Exploring Different Brains

Self-advocate Andrew Arboe discusses his work helping other autistic individuals develop their driving skills.

(20 mins) Andrew is the founder of Driving With Autism. Driving with Autism is a educational program that helps autistics and their families navigate the steps to take for being a driver. Their content comes with a multi-part webinar series that breaks driving into sizable steps for anyone to manage safely.

For more about Driving with Autism: https://autismdriving.com/

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Mark Wolraich, MD discusses his work creating diagnostic scales for ADHD, and how the medical community can better serve neurodivergent patients.

(30 mins) Dr. Wolraich is CMRI/Shaun Walters Professor Emeritus of Pediatrics and the Chief of the Section of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics at Oklahoma University Health Sciences Center, and the former Director of the Child Study Center. He received his MD from SUNY Syracuse Health Sciences Center. His residency training in pediatrics was split between the SUNY Syracuse Health Sciences Center and the University of Oklahoma followed by a fellowship in the care of handicapped children at the University of Oregon. Dr. Wolraich helped create the The Vanderbilt ADHD Diagnostic Rating Scale (VADRS) - a psychological assessment tool for parents of children aged 6 to 12 designed to measure the severity of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms. He also worked on the Siperstein -Wolraich Adjective Checklist, which helps identify intellectual differences in kids.

Dr. Wolraich has authored 150 journal articles or book chapters including articles in the New England Journal of Medicine, Pediatrics, and the Journal of the American Medical Association. He has edited or written 22 books including three books on ADHD. Dr. Wolraich received the Lewis D. Hollaway Award for Research in Health Science Education from the University of Iowa, the Lee Salk Distinguished Service Award from the Society of Pediatric Psychology, induction into the CHADD Hall of Fame of the Children and Adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, the Edith Kinney-Gaylord Presidential Professorship for meeting the highest standards of excellence in teaching and research from the University of Oklahoma, Mentor Award from the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Oklahoma, and the C. Anderson Aldrich Award from the AAP for outstanding work in the area of child health and human development.

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Sam Salver of JFS Broward discusses how their Joshua’s Path program is helping neurodivergent adults find jobs.

(23 minutes) Sam is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and the Program Coordinator for Joshua's Path and BOOST at Jewish Family Services of Broward. The Joshua’s Path program at Goodman JFS supports, educates and empowers adults with developmental disabilities and their families, by providing individual consultations, assistance navigating the system, information, resources and referrals, and pathways to employment through social skills and work training.

For more about Joshua’s Path: https://www.jfsbroward.org/

February is Jewish disability awareness and inclusion month, and JFS Broward / Joshua’s Path is hosting several free events. for more info, visit: https://www.jfsbroward.org/calendar/seminars-and-support-groups/

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Irish autism self-advocate, author, and speaker Jude Morrow returns to discuss his new book “Loving Your Place On The Spectrum”.

(31 minutes) Jude is an autistic best-selling author, entrepreneur, philanthropist and keynote speaker from Derry, Northern Ireland. He travels the world to showcase through his talks that autistic children can grow up to live happy and successful lives. Jude's books are published by Beyond Words, publisher of The Secret. Jude is the founder of Neurodiversity Training International, the world's premier autistic-led training and consultancy firm to global non-profits and Fortune 500 companies. He is also a 2 time TedX speaker and nurtures parents, teachers and professionals to develop a kinder mindset toward autistic people young and old. Jude is the author of the Amazon best-seller “Why Does Daddy Always Look So Sad?”, and the new book “Loving Your Place On The Spectrum”.

For more about Jude:

https://judemorrow.com/

https://www.neurodiversity-training.net/

https://www.facebook.com/judemorrowauthor

https://www.instagram.com/judemorrow/

https://twitter.com/judemorrow10

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Broward Center’s Gustavo Padrino discusses their sensory-friendly performances for the neurodivergent.

(VIDEO - 21 mins) Gustavo Padrino is the Community Engagement Manager for the Broward Center for the Performing Arts. The Broward Center builds community through the arts by delivering quality entertainment, educational opportunities and memorable moments that engage and inspire audiences, nurture collaboration and drive economic vitality. The sensory-friendly performances are intended to create a welcoming and supportive environment for children and adults on the autism spectrum as well as individuals with other sensitivity issues or developmental disabilities.

For more about the sensory-friendly performances, and to see walk through videos and a social story pdf, go to: https://www.browardcenter.org/visit/sensory-friendly

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Author and self-advocate Jacki Edry discusses neurodiversity acceptance & inclusion in Israel

(VIDEO - 27 mins) Jacki Edry is a graduate of Hampshire College and has recently authored her first book “Moving Forward: Reflections on Autism, Neurodiversity, Brain Surgery, and Faith”. She has an extensive background in education, writing, and marketing. She has been exploring the world of autism and neurodiversity for over thirty-five years, and shares her insights and ideas on her blog: www.jackisbooks.com.

Jacki is a survivor of complex brain surgery that left a lasting imprint on her body, as well as her neurological and perceptual abilities. She is also a parent of neurodiverse children. She has spent many years advocating for inclusion programs in the educational system and providing support for families of children with disabilities. Jacki resides in Israel with her husband, children, and dog.

For more about Jacki’s work: https://www.jackisbooks.com/

LinkedIn: Jacki Edry | fb: @jackisbooks

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Dr. Marcia Ratner & Dr. James Hendrix discuss recent developments in Alzheimer’s research.

Dr. Marcia Ratner, world-leading neurotoxicologist and research scientist at the Boston University School of Medicine. Her research focus is neurotoxicants, chemicals that can cause brain damage. Marcia is also a project manager for the Department of Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics at Boston University, and she also provides neurotoxicology-related consulting services resulting in major court decisions and policy change involving neurotoxicants. Dr. Ratner is also the Director of Research for Different Brains. For more information about Dr. Ratner, visit: www.neurotoxicants.com

Dr. James Hendrix is the Chief Scientific Officer at LuMind IDSC. In that role, Dr. Hendrix directs scientific initiatives for LuMind IDSC. A critical element of his role is to establish the nationwide Down Syndrome – Clinical Trial Network (DS-CTN) and to oversee the first clinical trial in the DS-CTN, the Longitudinal Investigation for Enhancing Down Syndrome Research (LIFE-DSR) Study. The LIFE-DSR study is a natural history study focused on adults 25 years of age and older at high risk for Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Hendrix is also focused on building potential collaborations with industry, academic and government scientists focused on Down syndrome research to maximize LuMind IDSC’s scientific impact. Prior to joining LuMind, Dr. Hendrix was Director of Global Science Initiatives, at the Alzheimer’s Association. For more about Dr. Hendrix and LuMind: https://www.lumindidsc.org/

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Therapist and self-advocate Sean Inderbitzen discusses PTSD on the autism spectrum.

(VIDEO - 24 mins) Sean is a Behavioral Health Therapist, and lives with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. He has a caseload with 33% of his patients that live with ASD and varying co-morbid psychiatric conditions. Prior to being a mental health clinician, he was a Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist for Wisconsin Division of Vocational Rehabilitation for 3 years. He was also appointed by Governor Walker to the Statewide Independent Living Council of Wisconsin. He is an incoming member to the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers, and provides training on motivational interviewing, ASD and employment, and ASD and co-morbid psychiatric conditions.

For more about Sean’s work:

http://seaninderbitzen.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/mwlite/in/sean-inderbitzen-msw-apsw-member-of-mint-a844141b1

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John Hiski Ridge discusses what he has learned racing a child with a rare diagnosis - 22q.

John Hiski Ridge is a professional writer, as well as a Colorado attorney. He has published articles on many topics, including diversity in the workplace, leadership, legal writing, and mountain climbing. He is a graduate of Boston College, where he earned both his J.D. and a Ph.D. in philosophy. Importantly, John is the author of “Maggie and Me,” a blog that discusses issues facing young adults with disabilities, and also teaches philosophy and science in a manner that is accessible to high school and junior high school students.

Maggie and Me can be read on John's website: https://johnhiskiridge.com/

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October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, so join us as we speak with Matt Anderson of PRIDE Industries about their work building inclusive workforces.

PRIDE Industries’ mission is to create employment for people with disabilities. In his role as Vice President of Inclusive Talent Solutions (ITS), Matt Anderson shares the mission of PRIDE Industries with large public and private companies nationwide. Under Matt’s leadership, the ITS team sources, trains, and provides ongoing support to people with disabilities employed at partner companies, helping these organizations maximize the benefits of an inclusive workforce. ITS also offers easy-to-use services for training and staffing to help businesses across the country create and manage a diverse workforce, and provides strategic consulting services to companies on issues related to diversity and inclusivity.

For more about PRIDE Industries: https://www.prideindustries.com/

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