Allison Lombardi

Allison Lombardi is a Professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Psychology and Special Education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Education. She specializes in transition services for disabled youth, focusing on college and career readiness. Her research has secured over $14 million in federal grants and includes over 75 peer-reviewed articles. She previously held roles at the University of Connecticut, including directing online graduate certificate programs in Special Education Transition and Postsecondary Disability Services.

Education: PhD (Special Education, University of Oregon), MA (Education, UC Berkeley), BA (English Literature, UC Berkeley).

Research Interests: Dr. Lombardi's work addresses systemic barriers faced by disabled students in education and the workforce. Key themes include: transition planning, inclusive instruction, policy advocacy, and STEM accessibility. She co-edits the journal Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals and leads initiatives like the NSF-funded study on disability equity in physics graduate programs.

Grants & Impact: Notable projects include the $1.28M NSF grant examining disability equity in STEM workplaces and the $2.5M federal initiative preparing special education leaders. Over 30 grants since 2011 demonstrate sustained impact in policy and practice.

Advising & Mentorship: Advised 13 doctoral students and oversaw hundreds of graduate certificate candidates. Current roles include Special Education PhD Program Coordinator at UW-Madison.

Labs/Teams: Collaborates with interdisciplinary networks such as the Alliance for STEM Inclusion (TAPDINTO-STEM) and leads research teams at the Rehabilitation Psychology and Special Education Department.