Lead Consultant
Dr. Shannon Ward has been applying the principles of learning to improve socially important behaviors of children and adolescents with and without disabilities for 16 years. Dr. Ward started working in the field as a therapist in the home setting, worked as a special education teacher after receiving her bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education and Early Childhood Special Education from Saint Louis University, and supported individuals with severe challenging behavior living in a residential setting while working at The New England Center for Children. More recently, Dr. Ward worked as a Lead Consultant at FTF Behavioral Consulting Services supporting professionals attempting to create meaningful outcomes from behavior-analytic assessment and treatment processes. She currently works as the Director of Research at The New England Center for Children-Abu Dhabi. Shannon received her master’s degree in applied behavior analysis, and she received her doctorate in behavior analysis from Western New England University under the supervision of Dr. Greg Hanley.
Dr. Ward has conducted research in the areas of assessment and treatment of problem behavior, functional communication training, extension of successful skill-based treatment to caregivers, and on the social validity of assessment and treatment services. Her dissertation research was conducted on the development of specific mands following acquisition of an omnibus mand. She served as a sub-review committee member for the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis and serves as a guest reviewer for Behavioral Interventions.
