She received her PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She completed her predoctoral internship at Children's National, as well as a postdoctoral fellowship in the Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders at Children's National, prior to becoming a member of the faculty there. Her research interests include the study of females with ASD, cultural differences in the manifestation and assessment of ASD, and reducing disparities in access to ASD treatment for underserved populations. Dr. Ratto also provides clinical services to children and adolescents with ASD and their families in her role as a clinical psychologist.