Hi, I have been with the Autism Society of Pittsburgh for a little over a year now. Our son Aidan, is 24-years old and has ASD. One of my main roles in life has been Aidan’s Advocate. Once Aidan was on his path to transitioning into adulthood, I felt it was my time to help other families in my community. Some of my new roles include providing information and referrals, developing programs and autism training. I truly enjoy my new career. As you can imagine helping others is very rewarding. From something as small as pointing a family in the right direction to obtain services for their child diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) to assisting a family in the application process for a service dog grant. Over the course of my first year with the Autism Society of Pittsburgh I have had the opportunity to help a full spectrum of individuals and families. One individual who was completely independent and employed full-time, needed assistance with transportation for a medical procedure. We have had a few unfortunate situations where individuals needed legal assistance. Our President, an attorney, has been able to provide legal guidance to those individuals. Many families have reached out for assistance with the implementation of their child’s Individual Education Plan (IEP). And just as many have contacted us with questions about transitioning to adulthood, further education and employment. We have developed new programs including drum circles and art workshops. We have provided autism training to many ranging from teachers to corrections officers to employers. As you can see, we are here to help families in our community from young to old, with services and programs, from education to employment. My personal goal to help bring ACCEPTANCE and APPRECIATION of our neurodiverse community.
