IACC Member Biographies

Federal Members

Shelli Avenevoli, Ph.D.

Acting Director, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, and Chair, IACC

Shelli Avenevoli, Ph.D., is the Acting Director of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the lead federal agency for research on mental disorders. She oversees an extensive research portfolio of basic and clinical research that seeks to transform the understanding and treatment of mental illnesses, paving the way for prevention, recovery, and cure. Dr. Avenevoli came to NIH in 2001, joining the NIMH Intramural Research Program as a staff scientist. She was a co-investigator on several studies, including the National Comorbidity Survey–Adolescent Study, which aimed to gather information about the prevalence and course of mental disorders in children and adolescents. She moved to NIMH’s extramural program in 2005, ultimately becoming chief of the Developmental Trajectories of Mental Disorders Branch. While there, she led the reorienting of NIMH’s pediatric translational research portfolio towards an emphasis on brain and behavioral development, trajectories of mental illnesses, and the identification of early biological or behavioral markers of risk and intervention. She developed several research programs focused on depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder in youth and chronic irritability in children.

Deirdra Assey, M.A.

Policy Advisor, Behavioral Health and Justice Systems, Bureau of Justice Assistance, U.S. Department of Justice

Ms. Deirdra Assey is a Policy Advisor on the Behavioral Health and Justice Systems team at the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), where she works on programs such as the Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Program (COSSUP) and the Collaborative Crisis Response Intervention Training (CRIT) Program. Prior to joining BJA, Ms. Assey worked at the Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center providing training and technical assistance to programs planning and implementing criminal justice and mental health collaborations. She also worked on projects under the CSG Justice Center’s courts and law enforcement portfolios. Ms. Assey has worked for Hudson County’s Screening Center at Jersey City Medical Center, where she was a civil commitment evaluator. She also worked with the Hudson County Mobile Crisis Team and has trained with various local law enforcement agencies, as well as provided respite care to youth with mental disorders and developmental disabilities. Ms. Assey received her B.A. and M.A. in forensic psychology from John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

Monica M. Bertagnolli, M.D.

Director, National Institutes of Health

Dr. Monica M. Bertagnolli is the 17th director of the National Institutes of Health, the nation’s biomedical research agency and largest public funder of biomedical research in the world. She joined IACC in 2023 when she became NIH Director. She is the first surgeon and the second woman to hold the position. Previously, she was the Director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI). As NCI Director, Dr. Bertagnolli initiated efforts to expand and modernize cancer clinical trials to increase the number of people who can participate in NCI-supported research. She is a past president and chair of the board of directors of the American Society of Clinical Oncology and has served on the board of directors of the American Cancer Society and the Prevent Cancer Foundation. She was elected to the National Academy of Medicine in 2021. Dr. Bertagnolli graduated from Princeton University with a bachelor’s degree in engineering and went on to receive a Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. She trained in surgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and was a research fellow in tumor immunology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Dr. Bertagnolli is also the mother of an adult son on the autism spectrum.

Diana W. Bianchi, M.D.

Director, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health

Dr. Diana W. Bianchi joined the IACC as a Federal Member when she became the Director of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) in 2016. In this role, she oversees the Institute's research on pediatric health and development, maternal health, reproductive health, intellectual and developmental disabilities, and rehabilitation medicine. Prior to joining NIH, she spent 23 years at Tufts Medical Center, where she was the Executive Director of the Mother Infant Research Institute, as well as the Natalie V. Zucker Professor of Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology at Tufts University School of Medicine. Dr. Bianchi was also the Vice Chair for Pediatric Research at the Floating Hospital for Children, Boston. From 2011 through 2015, she served on the National Advisory Council of NICHD. She was formerly the Editor-in-Chief of the international journal Prenatal Diagnosis and is a Past President of the International Society for Prenatal Diagnosis and the Perinatal Research Society. She was elected to membership in the National Academy of Medicine in 2013. Dr. Bianchi received her B.A. magna cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania and her M.D. from Stanford University School of Medicine. She completed her residency training in Pediatrics at the Children's Hospital, Boston and her postdoctoral fellowship training in Medical Genetics and Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, both at Harvard. She is board-certified in all three specialties and is a practicing medical geneticist with special expertise in reproductive genetics. In 2020 she received an honorary doctorate from the University of Amsterdam.

Allyson Dean, Ed.D.

Inclusion and Disabilities Services Specialist, Office of Head Start, Administration for Children and Families

Dr. Allyson Dean is the Inclusion and Disabilities Services Specialist at the Office of Head Start (OHS) at the Administration for Children and Families (ACF). Additionally, she has leadership roles in Classroom Assessment and Scoring System (CLASS®) professional development and acts as one of the Federal Project Officers for the National Center on Early Childhood Development, Teaching, and Learning. Before her time at OHS, Dr. Dean provided technical assistance in the early childhood field at both state and national levels. During her tenure, Dr. Dean led the development of statewide training and technical assistance resources to promote inclusive early childhood education, early intervention, and early childhood special education. She also chaired the Governor’s Child Care Advisory Board and served on the advisory board for Child Development Services, Maine’s Intermediate Educational Unit, providing both Early Intervention and Free Appropriate Public Education under the supervision of the Maine Department of Education. Dr. Dean joined the OHS National Technical Assistance System in 2015, serving as the Senior Director of Training and Quality for the National Center on Early Childhood Development, Teaching and Learning. During her time at the Center, she led resource development and technical assistance on high quality inclusion and disabilities services, screening and assessment, and teaching and learning in inclusive Head Start settings. Dr. Dean earned her M.S. from Wheelock College and a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Maine, focusing her dissertation on Head Start teacher efficacy in the provision of instructional support.

Tiffany R. Farchione, M.D.

Director, Division of Psychiatry, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Dr. Tiffany Farchione joined the IACC as a Federal member in 2012. She received her medical degree from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, and completed adult residency and child & adolescent fellowship training at the University of Pittsburgh's Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic. Dr. Farchione is board certified in both general and child & adolescent psychiatry. Prior to joining FDA in 2010, Dr. Farchione was affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and was on the faculty of the University of Pittsburgh. As the Director of the Division of Psychiatry Products at FDA, Dr. Farchione is involved in the oversight of new drug review for all psychiatric drug development activities conducted under investigational new drug applications, and the review of all new drug applications and supplements for new psychiatric drug claims.

Kristina Hardy, Ph.D., M.D.

Program Director, Division of Clinical Research, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health

Dr. Kristina Hardy is a Program Director in the Division of Clinical Research and a pediatric neuropsychologist at NINDS. Prior to joining NINDS, she was with the Division of Neuropsychology at Children's National Hospital and a tenured Professor in the Departments of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences and Pediatrics at the George Washington University School of Medicine. Dr. Hardy has expertise in developmental and acquired difficulties with attention, learning, and executive functioning. Her clinical research program was focused primarily on identifying factors associated with neurocognitive difficulties in survivors of pediatric cancer and children with neurofibromatosis, as well as developing and evaluating interventions for these difficulties. In addition, Dr. Hardy has participated in research with neurodevelopmental populations including ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorder. Dr. Hardy has a particular interest in the use of technology in neuropsychological health, including computerized assessment and cognitive training programs, as well as the development and validation of cognitive assessments for use in clinical trials. Dr. Hardy received her bachelor's degree from Amherst College and earned her doctorate in clinical psychology at Duke University. Following a pre-doctoral internship year at the Medical University of South Carolina, she returned to Duke to complete a fellowship in pediatric neuropsychology.

Elaine Cohen Hubal, Ph.D.

Senior Science Advisor, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Dr. Elaine Cohen Hubal is a Senior Science Advisor in the Office of Research and Development (ORD) at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)'s Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment. She leads research to advance models for estimating human exposure to Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). She also translates EPA exposure information and tools for use by multiple sectors. Previously she served in a series of science leadership positions in ORD. Her primary research interests are in understanding the impact of the built and natural environments on human health with an emphasis on vulnerable populations and life stages. Dr. Cohen Hubal served on other scientific panels and committees, including the Voluntary Children's Chemical Evaluation Program (VCCEP) Peer Consultation and as an IACC alternate. She is Editor-in-Chief for the Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology. Dr. Cohen Hubal received her Ph.D. and M.S. in Chemical Engineering from North Carolina State University.

Jennifer Johnson, Ed.D.

Deputy Commissioner, Administration on Disabilities, Administration for Community Living

Dr. Jennifer Johnson is the Deputy Commissioner of the Administration on Disabilities (AoD), part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Administration for Community Living (ACL). She is also the Director of AoD's Office of Disability Service Innovations. AoD's mission is to equip individuals with disabilities of all ages with opportunities, tools, and supports to lead lives of their choice in their community. Its programs are working to create change and improve the lives of the estimated 61 million individuals with disabilities living in the US by advancing opportunities for inclusion and participation in the community, employment and financial well-being, and independence and self- determination. Dr. Johnson has served as the Deputy Commissioner since September 2019, with a focus on improving the quality, accountability, and evidence base of AoD's programs and initiatives. Before assuming her current role as AoD's Deputy Commissioner, Dr. Johnson served as the Deputy Director of the Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AIDD) from July 2015 through August 2019. Prior to her tenure at AoD, Dr. Johnson conducted policy research at The George Washington University's Graduate School of Education and Human Development and taught graduate level classes on research methods, bilingual special education, and disability policy. She has also held positions in the Arlington County Public School system, at the Council for Exceptional Children, and at the Institute for Women's Policy Research. Dr. Johnson earned her doctorate in Special Education from The George Washington University and has a Master's degree in Early Childhood Special Education from The George Washington University. She earned her Bachelor's Degree from Hollins University.

Christy Kavulic, Ed.D.

Associate Division Director, Office of Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education

Christy Kavulic is the Associate Division Director of the Early Childhood Team in the Office of Special Education Programs in the U.S. Department of Education. In this position, she oversees the development and management of discretionary grants funded under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act that prepare an effective early childhood workforce; support the implementation of evidence-practices; and support high-quality early childhood systems at the State and local levels. She also supports collaboration with other federal partners to ensure that infants, toddlers, and preschool children with disabilities and their families have access to and full participation in high-quality early childhood programs and services. She has a master's degree in speech-language pathology and a doctorate in early childhood special education.

Leah Lozier, Ph.D.

Social Science Analyst, Office of Policy Development and Research, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Dr. Leah Lozier is a social science analyst in the Office of Policy Development and Research (PD&R) at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). She joined HUD in 2014 as a Presidential Management Fellow and has focused on the development and implementation of the Department’s research agenda related to health and housing. She managed two large, multisite randomized-controlled evaluations and quasi-experimental studies related to health, affordable housing, economic mobility, and health outcomes for children and older adults. Prior to coming to HUD, Dr. Lozier earned her Ph.D. in neuroscience at Georgetown University, where she conducted cognitive neuroscience and behavioral research and worked on a variety of neurobehavioral studies across the lifespan, including research on children with autism spectrum disorders.

Alison R. Marvin, Ph.D.

Statistician/Health Sciences Researcher, Division of the Analytics Center of Excellence, Social Security Administration

Dr. Alison R. Marvin joined the IACC as a Federal member in 2021. Dr. Marvin is a Statistician/Health Sciences Researcher in the Division of the Analytics Center of Excellence at the Social Security Administration (SSA), leading projects involving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) redeterminations and case selection and providing statistical support for Agency SSI outreach efforts. She also serves as the Autism Subject-Matter Expert at SSA. Prior to joining SSA, Dr. Marvin was Research Manager of the Interactive Autism Network, an internet-mediated research project and registry in the Department of Medical Informatics at Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD. Dr. Marvin continues her association with Kennedy Krieger Institute on a limited basis as Research Manager of the Autism Research and Engagement Core at the Maryland Center for Developmental Disabilities, one of a national network of University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities. Dr. Marvin is affiliated with the Wendy Klag Center for Autism & Developmental Disabilities at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Dr. Marvin has an M.S. in Statistics and Operations Research, an M.Phil. in Public Administration (with a focus on Health and Public Policy), and a Ph.D. in Health Sciences, and has published extensively in the field of autism research.

Matthew Miller, Ph.D., M.P.H.

Director, VA Suicide Prevention Program, Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, Veterans Health Administration, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Dr. Matthew Miller is the Director of the Suicide Prevention Program for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. He leads a team dedicated to the implementation and reinforcement of evidence-based community and clinical interventions addressing suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention for 19 million Veterans, nationwide and 140+ VA healthcare systems. Dr. Miller previously served as the Director of the Veterans and Military Crisis Line (VMCL). Under his leadership, the VMCL became the world's largest and suicide crisis call center. Prior to joining the VMCL, as Director, Dr. Miller served at the local VA facility level as the Deputy Chief of Staff for the Saginaw VA Medical Center, as well as the Chief of Mental Health. Dr. Miller received his PhD from Michigan State University and his MPH from the University of Michigan. Dr. Miller also served as an Officer and Clinical Psychologist with the United States Air Force. He completed his professional Residency in Clinical Psychology at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Medical Center. He served as a Chief of Mental Health at a Joint Services Pilot Training Wing, overseeing outpatient mental health operations for all Active Duty members and dependents within the installation community. Dr. Miller was awarded the USAF's 71st FTW "Cutting Edge Award" for the development of a cross disciplinary clinical treatment protocol and program that reduced pilot washout rates secondary to complicated airsickness to less than 1 percent. Dr. Miller was awarded the Air Force Commendation Medal for service rendered as part of the War on Terrorism.

Justin Mills, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.A.P.

Medical Officer, U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Program, Center for Evidence and Practice Improvement, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

Justin Mills, MD, MPH, F.A.A.P is a medical officer at the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) where he supports the work of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force in developing evidence-based clinical guidelines for primary care clinicians. He graduated from the University of Kansas, receiving his Bachelor of Arts (2001) and medical degree (2006). He completed his pediatric residency at the University of Kansas School of Medicine –Wichita (2009) and received his Master of Public Health from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Before joining AHRQ he served as a Sr. Clinical Advisor for the Bureau of Primary Health Care (HRSA) where he advised on clinical policy and worked to improve quality in federally qualified health centers. Dr. Mills is a board-certified pediatrician and continues to see patients at a Washington, DC-based community health center.

Nikhil "Sunny" A. Patel, M.D., M.P.H, M.S.

Senior Advisor for Children, Youth and Families, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

Dr. Nikhil “Sunny” A. Patel is a Senior Advisor for Children, Youth and Families within the Office of the Assistant Secretary for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). His duties include formulating and operationalizing the SAMHSA strategic plan; co-stewarding the cross-SAMHSA children, youth, young adults, and families (CYYAF) workgroup; and facilitating cross SAMHSA collaboration. Dr. Patel leverages his expertise as a child and adolescent psychiatrist and public health physician on various departmental convenings, where he co-stewards the Behavioral Health Coordinating Committee subgroup on high needs youth. He serves on the White House Intergovernmental Policy Committee and represents SAMHSA in various intergovernmental and public engagements. Dr. Patel also has a part-time appointment as Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Previously, he served as a Senior Medical Advisor for SAMSA’s Center for Mental Health Services and was a White House fellow within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Dr. Patel received his M.S. in integrative biology and physiology from the University of California. He earned his M.D. from Mayo Clinic School of Medicine; and completed his residency in psychiatry at the Cambridge Health Alliance/Harvard Medical School and a fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry at the New York University (NYU) Child Study Center. He received his M.P.H. from Harvard School of Public Health, with a concentration in global health and two interdisciplinary concentrations: humanitarian studies, ethics, and human rights and public health leadership.

Lauren Raskin Ramos, M.P.H.

Director, Division of Maternal and Child Health Workforce Development, Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Health Resources and Services Administration

Ms. Lauren Raskin Ramos is the Director of the Division of Maternal and Child Health Workforce Development at the Health Resources and Services Administration's Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB). In this role, she leads federal efforts to educate and train the current and future maternal and child health workforce. Ms. Ramos is also the lead for MCHB's Autism investments in training, research and state systems development. Previously, she held leadership roles at the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs and the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials. Ms. Ramos has also worked at the National Center for Education in Maternal and Child Health at Georgetown University on the Bright Futures Project, and at the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. She served as an Officer of the Maternal and Child Health Section of the American Public Health Association (APHA) and as a Board member of the National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition. Ms. Ramos completed her MPH at the UCLA School of Public Health with a concentration in Community Health Sciences and received her BA in Sociology and a Certificate in Community Health from Tufts University. She is a recipient of APHA's Maternal and Child Health Young Professional Award.

Karyl Rattay, M.D., M.S., FAAP

Director, Division of Human Development and Disability, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Dr. Karyl Rattay is the director of the Division of Human Development and Disability at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Prior to joining CDC, Dr. Rattay served for 13 years as Delaware’s Director of the Division of Public Health. During this time, she established the Healthy Communities Delaware initiative in collaboration with the University of Delaware and Delaware Community Foundation. Dr. Rattay has also served as a Senior Policy and Program Analyst for five years with the Nemours Health and Preventive Services. She helped establish a new division focused on health promotion and prevention for the children and youth of Delaware. Additionally, she served in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the Secretary Office of Public Health and Science, where she worked with the Assistant Secretary of Health and the Surgeon General on issues related to overweight/obesity, physical activity, nutrition, child health, and clinical health. She was the Co-Executive Secretary of the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and supported the Surgeon General and Secretary in writing the Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity.

Barbara Roland, M.B.S., LPC

Supervisory Healthcare Administrator (Mental Health Chief), Division of Behavioral Health, Office of Clinical and Preventative Services, Indian Health Service

Ms. Barbara Roland, M.B.S., LPC, is the Supervisory Healthcare Administrator (Mental Health Chief) for the Division of Behavioral Health in the Office of Clinical and Preventative Services at the Indian Health Service (IHS). She began her work with the IHS as the Supervisor of Behavioral Health at the Lawton Indian Hospital in 2015. Ms. Roland moved to the Behavioral Health Consultant position for the Oklahoma City Area in 2017. She served as a Military and Family Life Counselor (contractor) with the U.S. Army and the U.S. Air Force. Her work there included marriage and family counseling, child counseling, and presentations to military members and their families on behavioral health issues. She worked with soldiers prior to deployment for mission readiness and deployment issues. Prior to coming to IHS, Ms. Roland worked in the fields of substance use disorder and children and family counseling. She was crisis counselor at a public school system, professor of drug and alcohol abuse and psychology at a community college in Texas, owner of The Family Forum (private practice), and a military and family life counselor. She is a Citizen of the Cherokee Nation. Ms. Roland received her Master of Behavioral Studies (Counseling Psychology) from Southeastern Oklahoma State University in Durant, Oklahoma and a Bachelor of Business Administration from Northwood University in Cedar Hill, Texas.

Jodie Sumeracki, B.A.

Senior Policy Advisor, Disabled and Elderly Health Programs Group, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

Ms. Jodie Sumeracki is the Senior Policy Advisor at Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). She provides leadership and guidance for various long-term care policy areas and special projects and leads the analyses of policy issues and topics related to long-term care programs and payment systems. Before coming to CMS, she was a Health Policy Associate for the National Association of State Medicaid Directors. Previously she served as a Health Insurance Specialist at CMS. She received her B.A. in Psychology from Pennsylvania State University.

Debara L. Tucci, M.D., M.S., M.B.A., F.A.C.S.

Director, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, National Institutes of Health

Dr. Debara Tucci is Director of the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders at the National Institutes of Health, a position she has held since September 2019. Prior to coming to NIH, Dr. Tucci was a longtime faculty member at Duke University, in the Department of Head and Neck Surgery & Communication Sciences. Dr. Tucci's research has focused on understanding the biological effects of hearing loss in animal models, and on treatment of otologic disease, including with cochlear implantation. She partnered with the Duke Clinical Research Institute and colleagues at Duke to develop a national practice-based research network, and led a research team that implemented and studied outcomes and cost-benefit of adult hearing screening in primary care clinics at Duke. She has trained and mentored many resident physicians, junior faculty, and graduate students, both informally and through development of formal research training and mentoring programs. Current work as co-chair of the Lancet Commission on Global Hearing Loss allows her to pursue her passion for understanding and impacting hearing loss disability in diverse and underserved populations worldwide.

Nicole Williams, Ph.D.

Program Manager, Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs, U.S. Department of Defense

Dr. Nicole Williams is a Program Manager for the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) at the Department of Defense (DOD). She manages the Autism Research Program (ARP) and Pancreatic Cancer Research Program (PCARP). She leads the complete research program life cycle for both programs to invest over $20M annually in Congressional appropriations. Previously she was a Science Officer for CDMRP. She previously served as a federal member of the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee, as well as on the Federal Interagency Working Group on Autism. Dr. Williams received her Ph.D. with honors in Chemistry from Loyola University.

Taryn Mackenzie Williams, M.A.

Assistant Secretary, Office of Disability Employment Policy, U.S. Department of Labor

Taryn Mackenzie Williams, M.Ed. is the Assistant Secretary for the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP). She advises the Secretary of Labor on how the Department’s policies and programs impact the employment of people with disabilities and leads the ODEP. Previously, Ms. Williams was the managing director for the Poverty to Prosperity Program at American Progress, which works on progressive policies focused on a broad range of anti-poverty strategies. Before joining American Progress, she worked at ODEP on a variety of issues related to education, workforce policy, Social Security, Medicaid, and civil rights. In her role as director of youth policy, Ms. Williams led agency efforts to coordinate education and employment policy in support of improved labor force outcomes for disabled youth. From 2014 through 2016, Williams served as ODEP’s chief of staff. She also undertook detail assignments as associate director for public engagement and liaison to the disability community at the White House from 2014 through 2015 and as a policy adviser on the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions from 2012 through 2013. Prior to joining the federal government, Ms. Williams worked as the research coordinator for leadership programs at the Institute for Educational Leadership and as the director of programs at the National Association of Urban Debate Leagues headquartered in Chicago. She holds a bachelor’s degree in public policy from Brown University and a master’s degree in education with a concentration in administration, planning, and social policy from Harvard University.

Richard Woychik, Ph.D.

Director, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences; Director, National Toxicology Program, National Institutes of Health

Dr. Richard Woychik is the Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and the National Toxicology Program (NTP). In these roles, he oversees federal funding for biomedical research to discover how the environment influences human health and disease. Prior to becoming Director, Dr. Woychik served as Deputy Director of NIEHS. As a mammalian geneticist, Dr. Woychik has had a number of noteworthy accomplishments. His laboratory was the first to clone and characterize the gene called agouti, which provided molecular insights into obesity and the satiety response in the brain. Additionally, his laboratory was the first to identify a gene mutation associated with polycystic kidney disease. Recently, his research program has been focused on investigating the molecular mechanisms associated with how environmental agents influence the epigenetic control of gene expression. Dr. Woychik previously served as president and CEO of Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor, Maine, and functioned as the director of the laboratory's NCI designated Cancer Center. Prior to leading the Jackson Laboratory, Dr. Woychik held positions in both academia and industry: chief scientific officer for Lynx Therapeutics; head of the Parke-Davis Laboratory of Molecular Genetics; professor within the Departments of Pediatrics, Genetics and Pharmacology at the Case Western Reserve University; and senior research scientist at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Dr. Woychik completed his B.S. and M.S. at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and earned his Ph.D. in molecular biology at Case Western Reserve University in 1984. He completed his postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical School.

Public Members

Maria Mercedes Avila, Ph.D., M.S.W., M.Ed.

• Parent, Researcher; Joined IACC in 2021.

Professor, Department of Pediatrics; Director, Vermont LEND Program, Larner College of Medicine, University of Vermont

Dr. Maria Mercedes Avila joined the IACC as a public member in 2021. She is a Professor in the Department of Pediatrics in the Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont. She is also the Director of the Vermont Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (VT LEND) Program, an interprofessional maternal and child health leadership training program. She is a member of the Vermont Governor's Racial Equity Task Force, the Vermont Governor's Children and Family Council for Prevention Programs, and the Vermont Green Mountain Care Board nominating committee. Dr. Avila has been involved in more than twenty HRSA, PCORI, SAMHSA, ACL, and OMH grants. Since 2011, she has been invited to lead 58 national presentations and keynotes and more than 150 regional sessions on topics related to National CLAS Standards, health disparities research, social justice in health care, culturally responsive care and practice, social determinants of health, and structural competence and cultural humility. Dr. Avila holds a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Master's degrees in Educational Leadership and in Social Work, and Graduate Certificates in Diversity, Inclusion, and Social Justice and in Interdisciplinary Study of Disabilities. Dr. Avila recently completed a Harvard Medical School Program in Refugee Trauma Mastery Certificate in Global Mental Health. Dr. Avila is mother to a son on the autism spectrum.

Alice Carter, Ph.D.

• Researcher/Clinician; Joined IACC in 2021.

Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts Boston

Dr. Alice Carter is a Professor in the Psychology Department at the University of Massachusetts Boston. Trained as a clinical psychologist, Dr. Carter's work focuses on young children's development in the context of family relationships, with an emphasis on the early identification of psychopathology and neurodevelopmental disorders and factors that place children at risk for difficulties in social and emotional development. Her first faculty position was in the Department of Psychology at Yale University with a joint appointment at the Yale Child Study Center. Dr. Carter is an author or co-author of over 250 articles and chapters, a member of the Zero to Three DC:0-5 Task Force, co-editor of the Handbook of Infant, Toddler, and Preschool Mental Health Assessment (Second Edition) with Rebecca Del Carmen, Ph.D., and co-author of the Infant-Toddler Social and Emotional Assessment (ITSEA) and the Brief Infant-Toddler Social and Emotional Assessment (BITSEA) with Margaret Briggs-Gowan, Ph.D. Dr. Carter is currently evaluating the effectiveness of a naturalistic developmental behavioral intervention for young children with early signs of autism designed specifically for Part C Early Intervention settings. She has conducted trainings on assessment of infant, toddler, and preschool mental health and early detection of autism spectrum disorders nationally and internationally. Dr. Carter completed her undergraduate work at Cornell University in Human Development and Family Studies, her graduate training in Clinical Psychology at the University of Houston, and her clinical internship and postdoctoral training in Developmental Psychopathology at the Yale Child Study Center.

Sam Crane, J.D.

• Self-Advocate, Advocate; Joined IACC in 2015.

Board Chair, Autistic Self Advocacy Network

Ms. Samantha Crane, joined the IACC as a public member in 2015. Ms. Crane is a self-advocate and independent consultant who currently serves on the Board at the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN). Ms. Crane previously served as legal director at Quality Trust for Individuals with Disabilities and ASAN. She also served as staff attorney at the Bazelon Center of Mental Health Law, focusing on enforcing the right to community integration as established by the Supreme Court in Olmstead v. L.C., and as an associate at the litigation firm Quinn Emanuel Urquhart, & Sullivan, L.L.P., where she focused on patent and securities litigation. From 2009 to 2010, Ms. Crane served as law clerk to the Honorable Judge William H. Yohn at the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Ms. Crane is a graduate of Harvard Law School.

Aisha Dickerson, Ph.D.

• Researcher; Joined IACC in 2021.

Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University

Dr. Aisha S. Dickerson is Assistant Professor of Epidemiology and a Bloomberg Assistant Professor of American Health in Environmental Challenges at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She is an environmental neuroepidemiologist with primary research interests in environmental risk factors for neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders, including autism spectrum disorder, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and dementia. She currently serves as Principal Investigator on an NIH-supported research grant on parental occupational exposures and risk of autism spectrum disorder in offsprings in Denmark. Additionally, she investigates the influence of disparities in autism assessment and service provision along with environmental justice issues in underserved communities. Dr. Dickerson holds a B.S. in Biology and M.S.P.H. in Epidemiology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and a Ph.D. in Epidemiology from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. She received a year of postdoctoral training at the US Environmental Protection Agency before completing a postdoctoral fellowship at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Thomas W. Frazier, Ph.D.

• Parent, Researcher; Joined IACC in 2023.

Board of Directors, Autism Speaks; Professor of Psychology, John Carroll University; Research Professor Departments of Pediatrics and Psychiatry, SUNY-Upstate

Dr. Thomas Frazier joined the IACC in 2023. Dr. Frazier is a licensed clinical psychologist and the father of a young adult son with autism. He joined Cleveland Clinic in 2006 and from 2013-2017 was the director of the Cleveland Clinic Center for Autism and the Lerner School providing behavioral intervention to children and young adults. In 2017, he was hired as the Chief Science Officer at Autism Speaks and is currently a member of the Autism Speaks national board and chair of the medical and science advisory committee. He is also a Professor of Psychology at John Carroll University and a Research Professor in Pediatrics and Psychiatry at SUNY-Upstate. Over the last decade, Dr. Frazier has maintained active clinical research programs focused on the evaluation and treatment of neurodevelopment disorders and related conditions. He has published more than 150 scientific papers and his recent work has focused on measuring key neurobehavioral processes relevant to early identification and monitoring response to intervention. He received his Ph.D. from Case Western Reserve University in 2004.

Dena Gassner, Ph.D., M.S.W.

• Researcher, Self-Advocate, Parent; Joined IACC in 2021.

Senior Science Researcher, AJ Drexel Autism Institute; Drexel University

Dr. Dena Gassner is a Senior Science Researcher at the AJ Drexel Autism Institute at Drexel University. At Drexel she collaborates on research including truth and reconciliation in autism, the costs of administrative burden in systems navigation, intellectual and developmental disability (IDD) workforce development, policy, and maternal healthcare outcomes for autistic birthing people. She is on the national board of directors of the Institute for Exceptional Care. She is a member of the AIR-P Gender, Sexuality, and Healthcare Node. Her current work with PCORI-funded research includes studies examining the healthcare needs of autistic people, and suicide prevention in autism, and currently, she is serving in three roles in PCORI research for AASET. Dr. Gassner also spent over 25 years in private practice, specializing in aiding people applying for Social Security Disability Insurance with a self-designed protocol that has enjoyed considerable success. She identifies as a female, Autistic researcher, wife, and the mother to two neurodivergent adults. Her favorite title is "Grandma." Dr. Gassner received her Ph.D. in Social Welfare at Adelphi University.

Morénike Giwa Onaiwu, Ph.D.

• Self-Advocate, Parent, Advocate; Joined IACC in 2021.

Research Fellow, AJ Drexel Autism Institute, Drexel University; Equity, Justice, and Representation Chair, Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network

Dr. Morénike Giwa Onaiwu (she/they) is an autism self-advocate and parent of several children, including an autistic son and daughter. Dr. Giwa Onaiwu is an educator, social scientist/activist, and consultant whose work focuses on disability justice, intersectionality, meaningful community involvement, human rights, and inclusion. Dr. Giwa Onaiwu is a Research Fellow at the AJ Drexel Autism Institute at Drexel University. Dr. Giwa Onaiwu is also the Equity, Justice, and Representation Chair for the Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network and has served on numerous national and global committees, including consecutive terms chairing NIH and HRSA-funded collaborative workgroups. Dr. Giwa Onaiwu is an award-winning public speaker and writer who has written for and/or been featured in numerous articles, books, and other traditional and digital platforms, often drawing from both professional knowledge as well as personal experiences as a non-binary woman of color and an autistic parent of children with disabilities in a multicultural, serodifferent, neurodiverse family. Dr. Giwa Onaiwu's board membership includes the Foundations for Divergent Minds, National Research Center for Parents with Disabilities at Brandeis University, and Institute for Exceptional Care. Dr. Giwa Onaiwu earned an undergraduate degree in International Relations, an M.A. in Special Education with a concentration in autism and developmental disabilities from the University of Texas Permian Basin and an interdisciplinary Ph.D. on the intersection of disability, race, and gender from University of East Anglia.

Alycia Halladay, Ph.D.

• Parent, Researcher, Advocate; Joined IACC in 2021.

Chief Science Officer, Autism Science Foundation; Adjunct Faculty, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Rutgers University

Dr. Alycia Halladay is the Chief Science Officer for the Autism Science Foundation (ASF), where she oversees scientific activities, grants, and initiatives. ASF focuses on investments in early career researchers to improve scientific discovery while training the next generation of scientists using cutting-edge technologies. These awards include pre- and post-doctoral fellowships, undergraduate awards, COVID-19 research grants, the Autism Sisters Project, the Baby Siblings Research Consortium, and the Alliance for the Genetic Etiologies of Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Autism. ASF also provides outreach and communication support to the Autism BrainNet, helping explain the importance of this program to families and individuals with ASD. Dr. Halladay also produces a weekly podcast aimed at explaining scientific information to the public. Prior to joining ASF in 2014, Dr. Halladay served as Senior Director of Clinical and Environmental Sciences at Autism Speaks. There, she helped lead the "Early Access to Care" Initiative, which aimed to lower the age of diagnosis for autism and improve access to evidence based services. She also managed the environmental science portfolio and the worked closely with event organizers to communicate science to the public. Dr. Halladay also serves as President of the Board of Directors for the Phelan McDermid Syndrome Foundation. In 2001, Dr. Halladay received a Ph.D. in biopsychology from Rutgers University, where she still holds a faculty appointment. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship in pharmacology and toxicology at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey in 2004. Dr. Halladay has a 10-year-old daughter who is on the autism spectrum.

Craig Johnson, M.Ed.

• Parent, Advocate; Joined IACC in 2021.

Founder and President, Champions Foundation

Craig Johnson is the father of a teen son on the autism spectrum and an author and advocate for people with disabilities. He currently serves as an Associate Pastor at Lakewood Church in Houston and as the Founder and President of the Champions Foundation and Champions Club developmental centers for special needs children with over 95 centers across the world. Pastor Johnson is the co-author of "Champions Curriculum", a full scope Christian curriculum for special needs children, as well as other curricula and resources. He is the author of Lead Vertically: Inspire People to Volunteer and Build Great Teams That Last and Champion: How One Boy's Journey Through Autism Is Changing the World. Pastor Johnson and Samantha, his wife of 30 years, co-wrote the new children's book You Are Extraordinary. Pastor Johnson travels and speaks across the world advocating for the forgotten and disenfranchised. He received his Master's degree in Education in Special Populations from University of Houston. Pastor Johnson and Samantha have three children: Cory, Courtney, and Connor.

Yetta Myrick, B.A.

• Parent, Advocate; Joined IACC in 2021.

Founder and President, DC Autism Parents

Ms. Yetta Myrick is the mother of a young adult son diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability. She is the Founder and President of DC Autism Parents, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in the District of Columbia (DC), where she oversees daily operations and has created programs for children and youth diagnosed with autism and their families. Ms. Myrick has served as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Act Early Ambassador to Washington, DC, since 2016. She is leading the DC Act Early COVID-19 Response Team Project funded by the CDC and the Association of University Centers on Disabilities. Ms. Myrick was the Community Outreach Coordinator at the Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders (CASD) at Children's National from 2016 to 2020, where she worked with the research team to engage the local autism community. From 2013 to 2017, Ms. Myrick served as the Stakeholder Advisory Board Chair for CASD's Patient-Centered Outcome Research Institute (PCORI) Grant, "A Community-Based Executive Function Intervention for Low Income Children with ADHD and ASD Research Project". In 2019, she was appointed by DC Mayor Muriel Bowser to serve as a member of the DC Developmental Disabilities Council and is a member of the Got Transition® National Family Health Care Transition Advisory Group. Ms. Myrick holds a B.A. in Communication Studies from the Catholic University of America.

Lindsey Nebeker, B.A.

• Self-Advocate, Advocate, Family Member; Joined IACC in 2021.

Marketing Consultant, Independent Contractor

Ms. Lindsey Nebeker joined the IACC as a public member in 2021. Ms. Nebeker works as a freelance consultant who specializes in digital marketing and business development. She was born in Tokyo, Japan, and spent the first eleven years of her life residing there with her family. She received her autism diagnosis at age 2 from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Department of Psychiatry. Ms. Nebeker is also a sibling to an autistic adult with high-support needs. Through her family experience, she is especially focused on improving access to communication and community services and recognizing autistics and their caregivers who rely on significant support. Over the past decade, Ms. Nebeker has served on several boards and advisory panels for organizations such as the Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network, Felicity House, and the Autism NOW Center. When she is not reporting to her full-time job positions, you can find her engaged in her passions of traveling, Japanese culture, documenting her life through photography, and composing pieces on her 1909 Steinway. Ms. Nebeker holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Technology (minor in Photography), and she also holds a certificate for the Partners in Policymaking Advocacy Leadership Training Program.

Jenny Mai Phan, Ph.D.

• Self-Advocate, Parent, Researcher; Joined IACC in 2021.

Assistant Director of Community Engagement, Center for Adaptive Systems of Brain-Body Interactions (CASBBI); Research Assistant Professor, College of Engineering and Computing, George Mason University

Dr. Jenny Mai Phan joined the IACC as a public member in 2021. Dr. Phan is the Assistant Director of Community Engagement at the Center for Adaptive Systems of Brain-Body Interactions (CASBBI) and a Research Assistant Professor in the College of Engineering and Computing at George Mason University. Previously, Dr. Phan was a NINDS-funded T32 postdoctoral fellow in the Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders at Children’s National Hospital. She completed a NICHD-funded T32 postdoctoral fellowship in the Waisman Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison between 2020-2022. Dr. Phan is an autistic researcher who studies autism and co-occurring mental health symptoms in adolescents. Her current research interests include investigating underlying biopsychosocial mechanisms of early and delayed pubertal development, as well as the influence of sexual health education, and how these impact on autistic adolescents’ mental health and wellbeing. From 2015-2020, Dr. Phan served on the Iowa Autism Council, where she, as a parent of four with two boys on the autism spectrum with co-occurring conditions, provided counsel on priorities of resources and services allocation across the state of Iowa. She also serves as Executive Secretary on the Psychology Interest Network at the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. By training, Dr. Phan earned a B.S. in psychology at the University of New Orleans and a M.S. and Ph.D. in human development and family studies at Iowa State University with a concentration in biopsychology and adolescent development.

JaLynn R. Prince, B.F.A.

• Parent, Advocate; Joined IACC in 2021.

Co-Founder, President, and Chair, Madison House Autism Foundation

Ms. JaLynn Prince came to the autism arena in order to advocate for her son Madison, now in his thirties, before autism was on the public radar. She and her husband Dr. Gregory A. Prince, a noted virologist, founded one of the only organizations to address broadly, yet comprehensively, the lifespan issues of autism after the age of 21. Ms. Prince heads Madison House Autism Foundation (MHAF) and consults with numerous advisors, many of whom are on the Foundation's advisory board and consults with others from universities, companies, organizations, and individuals with autism across the country and internationally. In turn she has conferred and advised on projects and innovations in Uganda, Myanmar, India, the United Kingdom, Guatemala, Lithuania, Poland and the United States. MHAF's initiatives include Autism After and the Autism Housing Network (AHN). AHN was also co-publisher, co-editor, and co-author of A Place in the World: Fueling Housing and Community Options for Adults with Autism and Other Neurodiversities. MHAF has also launched a statewide pilot, Autism After 21 Utah Blueprint Initiative, on adult autism, inclusion, and community building. Mrs. Prince has served on many university boards and advisories, including the Johns Hopkins University School of Education, University of Utah Library, Utah Valley University, Brigham Young University Management Society, Southern Virginia University, and Utah State University. She is, or has, served on the boards of the REACH Institute, Operation KIDS, Rising Star Outreach, and the International Center for Conciliation, Royal Society of Medicine, and many others.

Camille Proctor

• Parent, Advocate; Joined IACC in 2023.

Founder, The Color of Autism Foundation

Ms. Camille Proctor joined the IACC in 2023. Ms. 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 organization committed to educating and assisting African American families affected by autism spectrum disorders. They aim to help families identify the 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. Ms. Proctor 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 is the author of an October 2020 CNN essay, "For the Walter Wallaces of the World, the Police are not the Answer." In 2022 she co-authored a research paper titled A culturally grounded autism parent training program with Black parents. She obtained a Diversity Equity and Inclusion Certificate from Cornell University in January 2023.

Susan Rivera, Ph.D.

• Researcher/Clinician; Joined IACC in 2021.

Dean, College of Behavioral & Social Sciences; University of Maryland

Dr. Susan Rivera is Dean of the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences at the University of Maryland. Prior to this role, she was Professor and Chair of the Psychology department at the University of California, Davis, and a faculty member of the UC Davis MIND Institute and the Center for Mind and Brain. She has conducted scientific research on autism and other developmental differences for twenty years. Her scientific work uses brain imaging (EEG/ERP and functional and structural MRI) and eye tracking techniques to investigate questions about how underlying brain activity and behavior supports the development of skills (i.e., attention, visual perception, face processing, sensory processing and emotion regulation) necessary for adaptive cognitive and social-emotional well-being. In addition to this scientific work, she is also devoted to championing the tenets of neurodiversity and advocacy to the public and the academic community. Dr. Rivera also serves as editor in chief of the journal Human Development.

Matthew Siegel, M.D.

• Researcher/Clinician; Joined IACC in 2021.

Chief of Clinical Enterprise, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Boston Children's Hospital; Chief Behavioral Health Officer, Franciscan Children's

Dr. Matthew Siegel, MD, DFAACAP holds a dual leadership position as the Chief of Clinical Enterprise in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Boston Children's and the Chief Behavioral Health Officer at Franciscan Children's. In this position, Dr. Siegel plays a central role in creating a more equitable and effective system of integrated and effective care, research, and education that will improve the lives of children and families in Massachusetts and New England. He is also a Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics at Tufts University School of Medicine. Previously, he was Vice President of Medical Affairs of the Developmental Disorders Service Line of Maine Behavioral Healthcare and Faculty Scientist at the Maine Medical Center Research Institute. Dr. Siegel has developed a widely recognized continuum of care and clinical research focused on treatment of serious challenging behaviors in youth with autism and related disorders. He is a co-author of the American Academy of Child Psychiatry's Practice Parameter on the Assessment and Treatment of Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder and the Practice Parameter for the Assessment and Treatment of Psychiatric Disorders in Children and Adolescents with Intellectual Disability. Dr. Siegel attended Amherst College and Stanford Medical School and trained at Brown University in child psychiatry, psychiatry, and pediatrics.

Ivanova Smith, B.A.

• Self-Advocate, Advocate; Joined IACC in 2021.

Self-Advocate Faculty, Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities, University of Washington

Ms. Ivanova Smith was born in Latvia and spent the first five-and-a-half years of her life in an institution there before immigrating to the United States. Ms. Smith is a person with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (I/DD). She is married and has two young children. She is in addition an activist and advocate for employment for people with disabilities. Her advocacy includes meeting and testifying before the Washington State Legislature and frequent speaking engagements and presentations. She works as a faculty member for the University of Washington's Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) Department. Ms. Smith is the Chair of Self-Advocates in Leadership (SAIL) and a member and President of the Pierce County Chapter of People First of Washington. She lives with her family in Tacoma, Washington.

Hari Srinivasan

• Self-Advocate, Advocate; Joined IACC in 2021.

Ph.D. Neuroscience Student and PD Soros Fellow, Vanderbilt University

Mr. Hari Srinivasan has autism and ADHD with limited speaking ability, and primarily uses augmented alternative communication (AAC) to communicate. He is a Ph.D. Neuroscience student at Vanderbilt University, a PD Soros Fellow, and a Fellow at the Frist Center for Autism and Innovation. Mr. Srinivasan graduated from University of California, Berkeley as University Medal Finalist, along with Departmental Citation Award, Highest Honors, Phi Beta Kappa, and Psi Chi. He was an undergraduate Haas Scholar and carried out a year-long study on awe and empathy in autism. He was also lead student instructor for a weekly class on autism, creating and teaching content that covered a myriad of issues across the lifespan. As a student journalist at The Daily Californian, he wrote over 50 articles on both disability and non-disability topics. He headed Team Propaganda at the UC Berkeley Disability Lab, which hacks low-cost solutions for a wide range of disabilities. Additionally, he was a research assistant at the Berkeley Psychology Labs on projects related to mental health, ADHD, and sleep. He also served as student president of the Berkeley campus organization Autism: Spectrum at Cal, stressing the idea of autism needing to go beyond mere Awareness, Acceptance, and Inclusion and towards Belonging. Mr. Srinivasan's other affiliations include Vice Chair of Board of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN), Board Member of Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF), Council of Autistic Advisors for the Autism Society of America, and Community Advisory Board for The Brain Foundation.

Helen Tager-Flusberg, Ph.D.

• Researcher/Clinician; Joined IACC in 2021.

Professor, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences; Director, Center for Autism Research Excellence, Boston University

Dr. Helen Tager-Flusberg is Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences and Director of the Center for Autism Research Excellence at Boston University. She has devoted her career to conducting research on autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders exploring variability in phenotypic expression, investigating developmental and intervention-based changes in language and social cognition using behavioral and brain imaging methodologies, and developing new measures to assess language across the full range of the autism spectrum. Her research has been funded by NIH, other government agencies, and private foundations, and she has led several NIH multi-site multidisciplinary autism research programs: Collaborative Programs of Excellence in Autism (CPEA), Studies to Advance Autism Research & Treatment (STAART), and Autism Centers of Excellence (ACE). She has edited seven books and written over 250 journal articles and book chapters. She is the Past President of INSAR (2011-2013) and received the INSAR Lifetime Achievement Award in 2021 for her lasting contributions to research on autism.

Julie Lounds Taylor, Ph.D.

• Researcher; Joined IACC in 2015.

Professor, Department of Pediatrics; Co-Director, Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Dr. Julie Lounds Taylor joined the IACC as a public member in 2015. She is a Professor of Pediatrics, with a secondary appointment in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center. She is also the Co-Director of the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center’s University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) in Nashville, TN. Her research focuses on understanding factors that promote positive outcomes for autistic adults and their families, particularly during the transition to adulthood. Dr. Taylor's research has been funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, the FAR fund, the U.S. Department of Defense, and the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute for Educational Sciences. She currently directs a randomized controlled trial testing a parent advocacy intervention to improve service access for autistic youth who are transitioning to adulthood, a longitudinal study of precursors and consequences of employment stability for adults on the autism spectrum, and recently finished a study of the day-to-day experiences that are associated with depression among autistic youth. Dr. Taylor was the 2014 recipient of the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Early Career Award, and was named a fellow of the American Psychological Association in 2024. Dr. Taylor earned her B.A. in Psychology from Wheaton College and her Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from the University of Notre Dame. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Waisman Center, Lifespan Family Research Laboratory, at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Paul Wang, M.D.

• Researcher; Joined IACC in 2021.

Deputy Director, Clinical Research Associates, LLC, Simons Foundation; Associate Clinical Professor of Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine

Dr. Paul Wang is a developmental behavioral pediatrician whose familiarity with ASD draws from hundreds of personal relationships with individuals affected by ASD, including patients, their families, research subjects, work colleagues, and other self-advocates. His professional experience spans academia, industry, advocacy, and non-profit science funding. Dr. Wang's professional career began at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, where he participated in the care of hundreds of families with autism and related conditions and led a research lab focused on language and memory development. He subsequently worked in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries, designing and directing some of the largest randomized controlled trials to date in autism and in fragile X syndrome. Dr. Wang worked in science funding and science communication as Senior Vice President at Autism Speaks before joining the Simons Foundation in 2016. As Deputy Director of Clinical Research there, his remit broadly spans clinical and translational research on ASD, with a particular focus on clinical trial design issues, and the development of biomarkers and outcome measures for clinical trials. Dr. Wang appreciates the broad range of perspectives, needs, and goals within the ASD community. He is passionate in his desire to help find new and more effective supports for this diverse community.

IACC Alternates

Thyria Alvarez, M.S.W. (for Leah Lozier, Ph.D.)

Social Science Analyst, Office of Policy Development and Research, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Ms. Alvarez serves as a social science analyst within the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Office of Policy Development and Research. Ms. Alvarez joined the Policy Development Division in 2020 to support the Department's research agenda to report on current trends of housing instability and evaluate the effectiveness of programs aimed to reduce housing instability and prevent homelessness. Ms. Alvarez co-authors the Worst Case Housing Needs Report to Congress. Prior to joining HUD, Ms. Alvarez worked for Abt Associates Inc., where she supported evaluation studies of HUD Programs. Ms. Alvarez also provided technical assistance to HUD programs and to the Government of the Dominican Republic to enroll people living with HIV in the public healthcare system, through the USAID's Health Finance and Governance Project. At Abt, Ms. Alvarez collaborated in the quantitative and qualitative components of the evaluation of HUD's Supportive Services Demonstration. She also collaborated in the Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress. Prior to working for Abt Associates Inc., Ms. Alvarez worked for the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. At the beginning of her career, Ms. Alvarez also served as a case manager to prevent and treat child abuse and neglect in vulnerable families, including families with children with disabilities. Ms. Alvarez earned a Bachelor of Social Work degree at the University of Missouri-Columbia, and a master's degree in Social Work from Washington University in Saint Louis with a concertation in Social and Economic Development and Mental Health, and a specialization in Research.

Mitchell Berger, M.P.H. (for Nikhil "Sunny" A. Patel, M.D., M.P.H, M.S.)

Public Health Advisor, Center for Mental Health Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

Mr. Mitchell Berger serves as a Public Health Advisor for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). He contributes to the agency’s work on mental health and substance use disorder integration, regulation review, human immunodeficiency virus and health disparities. Prior to joining SAMHSA, Mr. Berger worked as a Public Health Planner for local health departments. In these positions, Mr. Berger contributed to access to care, behavioral health, community health assessment and planning, emergency preparedness and public health legislation and policy efforts.

Amanda B. Bryans, M.S. (for Allyson Dean, Ed.D.)

Education and Research to Practice Supervisor, Office of Head Start, Administration for Children and Families

Ms. Amanda Bryans has worked in the Administration for Children and Families, Department of Health and Human Services since 1999. During that time, she has led efforts to improve the quality and effectiveness of program services through regulations, research, program monitoring, and training and technical assistance. She currently leads the Office of Head Start's work on school readiness and research to practice. In addition to early childhood education and research, her expertise includes inclusion and transportation services. Amanda has a B.S. from Cornell University in Human Development and Family Studies and an M.S. from the State University of New York at Albany in Educational Psychology, Measurement and Statistics. She has worked for Head Start for over 30 years including five years as a Disabilities Services and Education Coordinator, and five years as the Director of the Head Start program in Albany, NY.

Cara Caplan, Ph.D. (for Alison R. Marvin, Ph.D.)

Branch Chief, Office of Research, Demonstration and Employment Support, Social Security Administration

Dr. Caplan is a manager with the Office of Research and Demonstration for the Social Security Administration (SSA). She has been with SSA for 25 years. She currently leads a team of dedicated employees to develop, implement, and evaluate disability and SSI-related interventions as well as conduct other systematic research to support future initiatives as well as encourage work and self-sufficiency among current SSDI beneficiaries and SSI recipients, as well as applicants and potential applicants. Prior to joining her current office, Dr. Caplan was a Branch Chief and the Deputy Director in the Office of Employment Support overseeing the Ticket to Work Program which included the Employment Networks, the Work Incentives Planning and Assistance Program, and the Protection and Advocacy of Beneficiaries for Social Security Program. Dr Caplan has a B.S. in Biology and Psychology from Florida Atlantic University, a M.S. in Mental Health from Nova-Southeastern University and a Ph.D. from Mississippi State in Psychology and Rehabilitation Counseling. While there, she was the Anne Sullivan Macy Fellow for the Rehabilitation, Research, and Training Center on Blindness and Low Vision. She did her Post-Doctoral work at the George Washington University.

Judith A. Cooper, Ph.D. (for Debara L. Tucci, M.D., M.S., M.B.A., F.A.C.S.)

Deputy Director, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, National Institutes of Health

Dr. Judith Cooper is currently Deputy Director of the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders at the NIH. In addition, she serves as Director, Division of Scientific Programs, within NIDCD. She has programmatic responsibilities for the areas of language, language impairments, and language in deaf individuals. Dr. Cooper's current responsibilities include overseeing and coordinating the activities of her division; advising within NIDCD and across the NIH regarding issues related to language and language disorders; participating in trans-NIH initiatives focused in language as well as autism; and, working with potential and funded researchers in language across the US and beyond, providing advice, direction, and encouragement related to research grant focus, development and preparation. She received her B.F.A. at Southern Methodist University in 1971 with a major in Speech-Language Pathology, her M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology at Vanderbilt University in 1972, and her Ph.D. at the University of Washington in 1982 in Speech and Hearing Sciences. She was elected a Fellow of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association in 2006 and received the Honors of the Association in 2007.

Rebecca Dzubow, M.E.M., M.P.H. (for Elaine Cohen Hubal, Ph.D.)

Regulatory Support and Science Policy Division Director, Office of Children’s Health Protection, US Environmental Protection Agency

Rebecca Dzubow is the Director of the Regulatory Support and Science Policy Division in the Office of Children’s Health Protection (OCHP) at Environmental Protection Agency. OCHP’s mission is to ensure that environmental exposures occurring early in life are considered during EPA’s development of actions, regulations, assessments, methods and policies. Prior to this, she was a Health Scientist in OCHP and in EPA’s Office of Research and Development, served on the EPA’s Risk Assessment Forum as the Chair of the Human Health Oversight Committee, was a Brookings Institution LEGIS Congressional Fellow at the US Congress, and an Association of Schools of Public Health Fellow at EPA. Ms. Dzubow received her Master of Environmental Studies (M.E.M.) from Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) from Yale School of Epidemiology and Public Health.

Melissa L. Harris, B.S. (for Jodie Sumeracki, B.A.)

Deputy Director, Disabled and Elderly Health Programs Group, Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

Ms. Melissa Harris was formerly the CMS representative to the IACC since 2015. Ms. Harris has worked in the Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services' Disabled and Elderly Health Programs Group since its inception in 1997, serving in various positions including the Director of the Division of Benefits and Coverage, Senior Policy Advisor, Deputy Group Director, and most recently, a temporary position of Acting Director. In these capacities, Ms. Harris has overseen the development and implementation of many Medicaid coverage policies, including for individuals with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. Ms. Harris has extensive experience in implementation of the Medicaid home and community-based settings regulation, and Medicaid's coverage requirements for individuals under the age of 21.

Alice Kau, Ph.D. (for Diana W. Bianchi, M.D.)

Health Scientist Administrator, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health

Dr. Alice Kau joined the Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Branch as a Health Scientist Administrator in June 2003. Dr. Kau is responsible for the Branch's Bio-behavioral Research Program with emphasis on autism research. She also serves as a key member of the autism and behavioral science research communities on behalf of the Branch and assists in formulating and planning activities of these programs. Dr. Kau received her doctorate in developmental psychology from Ohio State University and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in clinical psychology at the Department of Pediatrics at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Prior to coming to the NICHD, Dr. Kau was an assistant professor of psychology at the Kennedy Krieger Institute, Johns Hopkins University.

Walter J. Koroshetz, M.D. (for Kristina Hardy, Ph.D., M.D.)

Director, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health

Dr. Walter Koroshetz joined the IACC as a Federal member in 2009. He is Director of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). He directs the NINDS planning and budgeting and oversees Institute scientific and administrative functions. Prior to his appointment as Director in July 2015 he served for eight years as Deputy Director at NINDS. Before joining NINDS, Dr. Koroshetz served as Vice Chair of the Neurology Service and Director of Stroke and Neurointensive Care Services at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). He was also a Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School and led neurology resident training at MGH between 1990 and 2007. Dr. Koroshetz trained in internal medicine and then neurology at MGH, after which he did post-doctoral studies in cellular neurophysiology at MGH and the Harvard neurobiology department. He joined the MGH neurology staff, first in the Huntington's disease unit and then in the stroke and neuro-intensive care service. A native of Brooklyn, New York, Dr. Koroshetz graduated from Georgetown University and received his medical degree from the University of Chicago.

Cindy Lawler, Ph.D. (for Richard Woychik, Ph.D.)

Chief, Genes, Environment, and Health Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health

Dr. Cindy Lawler is Chief of the Genes Environment and Health Branch in the Extramural Division of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. She provides leadership and oversight for a diverse program of research grants and cooperative agreements to understand how environmental chemicals affect the function of molecules, cells, organs, and organ systems and how those changes may contribute to complex human diseases. The role of epigenomics, gene-environment interaction and microbiome in exposure-related diseases are important areas of focus. Dr. Lawler administers a national grants program to understand environmental contributors to autism and provides leadership in planning, development, and evaluation of research initiatives in this area. She works closely with her program colleagues at other NIH institutes that support autism research to ensure coordination of efforts and to develop new autism activities and initiatives in areas of joint interest. Prior to joining NIEHS, Dr. Lawler completed a postdoctoral NICHD-funded fellowship in Behavioral Neuroscience and Molecular Pharmacology at the Brain and Development Research Center at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Following her fellowship, Dr. Lawler was employed as a Research Assistant Professor and held appointments in the Departments of Psychiatry, Biostatistics and the Program in Toxicology at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. She was the Principal Investigator on a NIMH-funded study of the mechanisms underlying the selective activation of a subtype of dopamine receptors observed with a new structural class of agonists. Dr. Lawler received her Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts.

Amber Parker, M.J.M. (for Deirdra Assey, M.A.)

Senior Policy Advisor, Law Enforcement Innovation & Crime Reduction, U.S. Department of Justice

Ms. Amber Parker is a Senior Policy Advisor on the Law Enforcement Innovation and Crime Reduction team at the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), where she works on programs such the Kevin and Avonte Program: Reducing Injury and Death of Missing Individuals with Dementia and Developmental Disabilities; the Student, Teachers, and Officers Preventing (STOP) School Violence Community Violence Intervention (CVI) Training and Technical Assistance Program; and implementation of the Bureau’s Violent Crime Reduction Roadmap. Prior to joining BJA, Ms. Parker served in the City of Omaha Mayor’s Office where she where she directed grant operations, providing subject matter expertise across a broad public safety portfolio. In Douglas County (NE), she led the Georgetown School-Justice Partnership Capstone project, authored the Douglas County Juvenile Services Plan, and developed key justice reform strategies and policies. With the City of Las Cruces (NM), she managed the juvenile citation programs, implementing systemic changes which substantially reduced the number of young people referred to the formal juvenile justice system. Ms. Parker received her B.A. in Sociology from the University of Iowa and a Master of Justice Management from the University of Nevada, Reno. She also holds an Executive Certificate from Georgetown University in School Justice Partnerships and two Professional Certificates from the National Gang Crime Research Center.

Scott Patterson, Ph.D., HSPP (for Matthew Miller, Ph.D., M.P.H.)

Clinical Psychologist, Richard L. Roudebush Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Veterans Health Administration, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Dr. Scott Patterson is a licensed clinical psychologist and has operated as a facility Local Recovery Coordinator for the Department of Veterans Affairs - Veterans Health Indiana system since 2009. In his role, he operates as the lead staff consultant tasked with modernizing and improving the quality of mental health care across a large VA hospital system. Dr. Patterson's interest areas include evidence-based approaches to treatment of individuals living with high functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), system-based recovery approaches for Veterans living with Severe Mental Illness, and promotion of modern models of therapeutic peer support. Dr. Patterson is the lead ASD evaluator for his facility and specializes in differential diagnosis of Veterans with ASD.

Bobbi Jo Peltier, M.S. (for Barbara Roland, M.B.S., LPC)

Public Health Advisor, Indian Health Service

Ms. Bobbi Jo Peltier is a Public Health Advisor within the Indian Health Service (IHS). She has a background in prevention, project management, and data/statistics in Behavioral Health. She provides advice and assistance to the Community Health Aide Program (CHAP) Lead on behavioral health. She directs and advises on the development, implementation, maintenance, and evaluation of the BHA (Behavioral Health Aide) program which serves the AI/AN population, including children. Previously she served as a Supervisory Health System Specialist at IHS. Ms. Peltier received her bachelor’s degree in Sociology/Human Services from Northern State University. She received her M.S. in Health Services Administration from the University of South Dakota.

Amanda Reichard, Ph.D. (for Jennifer Johnson, Ed.D.)

Project Officer, National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research, Administration for Community Living

Dr. Amanda Reichard is a Project Officer at the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR). She has conducted research focused on disability and health, wellness promotion, and health services throughout her career. Dr. Reichard has analyzed national survey data and Medicare and state Medicaid administrative claims data to better understand health care access, health care utilization, public health surveillance, and disparities among people with disabilities of many types, including Autism Spectrum Disorders. She has also worked in public health for over 20 years. Dr. Reichard has often been a part of academic and programmatic groups working in improving the field's ability to identify people with I/DD and other disabilities for surveillance and research and has several published articles on this topic. She currently serves on the Federal Interagency Workgroup for Autism Spectrum Disorders, the Disability Workgroup for Healthy People 2030, and co-leads a Federal Interagency Workgroup on Use of Administrative Data for Understanding people with I/DD.

Scott Michael Robertson, Ph.D. (for Taryn Mackenzie Williams, M.A.)

Senior Policy Advisor, Office of Disability Employment Policy, U.S. Department of Labor

Dr. Scott Michael Robertson is a Senior Policy Advisor in the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) in the U.S. Department of Labor and an autistic adult. Dr. Robertson orchestrates ODEP's Partnership on Inclusive Apprenticeship (PIA) through his role as the federal project manager; PIA drives policies and practices to increase access to career pathways in high-growth, high-demand fields, such as information technology, cybersecurity, clean and renewable energy, and healthcare. Dr. Robertson spearheads ODEP's work to enhance national autism policy, foster neurodiversity at work, and increase access to gainful employment for youth and adults on the autism spectrum. He has also advised on policy and practices for accessible and emerging technology, such as artificial intelligence and automated vehicles. Earlier in his tenure at ODEP, he advanced policies for school-to-work transition and career development for youth and young adults with and without disabilities. Dr. Robertson has served as a Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. Fellow for U.S. Senator Tom Harkin in the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. He also served as the Founding Vice President of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN), a national nonprofit organization. Dr. Robertson earned his PhD in information sciences and technology at Penn State University. His professional recognitions include the 2011 Jay S. Drotman Memorial Award from the American Public Health Association and a 2020 Service to the Citizen Award from Dorris Consulting International. He is also an inductee of the Susan M. Daniels Disability Mentoring Hall of Fame.

Robyn D.F. Sagatov, Ph.D., M.H.S. (for Justin Mills, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.A.P.)

Senior Advisor for Children’s Health, Division of Priority Populations, Office of Extramural Research, Education, and Priority Populations, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

Dr. Robyn Sagatov is a Staff Service Fellow with the Office of Extramural Research, Education and Priority Populations (OEREP), Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). Dr. Sagatov earned her doctorate in Human Nutrition from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, during which time she also completed a fellowship with the Leadership Education in Adolescent Health (LEAH) program. Over the past 17 years, Dr. Sagatov has worked in health research/public health in a variety of areas including maternal and child health, nutrition, physical activity, behavioral health, childhood obesity, pregnancy, breastfeeding, and tobacco. In her role as Senior Advisor for Children’s Health, Dr. Sagatov oversees child health-related programs at AHRQ, works with grant applicants and grantees, and serves on child health workgroups and committees. Prior to joining AHRQ, Dr. Sagatov worked in both academic (University of Maryland, School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics) and non-profit organization (Battelle Memorial Institute) settings and had the opportunity to lead and contribute to several large, national research studies of children’s health including the National Children’s Study, the Healthy Communities Study, and the Maternity Practices in Infant Nutrition and Care surveillance study.

Robyn Schulhof, M.A. (for Lauren Raskin Ramos, M.P.H.)

Senior Public Health Analyst, Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities, Associate of University Centers on Disabilities Cooperative Agreement, Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Health Resources and Services Administration

Ms. Robyn Schulhof is a Senior Public Health Analyst with the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) at the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Ms. Schulhof has been working in public health for the past 21 years in a variety of capacities including policy, HIV/AIDS, autism, and developmental disabilities. For the past eleven years, she has been a senior project officer and team lead for the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Other Related Disabilities (LEND) Program, funded under the Autism CARES Act, managing funding and support to 25 LEND programs. Ms. Schulhof also directs the cooperative agreement with the Interdisciplinary Technical Assistance Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities currently housed at the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD). Her work ensures that MCHB-funded Autism CARES grantees and others have access to training tools and technical assistance needed to expand the workforce serving individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities. As a member of the MCHB autism team, Ms. Schulhof supports implementation of the bureau's Autism CARES Act funded programs, including research and state initiatives. Ms. Schulhof is a major advocate for families of those with disabilities being part of federal training and research programs.

Stuart Shapira, M.D., Ph.D. (for Karyl Rattay, M.D., M.S., FAAP)

Chief Medical Officer, Associate Director for Science, National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Dr. Shapira is Associate Director for Science and Chief Medical Officer in the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Prior to this role, Dr. Shapira served as a medical officer on the Pediatric Genetics Team in NCBDDD. His research activities included dysmorphology of autism, birth defects epidemiology, and newborn screening. Dr. Shapira received his PhD degree in Genetics and his MD degree, both from the University of Chicago. He completed a residency in Pediatrics and a clinical fellowship in Genetics and Metabolism at Boston Children's Hospital. He also completed dual research fellowships in Genetics and Metabolism, and in Allergy and Immunology at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Shapira is board-certified in Clinical Genetics, Biochemical Genetics, and Molecular Genetics. Prior to joining the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities in 2005, Dr. Shapira practiced clinical genetics and metabolic genetics at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. He currently serves as CDC liaison to the Committee on Genetics for the American Academy of Pediatrics, as chairman of the Dysmorphology Workgroup for the Centers for Autism and Developmental Disabilities Research and Epidemiology, and as NCBDDD liaison of the Interagency Collaborative to Advance Research in Epilepsy. Dr. Shapira has authored and coauthored more than 100 journal articles, book chapters, and abstracts, and he has been an invited speaker at numerous regional, national, and international scientific conferences.

Jane M. Simoni, Ph.D. (for Monica M. Bertagnolli, M.D.)

Associate Director, Behavioral and Social Sciences Research; Director, Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR), National Institutes of Health

Dr. Jane M. Simoni is the Associate Director for Behavioral and Social Sciences Research, NIH, and the Director, Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR). Dr. Simoni joined NIH on July 30, 2023, to lead OBSSR’s efforts to advance and coordinate behavioral and social sciences research at NIH. Dr. Simoni brings more than 25 years of experience in research focused on health disparities and resilience among populations that have been socially marginalized. Her intervention research has examined behavioral aspects of chronic illness. Her work capitalizes on cutting-edge behavioral and social science methods and theory to inform the development, efficacy, and implementation of health promotion and disease prevention programs. A clinical psychologist, Dr. Simoni joins NIH from the University of Washington (UW) in Seattle where she was Professor and Director of Clinical Training in the Department of Psychology and has served on the faculty since 2001. She is the founding director of the UW Behavioral Research Center for HIV and co-directed the UW/Fred Hutch Center for AIDS Research, where she was also Associate Director of the Behavioral Science Core and Senior Advisor to the eHealth Scientific Working Group. Dr. Simoni earned her B.A. at Princeton and her Ph.D. at the University of California, Los Angeles. She also completed postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Southern California and Columbia University.

Martine Solages, M.D. (for Tiffany R. Farchione, M.D.)

Medical Officer, Division of Psychiatry, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Dr. Martine Solages is a Medical Officer in the Division of Psychiatry at FDA. Prior to joining FDA in 2018, she was the Associate Director of the Psychiatric Consultation-Liaison Service and Associate Fellowship Training Director in the Division of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Children's National Hospital in Washington, D.C. Dr. Solages is a board-certified pediatrician, general psychiatrist, and child and adolescent psychiatrist and the Past President of the Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Society of Greater Washington. She received her undergraduate degree from Harvard College and her medical degree from the Yale School of Medicine. She completed pediatrics residency at the Johns Hopkins Hospital, psychiatry residency at the Yale School of Medicine, and child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship at the Yale Child Study Center, where she served as Chief Fellow.

Anna E. Tschiffely, Ph.D. (for Nicole Williams, Ph.D.)

Science Officer, Neurofibromatosis, Multiple Sclerosis, and Autism Research Programs, Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs, U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command, U.S. Department of Defense

Dr. Anna Tschiffely is a Science Officer for the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) at the Department of Defense (DOD). She supports the Autism Research Program (ARP) and Neurofibromatosis Research Program (NFRP). She manages $134 million in biomedical research grants. She previously conducted scientific research focused on TBI and PTSD with the Naval Medical Research Center (NMRC). Dr. Tschiffely received her Ph.D. in Neuroscience and Cognitive Sciences from University of Maryland, College Park studying the impact of hormones on Alzheimer’s disease.

Emily Weaver, Ph.D. (for Christy Kavulic, Ed.D.)

Associate Education Research Scientist, National Center for Special Education Research, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education

Emily is an Associate Education Research Scientist at the National Center for Special Education Research at the Institute for Education Sciences (IES) in the U.S. Department of Education. Emily joined IES in 2020 and is the Program Officer for the Cognition and Student Learning and Autism Spectrum Disorders research topics. In addition, she oversees Reading, Writing and Language grants related to individuals with low-incidence disabilities. Prior to joining IES, Emily was a lecturer at Vanderbilt University, where she taught courses and conducted research related to the assessment and treatment of interfering behavior. She received her Ph.D. in special education from Vanderbilt University. Prior to graduate school, Emily worked as both a paraprofessional and a classroom teacher in special education programs in Illinois.