Now enrolling for our New Tacoma Clinic! Contact us at 253-778-0436
Principal & Executive Director of Hopeful Hands, INC
James L Nicolaus, BA, MBA, MACP, LMHCA, MHP, and Psychologist Associate for the State of Washington.
James L Nicolaus, (Founder and President), started Hopeful Hands on July 9th, 2005. James has two bachelor's degrees, one in Anthropology and one in Sociology. He also has two master's degrees, one in Business Administration and the other in Counseling Psychology. Providing mental health therapy services and behavioral support to the community and school systems are the cornerstone of Hopeful Hands, Inc. James has been working directly with children and adolescents with mental health challenges, autism, and significant behaviors of concern across many settings for over 20 years. James has also worked for the State of Washington at Children's Administration as a Social Worker 3. He ran investigations, provided community resources and helped families who were without hope. His many years of work with neurodiverse individuals and is currently a Psychology Associate for the the State of Washington.
Applied Behavior Analysis
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy/ Dialectical Behavior Therapy
Edmonds Clinic BCBA's
Director Jennie Kahl, M.Ed., BCBA, LBA
Jennie is a board certified behavior analyst (BCBA) and licensed behavior analyst (LBA) who has been providing services to individuals with ASD and their families since 2004. She is originally from New Jersey and graduated from Rutgers University with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master of Education in Counseling Psychology.
Jennie is a certified K-5 educator with extensive experience working in private and public schools and has provided supervision, consultation, and training to families across home and community settings. Jennie’s areas of expertise include behavior and classroom management, skill acquisition programming, and staff training. Her interests include the assessment and treatment of challenging behavior. Jennie is the clinical supervisor of the morning day program at Hopeful Hands, Inc.
Lynnwood Clinic Speech & Language Pathologist
Rachel Lowy, CCC-SLP Speech Therapist
Lynnwood Clinic Behavior Technicians
Karlie Ormiston, RBT, CBT
Karlie Ormiston is a CBT/RBT who began her work in the field of ABA in Southern California back in 2017. Her background in ABA consists of working with a variety of ages and diagnoses in a clinic, home, and school settings. She has experience using Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT) in a naturalistic ABA setting, as well as life skills teaching within a classroom setting. In 2021 Karlie returned to Washington State with her husband, where they were able to welcome their first child. After going back to work in the ABA field, Karlie soon joined the Hopeful Hands team and has recently completed a Master's program with the goal to become a BCBA. In her off time she enjoys spending time with her husband, daughter, and their zoo of animals.
Behavior Technicians
Zak Kaohu, M. A., LABA
Alooooooha!! Zak is originally from Hawai’i. He first got into the field of ABA back in 2019 as an RBT. He instantly fell in love with the science & this population. Zak is currently a LABA (Licensed Assistant Behavior Analyst) with his Master’s in Applied Behavior Analysis & is working towards becoming a BCBA. In his spare time, he loves hanging out with his 3 kids & Fiancée, while watching all things sports 24/7.
Javi Thode, RBT, CBT
Javi is a CBT and RBT that graduated from the University of Wyoming with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology. She has three years of ABA experience and has worked in schools, in home, and clinical settings. She has worked with clients in a wide age range from preschoolers to adolescents and can provide services in both English and Spanish. Javi has experience teaching various skills that have led to improved quality of life for her clients. Outside of work, Javi enjoys being in nature and spending time with her pets, family, and friends.
Riley Ellinwood, CBT
Riley is a CBT who is new to ABA but has worked as a swim instructor teaching kids with a variety of ages and needs in the past. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Washington in 2022 and plans to go back for a Masters in special education.
Joshua Leben, CBT
Joshua is a CBT with years of experience working with kids within the foster care system. He is excited to continue growing and learning here at Hopeful Hands, desiring to support the mission of enhancing the lives of the neurodiverse and those with personal challenges. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in strategic communication from Northwest University in 2021.
Alexandra Fisher, CBT
Alexandra is newer to working in the ABA field but has been around ABA most of her life due to family members receiving services. Alexandra is working on her undergrad degree and is considering continuing on for a graduate degree in occupational therapy or behavior analysis.
Deirdre Rosete, CBT
Deirdre is new to ABA but has had experience working with young children in the past. She graduated from the University of Washington in 2022 with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. Her interests outside of work include reading books, listening to music, watching movies, and spending time with her loved ones.