Cardinal’s Student Analyst Resident (SAR) Program

Cardinal’s Student
Analyst Resident (SAR) Program

sar-program-cardinal
Arizona Student Analyst Residents and BCBAs at AZABA Conference

The Cardinal Pediatric Therapies Student Analyst Resident (SAR) Program is designed to support aspiring Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) through meaningful clinical experiences, structured supervision, leadership development, and individualized mentorship.

Our program goes beyond simply accruing fieldwork hours. Student Analyst Residents are immersed in a collaborative learning environment that prepares future BCBAs to become confident clinicians, ethical leaders, and impactful members of the ABA community.

Through a combination of hands-on experience, competency-based training, mentorship, and professional development opportunities that go beyond the Content List (BACB), Cardinal helps students bridge the gap between graduate coursework and real-world clinical practice.

Your path to becoming a BCBA with Cardinal

  1. Behavior Technician (BT)
      • Begin building foundational ABA skills through direct client support, behavior reduction implementation, and skill acquisition programming under BCBA supervision.

     

  2. Registered Behavior Technician (RBT)
      • Develop competency in evidence-based ABA practices while strengthening professionalism, caregiver communication, and treatment implementation skills.

     

  3. Student Analyst Resident (SAR)
      • Transition into advanced clinical training with focused opportunities in assessment and treatment planning, caregiver collaboration, supervision & leadership, clinical decision making, and data analysis while under supervision and mentorship by a BCBA

     

  4. Board Certified Behavior Technician (BCBA)
    • Graduate from the Student Analyst Resident program prepared to independently lead clinical service delivery with confidence, competence, and strong industry knowledge.

Program Benefits

    • Salaried opportunities available with program progress
    • Opportunity to travel to other Cardinal divisions
    • Discounted tuition opportunities with university partners
    • Local conference attendance with annual team retreat
    • Access to study materials and exam prep resources
    • Collaborative study opportunities with peers
    • Weekly engagement with Student Analyst Residents across divisions
    • Structured systems for tracking hours, competencies, and fieldwork progress

Student’s Experiences

“My experience has been overwhelmingly positive, providing me with a meaningful, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to grow and apply my skills in a supportive environment. Our team’s guidance and collaborative culture have made it both a rewarding and impactful learning experience, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

Sara F. Student Analyst Resident

“The residency program has been an amazing learning experience for me! The supervisors are incredibly supportive, always willing to help, provide feedback, and ensure we feel confident as we learn and grow in the field. Our operations director is also extremely helpful and accommodating with scheduling, which really helps us balance everything without feeling overwhelmed or burnt out. The journey to becoming a BCBA is a marathon, but they make the process feel so encouraging and rewarding every step of the way.”

Justin M. Student Analyst Resident

“I’m very grateful for Cardinal’s Student Analyst program because of the support and collaboration I’ve received from my BCBAs.  I’ve had hands-on opportunities and developed my skills with so much encouragement from this team.  I feel valued and guided while being challenged to expand my knowledge, and I’m very appreciative of all aspects of Cardinal Pediatric Therapies.”

 Molly M. Student Analyst Resident

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Dr. Mike Henderson, Ph.D., BCBA-D, LBA

Regional Operations Director

North Carolina

Mike Henderson, PhD, LBA, BCBA-D, is the Regional Operations Director at Cardinal Pediatric Therapies. With over two decades of experience in behavior analysis and organizational leadership, he focuses on mentoring teams and fostering a culture of collaboration, growth, and excellence in client care. Mike believes strong leadership and supportive systems are essential for helping clients, families, and providers succeed together.

Felicia Freeman

Clinic Manager

I am Felicia Freeman, the Clinic Manager for Cardinal Pediatric Therapies. I have been in ABA for several years now and am passionate about the community that we serve. I started out as an RBT, decided to go the administrative route, and worked my way up to managing clinics. I choose this field every day because I enjoy making a meaningful impact in the lives of our clients and building strong teams that change lives.

Amanda Dean, MA, BCBA, LBA

Johnston County, NC

Amanda graduated from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology in 2018 with her Masters in Psychology. She proceeded to complete her graduate certificate in ABA and became a BCBA in November 2020. Amanda has a passion for behavior reduction, tolerance training and functional communication training. She enjoys spending as much time as she can with her 3 children and husband. When she’s not working, Amanda is very involved in her local Pop Warner Cheerleading program where she is the Assistant Cheer Director and a head coach.

Becky Fronheiser

Operations Director

Arizona

Becky has worked in behavioral health for 7 years. She joined Cardinal in the spring of 2024.  Becky is grateful for the opportunity to work with such a passionate group of people and looks forward to supporting families with their specific ABA needs.  In her personal time, she enjoys spending quality time with her husband, 6 kids and 4 grandkids and loves to travel and relax on the beach.

Matthew Wilkinson

Operations Director

Cary, NC

Matthew holds a bachelors degree from the University of Utah, Medical Degree from the Autonomous University of Guadalajara and an MBA from Western Governors University. He has worked in the pediatric field for the majority of his professional life and has a passion for helping bring the best care to children in need. He enjoys spending time with his wife and three children and day trips to the coast.

 

Trisha Iannotta Bieszczad, PsyD., BCBA

Triad, NC

Trisha is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) with extensive expertise since 2016 in applying behavior analytic principles to improve the lives of children and adolescents. Her professional journey began with a doctoral degree in clinical psychology, emphasizing child and adolescent development. This foundation has equipped her with a deep understanding of psychological theories and practices, which she seamlessly integrates into her work as a BCBA. Outside of her professional endeavors, Trisha enjoys reading, spending time outdoors with her family & trying out new restaurants. Trisha’s dedication to both her career and personal interests reflects her commitment to continual growth and enrichment, both professionally and personally. Her multifaceted background allows her to approach each aspect of her life with a blend of expertise, enthusiasm, and a genuine appreciation for learning and exploration.

Tina Lee

Director of Finance

Tina Lee is the Finance Director for Cardinal with a variety of experience in the Healthcare Industry for over 13 years. She is compassionate and always eager to assist where she can. In the ever-changing Healthcare environment, Tina has played a vital role in putting processes in place to obtain high efficiency outcomes to help our clients get the care they need. Tina enjoys the outdoors and loves spending time with her family.

William Evans

Director of Outreach and Recruitment

William is a UNCW Graduate who started his professional career working in Marketing and Recruiting for a local technology company before looking for an opportunity to take those skills and help others. In his spare time he plays hockey, including annually for the North Carolina Autism Hockey Tournament, which is dedicated to the raising money and awareness for organizations helping local families with children diagnosed with autism.

Alice Okamoto, MA, BCBA, LBA

Chief of Staff

Alice has been with Cardinal for over 4 years and has worn many hats along the way!  Alice has a passion for working with clients and families as a unit, supervising behavior analyst trainees, and collaborating on strategic initiatives to ensure clinical efficiencies.  Alice‘s professional experience began with ABA in a school setting, and has worked in schools, homes, and clinics throughout the years while enjoying collaboration with related providers.  In her free time, Alice enjoys traveling, exploring parks with her dog, Oliver, and trying new restaurants. 

Darrin Miller

CEO

Darrin has dedicated his education and career to the field of behavioral health. As a licensed therapist and master’s in clinical counseling he works to create solutions that improve the lives of those impacted by Autism Spectrum Disorder at a local, state, and national level. He strives to create a culture of caring and empathy while innovating solutions for improving families’ access to quality care as quickly as possible.