Scott Braud joined Project Hope Foundation in May 2008. He has worked with children with autism since 1999. His first experience occurred in college as a volunteer ABA therapist for a 2-year-old with autism. Previously, he has worked at the Kennedy Krieger Institute, at the Human Development Center at LSU Health Sciences Center, and at the Center for Autism and Related Disorders.

Scott enjoys working with children and parent on goals that will produce meaningful change in the life of their family. He also enjoys seeing the satisfaction and joy of parents when they realize what their child is capable of accomplishing.

A native of south Louisiana, Scott graduated from Louisiana State University in 2000 with a B.S. in Psychology. In 2003 he received his Masters degree in Psychology from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County and his Board Certification in Behavior Analysis. In addition to his clinical work, Scott has assisted with several research projects and has presented at local and national conferences.

Outside of work, Scott spends his time with his wife and five children.

Meghan Helman started working with Project Hope Foundation in August 2010. She was first exposed to Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) during her senior year of college and has continued working in the field since. She first worked with two children with autism in 2006, at Center for Autism and Related Disorders (C.A.R.D.), under the supervision of Mark Knight. She went on to work at Kennedy Krieger Institute focusing on children with feeding difficulties, as well as effective parent training methods. She looks forward to applying those principles here at Project Hope Foundation. Meghan enjoys being able to make a difference in each child and their family.

A native of south Florida, Meghan graduated from Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida in 2005 with a B.A. in Psychology. In 2007 she received her Associate Board Certification in Behavior Analysis. She completed coursework for her Masters degree in Psychology from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County and will be defending her research to complete the degree shortly.

Meghan spends her free time cooking, reading, and enjoying her family and friends. She recently adopted a puppy and is spending a lot of time training him.

Bethany joined the Project Hope family in June 2013. She has been working with individuals with autism since 2003 when she began working as a line therapist with a 2-year old boy. Since then, she has worked as line therapist, senior therapist, coordinator, and classroom teacher at several organizations, including Mariposa School for Children with Autism, the Early Autism Project, and Gwinnett County Public Schools.

Bethany enjoys working with a variety of learners on the autism spectrum. Her favorite part of her work is celebrating with the treatment team as clients master skills that make a meaningful difference in their lives and the lives of their families!

Hailing from western North Carolina, Bethany graduated with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and psychology from Wake Forest University in 2006. In January 2011, she completed the required coursework at Florida Institute of Technology and became a Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst. Two years later, Bethany received her master’s degree in Special Education from Georgia State University, as well as her Board Certification in Behavior Analysis.

In her free time, Bethany enjoys spending time with her loved ones, crafting, and going to the movies.

Niki Porter joined Project Hope Foundation in January 2012 as a line therapist. Her first experience with children with autism was during an internship in Colombia, South America in the summer of 2011. During that internship, Niki had the opportunity to work in a school/therapy setting dedicated to serving children and young adults with autism, down syndrome, and cerebral palsy.

Niki enjoys working with children and parents in the clinic, home and school settings. She also enjoys partnerships with the school districts in the Greenwood and Laurens areas and collaborating with teachers and administrators in order to bridge the gaps between the 1:1 and group settings. Creating and promoting a culture of compassion and collaboration are priorities for the teams and staff that Niki works with, along with teaching clinical excellence within practice.

Born and raised in South Carolina, Niki graduated from Clemson University in December 2011 with a B.A. in Psychology and a minor in Spanish. In 2015 she received her Masters degree in Behavior Analysis from Florida Institute of Technology and her Board Certification in Behavior Analysis. She enjoys spending time with her family (Colby - husband, Hazel - daughter, Copper - puppy) and friends, cooking and outdoor activities!

Amanda Rafkah joined Project Hope Foundation as a line therapist in May 2010; her passion for autism and ABA has continued to grow through her years at Hope. She graduated with her bachelor's degree in Interdisciplinary Studies with a concentration in Psychology and Christian Studies from North Greenville University in 2011. By 2015 Amanda had completed her master's degree in Professional Behavior Analysis from Florida Institute of Technology and became a Board Certified Behavior Analyst.

From 2015-2018 Amanda worked with families in Charleston, SC to expand Project Hope Foundation's services to individuals in the coastal region. Amanda has experience working with private schools, training parents in home, overseeing clinic-based services, and providing ABA training to various individuals in the community.

While she loves all aspects of her position, Amanda is especially dedicated to utilizing Organizational Behavior Management strategies to develop a cohesive and reinforcing working environment for her staff where excellence is prioritized. It's motivating for her to observe staff growing in their skills as they learn what a meaningful change ABA can have for the autism community.