Marisa C. Brown is a research instructor in the Georgetown University Center for Child and Human Development, University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCDD) in Washington, D.C. She has been associated with Georgetown University for the past 34 years serving in many capacities. She specializes in the health care of individuals with developmental disabilities, and has over 38 years of experience in this specialty. For the past 11 years she has directed the DC Developmental Disabilities Health Initiative, an effort aimed at improving health care quality and access for adults with intellectual disabilities. She recently completed a training course on dementia and intellectual disabilities from the National Task Group on Dementia and is authorized to use their curriculum.
Ms. Brown’s interest in community collaborative approaches to human services delivery are a common thread among the projects with which she has been associated including health services for people with intellectual disabilities, genetics education, community services and supports for people with disabilities, early intervention services for infants and toddlers, cultural and linguistic competence, and home visiting services to families that are homeless and other families impacted by poverty, disability and substance abuse.
Ms. Brown has served on numerous task forces and advisory groups at the local and state level related to children and adults with developmental disabilities. As the parent of a young adult with autism spectrum disorder, she is particularly interested in advocacy for services to support community integration and independence.