Provider Spotlight: How a Dallas BCBA Built a Thriving Practice in Months... PS - She's Hiring

Michael Gao is the CEO and Co-Founder of Alpaca Health, the practice-in-a box for BCBAs to start, run, and grow independent ABA practices. Before Alpaca, Michael built a successful online education company that supported thousands of students, giving him a deep appreciation for entrepreneurship. Today, he works closely with new ABA practice owners to demystify the business side of care—everything from accounting to insurance to growth—so they can build sustainable, client-first practices with confidence.

Allyssa Minick is the founder of Ivory Behavior Group, an ABA practice built around family-first, clinically driven care. She began her career as a special education teacher in Dallas ISD, where she saw firsthand the need for stronger support systems for children with autism and their families. That experience led her to pursue her BCBA certification at Vanderbilt University, where she worked with children with severe behaviors across school and home settings.

After returning to Texas and working across schools and ABA organizations, Allyssa recognized the importance of ABA companies being led by clinicians who deeply understand ethics and high-quality care delivery. She founded Ivory Behavior Group in 2023 with the mission of putting families first while also creating opportunities for future BCBAs to gain strong clinical training. Since beginning insurance-based services in 2025, Ivory has grown to serve families across the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area and is continuing to expand its clinical team and reach.