Munroe-Meyer Institute
UNMC_Acronym_Vert_sm_4c
University of Nebraska Medical Center

Patricia K. Zemantic, PhD, BCBA-D, LBA

Director of Autism Diagnostic Clinic, Munroe-Meyer Institute iCASD
Assistant Professor, MMI integrated Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders
Board Certified Behavior Analyst

402-559-0049

Patricia Zemantic, PhD, BCBA-D

Patricia K. Zemantic, PhD, BCBA-D, LBA is an assistant professor, board-certified behavior analyst and director of the Autism Diagnostic Clinic in the integrated Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders at the University of Nebraska Medical Center's Munroe-Meyer Institute.

From 2009 to 2012, Zemantic worked as a behavior therapist in Connecticut Public Schools through the Institute of Professional Practice. There she provided behavioral services to children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. She completed a predoctoral internship and a postdoctoral fellowship at UNMC’s Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders, during which time she worked in the early intervention program and the Autism Diagnostic Clinic. She completed her graduate training at the University of Oregon, where she earned a master’s degree in special education and a doctorate in school psychology.

Zemantic currently works across several programs within the department, including the Early Intervention Program and Autism Diagnostic Clinic. Her clinical work includes the assessment and treatment of autism spectrum disorder, early intensive behavioral interventions and caregiver training. Zemantic and Dr. Whitney Strong-Bak worked with several faculty members in the psychology program to design and implement the Behavior and Learning Interventions for Neurodiverse Kids program, which is a brief caregiver training program delivered via telehealth to help caregivers learn strategies to address problem behavior at home and promote a variety of skills. She also helped design the Community Autism Resource Education program, an interdisciplinary psychoeducation program commonly known as CARE that describes autism spectrum disorder and relevant interventions. CARE was designed for caregivers of children with autism spectrum disorder and includes online videos in Spanish and English.

  • Internship and Fellowship: Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders, Early Intervention Program; Autism Diagnostic Clinic, UNMC.
  • PhD: Psychology, University of Oregon, 2019.
  • MS: Special Education, University of Oregon, 2016.
  • BA: Psychology (Mental Health), Southern Connecticut State University, 2008.

Specialty Certifications

  • Board Certified Behavior Analyst.
  • Licensed Behavior Analyst.

Zemantic provides patient care services at the UNMC Munroe-Meyer Institute integrated Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Clinic Locations:

  • Simmons, C. A., Zangrillo, A. N., Fisher, W. W., & Zemantic, P. K. (In press). Efficiency and Preference for Alternative Activities during Schedule Thinning with Functional Communication Training. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis.

  • Simmons, C. A., Zangrillo, A. N., Fisher, W. W., & Zemantic, P. K. (2021). An evaluation of a caregiver-implemented stimulus avoidance assessment and corresponding treatment package. Behavioral Development. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/bdb0000107

  • Zemantic, P. K., Kurtz-Nelson, E., Barton, H., Safer-Lichtenstein, J., & McIntyre, L. L. (2021). Advocacy and empowerment: Service utilization for children with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Development Disabilities. Advance online publication doi: 10.1007/s10803-021-05329-6 

  • McClain, Maryellen B., Roanhorse, T., Harris, Bryn, Heyborne, M., Zemantic, P. K., & Azad, G. (2021). School-based Autism Evaluations in the COVID-19 Era. School Psychology, 36(5), 377-387. doi: https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/spq0000447

  • Raulston, T., Zemantic, P., Machalicek, W., Hieneman, M., Kurtz-Nelson, E., & Barton, H., Hansen, S. & Frantz, R. (2019). Effects of a brief mindfulness-infused behavioral parent training program for mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 13, 42 – 51.

  • Early literacy for diverse learners.**
  • Educational assessment.*
  • Foundations of clinical supervision.*
  • Intellectual assessment.*
  • Intermediate literacy for diverse learners.**
  • Practicum field experience.**
* Supervised college teaching assistant.
** Graduate teaching fellow.
  • Assessment of autism spectrum disorder.
  • Caregiver-implemented interventions for children with autism spectrum disorder and other developmental disabilities.
  • Interventions to promote caregiver well-being and family empowerment.
  • Verbal behavior.
  • School Psychology, Outstanding Student Award, University of Oregon, 2018.
  • College of Education Doctoral Research Award, University of Oregon, 2018.
  • Trainers of School Psychologists Along with Pearson Clinical, 2018.
  • Florence Wolfard Fund Award, University of Oregon, College of Education, 2015.
  • School Psychology travel grant, University of Oregon, 2013-2018.
  • Association for Behavior Analysis International.
integrated Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders

University of Nebraska Medical Center
Munroe-Meyer Institute 
985450 Nebraska Medical Center
Omaha, NE 68198-5450

Clinic Appointments

Child smiling playing with a colorful fidget, Adobe Stock.
Department Services

Explore programs and services available through MMI's integrated Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders (iCASD) Department.