Conference Schedule "At A Glance"

Note: Registration starts at 7:30 a.m. each day of the conference with coffee and juice.
Lunch is on your own.

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Friday, March 26th

8:30 a.m. – No More Meltdowns: Handling Challenging Behaviors and Teaching Social Skills – Jed Baker, Ph.D.

Students on the autism spectrum often present with difficulty regulating their feelings and interacting socially. This workshop describes how to handle meltdowns and design effective behavior plans to prevent these moments and reduce frustration and anxiety.
Jed Baker, Ph.D. is the director of the Social Skills Training Project, a private organization serving individuals with autism and social communication problems. He also directs social skills training for Millburn Public Schools in New Jersey. His work has also been featured on ABC World News, Nightline, the CBS Early Show, and the Discovery Health Channel. He is an award winning author of five books: Social Skills Training for Children and Adolescents with Aspergers Syndrome and Social Communication Problem, Preparing for Life: The Complete Handbook for the Transition to Adulthood for Those with Autism and Aspergers Syndrome, The Social Skills Picture Book, The Social Skills Picture Book for High School and Beyond, and No More Meltdowns: Positive Strategies for Managing and Preventing Out-of-Control Behavior.

10:45 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. – Breakout Sessions (Choose any talks from 3 parallel tracks)

SOCIAL SKILLS TRACK

10:45 a.m. – Strategies to Increase Motivation, Social Skills, and Peer Acceptance – Jed Baker, Ph.D.
This presentation details strategies to motivate students to learn, ways to teach social skills, how to generalize skills into the natural setting and increase acceptance and tolerance from peers. Information will be imparted though lecture, interactive exercises, and video clips.

1:30 p.m. – Strategies to Increase Motivation, Social Skills, and Peer Acceptance (continued) – Jed Baker, Ph.D.

3:30 p.m. – Panel of Different Social Groups in Phoenix

FAMILY TRACK

10:45 a.m. – What to do in your first year after diagnosis? – Katie Wride
This presentation will walk new parents (new to Autism or to AZ) through the steps to take in the first year after diagnosis.  From state services, to doctors, therapies, and schools; this session will give you the tools, resources, and information you need to help you get your child what they need to start out on the Autism journey.
Katie Wride is a mother of four children, the oldest has Autism.  She is a parent mentor for the Autism Society of Greater Phoenix and helps families daily on their journey with their children with Autism.  She is also on the board of the Autism Society of Greater Phoenix; co-founder of EVAN (East Valley Autism Network), a support group in the East Valley; and is on the board of ACT Today (Autism Care & Treatment).

11:45 a.m. – How to request medical services – Cynthia Macluskie
This presentation will help you work more effectively with your primary care physician and specialists to obtain the medical services you need.
Cynthia Macluskie is the mother of a child who recovered from autism. She is a parent mentor of the Autism Society of Greater Phoenix, and is the co-chair of the Co-Morbid Conditions Educational Project. She is very active in the autism community.

1:30 p.m. – Successfully Raising a Son with Autism – Sheri Bowes, MOT, OTR/L
My son was diagnosed with severe autism and MR at 22 months.  He is now 7 years old and fully mainstreamed into a 1st grade classroom, at the top of his class academically, and plays several sports.  Our journey included ABA, PRT, VBA, Hanen Program, RDI, and successful collaboration with our school district.

2:00 p.m. – Autism is a Family Experience: Building Relationships that Work – Danielle Jackson and Heather Canary, Ph.D.
This break-out talk will focus on practical family relationship lessons learned from a recent Arizona State University study with parents of children with ASD. We will present what parents shared in the study about their marriage relationships and relationships between their children. Then these results will be tied to practical suggestions for making family relationships work for everyone.
Danielle Jackson is a mother of a son with autism and also a Ph.D student in Human Communication at Arizona State University.
Dr. Heather Canary is assistant professor of communication at Arizona State University, Polytechnic, specializing in disability issues in organizations and families.

2:30 p.m. – Taking Care of Yourself: Tools for living well with autism in your life – Gayle Nobel
Description:  I will share my personal story and offer "hands-on" tools for thriving on the lifelong journey of living with Autism. I will share   how I have  used these tools in my own life and how they have helped in living with my son, now 26, who is deeply affected by autism.  The audience will have the opportunity to practice some of the tools during the talk to discover their potential immediate beneficial effects. They will walk away with specific, practical supports for helping themselves thrive vs merely survive the lifelong journey with their child who has autism.
Gayle Nobel has a lifelong connection to autism through her 49 year old brother and her 26 year old son. She has a BA in Special Education and elementary education, and taught special education in the public schools, and homeschooled her son, Kyle for 11 years. She is the author of 2 books: "It's All About Attitude" and "Breathe"  

3:30 p.m. – The Sensory and Executive Functioning Issues That Affect Daily Living and Social Skills in Autistic Adults – Susan Golubock, M.Ed, OTR/L
The very tasks that typical people find easy, those on the spectrum find overwhelming. Regardless of intellectual abilities, teens and adults on the autism spectrum continue to struggle with daily living tasks such as self-care, dressing, organization and household chores. Discover why these same difficulties with sensory processing and executive functioning impact on social performance as well.
Susan is an occupational therapist with over 30 years of experience, as well as an adult on the autism spectrum. She co-founded Making Sense of Autism, LLC to promote increased awareness by parents, educators, therapists, and autistic adults of what each doesn’t know about the other. She works through Baio Enterprises to provide consult services to both parents and adults on the spectrum in the area of sensory integration and its impact on the development of executive functioning.

Medical/Biomedical Track

10:45 a.m. – Seizures and Subclinical Seizures are Common in Autism – Dr. Jeffrey Buchhalter, MD
Seizures occur in about 25% of children with autism, and subclinical seizures occur in additional children with autism who don’t have obvious seizures. This presentation will discuss the basics of seizures, subclinical seizures, epilepsy and EEG, the incidence in autism, how are they assessed, significance and treatment options.
Jeffrey R. Buchhalter, MD, PhD, FAAN, is Director of the Comprehensive Epilepsy Program at Phoenix Children’s Hospital, and Chief of the Division of Neurology. He specializes in assessing and treating seizure disorders, including in children with autism.

1:30 p.m. – Overview of Biomedical Treatments for Autism – James B. Adams, Ph.D.
This presentation will cover the major biomedical treatments for autism, including special diets, nutritional supplements, chelation therapy, and more.
James B. Adams, Ph.D., is a professor at Arizona State University, where he conducts research on the causes of autism and how to treat it. He is the President of the Autism Society of Greater Phoenix, serves on the board of the Autism Society of America, and co-leads the Science Advisory Panel of the Autism Research Institute. He is also the father of a teen-age girl with autism.

3:30 p.m. – Co-Morbid Condition in Autism – A Documentary

4:00 p.m. – How to access insurance coverage for autism – Cynthia Macluskie

 

Saturday, March 27th

8:30 a.m. – Raising Temple Grandin: Personal and Historical Reflections – Eustacia Cutler

Eustacia Cutler will describe raising her daughter Temple in the conservative “Leave-it-to-Beaver” world of the fifties, a time when little was known about autism (then called “infant schizophrenia”) and children like Temple were banished to insittutions. She will cover some of her own life experiences, fighting to hang onto hope in the face of a complicated family battle. She will also explore the main stumbling blocks of autism as she has learned them from doctors. How, to a minor degree, traces of its characteristics are in us all.
Eustacia Cutler is the author of “A Thorn in My Pocket” which describes the challenges raising a child with autism. She has written school lessons for major TV networks, researched and scripted the TV documentary THE DISQUIETED (on autism), researched and contributed script to THE INNOCENTS, a documentary prize winning first on retardation. She has three other children and five grandsons.

10:45 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. – Breakout Sessions (Choose any talks from 3 parallel tracks)

EDUCATION TRACK

10:45 a.m. – All Children Can Succeed – Ricki Light
This talk will center on practical classroom strategies to use when teaching children with High Functioning Autism and Asperger's Syndrome in the general education classroom.   Participants would benefit by learning practical ways to modify curriculum, involve students in daily lessons and encourage interactions with same-aged peers.   Suggestions on how to develop a supportive and positive learning environment will also be discussed.
Ricki Light is an educational advocate and strategist at the Melmed Center  She has been an educator in the field of special education for twenty nine years.

11:30 a.m. – Successfully Mainstreaming Children with Autism – Sheri Bowes, MOT, OTR/L
The two speakers have worked together to successfully mainstream half a dozen autistic and Asperger's students and several other students with various disabilities into the general education population of their school.

1:30 Jane’s Day II – the Sequel – Laura Nagle
Jane’s Day II: In “Jane’s Day” I followed the experiences of a fourth grade autistic girl, loosely based upon my life, as she faces a day in school. In the sequel I admit to having been Jane all along, and I contrast a day in my adult life with that of my school years.
Laura Nagle is an adult woman with Asperger’s Syndrome. She is marginally self-sufficient and a business owner in Williams, Arizona. She is the Vice President of the Autism Society of America chapter in Flagstaff.

2:15 p.m. – Putting “Fun” Back into DysFUNctional – Dave Bachmann
This presentation will be threefold.  First, it will explore how humor can be a useful tool in teaching autistic children social skills.  Second, it will demonstrate how humor can be employed as a vehicle for increasing awareness in parents and service providers of the unique social challenges that autistic children experience on a daily basis.  Finally, this presentation will show how humor can rejuvenate and inspire those who work with autistic children.  It will be informative, fast-paced and fun!
Dave Bachmann is an educator of 30 years who has worked with many high functioning autistic children.  He is currently a special education teacher at Howard Gray Education Center.

3:30 p.m. – Web-Based Augmentative Communication – Marti Baio, M.A., CCC-SLP
This talk will focus on a new web based augmentative communication system.  This is a very affordable and easy program to use, and is currently used in the Phoenix Union High School district.  We will demonstrate how to make web pages for it, including how to use Google to find images, pick the voices that are appropriate for the user, and explain how to use it on or off the internet.  Everyone who attends will receive a 30-day free trial. 
Faridodin "Fredi" Lajvardi is a high school science teacher, co-developer of Alexicom Tech, and the father of Alex, a ten-year-old boy with Autism.
Karen Suhm, Ph.D. Karen has a broad background in science, computers, and technology and has developed processes, software, firmware, and products for numerous clients including Applied Photonics, Microchip Technology, and Techlight. Marti Baio, M.A., CCC-SLP has been working in the field of speech pathology for over 30 years and specializes in therapy for children with special needs with an emphasis on children with autism.

4:30 p.m. – How and What Do I Teach this Kid? Classroom Strategies for Special Ed and General Ed – B.Ann Swaney, M.Ed.
Developing flexibility through classroom changes  during the day and throughout the school year. Using preferred activities to learn and then shifting to non preferred without meltdowns. Increasing social skills and language in the classroom, daily use of those skills. Making the school day easier for families and children on the spectrum.

THERAPY TRACK

10:45 a.m. – Verbal Behavior in ABA – Stephanie Ruby, M.Ed., BCBA and Katie Ulrich, M.A., CCC-SLP, BCBA
Description of Presentation:   This presentation will cover Analysis of Verbal Behavior and how it can be used to assess and treat language delays in individuals with autism. Video demonstration and hands on activities will be provided as well as suggestions for creating an ABA program which makes use of Skinner’s Analysis of Verbal Behavior.
Stephanie Ruby is an Autistic Support Teacher and Board Certified Behavior Analyst. She currently teaches in an Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) classroom which makes use of Skinner’s Analysis of Verbal Behavior in a school district outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Katie Ulrich is a Speech-Language Pathologist and Board Certified Behavior Analyst.  She currently provides speech and language services to children with Autism and other Developmental Disabilities for a school district outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 

1:30 p.m. – Training Parents in JumpStart – Rachel McIntosh, BCaBA  
Parent empowerment programs have been shown to have a positive effect on both children and families. After training in the JumpStart program, parents can often get their child to respond better than the JumpStart clinician. This demonstrates the critical need to train parents in naturalistic teaching procedures in order to maximize child outcomes.
Rachel McIntosh, BCaBA, is the Clinical Supervisor and Community School Director at SARRC.  Rachel has experience working with children with ASD from ages 2 to 13 in multiple settings. She will complete her Master's in June 2010 in Exceptional Education and Applied Behavior Analysis.
 
____ Replacement Behaviors to Reduce Problem Behaviors – Beatriz Conti and Alexis Boglio
Through case studies, participants will be shown how the function of disruptive behaviors are identified, replacement behaviors are selected, and how appropriate intervention plans are developed.
Alexis Boglio has spent the last six years working with children and adults with special needs across multiple settings. Alex completed her degree in psychology at Arizona State University-West. Alex is currently working part-time with the JumpStart program as a clinical interventionist. Beatriz Conti graduated Magna Cum Laude in 2004 from Arizona State University with her BS in Psychology. After graduating, Beatriz started working as a Child Development Specialist, providing early intervention services to children 0-3 with disabilities. She is a clinical interventionist at SARRC.

3:30 Floortime and Play Strategies – Lori Lichte-Brill, Psy.D.
The presentation would encompass the use of play strategies to enhance relational skills, and the six Functional Developmental Milestones as addressed by Dr. Stanley Greenspan. 
Lori Lichte-Brill, PsyD, is a licensed psychologist and Director of The Play Project at Child & Family Resources, Inc.  She has a private practice that provides services in Phoenix and in Yuma County.

4:15 p.m. – How To Recognize and Treat Sensory Integrative Dysfunction as It Relates to Problem Behavior – Heidi Bonaroti, OTR/L
What's a parent to do?  It's not always easy for a parent to distinguish whether a child's response or actions are sensory related or behavioral.  Utilizing the Sensory Integration Model and the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis, you will learn how to recognize the difference and implement a plan for your child's success.  
Heidi Bonaroti, OTR/L, has been practicing as an occupational therapist for 17 years.   For the past eight years, she has focused on pediatrics working in schools, clinics, and in clients' homes. Heidi is certified in NDT (neurological developmental treatment) and trained in Sensory Motor Integration.  For the past three years, she has been on a journey of healing her own son from Autism.  This has enhanced her therapy practice tremendously in helping others recognize the difference between sensory issues and behaviors.  Heidi enjoys working side by side with parents in helping their child be successful in his /her learning.

TEEN/ADULT TRACK

10:45 a.m. – How are We Different? – Laura Nagle
We all know what autism is; or do we? The view from inside the realm of autism is surprisingly differenft from the vies of autism as seen from outside. This presentation details many of these diffferences - as I see them, from inside.

11:30 p.m. – Special Diets for Teens and Adults – Tara Marshall
This presenter will cover her personal experiences with special diets, and the benefits she has experienced and observed in others. Benefits included elimination of seizures, increased focus/attention, improved social awareness, and overall improvement in health and well-being.
Tara Marshall is an adult with autism and a speech language pathology assistant. She also co-leads the Phoenix Adult Asperger/High-Functioning Autism Support Group, and co-authored the article “Do I Have Asperger’s?”

1:30 p.m. – An Aspie's Guide on How To Successfully Transition from High School to a Post Secondary Program – Robin Sweet
An in-depth look at the tools and strategies necessary to successfully transition from high school to a post secondary program.
O. Robin Sweet is the Executive Director and CEO of Gateway Academy, a K-12th grade private day school, specializing in students with Asperger's Syndrome, High Functioning Autism, and PDD-nos. She is also the Executive Director of Spectrum College Transition Program, which is a residential post secondary program for young men 17-24 years of age. Dr. Adele Darr is the Director of Disability Services for Arizona State University West Campus.
Patricia Tusay is the Director of Academic Success at Spectrum College Transition Program, as well as an Academic Success Consultant for Arizona State University West Campus.

2:30 p.m. – "Gaming:  Why We Like It and How It Helps Us".  
Many Aspies enjoy  both in-person games (Yugeoh, Magic the Gathering, etc) and/or online games (Gaia Online, Facebook).  A panel of teens and young adults will discuss the social aspects of gaming, and how they've been able to transfer what they've learned from game play to real-life decisions.

3:30 p.m. – Panel of Teens/Adults

Registration

Note: All Purchase Orders, Students, Parapro/Hab must download registration form and register by fax or mail only.

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Rates:

Early Bird: Registered and paid by March 5, 2010

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1. Register Online

Register On-Line

 

2. Register by Mail / Fax

Fax registration: Download registration form and fax completed for with credit card information to (480) 272-9693.

Mail registration form and payment: Download registration form, complete and send with check or money order (made payable to Autism Society of Greater Phoenix) to Autism Society of Greater Phoenix, 1340 E. Vinedo Lane, Tempe, AZ 85284.

✔ Financial aid available for families with household income under $50,000/year.
For more information call us at (480) 831-2047 or email us at conference@phxautism.org by Monday, March 15, 2010 to ensure availability.

Early Bird Registration: Registered and paid by March 5, 2010 Regular Registration: Registered and paid after March 5, 2010

* For Parapro/Hab Rate: Include letter from agency stating you work with autistic children/adults and that your salary is below $20/hour. Register only by mail/fax.

* For Student Rate: Include copy of your transcript showing that you are taking 12 or more credits. Register only by mail/fax.

Refunds: 75% prior to March 23; no refunds after March 23

 

 

 

General Questions

Call us at (480) 831-2047 or e-mail us at conference@phxautism.org

Mailing Address

Autism Society of Greater Phoenix
1340 E. Vinedo Lane
Tempe, AZ 85284

Fax:

(480) 272-9693

Exhibitors & Advertisements

Contact:

Jerry Lundy
Phone: (562) 864-3049
Fax: (562) 864-6508
E-mail: exhibitors@phxautism.org

Advertising is available in our conference syllabus.

Exhibitor Registration Form

11th Annual Greater Phoenix Autism/Asperger's Conference

 

 

 

CEU’S / Certificates of Attendance

CEU’s available for Speech Language Pathologists (7 contact hours/day), Arizona Department of Health (approval pending).

Certificates of Attendance are available at the end of each day (7 contact hours/day).