University of Florida College of Medicine faculty who oversee and teach in this program are nationally recognized and international experts and leaders in a number of areas related to autism spectrum disorder, including psychiatry, psychology, neuroscience and education.
Carol A Mathews, M.D.
Professor and Donald R. Dizney Chair in Psychiatry
Fellowship – Psychiatry:
2000 – University of California, San Francisco
Residency – Psychiatry:
1996 – University of California, San Francisco
Internship – Psychiatry:
1993 – University of California, San Francisco
Medical Degree:
1992 – Johns Hopkins University
Bachelor’s Degree:
1988 – Cornell University
Dr. Mathews is the Donald R. Dizney Chair in Psychiatry, Professor, Director of the Center for OCD, Anxiety and Related Disorders (COARD), and the Interim Director for the UF Health Center for Neurodevelopment for Department (CAN) of Psychiatry at the University of Florida. Dr. Mathews completed her undergraduate education at Cornell University and her medical training at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. She subsequently did an internship and psychiatric residency at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), followed by research fellowships in biological psychiatry and clinical research methods. She spent 15 years as a clinician and research scientist at UCSD and UCSF before moving to the University of Florida in 2015.
Mark Lewis, Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus
B.A., Bowdoin College
M.A., Western Michigan University
NIH Pre-doctoral Fellowship: Peabody College/Vanderbilt University
Ph.D., Vanderbilt University
NIH Post-doctoral Fellowship: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Dr. Lewis is Professor of Psychiatry, Neuroscience, and Psychology and Executive Director of UF’s Center for Autism and Related Disabilities (CARD). His research has employed both clinical studies and animal models to understand the phenomenology, etiology, pathophysiology and treatment of repetitive behaviors in autism spectrum disorder. His work with animal models has helped elucidate the neural circuitry involved in the development and expression of these behaviors and has pointed to potential novel treatments. Dr. Lewis has been the recipient of a number of NIH grant awards, has been a member and chaired numerous NIH grant review panels, has published over 130 papers in refereed journals, and has served as reviewer and editorial board member for a number of scientific journals.
d ASD, and the use of telehealth technologies to support caregivers and professionals.
Ann-Marie Orlando, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
B.S., University of South Alabama
M.S., University of South Alabama
Fellowship: Speech-Language Pathology, School Board of Alachua County
Fellowship: Audiology, Professional Speech and Hearing
Ph.D., Special Education, University of Florida
Dr. Orlando is the Associate Director of UF’s Center for Autism and Related Disabilities (CARD) and a research assistant professor in the UF College of Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry. Through her work at UF, Dr. Orlando has coordinated agency-funded grants focused on promoting communication for individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities, and coordinated federal- and state-funded grants focused on safety, teacher preparation, doctoral/postdoctoral preparation, and research in inclusive education for students with autism and other developmental disabilities.
Czerne Reid, Ph.D.
Lecturer and Program Director
B.A., University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica
M.Sc., Chemistry, Emory University
Ph.D., Environmental Chemistry, Emory University
Graduate Certificate, Science Communication, University of California, Santa Cruz
Dr. Reid is the Program Director for Online Graduate and Certificate Programs in the UF College of Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry, with oversight of the Autism Spectrum Disorder certificate and Addiction and Recovery certificate. She is the recipient of a 2015 Exemplary Teacher Award from the UF College of Medicine and is 2018 Entrepreneur Faculty Fellow of the UF Warrington College of Business. She serves as co-chair of the Education Committee of the National Association of Science Writers.
Takahiro Soda, M.D., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of North Carolina Hospitals
Residency in General Psychiatry, University of North Carolina Hospitals
Ph. D in Neuroscience, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Medical Degree, Harvard Medical School
Bachelor’s of Science in Neuroscience, University of California – Los Angeles
Dr. Soda is board certified in general psychiatry and child and adolescent psychiatry. He obtained his medical degree from Harvard Medical School and obtained his PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts as part of the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology Medical Scientist Training Program.
Dr. Soda works in the Child Division and provides patient care services at the UF Health Springhill II clinic and UF Health Shands Psychiatric Hospital. He also conducts clinical research in autism and neurodevelopmental disorders in adults, adolescents, and children. He has an integral role in the development of research programs in both the UF Health Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment (CAN), and in the UF Center for OCD, Anxiety and Related Disorders (COARD). In addition, he serves as an important academic teacher and mentor for medical students, interns, training residents and fellows.
Gregory Valcante, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
B.S., The College of William and Mary
M.Ed., The College of William and Mary
Ph.D., Special Education, University of Florida
Dr. Valcante is the Director of the Center for Autism and Related Disabilities (CARD) and a research assistant professor in the UF College of Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry. He has worked as a teacher, administrator and researcher in the field of autism for over 40 years. He has authored a number of research publications and presented both nationally and internationally.