Building Autism Services in Kenya and Tanzania: Dr. Pooja Panesar on Leadership, Inclusion, and Behaviour Analysis
Behaviour Speak with Ben ReimanShow Notes
In this inspiring episode of Behaviour Speak, Ben welcomes Dr. Pooja Panesar, behaviour analyst, Doctor of Behavioural Health, entrepreneur, educator, and founder of Kaizora Centre for Neurodevelopmental Therapies. Born and raised in Kenya, educated in Canada, and driven by a passion for helping children and families, Dr. Panesar shares her remarkable journey from working with a single child in a small room furnished with only a table and two chairs to building leading autism and neurodevelopmental services across Kenya and Tanzania. The conversation explores the evolution of autism services in East Africa, overcoming stigma, building professional capacity, integrating cultural humility with evidence-based practice, and creating interdisciplinary systems of care. Dr. Panesar also reflects on leadership, resilience, parenting, and her vision for the future of autism services across the continent. This episode offers powerful lessons for behaviour analysts, educators, healthcare professionals, parents, and anyone interested in creating meaningful systems change. Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ycA180S1EgE
Continuing Education Credits (https://www.cbiconsultants.com/shop) BACB: 1.0 EthicsIBAO: 1.0 CulturalQABA: 1.0 GeneralCBA/CPD: 1.0 Cultural Diversity Follow us! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behaviourspeak/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/behaviourspeak TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@behaviorspeak
Links Dr. Pooja Panesar https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-pooja-panesar-31161872/ https://www.instagram.com/pooja_panesar/ Kaizora Centre for Neurodevelopmental Therapies https://www.kaizora.com/ Autism Awareness Africa https://www.facebook.com/groups/128237587206355/
Global Autism Project
https://www.globalautismproject.org/ QABA Credentialing https://qababoard.com/
Cummings Graduate Institute https://cgi.edu/
Related Behaviour Speak Episodes If you enjoyed this conversation with Dr. Pooja Panesar and would like to learn more about the growth of behaviour analysis, autism services, and systems change across Africa, we encourage you to explore several related Behaviour Speak episodes. These include: From Sudan to Systems Change: Two Sisters Using Behavioural Science to Transform Community Health, featuring two sisters applying behavioural science to improve community health outcomes The Somali Behaviour Analysis Association with Ikram Buralle, Rahma Farah, Suaad Jama, and Nasteya Mahamoud Culturally Responsive Screening Tools for Autism and/or Intellectual Disabilities in Nigeria with Dr. Eziafakaku Nwokolo Behaviour Analysis in Ghana and Nigeria with Josephine Akure and Joy Oviojie Behaviour Analysis in Botswana with Maleshwane Mauco; and Behaviour Analysis in Senegal with Adair Cardon. Together, these conversations showcase the remarkable leadership, innovation, and commitment of professionals working to expand access to behavioural and developmental services across the African continent.
More from Behaviour Speak with Ben Reiman
What happens when psychology is viewed through the lens of Indigenous knowledge, community, language, and lived experience? In this episode, Ben welcomes Dr. Vicky Lomay, a Navajo (Diné) clinical psychologist, assessment specialist, educator, and leader in Indigenous psychology. Dr. Lomay shares her journey from engineering student to psychologist and reflects on how growing up in a bilingual Navajo household shaped her understanding of healing, wellness, and human behaviour. The conversation explores the intersections between Indigenous knowledge systems and Western psychology, including cultural impacts on assessment, diagnosis, trauma treatment, and mental health care. Dr. Lomay discusses why many traditional Indigenous healing approaches represent generations of what she calls "practice-based evidence," long before Western psychology developed similar concepts and terminology. Ben and Dr. Lomay also discuss the challenges of psychological assessment in Indigenous communities, the risks of cultural misinterpretation during evaluation, and the importance of understanding language, history, ceremony, and context when working with Indigenous clients. The episode concludes with a discussion about leadership, mentorship, and the future of Indigenous psychology through organizations such as the Society of Indian Psychologists and the American Psychological Association's American Indian and Alaska Native Section. Watch the video! https://youtu.be/3K-L9uVa6gs Connect with Dr. Vicky Lomay Tsinajini Psychology Services https://tsinajinipsych.com/ LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/vicky-t-lomay-phd-5320626/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/tsinajini_psychology
What can studying perspective taking tell us about relationships, dating violence, and the experiences of neurodivergent people?
Dr. Don Togade came to behaviour analysis through a deeply personal journey, one that began with trying to better understand himself.
In this powerful and deeply personal conversation, Ben Reiman sits down with Indigenous educator, consultant, speaker, and entrepreneur Len Pierre. Grounding the discussion in his Coast Salish identity and his roots in Katzie First Nation, Len shares his journey of cultural reclamation, receiving his ancestral name, and learning to navigate both Indigenous and colonial worlds.
What happens when community, culture, behavioural science, and public health intersect?