Dr. Jackie’s Bio

Written By: jackiemarquette

Dr. Jackie Marquette is an autism transition specialist, consultant, advisor, author, independent researcher, founder and creator of the Capability Approach and Broad Creative Support System as it relates to vocation, life goals, and interdependent living.  She has a Ph.D. from University of Louisville, Foundations and Human Resource Education, with emphasis on autism and special education. She holds a KY teaching certification in Learning Behavior Disorders. She has been researching and teaching since 1988, and was adjunct professor at Bellarmine University, Louisville, KY.  Since 1998 she has been consulting on behalf of young adults with autism in school transition or in challenging life phases.

Marquette’s 35 year old son Trent has autism and over the years she learned through the peaks and valleys of trial an error in establishing a meaningful life of work and community living. Through insights from experiential knowledge, professional work, and  research, she designed the Capability Approach and the Broad Creative Support System.

She is in private practice providing consultation to crisis and prevention corporations, school districts, and individuals with autism and their families. Through consultation, she uses the Capability and Independence Scale she created through her research. Currently, she consults and provides the Capability Approach assessment in the Kentucky Office of Vocational Rehabilitation. She has consulted to Non-Abusive Psychological and Physical Intervention (NAPPI),  Crisis and Prevention Institute (CPI), Fayette County School District and Kentucky Autism Training Center (KATC).
Marquette has written five books, Independence Bound, Becoming Remarkably Able, My Paintings, My Voice: Reflections on Finding Myself, Autism and Post High School Transition to Community Assisted Living: Parental Perceptions (dissertation), and the Capability and Independence Scale: A diagnostic tool and planning manual, and a chapter in Embracing Autism.

Marquette has publications in periodicals: Lime Magazine, Autism File, TASH Journal, Autism Asperger’s Digest, her web site and blog: www.drjackiemarquette.com

Her writings includes personal experiences with Trent her son who has autism, qualitative research, strategies for young adults with autism to support employment, college life, and greater interdependence. She has created numerous assessment tools to facilitate the individual and family shift within life phases and/or family crises.

Through family consultation she designs practical and workable solutions all based on goals and dreams with an integrated emphasis on the young adult’s strengths, capabilities and intensity of need for supports, family needs and resources.
Marquette is a seminar speaker, workshop presenter, and was a radio talk show host  in 2008 advocating for young adults and the use of the Capability Approach and Broad Creative Support System.
She is an art manager for her autistic son’s art exhibits and competitions. Trent Altman was awarded the United Nations Autism Awareness Stamp, 2012 with his art image, An Abstract Garden II.
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Additional Information

Please read how her philosophy evolved in her BLOG), ‘THE JOURNEY with My Son‘. Her philosophy has been impacted based upon her son Trent’s personal journey from childhood to adulthood. Trent has autism and is 35 years old. She shares personal reflections and intimate details of Trent’s childhood journey to the life he enjoys today.

The phase from school to adult living affects the entire family and the result becomes uncertainty in how your son or daughter will grow and live. For over 25 years she studied how people with disabilities achieved successful employment, community living, and a quality of life. The last 10 years she gained first hand knowledge in adult and community living struggling to establish resources for her son Trent who has autism. With all the effort, he lives in his own house with a roommate, employed at a retail store, and self employed as an award winning artist.

Through the findings by others as well as her own research, Dr. Jackie discovered insights and developed new tools that when applied have helped young adults reach higher resiliency and capability levels. Dr. Jackie is in private practice and it is her honor to help your teen or young adult and family find solutions that are highly personal to your desires, goals, and needs.

Her research interests are social issues and disability, community inclusion, and the emotional stability in youth with autism and related disabilities. To see additional research interests go to the page Dr. Jackie’s Research Interests