Kelsey LeBlanc | SpeakerHub

Personal Details

Bio

Kelsey LeBlanc is a Board Certified & Licensed Applied Behavior Analyst (BCBA & LABA) and former Special Educator, with over 13 years of professional experience in the field. She has worked with individuals ranging from infancy to age 14 with highly varied backgrounds and diagnoses (including but not limited to Autism, ADHD, Anxiety, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Complex Trauma, and Severe Cognitive Impairment) across both public and private settings. In 2018, Kelsey founded Ascend Behavioral Consulting. She discovered a passion for supporting families of young children who are struggling with sleep challenges, and has specialized her practice over the past several years towards improving family sleep through a combination of evidence-based practice and an individualized, family-centered approach. In her spare time, Kelsey enjoys running, reading, and spending time with her husband and two children.

Current position (1)

Pediatric Behavioral Sleep Specialist & CEO

Ascend Behavioral Consulting

Degrees (2)

Bachelor of Education, Special Education

Boston University

2006 to 2010

Master of Education, Applied Behavior Analysis

UMass Boston

2012 to 2015

Presentations

Presentations (4)

Raising Good Sleepers: Real Guidance for Tired Professional Parents

How did you sleep last night?

It’s 2025, and we all know that sleep is a critical component of optimal health, wellness, and performance. Yet when we talk about sleep in the workplace, the focus is always the same: our adult sleep problems. What about when the root cause of sleep issues isn’t us, but our children?

Upwards of 50% of young children have significant sleep problems, and when children aren’t sleeping, parents aren’t either. Luckily, chronic sleep deprivation does not have to be a hallmark of parenthood. Sleep is a skill, and skills can be taught.

In this program, we will examine sleep as a unique combination of biology and behavior, and share evidence-based, actionable recommendations for how to raise great sleepers, avoid the common sleep pitfalls, and ensure that you get the sleep you need to thrive at work and in life.

Supporting Parents, Boosting Performance: Why Pediatric Sleep Belongs at Work

You’re investing in parental leave, flexible work policies, and wellness programming. But are you overlooking one of the most disruptive, costly, and inequitable issues affecting working parents?

Child sleep challenges affect up to 50% of families—and when kids aren’t sleeping, their parents aren’t either. This chronic sleep deprivation leads to reduced productivity, increased burnout, and diminished leadership capacity, especially among high-achieving caregivers. And yet, the sleep struggles tied to parenting are
rarely acknowledged in the workplace.

This keynote reframes pediatric sleep as a workplace issue with real impact on retention, engagement, and equity. Designed for HR and DEI leaders, it offers compelling data, strategic insight, and practical guidance on how to address this hidden barrier to performance and inclusion. Sleep is a skill—and with the right tools, both children and parents can thrive.

Beyond Sleepiness: How Sleep Deprivation Affects Your Child’s Mood, Behavior, and Health

Sleep deprivation in children is often overlooked or misinterpreted — it doesn’t always show up as just feeling tired. Poor sleep can manifest as mood swings, attention issues, hyperactivity, emotional outbursts, and even physical health challenges. In this enlightening keynote, we’ll explore the hidden ways that lack of sleep impacts children’s overall well-being and development.

You’ll gain valuable insights into:
•The science behind sleep and why it’s critical for emotional and cognitive health
•How sleep deprivation can mimic ADHD, anxiety, and other behavioral challenges
•Practical strategies to identify and address sleep issues at their root
• The long-term benefits of improving your child’s sleep patterns

Join us for a thought-provoking session that will deepen your understanding of sleep’s role in your child’s life — and equip you with tools to support healthier sleep and happier days.

Rest for the Restless: Protecting Your Sleep During Challenging Child Sleep Periods

Parenting is rewarding—but it’s also exhausting, especially during periods when your child’s sleep is disrupted. In this interactive one-hour keynote, participants will learn practical strategies to protect their own rest, even when their child’s sleep is unpredictable. We’ll explore why adult sleep is just as critical as child sleep for wellbeing, productivity, and resilience, and how small, intentional shifts can have a big impact on energy, mood, and focus.

Participants will leave with actionable tools, a better understanding of sleep science, and encouragement to prioritize themselves without guilt.