Olivia Drexler, or Livy as they prefer to be called, is a researcher trained in medical and educational anthropology. Their work focuses on the intersection of disability, identity, and systems of care. Their interest in special education and disability studies is both deeply personal and professional. Growing up in Michigan as the older sibling to two autistic brothers, Livy developed an early awareness of the ways families navigate educational, medical, and social support systems. These experiences shaped their commitment to understanding how institutions serve, or fail to serve, individuals with disabilities and their communities.
Livy’s academic and professional work builds on this foundation through a community-engaged, mixed-methods approach. They are particularly interested in how people experience complex systems in their everyday lives, whether in classrooms, healthcare settings, or digital environments. Their research often centers on questions of access, equity, and the lived realities of disability, with a focus on amplifying the perspectives of those most directly impacted.
Their dissertation research examined culturally responsive special education programs serving Indigenous students, combining ethnographic fieldwork with close collaboration in a school setting. By working directly within the classroom as a paraprofessional and teacher’s aide, Livy was able to develop a nuanced understanding of how disability, culture, and trauma intersect in educational contexts. This work highlights the importance of contextually grounded approaches to special education and the need for systems that are responsive to diverse identities and experiences.
In addition to their anthropological training, Livy has experience in user-centered research and design, including survey development, usability testing, and experimental methods such as A/B testing. This combination of qualitative depth and quantitative analysis allows them to translate complex insights into actionable strategies for improving services, programs, and products.
Across all of their work, Livy is motivated by a central question: how can systems be designed or reimagined to better support the people who rely on them? Whether working in education, healthcare, or technology, they bring a thoughtful, human-centered perspective grounded in both lived experience and rigorous research.
Olivia Drexler 