Hover over the title of each session to see a full description, and hover over the name of each presenter to read their bio. Information may change or be updated, so check back often!
Learn more about the virtual content for this year’s conference.
Learn more about the Foundational Workshop, held on Wednesday, April 16.
Too many of our institutions and processes are prone to treating Autistic people as case numbers and not complex human beings. This keynote empowers parents, professionals and Autistic people to use storytelling as a powerful advocacy tool and antidote to this. The keynote explores advocacy strategies to share nuanced and complex experiences, in a way that fosters connection. Tiff will further explore techniques to clearly articulate needs and goals to ensure equitable access to resources and opportunities. By the end, listeners will gain practical skills to advocate confidently and persuasively for the people they serve.
Tiffany Hammond (she/her) is the voice behind the Fidgets and Fries platform. She is an Autistic mother, advocate, and storyteller who uses her personal experiences with Autism and parenting two Autistic boys to guide others on their journey. Tiffany has a Masters in Developmental Psychology and spends her time writing, teaching, coaching, and mentoring others in Disability Justice issues. Her activism is rooted in challenging the current perception of Autism as a lifelong burden, cultivating a community that explores the concept of Intersectionality, and inspiring thought leaders through storytelling, education, and critical discourse.
Session 1-Navigating the Next Steps: Empowering Autistic Adults Post-Diagnosis presented by Jessica Hogan (she/her), Alex McLaughlin (they/them), and Priyanka Rao (she/her)
Session 2-Decreasing the Stigma – Talking to Children about Neurodivergence presented by Melissa Fischer (she/her)
Session 3-Burnout Busters: Navigating Neurodivergent Burnout with Style presented by Tiffany Schroeer (she/her), Revel Weber (she/her), and Chelsey Hendrickx (she/her)
Session 4-Working with Culturally Diverse Families: A Review of Emerging and Responsive Resources presented by Ellie Wilson (she/her) and Sarah Mohamed (she/her)
Session 1-The Quiet Revolution: Autism Specific Services in Early Intervention Systems presented by Katie Scott (she/her)
Session 2-Navigating the Intersection of ADHD and Autism: Addressing Unique Challenges and Enhancing Support presented by Gerard Balan (he/him)
Session 3-Telling Your Child’s Unique Story presented by Tiffany Hammond (she/her)
Session 4-Social Security Disability 101: What Goes into a Benefits Decision presented by Sarah Dicks (she/her)
Session 1-Impactful Early Education for Children with Autism: Case Examples from an Inclusive Montessori Preschool presented by Camille Brandt (she/her)
Session 2-Choosing Goals and Interventions for Autistic Individuals presented by Megan Helmen (she/her)
Session 3-Autism: Beyond the Male Phenotype presented by Glenis Benson (she/her)
Session 4-Strategies for Supporting Independence in Daily Living presented by Lauren Gunhus (she/her) and Nicole Orgen (she/her)
Neuropsychological research helps us appreciate that our emotions are important and work best when we feel regulated; emotion dysregulation causes disruptions in not only feeling but thinking, acting and relating to others. But often staying emotionally upright is challenging, especially when factors in the environment cause unmanageable distress and confusion (as often happens for people with autism).
In this keynote, Anne will explore ideas about emotion regulation, describe how important this capacity is to staying “upright” (as opposed to feeling overwhelmed), and how critical it is to appreciate threats to regulation are often preventable when we truly appreciate one another’s needs and perceptions.
Anne Gearity (she/her) earned her PhD in Clinical Social Work from the Institute for Clinical Social Work in Chicago, IL. Research from her dissertation was foundational for Developmental Repair, an intervention manual for behaviorally challenged and challenging children, written in collaboration with the Washburn Center for Children in Minneapolis. This manual is now used extensively throughout the state. She taught for 25 years in the University of Minnesota School of Social Work and was faculty of the U’s Infant and Early Child Mental Health Certificate program in the Institute for Child Development. She completed a Master’s in Social Work from the Fordham University Graduate School of Social Work of New York, NY, and has had an independent mental health practice that serves children, adolescents, and adults since 1987. Anne provides mental health therapy at MIDB, and in the community, as well as consulting with agencies and schools about the developmental needs of children and adolescents.
Keynote: Reading Between the Lines: Ableism in Literacy Education Presented by Mash Makhlyagina (they/them)
Literacy instruction in the public school system continues to move slowly toward research-backed practices that are multi-modal, explicit, and comprehensive. Autistic students across the continuum of support needs often have co-occurring needs such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyspraxia, apraxia, and ADHD at varying levels that create a different trajectory of literacy acquisition. In this session, we will cover how educators can easily adjust what their literacy programs require of them to make literacy instruction more impactful for students.
As a Ukrainian immigrant, an identified ESOL student, and an undiagnosed neurodivergent individual, Mash Makhlyagina found that the educational system was not well suited to their learning needs. Recognizing the need for more inclusive educational practices, they earned their Master’s in Teaching and transitioned into a role as a Special Education teacher. Within a year, they were mentoring fellow educators on essential pedagogical methods often overlooked in traditional teacher preparation programs, particularly regarding disability and neurodiversity. Throughout their career, Mosh has taught and provided coaching in both elementary and middle school settings, focusing on General and Special Education. They have had the privilege of working with neurodivergent students from over 40 different countries, ranging in age from 4 to 19. Their experience includes supporting high school students in alternative education settings who have been underserved by the traditional education system. It has been a deeply rewarding journey, one characterized by a commitment to love and learning. They have been honored to assist families in over 700 IEP, 504, and Evaluation meetings across the United States. Today, Mosh proudly embraces their identity as an educator and advocate for individuals with autism and ADHD, continuously striving to ensure that all students receive the support they deserve.
Session 1-Communicating With Scripts: An Introduction to Gestalt Language Processing presented by Emily Zimmer (she/her)
Session 2-Games as a Play-Based Therapy Tool for Clinicians and Families presented by Megan Armstrong (they/them)
Session 3-Understanding and Addressing Barriers to Accessing Early Support for Young Autistic Children and their Families in Minnesota presented by Christine Friendshuh (she/her), Sarah Mohamed (she/her), Adele Dimian (she/her), and Jessica Simacek (she/her)
Session 4-Listening to Autistic Voices – Using Lived Experiences to Educate Educators presented by Tami Childs (she/her), Jill Pring (she/her), Christine Chen (she/her), Selvy Somasoundirapille (she/her), and Haniya Hopson (she/her)
Session 1-Literacy and Nontraditional Language Learning Styles presented by Sam Stein (they/them)
Session 2-Empathy in Crisis Intervention: Harm Reduction and Intersectional Approaches for Autistic People presented by Elizabeth Duffy (she/her), Santanna Ficken (they/them), Nikki Huelsman (she/her), and Aster Gallus (he/they)
Session 3-Neurodivergent Parenting presented by Keeri Tramm (she/her), Milena Bates (she/her), Mike Schneider (he/him), Emma Rohrer (she/her), and Jillian Nelson (she/her)
Session 4-The Importance of Integrated Employment and the Power of Mentorship presented by Olivia Lape (she/her)
Session 1-Everything That’s Wrong with IEPs (and How to Fix It!): Legal and Practical Tricks for Creating Better IEPs for Neurodiverse Students presented by Jessica Heiser (she/her) and Ryan Haenze (he/him)
Session 2-Beyond the Basics: Further Education in Autistic Sexuality presented by Mason Esposito (they/them)
Session 3-Proprioception and Sensory-based Strategies for Improved Emotional Regulation using a Family-Centered Approach presented by Oana Zayic (she/her) and Alyssa Norenberg (she/her)
Session 4-Accounting for Advocacy presented by Jeremy Goldberg (he/him)
Session 1-Addressing Ableism and Autistic Needs Through Trauma-Informed FBAs and BIPs presented by Elizabeth Duffy (she/her), Santanna Ficken (they/them), Nikki Huelsman, Bryden Carlson-Giving (he/him), and Kathryn O’Brien (she/her)
Session 2-Pathological Demand Avoidance: Understanding, Accepting, and Supporting PDAers presented by Joe Falkner (he/him)
Session 3-Heading into Adulthood presented by Sara Swan (she/her)
Session 4-Activism and Advocacy: How to Find Your Role in Social Justice Movements presented by Chelsea O’Neil (they/them)
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