RENEE COLE, M.A., BCBA
Executive Director
Renee has been implementing the principles and techniques of behavior analysis to educate children with autism since 2000. While pursuing her Bachelor’s degree in psychology from Southeastern Louisiana University, Renee accepted a position to work as an in-home ABA therapist with young children diagnosed with autism. Always very passionate about children and knowing she wanted to work with them in some capacity, it wasn’t until accepting the job that Renee realized she had truly found her calling.
After obtaining a Master’s degree in Education from Louisiana State University in 2004, Renee enrolled in a post-graduate behavior analysis program at Southern Illinois University / Carbondale and began working as a Behavior Analyst Intern under the supervision of Dr. Craig A. Thomas. During this experience, she and her business partner Cassie Bradford realized how difficult and expensive it was for families in Louisiana to receive qualified behavior analysis services, due to a shortage of local BCBAs, and made it their mission to find a way to provide these services at an affordable rate so more children in Louisiana could benefit from ABA.
In 2006, Renee received her Board Certification in Behavior Analysis and in July 2007, together with Cassie, launched the Behavioral Intervention Group (BIG), providing behavior analysis services to children in a variety of settings throughout the state of Louisiana. In June of 2010, Renee and Cassie expanded their business and opened the first ABA clinic in Baton Rouge.
In addition to her position as the Executive Director of BIG, Renee is also an active member in the Association of Professional Behavior Analysts, the Association of Behavior Analysis International, and the Louisiana Behavior Analysis Association.