Dr. Theresa Hamlin

A Thought Leader in the Field of Autism and Complex Conditions

Theresa Hamlin, Ed.D., CAS, is the President and CEO of The Center for Discovery (TCFD), a New York State-designated Center of Excellence recognized for its work with children and adults who have complex developmental disabilities, including autism, medical frailty, and rare disorders. With over four decades of service at TCFD, Dr. Hamlin has been instrumental in advancing innovative models of care that integrate health, education, and research to improve the lives of individuals with disabilities.

An accomplished educator and thought leader, Dr. Hamlin is the author of Autism and The Stress Effect, a widely regarded guide for parents and educators, with forewords by Dr. Temple Grandin and Dr. John Ratey. Her work focuses on reducing the debilitating effects of stress on children with autism and other complex disabilities. She is also the architect of the HealthE6 model, an evidence-based, whole-body approach to teaching and care that combines clinical expertise with cutting-edge research to support physical, mental, and emotional development.

Dr. Hamlin’s commitment to advancing knowledge in the field extends to her leadership of The Center’s research initiatives, including the groundbreaking Lab School program. This initiative uses advanced technology and large longitudinal datasets to study the effects of the environment on children with autism and other disabilities, fostering real-time care improvements through predictive and prescriptive analytics. Dr. Hamlin also helped to pioneer TCFD’s renowned food and nutrition program into the curriculum, which promotes the idea that “food is medicine” and explores its impact on chronic disease outcomes. These programs collaborate with leading universities and institutions, such as Georgia Tech, Emory University, NYU, and Texas Children’s Hospital.

Recognized nationally and internationally for her contributions, Dr. Hamlin lectures on the development of children with complex disabilities and the transformative power of integrating health, environment, and therapeutic innovation. Her leadership continues to propel The Center for Discovery forward, shaping its vision as a model for comprehensive, interdisciplinary care and research.