Thursday Schedule

Maureen Dunne, National Bestselling Author, The Neurodiversity Edge

MAUREEN DUNNE is a cognitive scientist, neurodiversity expert, global keynote speaker, board director, and business leader with over two decades of experience helping organizations build thriving cultures. She has served as a Senior Advisor to some of the world's top corporate brands, Fortune 500 companies, universities, venture capital funds, and government officials, including the LEGO Foundation, Cornell University, and Members of Congress. She also recently co-created the executive education program for business leaders on "Future-Ready Leadership" at the Harvard Kennedy School.

A member of the neurodiversity community, she is a frequent media commentator and contributor on neurodiversity and the future of work. Her work has been featured in Forbes, Bloomberg, Entrepreneur, MIT Sloan Management Review, Chicago Tribune, DiversityQ, Salon, New York Times, People Management magazine, USA Today, Inside Higher Ed, Unleash and Newsweek. A keynote speaker at Stanford University and the National Science Foundation, she was also a featured speaker at The Atlantic Festival where Neurodiversity was included as part of its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion theme for the first time in history.

A successful entrepreneur and business leader, Maureen is CEO of Nodi.ai and a member of the Young Presidents' Organization, an invite-only organization for the world's top chief executives. At LEGO, Maureen helped launch a Social Impact Accelerator Fund to support innovation and entrepreneurship in neurodiversity.

The first community college graduate to be named a Rhodes Scholar, she is also an elected official helping to build the talent pipeline with community colleges, representing over 12 million students at the national level.

She received a joint BA/MA from the University of Chicago, MSc from the London School of Economics, and doctorate from the University of Oxford. She lives in Chicago with her husband and three children.

Lunch 12:00 - 1:00

Parenting While Autistic Panel - Jared & Alinda Stewart, Damian & Kelli Rodriguez, Kyra DeSantos, Christian Swenson

Being a parent is the hardest job there is. Being a parent when you or your spouse is autistic is sometimes even harder-- and it always brings unique complexities to the situation.  Come ask your questions and listen to our panel of parents -- with children of all ages-- and gain some insights, tools, and hope from their experiences!

Friends IRL + Speed Friending - Passages at the Melissa Nellesen Autism Center

Have you ever made a connection with someone at work, school, in a program, online, or elsewhere that you wish could evolve into a real friendship? Are you unsure of how to take the steps to create that in your reality? Let's discuss and explore how friendships can begin and how to maintain them. And because we are all here, let's try making some connections today with a little speed-friending. 

How to Get The Most Out of Therapy - Sarah Heuser, CSW

Life is a Role-Playing Game -Josh Olivas

Ever wish real-life conversations had a dialogue tree of response options? Ever find it easier to play a character in D&D than to be yourself? Join us as we explore roleplaying in real life, intentional masking, and conquering The Void™ in order to make social interactions easier and life more predictable.

LGBTQ and Autistic Panel - Josh Olivas, Sarah Heuser

Researchers are beginning to find a strong correlation between the autism spectrum and being on the LGBTQ+ spectrum. Join our panelists as they discuss topics like finding a date, discussing autism with a partner, finding their communities, and other intersections of being on multiple spectrums.

Three Special Interests Every Autistic Needs -Jared Stewart

One of the best parts about being Autistic is our Special Interests!  Having topics and tasks that we consistently focus on, and care DEEPLY about, adds a lot of joy and satisfaction to our lives.  Autistics can have Special Interests in just about anything, but we don't have unlimited "slots"-- so we ultimately have to pick and choose what we will dedicate our hyperfocus and passion to.  But what if there were some particular Special Interests that could be keys to our success in trying to navigate this very neurotypical world? Come and hear Jared's thoughts on the three critical areas that every autistic needs to develop a passion for in order to maximize our personal potential. 

Job Introduction: Texas Instruments Technician -Shaun Lindow & Kyra DeSantos

Many folks on the spectrum are fantastic with technology. And Texas Instruments is looking for you! Shaun and Kyra are here to introduce you to a career in Semi-Conductor manufacturing at Texas Instruments. This interactive session will include videos of the Texas Instruments environment and let you touch and work with the technology. They will share some job requirements and answer questions about the work. This session intends to help interested parties know the requirements to become a candidate for this role. Texas Instruments will be looking to hire many technicians over the next couple of years as they expand.

Friends IRL + Speed Friending - Passages, The Melissa Nellesen Autism Center

Have you ever made a connection with someone at work, school, in a program, online, or elsewhere that you wish could evolve into a real friendship? Are you unsure of how to take the steps to create that in your reality? Let's discuss and explore how friendships can begin and how to maintain them. And because we are all here, let's try making some connections today with a little speed-friending. 

The Philosophy of Dungeons and Dragons - Nolan Jacobs (he/him)

Have you ever wanted to be a dungeon master for a D&D game? Or even join in as a player, but felt you were out of your depth? You're in luck! This presentation covers important dungeon master skills, provides helpful wisdom on the role of role-playing games, and answers the question of how and why we play them.

To Disclose or Not to Disclose—that is the question-Jared Stewart

Do I tell someone that I am on the Autism Spectrum? What is the best time, setting, and way to tell them? What are the possible pros and cons?  Disclosing our autism can be tricky, and the "right" answer is the one that works for YOU, but this session will help you learn the considerations and systems to be able to make the best possible decisions for yourself and your unique situation.

Music Therapy - Presented by Harmony Music Therapy

Music therapy is an evidence based, allied health profession that uses music interventions to reach therapeutic goals. In this session, we will learn how to effectively use music as a coping skill. We will practice identifying how music affects our emotions, and make playlists together. We will also explore various instruments and engage in active music making as a group. 

Panel: Fostering Inclusive Communities: Strategies and Experiences - Autism Incorporated

The conversation will discuss the role of events in engendering a sense of belonging and community. Insights on organizing events that are accessible, engaging, and gratifying for autistic individuals from various backgrounds and with diverse needs will be shared. We'll underscore the importance of social groups designed explicitly for autistic individuals, recounting success stories and discussing how these collectives can accommodate various needs and preferences.

Job Introduction: Texas Instruments Technician -Shaun Lindow & Kyra DeSantos

Many folks on the spectrum are fantastic with technology. And Texas Instruments is looking for you! Shaun and Kyra are here to introduce you to a career in Semi-Conductor manufacturing at Texas Instruments. This interactive session will include videos of the Texas Instruments environment and let you touch and work with the technology. They will share some job requirements and answer questions about the work. This session intends to help interested parties know the requirements to become a candidate for this role. Texas Instruments will be looking to hire many technicians over the next couple of years as they expand

Dating 101 -  ScenicView Academy Staff

Because autism is a developmental delay, many autistic adults do not develop an interest in dating until their 20s or even 30s. We often miss out on the introductory dating opportunities that high school typically provides simply because we weren't interested then. This interactive workshop will walk you through topics like: how to ask someone on a date, what to do on a date, and how to keep the conversation (and the relationship) moving forward. 

Dungeons & Dragons

Celebrate D&D’s 50th anniversary with us and our friends at We Geek Together. We can’t guarantee that it will be the world’s largest D&D game, but it will be really really big! Bring your dice!

Outdoor Games

Pickleball, Volleyball, Corn hole, Spikeball, we’re doin it all! We’ve got plenty of space to play your favorite games.

Quiet Activities

If your social battery is running low, you can always join us in Room 155 for puzzles and/or coloring.