Ryan Villacrucis, B.S.

Ryan Villacrucis is a recent graduate from UCLA with a bachelor’s degree in biology. He is currently pursuing the pre-med path. Over the years, he immersed himself in various roles in the disabled community. Notable experiences include being a caregiver for neurodiverse individuals, working at a clinic to provide healthcare services to patients with disabilities, and additionally working with various organizations as an advocate for disability justice and equity in education. These experiences helped him cultivate a passion for researching disparities, inaccessibility, and inequity that the community is faced with, and he is dedicated to translating this passion to the work that he does in the Lord Lab. Currently, he is involved in a project researching caregivers’ experiences with obtaining disability services such as SSI/SSDI and healthcare services through Medicare/Medicaid. As a trainee, he strives to continue to do work that’s committed to advocate for the livelihoods and well-being of individuals with disabilities and their respective caregivers.