Expert in Autism Diagnosis, Treatment, and Training
​Dr. Morrier’s career in autism research and clinical practice spans over 30 years, beginning at the University of Massachusetts Amherst under the mentorship of Dr. Gail McGee, founder of the Walden Early Childhood Center. After earning his Bachelor’s degree in psychology, he relocated with Dr. McGee to Emory University, where he continued to build his expertise.
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He earned his Master’s degree in special education from the University of Georgia under Dr. David Gast and later completed his Doctorate in Special Education with a focus on health disparities in the identification and placement of preschoolers on the autism spectrum at Georgia State University, mentored by Dr. Peggy Gallagher.
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Professional Experience & Credentials
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Since 1991, Dr. Morrier has held various roles at the Emory Autism Center and the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at Emory University School of Medicine, joining the faculty in 2008. His work centers on embedding Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) into natural environments to improve functional skills for autistic individuals in the settings and with the people where these skills are needed.
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Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) since 2007
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Achieved BCBA-Doctoral designation in 2008
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Licensed Behavior Analyst (LBA) in Georgia since 2025
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Certified Independent Trainer for the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, 2nd Edition (ADOS-2) since 2022
During his 31-year tenure at the Emory Autism Center, Dr. Morrier contributed to both clinical and research projects, delivering evidence-based treatments and gold-standard assessments. He collaborated extensively with colleagues at Emory University, Georgia Institute of Technology, and Georgia State University.
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Research Reliability & Training Expertise
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Research reliable on the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) since 1997
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Research reliable on ADOS Modules 1-4 since 1998
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Trained on the ADOS-2 Toddler Module in 2009
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Leads and co-leads ADOS-2 trainings for diverse agencies
From 1999 to 2021, Dr. Morrier supported the CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network, assisting in the development and data collection for autism prevalence surveillance projects. From 2015 to 2023, he worked with leading psychologists to train community professionals in Georgia on autism identification, diagnosis, and treatment for children under five.
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Leadership & Professional Service
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Dr. Morrier has been an active leader in the Georgia Subdivision of the Division for Early Childhood (DEC), serving as acting president (2015), president (2016–2021), past president (2021–2022), and membership chair (2022–2023). At the national level, he contributes to DEC’s Research Committee and helped revise DEC’s position statement on ethical practices in early intervention.
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Publications & Academic Contributions
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He is lead and co-author on numerous peer-reviewed publications and book chapters focusing on autism diagnosis and intervention. Notably, he co-authored a chapter on personnel preparation in the Handbook for Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorder (3rd edition, 2005). Dr. Morrier currently serves on editorial boards for several journals, including:
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Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
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Journal of Special Education
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Infant and Child Development
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Frontiers in Pediatrics
His research interests include early screening and diagnosis of autism, validation of remote diagnostic tools, and strategies for embedding ABA in naturalistic environments.
Teaching & Training
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Dr. Morrier has taught numerous academic courses and regularly delivers lectures, workshops, and continuing education seminars on autism assessment, intervention, family support, and evidence-based ABA practices.