Fabricio E Balcazar

Dr. Fabricio E. Balcazar is a Professor and Director of the Center on Capacity Building for Minorities with Disabilities Research at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). He holds appointments in the Department of Disability and Human Development within the College of Applied Health Sciences. His work focuses on enhancing empowerment and employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities, particularly from minority backgrounds.

Dr. Balcazar earned his Ph.D. in Developmental and Child Psychology from the University of Kansas in 1987. He has led major grants including the U.S. Department of Labor's Jobs for Youth initiative and the NIDRR-funded Center on Capacity Building for Minorities with Disabilities Research. He co-edited Race, Culture and Disability: Issues in Rehabilitation Research and Practice and serves as a Fellow of the American Psychological Association (APA).

His research emphasizes culturally competent rehabilitation services and interventions for youth transitioning into employment. He has received numerous awards including the APA's Outstanding Service Award and UIC's Excalibur Teaching Excellence Award. Dr. Balcazar also serves on the Board of Youth Connections Charter School and has held leadership roles in APA Division 27 (Society for Community Research and Action).