Conference Presenters
Summer Autism Conference 2011
Curriculum, Communication and Community:
Full Inclusion, Participation and Supported Living for All
Presenter Biographies
Anne M. Donnellan, Ph.D.
Dr. Anne Donnellan has a distinguished career in teaching, research, and writing on autism and related disabilities. She is a leader in developing and promoting positive and human approaches to support and understanding of individuals with the autism label. Currently, Dr. Donnellan is a Professor in the School of Leadership and Education Sciences at the University of San Diego and Director of the University of San Diego Autism Institute. She also serves on the California Advisory Committee for the Autism Spectrum Disorders: Guidelines for Effective Interventions Project. Her recent publications include: I can’t get started: “Stress and the role of movement differences for individuals with the autism label” in Stress and Coping in Autism published in 2006 by Oxford University Press, “Invented knowledge and autism: Highlighting our strengths and expanding the conversation” in JASH, and Movement differences and diversity in Autism/Mental Retardation.
Sandy Brenner, Apple Inc.
Apple Senior Systems Engineer, Sandy Brenner has spent the last twenty-five years working with school districts in the Southern California area to advance 21st Century learning using Apple technologies.Beth Gallagher
Beth Gallagher is the founder and Director of Life Works. Life Works was founded in 2004 after Beth moved to San Diego from Chico, CA. Her work with people with developmental disabilities began just weeks after graduating from California State University, Chico in 1986 with degrees in Child Development and Psychology. While for over 2 decades her emphasis has been on creating personalized services, she began her career operating group homes for persons with behavioral support needs and/or medical concerns. The vast majority of her career has been focused on creating unique support situations for individuals with severe reputations. Because Beth has chosen to work with people that have been historically under-served, she has spent a great deal of time studying person centered planning methods that allow people to be heard and understood as individuals.
Darlene Hanson, MA, CCC
Director of Communication Services
WAPADH
Whittier, CA
Darlene is a speech and language specialist with an expertise in working with individuals with severe communication impairments. She is the Director of Communication Services with WAPADH, in the Los Angeles area. Darlene has been working in this field for 22 years. Her work focuses on bringing alternate modes of communication to those who do not use speech to communicate effectively. Currently she is focusing on training the communication partners to increase the communication. At WAPADH they provide speech and language assessments, therapy, and training, as well as services related to Augmentative Communication. This is available to families as private clients and to school systems through the Non-Public Agency status. Trainings and coaching are available locally, throughout California, and out of state. You can read more on Darlene at www.darlenehanson.com. Darlene received her Masters of Arts from Whittier College, and her Bachelors of Arts from Chapman College, both in Communication Disorders. She is also recognized as a Master Trainer in Facilitated Communication, and has participated in the writing of the Standards of Best Practice for Facilitated Communication from Syracuse University, and has co-authored research on authorship for Facilitated Communication.
Michelle Hardy
Board-Certified Music Therapist and a Fellow of the Academy of Neurologic Music Therapy. She has a Master of Music in Music Therapy from Colorado State University. She is the Program Director for Kris' Camp, an intensive therapy camp for children with autism and their families, and founded the Arizona branch of Kris' Camp in 2002. Michelle currently has a private practice in San Diego serving persons with autism and sensory integration dysfunction. Prior to relocating to San Diego in 2010, Michelle worked in a variety of locations providing individual and group therapy sessions to children and adults with autism, developmental disabilities, and other neurological impairmentsin home-based, clinic, and educational settings. These positions included Neurologic Music Therapy Services of Arizona for a total of 8 years, Summit Music Therapy Services in Colorado for 2 years, and LaFourche Parish Schools in Louisiana for 3 years.Michelle received her bachelor's degree in music therapy from Loyola University in New Orleans in 1995.
Colleen Harmon, Judee Chambliss and Shirley Hesche
All are Resource Teacher for San Diego Unified School District Transition Resources for Community Education. (TRACE). It is the mission of TRACE to prepare students from ages 18-22 (with support from staff, friends, and family) to make informed decisions regarding present and future plans about vocational placement, living arrangements, and recreation. All means All.Bev Harp & Autism Hub Bloggers
Bev Harp is an advocate for inclusion, a social work graduate student and an autistic person. Bev lives in Lexington, KY and works for the University of Kentucky’s Human Development Institute on a project to support students with intellectual disabilities participating in postsecondary education. Bev has presented several times at USD’s autism institute as well as many other conferences, along with her animatronic assistant, Squawkers McCaw. From 2007 through 2010, Bev wrote an advocacy blog, Square 8. Random posts may still appear there from time to time.
Stephen Hinkle
Stephen Hinkle is a graduate student pursuing a Master’s Degree at Northern Arizona University. Stephen was diagnosed with autism as a young child. He grew up in San Diego and graduated from San Diego State University. Stephen speaks at national conferences on issues related to autism, self-advocacy, and social skills.
Christi Kasa
Christi Kasa, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor in the Department of Education at the University of Colorado. Her teaching, research, and consulting are guided by her passion to create successful inclusive schools for all students. Christi teaches both graduate and undergraduate classes focusing on differentiated instruction, best practice for inclusive schooling, and communication strategies for people with autism. Christi began her career teaching in the public schools of California as a general education teacher, special education teacher, and an inclusion facilitator.
Christi conducts research on inclusive schooling and independent typing and speech and typing for people with autism and other movement disorders.
Christi’s published works have appeared in The Journal of the Association for People with Severe Handicaps, The International Journal for Inclusive Education, and the American Education Research Journal. Christi has also co-produced the 2002 documentary Inside the Edge: A journey to using speech through typing. She is the recipient of the TASH Image Award and the University Book and Supply Outstanding Teacher Award.
Paula Kluth
Dr. Paula Kluth is a consultant, author, advocate, and independent scholar who works with teachers and families to provide inclusive opportunities for students with disabilities and to create more responsive and engaging schooling experiences for all learners. Paula is a former special educator who has served as a classroom teacher and inclusion facilitator. Her professional interests include differentiating instruction and inclusive schooling. She is the author or co-author of ten books including: “You’re Going to Love This Kid”: Teaching Students with Autism in Inclusive Classrooms; A Land We Can Share: Teaching Literacy to Students with Autism; and The Autism Checklist. Paula is also a director of a documentary film titled “We Thought You’d Never Ask”: Voices of People with Autism.
Martha Leary
Martha Leary is a Speech and Language Pathologist who has learned from people with autism, their supporters and their families for over 30 years. She has learned from people with unusual support needs and lectured extensively in the United States, Canada, Ireland, Australia and England. Her highly acclaimed writings with Jodi Robledo, David Hill and Anne M. Donnellan, present alternative ways of viewing the symptoms of sensory and movement difference which may affect our understanding of people with communication differences and unconventional behaviors. Martha continues to work toward understanding people with complex support needs. She is also an urban farmer in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
Kate McGinnity
Kate McGinnity is an experienced classroom teacher and trainer, and a nationally recognized consultant in the field of autism. She has over thirty years’ experience supporting individuals with autism and their families. During her tenure as a teacher, Kate was recognized as the Wisconsin Teacher of the Year and The National Teacher of the Year by the Autism Society of America. Together with her husband, Kate was a foster parent to an adolescent on the autism spectrum for two and a half years. For more than 20 years, Kate has been a primary developer and presenter for the Wisconsin State-Wide Autism Training Project, sponsored by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. She is currently in private practice, providing training and consultation to professionals and parents, as well as counseling and yoga to individuals on the autism spectrum. Kate has co-authored a book entitled “Walk Awhile in My Autism” and also has a new book and DVD coming out soon entitled Lights! Camera! Action! Using video to enhance lives. Kate is committed to bringing her passion and compassion to every aspect of her work and life.Ari Ne’eman
Ari Ne'eman, Founder of "Autistic Self-Advocacy Network," member of President's National Committee on Disability.
Nanette A. Negri, Ph.D.
Nan has been supporting individuals with autism and their families since 1972. She has been a classroom teacher, a signed-speech therapist, a staff and parent trainer, a program administrator, a university lecturer, and an educational and behavioral consultant. Nan works with and alongside individuals with autism so that together they can identify the opportunities and support they want and need to develop meaningful relationships and engagement across their lives. She believes it is critical to teach skills that promote community presence and value. Nan has an extensive background in applied behavior analysis, and believes it can and should be applied through a humanistic and relationship-based approach that always considers the perspective of all. She is committed to finding clear and compassionate ways to communicate, work, and be with people with autism, their families, and others supporting them, and to helping everyone have FUN in the process.
Diana Pastora Carson, M.Ed.,
Diana Pastora Carson is an educator, author, disability rights advocate, and a consultant and speaker specializing in inclusion and diversity as it relates to disability. Ms. Carson’s passion for disability and diversity appreciation stems from her brother’s experience of growing up being misjudged, excluded, and DISabled by his community. Ms. Carson teaches Disability Studies through the San Diego State University Foundation and is also an elementary school teacher in the Chula Vista Elementary School District. She serves on the Board of Directors of Disability Rights California, and is the author of Foundations for Ability Awareness, and All the Muchos in the World, a bilingual picture book for children. Through her trainings, Ms. Carson guides both children and adults in exploring the subject of disability, societal attitudes around disability, and the impact of those attitudes, both socially and academically. Empowering awareness, inclusion, and total diversity appreciation is her goal.
Jodi Robledo, Ph.D.
Dr. Jodi Robledo is an Autism Specialist at San Diego Unified School District. She is also a Research Associate at the University of San Diego, School of Leadership and Education Sciences, Autism Institute. In addition, she teaches at California State University San Marcos in the Autism Authorization Program. Her work focuses on autism and other developmental disabilities, including social, communication and behavioral supports. Dr. Robledo presents at national conferences and has recently co-authored “Properties of supportive relationships in the lives of academically successful individuals with autism” in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and "I can't get started: Stress and the role of movement differences for individuals with the autism label" in Stress and Coping in Autism.
JD Walsh
JD Walsh is the founder of Ultimate Improv in Westwood, CA and has been teaching improv for 14 years in Southern California.JD, a graduate of UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television has performed in over 50 national commercials, TV shows such as CSI, 24 andStudio 60 and movies fromLove LizatoBad Boys 2.In 1999 JD opened Ultimate, a theatre that believes Improv/Comedy does not need to be fast, loud and soulless but instead takes patience, risk and heart.He has been a visiting instructor at the Globe Theater in San Diego as well as teaching improv workshops in Chicago, New Zealand, Boston and New York.
