S3 E4: Leading Beyond the Individual | Designing Systems That Create Meaningful Change

In this episode, Dr. Esther Bubb sits down with school-based behavior analyst and clinical leader Kelleen Corrigan to explore what it means to lead beyond direct service. From her roots in a service-oriented family to her work in clinical research at Drexel University and tiered school systems, Kelleen shares actionable insights on behavioral leadership, building alignment across multidisciplinary teams, and designing sustainable environments. Tune in to discover how to move from reactive behavior management to proactive system design, foster staff development through compassionate coaching, and lead with both precision and empathy. In This Episode, You'll Learn: Why lasting behavior change begins with designing better systems—not fixing people. How leaders can shift from reactive problem-solving to proactive environmental design. Practical strategies for aligning educators, clinicians, administrators, and families around shared goals. How to translate behavior analytic principles into language that builds collaboration across disciplines. Ways reinforcement, coaching, and performance feedback strengthen confidence and leadership capacity. Why ethical leadership requires courage, transparency, and accountability beyond simple compliance. How small, coordinated wins build momentum for large-scale organizational change. Why relationships remain one of the most powerful behavior change technologies available to leaders. Memorable Quote "I don't aim for perfect agreement. I aim for coordinated action." — Kelleen Corrigan About Our Guest Kelleen Corrigan, MS, BCBA, NJ-LBA Kelleen is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and New Jersey–Licensed Behavior Analyst with over a decade of experience providing evidence-based behavioral assessment, intervention, and consultation across clinical, educational, and research settings. She currently serves as a behavior analyst in a New Jersey school district, where she delivers consultation services, collaborates with multidisciplinary teams, and partners with district leadership to support and strengthen tiered systems of behavioral support. Kelleen also provides parent coaching and guidance to families within her local community. Her professional background includes leadership roles in both educational and behavioral healthcare organizations, where she has provided training, supervision, and mentorship to aspiring BCBAs, RBTs, and paraeducators. Earlier in her career, Kelleen worked at Drexel University’s A.J. Drexel Autism Institute, contributing to multiple federally funded research initiatives focused on early intervention, treatment matching, and social communication outcomes for individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Committed to advancing high-quality care and professional development in the field, Kelleen has presented at professional conferences and contributed to peer-reviewed research on behavioral and developmental interventions. She is passionate about translating research into practical, sustainable strategies that meaningfully improve outcomes for individuals, families, and schools. Connect  If you're passionate about leadership, behavior science, education, and creating cultures where people flourish, you're in the right place. Because leadership isn't about changing people—it's about creating the conditions where people discover what's possible. Subscribe to Behaviorally Speaking: Leadership for Change-Makers for conversations that bridge behavior analysis, leadership, education, and organizational change. If you enjoyed this episode: ⭐ Follow the podcast ⭐ Leave a rating and review ⭐ Share this episode with a colleague, supervisor, educator, or fellow leader ⭐ Visit Esther C. Bubb ABA Services for additional leadership resources, training, and professional development opportunities 🌐 Esther C Bubb ABA Services: https://esthercbubbabaservices.com 📝 Behaviorally Speaking Blog: https://esthercbubbabaservices.com/blog Leadership is behavior. And behavior always tells a story.