Dr. Staci Carr receives 2021 Mission Champion Award
Staci E. Carr, Ph.D., a technical assistance associate at the Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC), a center affiliated with the VCU School of Education, has won the Autism Society of Central Virginia's (ASCV) 2021 Mission Champion Award.
The ASCV presents the award each year to a local advocate who has made a lasting impact on the autism community through their leadership and devotion to the society and those it serves. In a recent post on its Facebook page, the society shared the following information about Carr, an ASCV board member, when announcing the award:
"Throughout her six years on the board, [Carr] has made a tremendous impact with her leadership and guidance, including serving as Chair for three years. Professionally, she is dedicated to working closely with autistic individuals, conducting research, and developing programs and resources to support individuals in a variety of settings. She has been a significant source of education and support for numerous individuals and families in our community, helping them navigate local services and resources. Congratulations, Staci, and thank you for your incredible service to our local community!"
Carr has worked and conducted research in the field of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), specifically social skills training, since 1993. She has developed programs to support children with varying abilities in a variety of settings in Michigan, New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Virginia. She has also consulted nationally on issues related to adolescents and young adults with ASD.
Carr works on an RRTC project called the VCU Autism Center for Excellence (VCU-ACE), a university-based technical assistance, professional development, and educational research center for ASD in Virginia. VCU-ACE improves services and supports for individuals with ASD by promoting the implementation of research-based practices in schools and the community through training, technical assistance, research and collaboration.