Kaitlyn Cortez

Doctoral Student

Kaitlyn Cortez is currently a doctoral student in the Clinical-Community Psychology program at USC and a trainee in the Behavioral-Biomedical Interface Program (BBIP). She received a B.S. in Neuroscience and Behavior from the University of Notre Dame in 2018 and a M.S. in Applied Developmental Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh in 2022. After graduating with her B.S., Kaitlyn worked as a project coordinator for the Infant Communication Lab under Dr. Jana Iverson, assisting on a longitudinal study of motor and language development in typically developing infants and infants with an elevated likelihood for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). While completing her M.S., Kaitlyn also worked as an intern at the Neonatal Developmental Follow-up Clinic at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, a clinic providing comprehensive and family-centered follow-up care for infants who have spent time in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Kaitlyn is currently interested in the trajectory of social and emotional development, specifically negative affect and emotion regulation, in children with neurodevelopmental disorders.

Madeleine Hare

Doctoral Student

Madeleine Hare is currently a doctoral student in the Clinical-Community Psychology program at USC and a trainee in the Behavioral-Biomedical Interface Program (BBIP). She received a B.A. in Psychology and a minor in Neuroscience from Princeton University in 2022. After graduating, she worked as a research coordinator for the Kids with Neurogenetic and Developmental Disabilities (KiNDD) Laboratory at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles under Dr. Shafali Jeste and Dr. Charlotte DiStefano. Madeleine worked EEG biomarkers projects with autistic children and children with Angelman syndrome and on a study investigating access to communication supports for children with ASD in Los Angeles. Currently, Madeleine is interested in exploring the behavioral associations of gastrointestinal and feeding challenges in young autistic children and children with fragile X syndrome. 

Rachel Hantman

Doctoral Student

Rachel Hantman is a doctoral student in the Clinical-Community Psychology program here at the UofSC and a trainee in the Behavioral-Biomedical Interface Program. She completed her B.S. in Neurobiology at the University of Washington in 2016 and her M.Ed. in Mind, Brain, and Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE) in 2017. During her B.S., Rachel worked under Dr. Wendy Stone in the Research in Early Autism Detection and Intervention Lab where she studied parental verbal responsiveness to child communicative acts in relation to ASD-risk. Upon graduating with her M.Ed., she worked at HGSE as a Lab Manager under Dr. Gigi Luk, assisting in a study examining learning outcomes of bilingual, dyslexic, and typically developing adolescences through fMRI and eye tracking. She then worked with Dr. Helen Tager-Flusberg at Boston University where she designed and implemented a qualitative study examining how parents of young adults with ASD believe that their children’s sensory sensitivities impact their transition to adulthood. Currently, Rachel is interested in using biopsychosocial ecological approaches to study neurodevelopmental disorders, specifically regarding how factors that surround children (e.g., parental stress, intervention history) impact and interact with their symptomology, behaviors, and neurobiology in relation to their daily functioning (e.g., anxiety, adaptive functioning).

Former Post Docs and Graduate Students

Erin Hunt, PhD

Dr. Hunt was a doctoral student in the Clinical-Community Psychology Program at USC.

Chandler Knott, PhD

Dr. Knott completed her doctoral degree in School Psychology in 2025. Dr. Knott is currently a postdoctoral fellow at the Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities UNC School of Medicine. 

Katie Bangert, PhD

Dr. Bangert completed her postdoctoral fellowship at the NDD Lab and SC Family Experiences Lab at the USC. In 2022, she accepted an assistant professor position in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Wisconsin – River Falls. 

Conner Black, PhD

Dr. Black was a School Psychology doctoral student in the NDD Lab from 2017 to 2022. Following his time at the NDD Lab, Conner accepted an internship at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. He currently Associate Director of the Child Mind Institute. 

Carla Wall, PhD

Dr. Wall worked in the NDD Lab as a Clinical-Community Psychology doctoral student at USC. Following the completion of her degree program, she accepted aa postdoctoral associate position at the Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development before transitioning to an assistant professor at Children’s Hospital at Richmond at VCU.

Jordan Klein, PhD (née Ezell)

Dr. Klein is a former doctoral student in the NDD Lab. She is currently an assistant professor in the Division of Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics at the Medical University of South Carolina.

Sara Matherly, PhD

Dr. Matherly worked in the NDD Lab as a School Psychology doctoral student at USC. She then transitioned to a postdoctoral fellow at TEACCH Autism Program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. 

Debra Reisinger, PhD

Dr. Reisinger is a licensed clinical psychologist and assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Cincinnati Children’s. Dr. Reisinger completed her doctoral degree in School Psychology from USC with the NDD Lab.

Marjorie Grefer Cloninger, PhD

Dr. Grefer Cloninger was a doctoral student in School Psychology program at USC. She is currently a licensed psychologist with Prisma Health Medical Group in the Child Development and Behavioral Health division within the Department of Pediatrics.

Jessica Scherr, PhD

Dr. Scherr worked in the NDD Lab as a doctoral student. She is currently a licensed pediatric psychologist at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. 

Marissa Robinson, PhD

Dr. Robinson was a doctoral student in the NDD Lab who completed her predoctoral internship with Greenville County Schools. She then completed a postdoctoral fellowship with Greenville Assessment and Learning Specialists, where she is a currently a Licensed Psychologist.

Lindsay McCary, PhD

Dr. McCary completed a postdoctoral position with the NDD Lab from 2011-2014. After serving as the Director of Psychological Services at KGH Autism Services, Dr. McCary returned to USC as the Clinical Director, Carolina Autism and Neurodevelopment (CAN) Research Center. 

Laura Mattie, PhD (née Hahn)

Following her postdoctoral position with the NDD Lab, Dr. Mattie joined the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign faculty in the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences where she is currently an associate professor.

Ashley Robinson, PhD

Dr. Robinson was a School Psychology doctoral student with the NDD Lab. She is currently an assistant teaching professor in the Department of Special Education at Ball State University.

Shannon O’Connor

Shannon worked in the NDD Lab as a graduate student and earned her M.A. in the School Psychology program before transitioning to a Policy Associate and Project Manager position at the Autism Legal Resource Center.

Kelly Caravella White, PhD

Dr. Caravella worked in the NDD Lab as a Clinical-Community Psychology doctoral student at USC. She is currently an assistant professor at the Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.