Meet the Faculty

Nneka Alexander, PhD, ABPP, received her doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She completed her predoctoral internship at the University of Florida and postdoctoral fellowship at Emory University School of Medicine. She is a Pediatric Psychologist at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA). Dr. Alexander’s current clinical responsibilities include providing psychological support to families hospitalized on the cardiac units. She has spearheaded initiatives to make these units more developmentally appropriate, such as the creation of neuroprotective care rounds. Dr. Alexander also conducts outpatient neurodevelopmental assessments for infants and toddlers with congenital heart disease through the Cardiac Neurodevelopmental Program. Her research interests focus on parenting and development in children with chronic illness. She is board-certified in Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology.

Tracy Argueta, PhD, BCBA-D, received her doctorate in psychology with a specialization in behavior analysis from the University of Florida and completed her postdoctoral fellowship at the Marcus Autism Center. Dr. Argueta is an Assistant Professor at Emory University School of Medicine and a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst – Doctoral in the Skill Acquisition Department at the Marcus Autism Center. Dr. Argueta specializes in assessing and teaching daily living skills, and her primary research interests are conditioned reinforcers (i.e., increasing available rewards when children have few and their unavailability negatively impacts their quality of life), token economies, and assessing and evaluating preferences.   

Summer Bottini, PhD, BCBA-D, received her doctorate in clinical psychology from Binghamton University and completed post-doctoral residencies at the Marcus Autism Center and May Institute. Dr. Bottini is an Assistant Professor in the Emory University School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics and a Psychologist in the Severe Behavior Program at Marcus Autism Center. Dr. Bottini specializes in the assessment and treatment of externalizing behavior among individuals with developmental disabilities. Additionally, her work is focused on the effective supervision of clinicians to provide optimal care for autistic and neurodivergent individuals. This includes embedding a neurodiversity framework within clinical practices, addressing staff burnout, effective/efficient training methods, and treatment fidelity.

Bianca Brooks, PhD, ABPP, is a licensed clinical psychologist and part of the assessment and diagnosis team at Marcus Autism Center. Dr. Brooks completed her doctorate in clinical psychology at Georgia State University, where she studied ways to facilitate access to early intervention after diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). She continued her passion for serving underserved communities and reducing disparities in mental healthcare access by completing an internship at the Memphis Veterans Affairs Medical Center. She returned to Atlanta for her postdoctoral fellowship at Emory University School of Medicine and assisted with diagnostic services at Marcus Autism Center. In her current position, Dr. Brooks conducts diagnostic assessments of young children. She values exploring innovative techniques to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in accessing early intervention services for families.

Jessica Buzenski, PhD, received her doctorate at East Carolina University. She completed her predoctoral internship training at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and Arkansas Children’s Hospital. Dr. Buzenski is a Pediatric Psychologist at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA) and Emory University Pediatric Institute. Clinically, she engages in assessment, intervention, and consultation with patients and their families for a variety of GI referral concerns. She supervises the Gastroenterology (GI) rotation, including general GI, as well as the Neurogastroenterology and Motility interdisciplinary clinic. She also co-leads the Pediatric Psychology extern program.

Trista Perez Crawford, PhD, graduated from the University of Alabama-Birmingham. She completed her internship and postdoctoral fellowship at Children’s Mercy Hospital. Dr. Perez Crawford is a pediatric psychologist in the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Center of Behavioral and Mental Health Integrated Primary Care Program at Hughes Spalding and an Associate Professor of Pediatrics in Emory University School of Medicine. Her clinical interests are in the assessment and treatment of toddlers to young adults from historically underserved populations and Spanish-speaking families with a range of psychological conditions, including behavioral issues, autism spectrum disorders, developmental disabilities, internalizing disorders, and adjustment to chronic medical conditions. Her research interests are in improving access to interventions for underserved populations. In addition to her clinical work and research, Dr. Perez Crawford serves as a mentor to underrepresented minority undergraduate and medical students. 

Taylor Davidson, PsyD, is a Pediatric Psychologist at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and serves as Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Emory University School of Medicine. As a licensed clinical psychologist, Dr. Davidson conducts feeding evaluations and provides behavioral intervention within the Children’s Multidisciplinary Feeding Program. Dr. Davidson earned her doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Mercer University and completed her predoctoral internship and postdoctoral fellowship at Children’s/Emory School of Medicine.

Laura Dilly, PhD, ABPP, NCSP, is the Training Director for the Doctoral Psychology Internship at the Marcus Autism Center, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, and an Assistant Professor at the Emory School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics. She received her doctorate in school psychology at Michigan State University in 2005. She completed her doctoral internship at the Houston Independent School District. Dr. Dilly then worked within the public-school districts for 10 years as a lead psychologist and training coordinator. Dr. Dilly leads the Therapy Core for the Behavioral Mental Health Center and is the Section Chief of Integrated and Community Care within the Division of Behavioral Mental Health. Clinically, she conducts assessments of young children who are suspected of having an autism spectrum disorder. Her research interests involve the intersection of the school-based and medically based services for children with autism spectrum disorders and workforce development.

Kathleen Edmier, PsyD, BCBA, is a licensed psychologist and board-certified behavior analyst in the Language and Learning Program at Marcus Autism Center. Dr. Edmier completed her doctorate in clinical psychology with an emphasis in child and adolescent clinical psychology at Adler University, Chicago, IL. She obtained her certification in applied behavior analysis from the University of California, Santa Barbara. She completed her predoctoral internship and postdoctoral fellowship at Marcus Autism Center and Emory University School of Medicine, where she gained substantial experience working with autistic children and their families, particularly those impacted by significant language delays, behavioral difficulties, and feeding challenges. Dr. Edmier’s research interests include evidence-based strategies and recommendations for increasing social and communication skills in children on the autism spectrum. She is also interested in promoting culturally responsive and trauma-informed care within behavior analytic services.

Lauren Esposito, PhD, received her doctoral degree from the University of Georgia. She completed her predoctoral internship at the University of Louisville School of Medicine/Norton Children’s Hospital and her postdoctoral fellowship in the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center at Emory University School of Medicine/Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Dr. Esposito is a Pediatric Psychologist at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA). She provides assessment, intervention, and consultation for patients who have received a kidney or liver transplant and conducts pre-transplant evaluations for patients in need of a transplant.

Jonathan Ferguson, PhD, Assistant Professor (Pediatrics), is a licensed psychologist in the Marcus Autism Center Clinical Assessment and Diagnostics Department. He completed his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Florida A&M University and went on to complete his doctoral studies in Counseling Psychology at the University of Missouri-Columbia. Ferguson has a passion for working with youth from marginalized backgrounds and training professionals to support youth within these communities. Specifically, he has worked with children and adolescents from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds and currently supports families by identifying autism in children with presenting symptoms and treating school-age children and adolescents with co-occurring autism and anxiety diagnoses.

Chelsea Fleck, PhD, BCBA-D, received her doctorate in behavior analysis from Western New England University and completed her clinical training on the Intensive Treatment Team at the New England Center for Children in Southborough, MA. Dr. Fleck is board-certified as a doctoral-level behavior analyst and manages day treatment cases in the Complex Behavior Support Program at Marcus Autism Center. Dr. Fleck is also appointed as an Assistant Professor in the Pediatrics Institute at Emory University School of Medicine and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Her research interests are in developing reinforcement-based interventions for reducing dangerous behavior while minimizing the use of intrusive procedures.

Sarah Slocum Freeman, PhD, BCBA-D, received her doctorate in Psychology at the University of Florida under the mentorship of Dr. Timothy Vollmer, BCBA-D. She was subsequently appointed as a Rollins College faculty member for two years before joining the Marcus Autism Center. In her clinical position in the Marcus Autism Center Severe Behavior Program, Dr. Slocum manages cases in the intensive outpatient program, coordinates employee supervision towards board certification as behavior analysts, and oversees the intake process for the Severe Behavior program. As a researcher in the Pediatrics Institute of Emory University’s School of Medicine, Dr. Slocum’s work focuses on behavior-analytic approaches to the assessment and treatment of problem behavior. Specifically, she is interested in further investigation into the variables that contribute to treatment effectiveness for problem behavior maintained by escape from aversive situations.

Sobha P. Fritz, PhD, ABPP, received her doctorate from the University of Florida in Clinical Psychology, specializing in clinical child/pediatric psychology. She completed her predoctoral internship at the University of Florida School in Clinical and Health Psychology and her postdoctoral fellowship in Pediatric Psychology at Emory University School of Medicine. Dr. Fritz is the lead Pediatric Psychologist within the Endocrinology Program at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA) and serves as Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Emory University School of Medicine. She also holds a secondary appointment in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. Dr. Fritz provides care to children and teens with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, as well as other endocrine conditions. Her clinical work includes consultation and therapy for patients and their families. She also works as part of a multidisciplinary team in the Type 2 diabetes clinic.

Emily Garai, PhD, ABPP, is a board-certified child and adolescent psychologist. She earned her PhD from the University of Vermont in 2012. She completed her internship in child psychology at the Medical University of South Carolina and her postdoctoral fellowship in assessment at Atlanta Psychological Services. Dr. Garai has worked in private practice, transplant medicine, and primary care since becoming licensed in 2013. Currently, she is the clinical lead for the Functional Neurological Disorders (FND) clinic at the Behavioral and Mental Health Center at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. Her clinical work focuses on helping children with FND improve their functioning and quality of life while managing FND. Dr. Garai additionally specializes in the treatment of PTSD, anxiety, depression, and LGBTQ+ identity.

Jensi Gise, PhD, received her doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from Georgia State University. She completed her predoctoral internship at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford University and her postdoctoral fellowship in the Child OCD Program at Emory (COPE) at Emory University School of Medicine. Dr. Gise is a child and adolescent clinical psychologist in Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta's Behavioral and Mental Health Department. Her clinical work focuses on the assessment and treatment of youth with anxiety and obsessive-compulsive and related disorders. She provides clinical services and supervision within the BMH general outpatient clinic, the Zalik OCD and Anxiety Clinic, and the Hirsch Complex and Persistent OCD Clinic.

Katrina Goines, PhD, is a child psychologist within the Zalik Behavioral Mental Health Center and an assistant professor at Emory School of Medicine. She completed her doctoral training, internship, and fellowship at Emory University School of Medicine. Dr. Goines’ clinical practice and research focus on first episodes of psychosis and increasing access to services.

Elizabeth Greenfield, PhD, completed her PhD in Counseling, Clinical, and School Psychology at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Dr. Greenfield completed her doctoral internship at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and her postdoctoral residency program with the Marcus Autism Center. Dr. Greenfield is an assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics within the Emory University School of Medicine and a psychologist within the Early Intervention and Clinical Assessment and Diagnosis teams. Dr. Greenfield conducts diagnostic evaluations to assess for autism and collaborates with parents to help promote their child’s social communication skills.

Kristina R. Gerencser, PhD, BCBA-D, is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Emory University School of Medicine and a board-certified behavior analyst doctorate (BCBA-D) and Program Manager for the Language and Learning Program at Marcus Autism Center. Dr. Gerencser has worked with children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and related disabilities in home-, center-, and school-based programs targeting skill acquisition and reducing challenging behavior. Dr. Gerencser completed her post-doctoral fellowship at Marcus Autism Center in the Severe Behavior Program. She holds a doctorate in disability disciplines, with a specialization in applied behavior analysis from Utah State University and received her master’s in behavior analysis from Western Michigan University.

Kelli Lee Harford, PhD, joined Children's Healthcare of Atlanta as a pediatric psychologist in 2018. Dr. Harford received her undergraduate degree from the University of the West Indies. She completed a master’s degree at Teachers College, Columbia University, and earned her doctoral degree at the University of South Florida. Dr. Harford completed a predoctoral internship at the University of Florida Health Science Center and a postdoctoral fellowship at Arkansas Children's Hospital/University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Prior to joining Children's, Dr. Harford served as a senior psychologist at the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics/American Family Children's Hospital in Madison, Wisconsin. Dr. Harford's primary research and clinical interests are in sleep psychology, particularly behavioral and cognitive behavioral approaches to treatment of insomnia, Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder, acclimation and adherence to Positive Airway Pressure, and coping with chronic sleep disorders.

Kristin Hathaway, PhD, BCBA, earned her doctorate in school psychology from the University of Missouri. She completed her predoctoral internship at the University of Nebraska Medical Center Munroe-Meyer Institute in Omaha, Nebraska, with an emphasis in pediatric feeding disorders and interdisciplinary autism spectrum disorder evaluations. She completed her postdoctoral fellowship in the Multidisciplinary Feeding Program at Marcus Autism Center and the Center for Advanced Pediatrics through Emory University School of Medicine. Dr. Hathaway is a licensed psychologist in the state of Georgia and a board-certified behavior analyst. As a psychologist for the Feeding Program, Dr. Hathaway conducts multidisciplinary feeding evaluations and provides behavioral intervention in the outpatient and day treatment programs.

Jessica Herrod, PhD, BCBA-D, received her doctorate in Special Education with an emphasis in Applied Behavior Analysis from the University of Georgia. She is currently an assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Emory University School of Medicine and a Case Manager in the Complex Behavior Support Intensive Outpatient Program at the Marcus Autism Center. Dr. Herrod leads the Hospital Behavioral Consultation Program in partnership with the Behavioral Mental Health Team at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta to support individuals engaging in behavior that may interfere with receiving medical care. Her research evaluates assessment and treatment practices when supporting individuals engaging in behavior that puts themselves and others at risk.

Jennifer M. Hodnett, PhD, BCBA-D, is an accomplished professional in the field of psychology with 18 years of experience. Dr. Hodnett holds a doctorate in school psychology from the University of South Tampa and has completed post-doctoral residencies at the Marcus Autism Center. She is also a board-certified behavior analyst. Currently, she serves as an Assistant Professor in the Emory University School of Medicine's Department of Pediatrics. In addition, Dr. Hodnett is a Psychologist and the Program Manager of the Intensive Outpatient Program in the Complex Behavior Support Department at the Marcus Autism Center. Her specialization lies in the assessment and treatment of externalizing behaviors among individuals with developmental disabilities. Moreover, Dr. Hodnett is dedicated to understanding the unique experiences of caregivers who care for individuals exhibiting complex, challenging behaviors. She is dedicated to investigating how to most effectively apply therapeutic strategies rooted in applied behavior analysis and health service psychology.

Chloe Holbrook, PhD, Assistant Professor (Pediatrics), is a licensed psychologist in the Marcus Autism Center Clinical Assessment and Diagnostic Department and the Early Intervention Department. Holbrook's clinical interests include using assessments to inform treatment decisions and early identification of children with autism spectrum disorder. Her research interests include early intervention services for children with developmental delays and infant-mother interactions on child development. Holbrook earned her doctorate in school psychology from Georgia State University and completed her doctoral internship and postdoctoral residency in Health Service Psychology through the Emory University School of Medicine. 

Hannah Jones, PhD, is a Child Clinical and Adolescent Psychologist at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Behavioral Mental Health Center. She is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Emory University School of Medicine. Prior to joining Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, she received her doctoral degree from the University of Texas at Austin, a doctoral internship at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, a postdoctoral fellowship at Nemours Children’s Health, and then was a psychologist at Nemours. She specializes in providing outpatient therapy to youth who have experienced trauma. She is certified in an evidence-based intervention for treating post-traumatic stress symptoms in children and adolescents called Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy (TF-CBT). Dr. Jones is also bilingual in Spanish and English and provides outpatient therapy services to Spanish-speaking families.

Cheryl Klaiman, PhD, received her doctorate in School and Applied Child Psychology from McGill University under the mentorship of Jacob Burack. She completed her internship and post-doctoral training at the Yale Child Study Center, where she worked with Drs. Ami Klin, Fred Volkmar, Robert Schultz, and Sara Sparrow. She joined the faculty of the Yale Child Study Center as an Associate Research Scientist, and then relocated to California, where she was the Director of the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Interdisciplinary Care Team at Children’s Health Council in Palo Alto, CA. She joined the team at The Marcus Autism Center and Emory University in January of 2012, where she directs the FDA-regulated clinical trial, which is attempting to validate our eye-tracking work as a medical device. She also works on the clinical characterization team, among other research projects. Research interests include early diagnosis and screening of autism spectrum disorders, innovative treatment strategies, and clinical trials.

Meena Khowaja, PhD (she/her/ella), received her doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Georgia State University, where her research was focused on early identification of autism.  She completed her predoctoral internship focused on Integrated Behavioral Health at Nemours Children’s Health and her postdoctoral fellowship in Developmental Pediatrics and the Children’s Hospital Colorado. Before transitioning to the Marcus Autism Center in 2022, she worked at the Swank Autism Center within Nemours Children’s Health. Her training also included a Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (LEND) fellowship while a graduate student at GSU and again as a postdoctoral fellow in Colorado. Dr. Khowaja’s role at MAC includes conducting psychological testing services through the Clinical Assessments and Diagnostics Program and parent-mediated NDBIs through the Early Intervention/ Project ImPACT program. She strives continuously to learn about and provide neurodiversity-affirming care. Additionally, she is a bilingual psychologist who provides assessment and therapy services in English and Spanish; she has a strong interest in supporting bilingual trainees and collaborating with other bilingual colleagues at MAC and across CHOA. She is also a member of several Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) within CHOA to build community and connection.

Lindsay Lloveras, PhD BCBA-D, obtained her master’s degree in applied behavior analysis from Western New England University in 2018 and her PhD from the University of Florida in 2022. She then completed her post-doctoral training as a behavioral analyst for the UF Health Care for Autism and Neurodevelopment and served as a coordinator within the Inpatient Behavioral Consultation Program at UF Shands Children’s Hospital. Dr. Lloveras is board-certified as a doctoral-level behavior analyst and manages day treatment cases in the Complex Behavior Support Program at Marcus Autism Center. Dr. Lloveras is also appointed as an Assistant Professor at Emory University School of Medicine. Her primary area of research is in Skinnerian functional analysis of idiosyncratic sources of control of behavior problems.

Colin Muething, PhD, BCBA-D, received his doctorate in school psychology from the University of Texas at Austin after having completed a master’s degree in special education from the University of Georgia. His research involves evaluating assessments and treatment for problem behavior across a large sample of individuals. Having completed his doctoral internship and postdoctoral residency at Marcus Autism Center, he is currently an associate professor and initially joined the Department of Pediatrics at Emory University School of Medicine in 2017. He is the Director of the Complex Behavior Support Department.

Kristin Niel, PhD, received her doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Illinois Institute of Technology. She completed her predoctoral internship at the Mailman Center for Child Development/University of Miami Health Systems and her two-year postdoctoral clinical-research fellowship at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Dr. Niel is a Pediatric Psychologist at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA). She provides consultation-liaison and psychotherapy services across inpatient and outpatient settings for patients on the Advanced Cardiac Therapies service, as well as in Heart Failure and Heart Transplant Clinics. Dr. Niel also completes pre-heart transplant clinical evaluations that include brief neurocognitive screening. In addition, Dr. Niel has a specific interest in contributing to the reduction of health disparities, providing culturally humble mental health care within the context of interdisciplinary medical teams, and working to highlight and dismantle the structures and systems that create and perpetuate health inequities.

Kristin Nicole O’Guinn, Ph.D., BCBA-D, is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the Emory University School of Medicine and is a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst at the doctoral level, and a faculty member for the Language and Learning Program at Marcus Autism Center. Dr. O’Guinn completed her doctorate in educational psychology with a specialization in applied behavior analysis from Baylor University. Dr. O’Guinn’s research interests include increasing skill acquisition, teaching leisure and social skills to children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, and teaching caregivers and future practitioners to use applied behavior analysis strategies effectively.

Jessica Owen, PsyD, is a licensed clinical psychologist at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and serves as Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Emory University School of Medicine. Dr. Owen conducts diagnostic evaluations with young children who present with signs of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and provides caregiver-mediated intervention to support young children in developing social communication skills. Dr. Owen completed her bachelor’s degree at Georgia State University and her doctorate in clinical psychology at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. Following her graduate work, Dr. Owen completed a doctoral internship and postdoctoral fellowship at Marcus Autism Center and Emory University School of Medicine. Her clinical and research interests include conducting diagnostic evaluations with young children and adolescents and examining the accessibility and implementation of caregiver-mediated interventions within underserved communities. Dr. Owen is passionate about continuing this work in her current position and working to address and reduce racial and ethnic disparities in accessing diagnostic evaluations and early intervention services. 

Kaitlin Proctor, PhD, ABPP, earned her doctorate in clinical psychology from Auburn University. She completed her predoctoral internship at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center and her postdoctoral residency at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, in partnership with Emory University School of Medicine. Dr. Proctor received training in the area of pediatric psychology, which focuses on children’s behavioral, developmental, and psychosocial functioning in the context of pediatric healthcare. As a licensed clinical psychologist in the Feeding Program, Dr. Proctor provides multidisciplinary assessment services, as well as intervention services in the day treatment and outpatient programs. Dr. Proctor also conducts research focusing on the intersection of avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) and pediatric food allergy. As a result of this work, Dr. Proctor works closely with the Emory+Children’s Food Allergy program on research and clinical programming. Dr. Proctor is honored to serve as the Associate Training Director of the internship program.

Laura Quintero, PhD, BCBA-D, earned her doctorate in school psychology from Mississippi State University after having completed a master’s degree in psychology with an emphasis in applied behavior analysis from the University of Southern Mississippi. She completed a doctoral internship at Kennedy Krieger Institute through Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and a postdoctoral residency at Marcus Autism Center through Emory School of Medicine. Dr. Quintero is currently an Assistant Professor in the Emory University School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics. Dr. Quintero is also a doctoral-level board-certified behavior analyst for the Multidisciplinary Feeding Program. Dr. Quintero provides behavioral intervention for the day treatment program and also provides outpatient care.

Linda Radbill, PhD

Sandhya Rajagopal, PhD, BCBA-D, earned her Master’s in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and Organizational Behavior Management (OBM), and her doctorate in Behavior Analysis from Florida Institute of Technology. Dr. Rajagopal has provided ABA therapy to children on the autism spectrum since 2013 and has conducted behavior analytic research with older adults with dementia, staff in human service settings, and children on the spectrum. She completed her postdoctoral residency in the Children’s Multidisciplinary Feeding Program at Marcus Autism Center. She has since worked as a case manager in the Feeding-focused ABA Intensive program within the multidisciplinary feeding program, working to establish a half-day, manualized, caregiver-mediated intervention for children on the spectrum with mild to moderate food selectivity. In her current position, she provides behavioral intervention in the Day Treatment and Feeding-focused ABA Outpatient programs.

Bonney Reed, PhD, ABPP, is a board-certified clinical health psychologist. Dr. Reed’s primary research and clinical interests include using evidence-based assessment and treatment strategies to address symptoms and distress experienced by youth with gastrointestinal conditions. Dr. Reed has an active behavioral health research program aiming to develop and test novel psychological treatments for youth with gastrointestinal conditions. Dr. Reed supervises trainees through her clinical research program on the Gastroenterology rotation. Dr. Reed also serves as the Pediatric Psychology Program Manager, Center for Behavioral and Mental Health.

Morganne Reid, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist and works in the overlap between the Marcus Autism Center and the CHOA Behavioral Mental Health (BMH) Department. Dr. Reid completed her doctorate in clinical psychology at the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. She completed her internship at the Children’s Hospital Colorado. She went on to a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill TEACCH Center, where she focused on suicidality in autistic populations through research and treatment. Dr. Reid creates programming and research projects to identify youth at risk for suicide by providing clinical care in the CHOA Emergency Departments, as well as outpatient therapy within BMH and the Marcus Autism Center. She implements a variety of clinical tools, including the Collaborative Assessment of Suicidality (CAMS), Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills, and autism-informed therapies. She focuses on improving the quality of life for autistic individuals as a method of suicide prevention, treatment, and recovery. She began CLASP, the Clinic for Autism and Suicide Prevention, which provides treatment for autistic youth who experience suicidal thoughts and behaviors. 

Emily Kate Rubio, PhD, BCBA, earned her doctorate in School Psychology from Georgia State University. She completed her predoctoral internship and postdoctoral fellowship in the Multidisciplinary Feeding Program at Marcus Autism Center and the Center for Advanced Pediatrics through Emory University School of Medicine. Dr. Rubio is a licensed psychologist in the state of Georgia and a board-certified behavior analyst. As a psychologist for the Feeding Program, Dr. Rubio conducts multidisciplinary feeding evaluations and provides behavioral intervention in the outpatient and day treatment programs.

Mindy Scheithauer, PhD, BCBA, ABPP, received her PhD from Louisiana State University with a dual emphasis in Clinical and Biological Psychology and a minor emphasis in School Psychology. She completed a doctoral internship in the Neurobehavioral Unit at the Kennedy Krieger Institute through Johns Hopkins University and a postdoctoral residency at Marcus Autism Center through Emory University. Dr. Scheithauer is an assistant professor in Pediatrics at Emory University and is a psychologist in the Severe Behavior Program. She oversees the Brief Behavior Intervention program (a primarily community-based treatment service) and supervises cases in the Severe Behavior Day Treatment program. Her current research focuses on automatically maintained problem behavior, assessment and treatment of elopement, and improving methods for observational data collection. Her future research goals include clinical trials of specific behavioral treatments and the study of applied behavioral pharmacology through the use of functional analyses in drug trials. Dr. Scheithauer assists with the supervision and training of doctoral and postdoctoral students.

Kindell Schoffner, PsyD, received her doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the Georgia School of Professional Psychology at Argosy University, with a specialization in child and adolescent/pediatric psychology. She completed her predoctoral internship at Nationwide Children’s Hospital/The Ohio State University School of Medicine and her postdoctoral fellowship at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta/Emory School of Medicine. She is a Pediatric Psychologist at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA). Dr. Schoffner provides assessment, intervention, and consultation pertaining to a wide variety of illness and injuries that impact the central and peripheral nervous systems within the Comprehensive Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit (CIRU) and in the Day Rehabilitation Program (DRP), as well as genetic conditions that impact the development of internal and external reproductive systems in the interdisciplinary Differences in Sex Development (DSD) clinic. Dr. Schoffner participates in several hospital committees and is the co-chair of the Motor Vehicle Collision Taskforce at CHOA. In addition to her clinical and advocacy work, she is highly dedicated to training and mentoring psychology students at all levels of their education. She is the Pediatric Psychology Training Coordinator at CHOA.

William G. Sharp, PhD, is the Director of the Pediatric Feeding Disorders Program at the Marcus Autism Center and a Professor in the Division of Autism and Related Disorders in the Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine. He received his doctorate from the University of Mississippi in 2006, with an emphasis in pediatric and clinical child psychology. Dr. Sharp completed a doctoral internship and a post-doctoral fellowship at A.I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, DE, where he focused on the application of behaviorally-based interventions for severe behavior problems, feeding issues, anxiety, and sleep difficulties. His current research interests include the assessment and treatment of feeding disorders among children with autistic spectrum disorders, the impact of antecedent manipulations in the treatment of pediatric feeding disorders, and the use of parent training to address feeding difficulties.

Jennifer L. Stapel-Wax, PsyD, received her doctorate in clinical psychology from the Georgia School of Professional Psychology in 1998. She completed her doctoral internship at Miami Children’s Hospital and her postdoctoral fellowship at the Emory University School of Medicine at the Marcus Center. As an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Emory University School of Medicine, she directed a statewide evaluation project for children with complex neurodevelopmental disorders, conducting neurodevelopmental assessments with young children and supervising dozens of trainees. Dr. Stapel-Wax also taught graduate clinical psychology at the Georgia School of Professional Psychology. She is currently the Director of Infant and Toddler Clinical Research and an Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatrics and is a Past President of the Georgia Psychological Association. Her current clinical and research interests lie in teaching and training, assessment of young children, and community implementation of scientifically based methods of screening, assessment, and intervention.

Kathryn Holman Stubbs, PhD, received her doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of Wisconsin—Milwaukee. She completed her doctoral internship at Munroe Meyer Institute (University of Nebraska Medical Center) and her fellowship through Emory University School of Medicine at the Marcus Autism Center in the Pediatric Feeding Disorders Program. She is currently a senior psychologist in the Pediatric Feeding Disorders Program, where she works with children and families to develop effective treatments to improve mealtime behavior in the day treatment and outpatient programs, and provides consultation in pediatric gastroenterology clinics. She supervises predoctoral interns and postdoctoral fellows in the intensive day treatment program for children with feeding disorders. Her clinical and research interests have focused on the assessment and treatment of children with pediatric feeding disorders as well as treatment adherence in pediatric populations.

Renee Ussery, PsyD, received her doctoral degree in clinical psychology from Argosy University. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship in private practice and at the Marcus Autism Center. For the next several years, Dr. Ussery completed psychological evaluations with children and adolescents in private practice. In 2008, Dr. Ussery rejoined Marcus Autism Center, where she continued to complete assessments with school-aged children within the Pediatric Neurodevelopmental Center. She coordinates training experiences that involve conducting comprehensive psychological assessments for children and adolescents who present with complex histories, and differential diagnosis is essential.

Valerie Volkert, PhD, BCBA-D, is a psychologist and program manager in the Pediatric Feeding Disorders Program at Marcus Autism Center. She also holds the position of Professor of Pediatrics in the Emory University School of Medicine. She received her doctorate in school psychology from Louisiana State University, completed a doctoral internship at the Marcus Institute, and a postdoctoral residency at the Munroe-Meyer Institute. She was faculty at the Munroe-Meyer Institute for seven years, and during that time, she was President of the Heartland Association for Behavior Analysis (2009-2011) and training director for the MSIA PhD program in ABA and Nebraska Internship Consortium in Professional Psychology in the Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders (2012-2015). An active clinician, teacher, and researcher, she sees patients in the outpatient clinics of the Feeding program, supervises interns and fellows, and pursues lines of clinical research. Of particular interest are treatments to increase advanced feeding skills (e.g., self-feeding and chewing).

Laura Wright, PhD, joined Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta as a pediatric psychologist in fall 2019. Dr. Wright received her undergraduate degree in psychobiology from Occidental College. She earned her doctoral degree in clinical psychology from Georgia State University. She completed her predoctoral internship through the Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. Given her interest in pediatric pain, Dr. Wright completed her postdoctoral fellowship at Boston Children’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School, where she worked in the Pain Treatment Service, Mayo Family Pediatric Pain Rehabilitation Center, and Pediatric Headache Program. In her spare time, Dr. Wright enjoys taking spin classes, watching live music, exploring local restaurants and festivals, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.

Rachel Yosick, PsyD, BCBA-D, is a licensed psychologist and board-certified behavior analyst–doctoral in the Language and Learning Program at Marcus Autism Center. Dr. Yosick completed her doctorate in clinical child psychology at the Georgia School of Professional Psychology and obtained her certification in applied behavior analysis from Florida Institute of Technology. She completed her doctoral internship and postdoctoral fellowship at Marcus Autism Center and Emory University School of Medicine, where she gained extensive experience working with children affected by autism and significant language delays, severe problem behavior, and feeding difficulties.

Taylor Younginer, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist within the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta + Emory University Pediatric Institute. Dr. Younginer earned her doctorate from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She completed her predoctoral internship at Allegheny General Hospital’s Psychiatry and Behavioral Health Institute and her postdoctoral fellowship in Pediatric Acute Treatment at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. She specializes in evidence-based interventions for youth presenting with mood disorders, emotion dysregulation, self-injurious behaviors, and post-traumatic stress. 

Andrea Zawoyski, PhD, BCBA-D, received her PhD in Educational Psychology with an emphasis in School Psychology at the University of Georgia. She completed internship training at the Munroe Meyer Institute Behavioral Pediatrics and Integrated Care Program and completed postdoctoral training at Cherokee Health Systems in Integrated Health Psychology and Developmental Psychology. She was a limited-term Assistant Professor in the Special Education Department at the University of Georgia before transitioning to a role as an Assistant Research Scientist at the Center for Autism and Behavioral Education Research. There, she provided clinical supervision to graduate students in applied behavior analysis and school psychology in their practicum experiences and conducted autism spectrum disorder evaluations. Currently, Dr. Zawoyski works in the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Behavioral and Mental Health outpatient clinic at Chantilly, providing psychotherapy to children and adolescents for a wide range of presenting behavioral and mental health concerns. She also works in integrated pediatric primary care at the Hughes Spalding Primary Care clinic, where she provides brief assessment and intervention to children and adolescents to address behavioral and mental health concerns that arise during their primary care visits. She also conducts expedited autism spectrum disorder evaluations for toddlers. Dr. Zawoyski is certified in Parent-Child Interaction Therapy, utilizing this modality for young children presenting with disruptive behavior. In addition, she utilizes Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) as a primary treatment modality for older children and adolescents.

Nathan A. Call, PhD received his PhD in School Psychology from the University of Iowa in 2003 under the mentorship of David P. Wacker, PhD He completed a pre-doctoral internship at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics and Center for Disabilities & Development and a post-doctoral fellowship at the Marcus Institute and Emory University under the supervision of Wayne Fisher, PhD, and Henry S. Roane, PhD After working as an assistant professor at Louisiana State University from 2004-2006, Dr. Call returned to the Marcus Autism Center where he is currently the Clinical Director for the center. Dr. Call’s current research interests include the assessment and treatment of severe behavior disorders. This interest includes identifying the basic behavioral mechanisms that influence the occurrence of problem behavior, as well as the variables that impact the integrity with which caregivers implement treatment recommendations. Dr. Call has an active publication agenda that includes publishing and presenting research in applied behavior analytic forums.

John Constantino, MD, is a board-certified child and adolescent psychiatrist who specializes in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of behavioral and mental health conditions of children and adolescents. Dr. Constantino received his medical education at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and completed a five-year combined residency in Pediatrics, General Psychiatry, and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. As Chief of Behavioral and Mental Health and Liz and Frank Blake Chair for Children’s Behavioral and Mental Health, Dr. Constantino seeks to innovate behavioral health practice, resolve fragmentation in the delivery of care, enhance access to interventions of proven benefit, and improve long-term mental health outcomes for children and adolescents throughout Georgia. Prior to joining Children’s, Dr. Constantino served as Psychiatrist-in-Chief at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, as well as the Blanche F. Ittleson Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, where he directed the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry for the past 12 years.

Ami Klin, PhD, is the Director of the Marcus Autism Center and Professor and Chief of the Division of Autism and Related Disorders in the Department of Pediatrics at Emory University School of Medicine. Dr. Klin is an internationally recognized psychologist and researcher. His primary research activities focus on developmental social neuroscience, specifically on the visual engagement of individuals with autism from infancy through adulthood. In his most noted work, Klin uses eye-tracking technology to visualize and measure social engagement, allowing him to monitor infants who potentially have an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). His research goal is to identify individuals with and at risk for ASD as early as possible so that potential therapies can have their maximal effect. He serves as Chief Psychologist of the Internship.

Joanna Lomas Mevers, PhD, BCBA-D, received her doctorate in school psychology from Louisiana State University, under the mentorship of Jeffery Tiger, PhD, and George Noell, PhD. She completed her pre-doctoral internship and postdoctoral fellowship at the Marcus Autism Center and Emory University under the supervision of Nathan Call, PhD. Dr. Lomas Mevers is currently the Director of the severe behavior program and is responsible for working with families and clinicians to develop effective behavioral interventions that decrease challenging behaviors and replace them with appropriate behaviors. In addition to her clinical duties, she also provides training for doctoral and postdoctoral trainees. Dr. Lomas Mevers’ current research interests include increasing the social validity of behavioral interventions, increasing efficiencies in caregiver training, and treatment of enuresis and encopresis.

David J. Marcus, PhD, ABPP/CN, is a Clinical Instructor in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine and a pediatric neuropsychologist at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. He received his doctorate in Child Psychology from the University of Minnesota in 2005, completed an internship at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (through the University of Pennsylvania), and a fellowship at the National Children’s Medical Center in Washington, DC. Active as a clinical teacher, he supervises graduate practicum students, interns, residents, and fellows. Dr. Marcus’ areas of interest include pediatric epilepsy, spina bifida, and genetic and metabolic disorders.

David O’Banion, MD, FAAP, attended the University of Texas Medical School in San Antonio and matched to Oregon Health Science University's pediatric residency program, where his mentors helped shape his interests in relational health, parenting, adverse childhood experiences, and difficult behaviors. He then pursued a fellowship in developmental and behavioral pediatrics at the University of Oklahoma. Upon finishing his fellowship, he followed his wife to London in her pursuit of a master’s in public health for eye care. There, he was a research assistant and co-authored a parenting support program for cerebral palsy in Ghana.

Helen Panarites, MD, received her medical degree from Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City. She completed her adult psychiatric residency training at the New York Hospital-Westchester Division in White Plains, N.Y. In 1992, she moved to Atlanta for her child psychiatry residency training at Emory University School of Medicine. After training, Dr. Panarites continued as a faculty member at Emory University, working with children and adolescents with a wide range of psychiatric, behavioral, and developmental disabilities. She had a position as Assistant Professor of psychiatry and served as the medical director of the Grady Health System Child and Adolescent Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic. During her time with Grady Health System, Dr. Panarites helped develop a school-based partnership with Atlanta Public Schools, setting up psychiatric teams that provided direct in-school services to several elementary schools. The school-based clinic was effective in improving access to mental health care for children in high-risk schools.

Anna B. Tanner, MD, is a board-certified Pediatrician who has specialized in the care of complicated adolescent patients, in particular patients with eating disorders, for the past 25 years. Dr. Tanner completed medical school and residency at Vanderbilt University and then remained there to serve on the Pediatrics faculty in the Division of Young Adult and Adolescent Medicine until moving to Georgia in 1999. Dr. Tanner has been very involved in advocacy and education efforts for patients with eating disorders and serves on national and international committees for eating disorders education. She speaks frequently across the United States on the medical complications of eating disorders, especially as they affect children and young adolescents, and contributed a book chapter on that topic in the 4th edition of Dr. Philip S. Mehler’s Eating Disorders: A Comprehensive Guide to Medical Care and Complications. Dr. Tanner currently serves as an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Pediatrics for Emory University School of Medicine and Morehouse School of Medicine. She also serves as a consultant at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

Katherine Pickard, PhD, received her doctorate in clinical psychology from Michigan State University and completed a two-year postdoctoral fellowship at JFK Partners at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Her primary research interest is in the translation of evidence-based practices into community systems that are naturally positioned to serve children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their families. This interest is rooted in a longstanding commitment to supporting equitable access to autism services. Dr. Pickard’s research is grounded in community engagement and is guided by dissemination and implementation science. Clinically, Dr. Pickard is a licensed psychologist and has a strong background in supporting individuals with ASD across the lifespan. She holds specific expertise in naturalistic, developmental, and behavioral principles (known as NDBIs) and is a certified trainer in Project ImPACT, an evidence-based practice for young autistic children and their families. In addition to working with young children and their families, Dr. Pickard has expertise in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for autistic youth and co-occurring anxiety.

Dan Mitteer, Ph.D., BCBA-D, is an assistant professor in the Emory University School of Medicine and a case manager in the Marcus Autism Center’s Complex Behavior Supports Program. Prior to joining Emory and Marcus in 2025, Dr. Mitteer completed his master’s and doctoral degrees and postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Munroe-Meyer Institute under the mentorship of Drs. Wayne Fisher and Brian Greer. He then helped establish the Children’s Specialized Hospital – Rutgers University Center for Autism Research, Education, and Services Severe Behavior Program in New Jersey, where he served as a faculty member from 2020 to 2025. Dr. Mitteer’s research interests include the assessment and treatment of severe destructive behavior, mitigation of treatment relapse, improvement of caregiver adherence to behavioral treatment recommendations, and visual depiction and analysis of single-case design data.

Kathryn Peterson, Ph.D., BCBA-D, earned a doctorate in behavior analysis at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) and subsequently served as a clinical and research faculty member at UNMC’s intensive feeding program for 5 years. In 2020, she assisted in developing and served as the director of an intensive feeding program at Children’s Specialized Hospital in New Jersey, where she also fulfilled a faculty position at the Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, in the Department of Pediatrics. Dr. Peterson recently joined the Marcus Autism Center, where she currently serves as an associate professor at the Emory University School of Medicine’s Department of Pediatrics and as a clinical case manager in the Marcus Autism Center’s multidisciplinary feeding program. Dr. Peterson has published her research in numerous peer-reviewed journals, authored book chapters, and secured grant awards through UNMC’s Pediatrics and Diversity funds to conduct her research. Dr. Peterson has conducted trainings and presentations both nationally and internationally and currently serves as an associate editor for the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis.