Radical Leadership

Meet Our Leadership Team

Radical Minds began with the vision of a few passionate individuals who believed in doing things differently. Over time, our leadership team has grown by embracing those who share our mission, values, and dedication to our unique approach. These leaders saw an opportunity to serve children with autism and their families in a better way. Through their commitment to creating positive change and advocating for early intervention, Radical Minds has expanded to serve families across the Omaha metro area.

Meet the Radical Minds Team

Corey Cohrs

Ph.D., BCBA-D, LBA, LIMHP

Chief Executive Officer

About Corey

Dr. Corey Cohrs is the founder and CEO of Radical Minds, serving children and families across the Omaha metropolitan area. He founded the organization in 2016 with a clear purpose: to build an autism care model that families could trust long-term, and to prove that responsible growth and clinical integrity do not have to be at odds.

Corey began his career in behavior analysis in 2009 and has worked across clinical, family, and systems-level roles supporting individuals with autism and developmental disabilities. He earned his Master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis from the University of South Florida and completed his PhD in Psychology at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, where his training emphasized behavioral pediatrics, early intervention, and treatment of complex developmental needs. He has been a Board Certified Behavior Analyst since 2013 and holds independent mental health licensure in Nebraska and Iowa.

What distinguishes Corey’s work is his belief that effective autism care requires more than strong clinical practice alone. It requires ethical leadership, sound systems, and active advocacy that protects families and clinicians from instability in care. In recent years, Corey has been deeply involved in statewide advocacy efforts focused on improving oversight, reimbursement integrity, and long-term sustainability in autism services in Nebraska. This work is driven by a commitment to ensure families can access consistent, high-quality care without disruption and that clinicians are supported to do their best work over the long term.

As both a clinician and CEO, Corey leads Radical Minds with a dual focus: maintaining rigorous clinical standards while building an organization designed to support staff, families, and durable outcomes. His leadership emphasizes early intervention, caregiver collaboration, high-quality supervision, and responsible growth rooted in the needs of the Omaha community.

Corey is a parent and stepparent, which shapes his understanding of how autism services affect families well beyond the clinic setting. Outside of work, he values time with his family, cooking, travel, and staying engaged in the community he is committed to for the long term.

At its core, Radical Minds reflects Corey’s belief that autism services should be transparent, accountable, and led by people who remain personally invested in the families they serve.

Ashten Cohrs

M.A., BCBA, LBA, LMHP

Chief Clinical Officer

About Ashten

Ashten was born and raised in western Nebraska and began her career in behavioral health with a strong commitment to evidence-based, child-centered care. She pursued her undergraduate studies in psychology at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, where she gained hands-on experience as a behavioral therapist for three years before earning her Bachelor of Science in 2013.

She later moved to Omaha to complete graduate training in Applied Behavior Analysis through the University of Nebraska at Omaha and the University of Nebraska Medical Center. During her graduate studies, Ashten worked extensively with children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder in both clinic-based and in-home settings, developing deep expertise in early intervention, individualized programming, and caregiver collaboration. She earned her Master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis in 2016 and joined Radical Minds shortly thereafter.

As Chief Clinical Officer, Ashten is responsible for clinical oversight across the organization. She leads and supports the supervisory team, sets clinical standards, and ensures treatment quality remains consistent, ethical, and grounded in best practice. Her work focuses on strengthening supervision, maintaining treatment integrity, and supporting clinicians so they can deliver meaningful outcomes for the families they serve. She is deeply committed to helping children build meaningful skills, find their voice, and reach their individual potential—whatever that may look like for each child and family. She is passionate about ensuring families feel supported, confident, and valued throughout their time in services.

Ashten believes that strong clinical outcomes are built through disciplined supervision, clear expectations, and consistent support for clinicians. She brings a steady, thoughtful leadership style to Radical Minds and plays a central role in shaping the clinical culture of the organization.

Outside of work, Ashten enjoys spending time outdoors, walking and hiking, cooking, and spending time with her children.

Michaela Schafer

M.A, MBA

Chief Operating Officer

About Michaela

Originally from Iowa, Michaela brings a multidisciplinary and systems-oriented approach to her role as Chief Operating Officer at Radical Minds. She began her academic training at Morningside College, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Biopsychology in 2015, with minors in Studio Art and Coaching, reflecting an early interest in both scientific rigor and human development.

After relocating to Omaha, Michaela continued her education, earning an MBA with a focus on Biopharmaceutical Development in 2017, followed by a Master’s degree in Neuroscience and Developmental Psychology in 2018 from the University of Nebraska Omaha. During her graduate studies, she also taught undergraduate coursework in Psychology, Biology, and Neuroscience, strengthening her ability to translate complex concepts into clear, actionable frameworks.

As Chief Operating Officer, Michaela is responsible for the operational execution and infrastructure that support Radical Minds’ clinical mission. She oversees organizational systems, operational strategy, and cross-functional coordination to ensure the organization can grow responsibly while maintaining consistency, efficiency, and quality across services. Her work focuses on building processes that allow clinicians to do their best work and families to experience reliable, well-run care.

Michaela believes that operational excellence is what allows clinical values to be carried out consistently and at scale. She plays a central role in aligning people, systems, and strategy so that Radical Minds can meet the needs of the community today while remaining positioned for long-term stability.

Outside of work, Michaela enjoys reading, cooking and baking, hiking, creating art, and spending time recharging.

Our Mission

At Radical Minds, we are dedicated to empowering every child with autism to reach their unique potential. We partner with families to create a supportive team, working together to build fulfilling lives and address developmental challenges. With a focus on individualized care, we see the potential in every child and design plans to achieve meaningful progress—whatever that progress may look like.

Join Our Team