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Dr. Theresa Lyons is the founder and CEO of Navigating AWEtism, a groundbreaking platform dedicated to turning autism complexity into clarity. With a Ph.D. in Computational Chemistry from Yale University and a deep personal connection as a parent to a daughter with autism, she combines rigorous science with real-world experience to empower families navigating autism.
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Dr. Kate Lund is a licensed clinical psychologist, resilience expert, author of several books, and host of The Optimized Mind podcast. With specialized training from three Harvard Medical School–affiliated hospitals and more than two decades of clinical practice, she helps parents, athletes, students, and entrepreneurs thrive within their own unique contexts. Through her writing, speaking, and clinical work, she empowers people to build resilience, manage stress, and unlock their potential.
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Lisa Mosko Barros is the founder of SpEducational, a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering families of students with disabilities to effect positive systems change in special education. Lisa is known for her highly detailed knowledge of educational policy, her fierce advocacy through community organizing, and her ability to collaborate and build consensus. Among other positions, she has served as Chairperson for the Los Angeles Unified School District’s Community Advisory Committee for Special Education. Lisa is also the mother of two incredible twice exceptional kids.
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Shellee Howard is the Founder and CEO of College Ready and a Certified Independent College Strategist who helps families navigate the college admissions process with a proven, personalized approach. A best-selling author and global speaker, she specializes in helping students gain admission to top-tier schools and graduate debt free. With real-world experience as a mother of four college graduates, she empowers students to build standout strategies for academic, financial, and personal success.
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Lynda has spent her life creating—art, pottery, and writing have always been at the heart of who she is, ultimately serving as a Vice President of Marketing in the skincare industry. When her youngest son was diagnosed with autism at age two, she shifted her focus to supporting him, and published her first book, Squirmy Wormy: How I Learned to Help Myself, igniting a new chapter of advocacy and creativity. Lynda has illustrated over 120 children’s books and authored three additional titles. Her most recent is titled Splish, Splash, Squawk! Finding Joy in a Sensory-Friendly Vacation, a children’s book designed to encourage families with children on the autism spectrum to embrace the joys of travel.
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As a mom and stepmom to eight children—four of whom have intellectual and/or developmental disabilities —Katherine Gyolai founded Find Love Safely to provide a safe, supported way for her children to form relationships. In addition to running Find Love Safely, Katherine is a marketing consultant for a healthcare startup, and an International Coaching Federation-certified executive and team coach.
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Drew is the inventor of Caroline’s Cart, a game-changing, patented, special-needs shopping cart designed to provide an inclusive and accessible shopping experience for individuals with special needs. Inspired by her daughter Caroline, who has special needs and could not use a traditional cart, Drew Ann took matters into her own hands—sketching her first idea on a napkin and eventually bringing the patented design to life. Today, Caroline’s Cart is in retailers across all 50 states and eight countries, used by families, caregivers, senior adults, and stores committed to inclusion, accessibility and dignity.
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Kimberly Lavelanet is a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst with over 19 years of experience in Applied Behavior Analysis. She served as a Clinical Behavior Consultant at Harbor Regional Center for 9 years, supporting individuals, families, and providers as part of the Psychological and Behavior Services Team. She became a certified UCLA PEERS Provider in 2016, specializing in evidence-based social skills training for adolescents and adults. In 2022, she became an AASECT Certified Sexuality Educator, expanding her experience into sexual health education. In an effort to meet gaps in services, Kimberly founded BEHAVRIUM Health Services in 2023 to promote behavioral and sexual health for every learner and their families.
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Dr. Norma Hollis is a transformational strategist who writes, develops and implements programs for human development. She is an international speaker and coach specializing in transforming the lives of people who want to live the authentic life they were born for. She is a leading authority on authenticity and is affectionately known as the Godmother of Authenticity.