Today host Lori Boll speaks with David Geslak and Amber Pantaleo, Founder and Vice President of Exercise Connection, an organization that uses evidence-based solutions to empower those who support individuals with autism and other disabilities to teach exercise successfully. Coach Dave and Amber share the research and evidence based practices to support learners and share how just 10 minutes a day of exercise can make a tremendous difference and set our students up for successful learning.

David Geslak - As a personal trainer and fitness coordinator at a school for children with autism, Coach Dave experienced first-hand the challenges of teaching exercise. By understanding that students with autism learn differently, he developed a system that has become a breakthrough in effectively teaching exercise. He is the founder of Exercise Connection and is a published author, researcher, keynote presenter and, in partnership with the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), he created the Autism Exercise Specialist Certificate. As a pioneer in the field, Dave's commitment and methodology have been embraced around the world by the autism community, professionals, and Universities. He was also a finalist for ACSM’s Certified Professional of the Year (2020) & IDEA’s Fitness Leader of the Year (2022).

Amber Pantaleo - As a former special education teacher, Amber was challenged with her District's requirement of 10-minutes of physical activity per day, outside of PE. Knowing the benefits of exercise for those with autism--improve emotional regulation, social skills, language development, and academics--Amber proactively added exercise into her students’ classroom routines. Supported with evidence-based practices, Amber successfully embedded exercise through reinforcement, behavior management, and movement breaks. Now the Vice President at Exercise Connection, Amber’s expertise helps to develop inclusive solutions that level the playing field for everybody, empowering educators and therapists to successfully teach exercise.