meet our team
the people behind RCG
Sherman Adkins
Founder and Managing Director
Sherman is the Founder and Managing Director of RCG. He is passionate about supporting at-risk and special needs youth. This spark occurred 15 years ago after volunteering with the Virginia Department of Social Services. In 2005, this newfound passion led to the co-founding of EMS Ventures, an organization focused on providing mental health services to both children and adults. While leading EMS, Sherman recognized the dire need of quality programming to serve the Autism community across Central Virginia.
In 2012, the company was formed and has been dedicated to the following: Provide Excellent Services to Clients and Families • Support other Team’s Member’s Excellence and Happiness • Be an agent of Change and Growth • Care about our Community.
Sherman graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Virginia Commonwealth University. He is an active member of the Chesterfield Chamber of Commerce and the Virginia Council of CEOs. He enjoys reading, studying history, and spending quality time with his wife and his two daughters.
Tarsha Adkins
Human Resources Director
Tarsha earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Information Systems from Virginia Commonwealth University and also holds Six Sigma Green Belt and Change Management certifications. She has over 20 years of experience in automation, innovation, process improvements, and strategic planning. Tarsha has previously held several roles in HR, Payroll Systems, and Statistics systems within some of the top companies in RVA.
Tarsha is currently responsible for strategizing, developing, and implementing all culture, employee engagement and organizational development initiatives. She serves on several professional and civic organizations and enjoys spending time with her family, reading, and leading her daughter’s Girl Scout troop.
Tiffanie Johnson
Clinical Director
Tiffanie is the Clinical Director at Recognizing Children’s Gifts and oversees various programs including in-home ABA therapy, school preparatory program, life prep program, afterschool and behavior consultation services. Tiffanie started working with children with autism in 2002 and instantly fell in love with this population and the world of Behavior Analysis.
Prior to this position, she worked in Richmond Public Schools providing technical assistance, coaching and mentoring to students, teachers and staff based on evidence based practices for 6 years and also worked at The Faison Center for 6 years prior to that. She holds a master’s degree in Special Education with a specialization in Intellectual Disabilities and a postgraduate degree as a Reading Specialist from Virginia Commonwealth University. Tiffanie is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and a licensed behavior analyst in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Tiffanie is also a member of the Virginia Association for Behavior Analysis and the Association Of Professional Behavioral Analysts.
Eric Townsend
Director of Operations
Eric joined RCG in November 2016. Prior to joining RCG, Eric worked for 14 years at another human services agency in the Metro Richmond area. His most recent role at the agency was the Director of Therapeutic Day Treatment & Day Support. He also served as the Director of the Youth Emergency Shelter at that agency. Eric is married to Michelle Townsend and is the father of 4 children, Ashia, Jalah, Eric II and Grace. Eric enjoys spending time with his family. Eric is very involved in the community and has also coached youth sports for more than 10 years. Eric says joining RCG was the best career decision he ever made. At RCG, Eric lives by the motto “We will make it happen!”
LaDonna Branson
Director of Strategic Planning and Business Operations
LaDonna comes to RCG with an extensive background in Human Resource and Health Administration. She is a Virginia native however has traveled to various areas from Hawaii to Afghanistan during her eight selfless years in the United States Army. Upon her honorable discharge from the military, she continued to serve our country as a civilian for almost a decade in the Government Service (GS) arena. During this time as a civil service employee she occupied various administrative executive roles. LaDonna has a true passion for people and invests much of her time leading, coaching, consulting, collaborating, and developing others.
LaDonna is an active member of the storied Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. where she serves on various committees. She is also the co-founder of the local nonprofit, Pediatric Research and Advocacy Initiative (PRAI) which lobbies and advocates on behalf of children in Virginia, who are diagnosed with a specific autoimmune disorder called PANS/PANDAS. Her duty and commitment to her community is unmatched. She has earned her MBA from Trident University and is currently enrolled to pursue a Doctorate of Business. Outside of work, LaDonna enjoys spending time traveling with her amazing husband and children and serving in her local church.
Aaron Kendrick
HR Technology and Analytics Manager
Aaron is the HR Technology and Analytics Manager for RCG. Prior to joining the team, he worked for over ten years in the public sector, first at Virginia Commonwealth University, and more recently at Chesterfield County. With a strong background in Accounting, Budget Analysis, and Information Systems, Aaron is a dedicated administrative professional with a passion for creative problem solving.
In his personal life Aaron enjoys film and television, video games, and spending time with his beautiful wife Amanda, and their adorable cat Catherine.
Mari Loving
A/R & Billing Supervisor
Mari is the A/R & Billing Supervisor for RCG. Prior to her billing career, Mari worked as a behavior therapist for 7 years. This, along with her billing experience has provided her a unique perspective on ABA service delivery. She enjoys working closely with dedicated fellow team members to ensure that our clients remain at the forefront of all that we do, and RCG’s mission is upheld in our billing practices.
In her personal time, Mari enjoys her very busy household. Spending time with her husband, two daughters, two dogs, and her cat is the highlight of her day. Together, they enjoy spending time at Lake Gaston. listening to music, watching movies, and playing outside.
Anu Upadhyaya
School Support Services Program Director
Anu is the director of school support services at RCG. He has a vast array of experience from both private and public schools as a special education teacher and building level administrator. He has a passion for helping students with disabilities be successful. When he worked for Virginia Department of Education as a data analyst and monitoring specialist he had the opportunity to visit 70 school divisions in the state of Virginia to evaluate the special education program for effectiveness. He loves to dig into the data and connect the dots to see the big picture. Solving puzzles is a challenge he is always ready to tackle. Anu finds relaxation when kayaking or stand up paddle boarding on the lake. He enjoys long nature hikes with his lovely wife and three children Ajai, Anya and Anjali.
Sarah Shreckhise
Lead Speech-Language Pathologist
Sarah serves as our Lead Speech-Language Pathologist. In addition to certification in speech-language pathology, Sarah is also a BCBA, LBA. She has been working with children and families to develop and improve communication skills for the past 15 years. She has worked in a variety of settings that include schools, clinics and home-based settings.
Sarah has had a wide range of clinical experiences that include working with clients who have hearing and/or vision differences, as well as individuals with a variety of developmental differences. She is fluent in American Sign Language and has used many other forms of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). She earned her MS in speech-language pathology at James Madison University and completed her BCBA coursework through the Florida Institute of Technology. Sarah enjoys learning new skills and strategies in order to grow as a clinician. She is inspired by the moments of growth that she has gotten to witness from all of her clients along the way.
Tara Lamm
Clinical Supervisor II
Tara currently serves as a Life Prep Clinical Supervisor. Tara began working in the ABA field in 2012, when she graduated from Randolph-Macon College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology. Tara began working at RCG in 2016, where she realized her true passion is working with teens and young adults with Autism or other developmental disabilities. Tara received her BCaBA and LABA in 2018.
In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her spouse and three dogs.
Hannah Buchanan
Regional Clinical Manager
Hannah Buchanan started working at Recognizing Children’s Gifts in 2015 and is currently a Clinical Supervisor. Prior to joining the RCG team, Hannah received her B.A. in Psychology and Child Development from Peace College in 2010. She started her career in the field of ABA in 2011 when she started working for the Mariposa School for Children with Autism in North Carolina. Since then Hannah has provided ABA services to individuals diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder and other disabilities in a variety of clinic, school, and home settings. She received her certification as a Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst (BCaBA) in 2016 after completing required courses and training from Florida Institute of Technology. In 2018, Hannah completed her Master of Arts in Professional Behavior Analysis from Florida Institute of Technology and is now a Licensed Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA).
Hannah has a passion for helping individuals affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder and other disabilities and their families. In her role as Clinical Supervisor, Hannah provides training, oversight and support to those implementing individualized programming and hopes to continue to use her extensive knowledge of ABA and experience to empower and help individuals meet their goals.
Eleni Meister
Clinical Supervisor II
Eleni shares her love for children, especially those with Special Needs, whom she says have had a piece of her heart her whole life. She began working with children of various developmental disabilities as a teenager and fell in love from that point on! During her undergraduate years, she began by pursuing Occupational Therapy while working as a full time Respite Provider for children. From that pursuit, she was introduced to the field of Applied Behavior Analysis specializing in Autism Treatment. Eleni has worked in the field as a full time Therapist, Training & Service Coordinator, and now Clinical Supervisor for the past 6 years. She couldn’t imagine a job without kids surrounding her!
Eleni has her B.S. in Psychology; M.S. in Applied Behavior Analysis, Board Certified Behavior Analyst, LBA.
Rebekah Brown
Senior Clinical Supervisor
Rebekah is a Clinical Supervisor who loves kids. In college, she worked as a paraprofessional assisting with job coaching for individuals with disabilities. After graduating from college she worked for 4 years at the Faison Center as both a teaching assistant, and then team leader. Her experience at Faison her to seek further education in behavior analysis and her BCaBA certification.
She graduated from Clemson University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology with a minor in Therapeutic Recreation. After moving to Richmond, Rebekah went through coursework for her BCaBA certification.
She enjoys spending time outside with her husband and twin boys outside of work!
Kristen Keys
Clinical Supervisor II
Kristen serves as a Clinical Supervisor and has been working in the ABA field since 2011, when she graduated from VCU with a B.S. in Psychology. In 2017 she decided to go back to school and pursue a BCaBA from FIT. Kristen is now a BCaBA, LABA and is a junior board member for the Central Virginia Autism Society.
Kevin Loving
Clinical Supervisor II
Kevin joined the RCG team in 2019 and serves as a Clinical Supervisor. He has been working with individuals diagnosed with Autism since 2011. He served as a teaching assistant and team lead at The Faison School for Autism for 4 years before teaching as a Functional Integrated Classroom Teacher in the public school system. Kevin earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a Master’s Degree in Special Education from Old Dominion University. Kevin is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and a licensed behavior analyst in Virginia. He is passionate about working on communication skills with individuals and school readiness.
He enjoys spending time with his wife and two daughters outside of work. He will often spend time at the lake with his family, playing video games with his youngest daughter, or watching scary movies with his oldest daughter.
Brittany Dugas
Clinical Supervisor
Brittany joined the RCG team in 2017 and now serves as a Clinical Supervisor. She has been working with school age learners with autism since 2008. She served as a teaching assistant and team lead at The Faison School for Autism for 6 years. Brittany earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University, and a Master’s Degree in Special Education with a specialization in Applied Behavior Analysis from George Mason University. Brittany is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and a licensed behavior analyst in Virginia. She is passionate leading group instruction, promoting social skills in children, and finding creative ways to teach and generalize new skills!
She loves sci-fi (especially Star Trek), anything mid century, and adding to her huge houseplant collection. You can usually find her laughing with her clients, shopping at thrift stores for vintage goods, or spending time with her husband and the best dog in the world, Gretel.
Jamilya Brown
Family Engagement Coordinator
Jamilya has an Associates of Arts/Christian Counseling & Bachelor of Science/Psychology. She is a special advocate and a parent of special needs child and have a passion for finding resources and helping individuals and other families.
Roger Anderson
Center Based Coordinator
Roger joined RCG in 2017 and currently serves as a Center Based Coordinator. Since joining RCG, Roger has obtained his RBT, operated as lead for a team of therapists and trained new team members. Roger enjoys playing music and spending time with family, friends, his girlfriend and their cat.
Christen Bryan
Clinical Supervisor
Christen serves as a Clinical Supervisor and has been working in the field since 2017. Christen has obtained her MA in Professional Behavior Analysis from Florida Institute of Technology, Board Certified Behavior Analyst, and a Licensed Assistant Behavior Analyst in the state of Virginia. Christen enjoys being outdoors, listening to live music, and traveling.
Sasha Yazdgerdi
Clinical Supervisor II
Sasha has been providing Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services since 2007 and has been a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) since 2012. She has worked nationally in Virginia and Georgia – and internationally in Dubai and London. Sasha has worked in both clinics and schools – providing therapy, supervision, and staff training, as well as school consultation to support teachers and administrators.
Sasha loves working with children with disabilities and their parents, as well as supporting other clinicians and professionals in the field. Sasha particularly loves the area of verbal behavior and supporting people to communicate. She is passionate about helping others and problem solving challenges.
Anay Beck
Clinical Supervisor II
Anay began working with children with special needs at a young age which instilled a passion for wanting to provide the best life for them. She received my Bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies with a focus on special education and then obtained my Master’s in Special Education. She worked at the regional program in Winchester, VA, Northwestern Regional Education Programs (NREP) as an instructional aide and then progressed to a Special Education teacher of Autism and developmental disabilities which provided me immense experience working and learning from a wide variety of students. Anay transitioned to the Aurora School in Leesburg,VA where she learned and fell in love with ABA. She was immersed in the science all day and saw the change and positive effect it had on the students and decided to pursue my BCBA through Ball State University.
Anay has taught in the public school system, consulted and trained teachers on ABA, provided teaching to parents, and has provided direct therapy to individuals with autism. She believes all individuals should be provided the most meaningful quality of life and strive to make that my focus in my work.
Kaitlyn Holder
Operations Supervisor
Kaitlyn started at RCG in 2019, she has served as a Therapist, Center-Based Coordinator and is now our Operations Supervisor. Kaitlyn has worked in the autism community since she was 16 years old. She has worked in a variety of settings including, public & private schools and in center based & in home settings. Kaitlyn has held her RBT certification since 2018. Kaitlyn has always had a passion for helping individuals with autism.
In her free time Kaitlyn enjoys embracing the stepmom life with her stepson. When not at work Kaitlyn can be found at sports with her stepson, at a car event or on the water somewhere! Kaitlyn loves her family, animals and travel.
Amanda Carpenter- Horning
Talent Acquisition Coordinator
Amanda Carpenter-Horning is the Talent Acquisition Coordinator at Recognizing Children’s Gifts and oversees sourcing potential team members through online channels, identifying staffing needs, and coordinating professional development opportunities.
Amanda is a versatile, accomplished professional with a broad-based experience across adult learning, communications, and human resources, holding both a doctorate in education and MBA. She has developed a reputation for fostering positive learning environments for learners. In her spare time, she enjoys festive celebrations, traveling, baking, reading, and spending quality time with her family.
Mary Webb
Clinical Supervisor
Mary started working at Recognizing Children’s Gifts in 2017. Mary has worked in the field as a Registered Behavior Technician and now serves as a Life Prep Clinical Supervisor. She is passionate about working with teenagers, young adults, and their families and helping them discover their values and goals through the lens of compassion.
Mary also teaches and collaborates with the Leadership program through SPARC Live Art, an inclusive arts program in the Richmond area. She believes in the importance of connection to community, quality time with others, spending time in nature, and self-expression.
Daniela Moreno
Clinical Supervisor
Daniela Moreno serves as a Clinical Supervisor for RCG behavioral Health Network. Daniela has been in the field of ABA since graduating in 2018. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University, and a Masters degree in Special Education with a specialization in Applied Behavior Analysis from George Mason University. Daniela is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and a Licensed Behavior Analyst in Virginia.
Daniela is bilingual in Spanish, shares her love for children with special needs and providing family support. In her free time, Daniela enjoys spending time with her family and her two dogs, Oliver and Khloe.
Kaila Callender
Clinical Supervisor
Kaila is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and a Licensed Behavior Analyst here in Virginia! Kaila has been in the field of ABA for seven years. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Clinical psychology and her Masters in Professional Behavior Analysis, achieving both degrees from Florida Institute of Technology. In her previous role, as Team Lead, Kaila facilitated an inclusion program where children diagnosed with ASD were integrated into typically developing classrooms.
Kaila feels passionately about bridging the gap from our clients intensive ABA into public and private school placements. Outside of work, Kaila loves hanging out with her friends and family, playing a multitude of sports and traveling around the world while making sure to stop at home in the sunshine state (FL)!
Jordan Butler
Mentor Therapist
Jordan is RCG’s Mentor Therapist, a Safety Care Trainer, and a member of RCG’s Culture Committee. Jordan has been working in the field of ABA since 2015 and has treasured working closely with children and adults with special needs since 2008. She has a Special Education degree from JMU and is a Registered Behavior Technician. Prior to joining RCG in 2019 as a Behavior Therapist, she has provided and loved ABA therapy in school, center, and home environments. She is passionate about providing meaningful therapy to children and their families. Over the years, her passion grew to include having an impact on therapists learning and growing in the field of ABA. Jordan loves her role of supporting and training both new team members as well as existing therapists and working closely with the entire RCG team.
She is a social butterfly who loves building relationships! She enjoys spending free time with her family and friends. Her favorite colors are purple and teal. She loves to organize and decorate, and she is fascinated by animals and nature!