General CEU: Panel Discussion #2 Overcoming obstacles and breaking barriers as Black women in ABA | Cultural Expression Showcase | Closing Ceremony

Meet Dr. Amoy Kito Hugh-Pennie, a Neurodivergent Behavior Analyst and educator passionate about ensuring all are treated with humility, compassion, and respect. With over 25 years of experience in implementing and disseminating ABA in home-based, clinical, early intervention, K-12 schools, and university settings across the United States, Canada, and Hong Kong, she has led organizations to positive, measurable outcomes for learners and their families. Dr. Hugh-Pennie holds a Bachelor's in Psychology from Florida Atlantic University, a Master's of Instructional Practice in Special Education from Teachers College, Columbia University, and a Ph.D. in Behavioral Disorders from Columbia University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. As a certified Special Education Teacher, School Administrator, and Behavior Analyst, she has presented research and been an invited speaker and podcast guest at ABAI, New York State ABA, Florida ABA, Black ABA, Behaviorbabe, Behavior Speaks, Inclusion Junkie, and many other organizations and universities on topics ranging from verbal behavior and supervision to ethics, neurodiversity, inclusion, and social justice issues. She has co-authored 2 book chapters and publications on ABA as a Technology of Teaching, Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, and ABA in K-12 Schools, and "Transitions"  in Women in Behavior Science: Observations on Life Inside and Outside the Academy. Dr Hugh-Pennie has served on Editorial Review Boards and as an Invited Reviewer for behavioral journals such as The Analysis of Verbal Behavior, The International Journal of Developmental Disabilities, Speech-Language Pathology, and Applied Behavior Analysis, to name a few. She has held key leadership roles in the public and private sectors, managing multimillion-dollar grant-funded ABA programs. In the greater interest of ensuring quality services for all, she has been involved in quality assurance, and legislative action for BA licensure, and served as a member of multiple research and clinical ethics review boards. She continues to teach coursework in ABA.She currently serves on the BABA Advisory Board, and previously on other boards, such as the Association for Behavior Analysis International Program Board & the Board of Directors of the Autism Society of Hawaii. Dr. Hugh-Pennie founded the VB-SIG Student Research Competition of ABAI est. 2001 which has and still provides resources, financial scholarships, and research opportunities to ABA students for over 20 years. Dr. Amoy has provided training and mentorship to teachers, therapists, and students across multiple universities and certification programs such as Mercy College in New York, Brock University & the University of Western Ontario in Canada, and the BACB and ABAI-VCS approved international programs of HKABA, and currently, the QABA-approved program of the Knowledge Network of Hong Kong preparing hundreds of students to become RBTs, BCaBAs and BCBA's across the US, Canada, and Asia.Amoy enjoys traveling, spending time with her family, playing rugby, and martial arts, writing slam & free verse poetry, and listening to music.