Director of Public Relations
ABA Centers of America, Fort Lauderdale, FL, United States
Director of Public Relations – ABA Centers of America (Corporate HQ)
Downtown Fort Lauderdale, FL – In‑Office
About the Company We are the nation's fastest‑growing provider of autism care, delivering high‑quality Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy across a rapidly expanding footprint. Since our founding in 2020, we've scaled from a single clinic to nearly 70 operating areas in more than a dozen states, supported by a high‑performance corporate infrastructure and data‑driven decision‑making.
Recognized as the #5 fastest‑growing private company in America by Inc. magazine, ABA Centers of America is a self‑funded, founder‑led organization—a rarity in today’s healthcare landscape. We've achieved this growth without private equity, relying instead on operational discipline, smart capital allocation, and a relentless focus on outcomes.
Our corporate team plays a mission‑critical role in this success—developing scalable systems, managing risk, and driving the analytics that power our growth. If you’re a strategic thinker who thrives in a fast‑paced, purpose‑driven environment, we offer a unique opportunity to help shape the future of autism care while building on a legacy of operational excellence.
Recognition & Awards
Inc. 5000 – 5th fastest‑growing private company in America
Financial Times – #1 on “The Americas’ Fastest Growing Companies”
EY Entrepreneur Of The Year® U.S. Overall
South Florida Business Journal’s Top 100 Companies
Florida Trend Magazine’s 500 most influential business leaders
Inc. Best in Business, Health Services
About the Role ABA Centers is seeking a strategic, mission‑driven Director of Public Relations to lead and elevate the organization’s national visibility, reputation, and thought leadership. This role will drive proactive media strategy, position the company as a leading voice in healthcare, and improve its online reputation. The ideal candidate is both a strategist and a hands‑on communicator who thrives in a high‑growth environment and is passionate about expanding awareness, access, and understanding of autism services.
Key Responsibilities Media Relations
Develop and implement comprehensive public relations strategies to enhance the company’s brand awareness and reputation, aligned with business growth priorities
Position the organization and its executives as thought leaders in autism care, healthcare access, behavioral health, business, and finance
Secure “best in business” awards and list placements in top‑tier business publications such as Forbes, Fortune, Bloomberg Businessweek, Financial Times, Inc., Entrepreneur, and Fast Company
Identify and capitalize on proactive media opportunities tied to special interest months, research, community impact, company milestones, client success stories, and clinic‑based events
Collaborate with regional teams to generate local media coverage in key growth markets
Partner with executive leadership to shape messaging that supports growth, recruitment, and market expansion
Build and maintain strong relationships with both national and regional media contacts in relevant beats
Draft and distribute press releases, media pitches, op‑eds, and executive commentary
Secure high‑impact earned media placements throughout broadcast, print, digital, and podcast platforms
Prepare executives for media interviews, including talking points, briefing materials, and media training
Support events, conferences, and workshops to represent ABA Centers and engage with the autism community
Manage crisis communications planning and response
Monitor media coverage, industry trends, and public sentiment
Track and report PR performance metrics, including media reach, share of voice, sentiment, and business impact
Manage PR tools, media databases, and agency relationships
Executive Communications
Maintain LinkedIn profiles of the company’s Chairman and CEO
Assist in coordinating details of public appearances
Draft speeches as needed
Online Reputation Management (maintain online presence across Google, Indeed, Glassdoor)
Develop and implement a comprehensive online reputation strategy aligned with brand, growth, and recruitment goals
Respond promptly and professionally to reviews, maintaining HIPAA compliance and brand voice standards
Partner with clinical, operations, HR, and recruiting teams to address concerns raised in reviews and identify opportunities for systemic improvement
Identify recurring themes in feedback and translate insights into actionable recommendations for operations, patient experience, and employee experience improvements
Establish protocols for escalating sensitive, negative, or high‑risk feedback to appropriate internal stakeholders
Proactively increase positive reviews by implementing employee feedback campaigns
Track and analyze reputation metrics (ratings, sentiment, response times, review volume, and trends) and provide regular reporting to leadership
Support employer brand reputation by collaborating with Talent Acquisition and HR to strengthen ratings and messaging on career platforms
Requirements Education, Work Experience, and Other Requirements
10+ years of experience in public relations, corporate communications, or media relations
Strong understanding of media landscape and experience in building relationships with key media contacts
Proven success securing national and regional earned media coverage
Experience developing and executing strategic PR plans in a high‑growth organization
Exceptional writing, editing, and storytelling skills with the ability to tailor messages for diverse audiences
Experience supporting executive communications and media training
Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and work effectively in a fast‑paced environment
Bachelor’s degree in public relations, communications, journalism, or related field
Preferred
Experience in healthcare, behavioral health, autism services, or multi‑site healthcare organizations
Business/finance PR experience to be better equipped to tell our stratospheric de novo growth story
Agency management experience
Bi‑lingual in Spanish
Key Competencies
Strategic thinker with strong business acumen
Proactive, resourceful, and results‑oriented
Excellent relationship builder with media and internal stakeholders
High emotional intelligence and mission alignment
Ability to translate complex clinical topics into clear, compelling stories
Benefits
21 paid days off (15 days of PTO, which increases with tenure, plus 6 holidays)
Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and Health Savings Account (HSA) options
Medical, dental, vision, long‑term disability, and life insurance
Generous 401(k) with up to 6% employer match
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About the Company We are the nation's fastest‑growing provider of autism care, delivering high‑quality Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy across a rapidly expanding footprint. Since our founding in 2020, we've scaled from a single clinic to nearly 70 operating areas in more than a dozen states, supported by a high‑performance corporate infrastructure and data‑driven decision‑making.
Recognized as the #5 fastest‑growing private company in America by Inc. magazine, ABA Centers of America is a self‑funded, founder‑led organization—a rarity in today’s healthcare landscape. We've achieved this growth without private equity, relying instead on operational discipline, smart capital allocation, and a relentless focus on outcomes.
Our corporate team plays a mission‑critical role in this success—developing scalable systems, managing risk, and driving the analytics that power our growth. If you’re a strategic thinker who thrives in a fast‑paced, purpose‑driven environment, we offer a unique opportunity to help shape the future of autism care while building on a legacy of operational excellence.
Recognition & Awards
Inc. 5000 – 5th fastest‑growing private company in America
Financial Times – #1 on “The Americas’ Fastest Growing Companies”
EY Entrepreneur Of The Year® U.S. Overall
South Florida Business Journal’s Top 100 Companies
Florida Trend Magazine’s 500 most influential business leaders
Inc. Best in Business, Health Services
About the Role ABA Centers is seeking a strategic, mission‑driven Director of Public Relations to lead and elevate the organization’s national visibility, reputation, and thought leadership. This role will drive proactive media strategy, position the company as a leading voice in healthcare, and improve its online reputation. The ideal candidate is both a strategist and a hands‑on communicator who thrives in a high‑growth environment and is passionate about expanding awareness, access, and understanding of autism services.
Key Responsibilities Media Relations
Develop and implement comprehensive public relations strategies to enhance the company’s brand awareness and reputation, aligned with business growth priorities
Position the organization and its executives as thought leaders in autism care, healthcare access, behavioral health, business, and finance
Secure “best in business” awards and list placements in top‑tier business publications such as Forbes, Fortune, Bloomberg Businessweek, Financial Times, Inc., Entrepreneur, and Fast Company
Identify and capitalize on proactive media opportunities tied to special interest months, research, community impact, company milestones, client success stories, and clinic‑based events
Collaborate with regional teams to generate local media coverage in key growth markets
Partner with executive leadership to shape messaging that supports growth, recruitment, and market expansion
Build and maintain strong relationships with both national and regional media contacts in relevant beats
Draft and distribute press releases, media pitches, op‑eds, and executive commentary
Secure high‑impact earned media placements throughout broadcast, print, digital, and podcast platforms
Prepare executives for media interviews, including talking points, briefing materials, and media training
Support events, conferences, and workshops to represent ABA Centers and engage with the autism community
Manage crisis communications planning and response
Monitor media coverage, industry trends, and public sentiment
Track and report PR performance metrics, including media reach, share of voice, sentiment, and business impact
Manage PR tools, media databases, and agency relationships
Executive Communications
Maintain LinkedIn profiles of the company’s Chairman and CEO
Assist in coordinating details of public appearances
Draft speeches as needed
Online Reputation Management (maintain online presence across Google, Indeed, Glassdoor)
Develop and implement a comprehensive online reputation strategy aligned with brand, growth, and recruitment goals
Respond promptly and professionally to reviews, maintaining HIPAA compliance and brand voice standards
Partner with clinical, operations, HR, and recruiting teams to address concerns raised in reviews and identify opportunities for systemic improvement
Identify recurring themes in feedback and translate insights into actionable recommendations for operations, patient experience, and employee experience improvements
Establish protocols for escalating sensitive, negative, or high‑risk feedback to appropriate internal stakeholders
Proactively increase positive reviews by implementing employee feedback campaigns
Track and analyze reputation metrics (ratings, sentiment, response times, review volume, and trends) and provide regular reporting to leadership
Support employer brand reputation by collaborating with Talent Acquisition and HR to strengthen ratings and messaging on career platforms
Requirements Education, Work Experience, and Other Requirements
10+ years of experience in public relations, corporate communications, or media relations
Strong understanding of media landscape and experience in building relationships with key media contacts
Proven success securing national and regional earned media coverage
Experience developing and executing strategic PR plans in a high‑growth organization
Exceptional writing, editing, and storytelling skills with the ability to tailor messages for diverse audiences
Experience supporting executive communications and media training
Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and work effectively in a fast‑paced environment
Bachelor’s degree in public relations, communications, journalism, or related field
Preferred
Experience in healthcare, behavioral health, autism services, or multi‑site healthcare organizations
Business/finance PR experience to be better equipped to tell our stratospheric de novo growth story
Agency management experience
Bi‑lingual in Spanish
Key Competencies
Strategic thinker with strong business acumen
Proactive, resourceful, and results‑oriented
Excellent relationship builder with media and internal stakeholders
High emotional intelligence and mission alignment
Ability to translate complex clinical topics into clear, compelling stories
Benefits
21 paid days off (15 days of PTO, which increases with tenure, plus 6 holidays)
Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and Health Savings Account (HSA) options
Medical, dental, vision, long‑term disability, and life insurance
Generous 401(k) with up to 6% employer match
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