Celia O’Flaherty, BCBA, LBA, Clinical Director

Celia’s passion for working with children with autism began in elementary school, when local parents in her community led the effort to pilot an inclusion program at her school. Celia was always drawn toward children with diverse needs, and witnessing the determination, advocacy, and love these families demonstrated left a lasting impression and inspired Celia at a young age to support other families navigating similar paths. 

Celia earned her Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Special Education from Gonzaga University and a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Special Education from Vanderbilt University. While at Vanderbilt, Celia contributed to research on evidence-based strategies for teaching play, social skills development, and coaching educators and providers who serve children with disabilities. Her work was published in the Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions and the American Journal on Intellectual Developmental Disabilities, and has been cited in several follow-up studies on play and performance feedback for educators. After earning her Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) credential in 2018, Celia started her family in Vermont and joined the amazing team at KABH. She served as a Clinical Supervisor and School Consultant at KABH’s St. Johnsbury center before stepping into the role of Clinical Director for the Little Royals Early Intervention program in 2020. Celia is especially passionate about play-based learning, early social development, and empowering both families and professionals with practical, compassionate strategies that carry over into everyday life. She is incredibly proud of KABH and its role in supporting families and children across Vermont. 

Celia is also an adjunct professor at the Community College of Vermont, where she teaches an Introduction to Early Childhood Education course. Outside of her professional work, you will find Celia with her wife, two children, and two dogs by her side wherever life takes them!