Stacey Tomanik, Ph.D., Clinical Psychologist
Dr. Stacey Tomanik is the owner and Executive Director of Kids ETC. She is a Registered Psychologist with extensive experience treating children with behavioural, emotional, social and learning difficulties.
She has over 25 years of experience working with children with autism spectrum disorders and related behavioural difficulties. Dr. Tomanik received her initial clinical training at the University of California, Los Angeles Clinic for the Behavioural Treatment of Children and the Lovaas Institute for Early Intervention (LIFE). She worked under the supervision of Dr. Ivar Lovaas, Dr. Tristram Smith, Ph.D., and Dr. Jacqueline Wynn. During her time at UCLA she also contributed in the writing of the book, “Teaching Individuals with Developmental Delays: Basic Intervention Techniques” (2003) by O. Ivar Lovaas. While she was completing her graduate training, Dr. Tomanik helped found and direct a treatment program for children with autism at the University of Houston. She has lectured at UCLA and has taught courses at the University of Houston on the use of behavioural principles with children with autism spectrum disorders, as well as other childhood behaviour problems.
Dr. Tomanik received her Masters degree and Doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of Houston, in Houston, Texas. Her education and clinical training focused on psychopathology in children, adolescents and adults. She is experienced in the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of a variety of mental health disorders with particular emphasis on children with behaviour problems. She completed her residency at the University of Texas- Houston Health Science Center in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences and a post-doctoral fellowship in Clinical Psychology Forensic Services (CPFS) and Texas Resource for Early Autism Treatment (TREAT) in Houston, TX.
Following her graduate training, Dr. Tomanik served as the Executive Director of Houston Behavioural Intervention and Training Services in Houston, TX.
Upon returning to Calgary, she worked for Alberta Health Services at the Child Development Centre (CDC) as part of a multidisciplinary team providing assessments and diagnoses for children with complex challenges. She supervised practicum and graduate students and psychology residents.
Clinic Coordinator
The Clinical Coordinator oversees all clinical aspects of the company and serves as a liaison between staff, clients and the Executive Director to facilitate effective communication and collaboration. The Clinic Coordinator orients clients to our services, determines the appropriate level of services, coordinates and initiates treatment, and provides ongoing clinical support to families. The Clinic Coordinator oversees all clinic staff and assists management to develop and implement company-wide initiatives.
Christina Duhnych, M.Sc., BCBA.
Christina is a Board-Certified Behaviour Analyst (BCBA) and the Clinic Coordinator for Kids ETC. She earned her Master of Science in Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA) at Regis College in Weston, Massachusetts in 2021 and her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at Mount Royal University in Calgary in 2017. Her research in the area of Inner Speech has been published in the Journal of Constructivist Psychology and Applied Cognitive Psychology. She uses her knowledge about the self and her training as a Behaviour Analyst to better understand people and behavioral learning. Christina began her career with Kids ETC in 2019 as a Behavioral Aide, performing one-to-one, home-based instruction with children with autism spectrum disorder. Christina loves trying new recipes from around the world, spending time with her family, and staying active by playing sports. Christina’s passion for working with children is matched only by her thirst for knowledge. She embraces new learning opportunities and inspires the team with her sound leadership, energy, and dedication.
Case Supervisors
The Case Supervisor is the lead member of the child’s Psychology Team and is responsible for upholding overall standards of care in all matters related to clients, staff and office operations. The Case Supervisor oversees the child’s treatment and serves as a liaison between parents, the Senior Behavioral Aide and Behavioral Aides. They ensure that the child’s programming is individualized, comprehensive, relevant, effective, and progressive.
Laryssa Wright, BA
Laryssa received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Behavioral Science, with a major in psychology, from Ambrose University in Calgary, Alberta. Laryssa joined the Kids ETC team in 2020 as a Behavioural Aide for children with autism spectrum disorder and then transitioned quite naturally into a Senior Aide role, setting high standards for teaching, organization, data collection and staff training. She is skilled at managing unique and challenging behaviors, with a sense of calmness and ease that is difficult to match. Laryssa’s kind, warm, compassionate and caring nature, make her perfectly suited to working with children who have special needs. She is passionate about helping children and committed to making a difference in their lives. Laryssa enjoys sharing her behavioral knowledge and experience with new staff, families and other professionals. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her friends, family and pets. She likes cooking, traveling and helping other people. Laryssa enriches our team with her passion for her work, commitment to our clients, and training expertise.
Jayda Rousseau, BA
Jayda received her Bachelor of Arts with First Class Honours, majoring in Psychology and minoring in Sociology, from the University of Calgary. She joined the Kids ETC team in 2022 as a Behavioral Aide, supporting children with autism spectrum disorders and related behavioral challenges. She quickly progressed to the role of Senior Aide, supporting and training new aides in the implementation of behavioral principles, data collection systems and assisted with maintaining clinic treatment standards. Jayda is currently a Case Supervisor, responsible for ensuring individualized and effective care for children and their families, overseeing client treatment goals, and supporting team members’ continued growth and development. Jayda is an outdoor enthusiast with a strong sense of adventure. She enjoys rock climbing, mountaineering, paddling, hiking, traveling and exploring historic sites. With her natural style, Jayda empowers the team with her strength and confidence.
Senior Behavioral Aides
The Senior Behavioral Aide is responsible for ensuring that the Case Supervisor’s recommendations regarding teaching strategies, programming, generalization and data collection are documented and implemented in a timely manner. The Senior Aide ensures that the child’s logbook, teaching stimuli and treatment space are appropriately maintained. They notify parents when materials are needed and delegate preparation of stimuli and other related tasks to behavioral aides. The Senior Aide reports directly to the Case Supervisor about the child’s progress and provides updates during team meetings. The Senior Aide receives ongoing supervision and training from the Case Supervisor to ensure that s/he is constantly improving on and maintaining the skills required to implement effective programming and support behavioral aides in doing the same.
Behavioural Aides
Behavioural aides are trained in the principles of ABA and implement these techniques in a one-to-one setting with the child under Dr. Tomanik’s supervision. They are responsible for providing direct instruction to the child, implementing behaviour plans and collecting data on the child’s progress. Behavioural aides participate in team meetings with other professionals and parents to provide insight into the child’s progress and treatment plan.
Scheduling & Administrative Support
The clinic Scheduler manages all client and staff schedules and assignments in our scheduling platform (Rethink), including direct therapy sessions, assessments, intake meetings, team meetings, and allocation of indirect hours and assignments for clients and staff. The Scheduler reports client and staff hours to the Clinic Coordinator and Office Administrator.
Kayla Merrifield, BA
Kayla received her Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in psychology, from the University in
Calgary. She has also achieved Level 10 piano through the Royal Conservatory of Music.
Kayla joined the Kids ETC team in 2019 as a behavioural aide, providing in-home one-to-one
behavioural therapy for children with autism spectrum disorders and related behavioral
challenges. In addition to being a skilled aide, Kayla coordinates Kids ETC client and staff
schedules, a task for which she is very well-suited since scheduling requires a keen attention to
detail, strong technical skills, and the ability to multitask.
Kayla is a talented musician who plays and teaches the piano, as well as the acoustic guitar and
bass. She enjoys drawing, digital art, graphic design and video editing.
