Renowned Behavior Analysis Expert Joins Fast-Growing Chicago Therapy Provider

Westside Children's Therapy appoints Sarah Trautman as Chief Clinical Officer

CHICAGO, Sept. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Westside Children's Therapy (Westside), a provider of applied behavior analysis (ABA) and pediatric therapy services with nearly three decades of experience throughout the Chicagoland region, today announced the appointment of Sarah Trautman, MA, MCBA as its Chief Clinical Officer. A veteran executive and certified behavior analyst since 2004, Trautman brings deep ABA expertise to the role.

"Our mission is to ensure that children and families across greater Chicago have access to high-quality care. That means not just producing life-changing medical outcomes, but also building a pipeline to meet the growing need for trained therapists," said Mark Cassidy, Westside's CEO. "Sarah's insight and expertise will accelerate our efforts to fulfill that mission, and we're thrilled to have her on the team."

Throughout her 25-plus year career, Trautman has focused on using the principles of ABA to treat children and adolescents with autism and other developmental disabilities. Prior to joining Westside Children's Therapy, she ran her own behavioral health company in the Bay Area for 15 years. Trautman has also previously served as president of the California Association for Behavior Analysis (CalABA) and was a founding Board Member of the Council of Autism Service Providers (CASP).

"When I took the Intro to Behavior Analysis class my sophomore year at Gonzaga University, I knew I had found my calling in life," said Trautman. "I have spent over 25 years supporting individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities using Applied Behavior Analysis. Joining a values-based, child-centered organization like Westside is an amazing opportunity. I am eager to broaden their impact on the greater Chicago area."

Trautman joins Westside against a backdrop of growing demand for pediatric clinicians, with the number of certified behavior analysts increasing nearly 60% between 2023 and 2024 and job growth for speech-language pathologists expected to far outpace the market. Thanks to a recent partnership with the impact firm Achieve Partners, Westside is meeting this need by expanding its unique training programs focused on helping more therapists earn behavioral analysis credentials — including its pathway program for Registered Behavior Technicians to earn their BCBA master's degree. By the end of 2026, Westside aims to double the income for at least 100 RBTs through BCBA attainment, and is also planning to expand its educational benefits initiatives to other therapy disciplines.

About Westside Children's Therapy
Westside Children's Therapy is a children's therapy provider offering physical, occupational, speech, applied behavior analysis (ABA), diagnostic, and counseling services. Westside has operated outpatient centers in the Chicagoland for more than 30 years and has become an award-winning employer for industry leading retention and employee engagement.

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SOURCE Westside Children's Therapy