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Britni has 10+ years of experience in supported employment for adults with disabilities. She holds a degree from the University of Washington in Law, Societies, and Justice with an emphasis in Disability Studies and a minor in Political Science. In Washington, Britni worked at the highest performing state agency and managed supported employment and high school transition services for over 600 adults with disabilities. Last year she relocated from Olympia, Washington to Plano, Texas where she found a home for her talents at My Possibilities, the first college-style continuing education and job placement program for adults with cognitive disabilities in North Texas. At My Possibilities, Britni is the program manager for the LaunchAbility Career Services Program and the Vocational Education department. Britni is 1 of only 2 Certified Employment Support Professionals by the nationally accredited Association of People Supporting Employment First (APSE) in the state of Texas. She prides herself in being an expert in person-centered employment planning, customized and creative employment opportunities, high school transition, accommodations and adaptive technology supports, and disability hiring advocacy. The following resources were shared in this episode: - The Texas Workforce Commission - Transition Programs - Britni’s contact information

Dr. Mallory A. Garrett is a BCBA-D and currently serves as the Regional Clinical Director for ABA of North Texas. Dr. Garrett received her Bachelor’s degree is Special Education and her Master’s degree is Educational Administration through Freed-Hardeman University. She received her Doctoral degree through the University of Memphis. Dr. Garrett has over 12 years of experience as a special education teacher and a BCBA. Dr. Garrett mentioned the following resources in her episode: - The Eight Plate - Triad with Pablo Juarez

Prior to joining My Possibilities, April served as Chief Program Officer for Ability Connection Texas. She has served individuals with disabilities in various capacities for nearly 20 years. Starting out as a college student working at summer camps and providing respite care, April knew this was the path she would choose, and has dedicated her career to improving the quality of life for people with disabilities. She served for 9 years at the ARC of North Texas, working closely with advocates and legislators to identify critical gaps in services and creating programs to meet the most immediate needs. April is a dog mom, partner in crime to many, traveler, knowledge seeker, reader, nature lover, introvert, leader, and an advocate for those most in need. April mentioned the following resources in her episode: - ARC of Dallas - Region 10 - My Possibilities - Dallas Metrocare - Lifepath Systems - Lakes Regional - Tarrant County MHMR - Denton MHMR

Kelly is the proud mom of two boys, Joey and Bryson, ages 12 and 10. She and the boys live in the mid-cities area where Kelly grew up and went to school. She's worked with children in some capacity for over 20 years and has always had a deep connection with kids. Kelly is at the Helm ABA clinic in Lewisville, where she is now the clinic manager after starting off as an RBT.

Kate Domanski is the Associate Director of Grassroots Advocacy at Autism Speaks. She graduated from the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia, where she studied psychology and political science. She later worked in professional childcare and in a congressional leadership office prior to joining the Autism Speaks team in 2013. She’s served with the state and federal policy teams and now leads national grassroots efforts. Resources I mentioned: - Autism Speaks Website- How to get involved with Autism Speaks Advocacy - The Autism Speaks Family Services Team - How to contact the Autism Response Team: Call our toll-free number or send us an email – we’re available between 9am and 5pm in all time zones. Your call will be routed to the team member for your region. We also have a dedicated Spanish language toll-free number. 1-888-AUTISM2 (1-888-288-4762) En Español: 1-888-772-9050 familyservices@autismspeaks.org To find out more information about my new business, Reveal Consulting LLC, visit my new website Revealconsultingllc.com

Will Barron has five years of experience working as a Licensed Specialist in School Psychology (LSSP) in elementary and middle school settings. Progressively gravitating towards autism cases in this position, Will decided to specialize in this area because of high professional interest and fascination. In seeking a higher degree in this field, he is currently a third-year student in the Autism Intervention Ph.D. program at the University of North Texas (UNT). Will mentions these resources in his episode:- Autism Speaks - Intervention Central - Class Dojo

In 2003, Molly moved to Ghana to serve as a therapist for a young man with autism. She had been his therapist in Seattle, WA, and was asked to travel with them on their return home until they could find a local therapist for him. Faced with the reality that there were no local teachers prepared to support him, she envisioned and created an organization that could empower leaders, educate communities, and train local professionals. With a model rooted in sustainable, culturally relevant training, the Global Autism Project now works in ten different countries across four continents. Originally from New Hampshire, Molly has traveled and worked internationally for over 14 years. Her vision of building local capacity and promoting acceptance and understanding of the autistic community has grown into a global movement for change. She has spoken across various esteemed platforms; from the floor of the United Nations to a TEDx stage, advocating for a more collaborative, culturally relevant, sustainable approach to international aid programs.

Shannon Pugh has been leading the Arise Special Needs Ministry at Irving Bible Church for 7 years, first as a volunteer and then as a staff member. Before working at IBC, she was a special education teacher for 9 years. She fell in love with this population at a summer camp when she was a teen and is extremely passionate about connecting families with special needs to resources that will help them find abundant life! She also loves advocating for those with special needs and helping others to understand their strengths and challenges. She is newly married, has a one-eyed dog, and loves to play videogames to unwind! Shannon mentions the following resources in her episode: -Path Project -ARC of North Texas -Joni and Friends -Arise Special Needs -Bent Tree -Gateway Church -Victory Flows -Sibshops -Life Planning for Families of Special Needs, Inc.

A.D. Thompkins is a writer, producer, and director of stage plays and film. She thoroughly enjoys the performing arts! Maya and Her Behavior Therapist is Ms. Thompkins first children’s book. Her second picture book is entitled, Dante's Good Choices and it's also available for purchase Amazon. She will continue publishing several children's books in the future and is gearing up to facilitate workshops/seminars focused on parent training. Ms. Thompkins is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst working primarily with autistic children in Florida. She’s also currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Conflict Analysis and Resolution. The resources mentioned on this episode include: -@soothingwaterfalls -Autism Speaks -@Adaptivities2 -Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis

"Susie" Nichols has over 15 years of experience in the field of autism intervention. She has worked as a self-contained special education teacher and interventionist in local school districts. Susie is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and has served children with autism in both the home and center-based programs.Here are the resources mentioned in this episode:-National Autism Center (NAC) -National Professional Development Center on Autism -Spectrum Disorders (NPDC) -M-CHAT -Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) -Regional Centers for Public School Districts (check with your school district) There will be an Autism Symposium on Saturday January 26, 2019 at Krum High School Auditorium (700 Bobcat Blvd. Krum, TX). If you live in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, this is a great opportunity to learn more about autism! Admission is free. I hope to see you there!

Meaghan has served as the Pastoral Leader of Special Needs at Stonebriar Community Church in Frisco, Texas since 2006. She has a passion for servjng families affected by special needs and enjoys helping churches across the country catch the vision of Special Needs Ministry. She has degree in Social Work from Texas Tech University and a Masters in Christian Leadership from Dallas Theological Seminary. Meaghan has one amazing husband (Michael) and two crazy boys (Jackson and Grayson) who are the loves of her life. Meaghan is best described by a sign in her office that reads, “Jesus, Dr. Pepper, and Texas Tech”. Here is the website for Stonebriar Community Church and Meaghan’s contact information: https://www.stonebriar.org/ Meaghan Wall meaghanw@stonebriar.org

Happy Thanksgiving! This week, we bring you some of our favorite clips and stories from the past year on the Autism Hour Podcast! We hear from Natalie Drew (00:45), Kristen Hallsworth (5:25), Jasmine McInnis (16:28), Melanie Leonardo (21:28), Beth Newman (24:30) and Dr. Haylie Miller (32:40). To hear the full interview with these guests, you can find these and all of our Episodes at www.theautismhour.com, or find us on iTunes and Stitcher. We would love to hear what you are thankful for this holiday season! Send me your thoughts or any questions you may have at theautismhour@gmail.com. I hope you have a wonderful thanksgiving, Thanks for tuning in!

Kristen is a BCBA at The Helm ABA. She has been with them for three years. She leveraged her past experience in schools as an LSSP and her time doing direct therapy as a behavior therapist to tailor treatment plans specifically to meet the needs of her clients. These resources were mentioned in this episode: -The Helm ABA http://thehelmaba.com/ -Lewisville ISD https://www.lisd.net/ -Functions of behavior (SEAT acronym) -Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/19383703 -Autism Speaks https://www.autismspeaks.org/ -ADOS https://research.agre.org/program/aboutados.cfm

Kathy is a Pre-K resource teacher at the Early Education Center in Krum ISD. She has over 30 years of experience in education, 20 spent in private education and 10 in public schools. Kathy also has administrative experience and owned a school from 2000 to 2007. She is very passionate about supporting individuals with disabilities through special education. The following resources were shared during this episode: -UNT KFAC https://autism.unt.edu/ -Krum ISD https://www.krumisd.net/ -ARC of Texas https://www.thearcoftexas.org/ -TEA https://tea.texas.gov/ -Region 11 https://www.esc11.net/ -PBIS https://www.pbis.org/ -St. Timothy Academy https://www.staplano.org/

Natalie Drew is an amazing mother, sharing her experiences as a mom of a son with Asperger's. She has four amazing kids and one brilliant husband, and together they are fumbling through a life full of highs and lows. Through it all, they choose to believe the Father's promises of His grace and mercy.

Jasmine McInnis is a single mother of Carter Lane. Carter is an 8 year old who loves life and adventure and is curious and caring. Cater is the light of Jasmine's life and she works hard to support him in every way she can. Jasmine is a neuro nurse, on the road to get a Master's in the Science of Nursing. Carter also loves to help others, and says he wants to follow in mom's footsteps. Together, they love going to parks and spending time with family.

Amy Foxman is the founder of Ability ABA, PLLC, and is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and certified special and general education teacher. Ability ABA is dedicated to building strengths and skills across the lifespan through providing direct services, consultation, and training. Amy currently is pursuing her Ph.D. in Autism Intervention at the University of North Texas and has worked extensively with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, from early childhood to adult, in home, clinical, and school settings. Amy utilizes Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and an evidence-based approach to support individuals, families, and other professionals to achieve optimal outcomes and quality of life. Here are some resources shared in Amy’s episode: Financial Assistance/Grant Organizations: • Autism Support Network: Links to grants for individuals and families. http://www.autismsupportnetwork.com/resources/autism-grantsunited-states • Masonic Home and School of Texas: Provides funding for family needs, medical and prescription services, therapies, and school supplies and career counseling. http://www.masonichometx.org/ • Variety Texas: Provides individual grants and funding for assistance animals, therapy, sensory equipment, modified vehicles, education, and more. http://www.varietytexas.org/

Leslie is a loving mother of two, a wife, and recently began the autism journey with her son, Grayson, who was diagnosed at the age of two. She is dedicated to serving her family and providing both of her children with the opportunity to learn and grow in a way that supports their individuality. Grayson is served through therapy at The Helm ABA clinic and Riley is learning at home with mom. Here are some resources from Leslie: - https://www.iloveaba.com/p/aba-glossary-new-to-my-blog-start-here.html - AuSome Moms Facebook Group (facebook.com/Ausomemoms) - An Early Start for your child with Autism by Sally Rogers and Geraldine Dawson - It Takes Two to Talk: A Practical Guide for Parents of Children with Language Delays by Elaine Weitzman Resources shared with Leslie from Cigna: http://nationalautismassociation.org/ https://www.autismspeaks.org/ http://www.thearc.org/page.aspx?pid=2530 http://www.autismsupportnetwork.com/ http://www.autism-society.org/ http://www.modelmekids.com/ https://www.socialthinking.com/ http://www.p2pusa..org/ http://www.friendshipcircle.org/blog/2013/07/15/15-indispensible-websites-for-parents-of-children-with-autism/ https://www.myautismteam.com/

Jeannie is a teacher for preschool children who are deaf. She has served in this position for the past six years and worked with deaf students, deaf students with autism, ADD/ADHD, intellectual disablities, vision impairments, and other varieties of comorbities.

We’re back with all new episodes this fall!Kristi Cortez has a master’s degree from the University of North Texas in Behavior Analysis. She is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and has over 10 years of experience working with children with autism. She also has 7 years of experience as a special education teacher. Kristi is now a BCBA at the Kristin Farmer Autism Center in Denton. Kristi is also married to a firefighter in Lewisville (Ryan), has a son (Lincoln), and just had another little boy this summer.Here are the resources mentioned in this episode:-Ausome Moms -Applied Behavior Analysis (2nd edition) by Cooper, Heron, & Howard