Center for Leadership in Disability Welcomes Andrew Roach, PhD as Associate Director

August 30, 2013

The Center for Leadership in Disability (CLD), a University Center for Excellence in Disability at Georgia State University (GSU) is pleased to announce that Andy Roach, PhD, has joined the faculty staff as Associate Director. In addition to his position at CLD, Dr. Roach is an associate professor with joint appointments in the School of Public Health and the Department of Counseling and Psychological Services in the College of Education. 

Dr. Roach was most recently an Association Professor and Executive Director of the Collaborative Research and Evaluation Office at Arizona State University. He is returning to GSU after starting his academic career here in the College of Education, rising from the rank of Assistant to Associate Professor between 2005 and 2011. Dr. Roach's research and scholarly writing focus on the design and implementation of inclusive educational programs and assessments for students with disabilities.

Daniel Crimmins, PhD, CLD Director, said, "We are so excited to have Andy return to GSU. He brings great ideas, energy, and commitment to the work of the center. He is a gifted researcher and teacher. I, with my colleagues at CLD and the College of Education look forward to our work together in advancing our shared missions."

In 2010, Dr. Roach received the Lightner Witmer Early Career Research Award from the school psychology division of the American Psychological Association. Dr. Roach also received the Council for Exceptional Children's Early Career Publication Award in 2007 for a study that examined the influence of access to the general curriculum on students' with disabilities performance on statewide assessments. He has been an investigator and consultant on multiple U. S. Department of Education grants and subcontracts for inclusive assessment validation research. He also currently serves as an association representative on the Joint Committee on Standards for Educational Evaluation.

With the addition of Dr. Roach to the faculty, CLD looks forward to further growth in the education of advocates and professionals and the development of innovative best practices and research in the field of disabilities.