The Team

Claire Winchester, PhD, BCBA-D, LBA is an early childhood behavior coach, consultant, and researcher with a deep commitment to advancing inclusive, family-centered practices across early education settings. She earned her doctorate in Early Childhood Special Education from Vanderbilt University, where her research focused on adapting evidence-based behavior interventions for diverse families of young children with persistent challenging behaviors. Her work has been published in leading peer-reviewed journals and supported by major funding awards.

Claire is the founder and executive director of the Growth Early Childhood Research Institute and the owner of Growth Early Childhood Behavior Consulting and Coaching, through which she leads innovative coaching, consulting, and curriculum development efforts in homes, schools, and clinics across the United States and around the world. A respected speaker and author, she has presented at over 20 regional, national, and international conferences and served as a consultant to organizations including the Pyramid Model Consortium, Kommati Transdisciplinary Intervention Center, and SAUT: The Voice of Down Syndrome Society.

She specializes in practical, collaborative behavior support and is passionate about helping families and educators build strong, positive relationships with young children. Claire lives in the Roaring Fork Valley of Colorado with her husband and their dog, Waffles—an ideal setting for her love of the outdoors. Deeply committed to her community, she serves on the executive committee of the Rocky Mountain Early Childhood Council and collaborates locally with organizations such as the Swann Clinic for Behavioral Health, Focused Kids, and Kids First of Aspen to strengthen supports for children, families, and educators throughout the region.