At Safety-Care by QBS, our Master Trainers bring an inspiring blend of professional experience, personal passion, and dedication to accessible learning. Recently, we sat down with Master Trainer and BCBA Melissa Meotti to explore her journey into behavior analysis, her unique upbringing as a Child of Deaf Adults (CODA), and her approach to delivering engaging and inclusive Safety-Care trainings.

A Global Path to Behavior Analysis

Melissa’s pathway to behavior analysis began early. What started as college work as a behavior technician quickly sparked a deeper commitment to the field.

“I started out my journey as a behavior technician in college, and I was providing in-home services to families around the Greater Boston region,” she shared. That early work inspired her to pursue a master’s program focused heavily on ABA in school settings.

From there, her career took her across the world. “I moved abroad and lived in Abu Dhabi for a little over a year and worked in a private school as well as home settings as a BCBA.” Her journey continued in Colorado, where she became a clinical director and discovered her passion for Safety-Care.

“I had the opportunity to become a Safety-Care trainer and that just became my favorite part of my job automatically. I loved everything that Safety-Care stood for.”

Growing Up as a CODA

Melissa’s personal history adds another dimension to her work. As a child of deaf adults, or CODA, she grew up immersed in American Sign Language.

“American Sign Language was my first language, so I was signing before I was even talking,” she explained. She laughs recalling the contrast between her home life and hearing households. “I was realizing that you could just shout across the room to each other, you know, if you guys can hear each other. In my house, I had to go all the way from upstairs, go all the way downstairs, walk all the way to my mom, tap her politely on the shoulder to get her attention.”

This upbringing did more than shape her communication style. It made her deeply attuned to visual learning and the importance of accessibility.

“Sign language is such a visual language. I feel like I really carry that over in my training. As I am training, I am very animated. I move around a lot. I am moving my hands.”

Bringing Accessibility Into Safety-Care

Melissa’s background has also led her to contribute directly to QBS resources. She helped create a Safety-Care Extra for supporting deaf and hard of hearing trainees and individuals receiving services.

“It talks about how to adapt the actual training itself to an audience that may be deaf or hard of hearing. It is really just a guide for Safety-Care trainers on how to provide visuals and how to really use relevant examples.”

The second half goes deeper into curriculum adaptations. “It talks a little bit about body positioning, how to gain attention, how some of the language that we use may translate a little bit differently.”

This resource reflects her broader philosophy. “I believe accessibility means not only adapting the [Safety-Care] curriculum to meet our individuals’ needs, but adapting it so our trainees can learn these skills successfully.”

A Training Style Rooted in Comfort and Confidence

Melissa describes herself as a visual learner, and that strongly influences her style as a Master Trainer. “I use the whiteboard a lot in my trainings. I draw a little of diagrams. I use my hands, I walk around the room.”

But beyond visuals, she prioritizes psychological safety. Melissa openly admits that standing in front of strangers is not her comfort zone.

“One thing that I am not a really big fan of is standing in front of a room filled with people I do not know, which is so ironic because it’s what I do for work.”

Because she understands that discomfort firsthand, she is intentional about lowering that anxiety for trainees. “I really try to create a comfortable, judgement-free zone where everyone feels very at ease.”

The Importance of Cultural Understanding

Of all her experiences, her work abroad continues to shape her approach to ABA.

“I love integrating culture into programming and teaching. I think it is so important to make sure that we are aware of any cultural differences.”

Her time in Abu Dhabi taught her how teaching strategies may shift depending on families, norms, and religious practices. “That stuff really, really matters.”

A Favorite Skill and a Big Impact

When asked about her favorite Safety-Care topic to teach, Melissa lights up about the power struggle section.

“I feel like early on in the curriculum you can really spark up a lot of great group discussion.” She sees trainees experience those “light bulb” moments when reflecting on their own behavior.

Ultimately, Melissa hopes the impact of her training goes far beyond the classroom.

“I truly hope that these trainings are helping people respond in a safer, more objective, and just more ethical way to challenging behaviors.”

Advice for New Trainers

Her closing message to newly certified trainers is simple but memorable.

“Have fun. Make this a training that you would like to take over and over again. If you would not attend this training, then your trainees will not attend it either.”

About Melissa Meotti

Melissa is a BCBA and Master Trainer with QBS. She received her BCBA certification in 2017 after completing a Masters in Behavior Analysis in Education from Teachers College Columbia University. In her experience, she has worked in a number of different settings including public and private schools, home, clinic, and community settings. She also spent some time abroad in Abu Dhabi working in an ABA school and supporting families in the home and community setting. Melissa recently moved to Boston in the summer of 2024 after living in Colorado. In her spare time, Melissa loves to hike, bake bread, try new breweries and restaurants, and travel.