Valeria Pecunia Rivera completed her doctorate in clinical psychology at Ponce Health Sciences University and since her training she focused her training and clinical work on the population of children on the autism spectrum and their families. She has worked in specialized autism centers and offers diagnostic evaluation and psychological consultation services under the Puerto Rico Department of Health. Aligned with her passion and commitment to supporting children and families on the autism spectrum, she has focused her private practice on early diagnosis identification and implementation of evidence-based practices. From her family-centered approach, she has developed competencies in intervention strategies and programs that recognize the importance of the role of parents and/or caregivers in the treatment of children and has a professional certification in therapy of family and couples. Currently, much of her work is based on the implementation of one of the most effective training programs for parents / caregivers of children / as young / as on the autism spectrum (Project ImPACT).

Her professional goals revolve around enabling greater reach to effective and quality services for children with autism and their families. Through direct service, the training of other professionals and the development of proposals, Valeria seeks to break down barriers that interfere with early access to specialized services and contribute to the well-being of the child and her family.