The Patterns Team

One of the most rewarding aspects in our field is the capacity to match the right staff to fit our clients’ needs. At Patterns, our staff is strategically selected and developed with our clients, and their families, in mind. We passionately believe that our team inspires and supports behavioral change through evidence-based teaching methods. In addition to their expertise, the members of the Patterns’ team are personable, engaging, and wholeheartedly interested in doing all that they can to meet the needs of our clients and their families.


board of directors

Ihab Shahawi

Vivian Elshahawi 

Paul Burke

Wayne Mack


Ariana Lopez

Sr. Director of Administrative Services

Ariana Lopez earned a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from California State University, Dominguez Hills, in 2016 and has since worked in the behavioral health field and organizations that support individuals with developmental disabilities. 

Ariana joined the Patterns team in 2015 as a behavior therapist and transitioned into the operations team. Her 6 years of experience in the field has given her a unique perspective on how to build and optimize teams to better support our clinicians.  

She is passionate about helping families and improving children’s lives. As a part of the Patterns team, she is committed to ensuring quality service to clients and impacting as many lives as possible.


Elisha Avnes

Sr. Director of Organizational Development

Elisha is the Operations Specialist based in Orange County, CA. She will work closely with our operations team and leadership roles to facilitate a structured approach in implementing the exciting changes taking place throughout the organization and support a smooth operational workflow.

Elisha has earned her master’s degree in organizational psychology and joins us with extensive experience in early intervention, non-profit and social enterprise management. She cares deeply about cultivating a culture where every team member feels a sense of belonging, clarity in their role and empowered to show up to work and thrive.


Carolina Gallegos

Director of Human Resources

Carolina has cultivated a purpose to lead a life and a human resources (HR) career with integrity and honesty.

It all began with her fascination to understand human behavior. She earned her Bachelor’s in Psychology and became a Behavior Technician for several years. Inevitably, she fell in love with ABA and the transformational impact it has on the lives of individuals and their families; so continuing a career with a meaningful purpose was essential.

She then transitioned into the HR line of work to make a positive impact in the workplace and encourage fellow employees to find their purpose and thrive. She joined the Patterns HR team in 2018 and has remained dedicated to supporting a growing and complex workforce. As her passion for HR strengthened, she achieved the Professional in Human Resources (PHR) certification and is studying towards further professional certifications and development projects.

Serving others as an HR Director is her honor and a captivating journey filled with continuous challenges and triumphs that results in mutual prosperity.



Sumerly helper

Director of Finance Operations

Sumerly Helper started with the SAILS Group in August of 2020. She assumed the position of Operations Director for the In-Home and SLS Programs; previously she was the Director of Operations in the manufacturing and apparel field for over 15 years. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from University of California of Santa Cruz and is working to obtain her SHRM-CP Certification.

As Senior Director of Finance Operations of Patterns, she provides oversight and coordination among all key areas of the ABA Therapy, Supported Employment Services and Supported Living Services operational processes and support departments. When not working, Sumerly enjoys giving back to her community as a Board Member of the Irvine Child Development Center. She and her husband Daniel reside in Irvine with their 3 year old son Wade. Sumerly is always working on a DIY project and loves entertaining friends and family.


Lina Dancur

Director of Compliance

Lina Dancur has always been passionate about making this world a much better place to live, due to this she decided to study Psychology. She got her BA in Psychology with a minor on Mental Health. She is originally from Colombia and before moving to the USA 22 years ago, Lina worked with individuals who had substance dependence in a Rehab Center, and also worked in the National Administrative Department of Security as the Wellness Department Director. She was also the co-founder of 2 non-profit organizations that helped families in precarious conditions and homeless kids who lived on the streets.

In this country, Lina has worked with Developmentally Disabled children and adults for 20 years in Residential and Day Program settings. Her first contact with this population was at the SAILS Group, where she chose to start as a live-in staff to get a full immersion training and have a clear picture of how she could improve the quality of life of the children she was living with and to add value to the company through her work. At SAILS, she occupied different positions, including Compliance Director, allowing her to expand her knowledge on the administrative side of the business at a greater scale and being part of the team who expanded SAILS services from California to other states. Lina moved to Florida from California in 2021. When she is not working, she loves to spend time with her family and her furry baby exploring her new town and its vicinities. She also enjoys dancing and art in all its expressions.