Love, life, and ABA - Jordan and Melina Gipson have mastered the art of balancing it all. As passionate BCBAs, dedicated parents, and the dynamic duo behind the BC(BAes) podcast (we’re big fans!), they bring warmth, humor, and insight to the field of behavior analysis.
Their journey into ABA was shaped by unique experiences—Jordan’s upbringing in a disability services organization and Melina’s path from elementary education to behavior analysis. Together, they’ve built careers (and a life) centered around collaboration, and continuous learning leaving a trail of impact in the lives of the people they serve.
This Valentine’s, we’re celebrating their story: how they met, what it’s like running a podcast as a couple, and how their shared love for ABA strengthens their bond. Plus, they share their dream ABA-themed date night and how Motivity helps keep their day-to-day running smoothly.
1. Tell us a little about yourselves! How did you both get into the field of ABA?
Jordan: My parents own and operate a disability organization in Australia, so I grew up providing services to individuals with varying disabilities. After finishing college in the USA, I was looking for something with a flexible schedule yet meaningful and found ABA. I haven’t left the field since and went on to become a BCBA.
Melina: I have always wanted to teach, and I thought I would love to be a special education teacher. The first observation I did in a special education classroom was an overwhelming experience as they were understaffed. I assumed it was just me and that I could never do it. So, I became an elementary teacher. My boyfriend at the time (now hubby) convinced me to try ABA for a summer and I fell in love with it! I switched gears and got my BCBA thinking I may use both and go to a district setting. I found that I could feel more impactful in a smaller setting, so I never quite ended up back in the school setting because I have loved the clinic setting too much.
2. How did you two meet? Was it through ABA, or did your worlds collide in a different way?
Jordan: Melina and I met in college and were long time friends for about 5 years before taking it to the next level. I introduced her to ABA, and now, we continue to grow in it together. It makes pillow talk the best, and the worst!
3. What inspired you to start BC(BAes)? What’s been the most rewarding part of running a podcast together?
A lot of our life is centered around what we do for a living. We both are so passionate about the same field, yet bring two completely different personalities and gifts to the game. We would often talk and collaborate (as we work together as well), which led us to thinking it could be fun to share the convos we have with the rest of the world…covering all the things from work to love and life. We wanted to help everyone understand the Science of ABA is one that we can all benefit from having and utilizing in our lives.
4. Do you find that your shared passion for ABA strengthens your relationship?
Yes and no. There are times where we are able to quickly implement concepts and are on the same page. But, there are also other times where it can make us more stubborn. An example would be parenting together when we are tired, one of us may want to follow through with our kids and the other simply wants to give in!
5. What’s one thing you’ve learned from each other, personally and professionally?
Jordan: Our lives are so intertwined that it makes this a difficult question to answer. I would have to say personally she has taught me how to be more empathetic and understanding at all levels of life, which of course I have brought into the field with me. But professionally she has helped to shape me into being a better mentor for our ACG team.
Melina: Personally Jordan has helped me really learn my own coping skills as I have anxiety. He knows the skills I have practiced and if he sees me escalating he immediately helps me calm down by redirecting me to using my coping skills. Professionally he has helped me to become more objective. I am so emotional and it has been difficult to turn that down, he has helped me to see the importance of this!
6. Valentine’s Day edition! If you had to describe each other as an ABA principle, what would it be and why? (e.g., positive reinforcement, shaping, etc.)
Jordan: Melina is Generality. I say this because no matter where she is or who she is with, she is still the same caring and loving individual that wears her heart on her sleeve.
Melina: Jordan is non-contingent reinforcement. He is a very loyal and loving husband, friend, and father. You do not have to do anything to earn it either, if he cares for you he will always be there for you.
7. What do you love most about your work in ABA? And what keeps you motivated?
Jordan: I love almost everything about the field. Selfishly I love being able to have a different day every day, and challenge myself to find new and creative ways to have a meaningful impact. Generally speaking about the field, I love the progress in functional areas, first haircuts, first words, doctors visits etc. The functional things truly hit home for me and seeing the individuals and parents light up after a job well done keeps my engine going for months at a time. I feel equally passionate about parent consultation too and getting in there and helping parents through hard times.
Melina: I love the families, kids, and staff I work with. I love getting to know them and their stories. It is so sweet when parents truly open up and invite you into their world. It also helps paint a picture of your client. Working with the future clinicians of the field everyday is huge because they are the next generation. It is so beautiful seeing young adults fall in love with the field and truly caring for their clients.
8. How has Motivity played a role in your practice?
Motivity has helped to be able to track real time data so we can make changes immediately! We do not have to sift through data to figure out what is going wrong. I also love that we can quickly see if any goals are being neglected so then I can quickly ask staff what is going on. Additionally we would have to say that being able to customize almost every aspect of what we need to happen from a goal perspective has made things so much easier and simpler. Such a time saver!
9. What’s one Motivity feature you both can’t live without?
Does “Motivity” count as a feature? If not we would have to say the immediate real time changes that can be made on the backend in session and joining staff sessions so that we can do IOA without having to switch to paper and pencil and looking over the staff's shoulder to monitor their data.
10. If you could design a “relationship goals” data tracker in Motivity, what key behaviors would you measure? Or maybe plan a date night? (Let’s have some fun with this one!)
Melina: Physical touch is my love language, so I would definitely track any instances where Jordan displays physical touch!
11. Finally, since it’s a Valentine’s edition, what’s your ideal ABA-themed date night?
Maybe something that covers all four functions. So a sensory activity such as an immersive museum or experience. Escape themed, so maybe an escape room. Attention themed, maybe we do something like karaoke where the attention has to be on whoever is singing. And lastly tangible, so perhaps something like a paint and sip because we would have something tangible to keep at the end of it all. Jordan says going to a hidden speakeasy to escape everyday reality and getting access to a beautifully crafted cocktail, live music to move his body to and giving all of his attention to his one and only.
