Dr. Spence is a child neurologist with a PhD in neuropsychology. After faculty positions at UCLA and in the intramural research program at the National Institute of Mental Health, she was recruited to Boston Children's Hospital in 2010. At BCH, she was one of the founders and the co-director of the Autism Spectrum Center. She has been involved in many initiatives in the clinical care and research of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder working with Cure Autism Now, Autism Speaks, the Simons Foundation, the Nancy Lurie Marks foundation, the dup15q Alliance and the Child Neurology Foundation. Her clinical practice has been focused on autism and related neurodevelopmental disorders. The last few years she has been working to improve health care transition from pediatrics to adult providers by co-chairing the Massachusetts Initiative to Improve Health Care Transition for Individuals with Neurodevelopmental Disabilities. She has recently retired from clinical work to live with her very funny British husband on their 42-foot sailboat.
Target Audience: Physicians (psychiatrists, pediatricians, child neurologists), psychologists, social workers, other mental health clinicians and researchers, and students and trainees.
Upon completion of this activity, participants will be able to:
- Identify 3 new ways that patients with autism and their families need support.
- Understand that behavior is a crucial form of communication.
- Discover the specific parts of your work that will result in a meaningful career.