Lydia joined UCF Center for Autism & Related Disabilities (CARD) in May of 2026. She has a Master’s degree in Higher Education from Wilmington University and a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Bethel University. She began her career working for Michigan State University Extension before transitioning to Beacon College, a higher education institution that specifically works with students with learning disabilities. There, she initially worked within Housing & Residential Life, helping students navigate social-emotional situations, connecting them to wrap-around support services, and facilitating community and educational programming. Before coming to CARD, she served as the Director of Admissions at Beacon College and Evaluations Coordinator for their summer programming, where she helped guide transitional conversations with students and families, collect data on a student’s skills and readiness for post-secondary steps, and provide comprehensive evaluation and recommendations for next steps. Lydia’s passion for working with individuals with autism and related disabilities stemmed from growing up with her younger brother and was the catalyst for choosing this field.