Few people have done more to support families and advance treatment for the statewide and global autism community than Dr. Sandra Harris.
Dr. Harris founded the Douglass Developmental Disabilities Center (DDDC) at Rutgers University in 1972, creating high-quality services for individuals with autism and training opportunities for students and professionals in the field. Her groundbreaking work helped shape the field of Applied Behavior Analysis and advance autism services in New Jersey and beyond. In addition to founding the DDDC, her books, research, and professional leadership helped advance understanding of autism and prepare generations of practitioners dedicated to improving the lives of individuals with autism and their families.
Among those influenced by Dr. Harris was Autism New Jersey’s Executive Director, Dr. Suzanne Buchanan, who was a fieldwork student at DDDC in the 1990s.
“I was so fortunate to learn from Dr. Harris early in my career,” Dr. Buchanan said. “She helped shape not only my professional path, but the autism treatment system throughout New Jersey.”
At Autism New Jersey’s 50th Anniversary Gala in November 2015, Executive Director Dr. Suzanne Buchanan (left) and former Associate Executive Director Marlene Brown (right) present Dr. Sandra Harris with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
Dr. Harris was a member of Autism New Jersey’s Board of Directors and a frequent presenter at the organization’s annual conference. In 2015, Autism New Jersey presented Dr. Harris with a Lifetime Achievement Award at its 50th Anniversary Gala, honoring her pioneering leadership and dedication to the autism community.
Herb Hinkle, Esq., a former Autism New Jersey board member, met Dr. Harris in the 1970s when he was working with families of people with autism to help them get more services.
“You had essentially nothing in the country when she started in the field,” Hinkle said. “Her program was cutting edge because it was a twofer; it provided services to families, but it also had a university-based program training people to work in the field. It was amazing.”
Mary Jane Weiss, Ph.D., BCBA-D, LABA, a former Autism New Jersey board member who worked for 16 years at the Douglass Developmental Disabilities Center, said Dr. Harris was her doctoral research advisor and mentor throughout her Ph.D. journey. The two partnered on books about the use of ABA and teaching social skills. Long before ABA became a recognized field, Dr. Harris emphasized the need for compassionate care and collaboration, Dr. Weiss recalled.
“She really has left such a legacy in the field,” said Dr. Weiss, who is Dean of the Institute for Applied Behavioral Science and Director of the Ph.D. Program in ABA at Endicott College in Massachusetts. “She was so focused on optimism and the empowerment of families at a time when so many had left them by the wayside. It was pretty revolutionary. I always think about the hope she gave to families at a time when very few were prioritizing the needs of people with autism.”
Dr. Harris’s passing is a profound loss for New Jersey’s autism community and for the many professionals, families, and individuals whose lives she helped change. Her work endures through the programs she built, the leaders she mentored, and the countless people who continue to benefit from the foundation she helped create. Autism New Jersey is honored to celebrate her extraordinary legacy and grateful for the lasting impact she made on so many lives.