James E. Connell, PhD

Connell has a doctorate in school psychology, is a nationally certified school psychologist and is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. He also currently serves as clinical director for Eastern Region Autism Service Education Research and Training (ASERT). Connell’s former appointment was in the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Medicine with a secondary appointment in The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s (CHOP) Center for Autism Research (CAR). Prior to Penn, he was an assistant professor at Temple University. While his research interests are varied, one main theme has emerged over the years: identifying the variables that influence adult behavior change in community settings that facilitate the implementation of evidence-based therapies. To this end, he has researched and extensively studied models of community-based consultation and their relative effectiveness on program implementation for special needs populations.