion and love for these families that guides our mission.

Clinical Leadership Team

  • Allison Lyons|M.A., BCBA|Chief Clinical Officer

    Allison has been a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) since 2014. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Speech Language & Hearing Science through Purdue University, and her Master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis through Ball State University. Prior to becoming a BCBA, Alli had 6 years of experience as a Behavior Therapist and Speech Therapist Assistant. Alli has experience applying ABA techniques in a variety of settings including clinic, home, school and in the community at large. She is passionate about training caregivers and educators to apply ABA strategies in their everyday routines.

  • Jackie Schick|M.A., BCBA|Lead Behavior Analyst

    Born and raised in Kokomo, Jackie is a 2015 graduate of Indiana University Kokomo with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Health Sciences, and minors in Psychology and Nutritional Sciences. Since joining our team in 2015, she has completed her Master’s Degree in Applied Behavior Analysis through Ball State University and has recently been appointed Lead Behavior Analyst. Jackie has a passion for working with children and watching them grow and learn. In her free time, she enjoys watching sports, especially the Indiana Hoosiers and Green Bay Packers.

  • Morgan Jackson|B.S., BCaBA|Lead Assistant Behavior Analyst

    Morgan is a Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst (BCaBA). She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology in Applied Behavior Analysis through Purdue University Global. Morgan came to us in 2015 following three years working with the autism program through the Kokomo Community Schools. She has worked with adults and children with special needs for 15 years with a background in Early Childhood Education.

  • Mason Adams|M.A., BCBA|Lead Behavior Analyst

    Mason is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) who began his career with Engaging Minds as a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) in September 2016. He graduated from Indiana University with his bachelor’s degree in psychology and his Master’s Degree from Ball State University in Applied Behavior Analysis and autism. Mason is passionate about helping kids and their families gain a new freedom in what they can do in home and the community.

  • Samantha Bennett|M.A., BCBA|Lead Behavior Analyst

    Sam is the Lead Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) at our Peru center. She joined our team in 2018 as a Registered Behavior Technician. She earned her Bachelor's in Health Sciences through Indiana University and her Master's degree in Applied Behavior Analysis through Ball State University. She lives in Kokomo with her husband and their three cats.  

Deborah J. Miller, Ph.D., HSPP | Lead Diagnostic Consultant

Deborah Miller is a psychology professor at Indiana University East, and a licensed psychologist. She grew up in Muncie, IN and received her PhD in Counseling Psychology from Ball State University. As a professor, she teaches undergraduates about abnormal psychology and how to apply psychology to improve their everyday lives. She is also a core faculty member in IU East's Master's in Mental Health Counseling program. Her research as a professor is mainly about LGBTQ+ issues and she has several research articles published in scientific journals. 

As a licensed psychologist in private practice, Deborah specializes in diagnostic testing, especially childhood disorders like ADHD or behavioral disorders, as well as providing adult clients with diagnostic clarification that can help their physicians and therapists provide appropriate, effective treatment. She also sees adult clients for counseling on a wide range of mental health and personal growth issues. In addition to providing direct services to clients, Dr. Miller also enjoys supervising students and pre-licensed practitioners. 

Administration Leadership Team

  • Sara Hiles, B.A. | Employee and Family Relations Coordinator

    Sara Hiles is the Employee & Family Relations Coordinator at Engaging Minds. She is passionate about fostering a positive organizational culture for our employees and supporting families during the onboarding process and throughout their care with EMAS. Sara started as a RBT with Engaging Minds in 2017, and soon transitioned in 2018 into a Human Resources role. She has been in her current role since 2025. Sara has her Bachelors Degree in Sociology and her Human Resource Certification from Indiana University. In her personal time, she enjoys her three dogs, husband, and son!

  • Brittany Riggs | Operations Manager

    Brittany Riggs is a dedicated Operations Manager with a passion for empowering individuals to reach their full potential. Her journey with Engaging Minds began in 2018 as a Registered Behavior Technician, where she discovered her knack for guiding others towards success. Transitioning into administrative management in 2020, Brittany thrives in creating innovative opportunities for her team and community.

  • Erica Weasner l Compliance Manager

    Coming Soon.

Office Managers

  • Sarah Strange

    Kokomo Center

    Coming Soon!

  • Alexus Rehfus

    Muncie Center

    Lexy is the Office Manager for our Muncie location. She has been with Engaging Minds for 3 years. In that time she has gotten the chance to play a part in many different roles including as a Registered Behavior Technician. In her current position she works closely with our families and team members. Lexy loves seeing all aspects of ABA unfold from both sides. Lexy feels our team  makes such a huge impact on our clients and their families an nothing is more rewarding than seeing our clients achieve a goal that our team and families have worked so hard to make happen. 

    Outside of work she spends the majority of her time chasing around her son, who is embracing his toddler years and keeps her very busy! If she’s not busy with her toddler you can find her relaxing while enjoying some online shopping. 

  • Courtney McMillen

    Peru Center

    My name is Courtney and I’m the office manager at the Peru Center. I started my time here at EMAS as a brand new RBT and remained in that role for about a year and a half before moving to the office manager position. I love working at EMAS and being part of an amazing team that helps impact our client’s lives daily. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my kids, painting, going to the racetrack, and baking! I am excited to continue to watch the kids in the center grow and welcoming in new families.

The Paul Family

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Engaging Minds encourages diversity, equity, and inclusion within our organization and across the field of behavior analysis.  We have always prided ourselves on cultivating an inclusive culture to promote a healthy and open workspace. Cultural awareness, sensitivity, and understanding are embedded in how we train our staff and provide services to our clients. Moving forward, Engaging Minds will continue to be a leader in our commitment to nondiscrimination in our policies, trainings, and culture. We will continue to celebrate and support our diverse workforce and client base. We will continue to stand for what is right and never tolerate prejudice or inequality.