Laura McKenna, PhD

Laura McKenna has thirty years of experience in education and autism. After working as a special education teacher in the South Bronx, Laura went on to earn a PhD in political science with a focus on education policy at CUNY Graduate Center. As a member of the faculty at Columbia’s Teachers College, Hunter College, and Ramapo College, she taught undergraduate and graduate-level classes about government, education policy, and media. She regularly presented original research at the American Political Science Association annual meeting and published several articles in peer-reviewed journals.

Later, she became a professional writer, publishing articles about autism and education in the Atlantic, Yahoo News, HuffPost, Edutopia, and more. Before coming to the Cope Center, she founded The Autism-College Connection and is currently working on a book about post-high school opportunities for students with autism.

At the Cope Center, Laura helps parents understand their children’s needs and locate the best resources. As an autism mom, she feels passionately about reducing the parenting learning curve and supporting families on their autism journey. Her specialty is preparing parents for life after high school with information about government support services, day programs, college, and other transition services. She works with families individually and coordinates an evening webinar series.

Laura is a member of Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, Autism College Network, and Independent Educational Consulting Association.

On weekends, you can find Laura scouring estate sales for old books, taking day trips with her family, and watching British crime shows on BritBox.

Contact Laura directly at LMcKenna@CopeCenterforAutism.org or 551-389-4872.

Or set up an appointment through her Calendly App.