Blogs

March 7 was Employee Appreciation Day, but we’re celebrating our team members all month long by sharing their stories. Read more about Jamie Green, a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) at our Rivermont Roanoke Southeast campus. 

What is your favorite thing about working here?  

I love the people I work with and the students we have. Some days are hard but at the end of the day I am always proud to say that I work for Rivermont.  

What keeps you coming to work each day?  

Knowing that the work we do directly improves the lives of those we serve provides a deep sense of purpose and fulfillment, making each day feel worthwhile. 

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

Supportive, because being a supportive BCBA is about fostering trust, collaboration, and a shared commitment to helping individuals reach their fullest potential. My approach can deeply affect not just the outcomes for our students, but also the experiences of everyone involved in their care. 

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

A day in the life of a BCBA can look a little hectic at times. My day typically starts with greeting our students as they arrive in the mornings for school. Then I usually check in on every classroom to see how everyone is doing. From there my day can vary between getting paperwork done, collaborating with my team, providing Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)  services to our students, assisting with behaviors, to coaching staff. Once our students are dismissed for the day, I typically will catch up on what I am behind on or meet with teachers/team members to discuss our student's needs.  

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

I started at Rivermont in 2016 as a Mental Health Associate. When I started, I had no experience at all besides a psychology degree. I had very little knowledge of autism or behaviors. After a few months of working at Rivermont, I learned about what a BCBA was and had a lot of interest in becoming one. In 2017 I began my master's program and started supervision hours. In 2019 I finished my masters and supervision hours. After several attempted tests and a 2-year break from testing, I passed my BCBA exam in April of 2023. In 2021 I left Rivermont for a little over a year for a position at another local private day school. In 2023, our current principal reached out about a BCBA position that was opening, which I applied for and then came back to Rivermont. Rivermont is my home, and I plan to be at Rivermont for a long time! 

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

The proudest moment for me so far in this role was passing the BCBA exam. The BCBA exam was a challenge for me. I have never been strong at testing and always had to work really hard in school to get good grades. I knew in my heart that being a BCBA was what I wanted and giving up wasn’t an option for me. I never gave up and continued to push myself. I finally found a way of studying that worked for me and that is when I finally passed. I always give the advice to never give up even after several failed attempts. Just because someone else may pass the first time, does not mean that everyone will. The quote “you will never fail if you do not give up” has always stuck with me and something I live by. Success is often a journey.  

What is something about you that not many people know? 

I was a softball player my whole athletic career growing up. My Junior year I had a bad knee injury that put me out of playing for several months. This was a critical time for me as it was recruiting time. I always dreamed of playing Division 1 softball, but injuries and grades prevented that. I was accepted into UVA-Wise where I planned to play softball but then decided not to because I needed to focus academically. My junior year rolled around, and the school announced they were starting a women's golf program and decided that it sounded like fun! I decided to play golf for the first women's golf team at UVA-Wise and was able to receive a scholarship for my last two years there.