Melissa Gard, Ph.D.

Melissa Gard received her Ph.D. in the Department of Applied Behavioral Science and her M.A. in the Department of Human Development and Family Life at the University of Kansas. She received her B.A. in Psychology from Creighton University in Omaha, NE.

During her undergraduate training she began work in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) through home-based, intensive early intervention for children with autism. Since then she has provided ABA-based clinical services to children with autism and their families, and has worked with families in Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota, and Spain. The services she provides are comprehensive, targeting all areas of development and behavior, and have included direct teaching and staff or parent training.

Dr. Gard's research interests focus on increasing the availability and effectiveness of services for individuals with autism and their families. Her research has included the role of antecedent interventions, not only for their usefulness in controlling challenging behavior, but also for their possible impact in teaching new skills. She currently resides in Portland, OR.