Banner Children's Postinfectious Autoimmune Encephalopathy (CPAE) Center for Excellence
presents
Health & Behavioral Concerns Relating to Disordered Eating in PANS/PANDAS
Sydney Rice MD, MSc
Developmental Pediatrician
Professor of Pediatrics
Division Chief, Genetics and Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics
Co-Director, Childhood Autoimmune Encephalopathy Clinic
Sydney Rice, M.D. is a Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Arizona. She holds a bachelor’s degree
from Stanford University, a doctoral degree in Medicine from the University of Arizona, and a master’s
degree in health evaluation sciences from the University of Virginia. She completed a Developmental-
Behavioral Fellowship at the University of Virginia. She is an active clinician caring for children with
disabilities, including seeing children with autism, spina bifida, cerebral palsy, brain injury, preterm birth,
early drug exposure, and Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS)/Pediatric Autoimmune
Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infection (PANDAS). She participates in multiple
research teams investigating each of these conditions. She is the Co-Director of the Childhood
Postinfectious Autoimmune Encephalopathy (CPAE) Center of Excellence at the University of Arizona. The
CPAE program was initiated at the University of Arizona Steele Research Center in 2016.
Chelsea Carr PhD, BCBA-D
Assistant Professor, University of Arizona, Department of Pediatrics
Board Certified Behavior Analyst
Chelsea Carr, Ph.D. is a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst with over 10 years of experience serving families
of children with neurodevelopmental disabilities. She received her doctoral degree in special education
with an emphasis in applied behavior analysis at the University of Arizona and completed a clinical
externship at the University of Iowa. She has experience conducting assessments and supporting and
training caregivers and other providers on behavior intervention plans in school, clinical, and home
settings. She has presented research at regional and national conferences on topics related to the
assessment and treatment of challenging behavior displayed by children with and without disabilities. In
her free time, Chelsea enjoys running and cycling, trying all the amazing food in Tucson, and traveling with
family and friends.
Andrew Gardner PhD, BCBA-D
Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics and Psychiatry
Training Director, Arizona LEND Program
Co-Director, Autism Center of Excellence
Board Certified Behavior Analyst
Andrew W. Gardner, PhD, BCBA-D has been serving families of children with behavioral challenges over
the past 20+ years across clinic, home, school, and public settings in both English and Spanish. Dr. Gardner
completed his BA undergraduate degree and MS graduate training in Psychology/School Psychology at
Utah State University, completed an internship through the Fred S. Keller School (CABAS), his PhD through
the University of Iowa, a pre-doctoral internship at the Kennedy Krieger Institute, and a post-doctoral
fellowship at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Dr. Gardner has also participated in various
Maternal and Child Health Bureau funded Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and other Related
Disabilities (LEND) programs and serves as the Training Director for the Arizona LEND program.
He is currently an Associate Professor at The University of Arizona in the Departments of Pediatrics and
Psychiatry. Dr. Gardner supervises a Behavioral Pediatrics Clinic, participates with the clinical team through
The Children's Postinfectious Autoimmune Encephalopathy (CPAE) Center of Excellence at the UA Steele
Center in Pediatrics, as well as serves children and families at Children’s Clinics for Rehabilitative Services
as a co-director for the Autism Center of Excellence. He has peer-reviewed publications and professional
presentations in the areas of evidence-based practices, as well as in the assessment and treatment of
childhood problem behavior. Dr. Gardner’s research interests include functional analytic assessment of
childhood challenging behavior, qualities of attention in Parent Management Training (PMT), parenting
and cross-cultural treatment acceptability, and therapeutic bio-behavioral strategies for challenging
behavior for children with diverse diagnoses.
Jessica West, RN, MS
Nurse Navigator
Jessica J. West, RN, MS is the Nurse Navigator for the Children’s Post Infectious Autoimmune
Encephalopathy (CPAE) Center of Excellence at Banner University Medical Center, developed in
partnership with UA Steele Center in Tucson, AZ, and in cooperation with NIH/NIMH. She assisted in
developing and implementing the multidisciplinary clinic to address a spectrum of neuropsychiatric
disorders which include PANS (Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome), and PANDAS (Pediatric
Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal infection). She currently manages
and coordinates care for patients with this complex disorder.
Developmental Pediatrician
Professor of Pediatrics
Division Chief, Genetics and Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics
Co-Director, Childhood Autoimmune Encephalopathy Clinic
Sydney Rice, M.D. is a Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Arizona. She holds a bachelor’s degree
from Stanford University, a doctoral degree in Medicine from the University of Arizona, and a master’s
degree in health evaluation sciences from the University of Virginia. She completed a Developmental-
Behavioral Fellowship at the University of Virginia. She is an active clinician caring for children with
disabilities, including seeing children with autism, spina bifida, cerebral palsy, brain injury, preterm birth,
early drug exposure, and Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS)/Pediatric Autoimmune
Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infection (PANDAS). She participates in multiple
research teams investigating each of these conditions. She is the Co-Director of the Childhood
Postinfectious Autoimmune Encephalopathy (CPAE) Center of Excellence at the University of Arizona. The
CPAE program was initiated at the University of Arizona Steele Research Center in 2016.
Chelsea Carr PhD, BCBA-D
Assistant Professor, University of Arizona, Department of Pediatrics
Board Certified Behavior Analyst
Chelsea Carr, Ph.D. is a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst with over 10 years of experience serving families
of children with neurodevelopmental disabilities. She received her doctoral degree in special education
with an emphasis in applied behavior analysis at the University of Arizona and completed a clinical
externship at the University of Iowa. She has experience conducting assessments and supporting and
training caregivers and other providers on behavior intervention plans in school, clinical, and home
settings. She has presented research at regional and national conferences on topics related to the
assessment and treatment of challenging behavior displayed by children with and without disabilities. In
her free time, Chelsea enjoys running and cycling, trying all the amazing food in Tucson, and traveling with
family and friends.
Andrew Gardner PhD, BCBA-D
Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics and Psychiatry
Training Director, Arizona LEND Program
Co-Director, Autism Center of Excellence
Board Certified Behavior Analyst
Andrew W. Gardner, PhD, BCBA-D has been serving families of children with behavioral challenges over
the past 20+ years across clinic, home, school, and public settings in both English and Spanish. Dr. Gardner
completed his BA undergraduate degree and MS graduate training in Psychology/School Psychology at
Utah State University, completed an internship through the Fred S. Keller School (CABAS), his PhD through
the University of Iowa, a pre-doctoral internship at the Kennedy Krieger Institute, and a post-doctoral
fellowship at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Dr. Gardner has also participated in various
Maternal and Child Health Bureau funded Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and other Related
Disabilities (LEND) programs and serves as the Training Director for the Arizona LEND program.
He is currently an Associate Professor at The University of Arizona in the Departments of Pediatrics and
Psychiatry. Dr. Gardner supervises a Behavioral Pediatrics Clinic, participates with the clinical team through
The Children's Postinfectious Autoimmune Encephalopathy (CPAE) Center of Excellence at the UA Steele
Center in Pediatrics, as well as serves children and families at Children’s Clinics for Rehabilitative Services
as a co-director for the Autism Center of Excellence. He has peer-reviewed publications and professional
presentations in the areas of evidence-based practices, as well as in the assessment and treatment of
childhood problem behavior. Dr. Gardner’s research interests include functional analytic assessment of
childhood challenging behavior, qualities of attention in Parent Management Training (PMT), parenting
and cross-cultural treatment acceptability, and therapeutic bio-behavioral strategies for challenging
behavior for children with diverse diagnoses.
Jessica West, RN, MS
Nurse Navigator
Jessica J. West, RN, MS is the Nurse Navigator for the Children’s Post Infectious Autoimmune
Encephalopathy (CPAE) Center of Excellence at Banner University Medical Center, developed in
partnership with UA Steele Center in Tucson, AZ, and in cooperation with NIH/NIMH. She assisted in
developing and implementing the multidisciplinary clinic to address a spectrum of neuropsychiatric
disorders which include PANS (Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome), and PANDAS (Pediatric
Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal infection). She currently manages
and coordinates care for patients with this complex disorder.