Faculty & Staff
Eunice Kennedy Shriver Center Faculty & Staff
Danielle Abate, MA
Project Manager I, LEAD Lab
Angelica Aguirre
Project Associate, INDEX
Benjamin Amankwata
DevOps Engineer, INDEX
Linda G. Bandini, PhD
Director of Nutrition, LEND Program; Professor of Pediatrics, UMass Chan Medical School; Clinical Professor, Sargent College of Allied Health Professions, Boston University.
Julianna Bates, PhD
Program Director, Division of Neuroinformatics
Janet Blodgett
Senior Data Analyst, CDDER
Alexandra Bonardi, OTR/L, MHA
Clinical Assistant Professor, Family Medicine and Community Health; Senior Policy Specialist, Human Services Research
Christine Bourbeau
Executive Assistant to Dr. Jean Frazier and Dr. Sarabeth Broder-Fingert
Sarabeth Broder-Fingert, MD, MPH
Deputy Director, E.K. Shriver Center; Vice Chair of Clinical Research, Pediatrics; Professor of Pediatrics, UMass Chan Medical School
Jennifer Brooks
Project Manager II, UCEDD, Healthy Weight Research Network, LEND and LEAD Lab
Derek Chaves
Director of Technology, INDEX
Lindsey Cincotta
Clinical Research Coordinator III, CANDI
Christine Clifford, MHP
Project Director II, CDDER
David Cochran, MD, PhD
Associate Professor, Psychiatry and Pediatrics, UMass Chan Medical School
Lisa Crouser
Project Director ll, Insurance Resource Center for Autism and Behavioral Health
Carol Curtin, PhD, LICSW
Director, LEND Program; Co-Director, Healthy Weight Research Network; Professor, Family Medicine & Community Health and Psychiatry, Faculty, Morningside Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, UMass Chan Medical School; Instructor, Pediatrics, Tufts University School of Medicine; Adjunct Professor, Public Management, Suffolk University
Melissa L. Desroches
Nursing Clinical Coordinator, CDDER
Noreen Dillon, EdD
Research Psychologist, CANDI
Viet Do, MS
Web & Database Developer, INDEX
Deborah Dreyfus, MD, Msc
Assistant Professor, Family Medicine and Community Health; Department of Developmental Services (DDS) Medical Director
Vadim Droznin
Director of Business Development, INDEX
Courtney Dutra, MPA, PMP
Program Manager, CDDER
Terri Farrell, MBA
Project Director, Insurance Resource Center for Autism and Behavioral Health
Kelly Fernandes
Outreach Coordinator, Insurance Resource Center for Autism and Behavioral Health
Jean A. Frazier, MD
Executive Director, E.K. Shriver Center; Robert M. & Shirley S. Siff Chair in Autism; Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, UMass Chan Medical School; Faculty, Morningside Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences; Co-Director, LEND Program; Co-Director CANDI Lab, UMass Chan Medical School
Kyle Frost, PhD
Post-Doctoral, LEAD Lab
Plyce Fuchu, MPH
Research Program Manager II, LEAD Lab
Jennifer Fugelstad, M.Ed
Senior Quality Improvement Specialist, CDDER
Elaine Gabovitch, MPA
Instructor, Family Medicine & Community Health; Director, Division of Children with Special Health Needs, Massachusetts Department of Public Health
Evan Gabovitch
Project Assistant, Insurance Resource Center for Autism and Behavioral Health
Joanna Gelinas
Project Manager I, CDDER
Patrick Gleason, MA
Research Data Specialist, LEND and UCEDD
Janet Greene
Information Coordinator, INDEX
Sandra Hallett
Project Manager, CANS Program
Charles Hamad, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics, UMass Chan Medical School
Christian Haselgrove
Application Database Developer, Division of Neuroinformatics
Ethan Haymovitz, DSW
Post-Doctoral Fellow
Steve Hodge, MA
Statistician and Data Manager, CANDI, Division of Neuroinformatics, CANS
Isha Jalnapurkar, MD
Assistant Professor, Psychiatry Department, CANDI Lab, UMass Chan Medical School
Suzanne Jervinis
Insurance Navigation Manager, Insurance Resource Center for Autism and Behavioral Health
Hannah Karpman, MSW, PhD
Assistant Professor, Psychiatry and CANS
David Kennedy, PhD
Co-Director, CANDI Lab; Director of Neuroinformatics Program; Professor, Department of Psychiatry, UMass Chan Medical School; Faculty, Morningside Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Sohye Kim, PhD
Assistant Professor, Psychiatry, Pediatrics and OB/GYN, UMass Chan Medical School; Faculty, Morningside Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Jennifer Koh
Educational Support Technician, INDEX
Emily Lauer, PhD, MPH
Director, Center for Developmental Disabilities Evaluation and Research (CDDER); Director, University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD); Associate Director, Eunice Kennedy Shriver Center; Associate Professor, Family Medicine and Community Health, UMass Chan Medical School
Julie LeMoine, PhD
Assistant Professor, Psychiatry Department, UMass Chan Medical School
Neurobehavioral Technology Group, Co-founder of InovaXR lab, EK Shriver Center
Faculty Lead, XR-Ed, iCELS
Member Digital Medicine Project, Dept of Medicine
Linda Long-Bellil, PhD, JD
Assistant Professor of Family Medicine & Community Health
Aurom Lum
Web Accessibility Support Technician, INDEX
Lauren Mann
Marketing & Public Engagement Specialist
Ariana Matias
Insurance Outreach Coordinator, Insurance Resource Center for Autism and Behavioral Health
Susan McCarthy
Grants & Contracts Specialist
Taylor Merk, BS
Sr. Clinical Research Coordinator, CANDI
David Moeckel, MBA, CPA
Grant and Contract Specialist
Lena Riccardi
Training Program Coordinator, CANS
Christine Roa
Project Manager, CDDER
John Rochford, MS, LABA
Director, INDEX Program; Instructor, Family Medicine and Community Health, UMass Chan Medical School
Mabelys Rodriquez-Suarez
System Administrator, INDEX
Emily Rubin, LICSW, MSW, MA
Director of Sibling Support Program; Assistant Professor, Psychiatry Department, UMass Chan Medical School; Teaching Associate, Part-time, Harvard Medical School
Sarah Rulnick, MPH
Director, CANS Program
Hannah Spear
Clinical Research Assistant, Baby Brain Lab
Betty Suydam
Information Coordinator, INDEX
Susan Swanson, MA, CCC-SLP
Director of Pathways to Inclusive Health Care Program; Clinical Instructor, Psychiatry Department, UMass Chan Medical School
Liz Thissell Turenne, LICSW
Intake Coordinator, Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders (CANDO)
Janet Twyman, PhD, BCBA, LABA
Associate Professor of Pediatrics; Founder of Blast: A Learning Sciences Company.
Focus: Behavior Analysis, Educational Technology, Instructional Design & Delivery.
Martha Ventura
Instructional Technologist, INDEX
Lauren Venuti, MSW
Program Manager, CANDI Lab
Erin Warren
Academic Administrator
Amy Weinstock, MArch
Director, Insurance Resource Center for Autism and Behavioral Health ; Instructor, Psychiatry Department, UMass Chan Medical School
Trudy Wilcox
Data Analyst, CDDER
Affiliated Faculty Members
Miriam Aframe, Psy.D.
Program Director, Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders (CANDO), UMass Chan Medical School
Robert Baldor, MD, FAAFP
Nancy Byatt, DO, MS, MBA
Academic Role: Associate Professor, Psychiatry, OB/GYN, and Population and Quantitative Health Sciences
Focus: Perinatal Mental Health, Implementation Science, Integrated Care and Population Health
Email Dr. Byatt: Nancy.Byatt@umassmemorial.org
Relevant Web-pages https://www.umassmed.edu/lifeline4moms/; https://www.mcpapformoms.org
Lauren Charlot, PhD
Academic Role: Assistant Professor, Psychiatry
Focus: Psychiatric Comorbidities in Adults with Autism and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
Email Dr. Charlot: charlotlr@outlook.com
Maryann Davis, PhD
Academic Role: Professor, Psychiatry
Focus: Transition-Age Youth, Mental Health
Email Dr. Davis: Maryann.Davis@umassmed.edu
Lab Web-page https://www.umassmed.edu/sparc/ and https://www.umassmed.edu/TransitionsACR
Curtis K Deutsch, PhD
Associate Professor, Psychiatry Department, UMass Chan Medical School
Ursula Drager, MD
Professor, Psychiatry Department, UMass Chan Medical School
Yael Dvir, MD
Academic Role: Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics
Focus: Mood and Psychotic Disorders, ADHD, Trauma, Autism Learning Health Network
Email Dr. Dvir: Yael.Dvir@umassmed.edu
Susan Feeney, DNP, MS, FNP-BC, NP-C
Academic Role: Assistant Professor, Graduate School of Nursing
Focus: Nurse Practitioner training, LEND
Email Dr. Feeney: Susan.Feeney@umassmed.edu
Ann Foley, EdM
Instructor, Psychiatry, UMass Chan Medical School
Matthew Gounis, PhD
Academic Role: Professor of Radiology
Focus: Image-guided surgery, Neuroimaging
Email Dr. Gounis: Matthew.Gounis@umassmed.edu
Lab Web-page https://www.umassmed.edu/radiology/research/division-of-biomedical-imaging-and-bioengineering/interventional-neuroradiology-necstrr
Jessica Griffin, PsyD
Academic Role: Associate Professor, Psychiatry and Pediatrics
Focus: Trauma, Relationships, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Email Dr. Griffin: Jessica.Griffin@umassmed.edu
Lab Web-page https://www.umassmed.edu/cttc/
Stephenie Lemon, PhD
Academic Role: Professor, Population and Quantitative Health Sciences
Focus: Implementation Science, Community Engagement in Research
Email Dr. Lemon: Stephenie.Lemon@umassmed.edu
Lab Web-pages https://www.umassmed.edu/prc; https://www.umassmed.edu/mcciss/home/
Sandy Matava, MPA
Clinical Assistant Professor
William McIlvane, PhD
Academic Role: Professor Emeritus, Psychiatry
Focus: Behavior Analysis, Stimulus Control, Instructional Design
Email Dr. McIlvane: William.McIlvane@umassmed.edu
M. Diane McKee, MD, MS
Academic Role: Professor, Family Medicine & Community Health
Focus: Health Equity, Primary Care and The Learning Health Systems
Email Dr. McKee: M.Diane.McKee@umassmed.edu
Mo Modarres, PhD
Assistant Professor, Psychiatry, UMass Chan Medical School
Tiffany Moore Simas, MD, MPH, MEd
Academic Role: Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Pediatrics, Psychiatry and Population & Quantitative Health Sciences
Focus: Maternal Health, Perinatal Mental Health
Email Dr. Moore Simas: TiffanyA.MooreSimas@umassmemorial.org
Relevant Web-pages
https://www.umassmed.edu/lifeline4moms/
https://www.mcpapformoms.org/
https://www.umassmed.edu/obgyn/research/home/
May Nguy, MD
Assistant Professor, Pediatrics
April Perez-Moore, DO
Assistant Professor, Pediatrics
Sharina Person, PhD
Academic Role: Professor, Population and Quantitative Health Sciences
Focus: General and generalized linear models, cluster randomized designs, quality control and health disparities.
Email: Sharina.Person@umassmed.edu
Marisa Petruccelli, PsyD
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics; Clinic Director, Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics
Lawrence Rhein, MD, MPH
Academic Role: Associate Professor, Pediatrics
Focus: Pediatric Neonatalogy research
Email Dr. Rhein: Lawrence.Rhein@umassmemorial.org
Joel Richter, PhD
Academic Role: Professor, Program in Molecular Medicine
Focus: Animal and Human Models of Fragile X Syndrome
Email Dr. Richter: Joel.Richter@umassmed.edu
Lab Web-page https://www.umassmed.edu/fragilex/
Richard Robison, DMin
Executive Director Emeritus, Federation for Children with Special Needs
Kathryn Sabella, PhD
Academic Role: Assistant Professor, Psychiatry
Focus: Director, Transitions to Adulthood Center for Research; Qualitative Research, Sociologic Research
Email Dr. Sabella: Kathryn.Sabella@umassmed.edu
Lab Web-page https://www.umassmed.edu/TransitionsACR/
Dori Schafer, PhD
Academic Role: Associate Professor, Neurobiology
Focus: neural-immune signaling and microglia in neuropsychiatric disorders
Email Dr. Schafer: Dorothy.Schafer@umassmed.edu
Lab Web-page https://www.schaferlabumms.com/
Gina Vincent, PhD
Academic Role: Professor, Psychiatry
Focus: Forensics, Implementing screening and assessment procedures in juvenile justice
Email Dr. Vincent: Gina.Vincent@umassmed.edu
Lab Web-page https://www.umassmed.edu/sparc/areas-of-research/law-ethics-mental-health/juvenile-justice-assessment
Kimberly A. Yonkers, MD
Academic Role: Professor, Psychiatry and OB/GYN
Focus: Maternal Mental Health
Email Dr. Yonkers: Kimberly.Yonkers@umassmemorial.org
Adjunct Faculty
April Bowling, MA, Sc.D.
Associate Professor, Public Health and Nutrition; Vice Provost of Research, Merrimack College
Focus: Exercise, Nutrition, Mental Health
Richard Fleming, PhD
Professor (Emeritus) at UMass-Boston
Focus: Weight Management, Exercise Promotion, Healthy Weight Research Network
Laura Hanratty, PhD, BCBA-D, LABA
Associate Professor, Elms College
Focus: Applied Behavior Analysis, MCPAP ASDID
Mary Beth Kadlec, OT, ScD, OTR
Assistant Professor, Occupational Therapy, MGH Institute of Health Professions Boston, MA; Adjunct Faculty, E.K. Shriver Center, UMass Chan Medical School
Aviva Must, PhD
Professor, Public Health and Community Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine
Focus: Nutritional and Obesity Epidemiology, Healthy Weight Research Network for Children with Autism and Developmental Disabilities
Nicole Rivers, MPA
Adjunct Professor, Public Management
Heidi Stanish, PhD
Professor, Exercise and Health Sciences, UMass-Boston
Adjunct Faculty, Family Medicine and Community Health, UMass Chan Medical School
Focus: Adaptive Physical Activity, Inclusive Fitness, Healthy Weight Research Network