STANFORD NEURODIVERSITY SUMMIT 2024

Day 3 Program and Speakers

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

DAY 3 - Tuesday, September 24, 2024

8:30 AM - 8:45 AM Welcome. Lawrence Fung, MD, PhD, Stanford.

Welcome

Lawrence Fung, MD, PhD

Director, Stanford Neurodiversity Project

Associate Professor of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences

Dr. Lawrence Fung is an associate professor at the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University. He is the director of the Stanford Neurodiversity Project, director of the Neurodiversity Clinic, and principal investigator at the Fung Lab. His work, which focuses on autism and neurodiversity, traverses from multi-modal neuroimaging studies to a new conceptualization of neurodiversity and its application to clinical, educational, and employment settings. His lab advances the understanding of neural bases of human socio-communicative and cognitive functions by using novel neuroimaging and bioanalytical technologies. Using a community-based participatory research approach, his team devises and implements novel interventions to improve the lives of neurodiverse individuals by maximizing their potential and productivity. His work has been supported by various agencies, including the National Institutes of Health, Autism Speaks, California Department of Developmental Services, California Department of Rehabilitation, and philanthropy. He received his Ph.D. in chemical engineering from Cornell University and his M.D. from George Washington University. He completed his general psychiatry residency, child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship, and postdoctoral research fellowship at Stanford.

8:45 AM - 9:30 AM Keynote Presentation. "Great Minds Are Not All The Same". Temple Grandin, PhD. Author and Advocate; Professor of Animal Science, Colorado State University

Great Minds Are Not All The Same

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.

Abstract of Presentation: Scientific research clearly shows that there are different kinds of thinking. I am an object visualizer where all my thoughts are in pictures. Object visualizes are often good at art and understanding mechanical things. The second type is the visual spatial pattern thinker who would be good at math, music or computer programming. The third type is the verbal word thinker. The different types of thinkers often have complementary skills. Teams made up of diverse thinkers can often be more productive.

9:30 AM- 10:15 AM Keynote Presentation. "Neurodiversity Unleashed: Turning Dyslexic Traits into Tools for Success". Gil Gershoni, Creative Director and Founder, Gershoni Creative.

Neurodiversity Unleashed: Turning Dyslexic Traits into Tools for Success

Gil Gershoni

Creative Director and Founder

Gershoni Creative

Learning Objectives:

Explore the strengths of dyslexia as hyper-abilities
Identify and apply tools for creativity and collaboration
Promote neuro individuality and diversity in the workplace

Creative Director. Storyteller. Entrepreneur. For more than 25 years, Gershoni Creative founder Gil Gershoni has been developing cutting-edge ideas that keep clients such as Google, Apple, Spotify and Nike at the forefront of innovation. As his agency expanded, he realized that his dyslexia — a childhood diagnosis he’d long thought of as an albatross — was part of the secret sauce to his creative process. The realization spurred initiatives like Dear Dyslexia — a postcard project that invites thousands of dyslexics around the world to rebrand their diagnosis — and Dyslexic Design Thinking, a program that teaches people how to leverage strategies that come naturally to dyslexics to enhance how they work, think and create. For more on Gil, Gershoni Creative, and dyslexia, go to gershoni.com, dyslexicdesignthinking.com, or deadyslexiapostcards.com.

10:15 AM - 11:00 AM Keynote Presentation: Deficit Disorder No More: Strengths-Based Approach to ADHD. Edward Hallowell, MD. Psychiatrist, Speaker, and New York Times Best-selling Author.

Edward Hallowell , MD

The Hallowell ADHD Centers

Learning Objectives:

To appreciate the flaws of deficit based model
To understand core strengths of individuals with ADHD
How to elicit from the patients where the strengths may be

Short Bio: Dr. Edward McKey Hallowell is an American psychiatrist, speaker, New York Times best-selling author and podcast host. He specializes in ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) and is the founder of the Hallowell ADHD Centers. Hallowell is the author of 20 books, including the Distraction series. His approach to ADHD uses a strength-based model that is based on the tenets of positive psychology and takes a more holistic view of ADHD, rather than seeing it purely as a disorder with negative symptoms. Using this treatment model, Hallowell founded the ADHD Hallowell Centers to support and treat people with ADHD. There are currently six locations in the United States, including New York City, Seattle and Boston.

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM Employment Panel 3. Building Your Strengths in a Trade. Ivan Rosenberg, PhD, Uniquely Abled. David Hagerty, Diablo Valley College. Danny Combs, TACT.

Employment Panel 3: Having a Strengths-Based Career in a Trade

Learning Objectives

Learn about how neurodivergent people can access strengths-based skilled trades employment

Ivan Rosenberg

Founder & President

The Uniquely Abled Project

DR. IVAN M. ROSENBERG is the Founder and President of The Uniquely Abled Project, which facilitates career opportunities for those with mental, physical, and experiential employment obstacles. With a 95% job placement, one of its programs teaches and places those with autism in careers as CNC manufacturing machinists. He is also the Managing Partner of InVista Associates, with over 30 years’ experience as a management consultant and change agent. In 2010 he co-founded and is currently Executive Director of The Aerospace & Defense Forum, a community of nine chapters and over 2400 A&D business leaders. During his five years as an Assistant Professor at Rochester Institute of Technology and CalPoly San Luis Obispo, he assisted a variety of organizations, including the State of California, in improving business IT systems. In 1981, Dr. Rosenberg founded Distinctive Solutions Corporation, which develops commercial finance software for banks and other financial institutions. In 1988, Dr. Rosenberg became Vice President of E.K. Williams & Co., at the time the world's largest small business accounting and consulting company. Ivan received Bachelor and Masters degrees in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from Cornell University and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Management from the University of Rochester.

David Hagerty

Manager, Disability Support Services

Diablo Valley College

David Hagerty has worked in the California Community College system for more than 20 years, first as an educator to neurodiverse students, more recently as manager of the Disability Support Services office at Diablo Valley College

Danny Combs

Founder/President

TACT - Teaching the Autism Community Trades

Danny is a leading voice in creating equitable futures for neurodistinct individuals in business. Mr. Combs is the founder of TACT (Teaching the Autism Community Trades), the state of Colorado’s leading transition to employment and training organization, and the co-founder of the Colorado Neurodiversity Chamber of Commerce, the first neurodiverse chamber in the country. Danny has brought together almost 100 businesses to build better opportunities, pay, and career advancement for neurodistinct individuals. His organizations have raised millions in funding to create scholarships to serve all socioeconomic classes. In addition to being a leader in the community, Danny has worked with multiple Grammy and Oscar-winning artists, and the music program he developed in Nashville won a Grammy Enterprise Award. Mr. Combs is also an Air Force Reservist who serves his country in the 4th Space Warning Squadron and 310th Space Wing. His leadership, community development, and social innovation have been recognized in the White House, Pentagon, on NBC, ABC, PBS, CBS, Fox, the Denver Business Journal, Epoch Times, News Nation, Classy, and more. With his dedication and devotion to the community, Danny is also the Board Chair of the Colorado Neurodiversity Chamber of Commerce, a committee member for the Diversity Equity and Inclusion Council on Buckley Space Force Base, an Advisory Member for the Career and Technical Education, and part of the Employment Taskforce for the Autism Society of America. Finally, he has been published multiple times on his thoughts, practices, and leadership about community development, social innovation, transition, autism, and employment. His new book “Supporting Neurodivergent and Autistic People for Their Transition into Adulthood, Blueprints for Education, Training, and Employment” on Routledge/Taylor Francis Publishing is available now. Most importantly, he’s a father of two amazing kids.

12:00 PM - 2:00 PM Poster Session. Performance. Heyon Choi.

POSTER SESSION AND EXHIBITOR HOUR

Heyon Choi

Student

Phillips Academy Andover

Heyon Choi is a senior at Phillips Academy Andover. She has shown remarkable talent in art from a young age, earning recognition and winning awards in various international competitions. For many years, Heyon has served as a community volunteer and an art director, supporting children and artists on the autism spectrum. She is dedicated to promoting their exceptional talents, collaborating with the Korean American autism communities, and aspiring to extend her advocacy to other minority communities. A cornerstone of her work involves collaborating with artists on the autism spectrum and curating group exhibitions and workshops to showcase the artists and their art to the world, engaging and educating neurotypical audiences. Recent projects include: “Unity through Art: Celebrating MLK Day” at the Cambridge Public Library, MA; “Autism Pride” at the William V. Musto Center, NJ; “Freedom, Liberty & Independence” at the Cambridge Public Library. Heyon’s upcoming project is an exhibition themed around flora and fauna. It draws upon the unique affinity many autistic artists have with animals, plants, and nature. The exhibition coincides with World Animal Day on October 4. For inquiries and support, please contact Heyon at: heyonchoi.ss@gmail.com.

2:00 PM - 3:00 PM Mental Health Panel 3. Strengths-Based Interventions. Connie Sung, PhD, Michigan State University. Ru Ying Cai, PhD, Autism Spectrum Australia. Punit Shah, PhD, University of Bath.

Mental Health 3: Strengths-Based Interventions

Learning Objectives

Describe how strengths-based approaches can be used to improve well-being and reduce burnout
Describe how strengths-based approaches can be used to reduce anxiety
Articulate how strengths-based approaches can be used to reduce social isolation and loneliness
Describe how strengths-based approaches can be used to improve EF

Connie Sung, PhD

Professor

Michigan State University

Dr. Connie Sung is a professor at Michigan State University and director of the Master’s in Rehabilitation Counseling program. She also co-directs the MSU Center for Services, Training and Research for Independence and Desired Employment (STRIDE). Her expertise includes occupational therapy, cognitive neuroscience, and rehabilitation counseling psychology. Dr. Sung's research focuses on the role of biopsychosocial factors and community-based interventions in improving individuals with disabilities in transition, career development, and psychosocial adjustment. She has authored over 80 publications and received multiple American Rehabilitation Counseling Association research awards. Dr. Sung's work emphasizes a holistic, strengths-based approach, developing community-based interventions for improving the quality of life and career development of individuals with disabilities. This involves interdisciplinary, interagency, and international collaborations, extending to countries like Hong Kong, China, Ireland, the UK, Slovakia, Ghana, Botswana, and Mali. Her commitment to disability and inclusion worldwide is underscored by her invited presentations at the United Nations General Assembly's Science Summit.

Ru Ying Cai, PhD

Research Fellow

Autism Spectrum Australia

Dr Ru Ying Cai is a Research Fellow at Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect). She is interested in understanding how we can improve the mental health and wellbeing of autistic people by studying factors that impact these health outcomes, including emotion regulation and financial wellbeing. Currently, she is leading a program of work examining the self-compassion experiences of autistic adults and parents of autistic children. She completed her PhD training at La Trobe University. Her research findings have been disseminated via national and international conferences and scientific journals. She also volunteers as the Chair of the board at the not-for-profit Different Journeys.

Punit Shah, PhD

Associate Professor of Psychology

University of Bath

My team and I are interested in socially relevant psychological signals, from perception (e.g., of bodily signals, faces), to cognition (e.g., decision-making, mentalising, creativity), and behaviour (e.g., masking, pro-environmental). We are especially interested in how these processes operate in neurodivergent people and thereby aim to improve understanding of mental health conditions. www.punitqshah.com

3:00 PM - 4:00 PM Higher Education Panel 3. Harnessing the Strengths of Neurodiversity in Medicine by Supporting Neurodivergent Clinicians During Medical Training. Stacy Greeter, MD, Private Practice. Alicia Cho, DO, Oregon Health Sciences University. Reese Ramponi, APRN, Child Guidance Center of S CT. Kevin Kendrick, MD, Perth Clinic.

Higher Education Panel 3: Harnessing the Strengths of Neurodiversity in Medicine by Supporting Neurodivergent Clinicians During Medical Training

Learning Objectives:

Participants will recognize how the strengths of the ADHD, autistic, and dyslexic neurotypes among clinicians enrich the practice of medicine, especially by enhancing medical care for neurodivergent patients.
Participants will be able to list 5 specific strategies to improve the learning environment for neurodivergent clinicians, improve explicit feedback and mentorship, and develop more individualized accommodations during medical training.
Participants will understand the connection between the literature and the lived experience of the panelists, which will allow them to proactively engage in creating a more neurodiversity-affirming culture within medical training and to retain and sustain our neurodivergent colleagues in medicine.

Stacy Greeter

MD, PLLC

Dr. Stacy Greeter is board certified in both child/adolescent and adult psychiatry. She collaborates with children, adults, and their families to design a comprehensive individualized treatment plan. Dr. Greeter graduated summa cum laude from Duke University where she was inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society and received her Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill under the Morehead Medical Scholarship. During her undergraduate and medical training, Dr. Greeter conducted extensive clinical research funded by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute on autism and on OCD. She completed both her adult studies and her child and adolescent subspecialty training at Northwestern University in Chicago, where she trained with nationally and internationally renowned psychiatrists. She is also certified in Internal Family Systems Therapy.

Alicia Cho, DO

Child/Adolescent Psychiatrist

Oregon Health & Science University

Alicia Cho, DO, is a board-certified adult psychiatrist who recently completed the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU). She draws from her lived experience as an autistic Korean-American woman with ADHD and her clinical expertise, passionately supporting neurodivergent youth transitioning to adulthood. Dr. Cho studied classical acting at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) and graduated from Smith College with a major in Theatre. A classically trained singer, she has performed in musical theatre, operas, and plays. She earned her medical degree from the Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine (KCOM) and completed her adult psychiatry training at the HealthONE Psychiatry Residency at The Medical Center of Aurora in Colorado. In her free time, Dr. Cho enjoys hiking, exploring the foodie scene, going on adventures with her rescue dog, and singing karaoke. With her interest in the performing arts, Dr. Cho aims to de-stigmatize mental health conditions in the media.

Reese Ramponi, APRN

Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner

Child Guidance Center of Southern CT

Reese is a queer, white, ADHD/Autistic person raised in Alaska (unceded Dena'ina land). Reese studied Psychology and Religion at Dartmouth College and completed Yale's Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program in 2018. Since then, Reese has provided psychiatry and group therapy in a community health setting with transgender/nonbinary and neurodivergent youth. Reese is also a trained in Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy. Reese is dedicated to creating accessible, decolonized spaces where clients are given agency to make informed decisions about their health. Reese regularly supervises and provides consultation for colleagues on neurodiversity-affirming care and ADHD/Autism assessment and diagnosis. They also develop neurodiversity-focused professional & continuing education courses with NeuroAbudant, LLC. Outside of work, you’ll find Reese playing roller derby, practicing yoga, or making music.

Kevin Kendrick

Psychiatric Trainee

Perth Clinic

Kevin Kendrick is a final year Australian psychiatric trainee with a diagnosis of autism.

4:00 PM - 4:30 PM Break

4:30 PM - 5:30 PM K-12 Panel 3. Strengths - Boost IEPs. Jade Rivera, EdD, Bridges Graduate School. Kristin Wright, Sacramento County Office of Education.

K-12 Panel 3: Strengths-Boosted IEPS

Learning Objectives:

Jade Rivera, EdD

Lab Director, Faculty

Bridges Graduate School of Cognitive Diversity in Education

As the Lab Director for the Strength-Based Assessment Lab at Bridges Graduate School, Dr. Jade Ann Rivera empowers students, families, educators, and professionals to create positive and collaborative learning experiences for children facing educational challenges. With over fifteen years of experience, she has designed and led micro-schools beloved by twice-exceptional children and their families. She offers insights into positive niche construction, strength-based pedagogy, and talent development for neurodivergent children. Dr. Rivera earned her Ed.D. at Bridges Graduate School of Cognitive Diversity in 2022 and continues to excel as a professor there. She is also a published author with Routledge, has written numerous influential articles and blog posts, and is a sought-after speaker at national conferences. Jade leads impactful workshops for educators and parents, providing innovative strategies for supporting neurodivergent children.

Kristin Wright

Executive Director

Sacramento County Office of Education

Kristin Wright is the Executive Director of Equity, Prevention, and Intervention at the Sacramento County Office of Education, a role she was appointed to in July of 2020. Prior to that, Wright served as California’s State Director of Special Education at the California Department of Education (CDE). Kristin found her passion for education as a second career after the birth of her daughter Shelby, who was born with intellectual and physical disabilities. Shelby’s lack of inclusive opportunities entering into the school system prompted Wright to return to higher education to earn her Master’s and Education Specialist teaching credential focused on students with extensive support needs. Among her various roles at SCOE, Kristin is currently leading a new statewide project called “California Includes” focused on empowering teachers, parents and the greater community with tools and resources designed to increase inclusivity and belonging for students with disabilities.

Jeni Rickard, EdD

Senior Director of Special Education

Pleasanton Unified School District

Jeni Rickard, Ed.D., is a dedicated leader in education with a passion for ensuring that students with disabilities receive the support they need to thrive. As the Senior Director of Special Education at Pleasanton Unified School District, Jeni has played a key role in addressing organizational barriers to and educator beliefs about the use of inclusive practices. She holds a doctoral degree in Leadership for Educational Justice from the University of Redlands, and her work focuses on developing programs, analyzing data, and promoting equity in education. Her leadership is driven by the belief that every student deserves access to a high-quality education that meets their individual needs.

5:30 PM - 7:15 PM Stanford NNEA + SNP-REACH

Stanford NNEA + SNP-REACH

Nathan Guan, Co-chair, NNEA

Vedhika Mohankumar, Co-chair, NNEA

Alina Samiullah, Vice-chair, NNEA

Ashley Han, F.I.N.D.

Abbie Wang, F.I.N.D.

Sruti Vijay, NeuLink

Aakanksh Gurnani, NeuLink

Caroline Lee, HobbyHive

Sophie Nguyen, HobbyHive

Maxwell Palance, Pos-ability

Katherine Zhang, Pos-ability

Christine Ziemann, Neurocator

Mark Dai, Neurocator

Dylan Chandran, NeuroBridge

Erin Cho, NeuroBridge

Nandini Raju, Cardibly

Kirthana Chandrasekar, Cardibly

Neil Chandran, Neuroflow

James Jin, Neuroflow

Hera Yoon, NeuroQuest

Aidan Kwon, NeuroQuest

Mina Mori, NeuroQuest

Keona Koh, NeuroQuest

Bruce Ebreo, Brainbow

David Zhang, Brainbow

Jaden Chen, Brainbow

Nora Vik, Neuropals

Emma Matthew, Neuropals

7:15 PM - 7:30 PM Poster Prize Presentation and Closing