See also: Services • Training Schedule • Testimonials & Kudos
Amy Rutherford, LPC-MHSP
Amy Rutherford currently serves as the Director of College Autism Spectrum. She co-founded and led the Mosaic Program at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga for nearly two decades. Amy co-authored The BASICS College Curriculum, a four-book series based on curriculum for autistic college students as they transition into and out of college. Amy founded The Navigate U Network and works as a consultant with many universities and businesses, specializing in Autism programming and neurodiversity hiring initiatives. She has participated in a variety of program evaluations, is proficient in project management and loves supporting study abroad possibilities for Neurodivergent students. Her research focuses on autism and neurodiversity in higher education and mental health services, as well as Universal Design and Leadership Studies. Amy is a Licensed Professional Counselor and loves incorporating authenticity into her practice as a neurodivergent practitioner. Amy loves creating inclusive environments, equitable experiences and serving others. In her free time she enjoys spending time on the water with her husband, kids and dog Roxy!
Jane Thierfeld Brown, Ed.D
Jane Thierfeld Brown is the former Director and Founder of College Autism Spectrum, former Assistant
Clinical Professor at Yale Child Study, Yale Medical School and retired Director of
Student Services at the University of Connecticut School of Law. She has worked in
Disability Services for 43 years. She holds an Ed.D from Columbia University,
Teachers College and received an honorary Doctorate of Letters from Muhlenberg
College in 2020. Dr. Brown consults with many families, students, school districts
and institutions of higher education and is the Transition Consultant for Farmington
High School, Farmington, Connceticut. Dr. Brown has appeared on Good Morning America, CBS News and NPR. She has co- authored” Neurodiversity and College,” (publication May 2025,) “ Students with Asperger’s: A Guide for College Professionals,” (2009) Published in Japanese 2017, “The Parent’s Guide to College for Students on the Autism Spectrum,” (2012) and “Behavior Management and Self- Regulation,” (2012) along with many textbook chapters and articles. She received
the Ron Blosser Dedicated Service Award from AHEAD in 2019. Dr. Brown is married and has three children, the youngest being a 33 year old son with Autism/Fragile X.
Dr. Lorraine E. Wolf, Ph.D.
Dr. Wolf serves as the Director of Disability Services and as Boston University’s 504 Coordinator. She received her undergraduate degree from Hampshire College, with concentrations in Genetics and Bioethics. She received a master’s degree in General Psychology from New York University and a doctorate in Basic and Applied Neurocognition from the City University of New York. Dr. Wolf was a postdoctoral fellow in Clinical Neuropsychology at the Cornell University Medical College. Prior to coming to Boston, she held faculty appointments in Psychiatry at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine and the Columbia University School of Medicine. Dr. Wolf has taught at the undergraduate and graduate levels and is a national and international presenter on disability topics in higher education. She co-edited the text Adult Attention Deficit Disorder: Brain Mechanisms and Life Outcomes (2001, Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences) and was senior co-editor of Adult Learning Disorders: Contemporary Issues (2008, Psychology Press, Taylor and Francis). She co-authored Students with Asperger’s Syndrome: A Guide for College Personnel (2009, Autism Asperger Publishing Company; 2017, Japanese translation; Second US edition in preparation) and The Parent’s Guide to College for Students on the Autism Spectrum (2012, Autism Asperger Publishing Company). Dr. Wolf holds faculty appointments as Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the Boston University School of Medicine and as Adjunct Associate Professor of Rehabilitation Sciences at the Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at Boston University. She co-developed “Strategic Education for the Autism Spectrum”, a widely adopted support model for students on the autism spectrum in higher education. Her research interests include attention and self-regulation in neurodevelopmental disorders and service delivery for college students with autism, attention deficit disorders and psychiatric disabilities. She enjoys scuba diving, adventure travel and her dogs.
Laurie Ackles, DSW
Laurie Ackles is a Doctor of Social Work in upstate NY and has served as the Director of the Spectrum Support Program at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) since 2010. Under Laurie’s leadership, the Spectrum Support Program has become a national leader in addressing the complex needs of an expanding population of degree seeking college students on the autism spectrum. Laurie is a trailblazer in her work related to helping college students on the autism spectrum prepare for successful employment after graduation. She serves as an advisor to Untapped Group, an Australian based organization that is focused on creating a sustainable neurodiverse employment ecosystem that effectively connects neurodiverse job seekers on the autism spectrum with employers seeking diverse talent. Laurie is a frequent national speaker and the author of several publications.
Nina Singer
Nina is currently pursuing her MBA at Bryant University with a concentration in Business Analytics. She also earned her undergraduate degree from Bryant, majoring in Finance with a minor in Psychology. During her time at Bryant, She was a member of the Women’s Soccer team, an experience that played a significant role in shaping her communication and time management skills, as well as work ethic. Balancing academics and athletics taught her the importance of discipline, teamwork, and perseverance—qualities she carries with her in both personal and professional endeavors. She is passionate about leveraging her background in finance, psychology, and analytics to drive strategic decision-making and create meaningful impact in the business world.
Kendra Evans
Kendra Evans (she/her) is the Director of the Spectrum Support Program (SSP) and the Neurodiverse Hiring Initiative (NHI) at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT).
She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Public Policy from the University of Chicago, a Master of Arts degree in Teaching from the University of Pittsburgh, and an MBA from the Rochester Institute of Technology. In 2022, she was awarded RIT’s Presidential Excellence Award.
Kendra’s professional focus is on the neurodivergent learner, from K12 to higher education with strong emphasis on career development. She is committed to advancing employment outcomes and quality of life for neurodivergent adults.
Kendra serves as collaborator and content area expert on grants, presents at national conferences,
and provides consultation and neurodiversity trainings to employers, most recently L’Oreal and
L3Harris, with upcoming workshops with the National Organization on Disability.
Kendra is the mother of three amazing teenagers and a springer doodle puppy. She walks each day
before dawn and rides or rows on her Peloton. Kendra is a fan of darts and logic puzzles, and her last
meal would be a soft pretzel and a craft beer at a ballpark, preferably Wrigley Field. #GoCubs