Our Mission

Mrs. Antlitz received her R.N., BSN from the University of Maryland School of Nursing. During her ten years as a nurse, she worked as a Case Manager in the Bone Marrow Transplant Department for 4 years and 2 years with a practice that focused on treating children with autism and related disorders.  She then pursed a career in business administration and corporate operations. She has seven years of experience as a Business Manager, specializing in contracts and finance, and five years as Director of Operations for an Information Technology company.  She holds a certificate in Non-Profit Management. Over the past 16 years, she has attended numerous autism trainings, workshops, and conferences. Mrs. Antlitz became interested in the field of autism 16 years ago when her then 18- month-old son was diagnosed. Since then, she has become extremely involved in the community and serves as an advocate for all individuals with ASD.  

Chelsea Thomas Potarazu received her B.A. in Psychology from University of Maryland, College Park and her M.A. in Behavior Analysis from Florida Institute of Technology.  She is a licensed Behavior Analyst in the state of Maryland and Virginia. Ms. Potarazu has worked with families in the home, clinic, and community settings as well as worked with families across cultural and economic backgrounds. Since starting as a behavior technician, she has advanced her way through the ABA field in such positions as ABA trainer, Quality Assurance, and Clinical Supervisor. Mrs. Potarazu previously worked as an ABA Director in Virginia at a for-profit ABA company who specialized on working with the underserved community within the Northern Virginia area. In addition to her work with families, Mrs. Potarazu is also passionate about incorporating ABA into the workplace through OBM techniques and staff development.

Dr. Walklett is a licensed psychologist specializing in the treatment of children, adolescents, and young adults with autism spectrum disorders. She also has a wide range of experience working with children and adolescents who have a variety of anxiety disorders, attention deficit disorders, mood disorders, and behavioral concerns. She received a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Maryland, College Park, before earning her Psy.D. from the California School of Professional Psychology, San Diego.  As a licensed psychologist, Dr. Walklett completed the graduate level BCBA course sequence through Florida Institute of Technology and completed 700 hours of supervised independent fieldwork. Dr. Walklett has joined the staff of the RISE for Autism Center where she provides social skills group therapy to children, adolescents, and young adults.  

Ms. Husband is committed to maintaining the highest ethical and professional standards with 16 years of experience supporting exceptional individuals across a variety of settings. Ms. Husband started out as a Special Education teacher in 2006 and has been a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) since 2014. As a graduate of George Mason University, Ms. Husband holds a master’s degree in Special Education, a Postgraduate Certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis, and a license to practice as a License Behavior Analyst in Maryland, Virginia, and Texas. She has extensive experience utilizing verbal behavior to develop language, teaching functional communication, and finding functionally equivalent replacement behaviors.  Since becoming certified as a behavior analyst, Ms. Husband has directed an ABA clinic in Virginia, conducted remote client case management, supervised graduate students pursuing BACB certification, and provided Therapeutic Consultation for individuals with the DD Medicaid Waiver in Virginia. Ms. Husband believes that a strong partnership between families and multidisciplinary team members includes communication and feedback to ensure clients achieve socially significant behavior change.

Ms. Jahnigen received her undergraduate degree from Washington College and attended Arizona State University to obtain her masters in Curriculum and Instruction: Applied Behavior Analysis. Formerly, she served as the Program Coordinator at RISE for Autism and was tasked with planning inclusive events and family grants. Ms. Jahnigen has a special interest in treating teenagers with autism with challenging and sexual behaviors by teaching learners privacy and how to navigate their bodily changes in puberty. Ms. Jahnigen is thankful for the opportunity provided by RISE to grow into the BCBA position while receiving her fieldwork hours. 

Danee graduated from Southern University A & M College in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, with a bachelor's degree in Child Development. She completed Behavior Analysis Coursework from the University of Houston-Clear Lake and the University of West Florida. Danee has held the positions of RBT, Lead Therapist, Training Coordinator, Talent Acquisition Specialist, and presently Head of Training during the course of her career. She is grateful for the opportunity at RISE to continue growing as a BCaBA and assist the team of BCBAs in supporting the technicians with professional development, as she has a passion for training and education.