Founder
Vladislava Tsolova
Vladislava Tsolova is the chairperson of the Autism Today Association and the director of the ABA Centers for Behavioral and Comprehensive Therapy “Autism Today” in Bulgaria. She is a financier and lawyer with over 15 years of experience in banking and is a PhD candidate in the doctoral program "Finance, Insurance, and Social Security" at the Department of Finance and Insurance.
She holds a Master’s degree in Human Resource Management, a Master’s degree in Psychology, and a Master’s degree in Educational Management.
Vladislava Tsolova has substantial organizational and managerial experience, including conducting campaigns and training, managing projects, and creating and developing childcare facilities. She has been a member of the Public Council to the Committee for Interaction with Civil Organizations in the National Assembly (since 2013). She is a member of the Bulgarian Business Leaders Forum, NASO, and the European Autism Europe, among others. As of March 18, 2023, she has been elected Chair of the National Patient Organization (NPO), an alliance of over 65 organizations in Bulgaria, and was re-elected at the annual general meeting in June 2023.
Vladislava Tsolova founded the ABA Centers for Behavioral and Comprehensive Therapy “Autism Today” in 2015, making Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) a reality in Bulgaria and fulfilling a long-standing dream for generations of parents of children with autism in Bulgaria.
She is also the initiator and creator of the Autism Today Association, an organization of parents, specialists, and public figures founded in 2014.
For eight years, Autism Today has dedicated every day to supporting, developing, and improving the lives of children with autism through professional educational assistance, care, and love. Autism Today is a symbol of high professional standards in working with children with autism, offering hope and support to parents, and providing high-quality services that ensure an independent and dignified life for children with autism in Bulgaria.
Currently, the association has four specialized centers for professional assistance (two in Sofia, one in Pleven, and one in Burgas) for children with autism, where more than 200 children monthly and over 1,000 children annually and their families receive the highest quality therapeutic support.
Vladislava Tsolova is also the founder of Montessori Kindergarten Planet Bulgaria, which aims to create a completely new and innovative educational institution in Pleven, operating according to the standards and requirements of the Ministry of Education, fully compliant with the educational plans and programs of the Ministry of Education, but using the principles and golden rules of Montessori pedagogy, so that in a playful, free, and completely innovative way, all children, including those with developmental issues, acquire life skills while meeting state educational requirements and gaining the necessary knowledge and skills for school readiness, for which they receive a certificate from the kindergarten, licensed with License from the Ministry of Education 269/2.07.2020.
Vladislava Tsolova was born in Pleven and graduated from Geo Milev Mathematical High School in Pleven. She is a financier and lawyer with over 15 years of experience in banking, a master’s degree in human resources, and a psychologist.
She is a PhD candidate in the doctoral program "Finance, Insurance, and Social Security" at the Department of Finance and Insurance and has significant organizational and managerial experience in organizing campaigns, training—professional, qualification, and certification, project management, and building and managing childcare facilities.
She is a specialist in crisis management and handling crisis situations.
- Member and active participant in the working group for drafting the Law on School and Preschool Education since 2010, appointed by the Minister of Education, which has been in effect since August 1, 2016.
- Member of the Public Council to the Committee for Interaction with Civil Organizations in the National Assembly since 2013.
- Member of the Bulgarian Business Leaders Forum since 2015.
- Member of Autism Europe since 2016.
- Member of the National Patient Organization since 2015.
- Alternate member of the Children's Treatment Fund since 2017.
- Member of NASO.
- Chair of the "Mental Health" section in the National Patient Organization since 2022.
- Chair of the National Patient Organization since April 2023.
Supervisor of Behavioral Therapists at the ABA Centers "Autism Today"
Dr. Diane Lynch Fraser Ed. D. BVBA-D
Dr. Diane Fraser, BCBA, is a Behavioral Therapist and Analyst, a member of the American Certifying Board of Behavioral Analysts (BCBA-Doctoral Board Certified Behavior Analyst-Doctoral).
She is the founder of the French School of Behavioral Therapy and has been the supervisor of the ABA Centers "Autism Today" since 2017.
Since 2010, she has been the creator of the French School of Behavioral Therapy.
Education: Ed. D. Columbia University 1989
Child Development and Special Education
Awards:
Who's Who in American Education 1994
Curriculum Product News
District Choice Award
Top 100 Products in Education
Master Occupational Therapist and Supervisor of ABA Centers "Autism Today"
Elica Velikova
Bachelor's Degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of Ruse "Angel Kanchev" in 2011.
Master's Degree in Community Occupational Therapy from the University of Ruse "Angel Kanchev" in 2014.
Professional Affiliations and Experience:
Member of the Executive Committee of the Council of Occupational Therapists for European Countries (COTEC) from 2015 to 2019.
Member of the Board of Directors of the Association of Bulgarian Occupational Therapists (ABOT) since 2012.
Worked as an occupational therapist at the Complex for Social Services for Children and Families in Ruse from March 2012 to March 2013.
Since April 2013, coordinator and occupational therapist at the Center for Occupational Therapy Services for Children and Families under ABOT.
Assistant in the Occupational Therapy specialty at the Faculty of Public Health and Health Care at the University of Ruse "Angel Kanchev" from 2016 to 2020.
Master Speech Therapist and Behavioral Therapist
Slavena Bakalova
My name is Slavena Bakalova, but the children know me simply as Avi.
Being a speech therapist is both my vocation and profession. I have worked at "Autism Today" in Sofia and the center in Burgas.
Today, I have the honor of being part of the team as a supervisor at the ABA Centers "Autism Today" in Bulgaria.
I graduated with great desire, ambition, and full distinction in Speech Therapy from Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski". I have had a private speech therapy practice since 2019. Through years of practice in various institutions and numerous trainings and seminars in which I have participated, I can say that my journey with the association was fundamental for my development as a person and therapist.
The combination of ABA and speech therapy methods has proven to be highly productive in working with children with autism and beyond. This combined approach shed light on many dark areas of therapy.
Today, I am the proud owner of "Avi's World" Ltd. and a supervisor in the constantly developing team of "Autism Today".
When you meet one child with autism, you have met one child with autism - a brief description of my work... diverse, curious, exploratory, endless, adventurous, artistic, seeking, finding, taking, but also giving a lot, inspiring.
Not a job, but a life that daily proves why I am here.
ABA Supervisor
Gennady Tsankov
My name is Genadi Tsankov and I am a speech therapist and supervisor - behavioral therapist at the "Autism Today" association.
I graduated in speech therapy from Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski".
I work and meet with children with different problems every day, but my goal is the same for all of them - achieving lasting results.
In my work, I use various game methods and tools to support children's development, because it has been proven that a child learns best while playing.
What distinguishes my work from that of other specialists is that I apply various methods of influence to support children's development, which are combined in a complex methodology. This allows for the construction of a comprehensive strategy for dealing with children's developmental problems and all its aspects.
For me, the most valuable thing is that I help children and their parents successfully cope with the challenges in the therapeutic process.
