Twenty-two years ago, fresh out of Rowan University with a psychology degree, Amberly Caballero walked into a Northeast Philadelphia home for what she thought was a routine job interview. Today, she’s the founder and CEO of Elevated Kids, a pioneering Autism care company serving families across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, and Texas. Her journey from that sunlit room to building a comprehensive care model that celebrates neurodiversity reflects her deep commitment to honoring children exactly as they are while empowering families with the tools they need to thrive.

Amberly Caballero is a 2025 Philadelphia Family Women of Influence Award Winner

Philadelphia Family’s Women of Influence Awards celebrate exceptional women making significant impacts in our community. Amberly was nominated by her former patient’s Mom and colleague, Elizabeth Delaney Dridi, and selected based on her achievements and dedication to creating positive change in her community. Each Women of Influence Award Winner has committed to support Family Focus Media’s core values. Together, we are committed to foster a sense of belonging and empowerment for all for all families. All backgrounds, races, genders, and sexual orientations are welcome and safe with us.

Beyond the awards, our Women of Influence Luncheons and Speed Networking Night attendees come together as our Women of Influence Network, a community fostering connections, collaboration, and mutual support. 

A Foundation Built on Family

Amberly’s path to Autism care began long before that pivotal interview. Her brother received specialized services when he was younger, giving her early exposure to the world of therapeutic support from a family perspective. Her mother worked at St. John of God Community Services in South Jersey, and each summer, Amberly would volunteer alongside her, spending time with children and teens diagnosed with Down syndrome and cerebral palsy. Even outside of structured programs, she found herself drawn to caregiving, often babysitting and tutoring neighborhood kids.

“I knew I wanted to work with children, and I wanted to do something where I could give back and help others,” Amberly reflects. “I fell in love with psychology, understanding the human mind and human connection. How we connect with others and how relationships shape who we are, this has always been the heart of it for me.”  

That foundation of understanding human connection would prove essential when she found herself in that Northeast Philadelphia home in 2003, observing a session for the city’s new HEART program. The moment she describes still carries the wonder of that first encounter: sunshine streaming through a window, a little boy completely absorbed in bouncing a balloon, and her instinctive decision to kneel down and join him.

“The balloon drops as soon as the therapist says, ‘And he has a diagnosis of Autism,'” Amberly recalls. “I looked back at this beautiful little boy, picked up that balloon, and continued to bounce it in the air with him. I just knew. This is it. This is where I’m meant to be.”

Following the Fire

In those early days of Amberly’s career, Autism wasn’t discussed as openly as it is today. The prevailing model of therapy at that time involved 40 hours a week of adult-led and highly structured one-on-one programming at a table, often overlooking the importance of connection and play. But Amberly noticed something powerful happening in the in-between moments, the ones when children were told to “go play” while therapists prepared the next task. 

“Technically, I was supposed to be setting up the next program and calling my little guy back to the table,” she recalls. “But instead, I would go play too! And it was during these moments immersed in play, where I observed so much engagement, communication, language, laughter. We were building real connection and having so much fun. These were the moments that felt the most meaningful, and the most impactful.” 

During one memorable session, she was bouncing on a ball with a young client, singing their favorite silly songs and laughing together when she heard her supervisor coming down the stairs. Worried she’d be in trouble for “just playing,” she was instead met with validation that changed her perspective forever. 

“She said, ‘Oh my gosh, I don’t even need to be here. Whatever you’re doing, keep doing it,’ because he was making so much progress. And it was happening in those moments based in play, where I was meeting him right where he was.” That interaction was a revelation. The progress we were seeing wasn’t happening in spite of play, but because of it. Amberly walked away with a bold, enduring question: What if we could use play as a stage for learning, not a break from it?”  

Building Something New

That revelation set Amberly on a path of continuous learning. She completed her graduate degree in Applied Behavior Analysis at Temple University, took her board exam to become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, completed a post-baccalaureate pre-med program at Drexel University College of Medicine, earned certification in infant and early childhood mental health at Widener University, trained in Project ImPACT (an evidence-based NDBI and parent coaching curriculum), and trained in Autism diagnostic assessments at the Center for Autism Research. She even took the MCAT and applied to medical school, considering becoming a developmental-behavioral pediatrician.

But she kept coming back to the same realization: “Where would I send our kids after diagnosis? We needed to make sure they had the right approach to care first.”

Working in Philadelphia’s early intervention system, Amberly witnessed a powerful shift with children being diagnosed at increasingly younger ages. But that progress revealed a deeper gap: families were struggling not just with long wait times for diagnosis, sometimes 18 months or two years, but also with finding care that truly met their young children’s developmental needs. Traditional ABA approaches weren’t designed for the way very young brains learn and grow.

“Young children’s brains are not wired to sit at a table all day or to comply to the demands of adults all day,” she reflects. “Our kids need to move and groove, to play, to explore their environment. The approach to care needs to look different, and it wasn’t out there.”

That realization lit the spark that would become Elevated Kids. Leaving her secure role to start a company from the ground up wasn’t easy. As Amberly puts it, “Who am I to do this? I don’t know. But it needs to happen.”

The Power of Partnership

Amberly’s journey into entrepreneurship began with a leap of faith, and a deep reckoning with the self-doubt that often shadows women stepping into unfamiliar territory. “With a clinical background focused entirely on children and families, starting a business felt daunting,” she reflects. “I didn’t even know where to start. But I knew I had to trust the passion that brought me here.”

Her husband Marc, who holds a Master’s in Health Administration and brings expertise in hospital operations and process improvement, became a vital partner in the journey. “As women, we often carry the weight of thinking we need to figure it all out ourselves, that we have to know how to do everything,” Amberly shares. “How can we ask for help, especially when we’re so used to helping others?”

Marc eventually joined the company as Chief Operating Officer, while Amberly continued to lead as CEO. Together, this husband-and-wife team combined Marc’s business acumen with Amberly’s clinical vision to build not just a company, but a culture, one that honors the realities of working parents. “So many of us are working parents in this field, I wanted to reimagine what it means to have a fulfilling career while also being a mom, a wife, and a whole person outside of work,” she says.

Innovation Through Crisis

Just as Elevated Kids was finding its footing in 2019, the world changed overnight. With a care model built on in-home, family-focused services, the arrival of COVID-19 posed an existential threat to the future of the organization. For months, Amberly paid her team out of pocket while grappling with uncertainty and searching for solutions.

“I was racking my brain, crying, feeling for my team. I need to make sure I can keep them whole,” she remembers. Her research into telehealth led to a comprehensive proposal to insurance companies, complete with evidence showing virtual care could be just as effective as in-person services. 

“I thought we weren’t going to make it, that we were going under. I had all the doubts in the world that it wasn’t going to work,” she reflects. “But I knew I had to try.” When the approval came through, it not only saved the company, but it also revealed new possibilities for family support.

“Parents actually preferred it in many ways. They could be in their pajamas, have a glass of wine, and still learn new strategies. It was less stressful, and they could participate when kids were sleeping rather than discussing struggles in front of them.”

The Evalu8 Revolution 

Among Amberly’s proudest innovations is the creation of Elevated Kids’ groundbreaking diagnosis to care model called Evalu8 designed to remove barriers, eliminate long waitlists, and ensure that families receive timely, developmentally appropriate Autism care during the most critical window of a child’s life.

Across the country, families were facing the devastating reality of waiting 18 months to two years for an Autism diagnosis, only to then be placed on yet another waitlist for services. During that time, families were missing out on crucial early support and Amberly knew something had to change.

“We were watching families fall through the cracks, the system just couldn’t keep up,” she says. “I wanted to create a pathway where families could go from diagnosis to support, without the wait.”

She led the development of a hybrid diagnostic service model anchored by Elevated Kids’ licensed psychologist. With distinct specialization in early Autism diagnosis, the psychologist conducts evaluations via telehealth combined with on-the-ground diagnostic teams to work in close collaboration together, ensuring a fully integrated, multidisciplinary approach to care. The result is an innovative hybrid model that: 

• Provides high-quality evaluations within weeks rather than months, or even years, of waiting 
• Combines virtual reach with in-person expertise for a truly collaborative team approach
• Connects families to care immediately following diagnosis, closing the gap from early diagnosis to early start of care 

“We’re not just diagnosing, we’re walking with our families every step of the way, from that very first moment straight into support,” Amberly explains. “And we’re doing it in a way that’s accessible, affirming, and clinically excellent.” For Amberly, it represents not just an operational breakthrough, but a deeply personal mission fulfilled.

Growing with Purpose

Today, Elevated Kids serves families across four states, with expansion continuing to meet demand. The company’s growth from Amberly’s initial solo practice to a multi-state operation happened organically, driven by family referrals and partnerships with respected institutions like Penn Medicine’s Autism Clinic and CHOP.

The recent opening of Elevated Play, Elevated Kids’ center-based program in Fishtown, represents another innovation. Housed in the former Play Arts building, Elevated Play is a neurodiversity-affirming, play-filled program where children receive their ABA-NDBI services delivered in an intentional small group setting, designed for families who need alternatives to traditional preschool environments.

“We want to have more Elevated Play centers around the greater Philadelphia area so families in our other counties can participate,” she explains. Plans include locations on the Main Line and Bucks County, with the goal of preparing children for broader educational settings while building confidence and peer connections.

A Vision for Comprehensive Care

Looking ahead, Amberly envisions Elevated Kids as a comprehensive center where families can access pediatric medical care, diagnostic evaluations, speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and ABA-NDBI services all seamlessly integrated and all grounded in the mission of honoring families and celebrating each child exactly as they are. 

“Right now, families are running from one appointment to the next. They have speech in one place, OT across town, PT somewhere else,” she notes. “We want to take the stress out of that experience and bring everything together in one nurturing, coordinated environment. Our goal is to streamline early Autism care under one roof with practitioners who align with our mission and values.”

The Heart of Connection

Throughout Elevated Kids’ expansion, that original balloon remains in the company logo, a powerful symbol of where it all began. It’s a daily reminder of the heart behind the work, and the families who’ve shaped every step of the journey. One of those families is that of Elizabeth Delaney Dridi, who nominated Amberly for the Women of Influence award. Elizabeth witnessed this philosophy firsthand both as a parent and later as a colleague.

“I worked with her son when he was 3, and now he is all grown up and in college,” Amberly shares. “Beth ran up to me years later when we reconnected working in early intervention together and said, ‘Amberly, do you remember me?’ Of course I did.”

Their professional collaboration as supervisor and therapist, rooted in deep mutual respect and shared commitment to family-centered care, exemplifies the relationships that fuel Amberly’s work. “Beth’s insight as both a mother and therapist were invaluable to me. She became a trusted advocate and anchor. “When I was considering going to med school with two young children, Beth was in my corner rooting for me. When I had my doubts about starting the company- wondering who am I to do this?- she was always my advocate saying if anybody needs to do this, it has to be you.” Her unwavering belief in me lit the fire I needed to carry forward. And her heart, friendship, and support over the years has meant the world to me. 

Living the Mission

For Amberly, balancing company leadership with family life requires the same intentionality she brings to her clinical approach. “It’s definitely about trying to create that balance so I’m giving my family what they need as well, making sure they feel seen and supported, just like the families we serve. It’s not easy, but it’s everything,” she says, acknowledging the ongoing challenge many women face in caring for others while caring for themselves.

That same fire that drew her to Autism care still fuels every step forward at Elevated Kids. “We’re never going to be that company that just stays the same for 20 years,” she says. “We’re always asking: What do our kids need? How can we build that?”

Her message to other women entrepreneurs reflects hard-won wisdom: “Trust your fire, trust your passion that brought you here. Stay rooted in your purpose and don’t let that fire go. But start small and be super intentional. Focus on doing meaningful work exceptionally well before thinking about scaling. Let impact lead the way. When you build with purpose, growth follows.

From that first moment with a balloon and a three-year-old to building a multi-state company that’s changing how we think about Autism care, Amberly Caballero’s journey proves that sometimes the most profound professional impact comes from following your deepest sense of purpose, and having the courage to build something entirely new when existing systems fall short. At its heart, Elevated Kids continues to honor the principle that sparked everything: meeting children exactly where they are, celebrating their unique selves, and providing families with tools for success while building the meaningful connections that matter most.

Follow @elevated_kids on Instagram  |  Connect with Amberly Caballero on LinkedIn.

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