Our Team
Meet Julia Saunders, BCBA LABA
Founder of NeuroNest Sitters LLC
Hi, I’m Julia, a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst and the founder of NeuroNest. I’ve been working in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) since 2011, supporting neurodivergent children and their families in home, school, and clinical settings. Over the years, I’ve served as a Teacher’s Assistant, Behavior Technician, Program Manager, and now a BCBA, certified since 2018.
Throughout my career, I’ve had the privilege of working with people of all ages, but my passion is in creating nurturing, individualized care that puts the child first. I specialize in Natural Environment Teaching (NET) and strongly support assent-based practices, where a child’s comfort, autonomy, and voice are always prioritized.
NeuroNest was also inspired by my experience as a mom. Parenting has deepened my understanding of what families truly need, not just skilled care, but care they can trust, provided by people who genuinely see and honor their child. That personal perspective fuels every part of this business and the standards I hold for the sitters who join our nest.
NeuroNest was founded on the belief that every child deserves care that’s not only effective but also compassionate, respectful, and tailored to their unique needs. I’m here to help families and caregivers build a safe, dependable network of sitters and helpers who genuinely understand neurodivergence and are trained to provide care with intention.
Here, we meet families where they are and walk alongside them.
Meet Meredith Herron
Vice President of Operations & Partnerships
Meredith serves as an Early Learning Coach with the Southwestern Child Development Commission. At NeuroNest, she plays a key role in shaping and supporting the systems that guide our work, helping ensure sitters, families, and community partners experience care that feels consistent, responsive, and human.
Her background as a Registered Behavior Technician gives her hands-on experience supporting neurodivergent children through respectful, strengths-based approaches that honor each child’s individuality. Meredith holds degrees in Birth–Kindergarten and Early Childhood Education and is currently pursuing her M.S. in Applied Behavior Analysis. She is passionate about building collaborative support networks where families feel understood, supported, and valued.
Meet the Sitters
At NeuroNest, we love celebrating the incredible people who care for our families. We’re highlighting a few of our sitters so you can get to know the warm, skilled, and compassionate caregivers who make this work so special. Each sitter brings their own strengths, experience, and heart to the Nest, and we’re excited for you to meet them.
✨ Meet Meleah ✨
Meleah brings a nurturing, steady, and deeply experienced presence to every family she supports. With a background in psychology, more than four years of RBT experience, and decades of lived experience as a mom to two autistic adult sons, Meleah approaches caregiving with empathy, skill, and genuine understanding.
Families describe her style as warm, calm, and reassuring. Even in challenging moments, she maintains a steady tone, uses de-escalation strategies, and helps kids feel safe by reminding them of their coping tools like deep breathing, grounding exercises, or taking a break. She is also generous with praise and encouragement, which helps children feel confident and understood.
Meleah is CPR and First Aid certified, and she is highly comfortable supporting children with different communication styles, sensory needs, and routines. She has experience using visual supports, AAC, and structured transitions with helpful advance reminders to make moving between activities smoother.
Her work has included counseling within her nonprofit ministry, supporting teens and younger children through Positive Behavior Supports and Access Family Services, and offering compassionate care to children with a wide range of needs.
When a child becomes overwhelmed, Meleah meets them where they are by sitting at their level, speaking gently, and helping them express what they need. Her blend of empathy and gentle structure helps children build trust quickly.
Meleah joined NeuroNest because she believes in providing families with thoughtful, comprehensive care and giving parents the chance to rest while their child is fully supported.
We’re grateful to have her in the Nest. 💛
✨ Meet Jillian ✨
Jillian brings over a decade of experience supporting children in childcare, educational, and therapeutic settings. She has worked as a nanny, a lead teacher for toddlers and preschoolers, and as a Registered Behavior Technician supporting neurodivergent children. Jillian is especially skilled at creating simple routines, adapting to individual needs, and keeping children engaged through play, crafts, and outdoor activities.
Jillian has extensive experience supporting autistic and neurodivergent children with communication, emotional regulation, transitions, and daily living skills. She approaches caregiving with patience, flexibility, and a strong commitment to meeting each child where they are. In moments of sensory overload or big emotions, Jillian stays calm and grounded, modeling regulation and offering reassurance, preferred items, or sensory tools when helpful.
Families often describe Jillian’s caregiving style as fun, intuitive, and deeply compassionate. She prioritizes building meaningful relationships with children, honoring their autonomy, and providing support that feels safe, respectful, and responsive. Jillian is comfortable following family routines, using visual schedules or AAC, and collaborating closely with caregivers to ensure consistency and trust.
Jillian is CPR and First Aid certified and is excited to blend her in-home caregiving experience with her ABA background to support neurodivergent children in a warm, affirming way.
We’re lucky to have her in our Nest. 💛
✨ Meet Rebecca ✨
Rebecca brings a calm, patient, and deeply respectful presence to every child she supports. With a background in early childhood education, a Bachelor’s in Social Work, and experience as a behavioral therapist and RBT, she blends professional training with a natural ability to connect with kids of all communication styles.
Rebecca has years of experience supporting neurodivergent children in both clinical and classroom settings. She previously worked as a teacher’s assistant in a special abilities classroom where more than half of the children were neurodivergent. She now supports children as a behavioral therapist, using affirming, developmentally supportive practices every day.
Families appreciate her patient and adaptable caregiving style. She uses grounding activities, breath work, deep pressure input, heavy work, and emotional identification to help children feel calm and safe. Rebecca believes in speaking to children with the same respect she offers adults, giving them autonomy, clear information, and opportunities to express their needs in meaningful ways. She advocates for kids with compassion and thoughtfulness, aiming to help them feel understood and supported.
When a child becomes overwhelmed, Rebecca narrates what is happening, offers space when needed, provides sensory input, and co-regulates until the child feels steady again. After the moment passes, she revisits the experience gently to ensure the child feels cared for and heard.
Rebecca is CPR and First Aid certified, comfortable with visual schedules and AAC, and highly experienced in following family-specific routines. She values open communication with caregivers and holds herself accountable for reflecting on her own role in each interaction to support ongoing growth.
Her passion for this work shines through in every response in her application. Working with children brings her joy, and her goal is to support every “beautiful color of the brain rainbow.” She is excited to be part of NeuroNest, a community that offers safe, loving care to families who need it.
We are truly excited to welcome Rebecca to the Nest. 💛