Laurie Smith

Laurie Smith is a senior research assistant and behavioral coach at the UCLA PEERS Clinic. She has been involved in the PEERS for Adolescents, PEERS for Young Adults, and PEERS for Careers programs, where she also supports data entry and management for ongoing research projects. Laurie earned her B.A. in Psychology from UCLA and plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology to further her research career. Her clinical and research interests include neuropsychology, language and behavioral development in neurodiverse youth, and the diagnosis and treatment of neurodevelopmental conditions. Outside of PEERS, Laurie works at a child development center, where she supports children with diverse needs before and after school. Her primary research interest focuses on autism and its underlying causes.