Meet the Director

Dr. Angela Barbour is a Certified Autism Specialist and the Director of SPARK360^o, the University of Oklahoma's only full-service autism support program. She earned her PhD in Special Education from the University of Oklahoma in 2025, specializing in supporting autistic students in transitioning from high school to college and the workforce.  She is a diehard Sooner, having earned both her BA in Psychology (2005) and her MEd in School Counseling (2007) from the University of Oklahoma, before later returning to pursue her PhD.

Dr. Barbour joined the University in June of 2019 as the Associate Director of the Accessibility and Disability Resource Center before moving to the Zarrow Institute on Transition & Self-Determination in 2023 to launch the SPARK360^o program.

Angela is a passionate advocate for individuals with disabilities and the students she works with. Her research interests center around autistic students in higher education and include sense of belonging and best practices for providing support through specialized programs.

Angela lives in Norman with her husband, their two children, and three dogs. In her spare time, she enjoys non-academic reading, crafting, and listening to true crime podcasts.