Kathy graduated from Yale School of Nursing in 1988 with a master's degree in Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing. She has had extensive experience working with individuals with mental illness and developmental disabilities in inpatient and outpatient settings. Additionally, Kathy has had a lifelong interest in autism spectrum disorders, and worked with children with autism since her teen years. She has published on gender differences in autism spectrum disorders, and the growth trajectory of girls who are diagnosed with the disorder.
Kathy's role at the Child Study Center has involved research and clinical work in children with developmental disabilities. In the last ten years she has been particularly involved in using evidence-based intervention methods in a group therapy framework to help children improve their ability to participate meaningfully in social interaction with others. Further, she has written Practical Social Skills for Autism Spectrum Disorders: Designing Child Specific Intervention, published by W.W. Norton & Co., 2012. While the book describes many evidence-based practices for intervention, the central theme is that intervention must be tailored to meet the needs of a particular child, based on their profile of strengths and weakness and the severity of the autism impairment. Further information regarding the book can be found at: http://books.wwnorton.com/books/detail.aspx?ID=22296 .
Most recently, Kathy has worked as an educator within the Child Study Center, teaching pediatric and psychiatry fellows, as well as community-based professional staff, how to work with children on the autism spectrum. She is collaborating with professionals throughout the U.S. and abroad to improve the lives of children with ASDs and their families.
