For Dr. Suzannah Iadarola, Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Public Health at the University of Rochester, research goes hand in hand with community partnership. Change doesn’t only take place in the lab — it can happen out in communities, interacting directly with families and working with community-based institutions. Recently named the Haggerty-Friedman Professor in Developmental/Behavioral Pediatric Research in the Department of Pediatrics, Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Iadarola works to develop inclusive approaches in healthcare for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Her work focuses on community-driven research, particularly in collaboration with people with disabilities, their families, and the networks that support them. “Disability rights and justice are part of our collective responsibility,” she explained.
Iadarola’s research spans autism, related developmental disabilities, and partnering with advocates to challenge ableism and the systemic biases that often misunderstand the capabilities and needs of disabled individuals. Ableism refers to “perpetuated biases about what people with disabilities are capable of or not,” Iadarola explained.
To Iadarola, the most rewarding part of her research is the collaboration inherent to her work, whether it be with the community, her trainees, or other collaborators on projects. “The field of disability [research] is constantly changing, so there is a ton of evolution that is still happening that makes it an exciting place to be,” Iadarola said. With this, however, comes “a very strong sense of accountability and responsibility.”
In the summer of 2024, the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders published a paper on the Building Better Bridges intervention, a model developed to support autistic students transitioning to elementary and secondary schools. Iadarola was part of the research team under Dr. Lynne Levato, who was the Rochester lead on the project. “There are significant challenges for any kid who is transitioning from school systems, [but] for autistic students and others with disabilities, the challenge can be quite exacerbated,” Iadarola said. In these cases, support is needed for both the “sending and receiving team” — the sending team being the parents who send their children to school, and the receiving team being the teachers at school. However, there are not always dedicated pathways to alleviate these problems and meet the needs of the children and adults navigating through this transition.
The Building Better Bridges intervention used a coaching model that provided tailored support to families and educators. “We worked directly with parents and created highly individualized profiles for each student,” Iadarola explained. The model has been implemented in locations like Rochester, Los Angeles, and Sacramento, with promising results across the country. Even between different locations, the themes did not differ. The collaboration between caregivers and teachers promoted children’s transitions, as well as increased caregivers’ self-efficacy.
One of Iadarola’s current projects, Mind the Gap, is a family-centered program designed for families navigating their child’s new developmental diagnosis. “When families receive a diagnosis, they often do not have a lot of guidance, and families don’t know how to gain access to resources,” she says. Mind the Gap fills that void by offering a collection of practical tools and information. Central to the program is the use of peer navigators — experienced parents trained to support others going through similar experiences. The program includes an intentional matching process that factors in the different priorities of different families. “We asked questions and did our best to match what was most important to [the families],” Iadarola said. The program has shown significant success, increasing parents’ social support networks, reducing stress, and empowering families to take control of their children’s care.
Iadarola’s recent appointment to the Haggerty-Friedman Professorship is more than just a professional milestone — it’s a deeply personal honor. The position was previously held by her mentor, Dr. Tristram Smith, a pioneering figure in the field of developmental and behavioral pediatrics who passed away in 2018.
“This professorship hasn’t had another host since Dr. Smith passed,” Iadarola said. He was a longstanding mentor and friend, and someone who truly championed community partnerships, making the professorship personally meaningful to her. “When he passed, there was ongoing research from his legacy, [so] the professorship will be able to ensure these research problems will be completed to the best extent,” Iadarola said.
“It would take four very accomplished faculty members [to match] one Tristram Smith,” she said, emphasizing the profound impact of Smith’s work and the legacy he left behind. Working with Smith at the start of her career is what sparked Iadarola’s passion for working with children with disabilities, and part of what pushed her to continue to partner with the community and align her research with that of Smith’s.
As the national conversation around health equity evolves, Iadarola remains steadfast in her research and advocacy. “Equity work has specifically been under attack,” Iadarola stated. “We use terms like ‘equity’ and ‘justice,’ but what we’re really talking about is health for all. I would hope that ‘health for all’ is non-partisan, and I have faith that the [University] will make sure health promotion remains intact.”
