Director, UW Autism Center

Annette Estes, PhD, directs the University of Washington Autism Center (UWAC), an organization devoted to supporting autistic people and their families, caregivers and community through clinical services, research, and training. She holds the Susan and Richard Fade Endowed Chair and is a Research Professor in the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences at the University of Washington. She is also a licensed psychologist in the state of Washington. Her research is carried out at the UW Autism Center and Center on Human Development and Disability.

Over the last decade, Dr. Estes has served as principal investigator on a series of clinical trials to determine the best ways to support young autistic children. These collaborative, multisite, studies have investigated innovations in naturalistic, developmental, behavioral intervention and ask the question, “how can we improve outcomes for very young autistic children.” In collaborations with scientists and clinicians at University of California, Davis, University of Michigan, Vanderbilt University, Harvard, and University of California, Los Angeles, she has worked to expand the evidence regarding how to best support autistic children and their parents.

Dr. Estes has also been part of the Infant Brain Imaging Study Network (IBIS) for over 15 years.  She is the co-principal investigator of with Dr. Stephen Dager at the University of Washington. She directs the behavioral assessment core of the multi-site IBIS Network with clinical sites at University of North Carolina, Washington University, Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania, and UW. The aim of the IBIS is to improve early recognition of infants at high likelihood of autism and identify brain mechanisms that may lead to new strategies to help children reach their full potential and live their best lives.

Dr. Estes was recently awarded a grant to study sleep in school-aged children at high likelihood of autism. She is especially interested in the role of the family in supporting positive outcomes for children with disabilities and improving the lives of autistic people.

Email: estesa@uw.edu

Director of Operations

Kathryn Larson joined the UW Autism Center as the Director of Operations in the Fall of 2016.

A Seattle native, Kathryn lived and raised her children in Michigan for 18 years before returning to the Northwest where she is surrounded by much of her family.

She enjoys the outdoors, reading, puzzles and spending time with family and friends.

Kathryn is grateful for the opportunity to be a part of a team who loves what they do and are dedicated to caring for autistic children and their families.

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Director of Clinical Services

Dr. Greenson supervises our team of talented clinicians including Speech Language Pathologists (SLPs), Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs), and Psychologists and the clinical issues that arise for families and children receiving or awaiting services. She works clinically in our Infant/Toddler clinic conducting diagnostic evaluations and parent coaching for children under 3. As a member of the On Time Autism Intervention (OTAI) Team, she partners with parents and community providers for children under three to help young children gain early access to diagnosis and intervention. She is passionate about providing empirically validated interventions, increasing access in underserved communities, training students and helping parents of children with autism find support and community. Prior to her role in the clinic, Dr. Greenson served as the associate director of a series of NIH funded clinical trails of ABA treatment for toddlers with ASD at UWAC. Dr. Greenson is certified in the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) of therapy and works with parents of toddlers as an ESDM coach in the clinic. When not working, Dr. Greenson can be found watching her teenagers playing sports, walking her dog, or enjoying good food and movie nights.

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Director of Research

Dr. Tanya St. John is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Research Scientist at the University of Washington Autism Center.

She completed her doctoral work at Seattle Pacific University, predoctoral internship at City of Hope National Medical Center, and post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Washington Autism Center.

Dr. St. John has devoted her career to understanding autism across the lifespan, with a particular emphasis on toddlers and young children.

Dr. St. John has served as project manager and diagnostic clinician on various NIH-funded studies including the Infant Brain Imaging Study and is an independent ADOS trainer.

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Clinical Psychologist

Lucas Harrington, PsyD is a psychologist at the UW Autism Center.

Dr. Harrington received his PsyD from the California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University, and trained as a postdoctoral fellow at UW’s LEND program as well as the UW Autism Center.

Dr. Harrington is autistic himself and brings the personal and community perspective to his work. He provides neurodiversity-oriented meetings and presentations for autistic people, families, UWAC staff, and the community, as well as conducting diagnostic evaluations and parent coaching.

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Licensed Mental Health Counselor

Sarah Hoff, MA, LMHC is a licensed mental health counselor at the University of Washington Autism Center. 

Sarah pursued a career as a counselor to support early identification and treatment of mental health and relationship needs to maximize each person’s quality of life. Sarah graduated with her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Washington State University and earned a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling from Antioch University in Seattle. Sarah has worked with children birth-12 and their families in a variety of settings including community mental health clinics, early intervention, and school-based settings. 

Sarah is passionate about providing culturally sensitive, trauma-informed, neurodiversity-affirming care to underserved communities and about incorporating each person’s community in the context of their journey toward wellness. Sarah provides services with the sleep clinic as well as individual and family support for Autism Center clients.

Outside of work, Sarah enjoys baking, playing with her dog, and reading.

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Licensed Psychologist

Kelly A. Johnson, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist at the UW Autism Center.

Dr. Johnson received her PhD in clinical psychology with child clinical subspecialty from Loyola University Chicago, and received further postdoctoral training at the University of Washington’s Center on Human Development & Disability.

At the UW Autism Center, Dr. Johnson provides diagnostic evaluations and consultation. She brings a broad range of experience working with individuals with disabilities and their families, including very young children through adults.

In addition to working with gifted/highly capable populations, her clinical and supervisory experience has also involved involved individuals with co-occurring developmental disabilities, psychiatric, medical, and/or genetic conditions.

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Licensed Psychologist

Kelsey Maki, PsyD is a licensed clinical psychologist at the UW Autism Center. Dr. Maki received her PsyD from the University of San Francisco. She completed her predoctoral clinical internship at the University of New Mexico Center for Development and Disability and her postdoctoral fellowship at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. While at CHLA, she additionally trained in the California Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (CA-LEND) fellowship program.

Dr. Maki specializes in infant and early childhood development and mental health, and she is excited about helping families connect and understand their young child’s unique strengths and needs. At the UW Autism Center, Dr. Maki provides diagnostic evaluations for children under age 3 through the Infant/Toddler Clinic.

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Licensed Psychologist

Ella Vanderbilt-Adriance, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist at the UW Autism Center and the Director of Student Training.

Dr. Vanderbilt-Adriance received her PhD in clinical and developmental psychology at the University of Pittsburgh, and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Seattle Children’s Hospital Autism Center.

At the UW Autism Center, she provides diagnostic evaluations across the lifespan and individual therapy to parents of autistic children to address issues related to stress management and improving quality of life. In addition, Dr. Vanderbilt-Adriance provides individual therapy to autistic adults focusing on anxiety and depression.

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Licensed Psychologist

Sara Woods, PhD (née O’Neil) is a clinical psychologist at the UW Autism Center in Tacoma. She received her PhD in Clinical Psychology from the APA-accredited University of Windsor in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. She also completed an APA-accredited predoctoral internship at LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans. She completed a 2-year postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Washington Center for Human Development and Disability Child Development Clinic in the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities Program.

At the UW Autism Center, Sara provides neurodiversity-affirming comprehensive assessments to people of all ages (toddlerhood through adulthood), as well as providing therapy, consultation, and education. Sara has published research on autism, reading, and emotion socialization. Sara’s research interests include autistic strengths, intersectionality, the meaning of autism from multiple perspectives, effective communication of diagnoses, and social development.

Sara brings a strong lifespan approach having worked with infants through elderly in a variety of settings, including schools, clinics, and inpatient settings. Sara has experience with multiple presenting issues including ADHD, anxiety, mood disorders, intellectual disabilities, learning disabilities, and trauma-related struggles. Sara is interested in exploring ways to make psychology more accessible. She is passionate about collaborating with autistic people and their families to gain a greater understanding of themselves and helping them discover the strengths that they already have.

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Behavior & Education Consultant

Chelsea Deaconson, BCBA, LBA is a Lead BCBA in the ABA LAUNCH program and a member of the Training and Consultation Services team.  Chelsea began as a behavior technician in 2009. In 2015, she became a BCaBA. In 2017, she received her MEd from Washington State University and earned her BCBA credential in 2018.

Chelsea has worked with autistic children, teens, and adults in center, home, and community settings. She also has experience in staff training, parent training and center management.  Chelsea is passionate about partnering with autistic individuals and their families to find practical strategies to teach important skills.  She loves to train others and disseminate compassionate, evidence-based solutions.

Outside of the office, Chelsea loves baking, hiking, snowshoeing, and exploring the PNW.

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Behavior & Education Consultant

Elise Grider, BCBA, M.Ed., LBA is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst for the UW Autism Center ABA LAUNCH program in Tacoma.

Elise originally began working with individuals on the autism spectrum in 2014, and received her master’s in education in 2020 from Arizona State University with emphasis on curriculum and instruction for behavior analysis. She has worked in clinics, school districts, and home environments supporting early learners to high school-aged clients. Elise is passionate about supporting clients on emotional regulation and how to implement these supports.

When she’s not at work, Elise enjoys hiking, reading, playing soccer, and is a HUGE movie buff.

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Behavior & Education Consultant

Charu Gupta, MEd, BCBA is a behavior and education consultant at the UW Autism Center.

Charu received her MEd in Special Education from the University of Washington in 2006 where she specialized in Early Childhood Education. As a student teacher, she taught preschool at the Experimental Education Unit, and during her graduate program she obtained additional practicum experience working with students with autism. Charu began working with individuals with autism in New Delhi, India, in 1999 and has since held several volunteer, student and work positions.

In addition to her role in the clinic, Charu served as the team lead for the structured intervention group of the UW Autism Center of Excellence (ACE-II) NIH grant-funded study: TADPOLE (Toddlers with Autism: Developing Opportunities for Learning)

Charu is passionate about providing high quality services to individuals with autism and their families. Charu’s areas of interest include early intervention for young children with autism and parent coaching.

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Behavior & Education Consultant

John Ketchum, BCBA, LBA is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst for the UW Autism Center ABA LAUNCH program in Seattle.

John originally joined the UW Autism Center in 2014 as a research assistant and behavior technician. In 2020, he earned a master’s in special education with a focus on applied behavior analysis.

John highly values addressing individual client needs with a flexible approach. He also strives to incorporate principles of neurodiversity into his practice.

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Behavior & Education Consultant

Wayne received his MEd in Special Education with an emphasis in Applied Behavior Analysis from the University of Washington.

After entering the field in 2011, he gained an interest in evidence-based practices for effective treatment design, with a focus on communication and community access. His experience ranges across school, community, and clinic-based settings, serving a diverse population.

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Behavior & Education Consultant

Molly Rauschl, BCBA, LBA is a behavior and education consultant at the UW Autism Center.

Molly received her M.S. in Applied Behavior Analysis at Central Washington University and her BA in Psychology with an emphasis in Early Childhood Education at San Diego State University. She began working with individuals with autism spectrum and related disorders in 2014 and became a BCBA in 2020.

Molly is passionate about teaching children life skills and functional language through a play based and naturalistic approach. She believes that learning new skills in a fun, nurturing environment creates therapeutic relationships that foster positive growth.

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Behavior & Education Consultant

Yev Veverka, PhD, BCBA-D, is a graduate of the University of Washington’s doctoral program in Special Education with an emphasis in Applied Behavior Analysis.

Yev has been working with children with autism in the field of ABA since 2007. A parent of three herself, she is especially passionate about empowering parents and caregivers by equipping them with tools and strategies.

Yev’s area of expertise is in the support of mealtime and feeding challenges. With an interdisciplinary team of coauthors, she has published a book on this topic, Meaningful Mealtimes: Practical Strategies for All Young Eaters.

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Certified Behavior Technician

James Dulano is a behavior technician for UW Tacoma Autism Center.

He graduated from the University of Washington Tacoma campus in 2022 with a BA in psychology.

James entered the field of ABA in 2022. He has worked in schools and in-home ABA therapy. He joined the UWAC Tacoma Launch team in 2024.

Outside of work, James enjoys supporting queer nightlife in Seattle area and playing video games.

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Certified Behavior Technician

Arianna is a behavior technician at the UW Autism Center Tacoma campus.

Arianna received her BA in psychology from Pacific Lutheran University in 2021.

Arianna started working in the field of ABA in 2021 and joined the Tacoma LAUNCH team in 2022. Outside of the Autism Center, Arianna enjoys spending time with her nephews and playing board games.

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LAUNCH Program Behavior Analyst Intern

Sophia Javar is a Behavior Technician at UW Autism Center Tacoma campus. She is originally from the Philippines and moved to Washington when she was 8 years old.

In 2020, she got her undergraduate degree in Psychology at University of Washington, Tacoma.

She got in the field of ABA in the beginning of 2021 and has been enjoying it ever since.

She is looking forward to expanding her knowledge in the field at the Autism Center from her colleagues and clinicians.

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Behavior Technician

Augusta first started working as a BT in 2022 and received her BS in Psychology in 2023 from the UW in Seattle.

On the weekends, she performs as a children’s entertainer dressing up as Disney princesses for birthday parties.

She is excited to work alongside a multidisciplinary team that provides neurodiversity affirming care and is eager to show clients how fun learning can be!

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Behavior Technician/Licensed Assistant Behavior Analyst

Ai Roach is a WA state Licensed Assistant Behavior Analyst at the UW Autism Center. She works in the LAUNCH program in the Tacoma clinic and is a member of the Training and Consultation Services Team. She is currently working towards her BCBA credential and master’s degree in special education in the Applied Behavior Analysis Program at the University of Washington.

Ai taught English to children in her home country of Japan for many years before moving to America. She has worked with autistic children both in ABA clinics as a behavior technician and in special education classrooms as a paraeducator at public schools.

Ai enjoys working with young children with various support needs, using naturalistic environmental approaches. She focuses on creating ABA sessions that are fun and establishing trust and motivation in children to participate and learn.

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Behavior Technician

Amal Sui is a behavior technician for the Seattle LAUNCH program at the UW Autism Center.

She graduated in 2022 from South China Normal University with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology (Teacher Education).

During her undergrad study, she joined in an Autism research group and started learning about ASD. She joined the field of ABA in 2022, and was excited to implement her knowledge into practice. She loves making an impact on people’s lives and inspiring them to strive for the better.

Outside of work she enjoys exploring the Pacific Northwest, hiking with friends, and strolling in different parks. She also enjoys watching movies and eating cuisines from all around the world.

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Speech Language Pathologist

Nicole Bergstrom M.S., CCC-SLP is a licensed and ASHA certified speech-language pathologist at the University of Washington Autism Center. She received her M.S. degree in Speech Language Pathology with a concentration in Autism at the MGH Institute of Health Professions in Boston, MA. Nicole completed her Clinical Fellowship at UWAC.

Nicole began her career as a teacher in a specialized school for Autistic children, working with high school aged students transitioning out of the educational setting. In graduate school, Nicole had a variety of experiences helping those with communication impairments across the lifespan in outpatient clinics, hospitals, and specialized school settings. Nicole most enjoys working collaboratively with families and other professionals to provide support for complex communicators, including alternative and augmentative communication (AAC). She conducts feeding evaluations and intervention in the Seattle clinic. Nicole prioritizes using a child-lead, family centered, responsive intervention in feeding and is trained in the SOS approach to feeding. Nicole is passionate about providing neurodiversity-affirming, child-lead therapy in her practices. Nicole currently serves as SLP for the ABA LAUNCH program in Seattle.

Outside the clinic, Nicole can be found exploring the Pacific Northwest by trail running, hiking, and visiting different coffee shops and bakeries with her partner and dog.

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Speech Language Pathologist

Kelleen Dunley MS, CCC-SLP, is a licensed and ASHA certified speech-language pathologist at the University of Washington Autism Center. She received her M.S. in Speech Language Pathology at the University of Washington in 2015.

Kelleen has focused her career on supporting autistic individuals from toddlers through adulthood. Prior to joining UWAC, Kelleen completed her internship at Seattle Children’s Autism Center before serving as the Speech Language Pathologist at an Autism Center in Snohomish, WA. Kelleen is passionate about supporting communication through collaborative services with individuals, families, and other professionals. Kelleen is Hanen certified and enjoys conducting play-based and individually focused therapy from toddlers to adulthood.

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Speech Language Pathologist

Shruthi Ravi, PhD, CCC-SLP, holds a PhD in Communication Sciences and Disorders and is a speech-language pathologist with over nine years of pediatric clinical experience, specializing in autism. She began her career in India before working in U.S. school districts, focusing on assessments and interventions for minimally verbal children. Shruthi’s clinical expertise is complemented by her research at the Autism Center, which explores early communication development. Her experience working across cultures enhances her ability to provide culturally sensitive care. Outside work, she enjoys reading, singing, cooking, and perfecting her dry humor.

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Occupational Therapist

Sarah Lemke, MOT, OTR/L is a licensed and board-certified occupational therapist at the University of Washington Autism Center. 

Sarah originally became an occupational therapist, aspiring to meet the developmental needs of autistic youth and empower children and families. Sarah graduated with her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in occupational therapy from Eastern Michigan University and has been privileged to serve youth birth-21 in numerous settings including early intervention, school-based, inpatient psychiatric, and outpatient care. 

Sarah’s family-centered approach prioritizes culturally sensitive, trauma-informed, neurodiversity, and LGBTQIA+-affirming care. In addition to providing individual and group services, Sarah values opportunities for caregiver collaboration and community education. Sarah is a member of the Training and Consultative Service team and provides consultation for our ABA LAUNCH program and feeding team; she is trained in AEIOU, an integrated approach to pediatric feeding.  

Sarah enjoys traveling, reading, and caring for her plants and rambunctious cats in her spare time.

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Director, APEX Summer Camp

Dr. Matlack is the Director of the APEX Summer Camp program.  She was a part of the early years of APEX Summer Camp as a graduate student and returned following completing her studies as the Clinical Director, and now Camp Director. She has always loved working at summer camps and is passionate about supporting youth with building social skills and interpersonal relationships.

Dr. Matlack is a licensed psychologist and Assistant Teaching Professor of School Psychology at the University of Washington.  She is a school psychologist by training and has worked with neurodiverse youth and families for several years, both providing direct clinical services and supporting families navigating special education and school systems. Dr. Matlack is a certified Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) practitioner and has extensive experience supporting parents with behavior management training and support through the Incredible Years program.   She also supervises many clinical trainees in building their clinical and intervention skills toward providing culturally responsive and neurodiverse-affirming clinical practices for all youth and families.

Outside of work, Dr. Matlack can be found reading a good book, spending time with her orange tabby cat, and enjoying time outside with friends and family.

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Developmental Behavioral Pediatrician

Samuel Zinner, MD, provides developmental-behavioral pediatrics (DBP) consultation to address a range of medical issues for children, youth, and their families at the UW Autism Center. The DBP subspecialty focuses on psychosocial and neurologic influences on behavior and development.

Dr. Zinner is a professor of pediatrics and a board-certified developmental-behavioral pediatrician, and serves as the fellowship program director of developmental and behavioral pediatrics at the University of Washington and Seattle Children’s Hospital. He completed medical school at the University of California San Diego, residency training in general pediatrics at Kaiser Permanente in Los Angeles in 1997, and fellowship subspecialty training in general academic pediatrics and in developmental-behavioral pediatrics at Boston Children’s Hospital in 1999. He joined the faculty at Saint Louis University School of Medicine in 1999 followed by the University of Washington School of Medicine in 2003.

Dr. Zinner’s clinical, research, and advocacy interests focus on tic disorders and their associated conditions including autism spectrum disorders, as well as on medical training in his subspecialty of DBP. His clinical activities include outpatient consultation at the UW Autism Center and the Seattle Children’s Hospital Neurodevelopmental Clinic.

Dr. Zinner is a member of the Editorial Board of the Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics.

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Patient Navigator

Email: kahloo@uw.edu

Katryna Ahloo is the Patient Navigator for the ABA LAUNCH Program. She attended Seattle University where she received her undergraduate degree in Biology. In 2021, she joined the field of ABA as a CBT and later when on to become an RBT. In her pursuit to expand her horizons, she made her way to UWAC where she is able to utilize her skills as a CBT/RBT to support and connect families with resources needed.

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Patient Navigator – ABA Svcs
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Email: sharim2@uw.edu

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Patient Navigator

Email: floperry@uw.edu

Flo has worked at the clinic since December 2021 after transitioning from scheduling for UW Medicine’s primary and specialty care clinics. Born in Zimbabwe and raised between there and sunny California; Flo relocated to Washington two years ago. She studied Public Policy & Social Development at the University of Cape Town and has worked in a variety of fields (from aerospace to healthcare, with stints at King Canyon & Bryce Canyon National Parks in between).

Flo found her way to UWAC when her own child was diagnosed as autistic and is passionate about connecting families to resources, socio-economic justice, and improving healthcare iniquities. In her free time, Flo enjoys baking, camping, photography, and road trips.

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Patient Navigator – Tacoma

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Email: ykv@uw.edu

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Fiscal Coordinator

Amany Eskandar was born and raised in Cairo, Egypt, and moved to the United States in 1991.

She earned her bachelors degree in accounting.

She joined the UW Autism Center in April 2007 as a fiscal coordinator.

Her responsibilities include electronic claims, patient statements, and credentialing providers with payers.

Amany enjoys cooking world cuisines and traveling.

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Administrative Assistant, Intake Coordinator

Cathy has held several positions at the University of Washington Center on Human Development and Disabilities including the UW Autism Center since 2003.

She is honored to support this team of researchers and clinical experts to improve the lives of people affected by autism.

Cathy enjoys time with family, gardening, vegetarian cooking and hiking.

Email: cathek@uw.edu

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Data Analytics

Dr. Munson studies variability in the development of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). His research contributes to the identification of the genetic basis of ASDs and to the development of more accurate prognoses and interventions. Currently, he is developing methods to analyze social skills and language comprehension in children with limited abilities to communicate. In these studies, he uses eye-tracking and other technologies to measure the responses of children to real-time 3-D graphics. Munson also uses various statistical methods to analyze patterns of development in children with ASDs.

Website: http://faculty.washington.edu/jeffmun/

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Clara Johnson is a 4th year child clinical psychology doctoral student at the University of Washington, Seattle. Clara received her bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Spanish at Trinity University and worked at the National Center for PTSD for three years before beginning her graduate degree.

Clara is interested in decreasing the barriers for children and family to seek mental health assessment and treatment services and has clinical experience with behavior therapies for autism spectrum disorder and cognitive behavioral therapies for posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder for kids and families.

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Bella (Jiangyue) Li is a fifth-year doctoral student in the School Psychology program at the University of Washington. Bella is a practicum student supervised by Dr. Jessica Greenson in the Infant Clinic at UWAC to provide on-time diagnosis of Autism for children under three. Bella worked as a bilingual school psychologist in Washington state for four years after graduating from Teachers College, Columbia University. She loves working with neurodiverse children and is committed to providing early identification and interventions for children and their families, especially historically marginalized populations. As a bilingual practitioner, she values and incorporates culturally responsive practice into her work. Bella also has experience working with children and adolescents who have anxiety disorders (e.g., selective mutism, social anxiety, specific phobia, etc.).

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Jeep Madison M.A., CCC-SLP is a licensed and ASHA certified speech-language pathologist. He received his M.A. degree in Speech Language Pathology at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, MA after receiving his undergraduate degree at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. He is currently a PhD student at the University of Washington. Jeep began his professional career in southern California as a school-based SLP while taking on the role as “Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) specialist” for the Moreno Valley School District. With a concerted effort to explore the field of speech pathology, he has worked as an SLP in home health, outpatient clinics, hospitals, and skilled nursing facilities. Jeep is committed to providing patient-centered culturally appropriate services to clients and families to optimize outcomes in communication and recovery. Though he enjoys all aspects of the field, Jeep has a partiality for autism and TBI recovery. Outside of the clinic, Jeep can be found exploring new hobbies, used bookstores, national parks, and attending music festivals.

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Daniela (Dani) Seczon is currently a third-year doctoral student in clinical psychology at the University of Washington, Seattle. She earned her bachelor’s degrees in psychology and biochemistry from the University of Tulsa and went on to complete a master’s in neuroscience at Teachers College, Columbia University. Dani is gaining clinical experience at the UW Autism Center’s Infant Clinic under the supervision of Dr. Jessica Greenson. Her research focuses on understanding the neural mechanisms that drive visual attention and perception in autistic individuals, and how these might relate to sensory processing differences. Clinically, Dani is dedicated to supporting autistic youth and adults, and takes a comprehensive lifespan approach to her work. Outside of her academic pursuits, she enjoys spending quality time with friends, playing tennis, and watching series, especially on Seattle’s typical cloudy days.

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Rachel (Yuxuan) Sun is a sixth-year doctoral student in the School Psychology program at the University of Washington. Rachel will be working as a practicum student with Dr. Ella Vanderbilt-Adriance at UWAC. Rachel received her bachelor’s degree in psychology and communication at UC Santa Barbara and her master’s in School Psychology at Teachers College, Columbia University. Rachel is passionate in providing culturally responsive practices to support autistic youth and their families. In her spare time, Rachel enjoys being outdoors, hiking and cooking.

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Laila Volpe, MS, is a doctoral student at the University of Washington Child Clinical Psychology program in Seattle. Her work focuses on how markers in youth predict mental health later in life. Laila has worked with neurodivergent youth in educational and community settings. She is eager to provide diagnostic evaluations for families.

Outside of work, Laila spends her time reading, playing board games with friends, and enjoying her cat’s antics.

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