Research Team

Edward S. (Ted) Brodkin, MD

Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine

Edward (Ted) Brodkin, MD is a psychiatrist and Associate Professor of Psychiatry with tenure at the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania.  He is the founder and director of the Adult Autism Spectrum Program at Penn Medicine and co-director of the Autism Spectrum Program of Excellence.  He has had more than 20 years of experience in working with adolescents and adults with neurodevelopmental disorders.  His research and clinical interests have focused on the genetics of neurodevelopmental disorders, social behavior development, mental health issues in individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders, and improving social functioning and quality of life across the transition to adulthood and the entire lifespan.  He has extensive, unique experience in research recruitment of participants with genetically -defined neurodevelopmental disorders and in quantitative behavioral phenotyping, experience that he will apply to the Armellino Williams Center of Excellence.  He has led a team and developed a productive, efficient recruitment and phenotyping platform in the ASPE project, a platform that he will bring to the Armellino Center.  He has also developed treatment and support programs for social functioning and emotion regulation that he will offer to adolescents and adults with Williams syndrome in the Armellino Center.  Ted has been collaborating closely with Dan Rader and Maria Fasolino over the past several years on the ASPE project, and Ted has been working closely with Dan and Maria in organizing the Armellino WS Behavioral Health Team.  Ted will direct and coordinate the ACE for WS Behavioral Health Team.

Carolyn Mervis, PhD

Daria (Dasha) Fleyshman, PhD

Research Program Manager, Armellino Center of Excellence for Williams Syndrome

Daria (Dasha) Fleyshman, PhD, is the Research Program Manager for ACE for WS. She obtained her Ph.D. in experimental oncology in 2008 while studying molecular mechanisms underlying tumor progression. Dasha did her postdoctoral training at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center (RPCCC) in Buffalo, where she investigated how chromatin remodeling affects tumorigenesis and characterized anti-cancer drug candidates targeting this process. Afterwards she combined research with project management, facilitating clinical development of these drugs. Among programs that Dasha established was a multidisciplinary collaborative study between RPCCC, Cornell School of Veterinary, and University of Haifa, assessing activity of endogenous retroviruses in tumorigenesis, cognitive decline, and aging. Most recently, Dasha served as a project manager at RPCCC and helped developing multiple programs – from innovative medical devices to cell therapies. When Dasha’s younger son was diagnosed with Williams syndrome she decided to find a way to implement her scientific knowledge and organizational skills for the benefit of WS community. This led her to ACE-WS. Dasha was very excited to join ACE-WS and is looking forward to supporting the team the best she can. 

Caroline Wallendal, MPH

Clinical Research Coordinator, Armellino Center of Excellence for Williams Syndrome

Caroline Wallendal, MPH, is a Clinical Research Coordinator in ACE for WS. She graduated from the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health with a Master of Public Health in Human Genetics. She also obtained her Bachelor of Science from the University of Pittsburgh with a double major in Biology and Philosophy of Science. During graduate school, Caroline worked at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh where she assisted in clinical trials for lysosomal storage disorders. Caroline is happy to join the team at ACE for WS and looks forward to advancing research efforts to benefit patients and their families.

Benjamin (Ben) Yerys, PhD

Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Perelman School of Medicine

Ben Yerys, PhD is a clinical psychologist and Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania.  He is the Director of the Partnership with Autistics for Successfully Supporting Adult Goals and Experiences (PASSAGE) Program at the Center for Autism Research at CHOP, which seeks to improve outcomes in patients as they transition out of high school and into adulthood.  He has more than 15 years of experience in research and clinical care focused on autism, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and anxiety, as well as some experience in working with children with Williams syndrome. He is an expert in psychological assessment, diagnosis, and cognitive-behavioral treatments to reduce anxiety and cognitive rigidity in youth with neurodevelopmental disorders.  Ben has worked with Ted over many years at Penn and CHOP.  Ben also leads a team of clinical psychology postdoctoral fellows at CHOP who are focused on transition to adulthood in neurodevelopmental disorders.  In the ACE for WS, Dr. Yerys and his team will provide assessment and treatment for children and adolescents with WS. 

Ariana Garagozzo, PsyD

Center for Autism Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Ariana Garagozzo, PsyD, is a postdoctoral fellow within the Center for Autism Research (CAR) at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. She has extensive clinical training in serving children, adolescents, young adults, and adults with neurodevelopmental disabilities and neurogenetic syndromes. She specializes in the assessment of autism and co-occurring neurodevelopmental and mental health conditions in individuals from 18 months old through adulthood. She also has expertise in providing evidence-based therapeutic interventions to address behavioral challenges, anxiety, and depression in children, young adults, and adults with neurodevelopmental disabilities and neurogenetic syndromes. Dr. Garagozzo currently works in the PASSAGE program at CHOP, which seeks to improve outcomes for individuals with intellectual and neurodevelopmental disabilities as they transition out of high school and into adulthood. Dr. Garagozzo is extremely committed to serving the Williams Syndrome population. In the ACE for WS, Dr. Garagozzo will be providing assessment and intervention services for children and adolescents. 

Vitor Neves

Kaelin Kinney