Dr. Amy Accardo, Faculty Director of the Center for Neurodiversity and associate professor in the Interdisciplinary and Inclusive Education Department at Rowan University
Dr. Amy Accardo is the faculty director of the Center for Neurodiversity and an associate professor in the Interdisciplinary and Inclusive Education Department at Rowan University. Dr. Accardo’s scholarly activities focus on promoting equitable education opportunities for autistic young adults and working with neurodiverse students, faculty and staff to implement inclusive pedagogy and practices on campus. She has published numerous articles and presents research nationally on autism and topics including college access, literacy, teacher preparation, and mental health. Prior to serving as Center director, Dr. Accardo was director of the Ph.D. in Education Program as well as coordinator of the Teacher of Students with Disabilities Post Baccalaureate Program at Rowan University. Dr. Accardo is the founder and chair of the AERA Autism Spectrum Research Committee and an active member of the Council for Exceptional Children. Amy served as co-chair of the Rowan University Autism Task Force Research Committee, and as an active member of the Neurodiversity Task Force. She collaborates with the Accessibility Center and the Learning Resource Center-South to provide resources for teachers, autistic students and their parents, and mentors students with invisible disabilities on campus. Recent publications include the Book, College Success for Students on the Autism Spectrum: A Neurodiversity Perspective. Dr. Accardo holds a master’s degree from Drexel University and a doctoral degree in special education from Arcadia University. When not working, she is an avid runner and enjoys yoga and traveling with her family.
In her role as Faculty Director of the Center for Neurodiversity, some of Dr. Accardo’s responsibilities will include providing leadership and direction for the center and supporting the priorities of neurodivergent students, faculty and staff. This includes a focus on expanding student programming, events, professional development for faculty and staff, research, and community engagement. To get involved or to learn more about the Center for Neurodiversity please reach out to Dr. Accardo at neurodiversity@rowan.edu