STANFORD NEURODIVERSITY SUMMIT 2021

Program and Speakers

The Stanford Neurodiversity Summit: What We Stand For

The Stanford Neurodiversity Summit is a forum for exchange of ideas about neurodiversity among all people. It is a venue where we listen to each other, especially when our views are not the same. This active listening is not just about respect, but an act to grow together as a community.

At this forum, we will share visions, innovations, and inspirations about how neurodiversity can make our society better. Here is where neurodiverse/neurodivergent people, their family members and friends, educators, clinicians, researchers, and all other stakeholders and professionals learn from each other. Neurodiverse individuals will share their unique life and professional journeys, and some will share their significant contributions to the community. Other professionals and stakeholders will illustrate how their work enhances the lives of neurodiverse individuals.

The Stanford Neurodiversity Summit encourages respectful inquiry and invites attendees to submit questions to speakers before and during the summit. We have set up interactive sessions between speakers and attendees and will collect views of the community about what research and community-based services should be prioritized and how they can be designed better. With your contributions, our collective efforts will build a sanctuary for all who promote and safeguard neurodiversity.

Our schedule features a wide variety of topics, perspectives, and formats.

Topics address neurodiversity from K-12 education to employment. We know there's no one type of employment that's right for everyone, so our employment sessions cover a range of possibilities from the Paid Internship Program to large coorporations.

Perspectives, approaches, and background of speakers are equally varied. Some presenters come from academia, while others are mental health providers. Of course our summit wouldn't be complete without including the lived- experience perspective of neurodiverse/neurodivergent individuals (some of whom are also academics, practitioners, etc.).

Formats differ from session to session. Some sessions are traditional lecture-style presentations, while others are more panel-focused. As a virtual conference, the sessions will be recorded so people have the option to either watch live or on their own time.

A PDF of the "Summit at a Glance" schedule is also available.

Please find session details for each day by clicking the correspinding button below. Our confirmed speakers are included, along with a brief bio and photo.

Sunday, November 7, 2021

8:30 AM-9:00 AM Opening Remarks: Lawrence Fung, Lloyd B. Minor, and Laura Roberts

Opening Session

Lloyd B. Minor, MD

Dean, Stanford University School of Medicine

Lloyd B. Minor, MD, is the Carl and Elizabeth Naumann Dean of the Stanford University School of Medicine. Under his leadership, Stanford Medicine has emerged as a leader in the Precision Health revolution, which emphasizes preventive, personalized health care and leverages advances in biomedicine to treat and cure complex diseases. His book, “Discovering Precision Health,” published in 2020, illustrates how Stanford Medicine and other health leaders are revolutionizing biomedicine. In 2021, he articulated a bold vision for the purposeful and equitable development of a life sciences innovation hub in the Bay Area. Dr. Minor also is a professor of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery and a professor of Bioengineering and of Neurobiology, by courtesy, at Stanford University. With more than 160 published articles and chapters, Dr. Minor is an expert in balance and inner ear disorders. In 2012, he was elected to the National Academy of Medicine.

Laura Roberts, MD, MA

Chairman, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine

Dr. Roberts serves as Chairman and the Katharine Dexter McCormick and Stanley McCormick Memorial Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Stanford University School of Medicine. She is an internationally recognized scholar in bioethics, psychiatry, medicine, and medical education. Over two decades, Dr. Roberts has received scientific, peer-reviewed funding from the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Energy, and private foundations to perform empirical studies of modern ethical issues in research, clinical care, and health policy, with a particular focus on vulnerable and special populations. Her work has led to advances in understanding of ethical aspects of physical and mental illness research, societal implications for genetic innovation, the role of stigma in health disparities, the impact of medical student and physician health issues, and optimal approaches to fostering professionalism in medicine. Dr. Roberts, with colleagues, is leading an NIMH-funded project to examine ethical issues in highly innovative neuroscience work to advance understanding of mental disorders, substance-related conditions, and brain function, development, and enhancement.

Dr. Roberts has written hundreds of peer-reviewed articles and other scholarly works, and she has written or edited several books in the areas of professionalism and ethics in medicine, professional development for physicians, and clinical psychiatry. Dr. Roberts was recently appointed as the Editor-in-Chief, Books for the American Psychiatric Assocation. Dr. Roberts served as the Editor-in-Chief for the journal Academic Psychiatry from 2002-2019 and is an editorial board member and peer reviewer for many scientific and education journals. Dr. Roberts was recently selected as the incoming Editor-in-Chief for the journal Academic Medicine, one of two premier journals of the AAMC.

Dr. Roberts received the 2015 MacLean Center Prize recognizing her bioethics work. She was chosen to receive the Distinguished Psychiatrist award from the American Psychiatric Association in 2005 and 2010 and was recognized as the foremost leader in psychiatric education in the United States and Canada by the University of Toronto in 2008. Dr. Roberts has also received numerous awards for leadership, teaching, and science, including the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association for Academic Psychiatry in 2010 and the Nancy C.A. Roeske, M.D., Certificate of Recognition for Excellence in Medical Student Education from the American Psychiatric Association.

Lawrence Fung, MD, PhD

Director, Stanford Neurodiversity Project

Assistant Professor of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences

Dr. Lawrence Fung is a scientist and psychiatrist specialized in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and the father of a neurodiverse teenager with ASD. He is the director of the Stanford Neurodiversity Project, which strives to uncover the strengths of neurodiverse individuals and utilize their talents to increase innovation and productivity of the society as a whole. He directs the Neurodiverse Student Support Program, Neurodiversity at Work Program (recently funded by Autism Speaks), and Adult Neurodevelopment Clinic at Stanford. Dr. Fung is an assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University. His lab advances the understanding of neural bases of human socio-communicative and cognitive functions by using novel neuroimaging and technologies. His team devise and implement novel interventions to improve the lives of neurodiverse individuals by maximizing their potential and productivity. For example, he is conducting a study to demonstrate that specialized employment programs such as Neurodiversity at Work program will result in higher retention rates and quality of life.

9:00 AM-9:45 AM Introduction to the Stanford Neurodiversity Project

Lawrence Fung, MD, PhD

Director, Stanford Neurodiversity Project

Assistant Professor of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences

9:45 AM-10:30 AM Keynote Speaker: Temple Grandin, PhD*, Colorado State University

Temple Grandin, PhD

Professor of Animal Sciences, Colorado State University

Dr. Temple Grandin is well known to many for her trailblazing work as a spokesperson for people with autism and her lifelong work with animal behavior. Dr. Grandin has been with Colorado State University (CSU) for over 25 years.

Grandin has been referred to as the "most famous person working at CSU" by her peers. Her life’s work has been to understand her own autistic mind, and to share that knowledge with the world, aiding in the treatment of individuals with the condition. Her understanding of the human mind has aided her in her work with animal behavior, and she is one of the most respected experts in both autism and animal behavior in the world.

10:30 AM-11:15 AM Keynote Speaker: Rep. Jessica Benham,* State of Pennsylvania (36th District)

Jessica Benham, PA House of Representatives

State Rep. Jessica Benham took office on a platform of fighting for the interests of residents in the 36th Legislative District and solving the critical problems that her constituents face: lack of access to quality health care and to economic opportunity, poor air and water quality, and failing infrastructure. Benham’s background is in advocacy for health care, education and worker’s rights, with experience advocating for legislation on the federal, state and local levels.

Prior to holding public office, Benham was Director of Development for the Pittsburgh Center for Autistic Advocacy (PCAA), a grassroots self-advocacy project run by Autistic people for Autistic people. She co-founded PCAA after moving back to college, and it remains the only LGBTQ Autistic-led advocacy organization in the Greater Pittsburgh Area.

Through her work with PCAA, Benham has worked to ensure that individuals with disabilities are treated fairly in the legislative process. She has provided feedback and consultation for legislation including the Autism CARES Act on the federal level and health care efforts at the state level. She advocated strongly for Paul’s Law, which states that an individual can’t be deemed ineligible for an organ transplant simply because of a disability and was signed into law in Pennsylvania in 2018.

However, her advocacy efforts are not limited to health care. Benham also has experience fighting for workers’ rights, notably during her time as a graduate worker at the University of Pittsburgh, where she was involved in efforts to organize a union of graduate student workers through the United Steelworkers.

Benham has B.A. degrees in Political Science and Communication Studies from Bethel University, an M.A. in Communication from Minnesota State University, and an M.A. in Bioethics from the University of Pittsburgh.

She currently resides in the Southside Slopes with her cat, Ravi.

11:15 PM-12:15 PM Neurodiversity Career Panel (High Technology). Panelists: Shawanna Rouse*; Jim Hogan,* Google

Shawanna Rouse

Product Launch Manager, Linkedin

Hi, I’m Shawanna. My background is in Finance and Business Process Optimization in Retail, Outsourcing and, most recently, Tech. I get my energy from strategy and the futuristic ideas in my head are the most solid thing for me. I enjoy taking extended time to reflect and getting a clear picture of what I’ll be doing when I decide to act so that I can lead with vision and purpose. Also, I’m autistic. My autism has affected, and continues to affect, my speech (monotone if I hadn’t learned to mimic others), my ability to relay empathy (in a universally sincere manner), my ability to maintain eye contact and the ability to keep my hands idle for any period. I’m not one who received support from a specific methodology of behavior therapy, but I was given a great balance of safety, care, trust and responsibility that led me here.

Jim Hogan

Principal Innovation Strategist, Healthcare & Life Sciences, Google

Jim Hogan is an activist for social change and a strong representative of what is possible for autistic people. A self-taught Computer Scientist at the age of 16, Jim found his passion working in leadership positions in the Corporate America. Throughout his career, he has engaged in advocacy and supported HR departments to better understand the needs of neurodistinct employees. Jim has willingly taken on the role as peer mentor and support to many young autistic professionals who are struggling to enter the workforce. With his powerful voice and advocacy for change and acceptance, he has led the way for hundreds of professionals with autism who entered the workforce behind him. Jim currently works as a Principal Innovation Strategist at Google.

12:15 PM - 12:30 PM Inspiration Corner. Speaker: David Egan

David Egan

Community Relations Manager, SourceAmerica

Egan is a trail blazer and champion of the rights of persons with disabilities having served as a Special Olympics Sargent Shriver International Global Messenger and a Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. Public Policy Fellow (first person with intellectual disability to be selected in this position) working with the Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee and the National Down Syndrome Society. He serves on several Boards and represents individuals with Down syndrome on the NIH DS Consortium. He is the author of More Alike Than Different: My Life with Down Syndrome. With over 20 years of competitive employment from a clerk position to a career of advocacy, he currently works at SourceAmerica as a Community Relations Coordinator in Vienna VA.

12:30 PM - 1:00 PM Lunch Break

1:00 PM - 2:00 PM Neurodiversity Career Panel (Occupational Therapy). Panelists: Bill Wong, OTD,* Stanbridge University; An Nguyen, OTD,* George Washington University; Zipporah Brown, OTD, West Coast University; Romina Reyes,* West Coast University

Bill Wong, OTD,* Stanbridge University

An Nguyen, OTD,* George Washington University

Zipporah Brown, OTD, West Coast University

Romina Reyes,* West Coast University

Bill Wong, OTD*

Stanbridge University

Bill Wong is an Occupational Therapist licensed in California. He graduated with his masters and clinical doctorate in occupational therapy at University of Southern California in 2011 and 2013, respectively. He is the first autistic individual in the world to complete a doctorate degree of any kind in occupational therapy. He currently works as a per diem skilled nursing occupational therapist for Interface Rehab. He also serves as professional development mentors for three autistic occupational therapy students.

An Nguyen, OTD*

Project Scientist, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center

An Nguyen, OTD, OTR/L, is a neurodiverse individual (Autism Spectrum Disorder), occupational therapist, and project scientist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. She recently earned her clinical doctorate in occupational therapy from Washington University in St. Louis. At WashU, An was a graduate student researcher for three years in the Participation, Environment, and Performance Laboratory under the mentorship of Dr. Susan Stark, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, FGSA. There, she conducted research focused on home modification interventions delivered by occupational therapists to prevent falls in community-dwelling older adults. Previously, she served for three years as an Associate Editor for the OT Student Pulse, a monthly national newsletter of the American Occupational Therapy Association written by students for students. Currently, she serves as a Junior Leader/Officer for the Gerontological Society of America's Health Sciences Section where she works to better understand and communicate the needs of emerging scholars in aging research to senior section leaders. Her developing research interests include improving rehabilitation outcomes for frail older adults and leveraging informatics methods to develop clinical decision support tools for geriatric rehabilitation.

Zipporah Brown

Occupational Therapist, Assistant Professor

Brownz Wellness Collective

Zipporah Brown is an Assistant Professor and Academic Fieldwork Coordinator whose work has focused on the overall wellness of marginalized populations by overcoming occupational deprivation through engagement. She received her Master's in Occupational Therapy in 2016 and Doctorate of Occupational Therapy in 2018. Dr. Brown's doctorate focused on increasing quality of life through occupational engagement for individuals with serious mental illness, transitioning from homelessness; additionally, she worked with college students at USC‚ Faculty Practice using Lifestyle Redesign to address psychosocial barriers impacting academic success. Her knowledge and training was demonstrated through program development, implementation and outcome analysis. Dr. Brown served as the principal investigator of a research team in 2019 focused on increasing QOL in an urban community. While at USC, Dr. Brown co-founded and was president of the first DEI organization within the OT department; she continues to advocate as a member of the OTAC Ad Hoc DEI Committee.

Romina Reyes*

West Coast University

2:00 PM - 3:00 PM Employer Panel 1. Panelists: Lorne Needle, Google; Diane Delaney,* IBM; Stephen DeStefani, Wells Fargo

Learning Objectives:

List benefits of neurodiversity hiring programs
Understand various models of neurodiversity hiring programs in various industries
Acquire resources needed to start neurodiversity hiring programs

Lorne Needle

Global Lead for Disability Inclusion @ Google

Lorne helps create and execute Google’s strategy for hiring people with disabilities (PWD). Google has received a 100% score on the Disability Equality Index for the second year in a row for our efforts at disability inclusion in our workplace. Lorne conceived, designed and launched Google’s Autism Career Program to expand hiring of qualified autistic candidates. Created and rolled out a comprehensive, innovative training curriculum for Googlers on working with autistic candidates and teammates.

Stephen DeStefani

Enterprise Neurodiversity Program Executive

Diane Delaney

Global D&I Leader, People with Diverse Abilities including Neurodiversity

As the Global Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) Leader supporting the People with Diverse Abilities (PwDA) including Neurodiversity, Diane plans, implements, and executes D&I initiatives that create signature experiences and inspiring programs for employees around the globe. These journeys are delivered in partnership with key stake holders to improve engagement and development opportunities enabling our employees to achieve their career aspirations. Diane builds upon IBM's legacy of excellence, focusing on enabling employees and leaders to be their true selves at work while accelerating IBM's business growth.

3:00 PM - 4:00 PM Mental Health Panel 1. Panelists: Finn Gratton*, Lilly Schultz*

Finn Gratton*

Psychotherapist

Finn Gratton, LMFT, LPCC, is a somatic psychotherapist and consultant working in the San Francisco Bay Area. Finn's work is focused on the intersections of trauma, neurodiversity, and sexual and gender minorities. They are the author of Supporting Transgender Autistic Youth and Adults: A Guide for Professionals and Families. In addition to their private practice work with adults and teens, Finn provides neurodiversity affirming consultation and trainings to groups and individuals with the U.S. and internationally. Finn identifies as autistic/neuroqueer and genderqueer.

Lilly Schultz*

Student

North Central College

Lilly Schultz is an autistic aspiring PhD student in computational linguistics. Lilly currently attends North Central College after achieving a nearly perfect SAT score. She was among the first cohort of awardees of the Transition2Success scholarship program(www.transition2success.org) and has first-hand experience with community support as essential to building neurodivergent success at key life transition points. In addition, as a talented neurodivergent transgender student, Lilly has valuable insights to offer from her personally transformative journey.

4:00 - 4:30 PM Break

4:30 PM - 5:30 PM College Panel 1 - “Listening to the voices of people with lived experience”. Panelists: Patrick Dwyer,* UC Davis; Esperanza Padilla,* UC Berkeley; Alexander Michael Vasquez,* Sonoma State University; April Ball, Stanford University

Patrick Dwyer*

PhD Candidate

UC Davis

Patrick is a PhD candidate and autistic autism researcher in the Neurocognitive Development Lab at UC Davis. His research primarily focuses on sensory processing and attention in autism, which are highly relevant to many autistic people’s quality of life. Patrick also has research interests in other topics relevant to the well-being of autistic people, such as postsecondary education accessibility, autism intervention goals, and the neurodiversity approach and movement. Patrick is the co-Chair of the International Society for Autism Research (INSAR)’s Autistic Researchers Committee and a member of the Autism Intervention Research Network for Physical Health (AIR-P) Autistic Researcher Review Board. He facilitates a peer-support and advocacy community for neurodivergent students at UC Davis, the Aggie Neurodiversity Community, and he wrote neurodiversity campus inclusion recommendations that were endorsed by the UC-wide Academic Senate. He co-organizes the annual Neurodiversity Summits hosted by the UC Davis MIND Institute and the Center for Mind and Brain, which are recorded and available online. Patrick also maintains a blog, autisticscholar.com.

Esperanza Padilla*

UC Berkeley

Alexander Michael Vasquez*

Sonoma State University

April Ball

Stanford University

5:30 PM - 6:30 PM K-12 Panel 1 – “Neurodivergent Student Panel”. Panelists: Ryan Neale*, Cameron Aaron,* Cynthia Wen,* Martika Theis*

Ryan Neale*

Student

Hillsdale High School

Ryan Neale is a 12th Grader from San Mateo, California, and is thrilled to be a panelist at the 2021 Stanford Neurodiversity Summit. He was diagnosed with autism when he was 18 months old but he has been in fully mainstream education for the majority of his academic career, with most people around him not knowing the struggles that he faces. His experiences advocating for his needs and publicly masking his neuro differences have given him a unique perspective on many of the struggles neurodiverse people face, such as public stigma, ableism, and the ever-present desire to ‚Äúfit in‚Äù. He has high hopes to use his perspective and communication skills to increase public understanding of neurodiversity, and hopefully create a more inclusive society for everyone. In his free time, he enjoys playing varsity basketball for his high school team, coaching youth sports, and diving headfirst into his many fantasy special interests.

Cameron Aaron*

Alumnus

Bridges Academy

Cameron Aaron is a native of Studio City, CA, and graduated from Bridges Academy with a young expert designation (The school's highest honor) after doing Neuroscience and Artificial intelligence research. He is a graduate of Connecticut College in New London, CT, and a former Software Engineer at GitHub, a subsidiary of Microsoft, and also at SpaceX, working in Aerospace Medicine. Cameron earned a double major in Computer Science and Psychology with a minor in Cognitive Science and a Certificate of Arts and Technology from the Ammerman Center of Arts and Technology. He conducts both Artificial intelligence and Cognitive Neuroscience research working on Biological Mechanisms of attention work utilizing EEG, 3D Reach tracking, and Eye-tracking techniques. He was the head of special events at the Connecticut College TED Club and was in charge of the youth event TEDxYouth@NewLondon. He is a Google product Expert and is currently a moderator for the official Google Android Beta subreddit.

Cynthia Wen*

Speaker Coordinator

SNP-NNEA (Network for K-12 Neurodiversity Education and Advocacy)

Cynthia Wen is a senior at Glen A. Wilson High School in Southern California and an avid neurodiversity advocate. Diagnosed as autistic in early elementary school, she shares her experiences as a mentally disabled student on her Instagram account @m.intymatcha, where she has reached over 1.000,000 people and accumulated over 5,300 followers. She also founded international nonprofit organization STEM4Service (@stem4service on Instagram), where she has organized events to educate her peers on the scientific basis of neurodiversity, and to equip fellow neurodiverse peers with academic and professional skills. In addition, she serves as the Speaker Coordinator for the Stanford Neurodiversity Project‚Äôs Network for K-12 Neurodiversity Education and Advocacy (NNEA), where she works with Dr. Lawrence Fung and other committee members to bring neurodiversity awareness to the K-12 community. Cynthia is passionate about exploring the psychology and neurology behind neurodevelopmental disorders and hopes to major in Neuroscience to continue supporting the neurodiverse community in her adulthood.

Martika Theis*

Future QA Analyst

University of Iowa Belin-Blank Center

I am a lifelong neurodiversity advocate. I was exposed to a wide variety of people with neurodevelopmental conditions and the systems that support them in my childhood, but I didn't discover I was one of them until my senior year of high school. At the University of Iowa, I worked all four years with the Belin-Blank Center Assessment and Counseling Clinic. I started as a volunteer, then became an office worker, then a project lead. During those four years I have had the opportunity to be interviewed by NPR, to be a guest lecturer, and to be a panelist at the Summit on the Neuroscience of Twice-Exceptionality that took place this past May. As someone who is neurodiverse and gifted, my challenges in life are unique, but research into the field of Twice-Exceptionality is helping people like me across the whole world. I love getting the chance to share my story of both positive and negative experiences with relation to neurodevelopmental disability support. My goal is to tell my story to as many people as possible, to provide advocacy for neurodiverse individuals, and to further educate the general public about neurodevelopmental disorders.

6:30 PM - 7:30 PM Entrepreneurship panel. Panelists: Geoff Weber, Heirloom Cloud; Betsy Furler,* For All Abilities; Vikrum Rangraj, Inclusionary Travel

Geoff Weber

Founder

Heirloom Cloud

Geoff Weber founded Heirloom Cloud Corporation to solve a big problem. He laments disconnectedness from precious memories, and each other, while clutter destroys our joy. Trillions of outdated media items trap our shared histories on VHS cassettes, aging photographs, and other mediums vulnerable to a total loss. Heirloom's solution makes it easy for full enjoyment of all photos, videos, and other cherished media, from any device, forever. This includes digitizing old media directly into each customer's private network. As a veteran of the US Intelligence Community, Geoff identified neurodiversity inclusion as critical to solving complex problems. He now brings that same passion to recruiting talent at Heirloom.

Betsy Furler*

Founder

For All Abilities

Betsy Furler is the founder of For All Abilities. She is passionate about optimizing the strengths of all people and insuring that all people are valued for their strengths and their differences. At For All Abilities, Betsy leads the company in the development of a software solution that enables employers to easily and inexpensively understand and support the unique strengths, needs and preferences of their employees. She is the host of For All Abilities - The Podcast. Betsy is passionate about the accurate and respectful portrayal of disabilities in film and consulted on the film, Salting The Fly. She is a subject matter expert in the use of technology for people with disabilities. Betsy has been a speech pathologist for over two decades. Betsy enjoys speaking about the value of our differences, workplace accommodations, technology and accessibility. She has spoken at national and international conferences including SXSW. Betsy was a speaker for the 2020 TEDx event at Austin College, her alma mater. Betsy has written several books on the use of technology and apps to improve lives. In addition to her BA from Austin College, she also earned a MS in Communication Disorders from the University of Texas at Dallas.

Vikrum Rangraj

Founder

Inclusionary Travel

7:30 PM - 8:30 PM Neurodiversity Career Panel (Cybersecurity: Genius Armoury). Panelists: Raza Nowrozy, Paul Watters, Victoria Pike,* TBC

Raza Nowrozy

Cybersecurity Tech Lead

Untapped Holdings

Raza Nowrozy is a Cybersecurity Tech Lead and a Security Advisor at Untapped Holdings. He received his Master's in Cybersecurity from Latrobe University, Australia in 2019. He is currently pursuing his PhD at Victoria University researching Blockchain Technology and the Australian Health Record (MHR). Raza is a highly qualified and knowledgeable IT and a Security Professional with over 15 years of work experience working in cybersecurity, network security and system administration. He is an Australian Computer Society (ACS) Certified Cyber Security professional and currently leading a team of talented Neurodivergent employees at BHP Australia working with Untapped. Raza was also involved in the development of the Genius Armoury platform. Raza Nowrozy is also an Academic Tutor and Research Assistant at La Trobe University. Raza holds a Master‚Äôs in cyber security and a bachelor‚Äôs degree in Computer and Information Science from the University of South Australia. He is a IP3P, ACS CP, AWS, CISM, CDPSE certified professional with a particular focus on Cyber Security and helping Autistic individuals in Australia build a career in Cybersecurity.

Paul Watters

CEO

Cyberstronomy Pty Ltd

Professor Watters is Academic Dean at Australasian Academies Polytechnic, an ASX-listed education provider. He is also Australia's leading trusted cybersecurity advisor, thought leader, and founder of Cyberstronomy Pty Ltd, home of the 100pointcybercheck.com. Professor Watters is Honorary Professor at Macquarie University. He is a Chartered IT Professional, a Fellow of the British Computer Society, a Senior Member of the IEEE, and a Member of the Australian Psychological Society.

Victoria Pike*

Cybersecurity Specialist

Untapped Holdings

Victoria Pike is a Cybersecurity Specialist at Untapped Holdings and is currently working on a project for BHP. Victoria discovered her talent for Cybersecurity through a virtual assessment with Untapped Holdings. She was encouraged to complete the Genius Armoury course and went on to apply for a traineeship in the field. Victoria enjoys the challenge her current role offers her, and now has the opportunity to further her studies and make a significant contribution through her employment.

The Genius Armoury project is a platform to attract and identify a cybersecurity talent pool within the autistic community and provide them with some fundamentals training in cyber security. This project was supported by a consortium including BHP, DXC, Splunk, La Trobe University, Curtin University, Forage and AustCyber. The course provides a foundation syllabus in an inspirational and understandable manner that is intended to spark interest amongst autists and the pursuit of further learning or commencing a career in cybersecurity and ethical hacking.

This session will be a moderated, guided discussion amongst the panel members around the following topics:

− The opportunity of cybersecurity

− History of the Genius Armoury project from inception to implementation

− Outline of the critical success factors and activities of the project

− Reach and impact of the platform to date

− Experience of the users of the platform and moving into the world of work − Future plans and opportunities

Monday, November 8, 2021

8:30 AM - 9:00 AM Neurodiversity at Work Program at Stanford. Lawrence Fung, MD, PhD, Stanford University

Lawrence Fung, MD, PhD

Director, Stanford Neurodiversity Project

Assistant Professor of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences

9:00 AM - 9:45 AM Keynote Speaker: Rhonda Moore, PhD,* National Institutes of Health

Rhonda Moore,* PhD

Program Director, National Institutes for Health

9:45 AM- 10:30 AM Keynote Presentation - “The Forest and the Trees: Autism and Variable Memory.” Speaker: Anand Prahlad, PhD,* University of Missouri

Anand Prahlad,* PhD

Curators' Distinguished Professor Emeritus

University Of Missouri-Columbia

Anand Prahlad is the author of two books of poems, Hear My Story and Other Poems, and As Good As Mango, and an award-winning memoir, The Secret Life of A Black Aspie. He has also published critical articles and books on black folklore and the proverb, including Reggae Wisdom: Proverbs in Jamaican Music and African American Proverbs in Context, and he edited the three-volume set The Greenwood Encyclopedia of African American Folklore and the one-volume The Greenwood Student Encyclopedia of African American Folklore. He has recently completed a new book of poems, titled Dreaming of Endangered Species, and is working on a community memoir focused on his family and ancestors on the Hickory Hill plantation in middle Virginia, where he grew up. His most recent work, which includes creative writing, songwriting, scholarship, and activism, all focus on disability, and especially the intersections between disability, race, and genderfluid identities. Prahlad is a Curators‚Äô Distinguished Teaching Professor Emeritus in the English Department, at the University of Missouri, where he was the Director of the Creative Writing, and Folklore Programs, and taught courses that explored interconnections between creative writing, film, folklore, race, African Diaspora studies, popular culture, fetishism, and disability studies.

10:30 AM - 11:15 AM Keynote Presentation - “Students as Change Partners: Student Self-determination and Autonomy.” Speaker: Yong Zhao, PhD,* University of Kansas

Yong Zhao,* PhD

Foundation Distinguished Professor

University of Kansas

Yong Zhao is a Foundation Distinguished Professor in the School of Education at the University of Kansas and a professor in Educational Leadership at the Melbourne Graduate School of Education in Australia. He previously served as the Presidential Chair, Associate Dean, and Director of the Institute for Global and Online Education in the College of Education, University of Oregon, where he was also a Professor in the Department of Educational Measurement, Policy, and Leadership. Prior to Oregon, Yong Zhao was University Distinguished Professor at the College of Education, Michigan State University, where he also served as the founding director of the Center for Teaching and Technology, executive director of the Confucius Institute, as well as the US-China Center for Research on Educational Excellence. He is an elected member of the National Academy of Education and a fellow of the International Academy of Education.

11:15 AM - 12:15 PM Neurodiversity Career Panel (Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences). Panelists: Russell Lehmann*, Hannah Ehrenberg*, Ava Rigelhaupt*

Russell Lehmann*

Motivational Speaker and Poet

Board of Directors, The Arc of the United States

Russell Lehmann is an award-winning and internationally recognized motivational speaker and poet with a platform of contextualizing autism, mental illness, and cannabis use. A graduate of MIT‚ Leadership in the Digital Age course, Russell showed signs of autism as a newborn, however he was not formally diagnosed until the age of 12 after suffering through 5 weeks in a lock down psychiatric facility. His new book, On the Outside Looking In‚ recently hit bookstores nationwide. In 2018, Russell was named as Reno-Tahoe's Most Outstanding Young Professional Under 40. In 2019 & 2020, Russell lectured for the prestigious King's College of London and the Mohammed bin Rashid Center for Special Education in Abu Dhabi, respectively.

Hannah Ehrenberg*

Programs and Outreach Associate

Organization for Autism Research (OAR)

Hannah Ehrenberg (she/her) is the Programs and Outreach Associate at the Organization for Autism Research (OAR). Prior to OAR, Hannah worked in the new musical theatre industry and as a high school English teacher at a Deaf school. She is a graduate of Barnard College and Teachers College, Columbia University. Currently, Hannah is also the facilitator and co-organizer of an online group for autistic women and nonbinary people in the greater Washington, DC area and serves as the Volunteer Coordinator of ProtestAccess. As a late-diagnosed autistic woman, Hannah is committed to giving back to her community.

Ava X. Rigelhaupt*

Live Action Casting Intern

Nickelodeon

Ava Xiao-Lin Rigelhaupt (she/her/hers) is a public speaker, writer, actress, and advocate for disability and autism representation in the entertainment industry. Ava shares her story as a Chinese, Jewish, neurodiverse adoptee through speaking engagements and panels (e.g. Disney and Netflix writers' rooms, Actors' Equity, and The Kennedy Center). Ava publishes articles and critiques of disability representation in media, interviews with entertainment professionals, and experiences as a disabled AAPI woman. Currently, Ava is a Nickelodeon Live Action Casting Intern. Additionally, she‚Äôs an Autistic Creative Consultant on a developing musical, How to Dance in Ohio, (directed by Stanford alumna, Sammi Cannold!) Ava became immersed in the entertainment industry through consulting with Hollywood studios ensuring authentic onscreen portrayals of disability and diversity. Ava reviews scripts, discusses disability tropes, and edits character sketches. She remains an ongoing entertainment consultant. Her senior year at Sarah Lawrence College (class of 2020), Ava was a Ruderman Family Foundation Inclusion Ambassador. She produced the college‚Äôs first sensory friendly theatrical performance in addition to organizing and moderating a panel of professionals discussing entertainment inclusion practices. (Sensory friendly performances are accessible to people with sensory sensitivities such as those with autism or PTSD). Ava is determined to educate and influence the entertainment industry, creating more opportunities and authentic representations for the talented and diverse disability community.

12:15 PM - 12:30 PM Inspiration Corner. Speaker: Ryan Lowry

Ryan Lowry

Animation and Technology Student

I am 20 years old, live in Leesburg, Virginia, and I have autism. I also have a unique sense of humor, am gifted at math, really good at technology, and a really quick learner. I have an older sister, younger brother, and a dog named Truck.

12:30 PM - 1:00 PM Lunch Break

Jan Johnston-Tyler. Videorecording

Founder and CEO, EvoLibri

Jan Johnston-Tyler is the founder and CEO of EvoLibri Consulting in Santa Clara, California. A multidisciplinary agency working exclusively with neurodivergent clients for the last 13 years, EvoLibri is a Department of Rehabilitation vendor who has worked with SAP, VMWare, Microsoft, Salesforce, Berkeley Bowl, IPG Mediabrands, and LinkedIn in both client support and neurodiversity training and hiring roles. Jan’s expansive vision of full inclusion in the workplace came from her previous professional experience as a high-tech program manager and raising two neurodivergent children – blending 20 years of business knowledge with pragmatic and compassionate understanding of her clients and their needs in the workplace.

1:00 - 1:45 PM "PCORI Mission and Vision on Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Focused on Autism." Kelly Dunham, MPP and Caitlin McCormick, JD, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute

Kelly Dunham, MPP

Caitlin McCormick, JD

1:45 PM - 2:30 PM Keynote panel. Jeff Moore,* Anderson University; Randy Lewis, NOGWOG Disability Initiative

Jeff Moore,* PhD

Professor of Management

Anderson University

Jeffrey Moore serves as a full-time professor of management and disability intelligence researcher at Anderson University (South Carolina). He was raised in France and received his PhD from the University of Nice Sophia-Antipolis' business school Institut d"Administration des Entreprises (IAE). For the past five years, Dr. Moore serves as a member of the leadership team in the Academy of Management, Management Consulting Division. His research focus is on complexity leadership and hiring people with disabilities. Leading the Anderson University research team they work with Walgreens and Sephora to study their disability employment practices and impact on team members. This research provides best practices for onboarding, developing and promoting inclusive organizational initiatives that increase innovation, adaptability & employee engagement.

Randy Lewis

NOGWOG Disability Initiative

2:30 PM - 3:15 PM Employer Panel 2. Panelists: Javier Fernandez-Alcudia, PhD, Stanford University; Rhianna Axon, Charlie Acres Farm

Javier Fernandez Alcudia, PhD

Director, Gene Vector and Virus Core

Stanford University

Javier F. Alcudia, PhD has been serving as Director of the Gene Vector and Virus Core at Stanford since 2014 giving support and guidance on the usage and design of viruses for the neuroscience community. Originally from Barcelona where he received his PhD in molecular biology, moved to Stanford as a postdoctoral scholar to continue his research working in cancer and gene therapy.

Rhianna Axon

3:15 PM - 4:15 PM Mental Health Panel 2 - “Autism and Suicide: Identifying Unique Risk Factors, Warning Signs, and Crisis Supports for the Autism Community.” Brenna Maddox, PhD, University of North Carolina; Lisa Morgan,* Lisa Morgan Consulting LLC

Brenna Maddox

Assistant Professor

University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill

Dr. Brenna Maddox is an Assistant Professor at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, in the Department of Psychiatry. As the implementation scientist for the TEACCH Autism Program, her work focuses on improving community services for people on the autism spectrum across the lifespan. She is particularly interested in training and supporting community mental health clinicians, modifying cognitive-behavioral therapy for people on the autism spectrum with anxiety or depression, and preventing suicide in this population. Her research has been supported by the NIMH, PCORI, FAR Fund, and the Foundation of Hope. Dr. Maddox is also a clinical psychologist with expertise in the assessment and treatment of co-occurring psychiatric conditions in autism. She serves on the expert hub team for ECHO Autism: Mental Health. In addition, she is a deputy editor for the journal, Autism in Adulthood, and a co-chair of the American Association of Suicidology‚Äôs Autism and Suicide Committee.

Lisa Morgan

Consultant/Trainer

Lisa Morgan Consulting, LLC

Lisa Morgan has a graduate certificate in Behavior Analysis, a master‚Äôs degree in the Art of Teaching in Special Education and is a board-certified autism specialist. She is founder and co-chair of the Autism and Suicide committee of the American Association of Sucidology (AAS). Lisa is an autistic adult who advocates for crisis supports and suicide prevention for autistic people. She is a peer reviewer for the Autism in Adulthood Journal, the home for research and scholarship on the most pressing issues affecting adults on the autism spectrum. She is the author of three books on autism and is a feature writer for the Spectrum Women online magazine. Lisa has led the development of an autism specific resource used by crisis center workers in over 200 crisis centers across the US. Also, in collaboration with the Autism and Suicide committee, released a new autism friendly resource in 2020 on considerations to take when assessing autistic people using the general warning signs of suicide.

4:15 PM - 4:30 PM Break

4:30 PM - 5:30 PM College Panel 2. Panelists: Kristein Gillespie Lynch, PhD; Wes Wade*; Nicola Martin, PhD

Kristen Gillespie-Lynch, PhD

Associate Professor

College of Staten Island & The Graduate Center; CUNY

Kristen Gillespie-Lynch received her PhD in Developmental Psychology from UCLA. She is an Associate Professor of Psychology at CUNY. Guided by collaborations with autistic people, she co-constructs and evaluates interventions to empower autistic adolescents and adults and reduce stigma. She developed and directs a participatory mentorship program for autistic college students, Building Bridges Project REACH. Given that many of the challenges autistic people face arise from misconceptions about autism, she develops and evaluates autism trainings internationally. She applies insights gained from studying misconceptions about autism across cultures to teach educators how to better support neurodivergent students.

Wes Wade*

Career Counselor

NC State University

Wesley Wade is a licensed clinical mental health counselor, a licensed clinical addictions specialist, and a certified clinical mental health counselor. He holds two master's degrees from North Carolina Central University, one in mental health counseling and one in career counseling. For over five years he has served as a career counselor for college students in North Carolina and in 2017 co-created the Students Moving Forward program at NC State University, a career-focused program for autistic college students. Wesley also serves on the planning committee for LiNC-IT, a statewide paid internship program for autistic college students in NC. In 2019, Wesley created the NC Autistic Career Summit, unifying colleges/universities, employers, students, and parents from across the state. Each summit offers a career fair for students on the autism spectrum in addition to student awards and breakout sessions centering autistic voices. This year, in 2021, the summit entered its third year of operation with over 250 registered attendees. Currently, Wesley is in his 4th year of a doctoral program in counseling and counselor education at NC State University where he is developing studies focused on neurodivergent students and adults with respect to career, education, and intersectionality.

Nicola Martin, PhD

5:30 PM - 6:30 PM K-12 Panel 2 - “Academic Research in Neurodiversity”. Panelists: Sally Reis, PhD, University of Connecticut; Sara Renzulli, PhD*, University of Connecticut

Sally Reis, PhD

Letitia Neag Endowed Chair in Educational Psychology

Neag School of Education, University of Connecticut

Sally M. Reis holds the Letitia Neag Morgan Chair in Educational Psychology at the Neag School of Education at the University of Connecticut. She is also a UConn Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor, and recently completed a six year term as Vice Provost of Academic Affairs. As Vice Provost, she has implemented several new and innovative programs for Honors Students, Effective Teaching and Learning, and innovative undergraduate student research. She is a former Department Head of the Educational Psychology Department and also served as Principal Investigator of the National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented. She is a fellow of Division 15 of the American Psychological Association, and has won numerous professional awards. She served as President of the National Association for Gifted Children. She has authored and co-authored more than 250 publications, including articles, book chapters, and numerous monographs and technical reports, and works in a research team that has generated over 60 million dollars in grants during the last 15 years. Her research interests are related to academically talented students and talent development as well as special populations of gifted and talented students, including neurodiverse students.

Sara Renzulli, PhD*

Assistant Professor in Residence

University of Connecticut

Sara Renzulli, Ph.D., LPC, NCC, is an Assistant Professor in Residence in the department of Educational Psychology at the University of Connecticut. Dr. Renzulli earned her master's degree and doctorate at the University of Connecticut in Counselor Education. Prior to joining the faculty, she worked as a counselor for UConn Athletics, and as an Academic Advisor for undergraduate students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Dr. Renzulli's research interests include examining counseling and support service practices for students with learning differences/disabilities. Sara lives in Connecticut with her husband, Nicholas, and daughter Abigail.

6:30 PM - 8:30 PM Presentations by Action in Autism. Panelists: TBD

Tuesday, November 9, 2021

8:30 AM- 9:00 AM Neurodiverse Student Support Program at Stanford. Christy Matta, Stanford University

Christy Matta

Program Manager

Stanford Neurodiversity Project

Christy Matta, M.A. is a Program Manager of the Stanford Neurodiversity Project. She focuses on the Neurodiverse Student Support Program. She was a mental health practitioner specializing in Dialectical Behavior Therapy and work with emotional dysregulation and throughout her career she has worked with neurodiverse individuals. Prior to joining the SNP, she worked in non-profits and local government and in 2004. She co-designed and provided clinical supervision to a winner of the American Psychiatric Associations (APA) Gold Award. Christy is the author of “The Stress Response”.

9:00 AM - 9:45 AM Keynote Presentation: Simon Baron-Cohen, FBA, FBPsS, FMedSci, University of Cambridge

Simon Baron-Cohen

9:45 AM - 11:15 AM Identifying as neurodivergent in diverse communities: Experiences, opportunities and challenges. Moderator: Fiona McNicholas, MD, University College Dublin; Panelists: Cliódhna O’Connor, PhD, University College Dublin, Amanda Kirby, PhD,* University of South Wales, Juwayriyah Tayyar, University College Dublin, Charlotte Valeur,* Institute Of Neurodiversity, Javier Peris,* NeurodiverSí project

Fiona McNicholas, MD

University College Dublin

Amanda Kirby, PhD*

CEO, Do-IT Solutions

Honorary Professor at Cardiff University

I am an odd ball and don't fit into a neat box. I have lived experience of neurodiversity personally and extensively in all parts of my family. I am a medical doctor who has run a transdisciplinary centre for more than 20 years supporting parents, their children, and adults. I have published more than 100 research papers in the field of work and 9 books and am a professor in developmental disorders. My latest book was published in 2021 is called, Neurodiversity at Work: Drive Innovation, Performance and Productivity with a Neurodiverse Workforce. I have developed web-based screening tools which have been used by 10s of 1000s of people that aim to support people who are neurodivergent used in education, employment and in the justice sector. I am chair of the ADHD Foundation in the UK and advise other voluntary sector organisations. I am passionate about making a difference and write a weekly newsletter on LinkedIn and was one of the 2020 LinkedIn Voices.

Juwayriyah Nayyar

PhD Student

University College Dublin

Juwayriyah Nayyar is a PhD student from the University College Dublin School of Psychology. She is researching the lived experience of receiving an autism diagnosis in adulthood under the supervision of Dr. Cliodhna O'Connor. She has a particular interest in viewing autism and its diagnosis through an intersectional lens. Juwayriyah has a BA in Psychology and a MSc in Psychological Science from the University College Dublin.

Charlotte Valeur*

Chair

Institute of Neurodiversity

Charlotte Valeur is an experienced FTSE Chair, Non-Executive Director and corporate governance expert with extensive investment banking background. She is a visiting professor at University of Strathclyde in governance and leadership. Charlotte has been a Non-Executive Director of 8 public companies, including three appointments as Chair. In addition she has board experience with a range of unlisted companies including international engineering firm Laing O‚ÄôRourke, BT Pension Fund, Chair of Institute of Directors U.K. and founder and Chair of Board Apprentice. A lifelong human rights advocate, Charlotte is driven to play her part in creating an inclusive society; being diagnosed as autistic at 52, she began advocating around Neurodiversity equality and inclusion, working at the intersection of Government, Industry and the Third Sector. She has launched the global Institute of Neurodiversity in 2021 to give neurodivergent individuals a voice and agency in the world.

Javier Peris

CEO, NeurodiverSí

I am neurodivergent and I have ADHD with an adult diagnosis. Entrepreneur in Graphic Design, Marketing and Multimedia. Founder of the Redtdah Association.

11:15 AM - 12:15 PM Technology Panel. Panelists: Byran Dai, Daivergent; Jamil Karriem, Hiki; Vijay Ravindran, Floreo

Byran Dai

CEO

Daivergent

Byran is the co-founder and CEO of Daivergent, a technology platform that evaluates and prepares job-seekers in the neurodivergent community for 21st century employment. The company provides neurodivergent talent with job training that consists of evidence-based assessments, career exploration, and modern skills development which can be completed on the Daivergent platform. Daivergent also connects employers to job-seekers through its AI-powered matchmaking service, and has enabled thousands of individuals to attain self-sufficiency. Prior to Daivergent, Byran led data science teams within healthcare technology, most recently at Quartet Health (a NYC-based behavioral technology company). He was motivated to found the company by his brother, Brandon, an autistic self-advocate and advisor to Daivergent. Byran received his BA from Harvard University, and his MS in Epidemiology from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health.

Jamil Karriem

Hiki

Vijay Ravindran

CEO

Floreo

Vijay Ravindran is the founder and CEO of Floreo, a venture-backed start-up developing virtual reality learning for people with autism spectrum disorder, ADHD and anxiety. Vijay was an early engineer at Amazon.com and later Chief Digital Officer at The Washington Post Company.

12:15 PM - 12:45 PM Neurodiversity 101 for Practitioners. Speaker: Scott Gibson

Videorecording

Learning Objectives:

List benefits of neurodiversity hiring programs in large organizations
Understand various models of neurodiversity hiring programs in various industries
Acquire resources needed to start neurodiversity hiring programs

Scott Gibson

Chief Strategy Officer

Melwood

Scott Gibson is Melwood's Chief Strategy Officer. He joined Melwood in 2013, bringing more than a decade of public policy expertise, strategic planning leadership, and enterprise-wide human resources management to his role with the organization. Gibson shapes Melwood's long-term strategic objectives helping the organization respond to market changes and drive service innovation. By forging partnerships with industry leaders and community stakeholders, he has launched innovative new programs such as abilIT, which prepares people with disabilities to launch careers in IT. Gibson‚Äôs leadership extends beyond Melwood. Governor Larry Hogan appointed Gibson to serve on the Community Health Resources Commission, a grant-making public body established to expand access to health care services in underserved communities in Maryland. Previous appointments have included the Boards of Directors of pension funds, employee benefits trusts, and regional non-profits. Gibson is a graduate of Harvard Kennedy School of Government's Senior Executives in State and Local Government Program, as well as the University of Pennsylvania's Fels Institute of Government, where he earned a Master's in Public Administration. Gibson earned his Bachelors of Arts from Mount St. Mary's University, where he later served as an adjunct professor for 11 years.

12:45 PM - 1:00 PM Lunch Break

Videorecording

Veteran educator Jay Michael Dunlap and psychologist Louise Olivia Kindell, Psy.D., share their insights about helping neurodivergent children, their parents, and their educators to leverage children’s strengths and build college- and career-ready skills, both when learning in person and during distance learning.

Learning Objectives

Learn practical strategies that can meet the educational needs of neurodiverse students including building student skills and strengths

Understand how parents can form a meaningful partnership with teachers and school districts

Explore strategies for students to better understand who they are and get the most out of the people who are working with them

Jay Dunlap

Head of School and Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Renaissance Learner Academy

Chief Educational Officer, Learning Farm Educational Resources

Jay M Dunlap has dedicated over 25 years to educating neurologically and culturally diverse students. His experience is rooted a wide range of educational settings including public, private, rural and urban schools. Over the last 15 years as Principal and Head of School, he has mentored several teachers and administrators, while continuing to teach students in the classroom. In 2010, he founded Learning Farm Educational Consultants (www.learningfarmED.org) which evolved into an educational non-profit that provides resources to neurologically diverse students, their families, their teachers, and their schools. Today, Mr. Dunlap is concurrently Head of School and Director of Curriculum and Instruction at Renaissance Learner Academy.

Louise Kindell, PsyD

Dr. Kindell is a California and Oregon state licensed Doctor of Psychology. She received her doctorate from Argosy University, and completed her training at EMQ, UCSF Psychosocial Medicine Outpatient Clinic, and the Kaiser Santa Teresa ASD Clinic. Dr. Kindell specializes in working with neurodiverse individuals and their families operating from a collaborative strength-based integrative perspective. Dr. Kindell also helped build Camp Altitude, an overnight camp for kids and teens on the Autism Spectrum. She has been involved in her Local Advocacy Network through MBPA to inform legislators about policy pertaining to the field of psychology, and currently serves on the California Psychological Association Gun Violence Prevention Task Force.

1:00 PM - 2:00 PM Neurodiversity Career Panel (Entrepreneurship). Panelists: Travis Linderman,* Innovation DuPage; TBC

Travis Linderman

Managing Director

Innovation DuPage

Travis Linderman has served as director for three venture incubators preceding his selection as Managing Director of Innovation DuPage; beginning in Princeton, NJ, then Ann Arbor, MI, and most recently at TechNexus Venture Collaborative in downtown Chicago. In addition, Travis has spearheaded campaigns that have raised $0.6 Billion for capital construction and technology development. Travis served on the founding team that launched a digital media and analytics platform designed to promote and invest in innovations emerging from Princeton University, Einstein's Alley research corridor, and the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. The startup secured venture capital backing, scaled rapidly and enjoyed a successful IP acquisition.

2:00 PM - 3:00 PM Employer Panel 3. Eric Cusick, DPR Construction; Wayne McRae, CAI

Eric Cusick

SPW Technology Lead

DPR Construction

Eric Cusick lives in San Diego and has been with DPR Construction for over 25 years and is currently a Self-Performed Work Technology Lead. He is the father of three kids, all of which have benefited from early intervention services with his oldest receiving an autism diagnosis before 3. Working with DPR's Human Resources, Innovation and D&I teams; Eric is co-sponsored of DPR's partnership with the Stanford Neurodiversity Project to pilot the hiring neurodiverse individuals. Eric is also on the Board of Directors of the Autism Tree Project Foundation. He enjoys spending time with his family, surfing, swimming and traveling.

Wayne McRae

Director, Autism2Work, CAI

Wayne is the Director of CAI's Autism2Work (A2W) neurodiversity employment program. He oversees all A2W operations, including placement, onboarding, and ongoing support for the client and the project team. Wayne has been critical to the growth of A2W, helping expand the program's reach across the country. Wayne's goal is always to put the right candidate in the right role in the right environment. He works closely with each client to make sure they understand how to build trust and interact with A2W team members. He has successfully placed teams in Operations Support functions, Quality Assurance, Security Access Management and Cyber Security functions. Before his current role at CAI, Wayne served for more than four years in IT Leadership positions. His tenure with Autism2Work has afforded him the opportunity to refine his gifts of people management and his ability to leverage the unique talents of people on the autism spectrum for meaningful careers. Prior to that, he spent 15 years as a Quality Assurance expert, leading software testing teams in the healthcare, financial services and information industries. Wayne is a graduate of St. Stanislaus College and attended New Jersey City University and the Chubb Institute; earning a Diploma in Computer Programming.

3:00 PM - 4:00 PM Mental Health Panel 3. Panelists: Helen Rottier,* University of Illinois at Chicago; Leslie Harrison, Parent; Michael Duggan,PhD, Autismerica and College of DuPage

Helen Rottier*

PhD Candidate

University of Illinois at Chicago

Helen Rottier is a multiply disabled, multiply neurodivergent PhD candidate in Disability Studies at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Her research focuses on academic access, ableism, and the experiences of autistic, mad, and disabled students and scholars in and out of academia. She is especially fascinated by autistic epistemology, or knowledge production, and how it can be applied to uncover new thoughts and ideas. She is the student coordinator of the Coalition for Autistic and Neurodivergent Students, which uses a novel mentoring model to support autistic and neurodivergent students across campuses in the Chicago area. She also mentors autistic, neurodivergent, and disabled high school and college students to promote successful transitions to and through college. Helen has an MS in Disability and Human Development from the University of Illinois at Chicago and a BS in Psychology and Gender and Women's Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. You can follow Helen on Twitter @helenrottier.

Leslie Harrison

Parent

Leslie is an Executive Communications Manager at Cisco Systems. As a fierce advocate of diversity, equity and inclusion for differently abled and BIPOC communities, she manages communications for the Cisco Disability Action Network, one of the company's employee resource groups. Leslie is the parent of daughter who was diagnosed with ASD as a teen and benefits from the support of the Transition2Success Project. She also participates in Advocating for Supports to Improve Service Transitions [ASSIST] through the University of Illinois.

Michael Duggan, PhD

Counselor for students with disabilities, Professor

College of DuPage

Dr. Michael Duggan‚ CPC, CRC, is a Professor and a Counselor for Students with Disabilities at College of DuPage (COD), where he is well known for his expertise and his passion for empowering students with disabilities. In his time at COD he has helped establish a wide variety of programs for students, and his work has been featured by the Chicago Tribune, Daily Hearld, patch.com, and WGN Television. He has also been awarded COD's Outstanding Divisional Faculty of the Year, Outstanding Academic Advisor of the Year (twice), and Outstanding Club Advisor of the Year for his work on Autismerica--a social/support organization for young adults and families on the autism spectrum throughout Chicagoland. His first published book is titled First Class Support for College Students on the Autism Spectrum: Practical Advice for College Counselors and Educators, and his website is michaelwduggan.com

4:00 - 4:30 PM Break

4:30 PM - 5:30 PM College Panel 2. Nancy Forsythe, University of Maryland, College Park; Ricardo Flores, UC Berkeley; Emiliano Ayala, California State University-San Marcos

Nancy Forsythe

Senior Faculty Specialist/Disability Inclusion

University of Maryland, College Park

Nancy Forsythe, MA., EdS., is a subject matter expert in disability inclusion at work. She currently works as a Senior Faculty Specialist in Disability Inclusion at the University of Maryland University Career Center. The majority of this work focuses on neurodivergent students. At the University Career Center, Nancy supports neurodivergent students in the career preparation, job search, and on-boarding processes and works closely with employers to improve their capacity to hire and retain neurodivergent students. Nancy‚Äôs background is in social science research and vocational rehabilitation.

Ricardo Flores

Assistant Director for Students with Disabilities, Career Center

University of California, Berkeley

Ricardo Flores holds a Master's in Rehabilitation Counseling from Texas Tech University. He has developed a suite of Career Services for Students with Disabilities at Cal since 2018 including a monthly specialized unit for students identifying as being Neurodiverse. Prior to their work at Cal, Ricardo consulted corporations, nonprofits, and small businesses in expanding and introducing diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in to their company practice. Ricardo also has ten-years plus managing and coordinating mentoring programs for at-risk youth with disabilities in Texas.

Emiliano Ayala

Professor

CSU San Marcos

Dr. Emiliano C. Ayala serves as Professor of Education for the School of Education at California State University at San Marco. His primary instructional responsibilities include teaching courses in the Education Specialist (special education) credential program and undergraduate courses preparing prospective future educators. Prior to his faculty appointment, Dr. Ayala served as Dean for the College of Education, Health and Human Services (CEHHS) at California State University San Marcos. In addition, he has served in various faculty and administrative roles at Sonoma State University and Humboldt State University. Dr. Ayala studies, writes, and speaks about the impact of cultural diversity in K-12 education, policy and legal issues in special education, administrative policy and practice in higher education, and Universal Design for Learning in higher education. Dr. Ayala's professional accomplishments focus on supporting post-secondary students with disabilities. He served as Principle Investigator for EnACT and EnACT~PTD (U.S. Department of Education) and Project Co-Director for Access by Design (National Science Foundation). These federal grants were designed to support professional development activities for faculty and administrators at institutions of higher education with the goal of providing a quality education for postsecondary students with disabilities.

5:30 PM - 6:30 PM K-12 Panel 2. "Academic Research in Neurodiversity". Panelists: Dr. Claire Hughes,* College of Coastal Georgia; Juniette Kanga, Brudges Graduate School; Carrie Mitran,* NeurodiverseTalk

Claire Hughes

Professor of Elementary and Special Education

College of Coastal Georgia

Dr. Claire E. Hughes is Professor of Elementary and Special Education at the College of Coastal Georgia. Previously, she was Faculty Director of the Special Needs and Inclusion program at Canterbury Christ Church University in England, and a Fulbright Scholar to Greece. She has served on boards in the National Association for Gifted Children, The Association for the Gifted (CEC-TAG) and Teacher Education Divisions (CEC-TED) of the Council for Exceptional Children. She is author of numerous books and chapters, and her research areas include: twice-exceptional children- particularly gifted children with autism; positivistic views of exceptionality; and international education. She is passionate about working with teachers on developing abilities and talents in all children through higher-order thinking, creativity, and mental health interventions. She lives on St. Simons Island, Georgia with two family members (husband and mother) two twice-exceptional children, two cats, and two dogs.

Juniette Kanga

Parent, Doctoral Student, Consultant

Juniette Kanga is a business professional with over 15 years in marketing, customer engagement programs and market access and customer advocacy. She recently resigned to focus on raising her children who include neurodiverse individuals and focus on her passion to propel the inclusion of neurodiverse individuals in society. Juniette did her undergraduate in Art and Design in Kenya. Some of her design projects included how to increase community engagement in marginalized groups, using art, product design and music education to improve lives of physically and/or cognitively disabled people in Kenya. She later completed her Masters in Design Management, with a minor in international community development at the University of New South Wales in Australia prior to relocating to the USA and diving into the customer engagement and marketing arena. She is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Cognitive Diversity at Bridges Graduate School of Cognitive Diversity and Education. She is interested in researching ethnically neurodiverse experiences, particularly immigrants families and creating pathways for support. She currently leads the implementation of some faith-based education programs to support 3rd culture families in life-stage transitions. She is interested in using that background to create social connections for neurodivergent families. She is also interested in gifted and talented and autims education in Africa where there is currently a huge gap. Ultimately, she focuses her energy on building programs that support enrichment and strength-based parenting and social connections to realize the potential future of neurodiverse and 2e children from all cultures and backgrounds.

Carrie Mitran*

Clinician, Researcher and Behavior Analyst

NeurodiverseTalk

Carrie's passion started while helping design products in a software consulting company. She is currently researching neurodiverse communication and mental health. She works with clients individually and leads conversations on how we can all support neurodiverse individuals inclusively in various environments. Board Certified Behavior Analyst and Clinical Mental Health Counselor Carrie studies people's mannerisms with an analytical mind providing support with a vast range of resources and knowledge.

6:30 PM - 7:30 PM Network for K-12 Neurodiversity Education and Advocacy (NNEA) and Stanford Neurodiversity Project - Research, Education, and Advocacy Camp for High Schoolers (SNP-REACH). Panelists: TBC

7:30 PM - 8:30 PM Concluding Session. Lawrence Fung, MD, PhD, Stanford University