Ms. Brooke has worked for the Virginia Commonwealth University Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (VCU-RRTC) since 2008. The purpose of the center is to improve employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities, and she has had the opportunity to be actively involved in direct support roles and research grants focused on this topic for her entire career. She has experience as an Employment Specialist and researcher. She has been heavily involved with Project SEARCH, an employment training and placement program, since 2009 and currently serves in a leadership role at four Project SEARCH sites in Virginia. She has extensive experience supporting individuals with Autism and Intellectual and Development Disabilities (IDD) in employment, training them in their jobs, as well as training their colleagues on the best ways to work with them. One component of this work also includes connecting individuals with transportation resources and teaching them how to access and utilize specialized transportation. She has been devoted to honing the skills and techniques required to develop and maintain relationships with employers to result in employment for people with disabilities and disseminating this information to others in the field. She has provided training nationally and internationally to Employment Specialists and other vocational rehabilitation professionals on Supported Employment and Customized Employment. Through these trainings she has taught people how to design a training plan rooted in systematic instruction and data collection, as well as how to provide direct support to individuals with disabilities and to utilize assistive technology and compensatory strategies to build their independence on the job. In addition to her direct clinical experience, she has worked in leadership roles on research grants. In addition to Alissa Brooke, she has published and made presentations with my maiden name, Alissa Molinelli.
Jennifer Call is an experienced educator and practitioner in the field of autism and developmental disabilities. She has a bachelor's in special education from Texas A&M University and a master's in special education, low incidence disabilities, and autism from Sam Houston State University. Jennifer is currently a lecturer of autism studies at UVU, where she teaches undergraduate students about applied behavior analysis and autism. Before coming to UVU, she worked as a special education teacher, a parent training conductor, a clinical director for in-home ABA services, and a BCBA for a residential treatment center. She was awarded the UVU Faculty Excellence Award in 2022.
Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Salamanca (Spain). PhD in Psychology from the Autonomous University of Madrid. Specialist in Clinical Psychology and Specialist in Language Disorders. He is the Head of the Centre of Integral Attention for Autism at the University of Salamanca. Senior researcher at the University Institute of Community Integration and member of the Consolidated Research Unit (UIC 115) since 2015. He has participated in 32 competitive research projects, being PI in 12 of them. He has been responsible for 52 research and development contracts. Has published 79 international publications (articles, book chapters and books). His research work has been focused on the study of autism and child psychopathology, especially in the field of early assessment of communicative, cognitive, and social development. Another priority line of research has been behavioral problems in people with disabilities, behavior modification and applied behavior analysis. From 1997 to the present, he collaborates with the Gerencia de Servicios Sociales de Castilla y León (Spain) in the development of services for people with disabilities, publishing several manuals on procedures for behavioral support. In collaboration with the Consejería de Sanidad, he has developed the Early Detection of Autism Programme in Castilla y León, currently included in the well-child visits within the Portfolio of Services of the Health Service.
Dr. Jane Carlson, PhD, BCBA-D is a licensed psychologist and Board Certified Behavior Analyst. She received her PhD in clinical psychology from State University of New York at Stony Brook. She is currently Assistant Professor in the School of Education at Utah Valley University where she coordinates the master’s program in Applied Behavior Analysis and teaches in the Autism Studies program.
Dr. Julia Connelly was born in Leipzig, Germany and moved to Utah as a young adult. She graduated with bachelor’s degrees in psychology and German, and later received her master’s and doctorate degrees from the University of Utah. Her interest in Autism started while working with young with children with autism during her undergraduate career and becoming engaged in autism research. Dr. Connelly’s graduate research focused on better understanding effective treatments for difficult to manage behaviors in autism. She completed an internship and post-doc at the University Neuropsychiatric Institute (UNI) where she broadened her clinical experience beyond autism. She also worked as a school psychologist for three years in Jordan School District. After working at UNI as a staff psychologist in the department of psychiatry, she became the clinical director of the University’s Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinic, which she grew from a one-psychologist-clinic to a clinic with 4 full-time clinicians and an early intervention and behavior support program serving children, adolescents, and adults with autism. In January of 2018, she founded The Autism Clinic and a community clinic with emphasis on individuals’ strengths and gifts while providing therapeutic support for everyone to reach their full potential in life. In the summer of 2020, she helped create the non-profit, Spectropolis, serving individuals and families affected by autism, providing valuable social connections, activities, and events. At this time she is providing individual therapy for autistic individuals across the lifespan, addressing common symptoms of anxiety, depression, and PTSD in the context of autism spectrum disorder.
Dr. Crystal Emery has worked as a transition professional for young children and adolescents for over 25 years. She has a master’s in special education with an emphasis in secondary transition and a doctorate in disability studies through Utah State University. She is certified as an early intervention specialist, a coach for early childhood professionals, an employment specialist, and a customized employment professional. She currently works for the Utah State Board of Education’s postsecondary transition team as the state systemic improvement plan specialist and facilitates the Statewide Collaborative on Postsecondary Transition, which aims to improve post-school outcomes for students with disabilities. She enjoys presenting to professionals and families alike.
Patsy Gibbs is a seasoned educator with 20 years of experience. She has a master’s in special education and is a BCBA and an LBA. She has taught as an adjunct instructor at BYU and currently is a behavior specialist and PBIS coach at Provo City School District.
Adam Hammond has both a bachelor's degree and a master’s degree and has been teaching adults in a special education classroom for 9 years. He loves working with his students and is grateful he gets to learn from such wonderful people each day.
Dr. Thomas S. Higbee is a professor of special education and rehabilitation at Utah State University and founder and director of the Autism Support Services: Education, Research, and Training (ASSERT) program, an early intensive behavioral intervention program for children with autism. He is a doctoral-level Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA-D) and a licensed behavior analyst in the state of Utah. His research focuses on the development of effective educational and behavioral interventions for children with ASD and related disabilities, which includes developing effective strategies to teach parents and professionals how to implement such interventions.
Jennifer McDonough has dedicated her entire career to the employment of individuals with disabilities. She has 25 years of experience working for Virginia Commonwealth University’s Rehabilitation Research and Training Center. Ms. McDonough began her career as a job coach/employment specialist and as responsibilities were added, her title and role in the center have changed. Ms. McDonough has been a leader at the center for more than 10 years and currently serves as the Principal Investigator for a NIDILRR-funded research study as well as the Project Director for the NIDILRR Rehabilitation Research & Training Center on Successful Employer Practices for Individuals with Disabilities. She also serves as the Virginia Project SEARCH Statewide Coordinator. Ms. McDonough has served as the Project Director for three other NIDILRR-funded Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects over the past 14 years. Throughout her career at the VCU-RRTC, Ms. McDonough has served as a national expert in the field of employment for people with disabilities and is a sought-after national speaker. She has worked with numerous businesses to support and expand their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives. She has shared the knowledge of her work with more than 200 audiences across the country at state, national and international conferences. She has co-authored numerous journal articles and book chapters on employment topics such as effective employer practices for hiring individuals with disabilities, supporting youth with autism, building business relationships, customized and supported employment, and the use of work incentives for SSI/SSDI recipients and beneficiaries. Ms. McDonough has served as a leader for the VCU-RRTC in building business relationships and has served as a liaison with numerous large businesses in assisting them in hiring initiatives to improve their diversity and inclusion of individuals with disabilities.
Dr. Jared Morris is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Counseling Psychology and Special Education at Brigham Young University. Jared completed his PhD in special education with a minor in educational psychology at The Pennsylvania State University. He also completed a graduate certificate in applied behavior analysis at Pennsylvania State University. He received a master’s degree in special education from The University of Utah, a bachelor’s degree in English from Brigham Young University and an associate degree from Utah Valley State College. Jared taught students with disabilities in various settings for five years.
Kassidy is the clinical director for the ASSERT Autism Program, where she has worked for 10 years. She case manages students at ASSERT and provides clinical supervision to junior case managers. She also trains instructors, professionals, and international colleagues from Russia and Brazil. Kassidy is the consultant for Weber School District, where she provides training to special education teachers and paraprofessionals to implement behavior analytic services. She is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), a Licensed Behavior Analyst (LBA) in the state of Utah, and provides BCBA supervision. Kassidy received her Master of Science Degree in Special Education with an emphasis in Applied Behavior Analysis from Utah State University. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with minors in Disability Studies and Human Development & Family Sciences from the University of Wyoming. Her research interests include activity schedules, technology in teaching, and parent training.
Achieving competitive integrated employment continues to be a challenge facing autistic youth. Nevertheless, there has been research that demonstrates successful support for individuals with autism. In this session, Carol Schall, Ph.D., will present research on the impact of internships, supported employment and customized employment on employment outcomes for autistic youth. She will also include a discussion of the behavioral methods used to support youth and young adults with ASD in the transition from school to work.
Dr. Caleb Stanley is currently an assistant professor in the Applied Behavior Analysis program at Utah Valley University. Dr. Stanley graduated with a master’s and PhD degree in Behavior Analysis & Therapy from Southern Illinois University. Dr. Stanley is a doctorate level Board Certified Behavior Analyst and has nearly a decade of experience working as a behavior analyst in both research and clinical capacities. Dr. Stanley’s primary area of expertise is concerned with understanding variables related to the development of complex language and cognition using contemporary behavior analytic approaches. Dr. Stanley has published over 40 publications inclusive of articles in peer-reviewed behavior analytic journals, textbooks, and several book chapters related to his area of expertise. Much of his clinical experience has been devoted to the application of contemporary behavior analytic procedures and principles, such as those rooted in relational frame theory, to individuals with autism to teach complex language. Recently, he has sought to understand how such procedures can be applied to neurotypical individuals as well. Dr. Stanley intends to continue this line of research and clinical work, but also expand it to determine how relation frame theory influences other complex behaviors.
Jared Stewart, M.Ed., BCBA, was named the 2011 Educator of the Year by the National
Association of Private Special Education Centers, the 2018 Presenter of the Year by
the National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs, and the 2020 Hero for
Autism by the Autism Resources of Utah County. As a Program Director for Provo Utah’s
ScenicView Academy— a transitional school for neurodiverse adults targeting functional
independence— he teaches his students to recognize and embrace the strengths of their
diagnoses. He is an adjunct professor at Utah Valley University, where he helps run
their annual Conference on Autism and assists with the Melisa Nellesen Center’s Passages
Program as a life-skills instructor and curriculum developer. In 2016 he was appointed
by the governor to the Utah Developmental Disabilities Council and currently serves
as the Council Chair. Jared has spent almost two decades working with autistic adolescents
and adults, and has shared his views on the techniques and mindsets that lead to improved
outcomes for these individuals with many local and national audiences. His passion
for the subject arises from personal experience: he has numerous family members on
the Spectrum, and he was diagnosed with autism himself as an adult. In his rare free
moments, Jared enjoys reading, hiking, writing, and spending time with his wife and
three children— and adheres to the belief that there is untapped greatness in everyone,
regardless of their so-called “disabilities”.
Giving The Dignity Of Risk Slides
Deanna Taylor is a Postsecondary Transition Specialist at the Utah State Board of Education. Her public education career has spanned 40 years as a music teacher, special education teacher, special education director and college instructor in three states. Deanna has master’s degrees in curriculum and instruction and postsecondary transition. Her research on interagency collaboration was published in 2016. (Taylor, D., Morgan, R.L., & Callow-Heusser, C. (2016). A survey of vocational rehabilitation counselors and special education teachers on collaboration in transition planning. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 44, 163-173.). Deanna is passionate about working with teachers and has contributed to the many resources that have been provided in postsecondary transition. During her non-working time Deanna enjoys the outdoors and family time with her husband, children, and grandchildren.
Amy Wadsworth is the director of the NextWork autism program at Columbus Community Center. Over the past 8 years, Amy has helped grow this program from an idea to a thriving program including education and supports to help neurodiverse individuals increase their capacity for independence. The program now includes training apartments. Amy is a wife and mother of four adults including one autist, and has one granddaughter.
Chrissy Williams is currently the Director of Operations for Bloom Consulting. Prior to taking on this HR, logistics, and billing role, Chrissy was a choir director in Texas public schools for 12 years. She has a Master of Music in Music Education from Kent State University and a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Music Education from Centenary College of Louisiana. Chrissy’s passion for facilitating student, customer, and staff opportunities and her love of learning has only grown since her exit from the classroom. She is an active member of the Society for Human Resource Management and in her free time she enjoys making music with her church and out in the community.
Dr. James Williams is the Administrator for Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services (IVRS), a division of Iowa Workforce Development (IWD). Prior to serving as the Administrator of IVRS, Dr. Williams was the Chief Executive Officer of Bloom Consulting, a national provider organization specializing in providing vocational services, evaluations, and training to individuals with disabilities, particularly those diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). He is also a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor, an Advanced Certified Autism Specialist, and a Certified Special Education Teacher. He obtained his bachelor’s in special education from Sam Houston State University, his Master’s in Rehabilitation Counseling from Texas Tech University Health Science Center, and his Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from Lamar University. He has had the wonderful opportunity to work in both public and private special education with students of all ages in both teaching and administrative roles. His passion for the last 18 years has been, and always will be, providing transitional and vocational pre-ETS services to students with disabilities. He strives to use his professional and personal experience with ASD as a catalyst to inspire and educate others to believe in the incredible possibilities for adults and children with disabilities when they receive the appropriate services and accommodations.
Top 10 Mistakes Presentation Power Point
