Nancy Sadka

Dr Nancy Sadka is a Research Fellow at La Trobe University's Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre (OTARC), primarily in the Identification and Diagnosis research program. Dr Sadka' research originally focused on cognitive and curriculum development until she developed a passion for, and an interest in, autism.

Dr Sadka gained a Bachelor of Arts in Human Development (Early Childhood Education) with Distinction from the Lebanese American University. Dr Sadka has two minors in graduate Theology and Psychology and is fluent in French and Arabic. She was then awarded a scholarship to study in the United States, where she received her Masters and PhD from Bob Jones University in the areas of Cognitive Development and Curriculum Instruction.

Dr Sadka lectured on play and early development at the graduate department of the University of South Carolina and the subject of creative dramatics and learning at the Lebanese American University. Dr Sadka has a passion for research on autism spectrum disorder, where this research can be translated into the community to help support parents and carers of people on the autism spectrum across the lifespan. She also has an interest in co-occurring conditions in the early years including, but not limited to, Sleep Challenges, Anxiety, Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and Intellectual Disability.

In addition to her work in academia, Dr Sadka serves on several boards in the community for strategic planning and implementation of support for people with disabilities. She is also committed to working with faith-based communities for disability inclusion.