“Seeing the difference we can make in the life of a family is incredibly rewarding. I am motivated daily to support our staff and families so that they can achieve their goals and create their own success story.” 

Danielle is AST’s regional clinical director for Orange County. In 2005, after receiving her bachelor’s in psychology from California State University Chico, she began her career with AST. She discovered her passion for working with people with special needs. Danielle then completed her master’s degree in exceptional student education with an emphasis in applied behavior analysis (ABA) through the University of West Florida and received her BCBA in 2015. Since joining the AST team, Danielle has held the positions of behavior interventionist, supervising behavior interventionist, program supervisor, clinical supervisor, and managing clinical supervisor.  

Dr. Sabrina Daneshvar oversees service delivery and clinical operations across several states at LEARN. An active member of the autism community, Dr. Daneshvar has presented at many state and national conferences, authored articles for peer-reviewed journals, and served as a guest grant reviewer for Autism Speaks and a guest reviewer for the Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions. With a Ph.D. in developmental psychology, she teaches graduate-level courses and is a board certified behavior analyst and licensed psychologist. Recently, Dr. Daneshvar was selected for Chief, a membership network that connects and supports female leaders.

“Developing confident families and confident clinicians gives me the greatest sense of satisfaction.”

Sara Rodden was 18 when she stepped into her first applied behavior analysis (ABA) role in a local school district. She had already spent time volunteering in a special education classroom, and she knew she wanted to stay in work that felt hands-on and personal. She liked being part of a child’s daily progress and enjoyed working alongside families and teachers to figure out what would actually help.  

She never left the field. Over the next 20 years, Sara grew with Autism Spectrum Therapies (AST) from technician to Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) to Managing Behavior Analyst and now serves as the Community Director for the Orange County region. She oversees AST’s Social Skills Program, supports clinical teams, and helps coordinate care across home, school, and community settings. 

Sara focuses on practical skills that carry into everyday life. She works closely with families so they feel steady and supported, and she mentors clinicians as they grow into confident leaders.