Vocational Roundtable Discussion: Authentic Living-Creating Possibilities and Opening Doors in a World of Social Barriers
The round table will discuss and explore a) ASD personal strengths, establishing meaning and purpose, and recognizing individual uniqueness and contributions, b) common experiences and common goals including human rights and access to basic resources, c) social structures and practices that lead to exclusionary ideas and generate isolation and unemployment, and d) working together to promote social advancement of ASD.
Dr. Jacquelyn Marquette
Dr. Jackie Marquette is an autism transition specialist, consultant, independent researcher, and creator of the Capability Approach (CA), a strengths-based and support system within a vocational-therapeutic model to increase employment adaptations with ease. Jackie has an adult son who lives inter-dependently and is an international acclaimed artist and award winner of the United Nations Autism Awareness Stamp, 2012.
Carolyn Gammicchia
Carolyn Gammicchia is a certified Career Development Facilitator who specializes in transition planning, career supports, and portfolio development for adolescents and adults with ASD. As a parent of an adult son with ASD, she has been an active advocate within the autism community for several years. She is also the Executive Director of L.E.A.N. On Us and co-founded the agency in 2002. www.leanonus.org
C. Rick Ellis, EdD
Dr. Ellis is a licensed clinical and forensic psychologist. He is an Assistant Professor at Eastern Virginia Medical School and Director of Spectrum Psychological and Forensic Services. He frequently testifies as an expert in special education, criminal and civil cases involving individuals on the autism spectrum. He recently authored the article “Autism and Violence” for June/July edition of The Autism File magazine.
Peg Pickering
Peg Pickering, author of Prioritize Organize: The Art of Getting it Done, Thriving on Change, and How to Manage Conflict (among others) shifted her focus to autism advocacy following the diagnosis of her son. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, she opened a shelter to meet the unique needs of “refugee” families affected by autism. Her focus today is the development of self-employment options for young adults with autism.
Andrew Gammachia
Andrew Gammicchia has been a law enforcement officer for over twenty six years. He has been the President of L.E.A.N. On Us since 2002 when he co-founded the organization with his wife Carolyn and supported their twenty one year old son Nicholas, who has autism, as a self-advocate to co-present educational training sessions for the organization.
