Sarah O’Kelley, Ph.D

Sarah O’Kelley, Ph.D., is a Professor of Psychology and Pediatrics at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and Director of UAB’s Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities. She works within the UAB Civitan-Sparks Clinics where she is involved in psychology and interdisciplinary clinical training, research, and community partnerships throughout the state focused on individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and related disabilities. Dr. O’Kelley has devoted more than 25 years to research and clinical work with individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their families.

She was raised in the Birmingham area and received her bachelor’s degree in Psychology and master’s and doctoral degrees in Clinical Child Psychology at The University of Alabama. Dr. O’Kelley completed her predoctoral internship at the UAB Psychology Internship Training Consortium and was a postdoctoral fellow at UAB Civitan-Sparks Clinics. From 2006 to 2008, a portion of her postdoctoral fellowship included a position of Program Coordinator for the University of Alabama Autism Spectrum Disorders College Transition and Support program (UA-ACTS), a program she helped develop and implement.

Dr. O’Kelley mentors and supervises interdisciplinary trainees at all levels, from undergraduate students to postdoctoral fellows. Her research examines cognitive and behavioral phenotypes in autism and related neurodevelopmental disabilities, screening and early identification, and lifespan issues in ASD and she has published over 40 peer-reviewed articles. Dr. O’Kelley is a member of the International Society for Autism Research and American Psychological Association and is active in the Alabama Autism Providers Network and the Alabama Interagency Autism Coordinating Council.