Dr. Nicolle Carr – CEO, Integrated Brain Health | Founder, OKABA

Dr. Nicolle Carr – CEO, Integrated Brain Health | Founder, OKABA

In this episode of Tim Talks: Behavioral Health, Tim Zercher sits down with Dr. R. Nicolle Carr to discuss some of the biggest ethical and access challenges facing the ABA field today. Dr. Carr shares her unexpected journey into behavior analysis, why ethical decision-making often lives in the gray areas rather than the textbook, and how providers can better prepare clinicians for the realities of practice. The conversation explores rural access to ABA services, the limitations of diagnosis-based funding, and the difficult real-world decisions clinicians face every day. They also discuss leadership, creating a culture where ethical concerns can be openly discussed, and why being a trusted community resource may be one of the most effective growth strategies for behavioral health organizations. Whether you're a clinician, leader, or practice owner, this episode offers practical insights on ethics, access, leadership, and sustainable growth in behavioral health.

Carolyn Bradfield – Founder & CEO, Pathroot Health

What role do families play in addiction treatment success? In this episode of Tim Talks: Behavioral Health, Tim Zercher sits down with Carolyn Bradfield, Founder & CEO of Pathroot Health, to discuss why family engagement may be one of the most overlooked factors in treatment retention and recovery outcomes. Drawing from both professional experience and her personal journey as the parent of a daughter who struggled with addiction, Carolyn shares powerful insights into the gaps families face throughout the treatment process. She explains how treatment providers can better support families, reduce early discharges, improve retention, and create stronger outcomes for both patients and organizations. The conversation also explores the financial impact of treatment dropouts, the importance of family alignment, and why education and engagement can be the difference between success and failure in recovery. If you're a behavioral health leader, addiction treatment provider, or anyone passionate about improving recovery outcomes, this is a conversation you won't want to miss.

Dr. Tara Chalakani – CEO, Preferred Behavioral Health Group

In this episode of Tim Talks: Behavioral Health, Tim Zercher sits down with Dr. Tara Chalakani, CEO of Preferred Behavioral Health Group, to discuss what it takes to lead and grow a mission-driven behavioral health organization. Drawing on more than three decades of healthcare leadership experience, Dr. Chalakani shares lessons on building a strong organizational culture, staying anchored to your mission during periods of growth, and leading with both compassion and accountability. She also discusses the challenges nonprofit organizations face when scaling services, retaining top talent, and securing the resources needed to support their communities. The conversation also explores practical marketing strategies for behavioral health providers, including the importance of brand consistency, employee advocacy, social media visibility, and creating meaningful engagement through newsletters and events. Whether you're leading an ABA organization, behavioral health practice, or nonprofit healthcare organization, this episode offers valuable insights on leadership, culture, growth, and sustainable impact.

Armon Aghaie - Chief Executive Officer, Unity Behavioral Services

What does it take to build an ABA organization where people actually stay? In this episode of Tim Talks: Behavioral Health, Timothy Zercher sits down with Armon Aghaie, CEO of Unity Behavioral Services, to discuss leadership, culture, retention, and the future of ABA. After spending a decade scaling technology companies, Armon made the decision to leave the tech world and pursue a mission centered on helping children discover their purpose and potential. That journey ultimately led to the creation of Unity Behavioral Services. Armon shares why he believes most organizations overcomplicate leadership, how a human-first approach has helped Unity achieve virtually unheard-of retention rates, and why being selective about hiring may be the key to building exceptional teams. He also discusses the challenges of scaling an ABA provider, lessons learned from rapid growth, and the marketing strategies helping Unity expand its impact. If you're an ABA leader looking to strengthen your culture, improve retention, and build a mission-driven organization, this conversation is packed with practical insights. Learn more about Unity Behavioral Services: https://unitybehavioralservices.unityco.co [https://unitybehavioralservices.unityco.co/]

Rachelle Wisotsky & Avi Wisotsky - Founder and Clinical Director & CEO, RightWay ABA

In this episode of Tim Talks: Behavioral Health, Tim Zercher sits down with Rachelle and Avi Wisotsky of RightWay ABA to discuss what it takes to build an ABA organization the right way. Rachelle brings the clinical heart as a BCBA, while Avi brings the operational and business strategy needed to scale. Together, they share how personal connection, caregiver involvement, clinical excellence, and community relationships shape the way they serve families. They also discuss the challenges of rapid growth, maintaining quality care, supporting staff, and why real value in ABA comes from doing the work before asking for anything in return.