What is your connection to Autism?
My connection to Autism is as a provider and I have served individuals with Autism of all ages and skill levels. I am a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and I have served the Autism community my entire professional career. The strength, courage, and wisdom I observe each and every day in the Autism community never ceases to amaze me.
Why did you want to join the AST Board and how did you get involved?
I have been an active volunteer, professional advisor, or sponsor of AST since as long as I can remember. As a provider, I have seen first-hand how AST serves the community and really lives by its mission. Whenever I offered to organize a free training or event that would help even just one family, the answer I always received from AST was “yes!” I joined the Board in 2019 and currently serve as President. It is my absolute honor to serve in this role to assist the organization in furthering its reach across Texas and collaborating with parents, Autistic self-advocates, providers, and other stakeholders to ensure AST does all it can to help families impacted by Autism across the great state of Texas!
What do you like most about serving on the AST Board?
What I enjoy most about serving as a Board member is being able to collaborate with an exceptional group of like-minded individuals who want to help the Autism community in new and innovative ways. I also enjoy opportunities to participate in AST’s fundraising events such as the Austin Marathon.
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Rany Thommen Moser, M.Ed, BCBA, LBA received her B.A. in Psychology from Emory University. It was here she began her work with individuals with Autism at the Emory Autism Center’s Walden Early Childhood Program. She then went on to receive her Masters in Autism and Developmental Disabilities/Early Childhood from the University of Texas at Austin. She has worked for two state funded agencies and helped start the Autism Services Program at Bluebonnet Trails Community Services, the first general revenue funded ABA program in Central Texas. She is knowledgeable about state waiver programs and has also served as a respected behavioral consultant for public school districts who required outside assistance for high needs cases. She has worked with individuals with Autism and other developmental disabilities for 23 years. In 2011 she founded ABA Today, a home and community-based ABA company in Central Texas. ABA Today served individuals of all ages and ability levels and developed partnerships with several non-profit organizations to innovate new ways to bring information and resources to families. Mrs. Thommen supervised a team of behavior analysts and behavior technicians to deliver services. She currently serves as a BCBA for Texana Center, a non-profit local mental health organization serving 6 counties in southeast Texas. She is Project Manager for Texana Cafe, a fully operational restaurant that specifically trains and employs adults with autism and intellectual disabilities to gain meaningful employment skills. It is the first of its kind restaurant that has a clinician on site to provide hands-on vocational training. Texana Café has gained local attention and hopes to serve as a model to employers.
In addition to teaching individuals with developmental disabilities, Mrs. Thommen enjoys providing parent and professional training in the community. She has presented at conferences locally as well as internationally including ABA International conferences in Mexico, Japan, France, and Ireland. She is actively involved in public policy issues related to Applied Behavior Analysis. She serves as President of the TxABA Public Policy Group and has worked on legislative efforts since the formation of this organization including the passage of bills creating licensure for behavior analysts in Texas and funding for Medicaid coverage of ABA.