Autism Ontario is proud to announce our 2022 Gerry Bloomfield Award recipients: J. Dale Munro, MSW, RSW, FAAIDD and Rita Miceli, B.A., B.Ed., Award-Winning Author. These recipients have made outstanding professional contributions to the field of autism, and we are honoured to be able to recognize the critical role they have played in the lives of autistic individuals and their families.This year’s Gerry Bloomfield Award recipients were celebrated at Autism Ontario’s Annual General Meeting on September 21st 2024.
Congratulations to this year's recipient of the Gerry Bloomfield Professional Award, J. Dale Munro, MSW, RSW, FAAIDD.
J. Dale Munro is an individual, couple & family therapist in London, Ontario. He recently retired from full-time private practice affiliated with The Redpath Centre in Toronto. He is a well-known speaker across North America who has worked 53 years in the autism and neurodevelopmental field. He has published articles in many international books & peer-reviewed journals. Dale has always viewed autistic children, teens and adults, and their families, in a very special and respectful way. Often looking to them to be his best teachers and professors. At the same time, he has recognized the need to help front-line professionals and managers, when facing complex family issues.
Dale has worked closely with Autism Ontario- travelling to and speaking in almost every corner of the province. And doing Autism Ontario webinars focusing on “Successful Parents/Happy Families:12 Strategies for Stressful Times” and “Teens and Adults with Asperger Syndrome/High Functioning Autism: Building Positive Futures”. He has always believed that he had the best job in the world – and has worked with the finest and most interesting people on earth!
Congratulations to this year's recipient of the Gerry Bloomfield Volunteer Award, Rita Miceli.
Rita is a passionate and dedicated educator who recently retired after more than 30 years with the Greater Essex County District School Board. For the past 15 years, she has also been an instructor in the Autism and Behavioural Science Graduate Program at St. Clair College, a role she continues to fulfill. Rita is the best-selling, award-winning author of Giaci and Me: A Mother's Journey of Loving and Raising an Autistic Child, a memoir that delves into her deepest thoughts, realizations, and fears, providing a vital resource for caregivers and families impacted by autism. Her book captures the challenges and triumphs of her journey with her son Giaci's autism diagnosis, from his early childhood through his late teen years and beyond. Married to her high school sweetheart, Rita is a proud mother of four and a prominent advocate in the autism community.
She is a past president of Autism Ontario’s Windsor/Essex Chapter and having served as both President and co-Chair of the Autism Ontario Gala committee. Her dedication also includes participation in advisory committees, political initiatives, research projects at the University of Windsor, and over 25 years of committed fundraising efforts.
About the Gerry Bloomfield Awards
The Gerry Bloomfield Award for outstanding professional contributions to the field of Autism Spectrum Disorders or to Autism Ontario is awarded in recognition of the critical role played by professionals in the lives of people on the autism spectrum and their families. It may be awarded to an individual or group of individuals whose efforts have contributed to improving the quality of life for a person or persons on the spectrum through: improving programs, improving research, and/or establishing guidelines and policies. The Professional Award may also be awarded to someone whose efforts have had direct influence in making a significant change in the lives of autistic people and their families.
The Gerry Bloomfield Award for outstanding contributions to Autism Ontario by a volunteer may be awarded to an individual or group of individuals whose efforts have contributed to improving the quality of life for a person or persons on the autism spectrum. This may be through: promoting public awareness and understanding, advocating on behalf of Autism Ontario, and/or supporting the families and communities through outstanding work at the Chapter level.
The Volunteer Award may be awarded to someone whose efforts have created a greater profile for an Autism Ontario Chapter or the organization with the community at large. The recipient(s) should be a past or present member of Autism Ontario and should have demonstrated integrity, commitment, and loyalty over a sustained period to the lives of people on the autism spectrum.