Lindsay Athamanah

Dr. Lindsay Athamanah is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Educator Preparation and Leadership at the University of Missouri–St. Louis. She holds a PhD in Special Education from the University of Illinois at Chicago and completed a postdoctoral fellowship as an MSU-DOCTRID Hegarty Fellow at Michigan State University and National University of Ireland, Galway. Her research focuses on peer mentoring programs, employer capacity for hiring individuals with IDD, and comorbidities in Down Syndrome.

Education:

• PhD in Special Education, University of Illinois at Chicago
• Postdoctoral Fellowship: MSU-DOCTRID Hegarty Program (Michigan State University & National University of Ireland, Galway)

Research interests include:

• Peer-mediated interventions in inclusive employment settings
• Friendship development between individuals with and without IDD
• Health comorbidities (e.g., gastrointestinal issues, sleep disorders) in Down Syndrome
• Building employer capacity for disability inclusion

Her work spans 16 publications, with recent focus on integrated employment supports, peer mentoring efficacy, and health challenges in IDD populations. Collaborations include national service providers like Daughters of Charity Disability Support Services in Ireland.

Grants and advising activities are not explicitly detailed in the text. She has contributed to client registry development for disability support services and advocates for 'dignity of risk' principles in inclusive education.