STANFORD NEURODIVERSITY SUMMIT 2022

Day 1 Program and Speakers

Please note that times shown below are in Pacific Time Zone.

DAY 1 - Sunday, October 23, 2022

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

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.

9:00 AM-9:45 AM "Introduction to the Stanford Neurodiversity Project." Speaker: Lawrence Fung, MD, PhD

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.

9:45 AM-10:30 AM Keynote Presentation: Speaker: Lydia Brown, JD (Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network)

Lydia X. Z. Brown, JD

Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network

Lydia X. Z. Brown is an advocate, organizer, attorney, strategist, and writer whose work focuses on interpersonal and state violence against disabled people at the intersections of race, class, gender, sexuality, faith, language, and nation. Lydia is an adjunct lecturer in the Women's and Gender Studies Program and the Disability Studies Program at Georgetown University, as well as Self-Advocacy Discipline Coordinator for the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities Fellowship program. They are also an adjunct professorial lecturer in American Studies in the Department of Critical Race, Gender, and Culture Studies at American University. Lydia is Policy Counsel for Privacy & Data at the Center for Democracy & Technology, focused on algorithmic discrimination and disability; Director of Policy, Advocacy, & External Affairs at the Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network; and founding executive director of the Autistic People of Color Fund, a project of collective care, redistributive justice, and mutual aid,. They are co-president of the Disability Rights Bar Association, a commissioner on the American Bar Association’s Commission on Disability Rights, and Disability Justice Committee representative on the National Lawyers Guild board. Lydia is currently creating Disability Justice Wisdom Tarot. Often, their most important work has no title, job description, or funding, and probably never will.

10:30 AM-11:15 AM Keynote Presentation: “Demythifying Masking: Reframing Pathology to Identify Underlying Factors.” Dena Gassner (Towson University)

Dena Gassner

Adelphi University

Dena is an appointed member to the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) providing recommendations to the office of the White House regarding autism research funding. She the co-chair of the Autistic Researcher Committee (ARC) for the International Society for Autism Research (INSAR). She is currently serving on the University of Cincinnati Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCCEDD), Center for Dignity in Healthcare for People with Disabilities (CDHPD) a member of the Autism Intervention Research Network in Physical Health (AIR-P) and is a member of the AIR-P Gender, Sexuality and Healthcare Node. In her 8th year on the board of directors for the Arc US, serving as the chair of the National Council of Self-Advocates, on Policy and currently on Access, Equity and Inclusion. She has published multiple book chapters and journal articles and her presentations include NYU London, The United Nations (Geneva and US) (autism + aging, disparities for autistic women, and autistic motherhood/reproductive healthcare access), Cambridge, University of Birmingham, Russia, Fonden Samrådet-Denmark and Scotland among other places. In 1999 she was awarded the Cathy Pratt Professional of the Year Award from Autism Society of America. She aspires to living an authentic autistic life.

Abstract

Masking or Camouflaging is a new hot topic in autism research, however, these behaviors are naturally occurring in society that are differently executed by autistic persons. Masking is not a uniquely neurodiverse behavior. In this training, through illustrations of lived experiences, participants will deconstruct the phenomenon known as masking in order to foster enhanced understanding and provide informed supports.

11:15 PM-12:15 PM Neurodiversity Career Panel. Panelists: Madhavi Dalmia (Google), Louis Chesney (RethinkCare), and Drew Russert (Contrast Design Works)

Neurodiversity Career Panel 1

Moderators: Mark Gavartin (Stanford Neurodiversity Project), Esperanza Padilla (UCSF)

Learning Objectives:

Understand the career pathways through a neurodiverse perspective.
Describe what organizations can do to support neurodiversity in the workplace.
Articulate what neurodiversity brings to the workplace.
Celebrate the unique diversity of neurodiverse individuals in the workplace.

Madhavi Dalmia

Implementation Manager, Google

Madhavi studied Computer Science and Finance. For most of her career, she has worked in technology companies and has witnessed how technology has transformed businesses and continues to do so. She has switched roles and business functions from time to time and this has only helped her build a better understanding of businesses. She completed her MBA to further solidify her understanding of business models. Strategy, planning and execution is where she finds her passion at work. She currently works for the compensation arm for the Sales teams. A passionate advocate for diversity and specifically Neurodiversity, she takes every opportunity to educate teams around her regarding what all Neurodiverse people have to offer. She is rooting for the Neurodiverse community to continue making outstanding contributions to society.

Louis Chesney

Product Manager, RethinkCare

Louis Chesney is the Product Manager of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) for RethinkCare, overseeing the expansion of Whil’s DEI experts, course content, and training approach. He is an expert in providing employer support to drive workplace inclusion and strengthen interpersonal skills. Louis championed and led a hiring program for autistic adults at a global technology company and is the co-author of “ECHO: A Vocal Language Program for Easing Anxiety in Conversation,” a Plural Publishing book designed to help children struggling with social-communication anxiety.

Drew Russert

Graphic Designer, Contrast DesignWorks

Drew Russert is a Graphic Designer, Motion Graphics Artist, University of Oregon Grad, and former Division 1 Athlete. Passionate about sports, health and wellness, and has an eye for design.

12:00 PM - 2:30 PM (Concurrent Session at Designated Zoom Meeting Room): Neurodiversity in the Classroom: Strategies for Teachers

Neurodiversity in the Classroom: Strategies for Teachers (Separate sign-up needed due to limited capacity)

Moderators: Robin Schader, PhD, Callie Turk, Marci Schwartz, PhD, LCSW

Michael Wehmeyer, PhD

Chair and Distinguished Professor, Department of Special Education, University of Kansas

Michael L. Wehmeyer, Ph.D. is the Ross and Mariana Beach Distinguished Professor of Special Education; Chair of the Department of Special Education; and Director and Senior Scientist, Beach Center on Disability; all at the University of Kansas. His research and scholarly work has focused issues pertaining to self-determination, positive psychology and disability, transition to adulthood, the education and inclusion of students with severe disabilities, conceptualizing intellectual disability, and technology use by people with cognitive disabilities. He has published more than 475 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters. He is an author or editor on 45 texts. Dr. Wehmeyer is Past-President and a Fellow of the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD); a Fellow of the American Psychological Association Division 33 (Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Division). He has been recognized for his research and service with lifetime achievement awards from numerous associations and organizations, including the American Psychological Association, American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Council for Exceptional Children, and The Arc of the United States.

Sheida Raley, PhD

Assistant Research Professor, Department of Special Education, University of Kansas

Sheida K. Raley, Ph.D. is an Assistant Research Professor at the Kansas University Center on Developmental Disabilities and Assistant Professor in the Department of Special Education. Dr. Raley’s research focuses on assessment and intervention related to self-determination for all students, including students with extensive support needs learning in inclusive contexts. The ultimate goal of her research is to understand how to enable all students, including students with and without disabilities, to build abilities and skills associated with self-determination. She has a particular interest in identifying instructional strategies and supports for general and special educators to use in inclusive classrooms. Dr. Raley earned her doctoral degree in Special Education from the University of Kansas and is a former public school teacher for elementary and middle school students with extensive support needs.

Lakshmi Balasubramanian, PhD

Lecturer & Social Science Researcher, Stanford University

Lakshmi is a Lecturer and Researcher in the field of special education at the Graduate School of Education at Stanford University. She completed her Ph.D. in Special Education at the joint doctoral program at the University of California, Berkeley with San Francisco State University in May 2021. Her dissertation research examined the processes and practices of inclusive education for students with diverse disabilities in a school district in Northern California. The first part of the dissertation is a theoretical articulation of a conceptual framework that school districts and local education agencies can use to design, implement, and sustain inclusive educational practices. This framework has three central tenets, which relate to (a) how students access general education, (b) meaningful ways in which they can participate alongside their peers, and (c) support structures that can undergird effective implementation. The second part of this dissertation consists of an empirical study that evaluated the deployment of this framework in implementing inclusive education in the kindergarten-through-12th-grade context. It brought under scrutiny the system-level processes and programmatic structures that were in place or being developed at this school district. Facilitators and barriers to inclusion were examined as they related to access, meaningful participation, and creation and provision of supports for all participants within their sociocultural context. She makes visible the ableist and disablist discourses and practices that sometimes frame the construction of disability and what it means to teach or parent a child with a disability within those confines. In this way, this research untangles the oppressive ideologies that are prevalent in narratives about the disabled and destabilizes any claims made to a normative ideal, while affirming that inclusion and receiving education in the least restrictive environment is a civil right for disabled students. She currently manages two Institute of Education Sciences (IES) grants as part of the Lemons lab at Stanford. One of the grants seeks to build general education and special education teachers’ skills in delivering effective interventions using the Data Based Individualization by Design method (DBI by Design) and engaging in collaborative processes to build inclusive classrooms The second grant is an RCT that is testing the efficacy of a kindergarten writing curriculum. Prior to joining Stanford, Lakshmi worked as a special education teacher and inclusion specialist in a large public school district for 14 years. During this time, she spearheaded the design and implementation of inclusive education programs at the school district in grades K-12. Additionally, she has worked as a professional development facilitator nationally and internationally on a variety of topics related to inclusive education and Universal Design for Learning (UDL).

Susan Baum, PhD

Chancellor, Bridges Academy

Susan Baum, Ph.D. is the Co-Director of the 2e Center for Research and Professional Development at Bridges Academy, a school for twice exceptional and Chancellor of the Bridges Graduate School of Cognitive Diversity in Education. For her work in twice exceptionality she has received many awards including 2010 recipient of the Life Time Achievement Award granted by the Weinfeld Group, 2011 recipient of the Connecticut Association for the Gifted “Friend of the Gifted Award: and the 2015 Distinguish Professional Alumni Award from the Neag School of Education. Her seminal book now in its third edition, To be gifted and learning disabled: Strength-based strategies for helping twice exceptional students with LD, ADHD, ASD, and more (Baum, Schader, & Owen) was awarded the NAGC Book of the Year award in 1918. Dr. Baum is widely published in the areas of differentiated instruction, twice exceptional students, primary-aged, gifted students, and social and emotional factors affecting gifted students. A popular speaker and workshop presenter, she has traveled worldwide teaching about creativity, education of the gifted and talented and twice exceptionality. She currently is a frequent presenter at Bright and Quirky—an online summit for supporting twice exceptionality.

Amy Bechtol

Teacher, Bridges Academy

Amy Bechtol is a neurodivergent individual, educator, and activist. Identified as autistic at thirteen, Amy attended Bridges Academy, a school for twice-exceptional students. After pursuing an education in the arts through Otis College of Art and Design, Amy returned to Bridges, where she now works as an arts and humanities teacher, supporting students with a neurology much like her own. She is currently pursuing her Masters of Education through the Bridges Graduate School of Cognitive Diversity in Education. When not embroiled in academia, she enjoys long walks around the pasture with her dogs, collecting far too many books, and wearing headphones without any audio playing.

Daniele Mizuta

Learning Support Specialist, Punahou School in Honolulu, Hawaii

Danielle Mizuta, MEd is a Learning Support Specialist, Special Education Teacher and Mentor, and Adjunct Faculty for pre-service special education teachers in Hawaii. She focuses on neurodiverse students and strength based approaches to work with schools and their families. Danielle likes to say her job is to “make learning fun.” She holds two MEds, a BS in Communication Studies and a Minor in Dance. Danielle is currently a Doctoral Student at the Bridges Graduate School of Cognitive Diversity in Education in Studio City, California. Danielle has spent the last 20 years in various roles in special education spanning Kindergarten to High School, a residential treatment facility for teenagers, and adult education for pre-service special education teachers. She taught special education in the Hawaii State Department of Education for 13 years. Danielle also provides faculty coaching in classrooms and professional development to ensure the learning needs of all students are being met through strategic design like Universal Design for Learning (UDL). When Danielle reflects on her career, she often encounters struggling and troubled youth with extremely amazing gifts. This has led to her current path on better understanding these students, and how to support them in the classroom.

12:15 PM - 1:00 PM Neurodiversity and Music. “Piano Recital: We Sing for the Future”

Kevin Lee Sun

Instructor of Piano, Eastman School of Music

Kevin Lee Sun is a classical pianist based in Rochester, NY. He plays a rarely heard, diverse repertoire that evokes empathy in listeners and relates to current society. His 2021-22 performances in Germany, for instance—at the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg and the Villa Elisabeth in Berlin—featured Korean, American, Czech, and German composers’ works about obsessive thoughts of mortality, student protests, and labor conditions. Kevin’s commitment to diverse, evocative, and relevant music stems from his engagement with neurodiversity. While he was a medical student at Stanford, Kevin became interested in psychiatry, and as he met more patients, he realized how important it was to educate himself on neurodiversity. In 2019, he joined Dr. Lawrence Fung’s lab, where he contributed to neuroscience research and Stanford Neurodiversity Project initiatives. Specifically, he trained Stanford residential staff to design dorm communities that are mindful and inclusive of neurodiverse students. As his knowledge of neurodiversity increased, his self-awareness of his interest in piano grew, and he went on leave of absence from medical school to pursue music. Now a piano teacher at the University of Rochester—Eastman School of Music, he enjoys working with his neurodiverse undergraduate students on a diverse piano repertoire.

Abstract

Pianist Kevin Lee Sun (he/him) performs a lunchtime recital that approaches neurodiversity from different angles. His musical program will explore the auditory hallucinations of a famous composer, the peculiarities of a Norwegian girl, the order and disorder of the color “white,” and the revolutionary struggle of youth for a better world.

Disclaimer: The following performance is intended to be creative art; it is not intended to be music therapy. The volume may range from very soft to very loud, and the music may at times sound experimental and dissonant. Listeners are encouraged to adjust their personal electronic devices’ volume levels to whatever is comfortable, or to exit and return at a later time.

1:00 PM - 2:00 PM Lunch Break and Exhibitor Hour

2:00 PM - 3:00 PM Employer Panel 1. Panelists: Patrick Poljan (Dell Technologies), Bettina Thompson (Amazon), and Jessica Mendiola (Workday)

Employer Panel 1

Moderators: Lawrence Fung, MD, PhD (Stanford) and Mark Gavartin (Stanford)

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

Patrick Poljan

Exec Sponsor and Advisor, Dell Technologies Neurodiversity Hiring

Patrick Poljan is a strategic advisor and advocate for neurodivergent employment. He serves as an executive non-profit board chair for the Arc of the Capital and serves as a special education aid at Vandegrift High School. He also provides advisory services for other business ventures in the neurodivergent hiring space including Potentia Workforce Solutions. Patrick is a former Senior Vice President of Finance and Supply Chain Operations at Dell Technologies where he worked for 12 years. During his time at Dell, Patrick served as the Co-Chair for Dell’s True Ability Employee Resource Group focused on supporting team members impacted by special needs/disabilities. Major pillars include employee engagement, hiring programs, and assistive technology. As part of this role Patrick helped launch and served as Executive Sponsor for Dell’s Neuro-Diversity Program. Prior to joining Dell Technologies, Patrick served in several executive finance and operations roles at GE and then SABIC spanning 17 years. www.linkedin.com/in/patrickpoljan

Bettina Thompson

Program Manager for DEI in Talent Acquisition, Amazon

Bettina Thompson (she/her), Program Manager Bettina is a Program Manager at Amazon, focused on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in talent acquisition. She is committed to ensuring and developing inclusive, equitable and unbiased hiring practices for underrepresented populations and marginalized voices. Currently, she is driving the development of Neurodiversity and PWD hiring programs with a global lens for All Amazon. As a member of the People with Disabilities (PwD) Affinity Group Global Board of Directors, Bettina serves as a Director for Recruiting and Neurodiversity, and is also a founding member and Corporate Communications Director for the Mental Health and Well-Being Affinity Group Global Board of Directors. Bettina’s efforts have also created a Neurodiversity at Amazon community of approx. 5000, robust psychologically safe community spaces where approx. 2000 neurodiverse Amazonians share peer to peer support and mentorship daily, year round educational programming including NAAM (Neurodiversity Autism Acceptance Month), “Thinking Differently at Amazon”, community listening sessions and more, plus, integral collaboration with corporate programs such as “Work Wellness Coaching” to support career success and development of neurodiverse talent at Amazon.

Jessica Mendiola

Senior Demand Generation Manager

Jessica is a strategic marketing professional and inclusion advocate. In her 23 year career, she has managed multi touch campaigns across the general, Hispanic, and African American markets. She has spearheaded successful global campaigns with brands such as Microsoft, Verizon, Hewlett-Packard, Workday, and more. Jessica’s passion for diversity, equity, and inclusion runs deep through her leadership and dedication to her community and workplace. She serves as Global Liaison for her company’s people with disabilities belonging council and also founded the caregivers of people with special needs group. She has brought awareness, policy change, and a place for people to feel comfortable being themselves. Jessica also serves on the Livermore Unified School District Parent’s Advisory Board and when her daughter is not riding, she is a volunteer with Reins in Motion (equine therapy). Her eclectic upbringing allows her to bring a unique perspective and knowledge to the table in her professional career and advocacy. She is a Black woman who grew up in a mostly white neighborhood, raised primarily by a Guatemalan nanny; she speaks English, Spanish, and French fluently; and, has lived with her own invisible disability since birth. Jessica has been happily married to her spouse Juan for 12 years and her biggest accomplishment has been as a mother to her 8 year old daughter with special needs, Noelia. Jessica thrives at being the strong voice for people that don’t feel empowered or are not able to speak on their own behalf.

3:00 PM - 4:00 PM Mental Health Panel 1. "Neurodiversity and Trauma." Panelists:Heather Brown, PhD (University of Alberta) and Mona Delahooke, PhD (Private Practice)

Neurodiversity and Trauma

Moderators: Beth Grady, MD (San Mateo Medical Center), Lawrence Fung, MD, PhD (Stanford)

Learning objectives:

Describe ways in which neurodivergent people experience trauma.
Discuss how the pathology model and the need to “pass” contribute to trauma for neurodivergent people.
Describe some ways that parents, teachers and healthcare providers can recognize and prevent trauma in neurodivergent children and youth.
Understand how the strengths based neurodiversity approach can help promote healing from trauma.

Target audience:

Mental Health Providers
Healthcare Providers
Neurodiverse Individuals
Families and Friends

Heather Brown, PhD

Associate Professor, University of Alberta

Dr. Heather M. Brown was trained initially as an elementary school teacher, but she is now an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Alberta. She is also an autistic researcher passionate about supporting the academic achievement and overall well-being of autistic children, youth and adults. Her research aims to empower autistic individuals to be more self-confident in their neurodiversity and better understand the factors that most support their well-being at home, work and school. She currently serves as the chair of the Autism Spectrum Research Committee for the American Educational Research Association and a member of the Autistic Researcher Review Board for the Autism Intervention Research Network on Physical Health.

Mona Delahooke, PhD

Private Practice

Mona Delahooke, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist with more than 30 years of experience caring for children and their families. She is a senior faculty member of the Profectum Foundation, an organization dedicated to supporting families of neurodiverse children, adolescents and adults. Dr. Delahooke holds the highest level of endorsement in the field of infant and toddler mental health in California, as a Reflective Practice Mentor (RPM). She is a frequent speaker, trainer, and consultant to parents, organizations, schools, and public agencies. Dr. Delahooke has dedicated her career to promoting compassionate, relationship-based neurodevelopmental interventions for children with developmental, behavioral, emotional, and learning differences. She is the author of the award winning and best-selling book Beyond Behaviors: Using Brain Science and Compassion to Understand and Solve Children’s Behavioral Challenges (PESI, 2019), and Brain-Body Parenting:How to stop Managing Behaviors and start Raising Joyful, Resilient Kids, (Harper Wave, 2022). Her popular blog, at www.monadelahooke.com covers a range of topics useful for caregivers and childhood providers.

4:00 - 4:30 PM Break

4:30 PM - 5:30 PM Higher Education Panel 1: "Self Advocacy For Diverse Students Across the Range of Postsecondary Education Institutions." Panelists: Izzy Fakkel (Epsom College), Charlie Garcia-Spiegel (City College of San Francisco), Rachel Kripke-Ludwig (Open Minds), and Julia Wortman (Stanford)

Higher Education Panel 1: Self Advocacy For Diverse Students Across the Range of Postsecondary Education Institutions

Moderators: Esperanza Padilla (UCSF) and Kyle McKinley (Stanford)

Learning Objectives:

Understand how to develop self-advocacy skills as a neurodiverse student in higher education.
Describe how faculty in higher education can design better practices for their neurodiverse students.
Articulate what allies can do to strengthen neurodivese students' ability to self-advocate.
Gain insight on how to design a self-advocacy movement that takes into account the intersectionality of neurodiverse students.

Izzy Fakkel

Psychology Student, Kings College London

I’m Izzy and I am a 19 year old Psychology student at Kings College London and an advocate for both Autism and Mental Health.I was diagnosed as autistic just before my 18th birthday and continue to struggle with anxiety as well as borderline personality disorder. Alongside my studies, I share my experiences about life as an autistic individual in a neurotypical world, both on my Instagram page and blog, in the hope that one day we will live in a world that is kind and accepting of autistic people. My content has reached over 3 million people and been used by numerous NHS branches as well as schools and therapists from across the world. I am currently a Young Ambassador for the National Autistic Society and a disability advisor for my local county council.

Charlie Garcia-Spiegel

City College of San Francisco

Charlie Garcia-Spiegel (he/him), is a queer, multiply-disabled, Jewish Boricua student worker-organizer and craftsperson. He was born and raised on stolen Ohlone homelands (the so-called San Francisco Bay Area, specifically Oakland and Berkeley). He now resides in so-called San Francisco, and attends the City College of San Francisco, where he is a student worker at the college’s Queer Resource Center. Charlie is on an organizing hiatus, but has been involved in and maintains ties with a number of student and community organizations, including the CCSF Collective and Mental Health First (as part of the Anti Police-Terror Project). He is also an alumnus of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network’s Autism Campus Inclusion program and the LYRIC Center for LGBTQQ+ Youth’s Sequoia Leadership Institute. He continues to support his fellow organizers by nurturing transmasculine communities on- and offline, building practices of collective access, and uplifting student labor movements. As a ceramicist, Charlie proudly incorporates disability in his work, reveling in uneven, organic forms that emphasize his physical limitations as an artist and reflect his special interests. He is also a proud snail dad, a niche audio drama enthusiast, and a big fan of saying “no”.

Rachel Kripke-Ludwig

Open Mind School

Rachel Kripke-Ludwig (she/hers) is a nonspeaking, college bound autistic advocate. She attends Open Mind School in Menlo Park, and is a Community Partner in the AASPIRE Community Based Participatory Research Group. She is working on a five-year study to develop tools to measure outcomes for adult autism services. She is also on the Community Advisory Council of CommunicationFIRST, the only nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting and advancing the civil rights of people who cannot rely on speech to communicate. She is a frequent speaker on neurodiversity and the rights of nonspeaking autistics.

Julia Wortman

Stanford University

Hi, my name is Julia Wortman and I'm a rising junior at Stanford as well as a diver on the Varsity Swimming and Diving Team. I was diagnosed with ADHD in the fall of 2021 and have since learned a lot about how to navigate the world through a neurodivergent lens. Right now, I’m an intern for a publishing company that specializes in amplifying marginalized voices in young adult fiction. A fun fact about me is that I competed at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Trials on the Women’s Platform event and I’m an aspiring author.

5:30 PM - 6:30 PM K-12 Panel 1– “Young Adult Neurodivergent Voices in the Media”. Panelists: Lauren Melissa Ellzey, Justin Janoson, and Lauren Pearson

K-12 Panel 1: Young Adult Neurodivergent Voices in the Media

Moderators: Hannah Crousore (UC Santa Barbara), Yael Valek (REEL), and Marci Schwartz, PhD, LCSW (Thrive College Counseling)

Learning Objectives:

Understand how young people are using various media (books, social media, film, etc) to positively portray neurodiversity and the impact this has on the neurodiverse community
Get inspired by seeing neurodivergent young people who followed their passion, used their unique strengths and viewpoints, and created an experience within their community that others benefit from
Come away with specific entry points and platforms to share your voice through media.

Lauren Melissa Ellzey

Instructional Support Specialist (ASD Nest Support Project)

Instagram: @Autienelle

Lauren Melissa Ellzey (she/her), also known as @Autienelle, is an autistic self-advocate, educator, author, and social justice activist. Through writing and presenting, she engages across lines of difference, highlighting the inequitable systems that oppress queer, BIPOC, and disabled folks. Her work as Autienelle has crossed paths with the United Nations, Reframing Autism, Penn State, PINE Program (NYU), City University of New York (CUNY), Out 4 Undergrad, Pima County Health Department, NeuroClastic, Cripple Media, AbleZine, Think Inclusive, Inclusion Festival, the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, and more. As an Instructional Support Specialist, she provides consultation and professional development on autistic K-12 inclusion. Her debut young adult novel, Boy at the Window, emphasizes the importance of belonging for queer, neurodivergent youth of color. In all, she hopes to co-create a society where autistics nurture autistics as we strive toward true inclusion.

Justin Janoson

Creative Director

IndEP Media

Justin Janoson is a neurodivergent filmmaker and the founder of IndEP media, a content development company with a goal of generating jobs and opportunities for disabled artists. At IndEP media, he created “What’s the Rule” an original coming of age dramedy about a teenage girl with ADHD, and her twin autistic sister who must learn the rules if they wish to survive High School.

Lauren Pearson

Neurodivergent Advocate/Student

Core Committee Member, Network for K-12 Neurodiversity Education and Advocacy

Lauren Pearson is a neurodivergent teen advocate from Ontario, Canada. Due to her own experiences with having ADHD and autism, she aspires to use her knowledge in the field to increase academic efforts surrounding neurodiversity. She is also the founder of “DiverseNero”, an international non-profit created to distribute educational neurodiversity content. While she is currently in a gap year, Lauren plans to attend college in the US next fall and hopes to study neuroscience with a minor in computer science.

6:30 PM - 7:30 PM Human Rights Panel: Neurodiverse Individuals in the Courtroom. Hon. Michelle Short and Daniel Pickar, PhD, ABPP

Neurodiverse Individuals in the Courtroom

Moderators: Lawrence Fung, MD, PhD (Stanford), Isabella Duan (Stanford)

Learning objectives:

Explain the importance of the understanding of neurodiversity in the legal system and especially in the courtroom.
Articulate what neurodiverse individuals and their family members should know about their rights in the courtroom and how they can do to advocate for themselves.
Illustrate the current state of understanding of neurodiversity in the courtroom and what judges, attorneys, and jurors can do to make the courtroom neurodiversity-friendly

Target audience:

Neurodiverse Individuals
Families and Friends
Legal professionals
Mental health providers

Hon. Michelle Short

Judge, Los Angeles Superior Court

Hon. Michelle Short has served the Los Angeles Superior Court since 2015. She has been assigned to the Court’s Family Law and Criminal Divisions. She is also an adjunct professor atthe University of West Los Angeles School of Law. In addition to her law degrees, Judge Short also has a M.S. in Educational Psychology. While an attorney, her work was focused on family law and representing neurodiverse and neurotypical children.

Judge Short has spoken at conferences and judicial education programs on topics including eliciting testimony from children; addressing the needs of neurodiverse and neurotypical children/adults; and LGBTQ+/Transgender Awareness.

Daniel Pickar, Ph.D., ABPP

Child & Family Clinical and Forensic Psychology

Daniel B. Pickar, PhD, ABPP is a child psychologist and Diplomate of the American Board of Professional Psychology. He is in independent practice in clinical and forensic psychology in Santa Rosa, California and specializes in child custody evaluations, mediation, consultation to family law attorneys, and psycho-educational evaluations of children. He received his undergraduate education at Brown University and completed his Ph.D. in clinical psychology at the California School of Professional Psychology at Berkeley. For 12 years, he served as the Chief of Child and Family Psychiatry at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Santa Rosa, California. He has published numerous journal articles and book chapters in the areas of child custody evaluation, children with special needs and neurodiversity in family court, and child custody mediation. He regularly presents workshops at state and national AFCC and AAML conferences. Dr. Pickar is currently on the Board of Directors of the Association of Family & Conciliation Courts and serves on the editorial board of the Family Court Review. In 2019, he was honored with the Judge Rex Sater Award by the Sonoma County Bar Association for his outstanding contributions to family law in Sonoma County.

7:30 PM - 8:30 PM Entrepreneurship panel. Panelists: Aparna Kommineni (Bay Payee)and Joshua Armenta (Theraphonics, Inc.)

Entrepreneurship Panel 1: Neurodiversity, Entrepreneurship , and the Startup Ecosystem: A Conversation about the Journey, Insights and Learnings with Neurodiverse Diverse Founders with an Angel Investor focusing on investing in Neurodiverse founders & solutions.

Moderators: Cathy Farmer (Autism Angels) and Kyle McKinley (Stanford)

Learning Objectives:

A candid conversation with neurodiverse founders on entrepreneurship and navigating the startup ecosystem.
The panel will discuss how their neurodiversity played a role in their becoming entrepreneurs, what they have learned about their strengths and challenges as neurodiverse diverse founders and share insights and learnings for the neurodiverse (both current & future founders).

Aparna Kommineni

Bay Payee

Josh Amenta

Founder and Chief Technical Officer, Theraphonics, Inc.

Acclaimed composer and music technology researcher Josh Armenta holds two masters degrees from the Peabody Conservatory at Johns Hopkins and a Bachelors in Music from the Catholic University of America. His music has been performed by Indianapolis Opera, the Great Noise Ensemble and other esteemed groups. He is an expert on forensic audio and signal processing techniques, a former faculty member at Johns Hopkins University, he holds multiple patents and founded Theraphonics to create cutting edge audio technology to aid neurodiverse individuals in their daily life.

8:30 PM - 9:30 PM Exhibitor Hour