About Us

Caity Russ, M.Ed., BCBA, COBA

Caity is a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). She received her master’s degree in special education with a concentration in behavior intervention. During her supervision experience to become a BCBA, she was first an intervention specialist for students with autism and other behavioral challenges and then gained experience as a Registered Behavior Technician. She has experience in school, home and center-based settings and has worked with students across age ranges, disability categories and severity of behaviors. Her most meaningful experience was having the opportunity to be a caregiver to 3 individuals with disabilities.

Caity is passionate about parent and caregiver training. She believes that parent training should include prioritizing their wishes for their child, helping them find time for self-care and empowering them to make behavior changes. She values each member of the team to help service a learner. Caity’s areas of focus includes severe problem behavior, parent training, early intervention and adolescent behavior.

Caity loves to keep up on progressive research in Applied Behavior Analysis and share it with others. She uses and modifies many of Dr. Greg Hanley’s interventions to help clients achieve a happy, relaxed and engaged state. The invaluable and irreplaceable relationships she builds with her students and families are the best parts of her job. She has learned that teaching with strong rapport, play, and humility often improves the quality of life for clients and their caregivers.

Bailey Patouhas, MSW, RBT

Bailey is currently a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) for Mindful Steps. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Child Psychology from Kent State University. Upon completing her undergraduate degree she attended the University of Pittsburgh where she received her Master of Social Work with a certificate in children, youth, and families. She has worked as an RBT in the in-home setting since 2018. Bailey is currently completing coursework and supervision to obtain her BCBA. Bailey has a special interest in: parent training, early intervention, Functional Communication Training (FCT), and social skills training.

Bailey loves working in the ABA field because she gets to help children reach new goals through evidence-based treatments implemented in their natural environment. When not working she enjoys playing and coaching volleyball, weightlifting, camping, baking, and playing with her pup, Hannah!

Kelsey Bennett, M.Ed., RBT

Kelsey is a Registered Behavior Technician at Mindful Steps. She completed her bachelor’s degree in special education at The Ohio State University and received a master’s degree in educational administration from Augusta University. Before working for Mindful Steps, she had been in special education for six years as a licensed intervention specialist in high school and grades 3-5. Throughout her undergrad years, she also worked as an in-home ABA therapist. Kelsey has worked with individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities in home and school settings for over ten years, providing intervention for academics, social skills, self-help skills, and behavior skills based on the principles of applied behavior analysis.

Kelsey is currently obtaining her Behavior Intervention certificate from Kent State University and accruing supervised hours towards her BCBA certification. She chose the field of ABA because every day is different, and therapy is individualized based on effective practices and to experience and celebrate each individual’s amazing gains. Kelsey has special interests in school consultation, food selectivity, and severe problem behavior (SPB). When Kelsey is not working, she is a wife and mama of a beautiful, spunky 3-year-old girl. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends, playing the piano, reading books, exercising, and looking for new crafts to make!