Kendra Combs
Kendra Combs, M.A., BCBA, LBA
Kendra Combs, M.A., BCBA, LBA
Kendra Combs is a board certified behavior analyst (BCBA) who joined the team at Sparks Behavioral Services in the summer of 2018. She first came across behavior analysis by chance her freshmen year at Western Michigan University by taking Dr. Richard Malott’s Psychology 1000, which she later would go on to teach as a masters student. She graduated summa cum laude from WMU in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. After graduation, she received a Fulbright Fellowship grant and completed a year of research on the special education system of post-WWII Japan.
After returning to the states, Kendra joined the behavior analysis training system master’s program under Dr. Richard Malott in 2010. While in this program Kendra was a supervisor in the early intervention classroom at the Woods Edge Learning Center in Kalamazoo, MI. Here she supervised behavioral technicians working with young children with autism as well as designing programming to assist in the development of the students. Kendra also taught Psychology 1000 and the accompanying rat lab that went along with it. During this time, Kendra completed her work toward becoming a BCBA, focusing on autism as well as other developmental disabilities and organizational behavioral management.
After graduation, Kendra completed several years of work in the Washington D.C., area including work in a private school assisting in supported inclusion of special needs students, in-home autism services, and telesupervision of high risk clients in geographically under-supported areas. Upon returning to Kalamazoo in 2015, Kendra worked for the non-profit The Great Lakes Center for Autism Treatment and Research, a part of Residential Opportunities, Inc. Here Kendra worked in the intensive residential setting writing behavior plans and supervising the 24/7 care of pre-teens and teenagers with severe problem behavior. This included designing training for front-line staff, training and giving feedback, as well as writing and conducting full functional analyses and graphing and interpreting results to guide behavior plans and other interventions.
Kendra has two children and is excited to be raising them in Kalamazoo, MI. Her research interests include the assessment and treatment of severe problem behavior, disseminating behavior analysis to students of all ages, and using the science of behavior to help solve issues of ecological sustainability and social justice.
