Leadership Team
Elizabeth Matthews, Ed.D., BCBA, LBA, IBA (she/her)
Visionaray, CEO, Behavior Scientist
Elizabeth “Liz” Matthews earned her undergraduate degree in psychology from Wells College (2002) and her master’s degree in behavioral education from Simmons College, becoming a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst in 2006. She later completed her doctorate in educational leadership at Virginia Commonwealth University. Liz has gained her experience in a variety of academic and clinical settings, including Melmark New England, the Merrimack Education Center, Advances Learning Center, all in Massachusetts, and the Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools in North Carolina.
Liz relocated to Tidewater, Virginia, in 2007 to serve as a Behavior Analyst with CA Human Services, where she played a key role in developing the partnership between CA Human Services and Southeastern Cooperative Educational Programs (SECEP). In 2008, she founded EMG Consulting LLC, where she continues to serve as CEO. Under her leadership, EMG earned 3-year accreditation from the Behavioral Health Center of Excellence in 2020 and was subsequently accredited by the Autism Commission on Quality in 2025.
In addition, Liz held the position of Adjunct Professor at the University of Mary Washington, teaching in the Applied Behavior Analysis program. She also served two terms as treasurer for the Tidewater Association for Behavior Analysis (TABA). Subsequently, she served as Conference Co-Chair for the Virginia Association for Behavior Analysis (VABA) and was a member of its Marketing and Membership Benefits Workgroup. Finally, Liz served as the VABA president from 2025 to 2027.
She has presented at multiple conferences, including the Association for Applied Behavior Analysis International’s 37th and 49th Annual Conferences in Denver, Colorado. Other affiliations include long-standing memberships with the Association for Behavior Analysis International and the Association for Behavior Analysis.
Her volunteer work has earned her the Sponsor of the Year award from the Autism Society of Tidewater, Virginia. She has coordinated title sponsorships for EMG with Surfer’s Healing, Autism Awareness Day with the Norfolk Tides, Calming Santa at MacArthur Center, and the Virginia Beach Runway 5k and Plane Pull for Untamed Spirit. EMG has also been a repeated sponsor of the VABA and CA Human Services Conferences.
Liz is a military spouse and lives in Virginia Beach with her husband Charles, son Peyton, their dogs, and their horse.
Having witnessed behavior analysis grow exponentially in the Commonwealth of Virginia, Liz is passionate about ongoing networking, camaraderie, and high-quality communication among practitioners.
Jamie Collins-Facteau, BCBA, LBA
Integrator, COO, and Behavior Analyst
Laura Hernandez, BCBA, LBA
Lead Behavior Analyst
Carla Maldonado, BCBA, LBA
Lead Behavior Analyst
Jennifer McMurtrie, M.S. Ed., BCBA, LBA
Crisis Management Coordinator and Behavior Analyst
Jenn became a behavior analyst in 2015 and began working with EMG Consulting in 2016. Previously, she worked for Southeastern Cooperative Educational Programs (SECEP), from 2003 to 2018, holding positions as a Special Education Teacher and an Education Specialist. Jenn received her undergraduate degree at the University of North Carolina-Wilmington in Athletic Training Sports Medicine. While working as a Certified Athletic Trainer for Chesapeake and Virginia Beach Public Schools her passion for working with children emerged and she then completed her master’s degree in Special Education with endorsements for Emotional Disturbance and Specific Learning Disabilities from Old Dominion University. Jenn then went on to complete the coursework to become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) at the Florida Institute of Technology. Jenn is a member of the Virginia Association for Behavior Analysis (VABA) and the Association of Professional Behavior Analysts (APBA).
Erica Rodriguez, BCBA, LBA
Lead Behavior Analyst
Nadezdha "Ned"Ramirez
Clinical Operations Manager
Ned graduated from George Mason University with a bachelor’s degree in Social work and a minor in Psychology. She completed her senior year practicum with NVFS, a non-profit organization located in Northern Virginia. After graduating, she was offered a position as a Case Manager for Early Head Start programs in Loudoun and Prince William County. A couple of years into her position she was offered a Benefit and Enrollment Specialist position with NVFS through a Fairfax County Contract assisting individuals with disabilities and co-occurring disorders to obtain and maintain health insurance. Ned became a Support Coordinator in 2017 providing case management services to individuals with ID/DD. Three years into her position she was hired as a Clinical Operations Manager with NVIC, an agency providing Therapeutic Behavior Consultation for individuals receiving developmental disability waivers in VA. Ned currently works as the Clinical Operations Manager for EMG Consulting providing daily operations/admin support for BCBA’s and families receiving services. Ned loves providing support for staff/colleagues so they can provide quality services for the individuals they serve.