Research Team


Sandra B. Vanegas, PhD

Principal Investigator

Research Interests:

Health disparities that impact children and youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Sandy Magana, PhD, MSW

Co-Investigator

Research Interests:

Disparities that impact individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities across the lifespan

Angela McCarty

Community Board Liaison

Nico Nelson, MPH

Assistive Technology Advisor

Research Interests:

Increasing accessibility to knowledge, services, and technology for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities

Larissa Minner

Research Associate

Kate Harwood, MSSW

PhD Student, Graduate Research Assistant

Research Interests:

Healthcare transition for youth with complex healthcare needs

Rawan Channaa, BS

Research Associate

Research Interests:

Supporting families and children with disabilities in the transition from pediatric to adult care; Exploring physicians practices to bridge gaps between behavioral health and medical care for children with developmental disabilities

Christopher Shepperd

Graduate Research Associate

Chris is currently pursuing a Master’s in Social Work on the Administrative, Policy, Practice track with the aim to provide evidence-based guidance to human service programs. His areas of work and research have revolved around mental health, neurodiverse populations and their needs, and program management. 

Alyssa Barrera Lansford, M.S., M.A., BCBA., LBA

ACT LEND Fellow

Lyssa’s research focuses on advancing the field of applied behavior analysis (ABA) by integrating qualitative, intersectionality, and culturally responsive aspects to help showcase the voices of the diverse populations we serve and to find more solutions to progress the field ethically.

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