Blogs

March 7 was Employee Appreciation Day, but we’re celebrating our team members all month long by sharing their stories. Read more about Ashley Conner, a Positive Behavior Support Leader at our Rivermont Roanoke Southeast campus. 

What is your favorite thing about working here?  

I love the students. I think every student is unique with their own personality, and I love just getting to know every single one of them and helping them grow and succeed. 

What keeps you coming to work each day?  

I'm motivated to support my staff and help them serve our students to succeed academically. Seeing the staff excited about student progress makes me excited. 

How do you make an impact on students’ lives?  

I feel like it's just being present and making intentional time and effort to speak to every student. I like to make that personal connection with them. I feel like that's the most positive way to be impactful and I think it is demonstrated when students come to you when they need you. 

Which one of our Better Together values resonates with you most personally and why? (Integrity, Accountable, Collaborative, Inclusive, Supportive)  

I try to embody all those values, but I most resonate with “supportive” because of my role. I feel as if my main role is to support my team and our students and their growth. 

What does a “day in the life” look like for your role?  

I feel like every day is so different, but it is filled with all of the things I love. I get to greet every student in the morning when I call buses. Some days I am all over the building assisting my staff when there are difficult behaviors to manage. Some days are filled with Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) parties or working at the school store. Other days, I get to be a little bit of a nerd and look at the data and do some of the behind the scenes work to help with some of the documentation, paperwork, and streamline support plans we put out.  

Can you talk a little bit about your career trajectory and what led you to where you are now?  

I just recently became a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) at the end of December over Christmas break. I completed my master's in industrial organizational psychology and then also got a graduate certificate in behavior analysis through Capella University as well as my license to practice in Virginia.  

My plan has always been to focus on the organizational behavior management side of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), such as how to improve and support my staff through professional development, training and development, and performance management. 

My career trajectory led me here. It is an opportunity to do what I love, which is working with students with special needs, but also advancing my career with the opportunities that were provided by New Story. 

What has been your proudest moment or accomplishment in your role?  

I had the opportunity to do research and then present at the Virginia Association for Behavior Analysis (VABA) conference, which was one of my coursework experiences. I was grateful for the opportunity to dip my toes in the research pool. Since then, I have received opportunities to be a part of the research team. It was an opportunity I never saw in my cards, but I have been so grateful for the experience.  

What is something about you that not many people know?   

I feel like I'm one of those extroverted introverts. I feel like I portray myself as very extroverted at work, but in reality, I'm a quiet homebody. One thing that people may not know about me is that I do aerial dance. It has been a great way for me to express myself and disconnect from the chaos of life.