Erin Connelly is the Regional Clinic Director at our South Bay location. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Elementary and Special Education from Providence College in 2013, followed by a Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Special Education from the University of Colorado Denver in 2015. Erin began her career in elementary and preschool settings, where she discovered a love of supporting children in one-on-one environments. In 2016, she entered the field of Applied Behavior Analysis and quickly developed a strong passion for providing individualized, compassionate, and collaborative care to children with autism. She then completed a certification in Applied Behavior Analysis from the Floridia Institute of Technology and pursued her BCBA, which she received in 2019.

Originally from Denver, Colorado, Erin relocated to Hermosa Beach in March 2020— just before the world changed with the onset of the pandemic. She joined FirstSteps in July 2020 and immediately connected with the team’s positive and supportive culture. Erin is especially passionate about compassionate care, assent-based and client centered learning, and mentorship of Registered Behavior Technicians.

Erin lives in Hermosa Beach with her best buddy- a golden retriever named Teddy. In her free time she enjoys frequenting the beach, going on long walks and traveling to new destinations!