Merlyn Nair, M.S.Ed., BCBA, LBA
Center Director
Merlyn Nair is a board certified behavior analyst (BCBA) and center director at SPARKS Learning Center in Manassas, Virginia. She began her career in applied behavior analysis (ABA) after earning a bachelor’s degree in communication sciences and disorders from Syracuse University. While working as a lead teacher at the New England Center for Children in Massachusetts, she completed a master’s degree in special education from Simmons College in Boston.
Merlyn later spent a year in Abu Dhabi, where she supported children with autism as they transitioned into general education classrooms. She used evidence-based ABA strategies to help them succeed. Over the years, she has provided direct services to children and families. She has also led professional development training for educators and helped school teams build stronger support for their students.
She joined LEARN through Autism Spectrum Therapies (AST) in San Diego, where she worked as a managing technician before becoming a BCBA in 2020. In 2021, she transitioned to SPARKS, where she now leads a team dedicated to delivering individualized, compassionate care.
“Nothing excites me more than watching a child unlock a world of possibilities through functional communication, because that’s the power of ABA.”
