Meet YOUR Team
Albuquerque
Clinical Supervisors
Andrea Montoya, MS, BCBA, CCC-SLP
owner / Clinical Director Albuquerque Center
Andrea was born and raised in northern New Mexico and graduated from the University of New Mexico in 2008 with a master’s degree in Speech Language Pathology. This same year she began her first business providing clinic-based services and contracting to school districts for Speech Pathology, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy services. During the next 10 years, Andrea provided direct clinic- and school-based services to clients with a wide array of communication impairments, from early intervention to adult services.
In 2013, Andrea returned to UNM to pursue a master’s certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis to fulfill her dream of providing individuals with autism and related disabilities with the highest standard of care to enable them to live their best quality of life. She became a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst in 2015.
Andrea founded Prism in 2017, with the support of Angelica Gonzales, and with the belief that there was more to offer our community, clients, and families impacted by Autism. The mission of Prism began then, to focus on providing our clients with a multidisciplinary approach to treatment with client dignity, quality of services, and family involvement as paramount.
The balance between work and family is what keeps Andrea grounded. She is married to her supportive and loving husband and they have 5 children. They enjoy traveling, camping, backyard BBQs, cheering on the kids at whatever they do. The support from her immediate and extended family has enabled Prism to flourish.
Megan Garrigan, BCBA
Megan Garrigan has a master’s degree in psychology with a specialization in applied behavior analysis from Capella University. She has been working as a clinical BCBA since 2017, and prior to that Megan was a special education teacher specializing in teaching students with significant disabilities in the public schools. Megan takes an active role in political advocacy and is a founding member of Elevate the Spectrum, a non-profit advocacy and social organization supporting and empowering people with autism and their families across the state. Megan also sits on the executive board of the New Mexico Association of Behavior Analysts (NMABA), a professional organization of ABA agencies in NM providing collaboration and support amongst ABA professionals and others who are connected with the field. Megan believes strongly in the power of collaboration and connection to learn from others who think differently and work together to achieve common goals.
Megan lives in Rio Rancho, NM with her husband and two children. Their family has a variety of pets including dogs, a cat, turtles, and chickens.
Megan@prismincnm.com
Rolanda Maez, MS, BCBA
Rolanda is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst who has worked in the public school system and as a graduate assistant at UNM. She received her bachelor and master’s degrees from the University of New Mexico. She completed all her BCBA coursework from the University of New Mexico. She is currently pursuing her PhD in Special Education at UNM.
She has worked in a variety of settings and has taught self-management skills in typical home routines for a child with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and co-authored several papers dealing with children with FASD. She has attended and presented posters at both TASH and ABAI. When she is not working at Prism, she enjoys spending time with her family and being outside in her garden and with her four dogs.
rolanda@prismincnm.com
Los Lunas
Clinical Supervisors
Angelica Gonzales M.S., CCC-SLP
Clinical Director Los Lunas Center
Angelica has had the privilege of being a part of the Prism team since its opening in 2017. Angelica was raised in Los Lunas and earned her B.S. and M.S. from UNM, where she began her journey as a Speech-Language Pathologist. As an SLP, she provided services within the public schools and private settings to clients with a wide array of communication impairments, from early intervention services to end of life care. She found that her true love was working with individuals with autism and profound communication impairments.
In her current role, Angelica strives daily to ensure that Prism's staff are provided with the best environment and professional support to be able to provide the most effective therapy to improve client's independence and quality of life. Creating a work culture where employees feel that they are part of a “family” is also important as she knows that this will transfer to clients and families. She believes that parents are critical members of their child's team, and along with parent training, she creates center activities to encourage family participation. Angelica also believes that community awareness and supports are crucial for clients and families, and she diligently works to build and maintain these relationships. Professional and personal growth are also paramount to Angelica as she encourages staff to be lifelong learners.
When not working, Angelica spends her time with her husband and daughters. She enjoys passing along family traditions to her daughters, having family over, traveling, and spending time on the family farm where she hopes they will develop a love of agriculture.
angelica@prismincnm.com
Whitney Jaramillo, MA, BCBA
Whitney is a UNM Alumni! Everyone’s a Lobo, WOOF, WOOF, WOOF! She holds a BA in Psychology (May 2013), a MA in Special Education (December of 2016), and completed an Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Graduate Certificate (May 2018). She became a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) in August of 2018.
Whitney has been in the field of ABA since 2013 and has been with Prism since the first summer they opened in Los Lunas. In that time, she has worked in various positions from a behavior technician (BT) to her current position as a clinical supervisor. Prior to working at Prism, she taught preschool in a social-communication classroom for children with ASD with APS. She also was a camp counselor & program specialist at Camp Rising Sun for 5 years and a research assistant at The Mind Research Network for 2 years.
She lives with her husband & their three doggies, Turbo, Axel, and King. They are also expecting their first two-legged child later this year. She loves food from local farms, doing anything outdoors - especially if it involves the dogs - and crafting/organizing. She also enjoys traveling and new adventures.
Whitney@PrismIncNM.com
Jillian BareforD, BCBA
Jillian is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). She completed her undergraduate at UNM and her Masters degree in Professional Behavior Analysis through Florida Institute of Technology.
Jillian has worked with children for over ten years, and has been in the field of ABA since 2015. She has been at the Prism center in Los Lunas since January 2018. In that time, she has worked in various positions from a registered behavior technician (RBT), an intern, to her current position as a clinical supervisor. Prior to working at Prism, she worked in the public schools, an early intervention preschool, a home-based ABA company, and even spent time working at a Montessori school.
When not working at Prism, Jillian enjoys spending time with her husband and four dogs.
jillian@prismincnm.com
Santa Fe
Topa Augustine M.S, BCBA, LBA
Clinical Director for santa fe
Topa received her certification as a Behavior Analyst in 2010, after completing her Masters of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis from Northeastern University while working and receiving training at the New England Center for Children in Boston, MA. Since then she has worked in a variety of settings including early intervention, home-based, social skill groups, residential care, and with private contracts in Abu Dhabi. She also works as an adjunct professor with the University of West Florida graduate program in Exceptional Learning. She is particularly interested in research within verbal behavior and developing leisure skills. Topa lives in Santa Fe with her husband, two lively little girls and four rescue dogs.