Selected Publications
Peer-reviewed contributions spanning autism epidemiology, disability health equity, food insecurity, physical activity, and healthcare quality.
My research answers a simple question: what do the data tell us about how autistic people and people with disabilities are actually doing — and what needs to change? I work with large-scale administrative datasets, national surveys, and community-level data to surface disparities that policy and programs can address. Below are selected publications with plain-language summaries of what each one found and why it matters.
Selected Publications
What Parents Need to Know About Autism Screening and Early Treatment
Why it matters: Many parents don't know what to expect after an autism screening or what early treatment options exist. This piece translates the clinical evidence into guidance parents and pediatricians can use immediately.
Read in JAMA Pediatrics →A Gamified mHealth Intervention to Promote Physical Activity in Autistic Adults
Why it matters: Autistic adults face major barriers to physical activity, but most interventions aren't designed for them. This study protocol uses community-based participatory methods to develop a gamified mobile app — designed with autistic adults, not just for them.
Read in JMIR →Preferences for Outcome Data Collection in a Pediatric Autism Learning Health Network Registry
Why it matters: If we want registries that actually improve autism care, parents and clinicians need to shape what gets measured. This study asked them directly — and found that families prioritize different outcomes than researchers typically track.
Read in JDBP →Food Insecurity in Households of Children with ASD During COVID-19
Why it matters: Families with autistic children were significantly more likely to experience food insecurity during the pandemic — a disparity that persisted even after adjusting for income and other factors. This finding informed Autism Speaks' advocacy on food assistance policy.
Read in DHJ →Drivers and Impacts of Challenging Behavior in Children with Neurodevelopmental Conditions
Why it matters: Challenging behaviors in autistic children are often treated as the problem, but this study showed they're driven by identifiable biopsychosocial factors — meaning interventions can target root causes, not just symptoms.
Read in Frontiers →Does Disability Status Predict Meeting the Physical Activity Guidelines in Veterans Who Are Obese?
Why it matters: Veterans with disabilities who are obese face compounding barriers to physical activity — yet most health promotion programs aren't designed for them. This national study quantified the gap and made the case for tailored interventions.
Read in AJHP →Letters & Advocacy
Alachua County's Students with Disabilities Deserve Better — and Our Members of Congress Should Say So
Argues that Florida's representatives should oppose efforts to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education, citing the $800 million in annual IDEA funding at stake, a $1 billion state funding gap, and the consequences of closing seven of twelve regional civil rights offices for the state's nearly 450,000 students with disabilities.
Read in Alachua Chronicle →