Dr. Ellen Hanson is the director of the Neurodevelopmental Disorders Developmental Program.  She is a licensed Developmental Psychologist, Behavioral Specialist and Researcher. She is an expert in the diagnosis and treatment of children who have significant developmental disabilities. Within this area, she also has a specific interest in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), with whom she was worked for over 20 years.

Dr. Hanson travels nationally and internationally to train professionals in the use of phenotyping measures, developmental assessment tools and behavioral interventions for clinical and research use with children. Dr. Hanson has developed and run numerous programs at Children’s Hospital Boston, including large studies involving individuals with ASD and related disorders; social skills enhancement programs and educational programs for parents. Additionally, she has developed an undergraduate training program at Children’s for students who are interested in pursuing careers as future specialists in developmental disability.