From Coaching to Clinical Research: How One UWF Graduate Found Her Calling in Applied Behavior Analysis
October 23, 2025 | Heather LeBlanc
When most people think about Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), they picture classrooms or clinical settings. Few imagine it shaping athletic performance or driving clinical research. For one University of West Florida ABA graduate, however, it became the bridge connecting all three worlds.
Dr. Jessi Truett, BCBA-D, began her journey on the track, where she worked as a pole vault and track coach. “I became fascinated by the process of shaping athletic performance,” she said. “I was constantly analyzing what strategies helped athletes improve—breaking down complex skills into teachable components, using reinforcement to build confidence, or adjusting environmental variables to support success. At the time, I didn’t know there was a science behind this kind of systematic teaching, but I was already practicing elements of behavior analysis without realizing it.” Once she discovered the field of ABA and how its principles extended beyond sports to education, behavioral health and clinical practice, she was determined to study it formally.
This led her to pursue her Master’s in Exceptional Student Education with Specialization in ABA at the UWF. Her first ABA course opened her eyes to the field’s versatility. “From day one, Dr. Dayna Beddick stressed the diverse application of ABA principles,” she said. “I was instantly hooked.” Under the mentorship of Dr. Beddick and Dr. Leasha Barry, she began to see how her natural instincts as a coach could be elevated through evidence-based practice. “The UWF ABA program gave me the scientific framework to apply ABA at a much higher level,” she explained. “It transformed the way I approached teaching, learning and problem-solving.”
Dr. Truett’s strong academic foundation at the Center for Behavior Analysis ignited her passion for research, leading her to pursue an Ed.D. in Instructional and Performance Technology at UWF. While working in the field, she designed and analyzed interventions for patients, building expertise in data-driven decision-making and single-case experimental designs. A pivotal moment came when she met Dr. Adam Anz at the Andrews Institute, initially as a patient in his clinical trial. Their conversations revealed how ABA principles could enhance medical research, from outcome measurement to patient care and treatment. Dr. Anz invited her to join the clinical research team, where she applied her training to protocol development, data integrity and patient interactions. The role expanded, and she began serving as Director of Research and Development at the Andrews Research & Education Foundation, working alongside world-renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews, Ashton Hayward and Dr. Steve Jordan.
“We used an amazing 6 degrees of freedom robot at Andrews for biomechanical testing on cadavers,” she said in reference to her work at Andrews. “I used ABA along with robotics to test different surgical interventions with donated cadaveric tissue. We have multiple manuscripts we are about to submit using the Kuka Robot for biomedical testing.”
Even as her career has evolved, Dr. Truett credits UWF’s program with shaping her approach. “ABA ensures we stay systematic, measurable and client-centered in everything we do,” she said. “The program not only gave me technical expertise but also instilled a way of thinking that I use every single day in clinical research.”
What she enjoys most, however, is watching others thrive through the same skill set. One of her most rewarding experiences has been mentoring former UWF ABA student Maggie Helton, who now leads a clinical trial investigating a biologic treatment for knee osteoarthritis. “Knowing that I played a small part in helping her reach that point is incredibly meaningful,” she said. “It’s a reminder of the ripple effect of strong education and mentorship.”
For students considering their next step, her advice is to think broadly about what ABA can do. “The core principles of ABA—data-driven decision-making, precise measurement, functional thinking, systematic intervention—are incredibly transferable,” she said. “My own journey took me from coaching to clinical research, and that happened because I stayed open to opportunities and had mentors who recognized how ABA could enhance sports medicine and research. Stay curious, build interdisciplinary relationships and look for problems ABA can help solve—even in places no one else is looking yet.”
For Dr. Jessi Truett, ABA is more than a discipline—it’s a framework for unlocking human potential. From the track to the classroom to the clinic, the foundation she built at UWF continues to guide her work and open doors. “Ultimately, what I enjoy most is bridging science and practice in meaningful ways,” she reflected. “Whether it’s designing trials that improve patient care or seeing students thrive in new spaces, ABA has given me the tools to make a lasting impact.”
Review Dr. Truett’s publications since working at Andrews Institute, many of which have additional UWF team members on the publication.
Jordan, S., Anz, A., Ostrander, R., Branch, E., Denney,T., Cohen,A., Truett, J. , Andrews. Augmenting an Allograft for ACL Reconstruction with a Collagen Matrix and BMAC Injection Appears Safe and Produces Favorable Clinical Outcomes at 2-year Follow Up. Arthroscopy, Sports Medicine, and Rehabilitation. 2025 June;101209. doi: 10.1016/j.asmr.2025.101209
Ostrander RV 3rd, Anz AW, Jordan SE, Truett, J., Andrews, J.R.. Retrospective Clinical Outcomes of Ulnar Collateral Ligament Reconstruction in the Setting of an Ossified Ulnar Collateral Ligament. Orthop J Sports Med.
Heimur J, Callanan M, Truett J, Cohen A, Basso M, Carssow N, Anz AW, Resizing and Reshaping ACL Stump Tissue Does Not Compromise Cell Viability and Infiltration into Patellar Tendon Grafts Does Not Compromise Tensile Properties, Arthroscopy, Sports Medicine, and Rehabilitation (2025), doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asmr.2025.101201.
Truett, J., Helton, M., Anz, A., Waller, G., Pagan-Rasado, R., Golden, M., Barry, L., Using a Task Analysis and TAGteaching to Increase Proficiency in Compliant Behavior During Cadaver Repackaging. Biomedical Journal of Scientific and Technical Research. Accepted 2025.
Ott, N., Truett, J., Golden, M., & Jordan, S.. Addressing the Decline of Telemedicine in Orthopedic Sports Medicine Practice: A Cross-sectional Survey of Patient and Physician Perspectives. Journal of Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine. Accepted 2025.
Helton M, Barry L, Anz A, Picardi TB, Colbrunn, G., Truett J,. A Behavior Analytic Approach to Increase Efficiency in a Cadaveric Skills Lab. J Clin Med Surgery. 2025; 5(1): 1184.
Truett, J., Kelley, S., Kersey, K., Golden, M., Barry, L. Comparison of Self-Image Versus Verbal Prompt During Acquisition of Bear Hold Placement. Biomedical Journal of Scientific and Technical Research. 2025. 60(2). DOI: 10.26717/BJSTR.2025.60.009427
Waller, G., Truett, J. Anz, A. Orthobiologic Use in Ligament Reconstruction and Repair. Clinics in Sports Medicine. Book Chapter. 2025. Clinics in Sports Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.csm.2024.12.008
Morris, A., Ostrander, R., Anz, A., Andrews, J., Truett, J., Jordan, S., (2024) Muscle Firing Patterns of the Upper Body and Trunk During the Lacrosse Shot: An Electromyographic and Kinematic Analysis. Biomedical Journal of Scientific and Technical Research. 2024
Day, L., Ott, N., Anz, A., Jordan, S., Truett, J., Ostrander, R. (2024) Elements of a Successful Sports Medicine Fellowship Match: A Cross-sectional Survey of Fellowship Applicant and Faculty Perspectives. Journal of Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine; 6(4):266-277. DOI: __ 10.26502/josm.511500173
Truett, J. (2024). A Quality Infrastructure to Support Clinical Research Professionals. [Doctoral Dissertation, University of West Florida]. Doctorate of Education. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global.
Abbasian, M, Branch, E, Parsa, A, Truett, J, Anz, A. (2024). Quantification of the Cellular Content of Platelet Rich Plasma Harvested After Injections of Filgrastim Versus Pegfilgrastim Biosimilars: A Prospective, Single-Center, Crossover Study. Journal of Cartilage & Joint Preservation, In Press.
Anz, A., Branch, E, Truett, J. et al. (2024) Cells Remain Viable When Collected With an In-Line-Suction Tissue Collector From Byproducts of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Surgery. Arthroscopy, Sports Medicine, and Rehabilitation, Volume 6, Issue 1, 100860
Branch, E., Cook, J., Cohen, A., Plummer, H., Emami, A., Truett, J., Anz, A. Platelet Rich Plasma is similar to Platelet Rich Plasma Plus Hyaluronic Acid for the Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis at 2 Years: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Cartilage & Joint Preservation. 18Mar2023.
