It takes a village presenters

We are so pleased to welcome Briana Mason as our keynote speaker!

Diagnosed at age 4 with high functioning Asperger’s Syndrome, I’ve spent a large part of my life learning about Autism for peers and myself. I was homeschooled for seven years where I had the opportunity to have a mother who developed their own early intervention therapy that provided me with the necessary skills to re-enter public school. I was able to then spend high school a part of the International Baccalaureate program, and graduate with my diploma. I am currently about to graduate at Washington State University (Vancouver campus) with my bachelor’s in Biology and a minor in Neuroscience, as well as graduating as a University Scholars (a honors research program). I have an innate sense of curiosity for the human experience and I bring that passion into my interest in medicine. I am also a large advocate for youth as the Southwest Washington Family, Youth and System Partner Round Table youth co-tri lead and the founder of Youth Advocacy and Empowerment.

PRESENTER HIGHLIGHTS: We welcome Dena Alt to our conference!

Dena holds a Master’s Degree in Special Education, A Bachelor’s degree in Sociology, is a Washington State Certified Counselor and is Nationally Certified with PCIT international as a Parent-Child Interaction Therapist (PCIT). She has worked in various roles working with individuals and families such as; a Special Education Teacher, School and Special Education Administrator, School Counselor, Behavior Specialist, Advocate, Life and/or Career Skills Instructor, Family Therapist and Life Coach for over 25 years specializing in people with “invisible” disabilities and behavior challenges.

Jerri Clark is a Parent Resource Coordinator with Washington’s Parent Training and Information (PTI) center, which is managed by PAVE (Partnerships for Action, Voices for Empowerment). A resident of Vancouver, WA, since 1995, she started her career as a journalist and has taught yoga and dance. She is the founding director of Mothers of the Mentally Ill (MOMI), which advocates for improvements in mental healthcare.

Monica Meyer is an ethical activist for empowering Adults with Classic Autism and Intellectual Disabilities. Her interest in Autism comes from her own experience as a parent to her son, Michael. Monica provides consultati0n, training and plan facilitation to school districts, community residential and supported employment providers. Monica has spent 25+ years teaching, implementing and advocating for ASD Evidence-Based Strategies that have enhanced not only her own son’s life but that of many others through her training and consultation services. Monica’s personal and business goals are simple; continue to learn, grow and make possible community ideals and empowerment for those who experience Classic Autism and other Developmental Disabilities.

Diane Knoll has been an occupational therapist since 2002. She has worked in both school and sensory integration clinic settings with ages ranging from pre-school to adults. She is also an artist who is the founder and director of Vibrant Palette, a nonprofit art center for adults with disabilities in the city of Seattle. She also teaches part-time as an adjunct OTA instructor at Pima Medical Institute in Renton. From her work a Vibrant Palette, Diane began to notice that many of the adult artists at the studio with sensory processing differences were not having their needs addressed, and the idea for Cascadia Therapy Services, a consulting business for individuals and companies that are seeking support for sensory processing challenges, began to form. Diane has also been asked to consult as a stakeholder with the Port of Seattle as they create a sensory-friendly space at the Sea-Tac Airport.

Lindy Treece is an autistic activist based in SW Washington. She is pursuing a Master’s degree in Social Work in hopes of becoming a community resource for autism spectrum disorders. Her writing has been published by Spectrum Life Magazine and on her own website lindytreece.com.

PRESENTER HIGHLIGHT: We are excited to announce the addition of Grant Thompson to our workshop schedule. Grant will be presenting on A Behavior-Analytic Approach to Toilet Training!

Grant Thompson is a licensed behavior analyst and the owner of Formations Behavior Therapy, LLC located in Vancouver, WA. Grant is a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), and holds a master’s degree in teaching with a special education endorsement; a post-graduate certificate in applied behavior analysis; and, a Washington state teaching certificate in special education.

For nearly a decade, Grant has dedicated his career to advocating for individuals with special needs and families influenced by autism and related conditions. Prior to starting the company Formations Behavior Therapy, Grant served as Director of Clinical Management of Behavior Services for Rehab Without Walls, a large neurodevelopmental center located in Lynnwood, WA. Ultimately, Grant and his family made the decision to move to the Vancouver area in order to be closer to Shriner’s hospital where his daughter receives care for a rare orthopedic condition and to offer excellent clinical services for those in need.

As a member of the Vancouver-Portland community, Grant is committed to providing families with quality behavior-focused education and teaching children valuable developmental skills that will improve quality of life, stand the test of time, and extend across a wide range of environments.

My name is Nelson Rascon, the Director for Dad’s MOVE, a father driven peer support organization, based in Washington State. I became involved with the non-profit world as a result of my three special needs children. As I began searching for help with my children, I met many individuals from other non-profits and parent support groups. Since then I have developed a passion for helping other parents, particularly fathers.

After gaining the needed help and support for my own children I went to work for several non-profits and community-based groups. I began to take what I learned to help my own family and began helping others. I am certified in many training modules and have even authored several of my own. I have now been working in this Director capacity since 2011.

My background in the special needs community is being the parent of a young adult who experiences autism, as well as volunteering with organizations like Autism Empowerment, Amazing Moms, Clark County Parent Coalition and more throughout the years. In December of 2015, I started a volunteer parent-led support group called Special Celebrations, focusing on creating a full life and celebrating all individuals who experience special needs and their families through online support, birthday party inclusion, monthly events, and community outings. My journey as a parent of a child with a developmental disability and group leader led me to many trainings in our community including From Emotions to Advocacy, The Parent Partner trainings and eventually to the position of Parent to Parent Coordinator for Clark County and Westside State Support. I now have the privilege to share in the joys and help support through the challenges of this parenting journey with others like myself.

Workshop Description:
In this two-part presentation, we will explore ideas and tools for creating visuals to help you or your child advocate for themselves across many settings, as well as dive into the possibilities of using technology as a tool for safety and independence throughout the lifespan. Come prepared to practice making visuals and brainstorm ways to make these tools a success for your family. Materials provided!

Tara is the oldest sister to 2 brothers on the autism spectrum and has been in the autism field for over a decade. She loves integrating all she’s learned across disciplines (social work, special education, and more) into thinking about adulthood, the lifespan, and ways to support the autism community.

Matt has been a Board Certified Behavior Analyst since 2012.

Matt was born and raised in the rural community of South Bend, near Willapa Bay on Washington’s southwest coast. Growing up in a community that has been traditionally underserved due to socioeconomic and geographic barriers, Matt became keenly aware of the disparity in services when looking at Washington’s rural and remote areas. This inequity is what led to the formation of BASICS NW, whose primary objective is improving access to quality ABA treatment for all families.

Aloha! I began working with children with Autism and special needs in 2001 in Hawaii. I obtained my BCBA in 2011 and have experience with providing behavior support services in school settings, as well as provide direct and supervision services in clinics and center based programs in Hawaii, Florida and now in Washington and Oregon. I work with children with autism ages 2 to 24 years old addressing language and communication deficits, social skills impairment and challenging behaviors including aggression, self-injury and property destruction. I also enjoy meeting new families and telling them about the ABA field, about our program and the services we provide. I am currently the Regional Director for Discovery Behavior Solutions in Vancouver, Washington and Portland, Oregon. I work with a team of amazing BCBA supervisors and directors at our center. I love seeing our clients make progress, achieve small and big victories along the way and helping them improve their overall quality of life.

Megan Curry is a board certified behavior analyst with 12 years of experience working in Applied Behavior Analysis and 15 years of experience working work individuals on the autism spectrum. Megan received her bachelor's degree from California State University, Northridge where she focused on child and adolescent development. She completed her master's of science degree in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Applied Behavior Analysis. She has extensive training in Discrete Trial Teaching, Pivotal Response Therapy, Positive Behavior Supports, and Functional Analysis Assessments. Megan currently works as a clinical director for Discovery Behavior Solutions in Vancouver, Washington.

We are pleased to add Tamara Roberts, Trust Manager for the Developmental Disabilities Endowment Trust Fund with The Arc of Washington State to our lineup of stellar presenters!
Tamara Roberts has been with The Arc of Washington since 2010. She lives in Olympia, WA with her husband and two children.