Executive Members
Karen Simmons
Founder and CEO of Autism Today Foundation, Gemologist
Vincent Michael dela Luna
Founder of Autism Today Foundation, Filmmaker, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Executive Chairman
Ronald Caissie
Director of Social Services
Founder and CEO of Ultimate Progress
Dr. Stephen Shore
Director of Neurodiversity
Dr. Laura Chris Grenn
Director of Social Services
Karen Lo
Director and Chief Operating Offices
Law Jackson
Chief Design Officer
Dr. Christion Bogner
Chief Science Officer
Jonathan Sicoli
Director of Post Production
Advisory Board
Dr. Temple Grandin
Professor of Animal Science at Colorado State University, Autism Rights Advocate
Dr. Tony Attwood
Clinical Psychologist specializing in ASD, Adjunct Professor at Griffith University
Gil Ilutowich
Chairmain of the Board at Avinu Media, CEO at Emotiplay, CEO at Compedia
Ilan Goldberg
COO at Avinu Media, COO at Compedia
Asi Meskin
Business Development Specialist at Compedia
Dr. Alan Kadish
COO at Zim Biosciences, CEO/Founder at Center of Health, CEO/Founder at Pure Living
Bill Macdonald
Founder at Macdonald Tuskey, President/Director at Blackbird Energy, Director at First Americas Gold, Director at Black Springs Capital, Director at Faith Spring Ventures, Chairman of the Board at Canucks Autism Network, Co-Founder at Akiva.
Alexander Landa
Co-Founder at Akiva, Director at Sonasoft
Cheryl Ginnings
Life Coach, International Speaker for Caregivers and Special Needs
Patty Beach
Executive Coach and Leadership Development Expert at LeadershipSmarts, Geologist
Roger Toennis
Managing Partner at Founder Advisors, Board Member at WorkWeb.io
Joseph Batty
Founder at Rethinking Capital, Founder at Pro Ventures Pathway
Robert McGarvey
Founder and Director at Rethinking Capital, Member of the Board of Advisors at Accirculate
Dr. Perry Kinkaide
President of Kinkaide Enterprises, Managing Partner of KPMG Consulting’s National Knowledge Management Practice and Edmonton Regional Office, Director at Varafy, Advisor at Troy Media Digital Solutions, & Former Assistant Deputy Minister, Director of Privatization and Funding Reform, Edmonton Regional Director and Regional Coordinator of Services for the Handicapped with the Alberta Government (1972-1986)
Tina Goldstein
Autistic Self-Advocate and Public Speaker, Neurodiverse Communication Specialist at Wiser Ltd., Board Member at Autism Society of America, Global Cloud Sr. Trainer at Google, Sr. Consultant at Looker, Certified Roger Love Method Speaking Coach, Author of Geeks Guide to Interviews: 15 Critical Items for the Technical Type: Simple Steps to Win the Technical Interview
Ben VanHook
Autistic Self-Advocate and Public Speaker, Programs and Outreach Associate at Organization for Autism Research, Student Representative at American Psychological Association, Former Learning Coach at George Mason University
Dr. Alaaeldin E. Ahmed, M.Sc., Ph.D.
Laboratories Director at Jazan University Medical Research Center, former CEO & CSO at Immuno Diagnostic Laboratories, Independent Life Science Consultant and Advisor, Life Science Consultant at Gerson Lehman Group, Laboratory Director and VP R&D at Kronos Science Laboratory, CSO at Global Reference Laboratories, Laboratory Director at City of Angel Medical Center, Director of Laboratory Operations and Technical Director R&D at Specialty Laboratories Inc., Laboratory Director of Complement and Coagulation Diagnostic Services at Specialty Laboratories, Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine Department at Ohio State University, Post-Doctoral Fellow of the Pathology Department at Glasgow University Hospital, Senior Clinical Biochemist at St. Luke’s Hospital
Mission
“To provide a spectrum of solutions that empowers those impacted by autism and neurodiversity to be better seen, heard, understood, valued and appreciated for who they are and to showcase their strengths, gifts and talents so the world can see that greatness exists in everyone.”
Mission Objective
1. The Autism Today Channel
Giving families choice through informative media. Did you know there were alternate methods to solve your problem? We will provide a Spectrum of Solutions for your unique concerns so that you can make your own educated decision for your best path forward. From Early Intervention, Speech, Behavior, and Emotional Support all the way to transitioning into adulthood with Dating, finding Long Term Sustainable Employment, and Living Independently.
2. The ARTS Network
Showing the world the Greatness that Exists in Every Human Being. We provide inspiration and hope by showcasing successful paths forward for situations similar to yours. And we educate businesses and organizations so that they can see how hiring disabled people can improve their bottom lines.
3. The Learning and Education Division (LED)
Assisting research to improve the quality of life of those impacted by autism and neurodiversity. Here we connect those seeking assistance with the products, services and therapies that best suit their unique situations. We educate and enlighten not just individuals with autism and their families, but also their therapists, aides and teachers.
Charitable Purpose
The estimated lifetime cost of supporting an individual with autism spectrum disorder ranges between $1.2 million to $4.7 million based on the level of symptom severity and disability (Dudley & Emery, 2014).
Families spend from $27,000 to $130,000 a year to support one family member with autism or neurodiversity. In a recent study (Roddy & O’Neill, 2018) when government restricted funding to $20,000 in general supports, many of these families spent in excess of $40,000 out-of-pocket for additional treatment and support.
Much of this annual expense can be wasted on therapies, products and services that don’t work each individual’s unique situation and valuable time and money is continually wasted without any substantial gains.
An Ontario-specific study conducted by Piccininni, Bisnaire, and Penner (2017) identified significant benefits to reducing wait-lists and getting appropriate services:
– Cost savings of more than $50,000 per person during their lifetime based on increased independence – Cost savings of $276,000 per person in direct and indirect healthcare and social supports
The Autism Today Foundation help reduce wasted time and money by providing much needed information as a FREE SERVICE TO THE PUBLIC.
We will promote health by showcasing for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder and their families the wide variety of treatment methods, products and services that might be of help to their unique situation or concern and provide them with access to resources, information, support services and programs.
We will provide inspiration and hope to those struggling by showing them success stories that are similar to their own while advancing the publicss appreciation of the arts by producing public art exhibitions?presentations, and performance art(s) events, and by providing a forum for artists with or impacted by Autism Spectrum Disorder to exhibit, present, or perform their artistic works through participation in such events.
We will teach the world to see beyond the disability and recognize the greatness that exists in every human being.
We will provide scholarships, mentor programs and enhance access to education and training to individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Vision
To be an innovative and collaborative network that harmoniously improves the quality of life for those impacted by autism and neurodiversity.
To enhance education by providing scholarships, bursaries, and other forms of financial assistance to people with disabilities and exceptional needs, primarily children and youth to be used for secondary, or post-secondary education.
To motivate and recognize people with disabilities’ and exceptional needs’ excellence by providing awards to encourage academic, sports and leisure activities.
Reduce poverty by providing educational programs, housing supplement, facilitating employment, job training and job placement opportunities, life management counselling and other supportive services to people with disabilities and exceptional needs so that they are self reliant, independent and inter dependant as need be.
Reduce Poverty by raising money, accepting community donations, selling products and services, providing publications, engaging in legacy programs, for the purpose of providing funding to enhance people with disability and exceptional needs sustainable living and employment programs.
Research the most effective and efficient biomedical and behavioural treatment interventions while tracking relevant associated data to improve quality of life for the most efficient cost for clients that are exceptional needs.
Further Objectives
Reduce barriers and provide solutions that enrich the lives of people with disabilities and exceptional needs from Indigenous, ethno-cultural and other communities, including children, youth, adults, seniors, families and women by providing life management counselling, crisis and grief counselling as well as addressing any problems faced by people with disabilities.
Champion the rights of people with disabilities and exceptional needs from all communities with regards to diversity, gender equality, family, women and seniors.
To address and prevent specific problems faced by families of people with disabilities and exceptional needs by providing parents, children, and youth with online and offline educational programs (e.g. leadership, communication, etc.), mentoring programs, workshops, and seminars on issues such as anger management, conflict resolution, effective communication, thereby enriching the lives of people with disabilities.
Advance education by providing supports such as books, equipment, computers, digital media aids, specialized programs to people with disabilities and exceptional needs, primarily children and youth from all communities.
Advance education by assisting people with disabilities and exceptional needs, primarily children and youth, by heightening awareness, providing outreach programs and training for communities including police officers, teachers, social workers and crisis response workers so they can better recognize and respond appropriately to people with disabilities’ challenges including, but not limited to, behavioral, social, physical, communication, sensory and sexuality issues.