As Vice President of Implementation and Dissemination, Dr. Paige Raetz brings a wealth of expertise and a kind, engaging presence to the Proof Positive Autism Wellbeing Alliance.
Paige’s journey in autism services and support is marked by her significant contributions, especially her nine years of developing and refining services as the Director of Teen and Adult Services at Southwest Autism Research and Resource Center (SARRC). Prior to her time at SARRC, she pioneered services at Trumpet Behavioral Health and influenced practices on an international level as the Clinical and Research Director at Kinark Child and Family Services in Toronto, Canada.
Paige is a respected scholar and leader in her field. She has published extensively and served as a guest editor for notable journals. Her research and interest spans diverse areas, including autism, behavioral gerontology, verbal behavior, and organizational behavior management. Paige has contributed as an adjunct professor in the Psychology department at Arizona State University and serves on the Governor’s appointed committee on Behavior Analysis for the state of Arizona. She has also held leadership roles, including President of Advancing Futures for Adults with Autism and the Autism Provider Exchange.
With a strong commitment to fairness, Paige is inspired by the potential of positive psychology to transform autism services to benefit all. She collaborates with Autism Wellbeing Alliance members to implement the science and skills of happiness. Paige envisions a world where the skills of happiness and wellbeing are accessible to everyone, and is especially hopeful of its potential to benefit caregivers and support teams. Through her work, Paige uses a sense of gratitude to create an environment where everyone feels valued and supported. She employs her humor to strengthen her relationships with teams and fairness to build stronger connections between team members and those they support, enhancing retention and increasing satisfaction for all participants.
Outside of her professional life, Paige is a sports enthusiast. Whether on the basketball court cheering for her daughter or on the baseball field supporting her son, she loves being involved in sports. She also enjoys going to the gym and playing golf and pickleball. Her creative side shines through her love of photography, where she appreciates the beauty of taking and admiring photos, especially the vibrant murals around her city.