Melissa Repp, M.Ed., BCBA, built her career in classrooms across Washington, D.C., and Alexandria, working closely with students who needed individualized academic and behavioral support. She learned early that progress does not happen by chance. It comes from consistent strategies, careful data review, and adults who stay aligned. 

After earning her bachelor’s degree from James Madison University and a master’s degree in special education with a focus in behavior analysis, she became licensed as a board certified behavior analyst in Virginia in 2018. The move from teaching to behavior analysis gave her a wider lens. 

At Alexandria City Public Schools, she partnered with educators across elementary and middle schools to design behavior plans and train staff. She focused on practical tools that worked in the classroom and could carry over into daily life. 

She joined SPARKS in 2023 and now serves as center director of the Springfield Learning Center. Her approach remains steady and collaborative, grounded in data and shaped by her experience as both a clinician and a mother of two young daughters. 

“Families want to feel heard and supported. When we work together and follow the data, we can help children build skills that last.” 

Michelle Mannella is a center director at SPARKS, where she oversees three Learning Centers across Springfield and Fairfax County. She leads clinical teams, supports staff development, and works to keep care consistent for children and families.

She became interested in applied behavior analysis (ABA) while volunteering in high school. She saw a clear need for support for children and their families. That interest grew during her graduate studies at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she completed student teaching in an ABA classroom and saw the progress children can make with the right support.

She began her career as a special education teacher in Pittsburgh, where she helped open the district’s first ABA classroom. She later moved to the Washington, D.C., area and taught in Fairfax County Public Schools while earning her master’s degree in ABA from the Florida Institute of Technology.

She joined SPARKS in 2020 as a clinical fellow. She advanced to a behavior analyst role, then managing behavior analyst, and now center director. In her current role, she focuses on clinical quality, team growth, and helping families access steady, effective care.

“I want every child to have the support they need to grow and succeed.” 

Kayla Bagnato is the Regional Clinical Director at SPARKS and oversees services provided in Virginia. She has been working with children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) for over eight years, specializing in early intervention services for young children. Kayla is passionate about providing ABA services to early learners and teaching caregivers how to incorporate ABA strategies into their everyday routines. She received her Masters of Education in Early Intervention from the University of Pittsburgh and is currently pursuing her Doctoral of Psychology in Applied Behavior Analysis at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology. Kayla believes the principles of ABA can be used to create positive environments for children and families to succeed.   

“My passion is to help disseminate applied behavior analysis to members of the community and assist neurodivergent families in feeling supported on their individual journeys. My goal is for all families and children with autism to gain the knowledge and skills to be successful.”