About Momentum Academy

Eric has spent 25 years chasing one thing: that moment when a kid's face lights up because they just did something they never thought they could.

Since 2001, he's dedicated his career to individuals with special needs — founding and building one of Los Angeles's most beloved adaptive recreation and therapy programs from the ground up and leading it for nearly two decades while serving thousands of families across the city. Along the way, he noticed something powerful happening on his gym floors: when movement, learning, and friendship came together, kids didn't just make progress — they made leaps. Skills that felt out of reach in a clinic came alive on a trampoline. Confidence built on a balance beam followed by kids to the classroom, the playground, and the dinner table.

So, in 2025, Eric took everything he'd learned and built his boldest vision yet: Momentum Academy. Here, adaptive gymnastics, evidence-based ABA, and real social connection aren't separate services — they're one joyful, intentional approach. Every swing, jump, and squeeze of deep pressure is designed to help students regulate, focus, and grow. It's therapy that doesn't feel like therapy. It's learning that feels like the best day ever.

Ask Eric what success looks like, and he won't quote a statistic. He'll tell you about the first cartwheel. The first friend. The parent who cried happy tears in the parking lot. He believes progress doesn't happen at all at once — it builds, moment by moment, until suddenly a child is doing things nobody expected. That's momentum. And in Eric's world, when you have momentum, miracles happen.

When he's not on the gym floor (which is rare — he still teaches!), Eric is dreaming up what's next for the Momentum community he's honored to lead.

For more than 30 years, Shaun has been helping children and adults of all abilities discover what they're capable of. Across educational and recreational settings, he's built his career on a simple philosophy: every milestone deserves a celebration, whether it's a first cartwheel or a first word spoken to a new friend. At Momentum Academy, Shaun designs the recreational programs that make learning feel like play — creative, engaging experiences where growth happens naturally because kids are having too much fun to notice they're working. When he's not at the gym, you'll find Shaun cooking, baking, catching live music, or spending the day at Disneyland.

Dr. Johnson leads the clinical heart of Momentum Academy, overseeing every ABA plan and shaping the programs that help our students build lasting skills. A doctoral-level Board Certified Behavior Analyst, Stephen has spent his career supporting families and individuals navigating behavioral and social challenges — and he believes the best support plans are built with families, not just for them. His collaborative approach means the strategies your child learns at Momentum work everywhere: at home, at school, and out in the world. Stephen is constantly pushing the field forward, currently developing new social connection programs and expanded caregiver support so families never have to navigate this journey alone.

Ishah is the person who makes Momentum Academy run — and the friendly, capable presence of families count on from their very first phone call. With deep experience in organizational management and operations, Ishah oversees everything behind the scenes: scheduling, enrollment, staff coordination, and the countless details that let our coaches and clinicians focus entirely on your child. Known for professionalism, warmth, and follow-through, Ishah is often the first face you'll meet at Momentum — and the one who makes sure every family's experience is smooth from day one.

Steve bridges both worlds at Momentum Academy, working across our recreational and clinical programs. With fourteen years of experience supporting individuals of all abilities in educational and clinical settings, he brings a rare combination: the eye of a coach, the training of a behavior specialist, and the heart of someone who genuinely believes every client can reach their full potential. Steve is currently completing his master's degree in ABA and behavior analysis, adding clinical depth to everything he does on the gym floor. A former film and music student, Steve is a devoted fan of cats, houseplants, and cult films — ask him for a movie recommendation at your own risk.

Sign up to be the first to know about new services, amenities, events, and more at the Momentum Academy.

By signing up, you agree to the websites privacy policy statement.