Advisory Boards

The Center is advised by both an external and internal advisory boards on its development, strategic planning, and Center-based initiatives.

External Advisory Board

The Center is advised by an external advisory board comprised of experts from the fields of teacher training, special education, education policy, early childhood, transition, advocacy, assessment, clinical intervention, and autism spectrum disorders. The external board has representatives from higher education faculty, local education agencies, parent groups, PK-12 educators, private corporations, families, and concerned citizens and State Representative Cathy Abercrombie.

Ms. Cathy Abercrombie
Dr. Ruth Eren
Mr. Carl Gross
Ms. Pauline Smith
Mr. Bill Halsey
Dr. Stephen Hegedus
Mr. Bryan Klimkiewicz
Dr. Suzanne Macari
Dr. John Molteni
Dr. Michael Powers
Dr. Robert Prezant
Mr. Michael Regan
Ms. Leslie Macnab
Mr. Avi Spechler
Dr. Nancy Moss-Racusin
Ms. Ellen Keane
Dr. Judith Meyers
Ms. Wendy Dalton Marans
Mr. Michael Storz
Dr. Fred Volkmar

Internal Advisory Board

Additionally, the Center is advised by an internal advisory board of Southern Connecticut State University administrators, faculty and staff across multiple disciplines. This board focuses on matters related to research, grants, community initiatives, and current discipline-specific trends concerning ASD and the work of the Center.   

Dr. Stephen Hegedus, Dean
Dr. Bette Bergeron, Provost
Ms. Deborah Fairchild
Dr. Joy Fopiano
Dr. Beverly Gerber
Dr. Esther Howe
Dr. Julia Irwin
Dr. Marianne Kennedy
Dr. James MacGregor
Dr. Peter Madonia
Dr. Deborah Newton
Ms. Lisa Ribeschi
Dr. Louise Spear-Swerling
Dr. Deborah Weiss
Dr. Jin Jin Yang

Content Validity Panels

The Center is dedicated to best practices in curriculum development, instrument design, and project evaluation and works with a variety of national, regional, and local experts to validate and evaluate its training content. Feedback and ratings from experts on curriculum, instructional activities, manuals, procedural guidelines, instructional delivery modes, and other training components guide the Center's development, piloting, and implementation procedures. Each year the Center Director identifies needed expertise aligned with project goals and secures  qualified individuals to serve on the Center's Content Validity Panels.