Stacey Hotter-Knight
As LEAPS has grown, so has our commitment to excellence. What began as one vision has become an organization of dedicated professionals, including Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs), master’s-level supervisors, Licensed Assistant Behavior Analysts (LABAs), Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs), speech-language pathologists, and an exceptional administrative team. Each member of our organization shares the same commitment to providing compassionate, ethical, and evidence-based care.
While I am incredibly proud of how much LEAPS has grown, our purpose has remained the same since the day we opened our doors.
Our mission is to empower children and families by providing compassionate, evidence-based services that promote independence, meaningful progress, and an improved quality of life. We are committed to delivering exceptional clinical care while building genuine relationships founded on trust, respect, collaboration, and integrity.
At LEAPS, we believe every child deserves the opportunity to learn, grow, and succeed, and every family deserves a team that believes in their child’s potential. Our mission is more than a statement—it is the foundation of every decision we make, every relationship we build, and every success we celebrate.
Although LEAPS has grown tremendously since opening our doors in 2013, I still see every child who walks through our doors the same way I saw Tyler all those years ago—with limitless potential, unique strengths, and the ability to achieve extraordinary things when given the right support. It is both a privilege and a responsibility to be part of each family’s journey, and I am deeply grateful for the trust they place in our team every day.
Whether you are just beginning your autism journey or looking for a team that will walk alongside your family every step of the way, welcome to LEAPS. We are honored that you are here and look forward to partnering with your family as your child discovers new possibilities, achieves meaningful milestones, and builds the skills needed for a lifetime of success.
Thank you for visiting LEAPS. We look forward to serving your family.
Sincerely,
Stacey Hotter-Knight, BCBA/LBA
(O) 509-321-7589
(C) 559-265-2209
shotter-knight@leapsandbeyond.com
Professional Affiliations & Leadership
- Board Certified Behavior Analyst® (BCBA®)
- Association for Behavior Analysis International
- Association of Professional Behavior Analysts
- Council of Autism Service Providers
- Washington Association for Behavior Analysis
- Autism Society of America
- Washington Autism Alliance (Community Partner)
Leadership & Advocacy
As the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of LEAPS, I am committed to advancing the field of autism services through clinical excellence, ethical leadership, professional education, and community advocacy. My passion extends beyond providing exceptional care—I am dedicated to expanding access to services, supporting families, mentoring future clinicians, and helping shape the future of behavioral healthcare.
At LEAPS, we believe exceptional clinical outcomes are achieved through compassionate, individualized care that respects the dignity, autonomy, and unique strengths of every child. Our commitment to assent-based practices, trauma-informed care, and ethical decision-making guides every aspect of our service delivery and reflects our belief that meaningful progress occurs when children feel safe, respected, and empowered to participate in their own learning.
Professional Leadership
- Founder & Chief Executive Officer of LEAPS, serving children and families throughout Washington since 2013.
- Board Certified Behavior Analyst® (BCBA®) with extensive experience designing individualized, evidence-based treatment programs for children and adolescents with autism and other developmental disabilities.
- Authorized Continuing Education (ACE) Provider through the Behavior Analyst Certification Board® (BACB®), developing and delivering continuing education that promotes ethical practice, clinical excellence, assent-based care, trauma-informed practices, and the ongoing advancement of behavior analysis.
- Clinical mentor and leader dedicated to developing the next generation of behavior analysts, supervisors, and autism professionals through education, leadership, and lifelong learning.
Clinical Areas of Expertise
Throughout my career, I have specialized in developing comprehensive treatment programs for children and adolescents with complex behavioral, developmental, and communication needs. My areas of clinical focus include:
- Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention (EIBI)
- Severe challenging behavior assessment and treatment
- Functional behavior assessments and individualized behavior intervention planning
- Parent and caregiver training
- School consultation and educational collaboration
- Social skills development
- Adaptive behavior and daily living skills
- Communication skill development
- Assent-based treatment planning that prioritizes child engagement, autonomy, and meaningful participation
- Trauma-informed behavioral care that recognizes the impact of adverse experiences and emphasizes safety, trust, collaboration, and compassionate intervention
- Healthy sexual development, sexual behavior assessment, and behavior support for autistic children and adolescents, with an emphasis on safety, education, caregiver guidance, dignity, consent, and individualized evidence-based intervention
As my professional career continues to evolve, I remain committed to advancing the body of knowledge surrounding healthy sexual development, healthy relationships, personal safety, and behavior support for autistic individuals. I believe this emerging area of practice is essential to promoting safety, self-advocacy, independence, and an improved quality of life across the lifespan.
Education & Professional Development
I believe exceptional clinical care begins with lifelong learning. As an Authorized Continuing Education (ACE) Provider through the BACB®, I am passionate about educating behavior analysts and technicians while promoting ethical, evidence-based practice.
My professional development also focuses on integrating behavior analysis with family systems, trauma-informed care, and healthy sexual development to better serve autistic individuals and their families through a collaborative, interdisciplinary approach.
Community Advocacy
Access to quality autism services should never be limited by financial barriers. To further this commitment, I founded the LEAPS Autism Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding access to autism services, supporting underserved families, providing educational resources, advocating for meaningful inclusion, and strengthening communities through outreach and collaboration.
The LEAPS Autism Foundation reflects my belief that every child deserves the opportunity to reach their fullest potential and that every family deserves compassionate, high-quality support throughout their journey.
Vision for the Future
My vision extends beyond today’s clinical practice. I am committed to advancing an interdisciplinary model of care that integrates behavior analysis, family systems, trauma-informed principles, assent-based treatment, and healthy sexual development to better support autistic children, adolescents, and their families throughout every stage of life.
As I continue my graduate education in Marriage and Family Therapy and advanced training in clinical sexology, my goal is to expand evidence-based services that address the whole person—not only behavioral development, but also family relationships, social-emotional well-being, healthy sexuality, personal safety, self-advocacy, and lifelong independence.
I envision a future where autism services are not defined solely by behavioral outcomes, but by compassionate partnerships, ethical clinical practice, respect for autonomy, and meaningful improvements in quality of life. Through LEAPS, the LEAPS Autism Foundation, professional education, research, and community advocacy, I remain dedicated to helping shape that future while empowering children and families to achieve meaningful, lasting success.