Dr. Wallis is a fellowship-trained developmental-behavioral pediatrician with a research focus on ameliorating disparities in identification and care for low-income and minority children and girls with developmental delays (DD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). She is working to develop and test strategies to improve developmental outcomes for all children.

Dr. Wallis obtained additional research training with a focus on health disparities through a master's degree in Public Health, and participation in the Academic Pediatrics Association's Research Scholars Program, the Society for Developmental and Behavioral Pediatric' Research Scholars Program, and the National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities' Health Disparities Research Institute.

To date, her research has focused on four main areas: understanding how social determinants affect an individual's health in underserved communities; the prevalence of and etiological hypotheses for ASD and improving care for children with DD/ASD; disparities in the identification of DD and ASD in patients from minority backgrounds; and the process of screening for developmental and behavioral conditions.

Dr. Wallis aims to continue to pursue projects that will help her and her colleagues establish the evidence base to improve the identification and outcomes of children with ASD, and to bridge gaps in identification and care for low-income and minority children and girls with ASD, traditionally under-identified and underserved groups.

Her notable career achievements include:

• Being named a scholar in the Academic Pediatrics Association's Research Scholars Program
• Serving as a participant in the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities Research Institute
• Being awarded best housestaff abstract during Penn's Health Equity Week
• Giving invited talks on child development and developmental delays, ASD, health disparities, and immigrant health to groups such as the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Pediatric Trainees, community health workers, and undergraduate to fellowship-level trainees

BA, University of Pennsylvania (Health and Societies, minor in Hispanic Studies), 2007

MD, Stony Brook University School of Medicine, 2012

MPH, Stony Brook University School of Medicine (Public Health), 2012

Pediatrics Residency, NYU School of Medicine, 2015

Fellowship, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics), 2018

Attending Physician

Instructor, CHOP PolicyLab

Clinical Instructor of Pediatrics

American Academy of Pediatrics, 2012-

Academic Pediatrics Association, 2015-

Society for Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, 2018-

Scholar, Academic Pediatrics Association Research Scholars Program, 2016

Academic Pediatrics Association Bright Futures Young Investigator Awardee, Supported by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau in Partnership with the American Academy of Pediatrics, 2017

Scholar, National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD), Health Disparities Research Institute, 2017

Scholar, Society for Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Research Scholars Program, 2018

Fellow, Penn Center for Public Health Initiatives, 2018

PolicyLab Profile