Today we’d like to introduce you to Pedro Curbelo.
Hi Pedro, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
The Origin of Koala ABA & Learning Centers — My Story
In 2020, I was in Dubai finalizing a private jet transaction for a high-profile client — the kind of deal I had spent two decades preparing for. For most of my professional life, I operated at the highest levels of risk management, building companies in insurance, healthcare, and private aviation with the goal of eventual exit. Through my risk management firm, Business Liability Pros, I advised corporations on complex exposures, structured multimillion-dollar deals, and, as a luxury jet broker, negotiated aircraft acquisitions around the world. By all external measures, I had achieved what many consider success: financial stability, influence, and access to the world’s most elite circles.
And then my phone rang.
On the other end was a call no parent ever wants to receive: my daughter, who is autistic, was experiencing a critical episode that required immediate hospitalization. In that moment, the life I had built — the deals, the travel, the prestige — fell silent.
I made a decision that would transform everything that followed: I would understand my daughter’s condition, inside and out. I dove into research, therapies, clinical models, and neurodevelopmental science. Back then, I mistakenly thought autism was a disease; I quickly learned it is a condition — and, importantly, a condition that can improve with the right multidisciplinary approach.
My search for answers led me to establish a mental health practice for children and adolescents, partnering with a group of clinicians and investors. Ultimately, our values were not aligned, and the venture didn’t continue — but the lessons were invaluable. During that period, I met Dr. George Samuel, a neurofunctional specialist. Together, we developed what is now Neuromod™, a neuroplasticity-driven therapeutic model designed to strengthen the brain–body connection, particularly for children on the spectrum.
Then, in 2022, while consulting — drawing on my career-long expertise in risk management — I came across an ABA therapy provider that was two weeks away from shutting down. No funding. No systems. No hope. Yet it served a community I cared deeply about. I asked my long-time colleague and now partner, Alina Garza, a forensic accountant with 45 years of experience, I understood the risk was significant and that we might never profit from the venture, but I moved forward with the acquisition because my commitment to helping my daughter and the children in our community outweighed what the data and risk analysis would have advised.
Within a year, Alina officially became my partner, and together we turned the business around. We then acquired three more distressed healthcare companies. Now owning four organizations with four different names, I needed a unifying brand. Through research, I discovered that koalas display behaviors reminiscent of children on the spectrum — gentle, sensitive, resilient. I didn’t want a predatory animal or a generic clinical name; I wanted something children could hug, parents could trust, and communities could rally behind. After focus groups, industrial-psychology insights, and countless iterations, Koala ABA & Learning Centers was born.
But branding alone wasn’t enough. I saw major problems within the ABA industry — unethical practices, undertrained therapists, and a widespread lack of professional respect. To change this, we created the Koalafied® RBT Program, a rigorous 340-hour training pathway that far exceeds state requirements, ensuring every therapist enters the field prepared, confident, and truly capable of serving children well.
Today, Koala ABA ranks among the top 10 providers in Florida. We are expanding through acquisitions and our Koala Branch License model, with seven locations including Doral, Miami Lakes, Miramar, Pembroke Pines, Tampa, and Panama City Beach. Our multidisciplinary Koalafied® approach integrates Speech, OT, PT, ABA, and Neuromod™ into a unified neuro-clinical learning environment. Our mission is independence, dignity, and hope — not a cure, but potential unlocked.
Koala exists because of my daughter. Because of a moment that changed the course of my life. And because, after decades spent managing risk, I discovered that my greatest calling was to build something that gives families freedom.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
No, the 1st 18 moths was rough. I was personally sued by a contractor who claimed losses from 2 years prior to me buying the business, the contractor together with a predatory attorney sued me for a small fortune. I had to fire more than 100 unethical employees resulting is millions of dollars in losses. The industry changed to managed care resulting in waiting lists for clients. etc etc etc
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Koala ABA & Learning Centers?
We are a community-focused network of early education centers, seamlessly integrating behavioral therapy, neuroplasticity-based approaches, and multidisciplinary treatments for children diagnosed with autism, ADHD and related conditions.
We are known for having a team of experts, for having the best Behavior Technician program in the state, for our interactive therapy clinics and for Neuroplasticity.
What matters most to you?
My mission is simple: to provide each child with the therapeutic foundation to become an independent adolescent — and ultimately, a productive adult. With the right multidisciplinary approach, levels of autism can be reduced, and functional abilities can significantly improve. At Koala, we unlock each child’s potential.
Why does this matter? Because autism is rising at epidemic levels, and adults on the spectrum face some of the highest unemployment rates in the country. By serving children effectively today, we change the trajectory of their lives — and elevate how society supports and values individuals living with autism.
Pricing:
- Covered by Insurance
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.Koalaaba.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/koala_aba
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Koalaabactr
- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/koalaaba
Image Credits
All images are owned by Mr. Pedro Curbelo Enterprises.
