Meet the Coaches: Melissa and Jennifer

You may recognize these two from our biweekly Coaches’ Corner broadcast or your Facebook study group. Either way, there’s probably a lot you don’t know about our (amazing) in-house coaches, Melissa Mendoza and Jennifer Kolb!

Let’s start with Jennifer.

Jennifer Kolb, LCSW

Jennifer has always had a passion for helping others. At a young age, this passion is what led her to setting a goal of becoming a therapist; a goal she has since achieved. Jennifer graduated with her Master’s degree in Social Work with a specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Louisville. She specializes in school-based psychotherapy with children and adolescents.

About four years ago, Jennifer made the move to Southern California from Louisville, Kentucky where she was born and raised. She is now a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in both states.

Jennifer prepared for and passed her national licensing exams on the first attempt. Through her work as an AATBS exam coach, Jennifer has helped thousands of exam candidates prepare for their licensing exams. She is also the lead content developer for the Social Work and MFT programs for AATBS.

When she is not equipping exam candidates for success, you might find her reading, hiking, watching college football and basketball, socializing with friends and family, or playing on a recreational softball team.

With Jennifer as your coach, you can expect a personal relationship. She enjoys getting to know the candidates she’s working with and loves hearing what led them to pursue licensure. Jennifer provides a unique perspective to her clients with her extensive experience in her field as well as her experience of moving across the country and transferring her license. If there’s one thing Jennifer could say to any exam candidate, it might be similar to what she would say to her past self: “Breathe. This exam does not define you, professionally or personally.”

Melissa Mendoza, BCBA

Born and raised in sunny Southern California, Melissa earned her Master's degree from California State University, Northridge with an emphasis in behavioral clinical psychology. The science of behavior analysis is what drew Melissa to the field. With so many ways to apply behavior analysis and so few who know about it, she wants to spread the word. She is a board-certified behavior analyst with over seven years of experience using principles of learning with various populations. Her background translates well in exam coaching.
Through her work as an AATBS exam coach, Melissa has helped hundreds of exam candidates succeed.

When Melissa is not setting exam candidates on the path to success, it’s likely you’ll find her out on a walk with her dog after a long day. If not there, you might find her playing video games or Dungeons and Dragons.

For Melissa, the best part of being an exam coach is watching her candidates become confident. Many people come into coaching nervous and frustrated about practice scores but, with her support, the exam becomes less daunting. She often encourages her candidates to look back at their initial assessment score and see how far they’ve come. She says, “That moment of looking back and comparing where you started to where you are now can be so meaningful.”

With Melissa as your coach, you can expect to learn how capable you are. You will also receive accountability and positive support. She is passionate about your success and will work hard to give you fair and objective recommendations based on your practice test scores while remaining supportive of you throughout the process.


Are you ready to pass your exam? With a coach, success is yours! Click here to learn more.