Maasa Nishimuta MS

Maasa Nishimuta studied under Dr. Jesús Rosales-Ruiz and earned a master's degree in Behavior Analysis from the University of North Texas. In her master's thesis, she studied the reinforcing effects of affection in the form of petting and gentle scratching with rescued equines. She modified Constructional Affection for use with equines and continues to apply Constructional Affection with animals in shelters where she volunteers.

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In 2020, Maasa and Sean founded Constructional Approach to Animal Welfare and Training (CAAWT), whose mission is to provide educational content on animal behavior, care, and ways to solve behavioral problems. With Sean, she produces a monthly podcast, runs online private and group classes, and hosts webinars and annual conferences to continue to improve relationships between people and the animals in their care.