UF Health CAN
Leadership Team

Interim Director
Carol Mathews, MD
Director of the Center for OCD, Anxiety, and Related Disorders at UF; Co-Director of the UF Tourette Center of Excellence

Healthcare Professional
Richard D’Alli, MD, MEd
Supervisor, UF Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Autism Clinic; UF Health Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist; Medical Director, Development and Behavioral Pediatrics

Autism Researcher
Jennifer H. Elder, PhD, RN, FAAN
Professor and PhD Program Director, College of Nursing

HealthCare Administrator
Laura Huntley
Associate Vice President for Administration, Health Science Center

Researcher
Mark H. Lewis, Ph.D.
Professor of Psychiatry, Neuroscience and Psychology Executive Director, Center for Autism and Related Disabilities; Researcher in neurodevelopmental disorders

Parent of Child with Autism
Jeremy S. Melker, MD
UF Health Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment Volunteer

Autism Advocate
Leslie Okun, RN-BSN, BA
UF Health Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment Volunteer

CARD Representative and Researcher
Ann-Marie Orlando, PhD., CCC-SLP
Research Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry

Behavior Analyst
Kerri Peters, PhD., BCBA-D
Behavior Analyst for the UF Health Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment (UF Health CAN); Clinical and Research Director of the UF Behavior Analysis Research Clinic and Consultative Services (UF BARC).

Santa Fe College Representative
Dan Rodkin, Ed.D.
Associate Vice President for Student Affairs, Santa Fe College

HealthCare Professional
Heather Simpson, OTD, OTR/L
Occupational Therapist- UF Health Tourette Center of Excellence Coordinator

Researcher, Educator and Behavioral Analyst
Carla Schmidt, PhD, BCBA-D
Clinical assistant professor at UF with focus on ASD, behavioral analysis and behavior disorders.

Researcher, Psychiatry
Takahiro Soda, M.D., Ph.D.
Dr. Soda is board certified in general psychiatry and child and adolescent psychiatry. He also conducts clinical research in autism and neurodevelopmental disorders in adults, adolescents, and children. He has an integral role in the development of research programs in both the UF Health Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment (CAN).
