Dr. Kessler is an associate research scientist within the Phyllis Green and Randolph Cōwen Institute for Pediatric Neuroscience, where she conducts evaluations of children and adults diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders. In addition, she provides diagnostic evaluations, outpatient treatment, parent training, and school consultation to children and adolescents with various psychiatric diagnoses.

Dr. Kessler earned her Ph.D. from the State University of New York at Albany and completed postdoctoral training at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine.

Dr. Kessler has worked with children, adolescents, and adults in a number of settings, including schools, residential settings, psychiatric inpatient hospitals, and pediatric subspecialty clinics, as well as outpatient therapy settings. Prior to coming to the Child Study Center, she worked in private practice and held an adjunct professor position at UNC-Chapel Hill.