One of the primary purposes of the Marquette Autism Initiative is to educate and train the next generation of autism professionals.  To that end, we seek to engage undergraduate and graduate students from diverse disciplines. Currently, over 20 students from 3 colleges and one external university are participating in the MAI.

Graduate student opportunities:

Graduate students from within and outside of Marquette regularly assist with research initiatives, participate in/co-lead PEERS® groups and MUSCLES camp, and assist with coordination of Consortium events. If you are a graduate student interested in connecting with the research, programs, or outreach of the MAI, please contact the MAI faculty member in your discipline, or Amy Van Hecke, for more information.  

Undergraduate student opportunities:

Current and recently graduated undergraduate students, from both within and outside of Marquette, also regularly participate in the activities of the MAI.  These opportunities can consist of for-credit research experience (Psyc 4956_116), a class specific to autism (EDUC 4931/PSYC 4931/SPPA 4931, Autism for the Professions), volunteer opportunities, internal PEERS internships, and external internships at the Autism Society of Southeastern WI.  Beginning Fall 2019, MARQ 1600_702 will be available. This course is by application, and provides students the opportunity to learn about autism in the context of serving as a peer mentor for a student on the autism spectrum as part of the On Your Marq college support program. For more information about Psyc 4956, MARQ 1600_702, or volunteer/internship opportunities, please contact Amy Van Hecke. For more information about EDUC 4931/PSYC 4931/SPPA 4961, please contact Mary Carlson. For more information about external internships at the Autism Society of Southeastern WI, please contact Khadijah Makky.

Community opportunities:

The Autism Initiative is currently offering a training program for Wisconsin and Milwaukee-area primary care providers and patient care/family navigators, funded by a grant from the Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin endowment. The training, called the Battling the Bottleneck study, is intended to train primary care practitioners (MDs, NPs, and LPCs working in primary care) in utilizing an expedited assessment measure that allows for the ASD diagnosis of a subset of preschool children in their medical home. The training also supports family navigators in learning about autism resources and supporting families on their journey navigating care options.  For more information, see the Bottleneck study page.

Current trainees

Graduate students

• Hillary Schiltz, MS, Clinical Psychology PhD Program 
• Rachel Stanley, MS, Clinical Psychology PhD Program (Next Step Clinic Practicum Trainee) 
• Elyse Adler, Clinical Psychology PhD Program 
• Sarah Lehman, Clinical Psychology PhD Program 
• Perry Catlin, Clinical Psychology PhD Program 
• Nathan Craven, MS in Counseling Psychology Program 
• Kate Otto, Educational Policy and Leadership PhD Program 
• Sarah Pardej (UWM), Clinical Psychology PhD Program 
• Danielle Glad, MS (UWM), Clinical Psychology PhD Program 
• Zachary Bella, MS (UWM), School Psychology PhD Program (Next Step Clinic Practicum Trainee)
• Tristan Gregg, Clinical Psychology PhD Program (Next Step Clinic Practicum Trainee)
• Isha Hammad (UWM), Educational Psychology PhD Program (Next Step Clinic Practicum Trainee)

Undergraduate students

• Audrey Early 
• Nessa Ireland 
• Aya Darwish
• Brenda Botello-Bonilla
• Caroline Sirk
• Eliza Borysenko
• Nora Wood
• Kara Dion
• Katie Dowling
• Frannie Lambie
• Audrey Earley
• Kennedy Lake

 

Autism Initiative Alumni/ae

• Audrey Meyer Carson, Ph.D.:  Pediatric Neuropsychologist, Texas Children’s Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 
• Jeff Karst, Ph.D.: Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 
• Kirsten Schohl Willar, Ph.D.: Clinical Instructor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 
• Sheryl Stevens Pleiss, Ph.D.: Pediatric Neuropsychologist, Great Lakes Neurobehavioral Center, Minneapolis, MN 

• Bridget Dolan Wozniak, Ph.D.: Pediatric Neuropsychologist, Ascension Prospect Medical Commons, Milwaukee, WI 
• Angie Haendel, PhD: Assistant Professor and Speech Clinic Director, Concordia University WI, Mequon, WI  
• Alana McVey, Ph.D.: Postdoctoral Fellow in Clinical Psychology, University of British Columbia, BC, Canada  
• Alexis Arias, MS: PhD Student in Clinical Psychology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA  
• Niharika Jain, Ph.D.: Adjunct Assistant Professor of Math and Computer Sciences, Marquette University 

• Christina Caiozzo Murphy, PhD: Psychologist, Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU, Richmond, VA 
• Felicia Mata-Greve, PhD: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Washington, Seattle, WA  
• Maha Baalbaki, PhD: Psychologist, Coordinator of Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives, Grand Valley State University, Allendale, MI 
• Stephanie Potts, PhD: Neuropsychologist, SSM Health, St. Louis, MO 
• Elisabeth Vogt, PhD: Neuropsychologist, Medical College of WI, Milwaukee, WI  

• Cheyanne Hagan: Postgraduate Research Associate, Yale Child Study Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT  
• Christy Casnar, Ph.D.: Pediatric Neuropsychologist, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI  
• Zach Bella, MS: PhD student in School Psychology, UWM, MIlwaukee, WI 
• Brianna Yund, PhD: postdoctoral fellow in Pediatric Neuropsychology, University of Minnesota Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN 
• Sarah Bromley, MS, CCC-SLP: Speech Pathologist, Milwaukee Public Schools, MIlwaukee, WI 

• Alie Reveles, PhD: Psychology intern, Strong Integrated Behavioral Health, Corvallis, OR  
• Nicole Gregor Salowitz, Ph.D.: Lead Software Engineer, GE Healthcare 
• Myah Herro, Ed.s.: School Psychologist, Milwaukee Public Schools 
• Ellen Beste, Ed.s.: School Psychologist, Milwaukee Public Schools 
• Jennifer Hilger, Ed.s.: School Psychologist, Lake Zurich High School, Lake Zurich, IL 

• Carolyn Turner, Ed.s.: Licensed Social Worker, Dell Children’s Medical Group, Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics, Austin, TX 
• Rheanna Remmel, MA: PhD Student in Clinical Psychology and Law, University of Alabama 
• Daniel Cibich: MD Student, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL 
• Olivier van Hauwermeiren: PhD Student in Clinical Psychology, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL 
• Piyush Saxena, PhD: Data Scientist, Direct Supply 

• Kylie Nelsen-Freund: Medical assistant, Orthopedic Institute of WI, Milwaukee, WI 
• Amanda Ramirez, MS, LPC: Child and Family Therapist, St. A., Milwaukee, WI 
• Javier Mora: MD student, Medical College of WI, Milwaukee, WI 
• Alex Barrington, PhD: Associate Software Developer, American College of Radiology, Milwaukee, WI  
• Liz Jilek: MD student, Medical College of WI, Milwaukee, WI 

• Cailie McLean: Certified Child Life Specialist, St. Louis Children’s Hospital, St. Louis, MO 
• Justin Abraham: Senior Trust and Safety Specialist, Tinder, Los Angeles, CA  
• Maria Cobo Nieto: MS student in Communicative Sciences and Disorders at New York University  
• Claire Sexton: Teaching Assistant, Sisters of Faith, Hope, and Charity School, and Operations Manager, Bear Necessities Pediatric Cancer Foundation, Winnetka, IL  
• Rachel Hafner: MSc student in Clinical, Social, and Cognitive Neuroscience, City University of London, London, UK  

• Kaya Pudlo: Clinical Fellow, Speech Language Pathology, Swedish American, Marengo, IL  
• Ellie Kalgren: MS: Speech Language Pathologist, Eden Senior Care, Minneapolis, MN  
• Cecilia Luxem, MS: Speech Pathologist, La Grange Area Department of Special Education, La Grange, IL  
• Megan Holbach: Developmental Therapist, Communication Clubhouse, Chicago, IL  
• Scott Brockman 

• Lee Waechter: Principal, Wadewitz Elementary School, Racine Unified School District, Racine, WI 
• Laurie O’Donnell Bjustrom, PhD: Psychologist, Cornerstone Counseling, Waukesha, WI 
• Maria Paz Palomer, PhD: Professor of Psychology and Director, Colegio Campanario, Chile 
• Chelsea Gasaway, MS, LMFT: Assistant Clinical Director, Best Self Inc, Chicago, IL 
• Janel Wasisco: Neuropsychology Technician, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL  

• Kenia Rivera:  PhD student in Developmental Psychology, University of Denver, Denver, CO 
• Grand McDonald, PsyD: Psychologist, Michelle Cutler and Associates, Chicago, IL  
• Jude Henry: Research Assistant, Medical College of WI, Milwaukee, WI 
• Aisling Hegarty: MS student in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Boston College, Boston, MA  
• Ashley Luberda Hynes, PA-C: Physician Assistant, Family Medicine Associates, St. Louis, MO 

• Caitlyn Quinn Tielens, LPC: Counselor, Trinity Healing, Green Bay, WI 
• Angela Haendel, PhD
• Rawan Atari 
• Elizabeth Habisohn 
• Laura Jacobson 
• Meghan Gwinn 

• Kimberly Deck 
• Zachary Lott 
• Nicole Flaherty 
• Molly Edwards 
• Nina Linneman 

• Noelle Fritz 
• Megan Jacobson 
• Frannie Caparas 
• Austin Cummings 
• Keely Smith 

• Mackenzie Koehler 
• Madeline Michal 
• Elyse Wisniewski 
• Tori Busanmas 
• Emily Dressler 

• Lindsay Elmont 
• Allie Whalen 
• Jennifer Nawrocki 
• Carly Serena 
• Taylor Rafayko 

• Alexis Worden 
• Marie Cristoforo 
• LoriBeth Achtor 
• Calla Martin 
• Ashley Rehling 

• Maggie James 
• Sophia Anagnos 
• Casey Roberts 
• Nikki Panozzo 
• Tara Marcoski 

• Genesis Martinez 
• Carly Colman 
• Morgan Ford 
• Claire Nicklaw 
• Emily Kraus 

• Nick Edwards 
• Deanna Windorff  
• Peter Dobbs  
• Dana Fernandez 
• Ileana Hernandez 

• Rebecca Drysdale-Jackson 
• Cassandra Suhling 
• Morgan Ludington 
• Annie Lisowski   
• Olivia Letter  

• Lauren Carufel-Wert  
• Emily Hibbard 
• Haley Lynam  
• Sheila Connelly  
• Nicole Kelly 

• Lauren Brown  
• Kayli Austin  
• Kasey Mochel  
• Katie Christianson  
• Alex Groth  

• Megan Barthenheier  
• Britney Roman  
• Allie Bosley  
• Erin Walsh 
• Ella Seay 

• Cecily Banks 
• Shaheer Khan 
• Renae DeLucia 
• Emily Hummel 
• Summer Pehl 

• Megan Niedermeyer 
• Kaitlyn Worman
• Sheila O'Connell
• Chris O'Connell
• Heidi Rasmussen
• Chris Chan
• Kathleen Covert
• Madison Rea 
• Stacy Miceli 
• Andrea Jainga 
• Maddie Allen 
• Jacob Gerend 
• Marin McClowry 
• Alexandra Vargas
• Jennifer Vice-Reshel
• Cassandra Matejka
• Leigh Monahan
• Selorm Ansah
• Kristin Kruschel
• Kenia Rivera