Meet the Team

Diane Chugani, PhD, Autism Center Executive Director
Dr. Diane Chugani has been studying the pathogenesis of Autism and working with families for the past decade. She provides the vision and direction for the Children's Hospital of Michigan Autism Center. Most recently, Dr. Chugani was been awarded a $5.8 million Autism Center of Excellence Network grant from the federal government to conduct a clinical trial of a promising new pharmacological therapy that could significantly improve outcomes for children with autism.

Geralyn DeBoard, Administrative Director
Geralyn DeBoard works with multidisciplinary team members to provide general and educational support in the development of programs. Ms. DeBoard has more than ten years in public education administration.

Michael E. Behen, PhD, Psychologist
Dr. Behen provides comprehensive psychological, developmental and behavioral assessments in order to determine classification and treatment recommendations.  He is also involved in training, research, and consultation for behavioral treatment protocols at the center.
 
Krista Kennedy, MS, LLP, Behavioral Services Director 
Krista Kennedy provides the training/supervision of the behavioral services staff, develops the behavioral intervention programs and conducts outreach seminars. Krista is a behavior analyst with formal training from Western Michigan University and Eastern Michigan University.

Jill Matson, MSN, RN, CPNP, Nurse Practitioner
Jill Matson works with families to coordinate timely comprehensive diagnostic evaluations with a multidisciplinary team. Jill also assists families in identifying and accessing appropriate treatment options and support services.

Michelle Gagliano, MS,

Rachel O’Doherty, MS, LLP, BCBA

Early Intervention Specialists

Heather Burns