1 in 31: Autism Today

Tune in to hear from another wonderful Anderson Center for Autism parent. In this episode, Eliza talks with Ed Hussey. Ed's son was placed in ACA's childrens program over 10 years ago, since he has graduated, and is now in our adult program! Learn more about Ed, his family, and his experiences with ACA!

On this week's show, we welcome back Susan Levin. Susan is the parent of an individual on the autism spectrum (Ben, a previous 1 in 54 guest!).  She joins us to discuss her recent "awakening" about her sons autism diagnosis. Susan feels she is able to love her son differently and better by surrendering her fears about his disorder. Tune in to hear more about Susan's parent perspective!

Tune in to hear from two amazing Anderson's moms - Barbara & Jackie. Hear their firsthand experiences about placing a child residentially in our program, how and why they give back to Anderson, and their involvement in our family group, Anderson Family Partners.

Join us today to hear from Ben Levin, and his mother Susan. Ben was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder at age 5. He is an avid reader and a published author, he has written over 150 books! Ben discusses a profound change he went through during the COVID-19 Pandemic in 2020. His outlook and message about his status as a person with autism, has become one of self-embrace after many years of fee...

Nathan Gonyea, Ph. D. is the Officer in Charge for SUNY Empire State College. Before that, he was the Dean of the School for Graduate Studies at SUNY Empire, previously serving as Interim Dean and Associate Dean of the School for Graduate Studies. He joins us today to discuss SUNY Empire, and their current partnership with ACA in creating their Center for Autism Inclusivity. The Center provides ed...

Roy is a former New York State Senator, representing the 43rd District, as well as Districts 100 and 112 in the New York State Assembly. He is also a huge advocate for the Autism community, as he has two grandsons on the spectrum. Tune in to learn more about Roy and his work & experiences in the capital region! www.nysenate.gov/senators/roy-j-mcdonald

Tune in to meet the team from Ability & Beyond Fitness! Gillian Christian PT, DPT, is Ability's Chief Operating Officer, Myrna Alcy, MOT, OTR/L, is the Chief Financial Officer and Crystal Mendez-Covington MOT, OTR/L, is the Chief Marketing Officer! Ability & Beyond Fitness is a forward-thinking LLC consulting business that addresses disparities that adults with developmental disabilities face. In...

John & Caren are the co-authors of In a Different Key: The Story of Autism. Their book was recently made into a documentary film and debuted at the Oxford Film Festival! In a Different Key chronicles John & Caren's search for the first person formally diagnosed with autism to explore whether that patient’s life held relevance for their own loved ones who also were diagnosed with autism. Tune in to...

Meet the duo who combined their innovative ideas for helping children build functional skills and succeed in the classroom to design educational approaches that have improved lives around the world! Andy Bondy & Lori Frost are the co-developers of the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), as well as the founders of Pyramid Educational Consultants. Their goal is to help individuals with dev...

Shoshana is a high school student in southern Florida. She created the Wishing' U Well organization after seeing the social & mental health effects COVID-19 had on the special needs community. Wishing' U Well is a safe space where individuals can practice all aspects of their health from the comfort of their own home. They can potentially create new life skills, valuable lessons, and even make new...

Janine Kruiswijk is the Executive Director of the Autism Society of the Greater Capital Region, she has been with the agency for over ten years! The ASGCR's mission is to promote lifelong opportunities for people on the autism spectrum and their families, so they can be fully participating members of their communities. They are community builders... providing referral services, advocacy services,...

Courtney Burke is the Chief Operating and Innovation Officer at the Healthcare Association of New York State (HANYS). As chief operating and innovation officer, Courtney oversees all of HANYS’ operations and ensures optimal alignment of the Association’s various functions – from healthcare policy and advocacy to quality improvement and data analysis. HANYS is a nonprofit working to ensure that eve...

Dr. Bambara is a Professor and Program Director of Special Education at Lehigh University. Her expertise in developmental disabilities spans over 30 years, and includes research in the areas of social and communication interventions, self-determination and self-management interventions, and positive behavior supports for individuals challenging behaviors. Tune in to learn more about Dr. Bambara an...

Tune in to hear from Dani LoVecchio, the Executive Director and co-founder of Bridge Kids NY. Dani is a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) in New York and New Jersey and is certified by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).  She is also a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), and Licensed Behavior Analyst in the state of New York. Bridge Kids NY, located in NYC, offer...

Tune in to learn more about The Autism Nature Trail (ANT) at Letchworth State Park in Castile, NY. Loren Penman is the Co-Chair on this project which is six years in the making! The trail is scheduled to be completed for this years hiking season! The ANT is ADA compliant and accessible for visitors of all abilities and ages! This recreational trail will allow all visitors to push boundaries, explo...

Dr. Unadkat received his medical degree from the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine, and a Master’s degree in health administration and policy from New York University. He is a founding member and the Chief Medical Officer of StationMD. While working in the ER, he saw the great needs individuals with disabilities have when it comes to finding primary care and acute care physicians. This led...

Tune in to hear from a repeat guest! Harish Bikmal is the founder and CEO of Zenaviv, a social enterprise changing the way the world perceives people with autism, by celebrating their unique abilities and promoting their talent. Joining Harish is Yuvraj, the founder of the Buddy Program at Zenaviv. The Buddy Program strives to end the social isolation in people on the autism spectrum & the neurodi...

Tune in to hear from Becky Large, the founder and Executive Director of Champion Autism Network. CAN is a nonprofit autism awareness organization located in Surfside Beach, South Carolina. Their goals are to: raise autism awareness, reduce criticism and judgement and help families with children on the autism spectrum develop a network of like-minded people and supports. Visit them online: champion...

Dr. Miller is an assistant professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of California, Davis. She is a licensed clinical psychologist whose specialty is in early diagnosis of, and comorbidity between, autism and ADHD. She was the principal investigator on the MIND Institute's "Early Risk Study Team". Tune in to learn more about Dr. Miller's research study and their findings!

Michael has been involved in the ASD field for over 20 years! He is the  former Executive Director of 'GRASP' - the largest organization in the world comprised of adults on the Autism Spectrum. Michael also sits on the board of directors for NEXT For Autism. Tune in to learn more about Michael and his experiences as an individual on the spectrum, as well as the parent of a child on the spectrum!

Patricia Wright is the Senior Vice President of Program Development at NEXT for AUTISM, Brad Walker is the Vice President of Community Living Supports. NEXT was founded almost 20 years ago! They work to create and support exceptional educational, clinical, and vocational programs for individuals on the autism spectrum. Tune in to learn more about NEXT for AUTISM's past, and their future!

Tune in to learn more about Jamiel! Jamiel has his own podcast: the Ausome Show. Their mission is to support families and those closely affected by Autism within the Tri-state area with direct access to resources through radio and other mediums, for a better outcome of life for their “Au-some” children. Follow them on online: Facebook.com/theausomeshow or Instagram: @theausomeshow

Tune in to learn more about Crew Binnette, President of Crew's Frozen Treats! Crew joins us with his older brother Cross, to discuss their growing ice cream business, based out of Pawling, NY. Follow them on Facebook to stay updated: https://www.facebook.com/CrewsFrozenTreats/

Andrew is the autism transition coordinator of Planning Across the Spectrum, a provider of comprehensive special needs certified financial planning service for individuals, families and employers. Andrew helps teens, young adults, and their parents navigate adulthood with autism. He also organizes a national autism event calendar, writes blog posts about his experiences as an adult with autism, an...