IAN Staff

Kiely Law, MD, MPH, Research Director

Dr. Kiely Law is responsible for developing and implementing IAN’s research agenda. With a background in medicine and public health, she approaches ASD-related research from both an individual and community perspective.  Dr. Law received her medical and public health degrees from Johns Hopkins University and then completed an internship in pediatrics at the University of Maryland Medical Systems in 2002. In addition to her professional experience, she has also been impacted personally by autism.  In 1996, her 3-year-old son was diagnosed with the disorder at the Kennedy Krieger Institute.  During the past 5 years, Dr. Law has worked on many autism-related initiatives with her husband, Dr. Paul Law.  The Laws live in Baltimore, Maryland and are the parents of four children.

“I jumped at the opportunity to be involved in this project.  I was motivated by the mission of bringing together researchers and families to create a valuable resource for the autism community.  There are so many unanswered questions about Autism Spectrum Disorders; I believe by collecting information from thousands of families, we can help researchers find the answers,” states Dr. Law.  “Parents experience the struggles and triumphs of autism everyday.  We can’ t overlook or underestimate the value of their perspectives and knowledge.”

Cheryl Cohen, IAN’s Online Community Director

Cheryl makes sure that IAN provides the information and tools that you need to contribute your ideas and find the information. She is a writer, editor, Internet community designer, and software designer who has been helping people get the most out of their computers for years. She was a co-founder and editorial director of CTSNet, a successful online community of practice in medicine, and worked at Johns Hopkins University’s MedBiquitous Laboratory helping the healthcare community develop and implement technology standards to advance healthcare education.

“My family is full of people on the spectrum,” says Cheryl, “I am all too aware of the economic, emotional, and social stresses that ASDs place on families, and the difficulties that families run up against when trying to find good information and compassionate, focused, and affordable care. I am also aware of the tremendous potential of the Internet to empower people, improve communications, and foster change. I hope IAN will harness this potential by engaging families in research, engaging researchers in the lives of families, and making research accessible to everyone.”

In the distant past, Cheryl earned a certificate in Violin Making and Restoration and was a researcher and instructor of Sociology at Temple University.  Cheryl has a teenager, a geriatric goldfish, and is learning to play the piano.

Jay Nestle, Director of Medical Informatics Information Technology

Jay ensures that IAN’s web servers, websites, and databases are in top working order. To accomplish this feat, he works closely with other staff members at Kennedy Krieger Institute and with our technology partners. In his spare time, he puts on his programming hat and creates tools that help us run IAN and help researchers and the community to understand IAN data. He is currently developing the IAN Dashboard, an interactive tool that allows people to visualize the data from IAN Research in different ways. In the past, Jay worked with Dr. Law on the ISAAC project, at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab on Mars Pathfinder, and on complex systems for a global manufacturing company.

Connie, who has a Ph.D. in Sociology and Marriage & Family Therapy, makes sure that interactive aspects of IAN, such as the discussion forums, are running smoothly and helping the autism spectrum community share and discover.

“I was still in graduate school at the University of Southern California when my son, then 4 years old, was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome,” Connie says.  “As I tried to find ways to help him, it became apparent how little was truly known about Autism Spectrum Disorders, how much we are flailing in the dark.  I jumped at the chance to become part of IAN -a project that will expand autism research and help us find answers.”

Connie lives near Baltimore with her husband, two children, a cat, and a Chinese water dragon.

Alison handles statistical, analytical, and data matters, plus Institutional Review Board submissions. She is currently completing a Ph.D. in Health Sciences. She has a B.A. in Mathematics, an M.S. in Statistics and Operations Research, an M.Phil. in Public Administration, and a Graduate Certificate in Project Management. Originally from London, England, Alison lived and worked in New York and Seattle before moving to Baltimore and joining the Kennedy Krieger Institute (KKI). She spent over two years as the Data Manager of REACH (Research and Education for Autism in Children) at the KKI's  Center for Autism and Related Disorders before joining IAN as Research Data Manager. She has a very British sense of humor and enjoys British comedy whenever she has the chance. She also enjoys playing basketball, even though she was brought up playing "netball" - a game not entirely dissimilar to basketball. She also plays the piano and viola.  Alison lives with her husband and two children.

Kate Foster, BA, Research Assistant

After graduating from Goucher College, Kate decided to develop her talents as a researcher. She ensures that your participation in IAN Research easy and rewarding. Kate tests the web pages that you will be using, reviews the research literature, talks to you when have questions about IAN Research, and helps with data analysis. Kate is a runner and hopes to compete in her first race.