Hello CLMers and Colleagues,
February marks a year since Vicci Tucci’s passing. We, her friends and colleagues, will take this month to gather and publish stories about Vicci and her living legacy, The Competent Learner Model. Please enjoy the third of these stories from Christina Lovaas, Chief Behavioral Officer/Clinical Director at Tucci Learning Solutions.
Please send your contributions and photos, short or long, large or small to stories@
In 2001, I was a young teacher eager and utterly unprepared for the complexities of my new classroom. My students were diverse learners on the autism spectrum with unique challenges and strengths. Some were more impacted and required intensive support, while others were beginning their mainstreaming journey. Balancing their needs felt impossible, and often, I struggled with the next steps.
An incident involving a student and a pair of headphones resulted in my injury and highlighted the inadequacy of previous support. Enter Vicci. She was a breath of fresh air. Unlike the consultants who had offered superficial solutions, Vicci provided real, practical guidance. She became my mentor, helping me understand the ‘why’ behind the strategies and offering consistent support.
Over the remaining months, she transformed my classroom. Organization replaced disorder. Clear expectations empowered students and staff alike. The result was nothing short of magic. Where I once feared stepping away, I now had a functioning, independent learning environment. My students thrived. Their parents noticed. And I realized—I wasn’t done learning.
But just as I was finding my stride, the district decided I had learned enough. Vicci was no longer allowed to return. That answer wasn’t good enough for me. I resigned, called Vicci, and asked if she would hire me. She said yes.
That fall, we returned to the school district—not as teacher and consultant, but as a team. The parents, having seen the impact of our work, demanded more. This time, I was the coordinator, guiding a new teacher in implementing the very systems that had once saved my own classroom. It was a full-circle moment, and I knew then that I needed to deepen my knowledge.
Instead of continuing my teaching credential, I pivoted to a Master’s in Behavior Analysis. My journey took me to San Jose, where I became the regional coordinator, helping to stabilize and grow a struggling program. Over the years, I refined my skills, earned my BCBA certification, and expanded my reach. I supported teams, implemented systems, and helped bring consistency to behavioral programs across regions.
In 2020, my role shifted once more. By then, I was no longer just a regional coordinator—I became a company-wide leader, working alongside Kristen and Rae-Ann to create systems that could support behavior analysts across multiple locations. Vicci, ever the visionary, gave me the freedom to shape my role. I chose my title—Chief Behavioral Officer—and dedicated myself to ensuring that every BCBA in the company had the tools, structure, and guidance they needed to succeed.
Looking back, I see my journey as one of transformation—of my students, my classrooms, my colleagues, and ultimately, myself. What began as a chaotic struggle in a single classroom became a lifelong mission to bring structure, support, and meaningful change to the world of behavioral education. And through it all, the lesson remains the same: with the right systems, the right mentorship, and the right mindset, anything is possible.
With heartfelt gratitude, we celebrate the retirement of Michele Saleh, Tucci Learning Solutions’ Early Start Program Coordinator and an extraordinary leader whose influence has shaped countless lives. Although Michele officially
