Autism Weekly Podcast

This week, we are joined by Dr. Wendy J. Ross, the inaugural director of Jefferson’s Center for Autism and Neurodiversity. Dr. Ross shares her insights on making medical care more inclusive for autistic individuals, focusing on enhancing access and support through innovative programs. We will be discussing her pioneering initiatives, including the Autism Airport Inclusion Program and the importanc...

This week, we are joined by Jessica Moore, Executive Director of AutismTN. Jessica shares her inspiring journey from interior design to becoming a Gentle Sleep Coach, and now leading AutismTN in supporting families and advocating for autism awareness. We’ll also discuss how AutismTN amplifies the voices of the local autistic community and the impact of their Drive to Thrive collaboration with Vand...

This week, we are joined by Dr. Patricia Wright and Katie Curran from Proof Positive, a national nonprofit focused on advancing positive psychology and wellbeing for autistic individuals. Dr. Wright, a global leader in autism advocacy, and Katie, an expert in resilience training and positive psychology, share how their organization integrates happiness science with autism services to promote more...

This week, we are joined by Robyn Steward, who is an autism trainer with over 15 years of experience, specializing in practical strategies for supporting autistic individuals. She has worked globally, delivering training and consultancy to organizations, media, and local authorities. As a mentor to autistic people and a published author with Jessica Kingsley Publishers, Robyn focuses on safety and...

This week, we are joined by Amy Gravino, a Certified Autism Specialist, autism consultant, and founder of A.S.C.O.T Consulting. Diagnosed with autism at a time when little was understood about it, Amy has overcome many personal and social challenges. She’s dedicated her career to advocating for autism acceptance and education, with a special focus on relationships and sexuality. Amy recently devel...

This week, we are joined by Jessica Wilbur and her lawyer, Tessa Muir, to discuss a personal experience that highlights the challenges families of autistic children can face in school settings. Together, we’ll talk about how schools, parents, and legal systems can work better to understand and support neurodiverse students. Download to learn more! Tessa Muir is a partner at SBBL Law, where she lea...

This week, we are joined by Ruchi Kapila, a Punjabi-American, non-binary speech-language pathologist, vocologist, and voice teacher who specializes in gender-affirming care in voice for trans and autistic individuals. Through their work at Kapila Voice and Speech Services and their involvement with the Bay Area Autism Collective, Ruchi is paving the way for more inclusive and supportive voice ther...

  This Week on Autism Weekly: Transforming Workplaces for Neurodivergent Individuals with Dave Caudel In this episode, we are thrilled to welcome Dave Caudel, Executive Director of the Frist Center for Autism and Innovation. With a passion for understanding how things work and a personal diagnosis of Asperger’s syndrome, Dave brings a unique perspective to the conversation. As a father of three ch...

Today's guest, Sylvia Moore Myers, is an experienced entrepreneur, author, and business consultant with over 30 years of expertise. Certified in mental health, life coaching, and crisis intervention, she is the founder and CEO of Gold Scars, LLC. Sylvia authored "Gold Scars," offering insights into grief, loss, and trauma. As a sought-after speaker, she inspires audiences to embrace S.C.A.R. (Stre...

This week, we are excited to welcome Dr. Sarah Shultz, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Emory University School of Medicine. Dr. Shultz is a leading autism researcher, focusing on its neural and behavioral origins. Her work at Marcus Autism Center uses neuroimaging techniques to improve early identification and intervention. She also leads several NIH-funded projects on br...

This week, we are excited to welcome Ronnie Daniel, the executive director at the Children First Education Fund. Ronnie brings a wealth of experience from his extensive nonprofit leadership roles, including his advocacy for children with disabilities, especially those with autism. Today we will be discussing how to support children with autism, the impact of the Children First Education Fund, and...

This week, we are excited to welcome Dr. Aaron Rachelle Campbell to the podcast. Dr. Campbell is an Assistant Professor of Special Education at the University of Missouri, specializing in culturally responsive practices and interventions for minoritized students in underserved communities. Her research focuses on reducing exclusionary discipline practices and enhancing student-teacher relationship...

This week, we are excited to welcome Dr. Jaye Odom who is a licensed psychologist in New Mexico with impressive board certifications in applied behavior analysis and bariatric counseling. She has also reached clinical reliability in a gold standard assessment, highlighting her commitment to excellence. Today, we will be discussing how improving autism services in rural areas and the importance of...

This week, we are excited to welcome Dr. Bryn Harris to the podcast. Dr. Harris is a distinguished Professor at the University of Colorado Denver with a dual appointment in the School of Education and Human Development and the Department of Pediatrics (Developmental Pediatrics). She is also the director and founder of the bilingual school psychology program at the university and a bilingual (Spani...

This week, we're excited to welcome Dr. Bethany Raiff, a leader in combining technology with behavioral interventions to promote healthy behaviors. Dr. Raiff will share her insights on using innovative tools to support families raising autistic children, including video game-based learning and mobile interventions for encouraging positive habits. Whether you're a parent, therapist, or passionate a...

This week, we are joined by Rachel Dorsey, an autistic speech-language pathologist. Rachel has an extensive background in supporting children with a variety of neurodivergences and medical conditions through speech, language, social connections, self-advocacy, emotional and sensory regulation, and feeding challenges. She is also working on developing a continuing education course focused on affirm...

This week, we are joined by Dr. Pranali Hoyle, a seasoned Behavior Analyst with over 20 years in the field, specializing in autism, ADHD, and more. Holding degrees from Kean University and a doctorate focused on mindfulness-based parent-child interactions, Dr. Hoyle is here to discuss the work she does at Neurodiversity of northeast and incorporating mindfulness and compassionate care in ABA pract...

This week, we are joined by Milena Suarez, a passionate advocate for the autistic community. Born in Bogotá, Colombia, Milena pursued psychology at the Universidad Católica de Colombia, working with victims of domestic violence before moving to the U.S. in 2020. She recently completed her master's in ABA and is now on her way to becoming a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). Milena is driven...

This week, we are joined by Dr. Janie Funk, who is the Clinical Director at Behaven Kids, overseeing the  ABA programs and services across all locations. Dr. Funk brings over a decade of experience in providing  services for individuals with neurodevelopmental and related disabilities. Dr. Funk's contributions are  pivotal in expanding Behaven Kids reach to support more families in Nebraska. Her c...

This week, we are joined by Landa Fox, a BCBA and Certified Sexual Health Educator with extensive experience in autism and developmental disabilities. Landa specializes in inclusive sexual health education for autistic and neurodivergent individuals. Today, she'll share vital insights on the importance of this education, effective strategies for parents and caregivers, and how ABA therapy can aid...

Join us on this week's Autism Weekly podcast where our host, Jeff Skibitsky, engages in a meaningful conversation with Dr. Nicole Young, Clinical psychology director for California at ABS Kids. This episode takes a deep dive into the significance of April, highlighting its importance as both Child Abuse Prevention Month and Autism Acceptance Month. Dr. Young shares her insights on what autism acce...

This week, we are joined by Dr. Han Ren, a licensed clinical and school psychologist, consultant, and speaker, deeply committed to liberation and anti-oppressive work. Through widely viewed social media content, Dr. Ren makes mental health accessible, focusing on collective healing in marginalized communities like Asian-Americans and children of immigrants. Featured on TEDx, Headspace, Buzzfeed, a...

This week, we are joined by Dr. Naima Bhana Lopez, an assistant professor of special education and BCBA-D at Niagara University in New York. Dr. Lopez specializes in enhancing social-communication opportunities for children with developmental disabilities. Her work also explores diversity and equity in special education, empowering natural communication partners to improve outcomes for diverse stu...

This week, we are joined by Jarad Van, a Ph. D. student at The Pennsylvania State University, specializing in Special Education. With a background in behavior analysis and extensive experience working with autistic children, Jarad brings valuable insights into Precision Teaching. Join us as we discuss the benefits and future potential of precision teaching for children with autism and their famili...

This week, we are joined by Dr. Bruce Tinor, Vice President at Black Men in Behavior Analysis (BMBA), and Principal at CCIU's Child and Career Development Center since July 2023. Joining him is Jeron Trotman, a Board Certified Behavior Analyst from Atlanta, GA. Jeron is not only a visionary and founder but also the president of Black Men in Behavior Analysis (BMBA), an organization dedicated to bl...