Easterseals Southern California’s (ESSC) Chief Clinical Officer Dr. Paula Pompa-Craven and Autism Services Vice President of Clinical Training and Quality Alyssa Kavner were recently recognized as Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) Visionaries by the L.A. Times B2B DEIA Magazine.
Both Paula and Alyssa were featured in the 2023 DEIA Magazine for their many achievements and DEIA efforts. These include their leadership with Easterseals initiatives like RISE (Respect, Inclusion, Self-Aware, Equity), IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Access) and Associate Affinity Groups, which allow employees safe spaces to express themselves.
Alyssa also served as a panelist at the Times’ DEIA Forum event in October, sharing her experiences on the topic of accessibility and its positive impact on employees and business performance.
Alyssa Kavner, Autism Services VP of Clinical Training and Quality
Alyssa Kavner, MA, BCBA, serves as the vice president of clinical training and quality at Easterseals Southern California. She oversees the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA) department, working diligently to reduce disparities in consumer access, diversity within the autism services workforce and barriers to service access. Kavner is an active member of RISE’s internal “Rise, Inclusion, Self-Aware and Equity” workgroup that helps ensure the prioritization of DEIA by fostering an inclusive workplace culture and business practices. The team recently helped develop an Autism Therapy Services Advisory Board, designed to help ensure current autism therapy services practices are consistent with the needs of the communities served. Kavner promotes diversity through Spanish-language training, accommodating diverse learning styles and ensuring affirming language on intake forms. Her dedication extends to launching mentorship programs for LGBTQIA+ individuals and BIPOC professionals.
Dr. Paula Pompa-Craven, Chief Clinical Officer
Dr. Paula Pompa-Craven is a highly respected licensed clinical psychologist specializing in autism and developmental disabilities assessment. With a career spanning over two decades at Easterseals Southern California (ESSC), she currently serves as vice president and chief clinical officer of ESSC’s Autism Therapy Services.
Her extensive experience includes overseeing a dedicated team of 1,400 professionals providing essential therapy services to over 11,000 individuals with autism and their families annually. Dr. Pompa-Craven is a firm believer in the significance of early diagnosis and intervention for individuals with autism, striving to enhance learning opportunities and developmental milestones. Her commitment extends beyond clinical work as she shares her expertise through conference presentations, research publications and social media outreach. As an advocate for diversity, equity, inclusion and access (DEIA) in autism services, she also founded Easterseals Southern California’s Inclusion Diversity, Equity and Access (IDEA) team.
Last year, Easterseals Chief Operating Officer Dr. Beverlyn Mendez was also honored as a visionary, underscoring ESSC’s ongoing recognition as a DEIA leader in Southern California.
Take a look at the LA Times B2B DEIA Magazine to see Alyssa and Paula’s features. Paula’s profile is on page 54 and Alyssa’s can be found on page 48 of the publication.
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