Autism Knows No Borders

Discover what’s possible when someone lifts her mask and embraces true beauty.  Rachel Barcellona is an Autism Self-Advocate, model, author, singer, actress, and pageant winner. She is also a SkillCorps Alumni, having traveled with the Global Autism Project on a volunteer trip to the Czech Republic in 2018.  Since getting diagnosed at three years old, Rachel tried to fit in with neurotypical socie...

Discover what’s possible when communication is made available.  An educator, designer, and social entrepreneur from Sydney, Australia, Chris McDonald is the Founder and CEO of PicSeePal, a light-tech communication tool for all ages, abilities, and settings. In today’s conversation, we discuss: The level of autism acceptance and inclusion in Australia  Why Chris is passionate about working with the...

Discover what’s possible when you learn to accept yourself.  Mary Johnston is a 21-year-old Autistic Self-Advocate from New Hampshire. She hosts a blog called Autistic Rainbow 15 where she shares LGBTQ+ and disability-friendly tips, as well as information about inclusion and disability rights. A long-time member of our online Global Autism Community , Mary recently joined the moderator team to hel...

Discover what’s possible when the learning environment is set up for growth and success.  Sasha Long is a former special education teacher, a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, and the Founder and President of The Autism Helper, a company that shares resources and strategies online for parents and teachers of children with autism. Sasha has a unique perspective with experience on both sides of coll...

Discover what’s possible when you’re ready to have fun.  This week’s episode is a recording of one of our Global Autism Community exclusive events! The topic of this roundtable discussion was Summer Travel and Holidays. It was hosted by community moderator Corben Havener. Corben is an Autistic Self-Advocate from Indiana who joined our moderator team this last June.  Participating in this event wer...

Discover what's possible when you're on the inside looking out.  Sara Bradford is an Autistic Self-Advocate, children’s book author, and the CEO of SJ Childs LLC, an autism-consulting business that supports families. She also hosts her own podcast, The SJ Childs Show. Her husband and their three children are also on the spectrum.  In today’s conversation, we discuss: Sara’s recent discovery of her...

Discover what’s possible when stigma is shattered by courage.  Evas Kyomugisha is the founder and owner of Silver Bells, an autism center in Kigali, Rwanda. Silver Bells offers comprehensive services for families, including Applied Behavior Analysis, Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, and Music Therapy.  The Global Autism Project partnered with Silver Bells in April 2019. We have...

Discover what’s possible when you choose acceptance.  This week’s episode is a recording of one of our Global Autism Community exclusive events.  The topic of this roundtable discussion was Inclusion and Acceptance. It was hosted by community moderator David Sharif, just a few days before his sudden passing last April. I was unable to attend this event, so I had asked David to fill in for me. He d...

Discover what’s possible when curiosity sparks creation.  Today Cassie Harden Scott is back on the show. You may remember her from episode 23 with Rusty Hornig-Rohan and episode 42 with the rest of the Global Autism Project staff.  As our Director of Outreach, Cassie works closely with our international partners to help spread autism awareness and acceptance in their communities. She also designs...

Discover what’s possible when all notes are heard.  Today we’re featuring two members of the ASD Band, lead vocalist Rawan Tuffaha and drummer Spenser Murray, joined by their manager, Andrew Simon.  Comprised of musicians on the autism spectrum, the ASD Band was formed by Canadian charity Jake’s House to raise awareness and highlight strengths related to autism. If you’d like to learn more about J...

Discover what’s possible when you're given a hand to hold.  Today we are joined by the CEO of the Global Autism Project, Molly Ola Pinney, and Sensory Integration Therapist, Anna Tuzova. Anna is a Ukrainian refugee currently living in Poland.  If you've been following our work closely, you'll know that a few weeks ago Molly visited Poland with a small team to learn how to best support Ukrainian fa...

Discover what’s possible when learning doesn’t hurt.  Ann Beirne is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst with over two decades of experience working with children and families in a variety of settings. She is the co-author of Understanding Ethics in Applied Behavior Analysis: Practical Applications , now in its second edition. The book invites the perspectives of those within and outside the field o...

Discover what’s possible when wellness starts at bedtime.  Emily Varon is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst from California who focuses on sleep-related behavior. With more than 20 years in the field, Emily offers families and clinicians a broader, long-view perspective of sleep, producing more sustainable results over time.  In today’s conversation, we discuss:  The correlation between autism an...

Discover what’s possible when innovation brings connection.  Richard Schreiber is the father of a 16-year-old autistic girl, Katarina, and the Founder of the NYC Autism Community Group in Manhattan, which was created to help parents with children on the spectrum navigate their day-to-day challenges. With a background in tech, Richard’s passion is to bring innovation and career opportunities to aut...

Discover what’s possible when walls are broken down with vulnerability. Russell Lehmann is a motivational speaker, poet, author, and autism self-advocate. In 2018, Russell was awarded Reno-Tahoe’s “Most Outstanding Young Professional Under 40.” He has already published two books. The first is called Inside Out: Stories and Poems from an Autistic Mind , and the second is On the Outside Looking In ....

Discover what’s possible when you’re the one behind the wheel.  Andrew Arboe is an autistic self-advocate and the Founder of Driving with Autism , an educational program that helps autistic individuals and their families navigate the way towards becoming a driver. Andrew is also the Director of Community Outreach of Planning Across the Spectrum . You might remember episode 59 with their Founder, A...

Discover what’s possible when community becomes family.  This week we are celebrating the 2-year anniversary of our podcast, as well as the 1-year anniversary of our online community!  It’s been an eye-opening journey that continues to surprise, inspire, and move us. We’ve learned so much from self-advocates sharing their experiences, family members talking about accepting their children’s diagnos...

Discover what’s possible when you’re defined by your determination, dedication, and devotion.  It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that we release this episode. On April 23rd, we lost one of our most dedicated community members, David Sharif, to an epileptic seizure.  David made a huge positive impact in this world, inspiring everyone around him. He was a dear colleague, genuine friend, and...

Discover what’s possible when you act yourself.  Our guest today is Grace Everett. An autistic self-advocate, Grace is also a second-year college student, a theater artist, and an award-winning playwright. Her work in musical theater includes playing the title role in Carrie and Jo March in Little Women. The first play she wrote, The Last Sunrise of August 1973, won Texas Thespian Playworks in 201...

Discover what’s possible when representation is nuanced.  This week’s episode is a recording of one of our Global Autism Community exclusive events!  The topic of this round table discussion was Autism in the Media. Participating in this event were autism self-advocates Thomas Iland, Mary Johnston, Robert Schmus, Corben Havener, Andrew Arboe, and David Sharif, as well as community members Danielle...

Discover what’s possible when caring is enough to make a difference.  Today’s episode is part two of Team Saudi Arabia’s SkillCorps® journey. If you haven’t yet listened to part one, I encourage you to go back to episode 100 so that you can hear about the first half of the team’s trip.  If you have any personal or professional connection with autism — that is, if you’re a self-advocate, teacher, t...

Discover what’s possible when caring is enough to make a difference.  We’ve made it to episode 100! To celebrate this huge milestone, we’ve put together this special episode taking you on a journey with our SkillCorps® Saudi Arabia team.  For almost 20 years, the Global Autism Project has been providing sustainable clinical, administrative, and leadership training to autism centers around the worl...

Discover what’s possible when love begins with acceptance. What challenges do autistic people face when it comes to dating?  If you’re interested in hearing the autistic perspective on dating and relationships, you’ll want to listen to this roundtable discussion with our Global Autism Community, which was originally released on March 17, 2022. Participating in this event were autism self-advocates...

Discover what’s possible when winning comes second.  Scott Edgar is an autistic voice actor in Orlando, Florida, who has been recently featured in London’s Autism’s Got Talent. He has also participated in the Special Olympics, competing in basketball, bowling, and powerlifting.  In today’s conversation, we discuss: How Scott found out about his diagnosis How autism affects his life  Transitioning...

Discover what’s possible when experience informs best practice.  Martin Slyngstad is an autistic behavior specialist from California and the co-author of Chatter Box: My Life with Autism, A Mother and Son’s Perspective .  In today’s conversation, we discuss: Martin co-writing his autobiography with his mother  Coping with anxiety Music, snowboarding, and other special interests Martin’s work as a...