1 in 31: Autism Today

Sean Ahlquist is an associate professor of architecture at the University of Michigan’s Taubman College of Architecture and  Urban Planning. Most recently, he has created a sensory theater experience for children with ASD! Initially, he had sought  out solutions to help his daughter with her autism, by learning more about her specific needs. Tune in to hear Sean  discuss his research on the design...

Art is a member of the Rhinebeck Masonic Lodge. This group of Freemasons has been active since 1859!  They are heavily involved members of their local community. Earlier this year, they offered fundraising support to Anderson through a community dinner. They are also members of the Autism Supportive Community initiative in Rhinebeck. Tune in to learn more about Art and the Rhinebeck Masonic Lodge!

Chris is the Executive Director of Rutgers Center For Adult Autism Services. He is also an assistant professor of Clinical Practice at Rutgers university. The Rutgers Center For Adult Autism Service  offers adults with ASD a one-of-a-kind support program that makes an independent and fulfilling life possible. The center is located on Rutgers’ Douglass Campus and is led by the Graduate School of Ap...

Jonah is the owner of [words] Bookstore in Maplewood, New Jersey. Their mission is to engage readers of all ages and interests, while also welcoming patrons and employees with autism. [words] has hired over 100 young people with autism as part of their vocational training program since they opened in 2009. Tune in to learn more about Jonah, his family and [words] Bookstore!

Lauren is the Manager of the Volunteer Services Department at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. She has been with the museum for almost five years, helping to facilitate accessibility programs and initiatives. The Discovery Squad is a unique tour program designed for families affected by autism spectrum disorders. The program was developed in 2013 in collaboration with the S...

Tune in to hear from Kathleen, Anderson's Director of Program Services and Mayor Bassett of the Village of Rhinebeck! This year, ACA collaborated with the Village to support their effort to establish the Village of Rhinebeck as an Autism Supportive Community. They are the first in our region to earn this distinction! Learn more about the ASC committee & initiative and what the future holds for thi...

Dr. Shulman is a professor in the Pediatrics Department at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. She is also a leading developmental pediatrician who specializes in diagnosing and treating children with autism spectrum disorder and other developmental and learning disabilities. More recently, she is a principal investigator for SPARK (Simons Foundation Powering Autism Research) which is a landmark...

Dr. Spencer is an associate professor at the University of South Florida in the Department of Child and Family Studies. She has been a board certified behavior analyst for nearly 20 years. Tune in to learn more about her current research and other recent works!

Steve Dambra is a pastor at Odyssey Church, located in Poughkeepsie NY. Odyssey is a worship service looking to integrate everyone! Their goal is to adapt worship for people with physical, emotional, and intellectual disabilities. Early next year, Odyssey will be hosting their second "Night to Shine" Prom! A Night to Shine is sponsored by the Time Tebow Foundation, and is held in multiple location...

Tara is the CEO of Specialisterne USA, Brennan is the Corporate Engagement Manager. Specialisterne is a Danish not for profit founded in 2004, with the goal to create one million jobs globally for people with autism. Their mission is to share best practices, disseminate knowledge and spread the Specialisterne model, in order to provide training, education and employment for individuals with autism...

Steve is the managing director of Popcorn for the People, a nonprofit in East Brunswick, NJ. Steve's son Sam is a young adult on the autism spectrum who was finding it difficult to find gainful employment. Steve was then inspired to start Popcorn for the People, which provides meaningful and lasting employment for adults with autism and other developmental disabilities. They also provide 14 differ...

Dr. Scalli is the founder of Earth to Autism (E2A), a Florida based non-profit organization on a mission to help adults with Autism gain and maintain meaningful employment opportunities in green industry jobs. The organization serves two of Dr. Scalli's passions: environmental preservation and helping adults balancing their lives on the autism spectrum. Tune in to learn more about E2A and Dr. Scal...

Beth joined Felicity House in 2014 as the Executive Director, bringing with her over 15 years of experience in not-for-profit management. Felicity House is a non-clinical community space for adult women with autism. At FH women gather to meet, socialize, pursue interests, learn, create, connect to other resources, find supportive people, and laugh! Tune in to learn more about Beth and this amazing...

Molly Ola Pinney is the founder and CEO of the Global Autism Project. Molly began her career in the autism field as an ABA therapist. She founded the Global Autism Project in 2003. They work to promote the acceptance and integration of individuals with autism worldwide by training communities in culturally relevant, sustainable practices. Currently, GAP works in ten different countries across four...

Marc Garcia has been the CEO of The Mesa Convention and Visitors Bureau for 7 years! Currently, Visit Mesa is on a journey to make Mesa Arizona the first-ever autism certified travel destination in the United States! Tune in to learn more about Marc, Visit Mesa, and the great strides Mesa is making to be a more inclusive city.

Marcelle is a Senior Recruiter and Outreach Specialist at ULTRA Testing. ULTRA is a New York based technology company that provides highly flexible, high quality software testing services through exceptional onshore teams that include individuals on the Autism Spectrum. Marcelle is also an author, autism advocate, and parent among many other titles! Tune in to learn more about Marcelle & ULTRA.

Stephanie is the founder of SPECIAL Foundation for Autism, and the owner of Maine-Tex Salsa.  The direction and focus for SPECIAL, is to establish a work program that will provide one-on-one training and support for individuals on the spectrum, who will be employed by Maine-Tex to assist in the production of salsa! Tune in to learn more about Stephanie's special connection to Autism, and visit: ht...

Dallas actor, writer, and mom Jessica Cavanagh  turns her experience of raising a child with autism to a strong,  artistic message for families like hers. Self-Injurious Behavior runs Friday through Sunday through September 28 at Theatre 68, North Hollywood, CA. 

Patrick is the CEO & Co-Founder of Spectrum Designs, Tim is the Chief Operating Officer. Spectrum Designs is a Long Island based non-profit organization in the screen printing & embroidery field. They create custom made decorated apparel and accessories. Spectrum Designs is a business with a social mission: to help individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder lead full and productive lives through th...

Madison is a local artist from Rhinebeck, NY! She has promoted & exhibited her art in local galleries in NYC, Beacon and at Hudson Valley Comic Con. Tune in to learn more about Madison, or follow her instagram to view her latest artwork: mmcdoodles

Mark is the Executive Director of Sales and Marketing for Robokind. Robokind's mission is to engage, enhance, and enrich students through a cost-effective interactive education, which utilizes robots to support diverse and inclusive education for all students! Robokind does this through Milo the robot - a facially expressive humanoid robot! Milo the robot is designed to be interesting and approach...

Harish is the co-founder of Zenaviv a social enterprise start up that recognizes and promotes the talents of those on the autism spectrum.  All artists earn 66% of the profits from the sale of their art - improving their self-esteem, helping secure their financial future, and providing hope to their families. Harish and his eldest son Saket launched Zenaviv in 2016 to bring recognition to the uniq...

Dr. Adams is a professor and autism researcher at Arizona State University. His research group is dedicated to finding the causes of autism, how to prevent autism, and how to best help people with autism. Their focus is primarily on biomedical issues, including nutritional deficiencies, heavy metal toxicity, and bacterial overgrowths in the gut. Tune in to learn more about this groundbreaking rese...

Amy is the  Director of Program Development at South East Consortium, located in Mamaroneck, NY. The South East Consortium provides unique recreation opportunities for those with disabilities residing in lower Westchester County. Different programs range from physical recreation & sports to expressive & fine arts, plus daily living experiences. Tune in to learn more about Amy's role at SEC and her...

Rebecca is the president of auticon, U.S. auticon's mission is to create as many jobs as possible for autistic adults. For this reason, auticon expands its services in business segments that match the strengths of autistic people. They are an international IT service provider with locations across Europe, Canada and the U.S. Tune in to learn more about auticon or visit https://auticon.us/