About Us

Dr. Beth Boone is a professional dedicated to working with individuals with autism and related disabilities and their families. She is the Executive Director, Center for Autism & Related Disabilities-USF and The Learning Academy. Dr. Boone received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Florida in 2001, completing a dissertation on the training and support needs of medical foster families. She completed pre-doctoral and postdoctoral fellowships at the A.I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, DE, and a second postdoctoral year as a Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (LEND) fellow at the Westchester Institute for Human Development, a University Center of Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD), where she also served as faculty at the New York Medical College.

In 2008, Dr. Boone went on to direct the Positive Behavior Support (PBS) Training Project at Partners for Inclusive Communities, Arkansas’ UCEDD, providing statewide training on positive behavior support for waiver coordinators, direct support staff, and families across the state. She subsequently provided training, assessment and development of PBS plans for individuals supported by United Cerebral Palsy of Arkansas, and served as the Clinical Director for Arkansas START (Systemic, Therapeutic Assessment, Resources and Treatment), a statewide crisis prevention and intervention program for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and complex behavioral health needs.

In 2014, Dr. Boone assumed the role of Executive Director of the Institute for Disability Studies (IDS) at The University of Southern Mississippi (USM), Mississippi’s UCEDD. In this role, Dr. Boone was responsible for oversight of all programmatic, personnel, fiscal, and budgetary activities for the agency, as well as facilitating disability-related research, teaching, and service collaborations between IDS and USM, and other local, state, and federal partners, also serving as Adjunct Professor of Psychology and Coordinator for the Disability Concentration through the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies.

Upon relocating to Tampa, FL in 2017, Dr. Boone completed an graduate certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis while working as a Behavior Analyst with the Florida Mentor Network, and most recently has taught in and chaired the Psychology department for Keiser New Port Richey. She brought her wealth of experience to the Center for Autism and Related Disabilities (CARD) and The Learning Academy (TLA) at USF in November of 2019. In addition to this leadership, Dr. Boone also serves on the Presidential Advisory Committee on Accessibility at USF. She also earned the Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) designation in 2021.

Christine Hugh is the Program Director for LAUNCH. Christine received her MS degree in Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health from USF. She’s spent her career working in the field of disabilities with a focus on employment. Prior to joining TLA in 2014, Christine provided person-centered case management, job coaching, career counseling, placement, and retention services to adults with disabilities and histories of incarceration. Christine is committed to offering opportunities for gaining employment, learning, and community capacity building with the goal of enriching the lives of persons with autism and other disabilities.

Morgann Frazee is an Employment Specialist here at LAUNCH providing support to students and job seekers with successfully preparing for, obtaining, and maintaining employment. Morgann is a graduate of University of Central Florida with a Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies concentrating in Education, Behavioral/Social Sciences, and Communications. She holds an Autism Spectrum Disorder Graduate Certificate and is currently pursuing her Master of Arts in Autism Spectrum Disorder and Intellectual Disabilities at USF. Prior to working at LAUNCH, Morgann provided behavioral interventions to adolescents with ASD and has worked in business management.

Scott Fontechia is a University of South Florida alumnus, receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Master of Science degree in Applied Behavior Analysis. Scott works on LAUNCH’s employment services team as an Employment Specialist. He has provided services to the autistic community across a range of ages and settings since 2010. In addition to providing direct services to jobseekers, Scott also trains businesses and professionals on autism and other diversity topics, instructs our Robotic Process Automation (RPA) course, serves as an adviser to students in LAUNCH Academy, is a data junkie & published researcher, and is an invited speaker & presenter on autism-related topics.

Ari Barraco is an Instructor at LAUNCH and works with the Academy students to prepare them for employment and/or college. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Clinical Psychology in 2021 from the University of Central Florida with a focus in mental health, sociology, and human behavior. Prior to joining LAUNCH, she provided support services in the Orlando and Tampa areas to autistic children and adolescents, emphasizing skill-building in the domains of independence, communication, and emotional regulation. Passionate about advocating for the rights and choices of neurodivergent individuals and individuals with disabilities, Ari strives to create inclusive environments where all voices are heard, respected, and valued.

Allison is a LAUNCH Academy instructor. She holds a Bachelor's in Exceptional Student Education and Elementary Education, along with a Master's in Social Work. Prior to this role, Allison taught early childhood education through high school, including high school Exceptional Student Education (ESE), where she developed a strong foundation for creating inclusive learning environments that empower students to thrive.