Meet the Team | Overview
Ellen Hanson, PhD
Dr. Ellen Hanson is a Developmental Psychologist, Behavioral Specialist and Researcher. She is an expert in the diagnosis and treatment of children who have significant developmental disabilities. Within this area, she also has a specific interest in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), with whom she was worked with for over 20 years.
Dr. Hanson travels nationally and internationally to train professionals in the use of phenotyping measures, developmental assessment tools and behavioral interventions for clinical and research use with children. Dr. Hanson has developed and run numerous programs at Children’s Hospital Boston, including large studies involving individuals with ASD and related disorders; social skills enhancement programs and educational programs for parents. Additionally, she has developed an undergraduate training program at Children’s for students who are interested in pursuing careers as future specialists in developmental disability.
Dr. Hanson is involved in numerous research projects which involve the differential diagnosis of autism; the genetic and environmental influences on ASD, particularly 16p11.2 deletion; adjustment of siblings of individuals with ASD; and behavioral difficulties occurring in children with autism.
Former Members
| Name | Former Role | Current Position |
|---|---|---|
| Elizabeth Baroni, MA | Research Assistant | Doctoral Student (Psychology), University of Maine |
| Aislyn Cangialose, BA | Research Assistant | Graduate Student (Nurse Practitioner), Yale University |
| Caroline Davit, BS | Research Assistant | Graduate Student (Speech-Language Pathology), Boston University |
| Jonathan Doerr, BA | Data Manager | US Department of Justice |
| Anna Ehler, BA | Research Assistant | Editorial Assistant, Wiley Publishing |
| Alexa Fong, BA | Research Assistant | Graduate Student (Social Work), University of Hawaii |
| Kayla Greenberg, BA | Research Assistant | Graduate Student (Nurse Practitioner), Boston College |
| Heather Harris, MS | Project Manager | Clinical Manager, DNA Direct |
| Rachel Hundley, PhD | Study Psychologist | Psychologist, Vanderbilt University |
| Roberto Iturralde, BA | Research Assistant | |
| Lindsay Jackson, BA | Research Assistant | Research Assistant, University of Michigan Autism and Communication Center |
| Amanda Johnston, BA | Research Assistant | Graduate Student (Occupational Therapy), University of North Carolina |
| Ashley O'Connor, MSW | Research Assistant | |
| Mona Shahab, MA | Research Assistant | Program Manager, Saudi National Mental Health Survey, Prince Salman Center for Disability Research |
| Celia Tam, MA | Research Assistant |