1 in 31: Autism Today

Jonah is the owner of [words] Bookstore in Maplewood, New Jersey. Their mission is to engage readers of all ages and interests, while also welcoming patrons and employees with autism. [words] has hired over 100 young people with autism as part of their vocational training program since they opened in 2009. Tune in to learn more about Jonah, his family and [words] Bookstore!

Lauren is the Manager of the Volunteer Services Department at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. She has been with the museum for almost five years, helping to facilitate accessibility programs and initiatives. The Discovery Squad is a unique tour program designed for families affected by autism spectrum disorders. The program was developed in 2013 in collaboration with the Seaver Autism Center at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Discovery Squad tours take place before the Museum is open and are free! Tune in to learn more about this wonderful program and how it is helping individuals & families!

Tune in to hear from Kathleen, Anderson's Director of Program Services and Mayor Bassett of the Village of Rhinebeck! This year, ACA collaborated with the Village to support their effort to establish the Village of Rhinebeck as an Autism Supportive Community. They are the first in our region to earn this distinction! Learn more about the ASC committee & initiative and what the future holds for this partnership!

Dr. Shulman is a professor in the Pediatrics Department at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. She is also a leading developmental pediatrician who specializes in diagnosing and treating children with autism spectrum disorder and other developmental and learning disabilities. More recently, she is a principal investigator for SPARK (Simons Foundation Powering Autism Research) which is a landmark autism research project. Tune in to learn more about Dr. Shulman and her SPARK research.

Dr. Spencer is an associate professor at the University of South Florida in the Department of Child and Family Studies. She has been a board certified behavior analyst for nearly 20 years. Tune in to learn more about her current research and other recent works!

Steve Dambra is a pastor at Odyssey Church, located in Poughkeepsie NY. Odyssey is a worship service looking to integrate everyone! Their goal is to adapt worship for people with physical, emotional, and intellectual disabilities. Early next year, Odyssey will be hosting their second "Night to Shine" Prom! A Night to Shine is sponsored by the Time Tebow Foundation, and is held in multiple locations across the U.S each year. The prom is put together for differently abled folks, who may not otherwise have the opportunity to experience a prom. Tune in for more details about Odyssey Church & A Night to Shine!

Tara is the CEO of Specialisterne USA, Brennan is the Corporate Engagement Manager. Specialisterne is a Danish not for profit founded in 2004, with the goal to create one million jobs globally for people with autism. Their mission is to share best practices, disseminate knowledge and spread the Specialisterne model, in order to provide training, education and employment for individuals with autism. Tune in to learn more about Tara & Brennan, and what the future holds for Specialisterne!

Steve is the managing director of Popcorn for the People, a nonprofit in East Brunswick, NJ. Steve's son Sam is a young adult on the autism spectrum who was finding it difficult to find gainful employment. Steve was then inspired to start Popcorn for the People, which provides meaningful and lasting employment for adults with autism and other developmental disabilities. They also provide 14 different yummy flavors of popcorn! Tune in to learn more about Popcorn for the People, or visit: www.popcornforthepeople.com

Dr. Scalli is the founder of Earth to Autism (E2A), a Florida based non-profit organization on a mission to help adults with Autism gain and maintain meaningful employment opportunities in green industry jobs. The organization serves two of Dr. Scalli's passions: environmental preservation and helping adults balancing their lives on the autism spectrum. Tune in to learn more about E2A and Dr. Scalli's roots in the autism field!

Beth joined Felicity House in 2014 as the Executive Director, bringing with her over 15 years of experience in not-for-profit management. Felicity House is a non-clinical community space for adult women with autism. At FH women gather to meet, socialize, pursue interests, learn, create, connect to other resources, find supportive people, and laugh! Tune in to learn more about Beth and this amazing resource for women on the Autism Spectrum. www.felicity-house.org

Molly Ola Pinney is the founder and CEO of the Global Autism Project. Molly began her career in the autism field as an ABA therapist. She founded the Global Autism Project in 2003. They work to promote the acceptance and integration of individuals with autism worldwide by training communities in culturally relevant, sustainable practices. Currently, GAP works in ten different countries across four continents. Learn more by tuning in or visit: www.globalautismproject.org/

Marc Garcia has been the CEO of The Mesa Convention and Visitors Bureau for 7 years! Currently, Visit Mesa is on a journey to make Mesa Arizona the first-ever autism certified travel destination in the United States! Tune in to learn more about Marc, Visit Mesa, and the great strides Mesa is making to be a more inclusive city.

Marcelle is a Senior Recruiter and Outreach Specialist at ULTRA Testing. ULTRA is a New York based technology company that provides highly flexible, high quality software testing services through exceptional onshore teams that include individuals on the Autism Spectrum. Marcelle is also an author, autism advocate, and parent among many other titles! Tune in to learn more about Marcelle & ULTRA.

Stephanie is the founder of SPECIAL Foundation for Autism, and the owner of Maine-Tex Salsa. The direction and focus for SPECIAL, is to establish a work program that will provide one-on-one training and support for individuals on the spectrum, who will be employed by Maine-Tex to assist in the production of salsa! Tune in to learn more about Stephanie's special connection to Autism, and visit: https://www.specialfoundationforautism.org/ or http://www.mainetexsalsa.com/

Dallas actor, writer, and mom Jessica Cavanagh turns her experience of raising a child with autism to a strong, artistic message for families like hers. Self-Injurious Behavior runs Friday through Sunday through September 28 at Theatre 68, North Hollywood, CA.

Patrick is the CEO & Co-Founder of Spectrum Designs, Tim is the Chief Operating Officer. Spectrum Designs is a Long Island based non-profit organization in the screen printing & embroidery field. They create custom made decorated apparel and accessories. Spectrum Designs is a business with a social mission: to help individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder lead full and productive lives through the world of work. They work to create opportunities for employment, empowerment, and growth. Tune in to learn more about Spectrum Designs!

Madison is a local artist from Rhinebeck, NY! She has promoted & exhibited her art in local galleries in NYC, Beacon and at Hudson Valley Comic Con. Tune in to learn more about Madison, or follow her instagram to view her latest artwork: mmcdoodles

Mark is the Executive Director of Sales and Marketing for Robokind. Robokind's mission is to engage, enhance, and enrich students through a cost-effective interactive education, which utilizes robots to support diverse and inclusive education for all students! Robokind does this through Milo the robot - a facially expressive humanoid robot! Milo the robot is designed to be interesting and approachable for learners with autism. Use of milo helps learners improve their social and behavioral skills and gain the confidence they need to succeed academically and socially. Tune in to learn more, or visit www.robokind.com!

Harish is the co-founder of Zenaviv a social enterprise start up that recognizes and promotes the talents of those on the autism spectrum. All artists earn 66% of the profits from the sale of their art - improving their self-esteem, helping secure their financial future, and providing hope to their families. Harish and his eldest son Saket launched Zenaviv in 2016 to bring recognition to the unique autism talent which was “invisible” to the world, and improve the quality of life of the artists! Tune in to learn more about Zenaviv or visit www.zenaviv.com!

Dr. Adams is a professor and autism researcher at Arizona State University. His research group is dedicated to finding the causes of autism, how to prevent autism, and how to best help people with autism. Their focus is primarily on biomedical issues, including nutritional deficiencies, heavy metal toxicity, and bacterial overgrowths in the gut. Tune in to learn more about this groundbreaking research!

Amy is the Director of Program Development at South East Consortium, located in Mamaroneck, NY. The South East Consortium provides unique recreation opportunities for those with disabilities residing in lower Westchester County. Different programs range from physical recreation & sports to expressive & fine arts, plus daily living experiences. Tune in to learn more about Amy's role at SEC and her special connection to autism.

Rebecca is the president of auticon, U.S. auticon's mission is to create as many jobs as possible for autistic adults. For this reason, auticon expands its services in business segments that match the strengths of autistic people. They are an international IT service provider with locations across Europe, Canada and the U.S. Tune in to learn more about auticon or visit https://auticon.us/

Kerry is a special projects manager for The Arc, an organization that advocates for all people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. More specifically, Kerry is the program manager of The Arc’s Wings for Autism® program. This special program allows for airport “rehearsals” specially designed for individuals with autism spectrum disorders and people with other intellectual/developmental disabilities, their families and aviation professionals. The program is designed to alleviate some of the stress that families who have a child with autism experience when traveling by air. Tune in to learn more about Wings for Autism, or check www.thearc.org/wingsforautism for upcoming trainings!

Miriam is a pediatric occupational therapist with over 30 years of experience! She is also the Director of Sensory Bounce Therapy. Their mission is to provide a unique sensory, motor and social skills occupational therapy program to children with different abilities by utilizing a fun, natural play environment. The program helps children with ASD, ADHD and any motor or social difficulties. Tune in to learn more or visit sensorybounce.com

Haley is an attorney, artist, published author, autism advocate and public speaker! She is the first "openly autistic person" to be admitted to the Florida Bar Association. Haley was diagnosed with autism at age three and has since defied the expectations set forth within her initial diagnosis. To learn more about Haley, visit her page at haleymoss.net and tune in!

Joan Chaisson is a retired teacher, autism consultant and the founder of AIM (Autism Involves Me). AIM was founded in 2013 in Port Aux Basques, Newfoundland Canada, where Joan resides. AIM works with local businesses to train their staff to become autism aware and autism friendly. Tune in to learn more about how AIM has grown, and how Port Aux Basques has earned the title of "most autism-friendly town" in all of Canada!

Jason is the founder of Siblings of Autism, a non-profit organization. Siblings of Autism works with the Autism Society of America to provide individuals with siblings on the autism spectrum different services: scholarships, outreach & respite. Tune in to learn more about Jason and his reason for starting this amazing organization.

Maxine is an author from Washington Heights, NY. Her latest novel "Queen for a Day" focuses on her experiences as the parent of a child on the autism spectrum. What began as truth-telling memoir, ended up as "a novel in stories". Tune into learn more about Maxine!

Joseph is the Academic Director of the Kinney Center for Autism Education and Support at St. Josephs College in Philadelphia, PA. The Kinney Center has a two-fold mission: to educate and train the autism professionals of tomorrow, while supporting and serving the individuals and families affected by autism today. Tune in to learn about how this center is helping young adults on the spectrum & their families navigate college life.

Mary is an associate professor in Health Systems Research at Dublin City University in Dublin, Ireland. The University is the first designated Autism friendly university in Ireland, and possibly the world! Tune in to learn more about the steps DCU took to become an Autism friendly college, plus what services & programs they provide for students with ASD today. For more information visit: www.dcu.ie Dublin City University - @DCUautism Mary Rose Sweeney - @sweenema

Temple is a world renowned author and advocate for individuals on the Autism spectrum. She is also currently a professor of animal science at Colorado State University. This interview highlights important topics close to Dr. Grandin’s heart – work placement/opportunities for adults on the autism spectrum as well as teaching younger folks on the spectrum important job skills training.

Valerie is the Director of Sales for the Abilities Expo. The Abilities Expo has been the go-to source for the Community of people with disabilities, their families, seniors, veterans and healthcare professionals for over 40 years. Tune in to learn more about Abilities and what types of demos, services, activities, etc. will be available at our local expo, happening May 3rd through May 5th at the New Jersey Convention and Expo Center. For more information visit https://www.abilities.com/newyork/

Allison is one of the directors of the Autism Directory Service - an organization that provides many different grants for families and individuals living in the Hudson Valley. She is also the chair person for this year’s local Autism Awareness Community Walk! Tune in to learn more about ADS and what they do for our community. For more information visit: www.adshelps.org

Abby is the sibling of an Anderson student and a huge advocate for those with ASD. For three years now she has been helping to raise funds for Anderson Center for Autism while also raising awareness for Autism Spectrum Disorder. Tune in to learn more about Abby's fundraising and awareness efforts and how they've grown over the years!

Dr. Siegel is the Director of the Developmental Disorders Program of Maine Behavioral Health. He is currently leading a three year long a study on the unpredictability of behaviors in those with ASD. The goal of the study is to see whether a wearable device (like a fit-bit watch) can predict behavioral episodes before they occur. Tune in to learn more about this amazing study and how it can help caretakers, families, and individuals on the Autism spectrum.

Carol is the Assistant Director here at Anderson and has been a team member for over 30 years! Tune in to learn a little bit of Anderson history… department expansions, new programs and services, how the campus has grown over the years, and more.

Tune in to learn more about Kerry, an award-winning professional speaker and best-selling author who's on the autism spectrum. In addition Kerry is CEO & President of KFM Making A Difference, a nonprofit organization that hosts inclusion events and has provided 60 scholarships for students with autism for college. You can learn more about him and his work at Kerrymagro.com

Joyce is a mother of two sons on the autism spectrum, she co-founded AutismFYI with her husband. Autism FYI is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting a safe environment, employment opportunities, and independence of those on the Autism Spectrum. Tune in to learn more about Joyce's recent endeavors including educating law enforcement, fire-fighters, and businesses on what ASD is & how to better interact with individuals on the spectrum. Visit www.autismfyi.org for more information.

Gary Bassett is the mayor for the Village of Rhinebeck! Mayor Bassett also sits on the Village of Rhinebeck Autism Supportive Community (ASC) Committee. Tune in to hear him discuss ASC & the “Do One Thing” Initiative. The goal of the village is to promote understanding of and provide supports for inclusion and acceptance of people with autism.

This weekend’s guest is Meredith Tekin. Meredith is the Vice President of sales & marketing for International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES) IBCCES just recently named Sesame Place Theme Park a “certified autism center”. They are the first theme park in the world to be given this distinction! Tune in to learn more about Meredith, IBCCES and what it means to be certified by them!

Alison is the co founder of Invictus Enterprises which is focused on empowering & mobilizing the substantial number of individuals with autism who are aging out of the school system or have already graduated. Oscar is a Sales Manager for No Bones About It, an Invictus brand known for their 100% hand made dog biscuit treats! Tune in to learn more about Invictus Enterprises and what Oscar & Alison are up to! For more information visit www.invictusenterprises.org

This week's guests are Jennifer Kalter and Sarah Thompson from the New York Transit Museum! The museum is located in Brooklyn, NY and was founded by transit workers in the 1970's. Jennifer is the Assistant Deputy Director for Education & Public Programs. Sarah is the Special Education and ACCESS Coordinator. The museum offers many different programs dedicated to honoring the strengths of people with disabilities. One in particular - Subway Sleuths - is a program that uses shared interest in trains among grade school students on the autism spectrum as a means to encourage social interaction between peers. Tune in to learn more! Visit https://www.nytransitmuseum.org/ for more information.

Remi is the founder of Autism Stories, a platform that offers informational resources to subscribers through engaging interviews and documentaries featuring individuals with autism, impacted families, scientists, researchers, professionals in the field, and more. Tune in to learn more about Remi and this awesome site! www.autismstories.com

Robin is a professor of psychiatry at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Robin was a researcher on a study showing a lasting reduction in irritability and other positive social and communication impacts on children with autism spectrum through therapeutic horse riding.

Bradley is the Director of the Autism Initiative at Mercyhurst University in Erie, Pennsylvania. This program began in 2008 to meet the unique needs of the growing population of college students diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Tune in to learn more about Bradley & the AIM program!