ONAC Staff Biographies

Susan Daniels, Ph.D.

National Autism Coordinator; Director, Office of National Autism Coordination

Dr. Daniels serves as the National Autism Coordinator for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, a role created by Congress to facilitate coordination and implementation of autism activities across federal departments and agencies. She also is Director of the Office of National Autism Coordination (ONAC) at the National Institute of Mental Health, and the Executive Secretary of the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC). The IACC is a federal advisory committee created by Congress to coordinate federal autism activities and provide advice to the Secretary of Health and Human Services on issues related to autism. Before coming to NIH, Dr. Daniels was a Christine Mirzayan Science and Technology Policy Fellow and consultant at the National Academy of Sciences. She received her Ph.D. in molecular and cell biology from Brandeis University, where she conducted neuroscience research focusing on the function of the sensory nervous system. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Biology and French from Wheaton College.

Oni Celestin, Ph.D.*

Deputy Director

Dr. Celestin is the Deputy Director of the Office of National Autism Coordination (ONAC). She joined ONAC as a Health Science Policy Analyst in 2017, supporting the IACC by performing analyses, reporting, and strategic planning activities. Prior to joining ONAC, Dr. Celestin was a Science Associate and AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellow at the National Science Foundation, supporting grant administration, science communication, and science policy activities. Dr. Celestin received a B.S. in biochemistry and molecular biology from the University of Maryland Baltimore County and a Ph.D. in Developmental Biology from the University of Chicago. She completed postdoctoral training at Carnegie Institution for Science.

Katrina Ferrara, Ph.D.*

Senior Health Science Policy Analyst

Dr. Ferrara is a Senior Science Policy Analyst at the ONAC, where she performs research and analysis in support of the IACC's strategic planning and reporting. Prior to joining ONAC, Dr. Ferrara was a postdoctoral research fellow at the Center for Brain Plasticity and Recovery at Georgetown University, studying brain and cognitive development using functional magnetic resonance imaging. She was also a Christine Mirzayan Science and Technology Policy Fellow with the Board on Children, Youth, and Families at the National Academy of Sciences. She received a Ph.D. in Cognitive Science from Johns Hopkins University and a B.A. in Psychology and English from Williams College.

Tianlu Ma, Ph.D.*

Senior Health Science Policy Analyst

Dr. Ma is a Senior Science Policy Analyst at ONAC and supports the IACC through research, analysis, and reporting. Before joining ONAC, Dr. Ma was a Science Policy Fellow at the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, where she supported the Office of Public Affairs in promoting evidence-based science policy and advocating for biomedical research funding. Dr. Ma received her Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health. Dr. Ma also holds a B.S. in Biochemistry and B.A. in Economics from the University of Texas at Austin.

Rebecca Martin, M.P.H.*

Public Health Analyst

Ms. Martin is a Public Health Analyst at ONAC and focuses on outreach activities, including enhancing web content, social media use, and increasing engagement with the autism community. Ms. Martin received her M.P.H. in Health Behavior and Health Education, with a special focus on Health Communication, from the University of Michigan. She has a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Maryland.

Angelice Mitrakas, B.A.*

Management Analyst

Mrs. Mitrakas is the Management Analyst, providing management and administrative support for the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee. Before joining ONAC, Mrs. Mitrakas worked as the Operations Coordinator for the Extramural Administrative Service Branch (EASB) at the National Institute of Mental Health. There she worked as the liaison between management, program directors, and administrative officers with regards to program administrations. Mrs. Mitrakas received her Bachelors in Linguistics and Translation from Wilson College.

*Also a staff member of the Office of Autism Research Coordination (OARC), within the Office of National Autism Coordination (ONAC).