Karen Riley, PhD

Karen Riley, PhD

Dean, Morgridge College of Education
University of Denver

Dr. Riley is the Dean for the Morgridge College of Educational at the University of Denver. Her education includes a B.S. in Psychology from Colorado State University; a M.A. in Early Childhood SpecialEducation from the University of Denver and a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology with an emphasis in Child and Family Studies from the University of Denver. She completed a two year post-doctoral fellowship at The Children’s Hospital in Denver in the Fragile X Treatment and Research Center and subsequently worked at the Child Development Unit within The Children’s Hospital. She currently has a dual faculty appointment in the Child, Family and School Psychology Program and the Curriculum Studies and Teaching Program.

Dr. Riley currently serves on the Clinical and Scientific Advisory Board for the National Fragile X Foundation. She is also a member of the ad hoc research committee for the National Fragile X Syndrome Clinic and has authored the Fragile X School Services Guidelines and Toileting issues in fragile X syndrome which are part of PracticeGuidelines for Fragile X-associated Disorders. She has recently been contracted to develop and implement a training program for teachers in Guatemala. This pre-service program will be a part of the university teachers’ program and will focus on how to work with children with neurodevelopmental disorders.

She has over 15 years of experience in teaching and administration of early childhood special education programs. She has an additional 15 years of experience working with children who have neurodevelopmental disorders and their families. She is currently the PI on a Professional Development grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation as well as an educational game development grant from DARPA. She has been and is currently involved in several psychopharmacological studies and other research projects related to fragile X syndrome and other neurodevelopmental disorders. Particular areas of interest and expertise include assessment and intervention of infants and preschoolers, curriculum development, school consultation, behavioral interventions and low incidence disabilities. She lectures extensively throughout the US as well as internationally, on behavioral and educational interventions for children with neurodevelopmental disorders primarily those with fragile X syndrome.