BIOGRAPHIES OF OUR SPEAKERS
June 15, 2007
Keynote Speaker: Ms. Susan Ludwig, RN, BSc
Susan Ludwig is a Registered Nurse who has taught sexuality to individuals who live with a variety of disability for the last 20 years. She has facilitated sessions for consumers, parents, teachers and care providers in Canada and the United States. She has authored a curriculum for sexuality education and has co-authored the recently re-released series "Being Sexual," published by the Sex Information and Education Council of Canada.
Guest Speaker: Estée Klar-Wolfond
Estée Klar-Wolfond, founder and executive director of TAAProject, is the mother of a young autistic son named Adam. She is a freelance writer and a curator of art, holding a Master's degree in fine art history, and currently writes articles and speaks publicly regarding autism.
In 2005, she curated Beyond Words: The Drawings of Jonathan Lerman, in order to raise positive awareness about autism and dispel many of the myths surrounding it. Due to its overwhelming success, Klar-Wolfond decided to incorporate The Autism Acceptance Project both to empower parents and autistic people and to lay a positive foundation of acceptance and support for autistic people in schools and in the workplace.
Klar-Wolfond is the author of numerous journal articles on art and autism and a contributing author to Motherhood Unplugged (Key Porter Books, 2007). Her book in progress is about her journey to acceptance, family experience, and joy with autism since her son's diagnosis in 2003 at the age of 19 months. She also has a blog entitled The Joy of Autism in support of neurodiversity and dignity for autistic people. As a parent, Klar-Wolfond feels the need to empower others by way of presenting new views and a discourse about perceptions and challenges, in order that we all make informed choices in how we regard and educate autistic people.
Guest Speaker: Bob Stones
Bob Stones is the current chair of the Minister’s Advisory Council on Special Education. He is also a practicing principal and represents Ontario principals on MACSE. Bob has had experience as a school administrator in both northern and southern Ontario in both medium and small boards. His range of experiences has helped to shape his view and perspective on special education in Ontario.
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Rob Nicolson, MD
Dr. Nicolson is a child psychiatrist whose practice is largely devoted to children and adolescents with autism and intellectual disabilities. He is a psychiatrist in the Pervasive Developmental Disorders program at the Child and Parent Resource Institute (CPRI) in London. He is an associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Western and is also the Chair of the Division of Developmental Disabilities and Chair of the Autism Studies Program at The University of Western Ontario.
Dr. Nicolson completed medical school at The University of Western Ontario before moving to Toronto to do his residency in child psychiatry. He worked as a visiting scientist in the Child Psychiatry Branch of the National Institute of Mental Health in the United States before returning to London. In addition to his clinical work, he is engaged in research investigating the brain abnormalities associated with autism and treatments for children and adolescents with pervasive developmental disorders.
Guest Speakers:
Patricia Gallin is the parent of 3 teen/young adults, the eldest a 21 year old son with Asperger Syndrome. Patricia is a past president of her local Autism Ontario Chapter and was actively involved as a Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC) rep with her public school board. She and her son with AS are now attempting to navigate the adult world. She is currently contracted by Autism Ontario to provide program support on adult issues.
Howard Weinroth is a parent/activist/lobbyist with over 30 years experience advocating on behalf of individuals within the ASD continuum. He has been Chair of ASO, Autism Society Canada, and Kerry’s Place Autism Services, as well as a successful lobbyist to secure MCSS funding for the Kerry’s Place York Adult 365 Program. He is someone who firmly believes that parent activists are an integral part of any successful plan to secure an enhanced quality of life for individuals with ASD and their families.
Robert and Wendy Richardson are parents of Nathan who is 20 years old and diagnosed with autism. They will share their experiences in dealing with the different support systems including medical, education and police. They will speak about how to be prepared for unexpected critical issues.
Kerry Flynn is a public speaker on living with Aspergers Syndrome.
Presenting for Penny Gill – Building Friendships Over the Lifetime
Rachel Barber has a Heath Science degree with a minor in Physiology from the University of Waterloo. Rachel has been volunteering in the field of autism at the Hospital for Sick Kids Autism Unit. She has now been hired by the Autism Unit.
Lea Walters has a Bachelor of Medical Science from the University of Western Ontario. Lea was hired this January by a pharmaceutical company called Sharing.
Melissa Garrett has a Bachelor of Education from Brock University. Melissa is now teaching at the elementary level at the Hamilton Separate School Board.
At one time all the above women were classmates of Penny Gill’s son Nate.