Meet Our Team

Julie Polanco, MEd, BCBA
Founder & Clinical Director
Career
Current) Smart Start, Founder & Clinical Director
Previous) The Diane Lindner-Goldberg Child Care Institute, Hempstead, NY, Teacher's Assistant
Trainings & Certifications
Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA)
Applied Behavior Analysis Specialist (ABAS-1)
Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) Introductory Workshop
PEAK Level 1 Certification Training
PEAK Level 2 Certification Training
ADOS Clinical Workshop
PFA-SBT Level 1
Meaningful Speech Course
Education
Pennsylvania State University, Special Education, Applied Behavior Analysis, M.Ed.
Pennsylvania State University, Psychology, B.A.

Hyeyoon Jang, BCaBA
Supervisor
Career
Current) Smart Start, Supervisor
Previous) Smart Start, Behavior Therapist
Previous) ABA Bears, Behavior Therapist
Trainings & Certifications
Board Certified assistant Behavior Analyst (BCaBA), Behavior Analyst Certification Board
PEAK Level 1 Certification Training, Emergent Learning Academy
PEAK Level 2 Certification Training, Emergent Learning Academy
PECS Level 1 Training
Education
Board Certified assistant Behavior Analyst (BCaBA) Coursework
SungShin Women's University, Music Therapy, On Leave
BaekSeok Art University, Applied Music

Nigorakhon Yakubova, PhD, BCBA
Supervisor
Career
Current) Smart Start, Supervisor
Current) Smart Start, Behavior Therapist
Trainings & Certifications
Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), Behavior Analyst Certification Board
Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) Introductory Workshop
Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) Advanced Workshop, In Progress
PEAK Level 1
PECS Level 1
PFA-SBT Level 1
Education
Yonsei University, Board Certified Behavior Analyst Coursework
Inha University, Multicultural Education, PhD
National University of Uzbekistan, Linguistics, Master
Fergana State University, Philology, Bachelor

Soo Lee
Case Manager
Trainings & Certifications
PEAK Level 1
Career
Current) Smart Start, Case Manager
Previous) Smart Start, Behavior Therapist
Previous) Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD), Behavior Therapist
Education
Capella University, Psychology (Applied Behavior Analysis), Master, In Progress
University of California Irvine, Criminology Law & Society, Bachelor
Irvine Valley College, Teacher Education and Social and Behavioral Sciences, Associates

Jihye Chae, BCBA
Behavior Therapist
Trainings & Certifications
Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA)
PFA-SBT Level 1
PEAK Level 1
ABA Korea Academy VB-MAPP Module
Career
Current) Smart Start, Behavior Therapist
Education
Baekseok University, Applied Behavior Analysis, Master's Candidate
Hanyang University, Chemical Engineering, Master's
University of Seoul, Chemical Engineering, Bachelor's

Sunghyun Choi
Behavior Therapist
Trainings & Certifications
Level 2 Psychological Counselor (Korea Psychological Counseling Association)
Level 2 Special Education Associate Teacher
ABA Korea Academy VB-MAPP Module
Career
Current) Smart Start, Behavior Therapist
Previous) Bucheon Haerim School Teacher's Assistant
Previous) Edu Vision, Case Manager
Education
Baekseok University Applied Behavior Analysis, Master, In Progress
Baekseok University Special Education, Bachelor

Career
Current) Smart Start, Behavior Therapist
Previous) Disability Caregivers Counseling
Previous) Education Support for Persons with Disabilities, Activities Support Staff
Education
Konyang Cyber University, Behavior Analysis and Intervention (QASP-S), In Progress
KyungIn Women's University, Social Welfare, Bachelor
Mingi Kim
Behavior Therapist