Sudden Passing of Founder and President Dr. Jose Martinez-Diaz
MELBOURNE, Florida, [October 13, 2020] – ABA Technologies, Inc. is saddened to announce today that the Founder and President, Dr. Jose Martinez-Diaz, BCBA-D died on Monday, September 21, 2020.
It is with profound sadness that we share the loss of our beloved founder, mentor, colleague, and friend Dr. Jose Martinez-Diaz. He died from complications related to an ongoing battle with diabetes. Through his extraordinary dedication to teaching and disseminating the science and application of behavior analysis—always with a deep sense of humanity and respect for others’ dignity—he touched the lives of thousands of individuals across the globe. He is dearly missed.
In the early 1990s, Dr. Martinez-Diaz worked closely with Dr. Gerald Shook to help create a formal behavior analysis certification credential for the State of Florida, which later grew into the national organization we know today as the Behavior Analysis Certification Board (BACB). In 1998, Dr. Martinez-Diaz founded ABA Technologies Inc. to provide both clinical and educational services based in the science of behavior analysis. Dr. Martinez-Diaz was the driving force behind creating the graduate program in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) at Florida Tech, which accepted its first students in 1998. In 2006 he began Florida Tech’s ABA Online program, providing much of the original content for the five-course sequence designed to meet course content requirements of the governing board that oversees and approves those who are allowed to provide clinical services as regulated by each state. This course sequence continues to generate high pass rates on the national exam. With the support of Florida Tech, Dr. Martinez-Diaz established an independent School of Behavioral Analysis (SOBA) within the College of Psychology and Liberal Arts, providing students both educational and practicum opportunities across a variety of ABA-based educational programs. SOBA offers undergraduate, masters, and Ph.D. degrees in behavior analysis. He served as head of SOBA until December 2018.
Over the last 20 years, Dr. Martinez-Diaz partnered with Florida Tech to offer course content that meet the requirements for certification programs and continuing education through his private company, ABA Technologies, Inc. The employees of ABA Technologies, Inc. create numerous certificate programs and six ABA degree programs, contributing to the university-based ABA Master of Science and Ph.D. degree program. The Orlando-based master’s program is a hybrid campus-online program, with specialties in organizational behavior management. Recently, ABA Technologies, Inc., was awarded the right to offer a completely online Master of Arts in Applied Behavior Analysis. The first enrollees entered the program in August 2020. In 2013 he was named associate dean at the College of Psychology and Liberal Arts. In 2019, he received the title of Distinguished Professor.
Dr. Martinez-Diaz also helped to found Florida Tech’s Scott Center for Autism Treatment and Research. Although this beloved teacher and innovator is no longer with us, ABA Technologies Inc. remains dedicated to fulfilling his vision of bringing all the benefits of behavioral science to those in need across the world.
Dr. Martinez-Diaz is survived by his wife Danette Onstott, oldest son Brandon and daughter-in-law Chanae, second son Joshua and daughter-in-law Bria, and youngest son, John Michael.
About ABA Technologies, Inc.
Headquartered in Melbourne, Florida, ABA Technologies, Inc., we are pioneers in instructional technology and curriculum development. We specialize in the dissemination of the science and applications of behavior analysis through online learning. We are experts in online professional education and continuing education for practitioners of behavior analysis. Our BACB continuing education offerings address areas of clinical practice, conceptual work, behavior-business, and more. We offer CEs relevant to educators, psychologists, allied health providers, counselors, and business leaders. We create courses for parents and others who desire to understand treatment and application issues for those on the autism spectrum. We continue to expand our reach outside the field, wherever courses grounded in the science and practice of behavior analysis can improve individuals’ lives.
Improving lives through the science of behavior.
