REAACT - Key Persons


ACE Mental

Job Titles:
  • Health Assessments Director
I am a licensed clinical psychologist and research administrator with experience in research study coordination and clinical assessment, including mental health, suicide, and risk assessment. I am excited to apply these skills as an interviewer and trainer in ACE Clinical Core. I also have experience with passive sensing and will bring those skills to ACE Project 2.

ACE Neuroimaging

Job Titles:
  • Research Specialist
I grew up in Wyoming and graduated from the University of Wyoming with an education in psychology and neurosciences in 2021. I've worked previously at a soup kitchen, in autism therapy, in mental health with unhoused people, and in psychology and neuroscience research. I moved to Pittsburgh in fall of 2022 and have totally fallen in love with the area. At the PICAN Lab, I work as a Research Specialist on the ACE and MIND studies. My own research interests include the neuropsychological effects of chronic and cumulative trauma and how they differ from acute trauma. A fun fact about me: I play bassoon in the Pittsburgh Philharmonic.

ACE Research

Job Titles:
  • Principal
I did my dissertation research on the intersection between circadian rhythm, depression, and glucocorticoids. The way the structure and function of the brain drives and defines behavior and mental health concerns of all varieties is a fascinating subject to me. Due to being autistic, that curiosity naturally led towards the exploration of the neuroscience of neurodiversity. Some fun facts about me are I am obsessed with cats, I dabble in mycology, and I have a history of teaching human anatomy and dissection.

Aidan G.C. Wright

Job Titles:
  • ACE Co - Investigator
  • Professor of Psychology at the University
Aidan Wright is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Pittsburgh. He received his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the Pennsylvania State University in 2012 after completing a clinical internship the same year at the Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. At the broadest level, his research focuses on the interface of personality and psychopathology. Much of his work involves studying the manifestations of personality and psychopathology in daily life using ambulatory assessment methods (e.g., ecological momentary assessment, passive sensing). He is currently the editor-in-chief of the Journal of Psychopathology and Clinical Science. He is contributing to the ACE by assisting with the design and analysis of the ambulatory assessment protocol and data. Education & Training Ph.D. - The Pennsylvania State University, 2012 Clinical Internship - Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

Alison Singer

Job Titles:
  • REALS Consultant

Allie Kleinschmidt

Job Titles:
  • Community Partner
Allie Kleinschmidt is a graduate of Seton Hill University University, with a B.A. in Elementary Education Pre-K-Grade 4 and Special Education Pre-K-Grade 8. She also earned an M.A. in Special Education and an Autism Spectrum Disorder Endorsement. Allie has been employed by the Penn-Trafford School District since 2012 where she is currently a special education teacher. When she is not in the classroom, Allie enjoys a wide range of creative pursuits and has a special interest in permaculture gardening and beekeeping. She and her husband Dan have raised five children in the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh.

Anabelle Theodat

Job Titles:
  • Research Staff Member
  • MEET Research Coordinator

Andre J. Rhone

Job Titles:
  • Community Partner
  • PAARCC Member

Ann D Cohen

Job Titles:
  • Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
  • Dissemination & Partnership Core Co - Lead
Dr. Cohen is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. She is also the Director of the Neuroimaging Core of the University of Pittsburgh Alzheimer's Disease Research Center and the co-Director of the Molecular Biomarkers in Psychiatry Program. Dr. Cohen is also the lead of the recruitment team on the Alzheimer's disease Biomarker Consortium- Down Syndrome (ABC-DS) and is the PI of multiple NIA funded studies focusing on neuroimaging in aging and Alzheimer's disease. Dr. Cohen earned her PhD in Neuroscience from the University of Pittsburgh in 2006 and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic at UPMC in 2011. Dr. Cohen served as a steering committee member for the Neuroimaging Professional Interest area of the Alzheimer's Association International Society to Advance Alzheimer's Research and Treatment (ISTAART) from 2015 to 2019 and is a member of the ISTAART advisory council. Her primary research interests focus on PET imaging to explore early detection of amyloid in Alzheimer's disease using the amyloid imaging agent Pittsburgh-compound B and the relationship of social determinants of health to Alzheimer's disease pathology. Dr. Cohen is co-leading the partnership core of the ACE study. She is also the mom to two fantastic kids.

Annaliese Lausberg

Job Titles:
  • ACE Clinical Research Specialist

Anne V. Kirby

Job Titles:
  • ACE Consultant
  • Associate Professor in the Department of Occupational and Recreational
Anne V. Kirby, PhD, OTR/L, is an associate professor in the Department of Occupational and Recreational Therapies at the University of Utah, with an adjunct appointment in the Department of Psychiatry. She received her BS and MS degrees from the University of New Hampshire, and then practiced as an occupational therapist in multiple settings in Washington, DC. She received her PhD in Occupational Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2015, before becoming a faculty member at the University of Utah. Her research expertise is in sensory processing, the transition to adulthood, and suicide risk and prevention for the autistic community. She is currently leading a K23 award from NIMH using community based participatory research for suicide prevention, in partnership with the Academic Autism Spectrum Partnership in Research and Education (AASPIRE). She serves as a Consultant on the University of Pittsburgh ACE grant.

Beatriz Luna

Job Titles:
  • ACE Consultant
  • Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry
  • Editor in Chief of the Journal Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Education & Training
  • Founder and Director of the Laboratory for Neurocognitive Development
  • Professor of Psychology at the University of Pittsburgh
Beatriz Luna, PhD is the Staunton Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics and Professor of Psychology at the University of Pittsburgh. She is the founder and Director of the Laboratory for Neurocognitive Development, The Editor in Chief of the journal Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, and the founder and acting past president of the Flux Society for Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience. She obtained her MAs in Clinical Psychology from Duquesne University in 1985, followed by a PhD in Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh in 1996. Her research uses multimodal neuroimaging methods including rest and task functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI), Electroencephalography (EEG), Magnetoencephalography (MEG), Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopic Imaging (MRSI) as well as cognitive testing to understand the brain mechanisms underlying normative neurocognitive development through adolescence when adult trajectories are defined. She has also studied atypical development in the past including ADHD, autism, schizophrenia, and risk for substance use disorders. She has been the recipient of numerous awards notably the US 2005 Presidential Early Career Award in Science and Engineering, in 2022 an NIMH MERIT award, Provost Award for Excellence in Doctoral Mentoring, and Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry. Her more than 160 publications have led to influential developmental models emphasizing the implications of specialization of different brain systems through adolescence informing normative and impaired development. Her research has been continuously supported by the National Institutes of Mental Health and has informed US Supreme Court briefs regarding extended sentencing in the juvenile justice system. Her extensive media history also includes a cover story in National Geographic and a PBS Special with Alan Alda - "Brains on Trial". Dr. Luna will serve as consultant in Dr. Mazefsky's ACE program advising on best approaches for multimodal imaging as well as provide guidance in interpretation of findings. Education & Training MA in Clinical Psychology - 1985 Duquesne University PhD in Developmental Psychology, 1996 University of Pittsburgh

Benjamin Handen

Job Titles:
  • Clinical Core Lead
Benjamin Handen, Ph.D., BCBA-D is Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, and Director of Research and Clinical Services at the Center for Autism and Developmental Disorders at Western Psychiatric Hospital of UPMC in Pittsburgh. He also serves on the faculty of the University of Pittsburgh Applied Behavior Analysis Certification Program. Dr. Handen is a clinical psychologist with over 35 years' experience in the field of autism and developmental disorders. He has published widely in the areas of psychopharmacological and psychosocial treatment of behavioral disorders in special populations as well as on dementia in Down syndrome. For the past ten years, Dr. Handen has served as the principal investigator of the University of Pittsburgh Autism Care Network (ACNet) site, funded by Autism Speaks. Currently he is the contact principal investigator for the Alzheimer Biomarker Consortium - Down Syndrome (ABC-DS), an international effort (funded by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and the National Institute on Aging) to follow a cohort of adults with Down syndrome over time to identify early biomarkers that may herald the onset of Alzheimer's disease. He is serving as a co-investigator and co-lead for the Clinical Core for the ACE. Education & Training PhD 1985, UMass, Amherst - Clinical Psychology MEd 1979 Boston College - Special Education BA 1975 Johns Hopkins University - Natural Science

Betsy A. Butler

Job Titles:
  • ACE Mental Health Assessments Director

Busra Tugce Susam

Job Titles:
  • Graduate Student Researcher
Busra is currently a PhD student in the Department of Electrical Engineering at the University of Pittsburgh. Busra received her M.S degree in 2018 from the Department of Electrical Engineering at University of Pittsburgh and she received her B.S. degree in 2013 from the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering at University of Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey. Busra is interested in statistical signal processing and application of machine learning and deep learning. Busra's current research is the utilization of Electroencephalography (EEG) based brain-computer interface (BCI) system in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder. During her M.S. studies, she also worked on automated pain assessment in children using electrodermal activity data via machine learning applications. Education & Training PhD candidate in Electrical Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, 2021 M.S. in Electrical Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, 2018 B.S. in Electrical and Electronics Engineering, University of Istanbul, 2013

Caitlin Conner

Job Titles:
  • Assistant Professor

Carla Mazefsky

Job Titles:
  • Director
  • Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Professor of Psychiatry
Carla Mazefsky is a licensed clinical psychologist and Professor of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Clinical and Translational Science at the University of Pittsburgh. She completed her undergraduate training at The College of William and Mary, followed by a doctoral program in Clinical Psychology at Virginia Commonwealth University, pre-doctoral internship at Brown University, and post-doctoral fellowship at Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics. She first joined the University of Pittsburgh in 2006 as an Assistant Professor in Pediatrics at the Child Development Unit, where she spent half of her time doing autism diagnostic evaluations and half of her time doing research. She had her first grant during that time, focused on psychiatric diagnoses in autistic teenagers. She shifted into Psychiatry in 2009 and received an NICHD Career Development Award. She has been fully funded by and focused on research related to emotion dysregulation in autism ever since.

Christina Nicolaidis

Job Titles:
  • ACE Consultant

Daniel J. Beck

Job Titles:
  • Community Partner
  • Assistant Principal at Upper St Clair High School in Pittsburgh
Daniel J. Beck, Ed.D. is an Assistant Principal at Upper St Clair High School in Pittsburgh, PA, since 2013. Prior to joining Upper St. Clair School District, Dr. Beck taught Secondary English and Freshman Seminar at Greensburg Salem High School and Berlin Brothers Valley School District. Dr. Beck earned his undergraduate degree in Secondary English Education at Duquesne University. He then earned a MEd in Educational Leadership and School Leadership at the University of Pittsburgh and Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from Duquesne University. His dissertation focused on utilizing student voice initiatives to foster school membership in the transition to high school. Dr. Beck continues his work in student voice and empowering students today while he also serves on several statewide leadership groups. In 2018, he was selected for the board of directors for the Pennsylvania Principals Association and still serves today. He also served on the Pennsylvania Association for Student Councils' board of directors from 2019-2022. In 2020, Dr. Beck was awarded the Pennsylvania Association of Student Councils (PASC) Principal of the Year. When he is not working, Dr. Beck enjoys time with his wife, two young children, and two dogs. He enjoys time going to concerts, cooking, and spending time with family and friends.

David Brent

Job Titles:
  • ACE Co - Investigator

David Mandell

Job Titles:
  • REALS Consultant

Derica Su

Job Titles:
  • Research Specialist
  • Research Specialist for the ACE
Derica Su is a Research Specialist for the ACE program. She earned a B.A. in Psychology from UCLA in 2023, and joined the lab in July 2023. She is primarily interested in mental health outcomes among autistic adults. A fun fact about her: she has a cat named Kora who occasionally participates in Teams meetings.

Donna Westbrooks-Martin

Job Titles:
  • Community Partner
  • Executive Director of the Adults & Children With Learning and Development
Donna Westbrooks-Martin is the Executive Director of the Adults & Children with Learning and Developmental Disabilities (ACLD), Inc. and The ACLD Tillotson School, a school dedicated to provide supports and services to students with disabilities. Mrs. Westbrooks-Martin has over 30 years of experience in central administration of public and private schools, with expertise in special education of neurodivergent children.

Dr. Amy Hartman

Job Titles:
  • Occupational Therapist
  • T32 Postdoctoral Fellow
Dr. Hartman is an occupational therapist and PhD trained scientist examining the role of sleep health in supporting health and daily functioning for neurodivergent children and their families. She is currently working with the REAACT lab to examine emotional regulation, caregiver-child relationships, and sleep health of the family for autistic children and their families. A fun fact about Dr. Hartman is that she is a mother of two young children who, for the first 5 years of their lives, were difficult sleepers. As a result, she has tried *all of the things* in search of better sleep as a parent.

Dr. Cameron Neece

Job Titles:
  • Professor
Dr. Cameron Neece is a Professor whose career has been devoted to supporting families of children with developmental delays and autism spectrum disorders. Dr. Neece has developed several interventions for families of young children with developmental disabilities. She has three young children of her own and in her free time enjoys going to the beach and spending time with her family.

Dr. Catherine Lord

Job Titles:
  • Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry
  • REALS Consultant

Dr. Jamie Kulzer

Job Titles:
  • Co - Investigator
Dr. Jamie Kulzer is Dissemination and Partnership Core Co-Investigator. She brings expertise in community-academic partnerships with the state vocational rehabilitation system serving autistic adults. Dr. Kulzer is an Associate Professor for a graduate program in Clinical Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling. She earned her MS in Rehabilitation Counseling in 2008 and her PhD in Rehabilitation Science and Technology in 2012. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) who has been providing counseling services to autistic adults since 2005. Kulzer is the Project Director of a 20-year community-academic partnership between the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, Hiram G. Andrews Center and the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt). Through this Intergovernmental Agency Agreement, Pitt faculty, staff and students are contracted to develop and implement cognitive rehabilitation and psychotherapy services to adults with neurodevelopmental and cognitive disabilities. Dr. Kulzer has specialized her clinical and research practice in the assessment, diagnosis, and cognitive rehabilitation of adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Dr. Kristen MacKenzie

Job Titles:
  • Postdoctoral Associate

Dr. Ligia Antezana

Job Titles:
  • T32 Postdoctoral Fellow

Dr. Safaa Eldeeb

Job Titles:
  • T32 Postdoctoral Fellow

Dr. Shalini Sivathasan

Job Titles:
  • Postdoctoral Associate

EDI-Young Child

Job Titles:
  • Co - Investigator
Dr. Cameron Neece is a Professor whose career has been devoted to supporting families of children with developmental delays and autism spectrum disorders. Dr. Neece has developed several interventions for families of young children with developmental disabilities. She has three young children of her own and in her free time enjoys going to the beach and spending time with her family.

Elizabeth Rutenberg

Job Titles:
  • Community Partner
  • Undergraduate Research Assistant

Gabriel S. Dichter

Job Titles:
  • ACE Consultant
  • Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Dr. Gabriel Dichter is a licensed clinical psychologist, a tenured Professor of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, and the Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities at UNC-Chapel Hill. He is also director of training of the Interdisciplinary Education Core of the NC University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD). He has active programs of research in autism and affective disorders that use behavioral, eyetracking, psychophysiological, and functional and molecular neuroimaging methods. He received his PhD at Vanderbilt University, completed T32-funded postdoctoral training in neurodevelopmental disorders at UNC with Dr. Joseph Piven, and completed a K23 career development award focused on the use of neuroimaging methods as a mechanistic treatment outcome measure in autism. He has served on numerous NIH study sections and working groups, has published over 90 articles, and is on the executive committee of the UNC Autism Research Center. His role on the REAACT project is to consult with respect to the neuroimaging components of this study.

George Tarjan

Job Titles:
  • Psychiatry and Education
Dr. Catherine Lord is the George Tarjan Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry in the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. She is a practicing clinical psychologist whose primary focus is autism and related disorders across the lifespan from toddlers through adulthood. Her research and clinical work are aimed at improving methods of identifying strengths and difficulties in individuals with possible ASD and working with families and individuals to maximize independence and well-being for all concerned. This has involved the development of diagnostic instruments (the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule - ADOS, the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised - ADI-R, and the Social Communication Questionnaire-SCQ) that describe individual profiles of skills and weaknesses and carrying out longitudinal studies from age 15 months up to 30 years with the goal of identifying protective and risk factors that influence milestones of progress over the years. A current priority is to develop better ways of measuring changes in social behavior and communication over short periods of time that can be used to monitor progress without bias. Another priority has been to participate in large scale studies where researchers share data about both behavior and neurobiology; this has included the Simons Simplex Collection (a genetics consortium led by geneticists and researchers through the Simons Foundation), ABIDE (an imaging open science group originated out of NYU), and the Healthy Brain Network through the Child Mind Institute as well as numerous clinical trials of different interventions. She is also very interested in graduate training for psychologists and other clinical researchers in ASD and related fields. She is a member of the National Academy of Medicine and a fellow of the American Association of Arts and Sciences, as well as a former chair of a National Academy of Sciences committee on the effectiveness of early intervention in ASD, a co-chair of the New York Board of Health committee on ASD and a member of the DSM 5 American Psychiatry Association's neurodevelopmental disorders committee. She is the recipient of numerous awards including the Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Society for Autism Research. She has over 300 referred journal publications and has been funded by NIH, Autism Speaks, and the Simons Foundation for numerous research grants.

Gracie "Cloud" Verano

Job Titles:
  • Community Partner
  • Artist

Greg Siegle

Job Titles:
  • Neuroimaging Project Lead

Helmet T. Karim

Job Titles:
  • Assistant Professor
  • ACE Co - Investigator
Helmet Karim is an assistant professor of psychiatry and bioengineering at the University of Pittsburgh. He is interested in the development of machine learning approaches for the treatment of mood disorders as well as anxiety and dementia. In the ACE, he is working on the usage of an accelerated brain aging algorithm in the context of ASD. Education & Training BS - Biology and theoretical mathematics, 2012, University of Pittsburgh PhD - Bioengineering, 2017, University of Pittsburgh

Hillary Schiltz

Hillary Schiltz is a Postdoctoral Scholar in at the University of California, Los Angeles. Hillary was awarded a Postdoctoral Fellowship from Autism Speaks to develop a self-reported measure of loneliness for autistic adults using PROMIS guidelines with her mentors on the project, Dr. Catherine Lord and Dr. Carla Mazefsky. Hillary is also involved in Dr. Lord's longitudinal study of autism and assists with research projects related to an observational tool called the brief observation of social communication change (BOSCC). Hillary completed her Clinical Psychology Internship on the Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disabilities Assessment Track at the UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior. She received her PhD in Clinical Psychology from Marquette University and her M.S. in Child Development from the University of California, Davis, and she is a graduate of the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) program. Hillary's research interests center upon the measurement, trajectories, and mechanisms of aspects of well-being among autistic youth and adults within various family and social contexts. Hillary greatly enjoys being involved in the autism research community; she has been an active member of Student and Trainee Committee (STC) of the International Society for Autism Research (INSAR) for the past three years and is the current Co-Chair of the STC. Hillary is a co-founder of Autism PROMnet, a group dedicating to improving patient-reported outcomes in autism research. Hillary enjoys spending time in nature and photography.

Holly Gastgeb

Job Titles:
  • Research Staff Member
  • Clinical Assessments Director
  • Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Dr. Gastgeb is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in autism diagnosis, assessment, intervention, and research across the lifespan. She has her doctorate in Clinical and Developmental Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh and has been involved in grant-funded research with autistic children and adults for over 20 years. Dr. Gastgeb is currently involved in a variety of autism and Down Syndrome research projects. Her key role is training and supervising study staff on the administration and scoring of cognitive, developmental, and neuropsychological assessments. Dr. Gastgeb's previous research focused on categorization and prototype formation in autistic children and adults, but her research interests also include emotion understanding and regulation in autism. She is research reliable on the ADOS-2 and ADI-R and has been a consultant on studies at multiple universities in the tri-state area. Dr. Gastgeb is also the President and CEO of Rufus Robot, an educational app company specializing in apps for autistic children and children with other learning differences. She enjoys spending time with her family including her two cats, reading, puzzles, board games, trivia, cooking and experiencing new and unique foods, and being outdoors.

Jacob Feldman

Job Titles:
  • Student
After graduating from the University of Cincinnati in 2020 with a BS in Neuropsychology, Jacob completed 3 years at Stony Brook as a full-time Lab Coordinator. From 2020-2023 he was the lab coordinator in the Laboratory for Clinical Affective Neuroscience, where he worked with Brady Nelson on a multimodal and transdiagnostic examination of psychopathology in a community sample. From 2022-2023 Jacob was dually appointed in the department of psychiatry as a Lead Clinical Interviewer under Dr. Roman Kotov where he improved, trialed, and completed the use of the iHiTOP (Interview for the Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology) in a clinical setting. He is interested in the treatment, perception, and prevention of distress disorder symptoms such as dysphoria and suicidality and will work on the ACE study with Lauren Bylsma as a PhD student. Outside of the lab, Jacob enjoys soccer, music, and drinking coffee with his cat, Tosha. Education and Experience: BS in Neuropsychology University of Cincinnati, 2020

Jen Foss-Feig

Job Titles:
  • EXPAND Principal Investigator

Jessica Schwartzman

Job Titles:
  • ACE Consultant

Jessie B. Northrup

Job Titles:
  • Assistant Professor

Judy Chang

Job Titles:
  • ACE Co - Investigator

Kara Duman

Job Titles:
  • Research Staff Member
  • EXPAND / AIC Coordinator

Kate Kielty

Job Titles:
  • Neurodevelopmental Resident

Katharine N. Zeglen

Job Titles:
  • Research Staff Member

Katherine "Kasia" Szkoda

Job Titles:
  • Research Staff Member

Katherine Gotham

Job Titles:
  • ACE Consultant

Kelly Beck

Job Titles:
  • Assistant Professor

Lan Yu

Job Titles:
  • Co - Investigator ( ACE, EDI, REALS, EXPAND )

Laura Greenert

Job Titles:
  • ACE Accounts Coordinator

Lillian Manna

Job Titles:
  • Research Specialist

Lindsay Shea

Job Titles:
  • REALS Co - Investigator

Lisa Morgan M.

Job Titles:
  • Community Partner
  • Consultant

Mario Crown

Job Titles:
  • Research Staff Member

Marsha Mailick

Job Titles:
  • REALS Consultant

Matthew Siegel

Job Titles:
  • Autism Inpatient Collection Principal Investigator

Michelle Perrin

Job Titles:
  • Research Staff Member
  • Recruitment and IRB Coordinator

Ms. Camille Proctor

Job Titles:
  • Community Partner
  • Education & Training
Ms. Camille Proctor is the mother of a teen son and an adult daughter. In 2008 shortly after her son's second birthday, he was diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. As she searched for support services for her family, she soon realized a disparity in the black community. In 2009 she founded The Color of Autism Foundation to support African American families with children on the autism spectrum. The Color of Autism Foundation is a US Non-Profit (501 c3) organization committed to educating and assisting African American families affected by autism spectrum disorders. They aim to help families identify the warning signs of autism early on, so they can become their child's best advocate. Providing culturally competent support and training will improve outcomes for children in underserved communities on the autism spectrum. She has served as a diversity and inclusion advisor for both television and film. In September 2020, Governor Gretchen Whitmer appointed her to the Michigan State Disability Council. The Michigan Developmental Disabilities Council's mission is to support people with developmental disabilities to achieve life dreams. She obtained Diversity Equity and Inclusion Certificate from Cornell University in January 2023. Author of a CNN Essay "For the Walter Wallaces of the world, the police are not the answer" (October 2020). Education & Training MA - Columbia 2000

Murat Akcakaya

Job Titles:
  • EASE EEG Principal Investigator

Nancy J. Minshew

Job Titles:
  • Endowed Chair in Autism Research

Nathan Riek

Job Titles:
  • Graduate Student

Neil Patrick Jones

Job Titles:
  • ACE Consultant

Noelle Sirrs

Job Titles:
  • Community Partner
  • PAARCC Member

Oliver Lindhiem

Job Titles:
  • ACE Co - Investigator

Olivia Boden

Job Titles:
  • Research Staff Member
  • Clinical Research Specialist

Paul A. Pilkonis

Job Titles:
  • Co - Investigator ( ACE, EDI, REALS, EXPAND )

Rachel Harris

Job Titles:
  • Marketing Representative

Rachel Robertson

Job Titles:
  • Associate Professor of Special Education

Rob Seres

Job Titles:
  • Research Staff Member

Robert Sterbal

Job Titles:
  • Community Partner

Sarah Brammell

Job Titles:
  • Research Specialist

Satish Iyengar

Job Titles:
  • ACE Co - Investigator

Shaun M. Eack

Job Titles:
  • Professor and James and Noel Browne Endowed Chair in Social Work

Shelby Parsons

Job Titles:
  • ACE Administrative Coordinator

Stephen Edwards

Job Titles:
  • Community Partner

SUN Collaborator

Job Titles:
  • Assistant Principal - Upper St Clair High School
  • Executive Director ACLD Tillotson School
  • Founder & Executive Director of Autism Urban Connections, Inc
  • Special Education Teacher - Penn - Trafford School District
Jamie has a son diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. After discovering the lack of supports, education, and resources available in the African American, minority, and economically disadvantaged communities, in January 2015, Jamie founded Autism Urban Connections as a support group for families impacted by autism. In September 2018, Autism Urban Connections Inc., became the first and only African American, minority, family focused Autism 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Organization in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Jamie and AUC Inc., have a mission to provide education, support, advocacy and empowerment, with an emphasis on self-care to families of those diagnosed with Autism. She works to see that all families receive the individualized supports and education to access valuable resources and services that enhance the quality of life, and break down barriers, while addressing the disparities in our most marginalized communities. Donna Westbrooks-Martin is the Executive Director of the Adults & Children with Learning and Developmental Disabilities (ACLD), Inc. and The ACLD Tillotson School, a school dedicated to provide supports and services to students with disabilities. Mrs. Westbrooks-Martin has over 30 years of experience in central administration of public and private schools, with expertise in special education of neurodivergent children. Allie Kleinschmidt is a graduate of Seton Hill University University, with a B.A. in Elementary Education Pre-K-Grade 4 and Special Education Pre-K-Grade 8. She also earned an M.A. in Special Education and an Autism Spectrum Disorder Endorsement. Allie has been employed by the Penn-Trafford School District since 2012 where she is currently a special education teacher. When she is not in the classroom, Allie enjoys a wide range of creative pursuits and has a special interest in permaculture gardening and beekeeping. She and her husband Dan have raised five children in the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh.

Susan Perlman

Job Titles:
  • FNIRs Co - Investigator

Susan W White

Job Titles:
  • EASE Co - Principal Investigator

Tanvi Kumar

Job Titles:
  • Student Research Assistant

Taylor Kesich

Job Titles:
  • Community Partner

Timothy M. Wagner

Job Titles:
  • Community Partner

Tyler Sikov

Job Titles:
  • ACE Data Manager

Xenia Borue

Job Titles:
  • Lead ACE Advisor

Xin Hu

Job Titles:
  • Postdoctoral Fellow

Yukari Takarae

Job Titles:
  • ACE Co - Investigator

Zachary J. "Zack" Williams

Job Titles:
  • ACE Consultant

Zachary Miller

Job Titles:
  • Undergraduate Researcher