Faculty and Staff

Catherine Lord, Ph.D., Director
Catherine Lord is a Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry at the University of Michigan and a Senior Scientist at the Center for Human Growth and Development. She is a clinical psychologist with specialties in diagnosis, social and communication development and intervention in autism spectrum disorders. She is renowned for her work in longitudinal studies of children with autism as well as for her role in developing the autism diagnostic instruments used in both practice and in research worldwide today. Dr. Lord has previously worked at the University of North Carolina, University of Minnesota, University of Alberta, the London Medical Research Council Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit, Harvard University (Children's Hospital) and University of Chicago.

Find out more about Dr. Lord on the University of Michigan webpage:

http://www.ns.umich.edu/htdocs/public/experts/ExpDisplay.php?ExpID=966

Deb Anderson, Ph.D., Research Associate
Deb joined the UMACC staff in January of 2003. She recently received her PhD in sociology and social work from the University of Michigan. She enjoys working with data that addresses health-related concerns. On the off hours, she is often accompanied by her dog, Sam, who rewards her with a long walk at the end of the day.

 
Pamela Dixon Thomas, Ph.D., Psychologist
Pamela is a licensed clinical psychologist; her clinical and research interests have focused on social functioning in children with neurodevelopmental disorders. She is a graduate of Howard University and completed her postdoctoral training in pediatric rehabilitation psychology at the University of Michigan.

 
Barbara Hanna, Ph.D., Psychologist/Study Coordinator

Lee Anne Green Snyder, Ph.D., Psychologist/Consultant
LeeAnne Green Snyder is a fully licensed clinical psychologist with specializations in pediatric neuropsychology and autism. She provided clinical diagnostic evaluations at UMACC and is now currently working as a consultant to the national Simons Simplex Collections (SSC) study. She also has research interests that include differential diagnosis and etiology of autism. LeeAnne has trained at the University of Connecticut, and previously worked at Children's Hospital of Michigan.

Fiona Miller, Ph.D., Psychologist
Fiona is a licensed clinical psychologist who trained at the University of Toronto. At UMACC, she conducts diagnostic evaluations, individual therapy, and she leads an integrated play group for young children with ASD. Fiona is also an ADI-R and ADOS trainer. In addition to her UMACC appointment, she is an Assistant Research Scientist at the University of Michigan Center for Human Growth and Development (CHGD). Fiona's research interests have focused on parenting children with mental health concerns and special needs. She is currently developing a measure to reliably assess the unique experiences and challenges faced by parents who are raising children with ASD.

 
Amy Esler, Ph.D., Consultant
Amy is the site consultant for Emory and the University of Illinois at Chicago for the Simons Simplex Collection. She currently works as a psychologist and researcher in the Waisman Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and she is a lecturer in the School Psychology Department. Her main area of research is early diagnosis and treatment of ASD, and she performs diagnostic evaluations and developmental testing for toddlers seen in the Early Autism and Communication Research Clinic. She received her doctorate from University of Minnesota in 2001. Prior to coming to the Waisman Center, Amy was the Training Coordinator and Research Specialist at UMACC, coordinating training on the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) and the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R), as well as working on a variety of research studies, including genetics, validity of diagnostic measures, intervention with children and adults with high-functioning ASD, and early diagnosis.

 
Somer Bishop, Ph.D., Consultant

 
Jennifer Richler, Ph.D., Consultant
Jennifer received her Ph.D. from the University of Michigan in 2007 and is currently doing postdoctoral research at the Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota. Her research focuses on executive function in children with autism spectrum disorders and typically developing children.

Kathy Hatfield, Clinic Coordinator
Kathy joined UMACC in September 2007. Her previous UM positions were in the Dept. of Psychology as an Administrative Assistant in the Developmental and Clinical Areas and as the Student Services Coordinator in the Graduate Office. She has extensive administrative, customer service and web design experience. She is responsible for patient services including phone intakes, appointments and billing issues, as well as various duties relative to the daily operation of the center.

Mary Yonkovit, Secretary to the Director
Mary joined UMACC as Dr. Lord's secretary in June of 2004. She has extensive administrative experience in corporate, legal, international, immigration, and travel environments. In addition to her duties for Dr. Lord, she is responsible for the transcription and processing of clinical and research client reports.

Ellen Buchholz, M.P.A., Accountant
Ellen joined UMACC in 2005 as the Grant and Contracts Accountant. She has more than 10 years professional administrative experience with the U of M. Ellen has a B.B.A. and most recently completed her M.P.A. at the University of Michigan-Flint. In addition to her interest in financial analysis, her graduate work focused on the administrative implementation of policy, specifically HIPAA, and the evaluation of programs and services in the health care sector. Ellen has a diverse background in both the profit and non-profit sectors. Her interest in organizations that combined health care, research and academics are what brought her to the Center.

 
Jennifer Tjernagel, M.S., Project Manager
Jennifer joined the center in 2007 as project manager for the Simons Simplex Collection, a large multi-center autism genetics study coordinated by UMACC. Previously she spent 10 years in the pharmaceutical research industry as a manager of statistical analysis and reporting. She also worked as a biostatistician for the University of Michigan Cardiology Department. Jennifer has a Masters Degree in Biostatistics from the University of Michigan.

 
Julie McCormick, M.A., Project Manager
Julie joined UMACC in 2007 to provide project management for an early intervention project at the center. She has a varied background that includes 12 years of pharmaceutical research. She has served as the director of a community mental health program that provided outreach services to individuals with developmental disabilities and psychiatric disorders. Additionally, she has served as a therapist and program coordinator at a spinal cord and traumatic brain injury rehabilitation center. Julie has a Masters Degree in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) from Western Michigan University.

 
Dorte Junker, Project Manager

 
Carrie Miller, L.L.M.S.W., Interventionist
Carrie is an interventionist for the Early Social Interaction (ESI) Project at UMACC. She graduated from Western Michigan University with a B.S. in Psychology with an emphasis in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). She also has earned a Master's Degree in Social Work from the University of Michigan and is currently in the process of obtaining her certification as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. She has done extensive work with children with ASD over the past five years, having worked a private program consultant and instructor for in-home programs based on the principles of ABA and as a head instructor at a private academy for children with ASD.

 
Caitlyn B. Sorensen, Research Assistant
Caitlyn graduated from the University of Michigan in 2007 where she received a B.A. in psychology. She narrowed her studies with an interest in children's social and language development. Research was also an interest, playing a key role in her undergraduate experience; she worked on different studies in the Social and Political Issues Lab in the Psychology Department at UM. Before joining UMACC as a research assistant, Caitlyn has worked one-on-one with children with ASD and other developmental delays to promote language development. At UMACC, she will work with very young children in the intervention studies. In the future, Caitlyn plans to attend graduate school to earn a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and continue working with children.

 
Alexandra Hessenius, M.A., Research Assis./Treatment Supervisor
Alexandra graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2005 with an Honors B.A. in Psychology and a minor in English. She worked as a behavioral therapist providing one-on-one ABA treatment for children with autism at the Lovaas Institute for Early Intervention before attending graduate school at New York University's Steinhardt School of Education where she received her Masters Degree in Educational Psychology. Psychological research has been a large focus of her undergraduate and graduate education. Alexandra is currently working on the First Words and Toddlers projects, and as a treatment supervisor in the Early Start Intervention project.

 
Larry Kowalski , Research Assistant
Larry graduated from the University of Michigan in April of 2007 receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree with a dual concentration in History and Psychology. He has previous experience working with children at U of M Children's Center. He also has prior research experience studying in the Social and Political Issues Lab and working as an undergraduate research assistant for the Director of the Center for Human Growth and Development at U of M. At UMACC, Larry works on the Simons Simplex Collection project and co-leads a social group for younger children. In the future, he plans on pursuing a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and hopes to continue working with children with autism and other developmental disorders.

Whitney Guthrie , Research Assistant
Whitney graduated summa cum laude from Pepperdine University with a BA in psychology and an emphasis in psychological research. She works as a research assistant at UMACC, coordinating the First Words and Toddlers projects, and as a therapy assistant on the Early Start Intervention project. She is also involved in leading the social group for children ages 4-6. Before coming to UMACC, Whitney worked as a play therapist for children with autism and other developmental delays, and she conducted research in the area of child maltreatment. Whitney plans to pursue her Ph.D. in child clinical psychology and continue to focus on research in the area of autism spectrum disorders.

Bethany Gorka, Research Assistant/Study Manager
Bethany Gorka is a research assistant and study manager at the University of Michigan Autism and Communication Disorders Center. She graduated from the University of Michigan in the spring of 2005 with an Honors BA in psychology. Bethany has worked with children with ASD and other special needs for several years before working at UMACC. She is currently managing the Simons Simplex Collection (SSC), a study researching the genetic transmission of autism in families who have one child on the autism spectrum. In addition to managing the SSC, Bethany assists with study revisions and submissions to the Institutional Review Board (IRB), and has been a "peer member" in the adult social group for the past three years. Bethany Hopes to attend graduate school in the near future, specializing in child clinical psychology.

 
Elizabeth Buvinger, Graduate Student
Liz is a second year graduate student in the Developmental Psychology Ph.D. program. She graduated in 2003 from Beloit College in Wisconsin with a double major in Psychology and Spanish. She spent three years working at James Madison University in Virginia in a center whose research focused on middle school students with ADHD. Her current research interests include adolescents and young adults with autism spectrum disorders and their transition into adulthood. In addition, she is interested in the concept of friendship within ASD populations and how this affects their daily functioning and mental health. Liz co-leads one of the adult social groups and is also coordinating the Longitudinal Study at UMACC.

 
Themba Carr, Graduate Student
Themba is a 2nd year graduate student in the Clinical doctoral program at the University of Michigan. She earned her Bachelor's degree at the University of Virginia in 2004 with a major in Psychology. Prior to entering graduate school, Themba spent two years as the Research and Lab Coordinator for a Developmental Psychology lab at the University of Virginia. Her research interests include studying the influence of culture and social class on families' experiences with Autism Spectrum Disorders with an emphasis on how cultural and economic variables affect parents' diagnosis-seeking and treatment-seeking behavior. In addition to conducting research, Themba also co-leads the UMACC Teen Social Group and assists with one of the Adult Social groups.

 
Catherine Fan, Graduate Student
Catherine is a second year doctoral graduate student in the Clinical Psychology program at the University of Michigan. She graduated in 2003 from the University of California at Berkeley with a B.A. in Psycholgy. Before entering graduate school, Catherine worked for two years as a Lab Manager for a prospective longitudinal study of preadolescent girls with ADHD at UC Berkeley. She also worked for a year in an individualized autism intervention program using play- and behaviorally-based therapies. She is currently working with Dr. Sheryl Olson on the Michigan Longitudinal Study investigating the links between gender, emotion dysregulation and future psychopathology in at-risk toddlers. Catherine completed the UMACC clinical practicum in the Spring and Summer of 2007. She currently co-leads the UMACC Teen Autism Social Group and assists with an Adult Social Group.

 
Kaite Gotham, Graduate Student

 
So Hyun "Sophy" Kim, Graduate Student

 
Kristina Lopez, Graduate Student

 
Rosalind Oti, Graduate Student

 
Sarah Luchansky, MSW Intern

Student and Volunteer Researchers:
Kathleen Bruder
Song Choi
Renee First
Rebecca Grzadzinski
Kate Hariton
Lauren Hoff
Adam Janosko
Jessi Kittel
Amanda Kraus
Allison Lewis
Ciara Marti
Melissa Maye
Natalie Olesko
ChiChi Onyemaechi
Travis Pashak
Cristina Popa
Brittany Ruiz
DeAnna Sands
Najmul "Sunny" Shah
Paige Smith
Deanna Tracy
Valerie Weber