Director · Researcher · Educator
Turning Data Into Impact for Autism & Disability Health
I build evidence-based programs and lead data science initiatives that improve health outcomes for autistic individuals and people with disabilities—bridging research, policy, and practice.
Committed to health equity and creating measurable change through rigorous public health science and community-centered evaluation.
Research That Centers People
I am a public health researcher specializing in disability studies, autism epidemiology, health equity, and data science applications in population health. My work integrates administrative data, survey data, and policy evaluation to improve health outcomes for autistic individuals and people with disabilities.
As Director of Data Science & Evaluation at Autism Speaks, I lead national data initiatives including the Autism by the Numbers project and the Autism FIT health promotion program. At Drexel University, I teach and mentor the next generation of public health professionals.
Read More →Experience & Services
Epidemiological Consulting
You need to understand what's happening in a population — prevalence, trends, disparities — and turn that into a story that moves decision-makers. I work with large-scale administrative and survey datasets to answer those questions.
Example: Analyzed national Household Pulse Survey and NSCH data to quantify food insecurity in autistic households during COVID-19 — findings published in Disability and Health Journal and Autism, informing Autism Speaks' policy recommendations.
Program Evaluation
You've built a program and need to know if it's working — or you're designing one and want to build evaluation in from the start. I design evaluation frameworks, select outcome measures, and deliver findings your stakeholders can act on.
Example: Designed the evaluation framework for Autism FIT, a health promotion program adapted for autistic individuals — from logic model through data collection protocols to outcome reporting ($75K, Autism Speaks).
Data Science & Analytics
You're sitting on data that could drive better decisions, but you need someone who can build the pipeline, run the analysis, and translate the results into something your team and funders can use.
Example: Built the Autism by the Numbers platform for Autism Speaks — a national data initiative that synthesizes prevalence, service, and outcome data into an accessible resource used by researchers, advocates, and policymakers ($450K).
Grant Development
You have a research idea but need help turning it into a competitive proposal. I've written and reviewed grants for CDC, NIH-affiliated centers, NIDILRR, and private foundations — and I know what reviewers look for.
Example: Secured CDC funding ($50K) to build COVID-19 vaccine outreach for the autistic community in Florida, and have led or contributed to proposals totaling over $2M to foundations including Robert Wood Johnson, William T. Grant, and Edwards Lifesciences.
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