From Coast to Coast: How Angela Chang Continued Her Career with LEARN Behavioral After a Cross-Country Move

Updated On March 25, 2026

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After 14 years with LEARN Behavioral, Angela Chang didn’t want to leave the company behind when she and her husband decided to move from Southern California to Maryland. Thanks to the organization’s national presence, she didn’t have to.

Angela, a managing behavior analyst, had been with Autism Spectrum Therapies (AST), working in Monrovia, California. When she relocated to Bowie, Maryland, she transferred to SPARKS and is now managing the newly opened Waldorf Learning Center.

Both AST and SPARKS are among LEARN Behavioral’s network of brands providing high-quality applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy across the country. Thanks to LEARN’s national network, Angela figured out how to seamlessly transfer to another job within the organization. Her story of transition reflects LEARN’s commitment to supporting clinicians, expanding access to care, and delivering personalized ABA nationwide.

Angela and her husband had long planned to move out of California for a slower pace of life. “We just wanted a slower walk of life, more access to nature, less traffic,” Angela says.

Planning Ahead Paid Off

Angela began planning her transition two years before the move. She searched LEARN’s internal careers page to see which regions had openings for her role and reached out to clinical leaders at SPARKS and Trellis Services, both based in Maryland.

Her clinical director in California helped her connect with local directors in Maryland. Angela also traveled there about a year in advance to tour facilities and determine the best fit.

“I’d rather have things lined up and be overprepared and know what’s going to happen,” she says. “At least I know I’m checking all of my boxes.”

She finalized her wedding and her cross-country move within weeks of each other. Thanks to early planning, she stepped into her new position without missing a beat.

From In-Home to Center-Based Care

Angela continues to support mid-tier supervisors and helps lead onboarding at the Waldorf Learning Center. As a leader in the Emerging Behavior Analyst (EBA) program both at AST and SPARKS, she mentors technicians working toward their board certified behavior analyst (BCBA) certification, modeling how to manage caseloads and navigate professional challenges.

Her new setting differs from her previous in-home and school-based work. “Here, I’m managing not just people, but everything else that goes into running the center, from making sure we have enough supplies to keeping the walls decorated,” she says.

She also serves on LEARN’s Neurodivergent Advisory Committee (NAC), helping improve communication, workplace inclusivity, and clarity of HR materials across departments.

Advice for Others Considering a Transfer

Angela encourages others within LEARN to consider transferring if life leads them to a new location, or if they are looking for a different set of professional growth opportunities.

“Talk to your director,” she says. “The process can take time, especially if there isn’t a position available right away. Stay organized and communicate with everyone who could potentially be impacted by your transition in both your personal and professional lives.”

LEARN Behavioral’s nationwide network offers flexibility for employees to continue their careers across state lines. Angela’s story is just one example of what’s possible with thoughtful planning and a strong support system.

Want to learn more about internal transfers and job opportunities within LEARN Behavioral? Visit LEARN’s careers page to explore current openings across the country.

From Coast to Capital: How Leah Jones Transferred Roles After a Military Move

Updated On March 25, 2026

Just a year into her job in California, Leah Jones learned her husband, a Marine, had been ordered to relocate to Maryland.

Leah was a board certified behavior analyst (BCBA) at LEARN Behavioral’s Autism Spectrum Therapies (AST) San Marcos Learning Center. She expected she’d have to apply for new jobs and face a delay between roles. But thanks to LEARN’s national network, she was able to continue working without interruption.

When she found out her husband had new orders for Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, Leah contacted her clinical director. She figured she’d have to resign and hope for the best on the East Coast. Instead, she found support, open communication, and a seamless transfer.

Both AST and SPARKS are part of LEARN Behavioral’s nationwide group of providers. Because of this, Leah was able to move directly into a new BCBA role at SPARKS’ Springfield, Virginia office. Her story reflects how LEARN helps clinicians continue their careers across state lines, reducing stress and avoiding gaps in employment.

“I fully anticipated I’d have to do the norm: apply for jobs, go through the whole thing,” Leah says. “There’s usually a delay, a month or two between jobs. But it was really seamless.”

Unexpected Orders, Smooth Transition

Leah had been with AST for a year when the move came. Though she and her husband had planned to stay in California longer, they got orders earlier than expected. Leah reached out to her regional clinical director, Michelle Stone, to give several months’ notice and ask about next steps. Michelle connected her with Kayla Bagnato, a regional director for SPARKS, who let her know there were open positions in the area.

Within weeks, they worked out a transition.

“I worked up until we moved,” Leah says. “We took two weeks off to actually do the full, complete move, to drive and get unpacked. Then I started here at the end of the two weeks. It was really nice. It definitely reduced a lot of the stress to do with a move.”

Adjusting to a New Environment

Leah now lives at Joint Base Andrews and commutes about 23 miles to the Springfield Learning Center. A few months in, she’s adjusting to a new commute and environment.

At AST, she mostly worked in homes. Now, she primarily works in a center with some community-based clients. Still, she says the transition has been relatively smooth.

“The structure as a whole was pretty cohesive,” Leah says. “There are definitely some differences, mainly because of funding sources on the East Coast versus West Coast. But as a whole, it’s pretty similar.”

Advice for Others

Leah encourages others who may need to relocate to reach out early and communicate openly.

“It was honestly pretty easy,” she says. “Michelle helped me on the front end, and Kayla handled a lot on the back end.”

She recommends asking about caseloads, billable hours, and the nature of the new work setting to avoid surprises.

LEARN Behavioral’s coast-to-coast network allows clinicians like Leah to stay with the company, no matter where life leads. With planning and support, transferring within the organization is not only possible, but also practical.

Want to learn more about internal transfers and job opportunities within LEARN Behavioral? Visit LEARN’s careers page to explore current openings across the country.

Spotlight on Diversity in ABA: An Interview with Joshua Polanco

Published: January 20, 2022

A board certified behavior analyst (BCBA), managing technician, at LEARN’s Autism Spectrum Therapies (AST) in California’s Inland Empire region, Joshua Polanco provides supervision and behavioral intervention plans for clients in need of ABA services. He earned a master’s degree in psychology and ventured into ABA because he wanted to use that degree in a more direct and meaningful way. He’s also legally blind.

Here, he shares stories from his journey and experience working with children and young adults with autism—and his take on the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the field of applied behavior analysis (ABA).

Q: WHY DID YOU GET INTO ABA?

A: I was working as a behavioral technician and providing one-to-one services with multiple clients. I was about to quit after the first two weeks of working in the ABA setting because I did not have any experience with children with disabilities and felt like I was not helping my clients. Ironically, the clients and their families are what made me stay. To me, nothing can beat the sensation of knowing you have made a difference in someone’s life, and I have had so many fun experiences that helped me realize the importance of ABA, and how prevalent it is in our everyday lives. All of these experiences are what drove me to continue pursuing ABA to the position where I am now.

Q: WHAT DOES DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION (DEI) MEAN TO YOU?

A: Everything. I feel these concepts as a whole are very overlooked at times. It’s not only important to have diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace but to also recognize the benefits provided when DEI is incorporated into a work environment. In my case, I may be legally blind, but that does not make me useless in a work environment that relies heavily on vision. I am able to continue to make an impact on peoples’ lives through my work and can actually provide a different perspective and understanding when helping clients or co-workers because of my loss of vision.

Q: IN YOUR OPINION, WHAT IS THE MOST CHALLENGING ASPECT OF WORKING IN A DIVERSE ENVIRONMENT?

A: Trying to comprehend various interactions that take place. Balancing the state of empathy and understanding, while simultaneously needing to support and accomplish work objectives that need to be achieved.

Q: WHAT IS YOUR APPROACH TO UNDERSTANDING THE PERSPECTIVES OF COLLEAGUES OR CLIENTS FROM DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS?

A: The short, easy answer is that I take a step back and just listen. Self-awareness and self-control over your own biases and habits go a long way. It’s important to me to recognize the limitations you have in the moment. For example, you may not always be able to truly understand the perspective of others. This is OK—we are only human. I feel like there are ways to still attempt to understand to some degree. Failure to truly understand someone should not give us permission to disregard their perspective.

I’ve relied, to some degree, on multiple psychology books, articles, and notes from when I obtained my master’s degree in psychology, with an emphasis in clinical counseling and marriage and family therapy. When communicating with colleagues and clients, I always try to review and remember the concepts I learned on the dynamics of communication, including those on cognitive distortions and positive feedback loops. Understanding these can play a huge role on how I understand and communicate during a conversation.

Q: WHY IS DEI IMPORTANT IN ABA?

A: Without DEI, we would be refusing to grow ABA as a whole. ABA is a science that expands to more than any one individual population. Part of everything we do is to help, expand, and make a difference in the world. What better way to accomplish this than to recognize the different things people have to contribute.

Q: TELL ME ABOUT A TIME WHEN YOU ADVOCATED FOR DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION IN THE WORKPLACE OR IN YOUR PERSONAL LIFE.

A: One poignant instance in which I had to advocate for myself is the moment I was officially diagnosed blind, and I had to reach out to the HR department to figure out some resolutions and next steps forward. Luckily, I was part of a supportive team and was able to continue doing the core work I was educated to do and hired for, with some slight accommodations and adjustments.

Q: WHAT’S SOMETHING MOST COLLEAGUES DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU?

A: I do not know how many people know that I am legally blind. My condition is called Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP). There is no treatment. With this condition, my vision will gradually worsen. There is no telling how much vision I will lose tomorrow…or over the next 30 years. I don’t only have to think about how this affects the work I do with clients but how I adjust my everyday life to prepare for this. Through my work with rehabilitation specialists, I am learning to use technology, to read braille, and even to cook without looking.

Q: ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE TO ADD?

A: I was diagnosed legally blind less than a year ago. In that time, I’ve taken and passed the BCBA exam, which was the first test I’ve ever had to study for and take without my vision, while finding ways to balance my work, as I learn a new lifestyle. I hope the message from all of this is one of inspiration—that no matter how bad things may seem, it’s important not to let the events around you, define you. Take control of the things you can, adapt, and persevere through the adversity. Because this is what we ask of our clients each day.

For more from our Spotlight on Diversity in ABA series, read “An Interview with Angela Parker.”