Ouachita appoints Dr. Julyse Migan-Gandonou Horr as director of applied behavior analysis program
October 28, 2021
- Kiki Schleiff CherryDr. Julyse Migan-Gandonou Horr has been named director of Ouachita's master’s degree program in applied behavior analysis (ABA), effective January 2022.
Horr (pronounced HAW) is a doctoral-level Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA-D) as well as a Licensed Behavior Analyst (LBA). She has worked in the field for more than 10 years as a clinician, educator and researcher and is the owner and founder of ABA Clinical & Training Solutions consulting agency. Horr has published three research studies and has presented her work at national and international conferences. She has also developed and implemented training curricula for ABA.
A native of the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire and the Republic of Benin, Horr has taught at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, the Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne and The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. She has served as a visiting assistant professor of applied behavior analysis at Ouachita since August 2020.
Horr earned her undergraduate degree in psychology from the City University of New York at the College of Staten Island. She earned her Master of Science in Psychology degree with a major in behavior analysis from Florida International University in Miami and her doctorate in ABA from The Chicago School. As a clinician, Horr’s area of expertise is in the functional analysis and treatment of problem behaviors including autism spectrum disorder, developmental disabilities, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, sexually deviant behaviors and co-morbid psychiatric disorders.
When Horr assumes the role of ABA director at Ouachita in January 2022, she will succeed Dr. Sheila Barnes, who will step down from administrative duties but continue teaching as an interim step toward retirement.
“I am so excited to have Dr. Horr,” Barnes said. “She’s very knowledgeable, comes with a wealth of information and is already published. She shares our faith-based values and has an integral understanding and passion for applied behavior analysis. I would not feel comfortable stepping down from leadership of the program if I did not know it would be in good hands.”
Ouachita’s ABA program launched in May 2020 and is housed in the Patterson School of Natural Sciences. The 15-month program combines online coursework and in-person fieldwork to prepare students to become BCBAs. Ouachita currently has a 100% pass rate for students who have taken the BCBA exam after finishing the program.
Dr. Tim Knight, dean of the Patterson School, said the ABA program adds a valuable dimension to the school.
“It’s pretty unique,” he said. “There are very few ABA programs in the country, and most are not structured like this one, with clinical partnerships and a faith-based approach. I see a crisis in our culture, especially with children, and feel we’re poised to help a segment of the population that really needs it."
Horr said she is excited and grateful for the opportunity to lead Ouachita’s ABA program.
“I want our program to produce scientist-practitioners who will be ambassadors for ABA and who will go out and change people’s lives,” she said. “My hope is that our students will be so well-prepared in their field, that clinics will begin requesting BCBAs who studied at Ouachita.
To learn more about Ouachita’s graduate program in applied behavior analysis, visit obu.edu/aba.
Photo by Abby Blakenship
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