Member Spotlight: Ivy Chung

Meet Ivy Chung

Founder & Executive Director of Sum of Learning, a CASP member organization

Biography

Ivy is the founder and executive director of Sum of Learning, an ABA agency based in Seattle, Washington.

Prior to founding Sum of Learning in 2013, she played a pivotal role as part of a pioneering team that established a behavioral health division within a national healthcare organization. During this time, Ivy gained valuable experiences in the administrative and billing aspects of running an ABA business, developed and implemented a comprehensive staff training program, and recognized the importance of mentorship within the profession. This ultimately led to the creation of Sum of Learning.

In 2016, she received her Ph.D. in special education from the University of Washington, where her research focused on evidence-based staff training, parent coaching, and instructional techniques that improved efficiency of instruction for learners with autism spectrum disorders.

Interview

Tell us about Sum of Learning. What are you most proud of?

Sum of Learning – ABA was founded in 2013 with a mission to mentor the next generation of
ABA practitioners. What I’m most proud of is our commitment to growing talent from
within—many of our BCBAs began their ABA journey with us and have continued to build their
careers here. Our high staff retention rate allows us to provide continuity of care for our clients,
which is incredibly valuable to the families we serve. Additionally, we have a robust, structured
practicum program for graduate students pursuing BCBA certification. We consider this our
“residency program,” where practicum students gain a truly comprehensive training experience.

What, in your opinion, is the single biggest challenge faced by autism service providers today?

Reimbursement rates. When I started in 2013, there was already a need for better funding, and
despite ongoing efforts to negotiate with payers, reimbursement rate increases have not kept pace
with inflation or the rising costs of labor. This gap presents a significant challenge for providers
striving to maintain high-quality services while ensuring fair compensation for staff.

What's the long-term plan for Sum of Learning?

For many years, our primary focus has been early intervention. However, as our clients grow and
transition into adulthood—and as more of our BCBAs develop expertise in adult services—we
are expanding our service model to better support autistic individuals throughout their lifespan.
Our goal is to provide a seamless continuum of care by offering more services tailored to adults.

As an autism service provider, what have you found to be the biggest benefit of CASP membership?

I love the community. The Special Interest Groups (SIGs) have been invaluable, providing a
space where practitioners across the country can seek support and share knowledge—whether it’s
a clinical, billing, or compliance-related question, there’s always a place to turn. I also appreciate
CASP’s advocacy efforts in autism and ABA, such as the recent release of the session note
resource, which has been incredibly beneficial for providers and practitioners alike.

When you're not working, what do you like to do for fun?

If you ask my 4-year-old, he’d say, “When Mommy isn’t working, she loves to clean!” And he’s
right—I genuinely enjoy cleaning and organizing! I also love traveling with my family. My
husband and I are fortunate to have flexible work schedules that allow us to take our son on trips
several times a year, creating wonderful memories together.