About

Dr. Edlyn Peña is the Program Director and Professor of the Education Leadership doctoral program at Cal Lutheran. She is an award-winning researcher who studies ways to support autistic students in the preschool through higher education pipeline. Her edited books, “Communication Alternatives in Autism” (2019) and "Leaders Around Me" (2019), feature prominent autistic individuals who advocate for communication and inclusion rights.  As a scholar and Director of the Autism and Communication Center, Dr. Peña’s service to the autism community has reached international audiences. 

Visit www.callutheran.edu/autism for more information about the Autism and Communication Center.

Education

• Ph.D. in Higher Education from the University of Southern California
• M.Ed. in Postsecondary Education and Student Affairs from the University of Southern California
• B.A. in Psychology with Highest honors from the University of California at Santa Cruz

Expertise

• Community College and university students on the spectrum
• Inclusion and communication needs of autistic students
• Equitable educational outcomes for college students

Publications

For for information about Dr. Peña's publications, please click on the Curriculum Vitae link.

Grant Funding

For for information about Dr. Peña's grant awards, please click on the Curriculum Vitae link.