Current Staff

Dr. Baweja is a developmental psychologist and clinical instructor at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior within the David Geffen School of Medicine. Dr. Baweja has broad training in the evaluation, treatment, and support of individuals with attention deficits, learning problems, and related behavioral difficulties.

Most recently, Dr. Baweja's research has examined the underlying risk factors that increase children’s susceptibility to peer rejection and bullying during middle childhood. Earlier in her career, she was part of the research team within the Treatment Studies for ADHD, Irritability, and Mood Disorders program at UCLA investigating effective pharmacotherapies for children and adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

Currently, Dr. Baweja is a clinical specialist in the Parent Training and the Children’s Friendship Programs and provides treatment services in both individual and group-based capacities.

Dr. Reina Factor, Ph.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist who has over 18 years of experience working with individuals across the lifespan, with an emphasis on individual and group interventions that involve the family. She has expertise working with autistic individuals and neurodevelopmental disabilities of all ages, particularly with the pediatric population, as well as individuals with a range of co-occurring diagnoses including anxiety, depression, early psychosis, ADHD, OCD, ODD, and mood disorders. Dr. Factor serves as the Director of Outreach and Dissemination at the UCLA Tarjan Center and also works at Spectrum Psych LA, a private practice. Dr. Factor earned her undergraduate degree at Emory University, where she completed an honors thesis examining an early social responsiveness screener. She then worked as a research associate at UCLA, focusing on the JASPER intervention developed by Dr. Connie Kasari and administering Discrete Trial Training (DTT) and Parent Training. She completed her M.S. and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at Virginia Tech. She completed her predoctoral and postdoctoral work at the UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior. Additionally, Dr. Factor has conducted extensive research, particularly focusing on the social and emotional development in autistic children, highlighting the impact of systems (e.g., peers, parents, the family) and how they inform interventions by looking at mechanisms of change and treatment outcomes. Dr. Factor was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA and is a proud third generation UCLA Bruin and 4th generation Californian!

Shriya began working with the clinic as a Research Assistant in 2022 and started as the Clinic Coordinator after graduating from UCLA in June 2023 with a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and English. Her role involves organizing, supporting, scheduling, and delegating to ensure that all the clinic's programs are running smoothly. Shriya hopes to pursue Clinical Psychology in graduate school and eventually work with children and teenagers!

Ashley is the assistant clinic coordinator, assisting the clinic coordinator in managing all aspects of the clinic's three programs and overseeing the research assistants. Ashley is a current fourth year student at UCLA majoring in Psychobiology and minoring in Society and Genetics. Ashley has been involved with the clinic since Fall 2022, previously as a research assistant. Ashley intends to pursue a graduate degree in Genetic Counseling in the future.