Jennifer Percival, Ph.D.

Dr. Jennifer Percival is the Director of Florida Atlantic University’s Center for Autism and Related Disabilities. She holds a Doctorate from FAU in Educational Leadership and Research Methodology, is a Nationally Certified Disability Rehabilitation Counselor, and her line of research is in Disability Studies, focusing on transition to adulthood. Dr. Percival is the author of Autism Friendly Business: Neurodiverse Customers (Routledge, 2023), Autism Friendly Cities: How to Develop an Inclusive Community (Routledge, 2022), and Families Creating Employment Opportunities for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities: Understanding the Contribution of Familial Entrepreneurship (Routledge, 2021).

Dr. Percival is on the Board of Directors for the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification, and she is the past Chairperson of the Board of Directors for the IDDeal Foundation which creates inclusive solutions for the intellectually and developmentally disabled community. Dr. Percival participates on national and regional advisory boards, work groups, and as an external evaluator for businesses and organizations that include: Royal Caribbean International, CareerSource Palm Beach County, the City of Boynton Beach, and the Palm Beach County Inclusion Network. Dr. Percival was the State of Florida’s Workforce System’s Barbara Griffin Workforce Excellence Award winner in 2017, FAU’s Lifelong Learning Society Student of the Year in 2017, and FAU’s College of Education North Campus Student of the Year in 2016. Dr. Percival’s doctoral research was recognized as second place in the State of Florida’s Graduate Research Symposium in 2019.

Dr. Percival has been in public service for over 20 years, and prior to working at FAU, she divided her career between the Florida Department of Education’s Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, and the Florida Department of Children and Families’ Division of Child Welfare. Dr. Percival is a community leader who develops infrastructure, diversification, and program improvement through her commitment to human services.