Katherine Pickard, PhD

Assistant Professor, Emory University School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Autism and Related Disabilities

Katherine Pickard, PhD, received her doctorate in clinical psychology from Michigan State University and completed a two-year postdoctoral fellowship at JFK Partners at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Her primary research interest is in the translation of evidence-based practices into community systems that are naturally positioned to serve children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their families. This interest is rooted in a longstanding commitment to supporting equitable access to autism services.

Dr. Pickard’s research is grounded in community engagement and is guided by dissemination and implementation science. At the Marcus Autism Center, Dr. Pickard leads and collaborates on research examining mechanisms that foster the adoption, implementation and sustainment of evidence-based practices within a variety of community systems, including Early Intervention and public school systems. She is particularly interested in the role of families and community partners in shaping interventions as they are implemented within the community, and in system-level factors that impact the reach and sustainability of translation efforts.

Dr. Pickard currently has a K23 award from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) to develop an implementation strategy that supports Early Intervention providers in co-producing autism interventions so that they effectively balance fidelity and the priorities of families not accounted for in existing treatment models. She is also a co-investigator on a PCORI comparative effectiveness trial of two mental health interventions for youth with ASD in public school settings and is partnering to implement a birth-to-five program for Latinx families within LaAmistad, Inc - a nonprofit serving Latinx families across metro-Atlanta. She is thankful for strong relationships with important community partners, including the Partnering for Empowerment, Autistic Acceptance, and Knowledge (PEAAK) community advisory board, the Georgia Department of Public Health, LaAmistad, Inc, and Atlanta Public Schools.

Clinically, Dr. Pickard is a licensed psychologist and has a strong background in supporting individuals with ASD across the lifespan. She holds specific expertise in naturalistic, developmental and behavioral principles (known as NDBIs) and is a certified trainer in Project ImPACT, an evidence-based practice for young autistic children and their families. In addition to working with young children and their families, Dr. Pickard has expertise in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for autistic youth and co-occurring anxiety.

Publications

• Pickard, K., Wainer, A., Broder-Fingert, S., Sheldrick, R. C., & Stahmer, A. C. (2022). Overcoming tensions between family-centered care and fidelity within Early Intervention implementation research. Autism, 13623613221133641.
• Pickard, K., Meyer, A., Reyes, N., Tanda, T., & Reaven, J. (2022). Using evaluative frameworks to examine the implementation outcomes of a cognitive behavioral therapy program for autistic students with anxiety within public school settings. Autism, 26(3), 640-653.
• Pickard, K., Mellman, H., Frost, K., Reaven, J., & Ingersoll, B. (2021). Balancing fidelity and flexibility: Usual care for young children with an increased likelihood of having Autism Spectrum Disorder within an Early Intervention system. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.
• Pickard, K. Blakeley-Smith, A., Boles, R., Duncan, A., Keefer, A., O’Kelly, S., & Reaven, J. (2020). Examining the sustained use of a cognitive behavioral therapy program for youth with ASD and anxiety five years following an implementation trial. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 73, 101532.
• Cole, B., Stredler-Brown, A., & Pickard, K. (2019). Report on the use of telehealth in Early Intervention in Colorado: Strengths and challenges with telehealth as a service delivery model. International Journal of Telerehabilitation, 11, 33-40.
• Pickard, K., Reyes, N., & Reaven, J. (2018). Short report: Examining the inclusion of diverse participants in CBT research for youth with ASD and anxiety. Autism, 23, 1057-1064.
• Pickard, K. Kilgore, A., & Ingersoll, B. (2016). Using community partnerships to better understand the barriers to using an evidence-based, parent mediated intervention for ASD in a Medicaid system. American Journal of Community Psychology, 57, 391-403.
• Pickard, K., Wainer, A., Bailey, K., & Ingersoll, B. (2016). A mixed method evaluation of a telehealth-based parent mediated intervention for children with ASD. Autism, 20, 845-855.
• Pickard, K. & Ingersoll, B. (2015). Quality versus quantity: The role of SES on parent-reported service use, unmet service needs and barriers to service use. Autism, 20, 106-115.