Kathy Dow-Burger

Kathy Dow-Burger is a Clinical Professor in the Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences at the University of Maryland (UMD). She serves as the Friedman Family Director of the Neurodiversity and Autism Transition Services (NATS) program, overseeing initiatives like the Social Interaction Group Network for All (SIGNA), EFFECT for college-bound teens, and modified PEERS programs. Her work focuses on executive function training, social cognition, and advocacy for neurodiverse populations. Dow-Burger holds dual roles as a nationally certified speech-language therapist and academic instructor, with over 32 years of clinical experience in autism and communication disorders.

Education: MA and BA in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Maryland.

Research interests include autism spectrum disorders, parent-child interactions in early literacy, language-learning disabilities, and clinical supervision. She co-organizes the annual Neurodiversity at Work Research Conference, fostering collaboration between scholars, neurodivergent leaders, and employers.

Grants/Awards: 2025 AIM AI Seed Grant for developing AI tools in neurodiversity-affirming speech therapy. This project involves participatory design with autistic adults and therapists to analyze conversation data collaboratively.

Teaching and clinical supervision: Oversees graduate and undergraduate SLP practicums, emphasizing bridging academic knowledge with clinical practice. Teaches courses like HESP 417, focusing on case studies and interprofessional collaboration. Her projects include community-based literacy initiatives and cross-disciplinary collaborations with medical schools.

Labs/Teams: Directs NATS, leads the University of Maryland Autism Research Consortium (UMARC), and co-founded the CLASS outreach workshops. Engages in clinical partnerships with UMD’s Accessibility and Disability Services, Resident Life, and the Clarice Performing Arts Center.