Meet the Team

Meet the Team: Meet the Team

Mandy has been involved in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis for over 25 years and a BCBA since 2005. What began as a part time job after classes quickly became her life's passion. She began her career as an in-home therapist. At that time, there were no centers for autism treatment and ABA therapy had just reached the Greater New Orleans area. After graduating with a Master's in Marriage and Family Therapy, Mandy knew she wanted to pursue higher credentialing in order to substantiate her work in the community. She became one of the first Certified Behavior Analysts in the state of Louisiana. Her experience includes Doctoral Research at Louisiana State University, public speaking at various community trainings, leading music and social groups, working with parents, teachers, and students in the home, community, school, and clinical settings, and somewhere along the way, co-creating a wonderful center for education, therapy, and care for autistic individuals and families.

In Mandy's sessions, you will inevitably witness a barefoot, singing, piggy-back providing teacher doing her best to make kids laugh and feel sincerely valued. The piggy back scenario has proven a bit more difficult as her passion for teaching adolescents has grown throughout the years. It still remains difficult to access support and resources for children beyond early intervention and elementary education. Mandy has many years of experience working with students and families all the way through early adulthood and is passionate about dispelling the myth that limited growth can happen in older stages. She specializes in teaching social and emotional communication, as well as the functional skills needed throughout adolescence.

Mandy could wax on about her many passions - walking with families through the joys and challenges of parenting an autistic child, spreading the word to the community about the value of our kids, and ensuring that ABA is practiced ethically and appropriately. But her greatest passion is raising her daughter in an environment that celebrates all types of victories, values the beauty of variety, and breeds understanding.

Mandy Parten

BCBA, LBA

Co-owner

Co-director

After observing an ABA session in graduate school, Melissa became completely taken with a compassionate science which could empower and enhance the lives of others. This science, and a dedication to neurodiverse individuals, soon became her life’s work. Melissa has been a part of the behavioral science field for over 20 years, becoming a Licensed Professional Counselor in 2004, and Board Certified Behavior Analyst/ Licensed Behavior Analyst in 2013.

As she spent years working with families and children in home settings (alongside her close friend, Mandy Parten), Melissa observed a consistent need for ABA therapy to serve and support the entire family system. Out of this need, and a love for the work they do, Melissa and Mandy established The Art in Me as one of the first ABA centers in the Greater New Orleans area.

As the field and profession of ABA continues to evolve, Melissa finds herself to be most passionate about verbal behavior as a way to provide a platform for communication, autonomy, and meaningful relationships. She is also deeply invested in continued staff training and longevity, for it is a critical part of providing valuable and effective services.

Melissa’s current topics of research include incorporating specialized learning styles, enthusiasms, and agency into each therapy session. She continues to be humbled by the voices of the autistic community and other neurodiverse populations, as they generously provide insight and pave the way for more compassionate, trauma-informed, and socially relevant work in applied behavior analysis. One of her greatest joys is working alongside creative and dedicated colleagues who share a passion and privilege for the individuals they serve. Though she remains enthralled with ABA, Melissa views this science as “the thing that gets us to the thing”- the beauty, creation, and wonder of humanity.

Outside of the The Art in Me, Melissa loves dancing to Broadway musicals with her daughter, reading about theology and behavioral neuroscience, snuggling with dachshunds, and enjoying popcorn with her husband while watching anything by M. Night Shyamalan. She can easily quote a Gilmore Girls episode upon request.

I feel that there is nothing more truly artistic than to love people.

Vincent Van Gogh

Melissa Thibodaux

LPC, BCBA, LBA

Co-owner

Co-director

Stacey loves to be creative with our kids—whether she’s skiing down the slopes of the hallway, visiting the amusement park in the big room, or orchestrating daring rescues from the clutches of the tunnel using the power of music. With Stacey, you never know what adventure is coming next!

A Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) since 2014, Stacey Kraus brings a wealth of experience, enthusiasm, and a compassionate approach to her work. She has been an integral part of the Art in Me team since 2012, dedicating over a decade to helping families thrive. Her expertise spans clinical, home, school, and community settings, working with children, adolescents, and families to create meaningful and lasting progress.

In recent years, Stacey has developed a strong passion for supporting individuals with Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA). She deepened her knowledge in this area by earning her Level 2 certification from PDA North America in 2024, equipping her with specialized strategies to foster engagement and reduce anxiety-driven avoidance behaviors.

Stacey believes in an individualized, strengths-based approach, tailoring treatment goals and programs to each person’s unique preferences, needs, and learning style. She understands that every child and family is different, and meaningful progress happens when therapy is personalized, collaborative, and engaging. Stacey is also a firm advocate for family involvement in treatment, recognizing that when caregivers are actively engaged, outcomes are more impactful and lasting.

With her creativity, expertise, and deep commitment to the families she supports, Stacey continues to make a profound difference in the lives of those she works with.

Stacey Kraus

BCBA, LBA

Program Director

Harry loves incorporating play into learning, whether exploring the play interests of the Client or exposing to new potential play ideas – ranging from: Lego building, car races, creating an obstacle course, putting out pretend fires, and putting songs into play.

Harry has worked at the Art in Me since 2014 and he became a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst in 2017. Harry has enjoyed working with Clients from a range of ages (early childhood to adolescents) and working on a range of skills individualized to those Clients, such as: early language skills, play skills, social skills, school readiness, and independent/functional skills.

Harry enjoys building and maintaining rapport with his Clients as a focus to implementing their interests and needs when teaching targets.

During the last year, Harry has spent his time learning on how to create more natural opportunities for learning and creating a fun environment for his Clients to thrive in.

Harry’s book recommendation is ‘Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist’ by Judith Heumann. This book is written by one of the most influential disability activists in US history and a role model for being and how to be an advocate.

Harry Wodarczyk

BCBA, LBA

BCBA Supervisor

Claire Crochet

Lead RLT

Chelsea is known for her funky hairstyles (her favorite hairstyle is space buns), and her limitless creativity when it comes to teaching individuals by incorporating their interests into every skill.

Chelsea has worked in the field of ABA and at the Art in Me since 2014. While working at the Art in Me, she has worked with a variety of ages (children, adolescents, and adults), but has mainly worked with adolescents. Chelsea has worked in the clinic, the community, at homes, and in schools – she provides skill acquisition programs for social skills, language skills, exposing individuals to different play skills, the individuals emerging play skills, and parent training. All programs and skills targeted include individualized preferences, and she works with the parents to recognize the individual’s preferences and to incorporate that into learning different skills that help prepare them for a more independent life. Chelsea excels at school readiness skills and works collaboratively with school personnel to help them better understand the student they work with, as well as how to incorporate learning based on the individual’s skills. Chelsea is very passionate about creating a meaningful environment for all she works with, as well as finding ways the families can incorporate more individualized learning within the home that consists of what the individual loves to do.

During the last year, Chelsea has expanded her knowledge on skill appropriate targets and how to incorporate learning more discretely based on an individual’s preference. She has read books and attended webinars to expand this knowledge and has participated in staff talks about what she has learned.

Chelsea’s book recommendation is How to Be Human: An Autistic Man’s Guide to Life by Jory Flemming. This book is a narrative written by the first young autistic individual to attend Oxford University. It sheds light on his experience within a world that was made for neurotypical individuals.

Chelsea Gonzales

BCBA, LBA

BCBA Supervisor

Kyra Doughty

Lead RLT

Madeleine is a new BCBA, but not a new member of AIM! She has been working with our kids since 2016 as an RLT and received her BCBA and LBA certifications in 2022. She has experience working with toddlers, kids and adolescents with various diagnoses in the clinic, community, and at home settings. She is very excited to continue evolving with this field and The Art In Me.

She loves to create and takes pride in developing new ideas for programs. Her current interest is using roleplay with her clients to help with social skills, building relationships and resolving conflict. Roleplay can include going on huge, epic adventures through tabletop roleplaying games or simple imaginative play with toys at the office. Anything can become an opportunity for both fun and learning in her eyes!

Madeleine is always there to give her clients an encouraging cheer and supportive nudge. She enjoys learning about her clients and their interests through play and conversation. Building programming based on their interests is a great way to aid in learning and inspiring kids to be the best they can be. She wants every kid to feel like they are incredible, supported and inspired.

Madeleine Broussard

BCBA, LBA

BCBA Supervisor