Dr. McCleery is Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology, and Executive Director of Academic Programs in the Kinney Center for Autism Education and Support, at Saint Joseph's University. His research is focused along three major themes. The first theme involves examining and elucidating the mechanisms of social processing and perception in infants, children, and adults with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The second theme concerns the examination of genetic impacts on brain functioning, through the study of the relationships of normal genetic variation and rare genetic syndromes (e.g., mutations, microdeletions) with brain and behavioral functioning. The third theme involves the evaluation and development of behavioral and cognitive-behavioral interventions for individuals with ASD. Dr. McCleery has published his research and ideas in leading peer-reviewed journals in the fields of Clinical Psychology, Psychiatry, and Neuroscience; and his research has been supported by a number of organizations, including the National Institutes of Health, Autistica, Autism Speaks, the M.I.N.D. Institute, and the Economic and Social Research Council., the Leverhulme Trust, and the McMorris Family Foundation.

Dr. Yerys is a licensed psychologist. He is a scientist in the Center for Autism Research at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine. He directs the PASSAGE Program—a research, clinical service, and training/education program to help autistic youth have a successful exit from high school.  His research focuses on the development of attention, executive function, and reward-based learning skill differences in autistic people, and how these skills impact mental health, daily living skills, and quality of life. Dr. Yerys takes a lifespan approach in his research by working with preschoolers through young adults. His clinical work is currently focused on 14 to 25 year olds who are transitioning out of high school.