About Us

Emily McCallum, MA, BCBA

Director
Board Certified Behaviour Analyst
Category A RASP Behaviour Consultant

Emily is grateful for the experiences and education she has received from the many children, youth, adults, families, and teams she has supported in the past 28 years of her career. She held many positions in the field, including Community Support Worker, Child Care Worker, Home Support Worker, Education Assistant, Infant Development Consultant and, for the last 20 years, Behaviour Consultant. Emily began her career as a Behaviour Consultant at the Thompson Nicola Family Resource Centre in Kamloops in 2003 and since then has worked for agencies and in private practice, gaining Board Certified Behaviour Analyst certification in 2011 and joining New Horizons as Director and Behaviour Consultant in 2013.

Emily started her university education in the field of psychology in Kamloops (UCC), and completed a Bachelor of Arts degree at UVIC (2001). After gaining further fieldwork experience in the field, Emily completed a Master of Arts degree in Counselling Psychology (Yorkville University, 2009) as well as completing graduate level coursework in Applied Behaviour Analysis (UNT, 2009).  Emily was a founding Board Member and Secretary of the British Columbia Association for Behaviour Analysis and served on the BC-ABA Board a total of 9 years.

Emily’s areas of interest and practice within the field of disability supports include neurodiversity/autism, severe challenging behaviours, functional communication training, functional skills training for community inclusion, staff implementation support, use of least-restrictive practices, ethical service delivery, and promoting happiness and quality of life through person-centred planning and increasing meaningful positive skills. Emily is proud to lead a small and local team of talented professionals who are dedicated to person-centred supports and quality of service.

Kayla Ayers, M.Ed., BCBA

Behaviour Consultant – Adult Services
Board Certified Behaviour Analyst

Kayla found her way into the field of disability supports and Applied Behaviour Analysis through witnessing first hand its positive impact on children who are on the Autism Spectrum/autistic. She immediately became fascinated with the science and began working as a Behaviour Interventionist. Kayla has experience with a variety of teaching methodologies including Precision Teaching, Verbal Behaviour, Direct Instruction, Natural Environment Training, Discrete Trial Training, and Functional Communication Training. Kayla currently provides Behaviour Consultation services to CLBC-funded adults, where she values providing person-centred supports to those she serves. Kayla enthusiastic about teaching positive skills to replace and reduce challenging behaviours.

Kayla has a passion for working with people and making a difference in the lives of those around her. She has held various positions in the field including Community Support Worker, assistant ECE and Behaviour Interventionist in a variety of settings such as school-based, home based and community settings prior to joining New Horizons as a Behaviour Consultant in 2018.

Kayla holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with a minor in Criminal Justice in Public Policy from the University of Guelph. Following her Bachelors education, Kayla pursued an Advanced Certificate in Disability and Applied Behaviour Analysis at Douglas College and attained Board Certified Assistant Behaviour Analyst status in 2019. Kayla completed her Masters of Professional Education degree in Applied Behaviour Analysis from the University of Western Ontario in 2021 and attained Board Certified Behaviour Analyst status in 2021.

Deanna Gibson, M.Ed, BCBA

Behaviour Consultant – Adult Services
Board Certified Behaviour Analyst

Deanna began her career in the human services soon after graduating from her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology in 2002. From there, Deanna entered the field as a Community Support Worker supporting a wonderful family and their child in a privately-operated society. Her early experience was tremendously rewarding which set her on a path to follow her lifelong passion of helping others. After taking some time off to raise her family, Deanna returned to the workforce as eager as ever to continue to follow her dreams. She has had the opportunity to work as a Mental Health Worker/Community Support Worker and later on as a Residential Coordinator in group homes.

Deanna has loved helping people learn functional skills to replace and reduce difficult behaviours. After seeing first-hand the improvements that Positive Behaviour Support made in the lives of those she has supported, she knew she needed to learn more about the field. That was when Deanna decided to expand her knowledge by enrolling in the Master of Professional Education Program at Western University – Applied Behaviour Analysis specialization, which she attained in 2021.  Deanna joined the New Horizons team in 2020, providing behaviour consultation services to CLBC-funded adults and their circles of support.

Isabelle Thomas, MSc, BCBA

Behaviour Consultant – Horizons Kids
Board Certified Behaviour Analyst
Category A RASP Behaviour Consultant

Isabelle discovered Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) in an undergraduate course during her final year of her Bachelor of Arts degree (English and Psychological Studies) in National University of Ireland, Galway.  Excited to have found a science whose premise was to help people learn and grow, Isabelle enrolled in a 2-year Master’s of Science degree in ABA at the same university and graduated with first class honours in 2011. Isabelle was lucky enough to have received training in an Early Intensive Behaviour Intervention preschool in Dublin, Ireland while completing her Master’s degree. During this time she started gathering her fieldwork hours for her Board Certified Behaviour Analyst certification which she gained in May of 2015.

Since certification in 2015, Isabelle has worked as a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst (BCBA) with children and adolescents and their families with a range of different diverse abilities including Autism Spectrum Disorders and other developmental and intellectual disabilities. Isabelle has provided extensive both in-home and school consultation, parent training and Behaviour Interventionist training and supervision. She has also worked closely with other professionals including Occupational Therapists and Speech Language Pathologists, both on multi-disciplinary teams and in the community. Isabelle moved to British Columbia in 2017 and has been providing Behaviour Consulting in the community since. Isabelle joined the New Horizon’s team in 2020.

Isabelle is an affiliate member of Applied Behavior Analysis International (ABAI), a member of the British Columbia Association of Behaviour Analysis (BC-ABA) and is a Category A Registered Autism Service Provider (RASP) for children under the age of 6. She also meets the requirements to supervise other individuals seeking BCBA certification. She also strives to keep up with current research by attending conferences, enrolling on webinars and workshops, listening to professional podcasts and reading research articles.

Isabelle’s areas of interest are supporting parents and caregivers in becoming their child’s best teacher by helping them to foster learning and development through play and daily interactions; replacing challenging behaviour with functional and meaningful skills; and developing emotional resilience and flexibility in children and their families using an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy/Training framework.

Christine Eadon, MSc., BCBA

Behaviour Consultant – Horizons Kids
Board Certified Behaviour Analyst
Category A RASP Behaviour Consultant

Christine is passionate about supporting individuals and their families to build meaningful, fulfilling lives that reflect their strengths, values, and goals. Her journey in the field began as a peer tutor, where she witnessed firsthand the positive impact that compassionate, individualized support can have on a person’s confidence, growth, and quality of life. Inspired by these experiences, she pursued a career dedicated to supporting neurodiverse individuals across the lifespan.

As a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), Christine has worked in the field of behavioural health since 2009, supporting children, adolescents, and adults in home, school, and community settings. She became certified in 2017 and joined New Horizons in 2023. Christine values collaborating with individuals, families, caregivers, and interdisciplinary teams to develop supports that are meaningful, practical, and responsive to each person’s unique needs.

Christine’s practice is grounded in contemporary Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA), with an emphasis on quality of life, meaningful skill development, autonomy, and self-determination. She takes a person-centred, strengths-based approach, seeking to understand behaviour within the broader context of communication, relationships, environmental influences, and lived experiences. Her goal is to support individuals in developing the skills, opportunities, and supports needed to participate fully in the activities, relationships, and communities that are meaningful to them.

At the heart of Christine’s work is the belief that meaningful progress is built on strong relationships. She prioritizes rapport, trust, and collaboration, recognizing that individuals are most successful when they feel respected, understood, and empowered. Christine is committed to providing ethical, evidence-based, culturally responsive, and trauma-informed care that promotes dignity, choice, safety, and belonging.

Christine holds a Master of Science in Applied Behaviour Analysis from St. Cloud State University and is credentialed as a Level 2 Professional in Practical Functional Assessment (PFA) and Skill-Based Treatment (SBT). She has also completed training in the BALANCE Program and is a certified PEERS® trainer. In addition, she has a particular interest in family support and Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT), helping individuals, families, and caregivers develop flexible, resilient repertoires guided by their values.

Guided by her values of sincerity, compassion, authenticity, and respect, Christine is committed to empowering individuals and their support networks. She strives to foster environments that promote inclusion, self-determination, safety, and an enhanced quality of life while honouring each person’s unique values, preferences, and aspirations.

Anna Bruno, B.A. (Hons)

Behaviour Consultant – Horizons Kids

Anna began her career in behaviour intervention and support in 2017 while completing her undergraduate studies, working as a Behaviour Interventionist (BI). During this time, she developed a strong passion for supporting autistic children and their families, helping them better understand and embrace neurodiversity while fostering meaningful growth and development. Her areas of expertise and interest include natural environment teaching, functional communication training, and supporting parents in teaching emotion regulation skills to their children. Anna is dedicated to making a positive impact in the lives of the children and families she works with.

In 2020, Anna earned a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Psychology and an Indigenous Studies Certificate from Thompson Rivers University. She then pursued advanced training in Applied Behaviour Analysis, completing her Certificate in Applied Behaviour Analysis through University of New Brunswick in 2023. In 2024, she became a Category B Behaviour Consultant on the Registered Autism Service Providers (RASP) list for children under six years of age. Before transitioning into her role as a Behaviour Consultant, Anna worked as a BI for seven years and has been a member of the New Horizons team since 2019.

Anna is an active member of the British Columbia Association for Behaviour Analysis (BC-ABA) and is committed to ongoing professional development in behaviour analysis, neurodiversity-affirming practices, and emotion regulation supports for children.

Collaboration is a cornerstone of Anna’s approach. She values working closely with multidisciplinary teams to provide comprehensive support for families, partnering with Speech-Language Pathologists, Occupational Therapists, school teams, counsellors, and other professionals to help children reach their full potential.

Chris Wilson, MSc

Behaviour Consultant – Horizons Kids

Chris has been working in human services for over a decade, and holds a Masters degree in Educational Psychology through Walden University. He has also completed the Applied Behaviour Analysis coursework through the Florida Institute of Technology as of 2025. While learning and helping others is his passion, what he takes pride in is amicability and being able to meet families where they are at.

His main areas of interest are in teaching children with neurodivergence to understand and navigate the challenges that they experience differently from others and supporting people as they explore their gender identities. The fulfillment he receives in his role is from watching as people’s anxieties become their strengths. Chris has been with New Horizons since 2023 and considers them some of the best years of his life (so far).