Leadership Team

John Woodruff, Co-Director, Center for Neurodiversity

John Woodruff (he/him/his) is Director of the Accessibility Services at Rowan University. He coordinates campus services for students with disabilities and manages transitions for students entering college. John holds an MS in Health Education from St. Joseph’s University and a BS in Business Administration from St. Francis University (Loretto, Pennsylvania). John is the co-author of a book with Dr. S. Kay Kuder and Dr. Amy Accardo entitled, College Success For Students On The Autism Spectrum: A Neurodiversity Perspective and co-author of a book with Dr. Michelle Kowalsky entitled, Creating Inclusive Library Environments. His most recent activities include program development, activities, and events to promote access and understanding on campus; and leadership of faculty-led and community–led strategic partnerships for inclusion, training and mentoring. John’s professional career reflects over thirty-eight years of education, training, administration and management of employment and training programs for persons with disabilities.

Chiara Latimer, Co-Director, Center for Neurodiversity

Chiara Latimer is Coordinator of the Autism PATH Program at Rowan University. This program is designed to support the transition of neurodiverse students from higher education into meaningful employment. Chiara has dedicated 10 years of her career to supporting neurodiverse students in clinical and educational settings. With the growth of neurodivergent students entering higher education, Chiara began teaching courses on career development and self-advocacy skills as an adjunct faculty member at Camden County College. In addition, she supported students and faculty in the implementation of academic accommodations at the Community College of Philadelphia. Chiara served as the inaugural co-chair of the Neurodiversity Affinity Group for the Eastern Association of Colleges and Employers. She currently serves as a member of Disability In: NJ. In 2022, Chiara was recognized by ROI-NJ as a Diversity & Inclusion Influencer and was recently highlighted in the article,"Hiring neurodiverse: 5 Questions with Rowan's Chiara Latimer." With a focus on career readiness and employer education, Chiara continues to promote the importance of empathy and inclusion in the workplace through professional conferences and training for employers.

Casey Woodfield, Ph.D., Faculty Fellow

Casey Woodfield is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Interdisciplinary & Inclusive Education at Rowan University. She earned her PhD in Special Education and Certificate of Advanced Study in Disability Studies from Syracuse University. Her scholarly activities center communication and inclusion as inextricably connected imperatives. Her research explores inclusive education as a vehicle of social justice, with an emphasis on lived experiences of neurodivergent students who use augmentative and alternative communication. Her work counters deficit discourses and constructed notions of competence to foster educational opportunities and practices grounded in the value of disability as diversity. She teaches courses on disability studies, inclusive education and autism at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Mary Kalliny, Graduate Coordinator 

Center for Neurodiversity Boards and Committees

• Student Advisory Board
• Neurodiversity Steering Committee