Charlotte DiStefano, EdM, PhD

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Clinical Instructor, Clinical Psychologist

Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences

David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA

Biography

Dr. Charlotte DiStefano is a Clinical Psychologist and Clinical Instructor in the Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences department at UCLA.Dr. DiStefano began her career as a special education teacher, after completing her B.S. in Special Education at New York University. She then went on to receive an Ed.M. in Mind, Brain and Education from Harvard University, followed by a Ph.D. in Psychological Studies from UCLA. She completed her postdoctoral training at the UCLA Center for Autism Research and under the mentorship of Dr.Shafali Jeste. Clinically, Dr. DiStefano sees patients in the Child and Adult Neurodevelopmental (CAN) Clinic, and the Care and Research in Neurogenetics (CARING) Clinic.She provides assessment and evaluation of children with ASD and related neurodevelopmental disorders, as well as treatment consultations regarding language and communication development.Dr. DiStefano’s primary research interests are language development and minimally verbal children with ASD and syndromic neurodevelopmental disorders.Her research is funded by the National Institute of Deafness and Communication Disorders, Autism Speaks, the Angelman Syndrome Foundation and the Duplication 15q Alliance.

Education

  • 2004 New York University, B.S
  • 2006 Harvard University, EdM
  • 2013 University of California Los Angeles, California State University Los Angeles, PhD

Research & clinical interests

  • Language development in neurodevelopmental disabilities
  • Minimally verbal children with ASD
  • Syndromic neurodevelopmental disabilities (e.g. Angelman Syndrome, Duplication 15q Syndrome)
  • EEG as a tool to study language and cognition in neurodevelopmental disabilities

Roles within the division/Fellowship

  • Attending psychologist in the Child and Adult Neurodevelopmental (CAN) Clinic, and Care and Research in Neurogenetics (CARING) Clinic