Katy Wheeler, PhD, BCBA, LBA, LSSP (she/her) is an Assistant Professor of Behavior Analysis, a school psychologist, board certified behavior analyst, and a certified Parent–Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) therapist. Her work sits at the intersection of PCIT, applied behavior analysis, and nervous-system–informed intervention, with a particular focus on adapting Child-Directed Interaction (CDI) to support autistic children with elevated distress, emerging social engagement, and preverbal communication. Dr. Wheeler’s research and community-embedded clinical work examine how relational, caregiver-mediated interventions can reduce distress, increase felt safety, and promote meaningful engagement for autistic children across home, school, and community contexts. She is especially interested in how evidence-based practices like PCIT can evolve to better reflect neurodiversity, interoception, and inclusive service delivery in a shifting world.