Autism Knows No Borders

Discover what’s possible when sensory needs are met.  David McIntyre is the Founder and CEO of Cubbie, an immersive personal space of sound and vision that uses Personalized Sensory Regulation (PSR) technology to regulate people with autism and sensory needs. Based in Ireland, David is the father of two autistic girls and also neurodivergent himself, diagnosed with dyslexia. In this conversation,...

Discover what’s possible when you take the leap.  We’re continuing to highlight our recent SkillCorps® trip to India! Our SkillCorps® volunteer program is an opportunity for self-advocates, family members, and professionals to travel to our international partner sites and collaborate with local stakeholders on employment initiatives in their communities.  In this week’s episode, you’ll hear from s...

Discover what's possible when employment is made accessible.  We’ve made it to episode 150! To celebrate this huge milestone, we are dedicating the next two episodes to our SkillCorps® volunteer program.  For almost 20 years, the Global Autism Project has been providing sustainable clinical, administrative, and leadership training to autism centers around the world seeking guidance. Our SkillCorps...

Discover what’s possible when someone fosters motivation by encouraging autonomy.  Today’s guest is Katerina Cizkova. Katerina is a psychologist and a previous Clinical Director at ABA Centrum, an autism center in Prague, Czech Republic.  In this conversation, we discuss: The types of services available for individuals with autism in the Czech Republic The potential harm of implementing interventi...

Discover what’s possible when the shadow of stereotypes is illuminated by humor and art.  Timothy Boykin is an autism self-advocate, author, singer, and influencer. With almost 40K followers on TikTok, Tim uses his platform to promote autism acceptance and bring attention to racial inequality.  In today’s conversation, we discuss: What it was like for Tim to learn about his diagnosis How he dealt...

Discover what’s possible when students lead the beat.  Stephen Flinn has been teaching music for over three decades. As a master trainer of the Rhythmic Arts Project curriculum, Stephen facilitates percussion-ensemble classes to students of all diagnoses. He has been featured in many international publications, including the Modern Drummer and DownBeat magazines, and published his first book, Cont...

Discover what’s possible when you create what you’re looking for. Sangeeta Jain is the mother of a 21-year-old young man with autism, Suvrat. Her older daughter Shreya was featured in episode 6 of this podcast, where she talked about growing up with a sibling on the spectrum. Sangeeta is also the principal at SOREM, a school for children with disabilities in Chandigarh, India.  The Global Autism P...

Discover what’s possible when identity is fluid.  This week’s episode is a recording of one of our Global Autism Community exclusive events! This roundtable was facilitated by community moderator Andrew Bennett, and its topic of discussion was Autistic Identity. The participants were Autistic Self-Advocates Thomas Iland, Sara Bradford, and Michael Gilberg, and community members Rosetta Walker, Van...

Discover what’s possible when certification is just the beginning.  The CEO of Global Autism Project, Molly Ola Pinney, is joined by the Co-Founder of the International Behavior Analysis Organization, Dr. Michael Mueller. The IBAO certifies practitioners to ensure ethical practices, protect consumers, and maintain appropriate educational standards in the field of ABA around the world.  A board cer...

Discover what’s possible when your life is not defined by a single identity.  Tiffany Hammond is an autism self-advocate, a mother to two boys on the spectrum, and the voice behind the blog Fidgets and Fries . As a Black and autistic woman, Tiffany aims to educate others about autism and intersectional advocacy.  In this conversation, we discuss: How Tiffany became aware of her differences The gui...

Discover what’s possible when belonging allows us to be who we are.  An Autistic Self-Advocate and BCaBA from Texas, Andrew Bennett has been a dedicated member of our community since 2019, and currently serves as a moderator in our online Global Autism Community. He contributed to our Responsive Skills Training as a committee member, and has traveled on two SkillCorps® volunteer trips , first to t...

Discover what’s possible when you seek to understand.  Dr. Gwen Palafox is a licensed psychologist with a focus on helping teens and young adults find their most fulfilled and joyful lives. She has been supporting disabled and neurodivergent individuals for over two decades, and is also the host of the podcast Dr. Gwen Empowered.  In today’s conversation, we discuss: Why Gwen is passionate about w...

Discover what’s possible when a child can fly free. Bobby Rubio is the writer and director of the Pixar SparkShort Float, which is a short animated film inspired by his relationship with his autistic son, Alex. Float is available for streaming on Disney+.  Bobby is known for his work on Hercules, Atlantis: The Lost Empire, and Incredibles 2, which earned him an Annie Awards nomination for Outstand...

Discover what’s possible when family comes first.  This week’s episode is a recording of one of our Global Autism Community exclusive events! The topic of this roundtable discussion was Family Dynamics. Participating in this event were Autistic Self-Advocates Mary Johnston and Corben Havener, as well as autism sibling and occupational therapist Cheryl Albright. In today’s conversation, we discuss:...

Discover what’s possible when you listen before you practice. Both Liz Lefebre and Amy Evans are Board Certified Behavior Analysts with specializations in Precision Teaching, Fluency Based Instruction, Instructional Design, and Assent Based Treatment. They are also the Co-Founders of Octave , an organization dedicated to improving skill sets of behavior analysts, teachers, and instructional design...

Discover what’s possible when cultural humility prompts curiosity and understanding.  This week's guests are Brandy Collins and Crystal Thompson.  Brandy is the founder and owner of Guiding Light Concepts , an autism center in Killeen, Texas. She is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, or BCBA, and a Certified Brain Injury Specialist with over 12 years of counseling experience. Brandy has dedicated...

Discover what’s possible when kindness starts with one.  Our guests today are mother and son, Sandy and Ben Hartranft. An Autistic Self-Advocate and public speaker, Ben visits schools, businesses, and organizations with the message of spreading kindness and inclusion. Sandy's book Swinging From The Chandelier: Finding Joy In The Journey Through Autism was published in 2022. In today’s conversation...

Discover what’s possible when action is the path to acceptance.  This week’s episode is a recording of one of our Global Autism Community exclusive events! After a few months of working behind the scenes on various projects, we’re happy to announce that our community events are back up and running. The topic of this roundtable discussion was Shifting From Awareness to Acceptance.  Participating in...

Discover what’s possible when diversity strengthens the workplace.  Our guests today are Stephanie De Kremer and Russell Botting. Stephanie and Russell are employees at Auticon , which is an IT consulting business that employs over 200 adults on the autism spectrum as IT consultants. Stephanie is one of them, and Russell is her job coach. They work together at Auticon’s office in London, England. ...

Discover what’s possible when you remember your why.  This week we are celebrating the 3-year anniversary of this podcast, as well as the 2-year anniversary of our online Global Autism 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 acceptance, and profe...

Discover what’s possible when you work kinder, not harder.  Today we’re bringing back the CEO and Founder of the Global Autism Project, Molly Ola Pinney, along with the organization’s Head of University and Training Programs, Ann Beirne. For the past several months, Ann and I have been working together on a very special project. We’ve developed Responsive Skills Training , a curriculum for entry-l...

Discover what’s possible when education is informed by science.  Michael John Carley is an autism self-advocate, author, and consultant. This pioneer in the world of autism advocacy was one of two people on the spectrum to address the US Congress in their first-ever hearings on autism. The truth is I could spend the rest of this episode listing Michael’s accolades, but I really want you to listen...

Discover what’s possible when progress starts at home.  Lenora Edwards is a Certified Speech Language Pathologist with over 10 years of experience treating children and adults. She is the Chief Knowledge Officer at Better Speech, a US-based, online service provider with 150 speech therapists working with individuals of all ages.  In today’s conversation, we discuss: Benefits and considerations of...

Discover what’s possible when authenticity gets the part.  Dr. Kerry Magro is an autism self-advocate, international motivational speaker, best-selling author, entertainment consultant, and non-profit founder.  Kerry is the author of the Amazon Best-Seller Defining Autism From The Heart, Autism and Falling in Love, and I Will Light It Up Blue. He also contributed to College for Students with Disab...

Discover what’s possible when travel is made accessible.  Dawn Barclay has dedicated over 30 years to working in different areas of the travel industry. Her recent book, Traveling Different: Vacation Strategies for Parents of the Anxious, the Inflexible, and the Neurodivese , offers helpful tips to soothe children’s travel anxieties. Dawn also writes fiction as D. M. Barr and holds leadership role...