Barry M. Prizant, PhD, CCC-SLP is recognized as among the world’s leading authorities on autism, and as an innovator of respectful, person- and family-centered approaches for autistic individuals and those with other neurodevelopmental conditions. He currently is the Director of Childhood Communication Services, a private practice, and has fifty years of experience as a scholar, researcher, and international consultant. He has served as an Adjunct Professor at Brown University for more than 25 years, as an Associate Professor of Psychiatry in the Brown University Medical School and has held tenured Professor appointments at Emerson College, Boston, and Southern Illinois University. He has published five books, more than 140 articles and chapters, and is senior author of The SCERTS Model: A Comprehensive Educational Approach, now being implemented in more than a dozen countries.


Barry has been a two-time featured presenter (2013, 2017) at the United Nations World Autism Awareness Day in New York City, and has given close to 1000 presentations in major universities across the US and in more than 25 countries. Over the past 25 years, Barry also has co-developed and co-facilitates a retreat weekend for parents of autistic family members with his wife, Dr. Elaine Meyer of Harvard University. He also has a specific interest on the positive impact of the musical, theatrical and visual arts for autistic and disabled children and adults.


Barry’s recent book, Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism (Simon & Schuster, 2015; 2022 expanded edition) has been the best-selling book on autism since 2015, along with an audiobook version narrated by Barry. It is now published in 24 languages, and was ranked by Book Authority as #1 of the “100 best books on autism of all time”. Barry also co-produces and hosts a podcast, Uniquely Human: The Podcast (www.uniquelyhuman.com) with his friend, Dave Finch, an autistic audio engineer and New York Times best-selling author.