Jonathan Weiss
York University will host the first-ever TEDxYorkUSalon Spectrum, hosted by Jonathan A. Weiss, a professor in York U’s Department of Psychology and Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR) Chair of Autism Spectrum Disorder Treatment and Care Research.
The event, which takes place May 28 from 1 to 5pm at the Glendon Theatre, Glendon campus, upholds the mandate of the Chair in Autism Spectrum Disorder Treatment and Care Research by fostering innovative knowledge mobilization and stakeholder engagement.
The aim of the TEDxYorkUSalon is to provide a forum for ideas within the Canadian Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) community of stakeholders with a focus on concerns relevant to transition-age youth and adults with ASD.
Recognizing that knowledge mobilization is a learning process among stakeholders with different perspectives and expertise, the event will involve people with ASD, parents, researchers, policy makers, clinicians and community organizations as presenters.
During the half-day event there will be four official TEDxYorkU talks, one ASD-related comedy act by a young man with Asperger’s and two panels (parent panel and advocacy organization panel).
Presenters include:
David Nicholas
David Nicholas, University of Calgary – Nicholas is a professor in the Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary and is cross-appointed to the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Alberta. His areas of research address quality of life, employment support and transition in disability, family support, parenting, family-centred care, chronic illness, and neurodevelopmental disabilities, with a focus on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). He is currently involved in national and international studies addressing the impact of ASD on youth and families both at the point of diagnosis and over the course of development.
Daniel Share-Strom
Daniel Share-Strom, Autistic advocate and speaker – Share-Strom is a professional public speaker who was a featured speaker at the provincial government’s Autism Symposium. He stages his own speaking events to raise awareness of Autism Spectrum Disorders in the GTA, and is a sought-after Asperger’s educator and advocate who moves audiences with his self-awareness, poignant insight and humour. He was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome at age 10 and has an honours degree in communications, and is now studying children’s media.
Yona Lunsky
Yona Lunsky, clinician scientist at CAMH – Lunsky is a clinician scientist in Adult Neurodevelopmental Services at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in Toronto, professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto, and adjunct scientist at the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES). She directs the Health Care Access Research and Developmental Disabilities Program (H-CARDD) and has extensive experience conducting clinical and health systems in the field of developmental disabilities. She has a strong interest in mental health care policy and practice issues related to this population, and in developing innovative approaches to assist families and staff in their caregiving role.
Aryeh Gitterman
Aryeh Gitterman, assistant deputy minister, Ontario government – Gitterman is responsible for policies and programs for: Autism, community-based mental health, child protection, special needs, residential services, and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. During the 2015-16 academic year, he was the Ontario Public Service Visiting Fellow at Ryerson University. Gitterman has presented at numerous meetings and conferences regarding education and children’s policies. Prior to joining the public service he worked at the Halton Board of Education as a head of Guidance and Special Education, and as a curriculum coordinator for the school board.
Additional presentations include: Michael McCreary (stand-up comic and advocate), Doug McCreary, Connie Putterman, (parent, research advocate), Margaret Spoelstra (director, Autism Ontario), Cynthia Carroll (executive director, CASDA), and Esther Rhee (national program director, Autism Speaks Canada).
For more, or to reserve your ticket, visit www.tedxyorkusalon.org. To follow along and view the conversation around the TEDx talk videos, use #TEDxYorkUSpectrum.