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From: Ed Blackman
Sent: Thursday, March 11, 2004 4:38 PM
Subject: Update
Hello Dr. Malott,
I have some good news. I recently accepted a position with Holland Home in
Grand Rapids. There website is http://www.hollandhome.org/ if
you want to check them out. They have a staff of about 900 people. I will
be performing organizational development initiatives and reporting directly
to their COO.
Keep in touch,
Ed
From: d.rohn@att.net
Sent: Monday, February 16, 2004 2:34 PM
To: dickmalott@old.dickmalott.com
Subject: It's all your fault
Dr. M.,
I want to thank you for encouraging an undergraduate biological anthropology
major to instead pursue applied behavior analysis. Further, I would like
to thank you for promoting that undergraduate to the behavioral big leagues
as a masters student in BATS. You see, it is your fault that a snot-nosed
undergrad with little direction got his act together and got into graduate
school. I think it is safe to say that without your early intervention, I'd
probably be feather-dusting the remains of Australopithecus ramidus in some
moldy museum of natural history (oh, the humanity!).
I think, most significantly, I blame you for the development of a behavioral
repertoire that made pursuing a PhD in behavior analysis possible. Without
said repertoire, I think it would be safe to say that a PhD would not have
been a consideration.
Thank you, Dr. Malott, for your considerable contributions to my academic and
professional development. Finally, thank you for your service on my dissertation
committee. You were responsible for my first steps on this journey, and it
was only appropriate that you were there at the end.
Warm Southern California Regards,
Don
From: yukikowashio@sbcglobal.net
Sent: Friday, February 13, 2004 7:33 PM
Subject: BACB signature
Dr.Malott,
It has been long long since I talked to you last time.
I have been a graduate student at UNR and working with several wonderful faculty
members and senior students. What I learned in a professional context in BATS
has been very valuable to work with other people efficiently... Because I could
easily see how others are immature about working with others cooperatively.
Anyhow, before the message gets too long, I am e-mailing you mainly because
I decided to take a BACB test in June 2004, and figured that I needed your
confirmation signature that I had enough supervised experience (20 hours a
week 9 monthes relevant to applied behavior analysis). I could be in Kalamazoo
on 27th of Feb if you are on campus since I will be in Michigan around that
time.
Thank you,
Yukiko Washio
From: Eric Chubb
Sent: Sunday, February 08, 2004 11:50 PM
To: Dr. Alyce Dickinson; Dick Malott
Subject: Job
Dick and Alyce,
I have decided to take a position as a behavior clinician with the Columbus
Organization. The director of the psychology area of the treatment center
is Dr. Steve Sundby, whom I believe both of you know. The center is the Fort
Wayne State Developmental Center in Fort Wayne, Indiana and it provides in-house
services for about 272 individuals. Dr. Sundby told me he would hire all
of the Western graduates he could.
If you have any students that are interested in employment opportunities, I
can direct them to a few different organizations that I interviewed with that
have immediate needs. Anyways, I wanted to thank both of you for your support
and tutelage over the years and I look forward to seeing you this year in Boston.
Best wishes,
Eric
From: Melinda Soto
Sent: Monday, January 26, 2004 12:30 PM
To: dickmalott@old.dickmalott.com
Subject: quick update
Dr. Malott,
Hi. I just wanted to send you a quick e-mail, and say that I am having a great
time at Headsprout. I thought it would be fun before I came, but I had no
idea. And of course, Seattle is perfect. I started last Tuesday and I've
already learned an unbelievable amount. How are things going in Kalamazoo?
Have a great day,
Melinda
9-22-03
Hi Dr. Malott,
Things here are going well. Timothy and I just got back from a much
needed long weekend up in Traverse City and Mackinac Island for our
second anniversary. I am still helping Timothy run the business and
really enjoying it. It wasn't something that I had planned on doing
long term, but with the rate we are growing, it just kind of happened.
My main role is with the project management and the employee management
as well. It has its challenges for sure, but it has many rewards.
Fortunately, we haven't felt the downturn in the economy as many
of the larger businesses in our field. The biggest issue we seem
to run into is time, not enough of it.
I'm still teaching dance classes for a studio in Portage as well, mostly
ballet but some jazz and tap. That takes up a couple of evenings a
week and keeps me sane. I think I told you about the 14 year old girl
with Cerebral Palsy that I was teaching tap to. Her goal was to be
able to get up on stage and dance for the first time and she did a
very cute tap solo, there wasn't a dry eye in the house. She was for
sure my hardest working student and I think I learned as much from
her as she did from me.
Other than that, not much new here. Hope all is well with you. Keep
in touch.
-Christi
From: Christina Butkiewicz
Sent: Monday, November 03, 2003 10:44 AM
Hi Everyone,
Timothy and I wanted to share some exciting news with all of you. We are expecting
our first child on July 3rd! I apologize for the mass e-mail. There are so
many people dear to us that we wanted to share our news with that e-mail
seemed like the best way to let everyone know. We are very excited about
this blessing. So far I am feeling fine, a little more tired than usual and
hungry all of the time, but other than that, I can't complain.
Thank you for letting us share our excitement with you.
See you all soon!
-Christi and Timothy
Sent: Tuesday, March 18, 2003 10:09 PM
To: Dick Malott
Subject: Excellent external feedback for BATS
Hi Dr. Malott
Dr. Kaye had asked me recently about my job hunting experience and what I
thought about the current job market for behavior analysts. I thought I would
pass on some of these thoughts to you.
In December, I put my resume up on the ABA job site and applied to about
10 jobs through that site. That was the extent of marketing myself. I had a
great response from just about everyone I sent the resume to. There seems to
be a very strong demand around the country, particularly in CA, TN, KY, FL,
and the northeast US for behavior analysts. Most jobs at the MA level were
paying between 45 and 60 thousand per year. I ended up taking a position as
a behavior analyst in Florida at the Florida Institute for Neurologic Rehabilitation
(FINR). It's a facility that treats people who have had traumatic brain injuries.
They didn't seem to mind that I didn't have any experience whatsoever working
with that population.
However, the BCBA certification does seem to hold a lot of weight here in
FL, and it was a definite asset with many other employers that I talked to.
One of the biggest factors working in my favor was the ABA background. Functional
assessment, writing, implementing, and monitoring behavior plans is a large
part of what I do daily. These are, of course, competencies that I was able
to get in the PPP program. Thanks much for that. I had those skills prominently
displayed on my resume too.
OBM skills, in my opinion, may have played a lesser role in getting me hired
at this particular organization, but are absolutely invaluable in getting things
done on a daily basis. There are tons of "disconnects"
in the system I am in, as there are in all systems. The BATS program was an
excellent training ground for learning how to work through disconnects, implement
continuous quality improvement, train staff, and cut through the mentalistic
crapola to get to the critical variables controlling behavior. If at all possible,
everyone should think about getting a blend of professional psych and OBM skills
if they are going to work as a behavior analyst, it may take a little longer,
but its worth it.
FINR currently has an opening for another behavior analyst, advertised on
the ABA website, starting at 45-55K per year. With BATS/ PPP in your pocket,
an MA level person could start at the top of that range and with the certification,
the starting salary goes up an additional 5K (60K to start). There were other
facilities around the US that were offering starting salaries greater than
60k/year but when I figured in cost of living, weather, etc, I decided on this
one. We are just outside of the Sarasota, Bradenton area. Its just gorgeous
down here. Cost of living is basically the same as Kazoo. All is good, baby
is on the way June 1, can't wait.
Thanks
Daniel D. Knittel, MA, BCBA
Sent: Wednesday, March 19, 2003 8:57 AM
To: DickMalott@old.dickmalott.com
Subject: RE: BATS e-News: Alumni News: Dan Knittel and Jobs
Just to respond to Dan's email-He is right on. I interviewed in CA and FL
and the PPP/BATS experience is definitely what employers in ABA seem to be
looking for. I posted my resume in ABA's START page, and I instantly started
getting phone calls and emails. I actually had to take my resume down when
I took a job, because the response was so positive. Starting salary is generally
right at what Dan said, and you definitely do need to consider the cost of
living where you'll be going. I was offered the same salaries in San Francisco,
San Diego and Southern Florida. So...you definitely need to know that your
money isn't going to get you much in San Fran, will go a little farther in
San Diego and probably the farthest in Florida.
I would also like to reiterate something that I didn't learn until I graduated---THERE
ARE NO GOOD PAYING PPP TYPE JOBS IN WEST MICHIGAN. You could probably get a
job doing client-related stuff, but it isn't going to be ABA, and it isn't
going to pay near as well. Another thing to consider is that many jobs are
willing to support (with money) getting your PhD. Spectrum in San Fran was
actually in the process of getting a PhD extension right in their "campus." Ultimately,
after all the job talks, I decided to go back to teaching (and I think it was
the right thing for me). But I just thought I would add my thoughts to the
pile so that it is obvious that Dan's experience will likely be universal for
anyone looking for a PPP type job.
Bottom line: if you want a good paying ABA/PPP job, you'll almost undoubtedly
have to leave the state of Michigan for one of the coasts.
Tracy
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