Ashley de Marchena is an Associate Research Professor in the Early Detection and Intervention research program at the A.J. Drexel Autism Institute. Her research focuses on two distinct but related topics in autism: (1) understanding communication skills and experiences across the lifespan, and (2) diagnostic decision-making. Dr. de Marchena is a licensed psychologist in the state of Pennsylvania, with clinical expertise in early autism diagnosis, and is highly motivated to integrate her clinical experiences with her empirical work. Dr. de Marchena collaborates regularly with autistic scientists and community members, with the goal of conducting research that is valuable and accessible to members of the autistic community.

Dr. de Marchena received her doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the University of Connecticut. She then completed her clinical internship, as well as clinical and research postdoctoral fellowships, at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. She is currently leading an NIH-funded project examining communication experiences related to nonverbal communication(for example, eye contact, hand gestures, tone of voice, and facial expression) in autistic adults.