Sarah Freeman | Environmental effects | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Sarah Freeman at Emory University | United States

Dr. Sarah Slocum Freeman, PhD, BCBA-D, is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Emory University School of Medicine (since September 2024) and a Doctoral Board Certified Behavior Analyst (#1-13-14435, certified since 2013) with extensive expertise in autism intervention, severe behavior, and professional training. She has been affiliated with the Marcus Autism Center since 2018, serving as a clinician in the Complex Behavior Support Program, Program Manager of the Transition Program since 2022, and more recently as Postdoctoral Resident Training Coordinator and Provider Mentorship Director in 2025. Her prior academic appointments include Practicum Coordinator and Visiting Assistant Professor at Rollins College (2015–2018) and Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Emory University (2018–2024). She previously held leadership roles at the University of Florida as Associate Clinical Director of the Behavior Analysis Research Clinic (2013–2015). Dr. Freeman earned her B.S. in Psychology from Louisiana State University in 2010, an M.S. in Psychology from the University of Florida in 2013, and a Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Florida in 2016, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at Rollins College (2015–2016). She has advanced numerous training and administrative programs at Marcus Autism Center, including serving as Program Manager of the Master’s and Ph.D. Program in Applied Behavior Analysis with the University of Georgia (2022–2025), chairing the Severe Behavior Department Research Mentorship Program (2019–2022), co-directing the Applied Behavior Analysis Postdoctoral Training Program (2021–2023), and leading the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Committee (2025–present). A dedicated advocate for professional standards, she has served as Treasurer of the Association for Behavior Analysis International Challenging Behavior Special Interest Group since 2021 and held leadership roles in the Georgia Association for Behavior Analysis, including President in 2023. She has also contributed to state licensure efforts through committee work since 2019. Dr. Freeman is a frequent reviewer for major journals, including the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis (since 2013), Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities (since 2019), and Education and Treatmen

Profile: Scopus

Featured Publications

Slocum, S. K., & Tiger, J. H. (2010, May). Developing an assessment of sensitivity to and preference for forward and backward chaining strategies. Poster presented at the Association for Behavior Analysis International, San Antonio, TX.

Scheitauer, M. C., Tiger, J. H., Mevers, J. L., & Slocum, S. K. (2011, May). Assessing preference for choice-making opportunities with college students. Paper presented at the Association for Behavior Analysis International, Denver, CO.

Barlow, K., Tiger, J. H., Slocum, S. K., & Miller, S. J. (2011, May). Comparing mand-training efficiency with selection-based and topography-based communication systems. Poster presented at the Association for Behavior Analysis International, Denver, CO.

Scheitauer, M. C., Tiger, J. H., & Slocum, S. K. (2011, May). Descriptive and experimental evaluations of procedural fidelity failures of parents implementing differential reinforcement of alternative behavior in the treatment of problem behavior. Poster presented at the Association for Behavior Analysis International, Denver, CO.

Slocum, S. K., Miller, S. J., & Tiger, J. H. (2012, May). An evaluation of the blocking procedure to teach conditional discriminations to a child with autism. Paper presented at the Association for Behavior Analysis International, Seattle, WA.

Slocum, S. K., Zeug, N. M., Baker, C., Peters, K. P., Wunderlich, K. L., & Vollmer, T. V. (2013, May). A functional analysis of mild punishers for vocal stereotypy. Paper presented at the Association for Behavior Analysis International, Minneapolis, MN.

Slocum, S. K., Vollmer, T. R., Whitehouse, C. W., Peters, K. P., Phillips, C. L., Radonavich, K., & Lewis, M. H. (2014, May). Developing a novel treatment for rigid inflexible behavior. Paper presented at the Association for Behavior Analysis International, Chicago, IL.