Our Team

Rachel Jurd joined the Simons Foundation in 2015 as SFARI’s science writer and editor. Her responsibilities include contributing to communication of SFARI’s scientific priorities, research portfolio and resources for scientists. Before coming to the foundation, Jurd was editor of Trends in Neurosciences…

Alex Lash joined the Simons Foundation in March 2012 to lead the further development and dissemination of the foundation’s extensive scientific data assets — particularly those related to autism spectrum disorders — as well as to oversee the automation of its scientific…

Alice Luo Clayton joined the foundation in 2011. Her role involves managing programs related to neural circuits and behavior in animal models and human cohorts. She contributes to the development and availability of rodent models of autism, as well as overseeing preclinical…

Richard McFarland joined the staff in 2011, having previously served as divisional administrator for the Center for Theoretical Neuroscience at Columbia University. Before that, he worked at the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International (JDRF) as grants manager and team leader of grants…

Vincent Myers facilitates communications-related activities for SPARK including the management and monitoring of the initiative’s social media channels. He also liaises with the initiative’s marketing partner on the creation of new campaigns and recruitment materials and works with community organizations and clinical…

Alan Packer joined the Simons Foundation in 2009 to work with a team of scientists responsible for SFARI’s autism grant portfolio, with a particular emphasis on grants in the area of cell and developmental biology, and genetics. He has led a number…

Louis Reichardt joined the foundation to lead SFARI in 2013. His role at SFARI is to set strategic priorities that guide funding decisions and to identify new opportunities for enhancing the scientific understanding of autism spectrum disorders as well as improving diagnosis…