Wendy Ross is an American developmental and behavioral

pediatrician Pediatrics ( also spelled ''paediatrics'' or ''pædiatrics'') is the branch of medicine that involves the medical care of infants, children, adolescents, and young adults. In the United Kingdom, paediatrics covers many of their youth until the ...

with a specific focus on

autism The autism spectrum, often referred to as just autism or in the context of a professional diagnosis autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or autism spectrum condition (ASC), is a neurodevelopmental condition (or conditions) characterized by difficulti ...

. Ross founded Autism Inclusion Resources, a

non-profit A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

organization to help children with autism participate in everyday activities in their communities. Currently, Ross serves as the director of the new Center for Autism and Neurodiversity at

Jefferson Health Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals Inc, branded as Jefferson Health, is a multi-state non-profit health system whose flagship hospital is Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Center City, Philadelphia. The health system's hospitals serve a ...

and Thomas Jefferson University.

Education

After completing her undergraduate studies at

Brandeis University , mottoeng = "Truth even unto its innermost parts" , established = , type = Private research university , accreditation = NECHE , president = Ronald D. Liebowitz , pro ...

, Ross studied medicine at the Humanities and Medicine Program at Mt. Sinai School of Medicine in New York, and graduated in 1997. Ross completed her residency in pediatrics at

Yale Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the wor ...

University in 2000. Ross completed her fellowship in behavioral pediatrics at

Children’s Hospital Boston Boston Children's Hospital formerly known as Children's Hospital Boston until 2012 is a nationally ranked, freestanding acute care children's hospital located in Boston, Massachusetts, adjacent both to its teaching affiliate, Harvard Medical Scho ...

in 2002.

Professional experience

Ross worked as a developmental pediatrician at

and an instructor at Harvard Medical School until 2006, and then moved to

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

and worked as the Director of Developmental Medicine and Genetics at The Albert Einstein Medical Center until July 2011. Ross founded Autism Inclusion Resources in 2011, and her private practice, the Center for Pediatric Development, in 2012. Aside from her work with autism, Ross serves as a board member of the Pennsylvania Branch of the

International Dyslexia Association The International Dyslexia Association (IDA) is a non-profit education and advocacy organization devoted to issues surrounding dyslexia. It is based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. The International Dyslexia Association serves individuals ...

, in which she helps educate the local community about language based learning disabilities,

ADHD Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by excessive amounts of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that are pervasive, impairing in multiple contexts, and otherwise age-inapp ...

, and their respective warning signs, diagnoses, and treatments.

Autism Inclusion Resources

Autism Inclusion Resources (AIR) is a non-profit that provides services for children with autism.

Center for Autism and Neurodiversity

Personal life

Wendy Ross married Michael Ross on June 8, 1997. Michael Ross died of

colon cancer Colorectal cancer (CRC), also known as bowel cancer, colon cancer, or rectal cancer, is the development of cancer from the colon or rectum (parts of the large intestine). Signs and symptoms may include blood in the stool, a change in bowel mo ...

in September 2019. Ross is Jewish and is an active member of the inclusion committee at her synagogue, Beth Am Israel, in Penn Valley, Pennsylvania. Ross is the mother of two boys.

Awards

In 2015, Ross was nominated to be a

CNN Hero ''CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute'' is a television special created by CNN to honor individuals who make extraordinary contributions to humanitarian aid and make a difference in their communities. The program was started in 2007. Since 2016, the ...

for her work with children with autism. In 2018, the Council of the City of Philadelphia honored Ross during Autism Awareness Month. Ross graduated from the Mt. Sinai School of Medicine as a member of the

Alpha Omega Alpha Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society () is an honor society in the field of medicine. Alpha Omega Alpha currently has active Chapters in 132 LCME- accredited medical schools in the United States and Lebanon. It annually elects over 4,000 new ...

medical honor society. During her residency training at Yale, Ross received the Morris Y. Krosnick Award for Dedication, Compassion, and Caring. In 2019, Ross received a Local Parent of the Year LOVE Award from Main Line Parent Magazine.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ross, Wendy American pediatricians American women pediatricians Year of birth missing (living people) Living people Brandeis University alumni