Mary Sanchez, M.A., BCBA

Behavioral Program Director & Center Manager

Mary Sanchez has been supporting children and families through ABA since 2012. She specializes in promoting independence across communication, social, and adaptive skills while fostering collaboration between families, teachers, and other professionals. Serving as both Center Manager and Behavioral Program Director, she blends clinical leadership with center management and promotes a positive, collaborative environment for staff and families alike.

After earning her BA in Child and Adolescent Development with a minor in Elementary Mathematics from San Jose State University, Mary began her career as a Behavior Technician and discovered her passion for ABA. She connected with the principles of ABA and was inspired by the positive changes she saw in the children she supported, motivating her to pursue her MA in Professional Behavior Analysis at the Florida Institute of Technology and become a BCBA.

Mary’s clinical specialties include natural environment teaching (NET) and Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions (NDBIs) such as the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) and Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT). She has extensive experience supporting early learners in developing foundational skills for communication, socialization, and school readiness, and enjoys helping children transition successfully into kindergarten and structured classroom environments. She also specializes in play-based, child-led therapy and loves incorporating music, art, movement, and physical fitness into her work to keep children engaged while building skills in a natural and joyful way.

Outside of Joyscape, Mary enjoys staying active through weightlifting, dancing, and training for half marathons. She also loves playing board games and video games, crocheting, watching movies, and spending time in nature with her two dogs, Penny and Nickels. A dedicated Bay Area sports fan, she can often be found cheering on the San Jose Sharks, San Jose Earthquakes, and San Francisco 49ers.