Katie Alvarez

I am a 2nd year Special Education doctoral student at the University of Oregon. I am on the CO-LEAD grant and work with Dr. Wendy Machalicek, researching ways to better serve ethnically diverse children with autism. We also serve children and families in the community at the HEDCO Clinic and at the HART House.

I am interested in working with Hispanic/Latine children with autism. Specifically, I hope to develop a culturally adaptive form of intervention for Hispanic/Latine children with autism, considering that the majority of interventions are designed with only White children with autism in mind.

I attended Cornell College and earned my degree in Psychology/Behavioral Neuroscience. After graduating, I worked as a Registered Behavior Technician and a Social Skills teacher in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Prior to attending the University of Oregon, I worked at Michigan State University completing research with Dr. Joshua Plavnick, which focused on communication outcomes for children with autism. 

I love living in Eugene! My favorite thing to do in town is take my pup for a walk to the local boba shop and grab a quick treat. We also take lots of trips to the dog park, in addition to working outside at Vero Café.