Charlotte DiStefano, PhD

Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry and the Behavioral Sciences, Keck School of Medicine of USC

Dr. Charlotte DiStefano is a clinical psychologist specializing in autism and neurodevelopmental disorders. She serves as Lead Psychologist for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Services in the Developmental and Behavioral Health Center at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) and is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and the Behavioral Sciences at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. She is a researcher with the Kids with Neurogenetic and Developmental Disabilities (KiNDD) Lab at CHLA, where her work focuses on understanding the cognitive and behavioral profiles of children with rare genetic conditions and autism to inform tailored interventions and supports.

She earned her Ed.M. in Mind, Brain & Education from Harvard University, followed by an M.A. and Ph.D. in Psychological Studies in Education/Special Education through the UCLA/Cal State Los Angeles Joint Doctoral Program, and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in neuroscience at UCLA.
Dr. DiStefano is an active member of the Council for Exceptional Children, the International Society for Autism Research, the Flux Society for Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, the American Psychological Association, and the Alliance for Genetic Etiologies of Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Autism (AGENDA). Her contributions have been recognized with awards including the UCLA Summer Research Mentorship and the Gatlinburg Conference Travel Award in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.