Lucy Gafford

Lucy Gafford is the Director of UNT WISE, a training and consultancy program within the College of Health and Public Service at the University of North Texas. She holds a Master of Science in Rehabilitation Counseling from UNT and is a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC). Her career includes 11.5 years with Texas' state Vocational Rehabilitation agency, where she served in roles such as transition counselor, unit program specialist, and area manager. She also serves as an adjunct professor in the Department of Rehabilitation and Health Services.

Her professional focus includes disability employment initiatives, neurodiversity support (via UNT’s Neurodiversity Advisory Committee), and improving diversity in hiring practices. She has participated in key committees like the DARS Transition Taskforce and the Texas DRS Leadership Academy.

Lucy’s training and mentoring expertise extends to staff development and business consultancy aimed at enhancing workplace inclusion for people with disabilities. Her work bridges academic, clinical, and policy domains to advance disability-related outcomes.