A free, online, 4-day symposium presented by theCollege of Architecture and the Built Environment in collaboration
with Jefferson Center for Autism and Neurodiversity

SEPTEMBER 11 - 14, 2020
Click Here To Register: t.ly/9pxK

This is an online, 4-day, cross-disciplinary event of critical interactions
addressing all-inclusive ways for inhabiting and perceiving our environments.
The event aims to stimulate dialogue amongst designers, medical field
experts and people with Autism Spectrum Disorder in regard to theinclusivity of our current environments and with particular focus on
designing for neurodiverse individuals and those with ASD.
The format for the event is conversational, featuring pairings of speakers
from the design fields with speakers from the medical fields as well as
speakers with ASD and their caregivers. An In Dialogue session in which
speakers and design students are engaged in moderated discussions follows
each pairing as well as Q&A sessions open to the general audience. A roundtable discussion with speakers from all four days will conclude the event on
Monday September 14th.

SCHEDULE
Times shown are
Eastern Standard Time

9:00 – 9:10 AM

FRIDAY

SATURDAYSUNDAYMONDAYNEURODIVERSITY:
FOUNDATIONDESIGN FRAMEWORKS:EVALUATIONSTRATEGIESSENSORY ERGODESIGN:THE HUMAN BODY
AS A CATALYSTINCLUSIVE FUTURES

Remarks
Mark Tykocinski

Welcome & Introductions
Severino Alfonso, Wendy Ross
& Loukia Tsafoulia

Welcome & Introductions
Severino Alfonso, Wendy Ross
& Loukia Tsafoulia

Remarks
Stephen K. Klasko

Enabling Architecture:
ASPECTSS and the Built
Environment from an
Autistic Lens
Magda Mostafa

Creating Sensory Friendly
Spaces: Tips from an
Occupational Therapist
Jamie Bassman

9:10 - 9:20 am
Remarks
Barbara Klinkhammer

Building Autism Accepting
Environments
Adam Harris

The Orchid, the Dandelion
and the Slide: Exploring autism
and architecture’s need forsensorial agency
Sean Ahlquist

President and Parent:
Neurodiversity is always
on my mind
Bruce A. Meyer

Welcome & Introductions
Severino Alfonso, Wendy Ross
& Loukia Tsafoulia
9:10 – 10.00 AM

Building a Foundation
for Autism
Wendy J. Ross
4 A’s of Autism: Awarenessto Acceptance to Appreciation
to Action as a Pathway to
Fulfilling and Productive Lives
Stephen Mark Shore

10.00 – 10:50 AM

Dialectical Design Thinking.
Towards Space Inclusivity
Severino Alfonso &Loukia Tsafoulia
The Other, Binary Thinking,A True Spectrum: My Autism
Diagnosis Story
Rachel Updegrove

Welcome & Introductions
Severino Alfonso, Wendy Ross
& Loukia Tsafoulia

9:20 - 10:00 am
Building Inclusivity into
Everyday Life
Christopher Banks

10:50 – 11:10 AM

In Dialogue

In Dialogue

In Dialogue

In Dialogue

11:10 – 11:30 AM

Break

Break

Break

Break

SCHEDULE // NEURODIVERSITY: BUILDING COMMUNITY AND RETHINKING THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT // THOMAS JEFFERSON UNIVERSITYNOTE: Times shown are
Eastern Standard TimeFRIDAY

SATURDAYSUNDAYMONDAY

How Autism Affects a 19-YearOld College-Bound Autistic
Student in Everyday Life
Caroline Borgia

Reflecting on the ADA andThose Left Behind
Eron Friedlander

Through Autistic Eyes
Brian Foti, Alex Le Pape
& Gregory Tino

What’s Next? Building
Independence in the Home, on
the Job, and on the Go!
Amy McCannBody Politics: Social Equity andPublic Space
Joel Sanders

The Person-Space Dialogue:
Towards a unified language
Itai Palti

Round-Table Discussion:
Future and Conclusions
Discussion with the event
speakers moderated by
Severino Alfonso, Wendy Ross
& Loukia Tsafoulia

In Dialogue

In Dialogue

1:30 – 2:00 PM

Break

Break

2:00 – 2:50 PM

Direct In Vivo Evaluation of
the Autism Accessibility ofArchitectural Spaces Throughthe Lived Experience of People
on the Spectrum
Joseph McCleery

Launch Pad: Design to Empower
Everyday Superheroes
Jennifer Cook O’Toole

DEAFSPACE: Insights on thePower of Participatory Design
and Community Building
Hansel Bauman

Joyful not Painful: Designing for
All Learners
Verona Carpenter Architects,
Jennifer Carpenter & Irina Verona

In Dialogue

In Dialogue

11:30 AM – 12:20 PM

Cannabinoid Based Medicine
in the treatment of Symptoms
Associated with Autism
Spectrum Disorder
Erica Daniels
12:20 – 1:10 PM

GET Café: the journey fromconcept to cappuccino tocompetitive jobs
Brooke Goodspeed
I’m Not Disabled ... You Are
Lonnie Smith
Everyday Strategies: Autism
and the Things it Teaches
from A Family Perspective
Sabra Townsend

1:10 – 1:30 PM

2:50 – 3:40 PM

3:40 – 4:00 PM

In Dialogue

SCHEDULE // NEURODIVERSITY: BUILDING COMMUNITY AND RETHINKING THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT // THOMAS JEFFERSON UNIVERSITYFRIDAY// SEPTEMBER 11THN EURODIVERSITY:
FOUNDATION
Background in autism and experimental learning processes in designand space interaction.
9:00 – 9:10 AM

REMARKSMark L. Tykocinski

9:10 – 10:00 AM

BUILDING A FOUNDATIONFOR AUTISM
Wendy J. Ross// BIOMark L. Tykocinski, MD, is the Provost at
Thomas Jefferson University and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs at
Thomas Jefferson University, The Anthony
F. and Gertrude M. DePalma Dean, Sidney Kimmel Medical College of Thomas
Jefferson University. Dr. Tykocinski serves
Provost, Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, Thomas Jefferson University, and the Anthony F. and Gertrude M.
DePalma Dean of Sidney Kimmel Medical
College at Thomas Jefferson University.
Before joining Jefferson in 2008, he wasProfessor and Chair of the Departmentof Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at
the University of Pennsylvania School of
Medicine. His research contributions havebeen in the fields of molecular and cellularimmunology, for which he holds a series ofresearch patents. He serves as SAB Chair for
KAHR-Medical, the Israeli biotech company he founded in 2007 for fusion protein
pharmaceuticals. He earned a BA in biology
magna cum laude from Yale University andhis MD from New York University.
NOTE
Times shown
are EasternStandard Time.

WELCOME & INTRODUCTIONS
Severino Alfonso, Wendy Ross &Loukia Tsafoulia

Every building deserves a solid foundation
and we are hoping that today’s foundation will be no different. Today’s sessions
will introduce the topic of autism. It will
describe some of the diagnostic components of autism as well as provide an overview of some interventions and therapies
for it. The session will particularly focus
on aspects of autism that might present
as strengths and challenges in participating in community settings. During today’s
sessions, you will hear from a developmental and behavioral pediatrician, andmore importantly, you will hear from thoseaffected by autism and their loved ones.
// BIO
Wendy J. Ross, MD, is a developmental andbehavioral pediatrician and the inaugural
director of Jefferson’s Center for Autism
and Neurodiversity, which merges her loveof clinical medicine with her community
inclusion programs. Dr. Ross created thefirst Autism Airport Inclusion Program withmock flights, upon which Senator Lautenberg based legislation. She additionally has
pioneered programs at museums, sporting
events, and other settings. In 2014, Dr. Ross
was recognized internationally as a top 10
CNN hero. She attended the Humanities

and Medicine program at Mt Sinai School of
Medicine in New York, where she graduatedin the AOA honor society. She completed apediatrics residency at Yale and a fellowshipin Developmental Pediatrics at Harvard.

4 A’S OF AUTISM: AWARENESSTO ACCEPTANCE TO
APPRECIATION TO ACTION AS
A PATHWAY TO FULFILLING
AND PRODUCTIVE LIVES
Stephen Mark Shore
We are transitioning from “awareness” to“acceptance” and headed to “appreciation”
as society takes “action” in valuing individuals on the autism spectrum for whom theyare. Examples of people, organizations, andentire countries at each stage of development will be presented.
An autobiographical structure combining
experiences of people on the autism spectrum, in making fulfilling and productive
lives for autistic individuals the rule rather
than the exception will be used to charge
participants to reframe their thinking awayfrom deficit, disorder, and deficit towards
seeking abilities based on individual
strengths. The session ends with generalizing focus on strengths-based thinking to
the rest of humanity – and finally, to theaudience themselves.

DAY 1 // NEURODIVERSIT Y: BUILDING COMMUNIT Y AND RETHINKING THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT // THOMAS JEFFERSON UNIVERSIT Y

By examining how deficits and challenges so pervasively attributed to autism
and other disabilities can be reframed asstrengths, this presentation offers practicalsolutions for considering these characteristics as potential springboards to success ineducation, employment, self-advocacy, andmeaningful engagement in the community
for leading fulfilling and productive lives.
// BIO
Stephen Mark Shore, EdD, is a Clinical
Assistant Professor of Special Education
at Adelphi University. Diagnosed with“Atypical Development and strong autistic
tendencies”, non speaking until age 4, andrecommended for institutionalization, Dr.
Shore is now a professor at Adelphi University focusing on matching best practiceto the needs of people with autism. In
addition to working with children, Stephen
is internationally renowned for presentations, consultations and writings on lifespanissues pertinent to education, relationships,
employment, advocacy, and disclosure. A
board member of Autism Speaks and theOrganization for Autism Research, president emeritus of the Asperger Autism
Network, and advisory board member ofthe Autism Society, Dr. Shore serves on theboards several other autism organizations.
10:00 – 10:50 AM

DIALECTICAL DESIGNTHINKING. TOWARDS SPACEINCLUSIVITY
Severino Alfonso & Loukia Tsafoulia

NOTE
Times shown
are EasternStandard Time.

The talk provides context about the historyof cross-disciplinary efforts within thedesign field and the criticality of interactions addressing all-inclusive ways forinhabiting and perceiving our environments. The presentation focuses on two
interconnected lines of thought. First,
we reflect on the design field’s porosity
towards a wide range of forces, opening
it to multidisciplinary horizons, especiallyin the context of pedagogical and academic practices. We provide a brief lineageof the architectural education’s practiceof absorbing and “importing” methods,
theories, and discourses. Second, we put
forth a series of propositions that designers can incorporate to advance the designof inclusive environments. Among theseare, to provide sensory interaction within
responsive environments focusing on
the human body/environment relations.
To lessen the protagonism of the leading
designer, thus favoring a more community-driven conversation in the design
processes. To allow the critical evaluationand integration of “non-standard” designprinciples. There has been a lot of work
done -both scholarly and applied- aroundissues of accessibility, but often, these areseen through the narrow lenses of standardization. The presentation poses theimportance of personal design, authorship,
and active participation of different people
within enabling environments.
// BIOSSeverino Alfonso and Loukia Tsafoulia
are registered architects, educators andresearchers. They are the founders of PLB
studio, an architecture and research practice and Assistant Professors at the Collegeof Architecture and the Built Environment,
Thomas Jefferson University where they
have founded the Synesthetic Research and
Design Lab. They hold a Post-Professional
MS in Advanced Architectural Design fromthe Graduate School of Planning and Preservation, Columbia University. They havetaught at Barnard + Columbia Architecture,
Pratt Institute, Parsons School of Design,
New York Institute of Technology, theSpitzer School of Architecture at The City
College of New York and at the New York
City College of Technology. Their design
work has been exhibited in international
design venues and they have lectured inacademic institutions in the US East Coast,
Madrid and various cities in China. Theirresearch is positioned at the intersectionof responsive environments, digital tech-

nologies and the computational theory ofdesign in the 1950s–1970s in Europe andNorth America.
Severino also holds two MS in Urban Design
and Advanced Architecture from the schoolof architecture in Madrid (ETSAM) where heis currently a PhD candidate. He has worked
with international architectural studios suchas Carme Pinos, Angel Fernandez Alba andFederico Soriano in Spain, Lomar Arkitekter in Sweden and Per-forma Studio, KDF
Architecture and Natalie Jeremijenko in the
United States.
Loukia received her professional degree in
Architecture Engineering from the National
Polytechnic School of Athens where she
is a PhD candidate. She is co editor of thebook publication titled Transient Spaces,
exploring the impact of mass migration on
cities around the world. She has worked with
Studio Dror and LEESER Architecture in New
York and with K+T Architecture as well as the
NTUUrban Environment Lab in Athens.

THE OTHER, BINARY
THINKING, A TRUE SPECTRUM:
MY AUTISM DIAGNOSIS STORY
Rachel Updegrove“I was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum
Disorder, at 23, almost a year ago; and for
23 years I wondered why I was so different
from everyone else. I constantly looked for
feedback on how to fit in, to make things
better, to keep my friends, to be normal.
During my time at Jefferson as an architecture student, I explored narrative, unique
individuals and their stories, in order to findways to translate their stories into designs
or another form of communication. Always
feeling like an “other” or outsider, reading,researching, and listening felt like the only
right way to possibly design for someonethat is not myself. Being on the spectrum,
while I desired a binary and explicit world

DAY 1 // NEURODIVERSIT Y: BUILDING COMMUNIT Y AND RETHINKING THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT // THOMAS JEFFERSON UNIVERSIT Y

to understand, I found the “other” to bewhere I fit in the most. I use my differencesand experiences of “othering”, to see thatevery individual is unique and their own
experiences are valid. Every experience and“other” exists within its context. In order todesign, we must listen to the whole spectrum of narratives.”// BIO
Rachel Updegrove is a Jefferson CABE
alumni (B.ARCH ’19) and currently works
at HERA Laboratory Planners. Before her
sophomore year of college, she was diagnosed with severe OCD, and was recently
diagnosed with Autism. In college, shestruggled to relate to people and copedby reading and listening to others’ stories.
Stories led her to co-found the Jefferson’s
East Falls chapter of Active Minds, a mental
health advocacy group run by students, forstudents. In 2019, she facilitated “The Spatial Implications of Othering: Mental Healthand the Built Environment,” a round-tablediscussion at the Society of College andUniversity Planners Mid-Atlantic Symposium. She openly shares her journey, so no
one feels alone.
10:50 – 11:10 AM

IN DIALOGUE

Curated questions from Interior Design 7
studio course students and open for Q&A
to the audience
11:30 AM – 1:10 PM
COMMUNITY BASED RESEARCH /HEARING FROM PEOPLE WITH ASD
AND THEIR CAREGIVERS

NOTE
Times shown
are EasternStandard Time.

HOW AUTISM AFFECTS A
19-YEAR-OLD COLLEGEBOUND AUTISTIC STUDENT
IN EVERYDAY LIFE
Caroline Borgia

As a young adult woman who has grown
up on the spectrum, I will be sharing myperspectives including the advantages andchallenges that autism has conferred uponme. I will also spend some time discussing
my preferences in the built environment.
// BIO
Caroline Borgia is a 2019 graduate ofLower Merion High School, registered to
begin at Drexel University in September
2020. Caroline is autistic and has engagedin activities during her gap year that inform,
educate, and advocate on behalf of thedisabled, focusing on autism. As a memberof H-CAN’s disability advocacy group andon her own, she has presented to groups
at area universities and high schools, onvarious disability-related topics. She has
also been working with Dr. Wendy Ross onvarious inclusion projects. Caroline hopes
to be a voice for those who do not yet haveone. Additionally, Caroline has been working at GET Cafe, a coffee shop that employs
and trains disabled individuals for jobs bothat GET and out in their communities.

CANNABINOID BASEDMEDICINE IN THE TREATMENTOF SYMPTOMS ASSOCIATED
WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM
DISORDER

symptoms associated with autism spectrum disorder. Introduction of cannabinoids, terpenes, consumption methods anddosing considerations being used alreadywithin the autism patient population.
Our local organization, Hope Grows for
Autism, focuses on research, education andcaregiver support pertaining to autism andcannabis medicine.
// BIO
Erica Daniels is the author of Cooking
with Leo: An Allergen-Free Autism Family
Cookbook, founder of Hope Grows for
Autism, a nonprofit aimed at improving the
lives of families affected by autism throughresearch education and advocacy of cannabinoid-based medicine and serves as an
Autism Advisor providing strategic consultation and solutions to healthcare professionals, product manufacturers and universities
to empower them in making data-backed
business & healthcare decisions involving autism. Most importantly, Erica is themother of a child with severe autism who isdetermined to give her son and family thehighest quality of life possible.

GET CAFÉ: THE JOURNEY
FROM CONCEPT TO
CAPPUCCINO TO
COMPETITIVE JOBS

Erica Daniels

Brooke Goodspeed

Is Cannabinoid Based Medicine the missing
piece in the treatment of autism spectrum
disorder? We do know that cannabinoid
medicine is a safe and effective tool in theautism toolbox that providers want to know
more about.

How can we develop new and modify existing employment spaces to accommodate
the neurodiverse individual? This question
has influenced the build out and evolution
of GET Café, a full-service coffee shop
and café in Narberth, PA. This presentation
will walk audience members through theprocesses of design innovation and universal
design as they were used in the construction of GET Café. A virtual tour of our café
and multisensory spaces will be included.
We can have Great Expectations Together
to make employment spaces work for all
individuals!

Many families are choosing to use cannabinoid medicine to treat the symptoms of theirchild’s autism without their pediatricians andspecialists officially onboard. families.
This presentation explores the use of
cannabinoid medicine as a treatment for

DAY 1 // NEURODIVERSIT Y: BUILDING COMMUNIT Y AND RETHINKING THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT // THOMAS JEFFERSON UNIVERSIT Y

// BIO
Brooke Goodspeed is a parent advocateand entrepreneur in the neurodiversity
space. Her professional background in
nursing has influenced her approach to
tackling community inclusion as a social
determinant of health. In 2015, Ms. Goodspeed opened the doors of a small community center with a mission for the social
inclusion for individuals of all ages andabilities. Today, GETincluded, Inc. operates
as a nonprofit organization with a goal of
improving employment outcomes for neurodiverse individuals. Built using the guiding
principles of universal design and accessibility, GET Café is GETincluded’s full-service coffee shop and café that employs 28
neurodiverse individuals in a competitiveand integrated setting.

I’M NOT DISABLED ... YOU ARE
Lonnie Smith
According to the CDC autism affects anestimated 1 in 54 children in the UnitedStates. In 1908 the word “autism” was firstused by Psychiatrist Eugene Bleuler tomean morbid self-admiration and withdrawal within self. Today the word autism
highlights the perception of what a person
can’t do so the diagnosis automaticallyembeds low self-esteem in the soul of anindividual who is simply different. This negative perception creates mental roadblocks
while initiating achievements limits whichsociety reinforces. Its clear to me that if theworld continuously says you can’t, most
likely you’ll begin to believe it. The Autisarians have declared war on the negative
perception of autism, the battle to createa world where being different is the newnormal has begun.

NOTE
Times shown
are EasternStandard Time.

// BIO
Lonnie Smith is the founder and Director of
the Autisarian Non-profit and co-owner ofthe Holodec Virtual Reality Tech Center. He
is an Air Force veteran with a degree in web
design and coding, but most importantly heis the proud father of two boys who werediagnosed autistic. For over 30 years he has
fought many battles in a private war against
autism, but now that he has found soldierswith the same goals and passion he is confident we can end the war.

1:10 – 1:30 PM

IN DIALOGUE

Curated questions from Interior Design 7
studio course students and open for Q&A
to the audience

EVERYDAY STRATEGIES:
AUTISM AND THE THINGSIT TEACHES FROM A FAMILYPERSPECTIVE
Sabra Townsend
Besides a healthy dose of faith in whomever
you place your belief and a whacky senseof humor for the challenges that this world
brings, I believe that having a few practical tips will help everyone make it throughthe day successfully. Transitions are a factof life; we move from place to place andtask to task. While routines can be helpful,changes are also needed to move throughout our busy lives. The tips and suggestions
presented today have been used by me
and many other families who have shared
their ideas. We will discuss useful everyday
strategies that we have learned from ourexperience with autism as we travel along
our family’s journey.
// BIO
Sabra Townsend left the corporate engineering sector after her son (now 22 yrs.
old) was born with a physical disability, thenlater diagnosed with Autism. With professional experience that varies from humanfactors engineering at the Federal Aviation
Administration to community coordinating
at the Philadelphia Dept. of Public Health,
Ms. Townsend has presented at numerous conferences and panel discussions in
the United States. Currently serving as the
Director of Operations for the Jefferson
Center for Autism and Neurodiversity in
Philadelphia, Ms. Townsend is a graduate
of Lehigh University with a Bachelor of
Science in Industrial Engineering.

DAY 1 // NEURODIVERSIT Y: BUILDING COMMUNIT Y AND RETHINKING THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT // THOMAS JEFFERSON UNIVERSIT Y

SATURDAY// SEPTEMBER 12TH

 ESIGN FRAMEWORKS:D
EVALUATION STRATEGIES
Framing design for those with autism and other differences.
Introduction to experimental strategies to measure outcomes.
9:00 – 9:10 AM

WELCOME & INTRODUCTIONS
Severino Alfonso, Wendy Ross &Loukia Tsafoulia
9:10 – 10:00 AM

ENABLING ARCHITECTURE:ASPECTSS AND THE BUILTENVIRONMENT FROM AN
AUTISTIC LENS
Magda Mostafa

NOTE
Times shown
are EasternStandard Time.

Previous research into the interplay
between the built environment and theexperiences of those on the autism spectrum sheds light on its important role inthe behavior and consequently the accessof individuals on the spectrum to spaces.
Almost all man-made sensory input is born
as a designer’s decision and manifested in
the built environment. Built environment
matters- when designed thoughtfully it has
been shown to promote positive and conducive behaviors such as increased attention and ability to focus as well as reduced
behavioral challenges that are an indicatorof sensory overload in autistic individuals.
Thoughtful built environments have thepotential to mitigate and manage sensory
overload in the autistic world. Much of
our world however does not provide thisthoughtfulness.

We also have a moral obligation not to limit
our thinking to the basic utilitarian threshold of access to basic functions, but should
aspire to the right to delight and joy in aspace. An autistic person has just as muchthe right to not only feel safe, healthy andincluded in the world, but also the right topleasure in all the amenities and services
their communities present.
// BIO
Magda Mostafa is an Associate Professorof Design in the Architecture Department
of AUC, where she leads Design StudioII, which focuses on the vocabulary ofcontemporary Egyptian architecture. She isalso the Co-Director of the UNESCO-UIA
Education Commission and Validation
Council, which is a global think-tank tasked
with setting architectural education policy
and practices as well as upholding threshold standards of excellence. She is a Design
Associate at the Cairo-based practice, Progressive Architects where she specializes in
autism inclusive design. She is the author of
the Autism ASPECTSS™ design guidelines,
the world’s first research-based design
framework for autism worldwide. She has
recently joined the New York-based thinktank and inclusive practice MIXDesign as amember of their MIX Neurodiversity Initiative and as part of their team as an autism
expert (https://www.mixdesign.online).

10.00 – 10:50 AM

BUILDING AUTISM ACCEPTINGENVIRONMENTS
Adam Harris
Accessibility is a much discussed concept.
Laws across the world require public spaces
and places to be accessible for people withdisabilities. However the concept of accessibility is rarely explored in the context ofautism. Too often the challenges a person
experiences from the built environment andinteracting with those in it are attributed tothe person rather than design and howthings works. Designing our world to be
more structured, clear, predictable andaccepting empowers autistic people andcreates better operational environments forall. Autism-friendly design requires placing
the experience of autistic people at thecentre of the process, embedding autistic
thinking into the universal design process
and allowing for specific supports andadaptations for individuals. It also requires
changing attitudes as well as buildings. In
my talk I will explore how this is possible
and our experiences of creating autismfriendly services, operating environments
and whole communities in Ireland”//BIO
Adam Harris is a 25-year-old social entrepreneur, Autism advocate, and Founder-CEO of AsIAm.ie, an organization

DAY 2 // NEURODIVERSIT Y: BUILDING COMMUNIT Y AND RETHINKING THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT // THOMAS JEFFERSON UNIVERSIT Y

committed to building a more Autismfriendly society in Ireland. Adam established
AsIAm.ie based on his own experiences ofgrowing up with Aspergers Syndrome, acondition on the Autism Spectrum. Today
Adam addresses Autism issues in the media
and at conferences, national and international. A Social Entrepreneurs IrelandAwardee, Adam also sits on the Board ofSpecialisterne Ireland and the NCSE Consultative Forum.
10:50 – 11:15 AM

IN DIALOGUE

Curated questions from Interior Design 7
studio course students and open for Q&A
to the audience.
11:30 AM – 12:20 PM

REFLECTING ON THE ADA AND
THOSE LEFT BEHIND
Eron Friedlaender

NOTE
Times shown
are EasternStandard Time.

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
has been foundational in raising social
awareness of the accessibility needs ofthe millions of people in the United Statesliving with disabilities. Resulting policies
and building codes since the Act’s adoption have allowed a previously marginalized
and isolated population to engage in theircommunities and remain independent andincluded. However, many unmet accommodations remain for people across the
spectrum of neurodiversity, namely thosewith Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD); wehave yet to fully recognize the essential
needs of those with social, sensory andcognitive vulnerabilities within the built environment. We must challenge the Americans
with Disabilities Design Guide to incorporate
evidence-based recommendations to reflecta broader range and depth of disability
priorities. Such efforts rely on engaging city
planners, architects, designers, educators,
public health advocates and thought leaders

to consider broader definitions of vulnerable
populations and those deserving of consideration in all community spaces, whether
currently standing or yet to be imagined.
// BIO
Eron Friedlaender, MD, MPH is a Professorof Clinical Pediatrics at the University ofPennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine
and an attending physician in the Divisionof Emergency Medicine at the Children’s
Hospital of Philadelphia. Her research has
centered on how conditions in the built
environment relate to injury risk as well as
documenting ways in which individuals
with autism are vulnerable within healthcare systems. She leads program development supported by ongoing research initiatives to shape a comprehensive approachto the care of children with autism andrelated developmental disabilities within thehospital environment. Much of this work
centers on translating successful interventions for children with autism within
educational systems to health care settings.
Eron has experience in qualitative researchmethodology in injury-related investigation
as well as in directing needs assessments
of individuals with social disabilities andamong health care providers.
12:20 – 1:10 PM

BODY POLITICS: SOCIALEQUITY AND INCLUSIVEPUBLIC SPACE
Joel Sanders
Joel Sanders, founder of MIXdesign, an
inclusive design think tank and consultancy,
will discuss how MIXdesign is considering
the spatial implications of neurodiversity as
a part of MIXdesign’s mission to make public spaces safe and accessible for all people
regardless of age, race, gender, religion,
and ability. MIXdesign employs a cross-disciplinary approach that draws from the
input of experts representing public health,humanities and design, as well engagement
practices that draw from the lived experience of “non-compliant bodies”. Sanders
will share how looking through the lensof neurodiversity contributes to MIXdesign’s current initiative to design innovative
post-pandemic spaces that accommodate all bodies in ways that explore social
equity, health and well-being. MIXdesign
is a branch of New York–based JSA, led byJoel Sanders, Professor at Yale School ofArchitecture.
// BIO
Joel Sanders, FAIA is the founder of MIXdesign, an inclusive design think tank, andconsultancy that is a branch of his New
York-based, LGBTBE-certified architecturestudio JSA (Joel Sanders Architect). MIXdesign is dedicated to making everyday
building types like restrooms, art museums,
and university campuses accessible andwelcoming to people of different ages,
genders, abilities, cultural identities, andreligions. MIXdesign initiatives include
Stalled!, an AIA award-winning projectthat responds to national controversies
surrounding transgender access to public
restrooms. In addition to being Principal of
JSA/MIXdesign, Sanders is Professor at Yale
School of Architecture, where he directs
the M.Arch II program.
1:10 – 1:30 PM

IN DIALOGUE

Curated questions from Interior Design 7
studio course students and open for Q&A
to the audience.

DAY 2 // NEURODIVERSIT Y: BUILDING COMMUNIT Y AND RETHINKING THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT // THOMAS JEFFERSON UNIVERSIT Y2:00 – 2:50 PM

DIRECT IN VIVO EVALUATION
OF THE AUTISM ACCESSIBILITY
OF ARCHITECTURAL SPACES
THROUGH THE LIVEDEXPERIENCE OF PEOPLE ON
THE SPECTRUM
Joseph McCleery
It is critically important that public spaces
and everyday building types be accessible
to all. Significant societal progress has been
made toward making spaces accessiblefor individuals with physical disabilities
and, more recently, also to individuals ofdifferent ages, genders, races, cultures, andreligions. However, social efforts to ensure
equal accessibility for neurodiverse populations are relatively less far along. Here, I
present methods and procedures designed
to effectively measure the lived experiencesof individuals with autism as they movethrough various architectural environments.
These include semi-structured interviews,
direct behavioral and observational measures, and technology-based mapping andtracking of both the movement and visualexperiences of those with autism throughdifferent environments. The goal of thisproject is to ground autism accessibility
theory and practice in objectively measured differences in the lived experiencesof people with autism in more versus lessaccessible environments. This approach
has significant potential to rapidly improve
the identification and documentation of theaccessibility needs of neurodiverse individuals, ultimately paving the way for removalof access barriers and ensuring architectural spaces are safe and accessible for all.

NOTE
Times shown
are EasternStandard Time.

// BIO
Joseph McCleery, PhD is an Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology and Academic Director, Kinney Center for Autism
Education and Support, Saint Joseph’s
University. His research focuses along threethemes. The first theme involves examining the mechanisms of social processing
in infants, children, and adults with autism.
The second concerns examining genetic
impacts on brain functioning, through thestudy of the relationships of normal genetic
variation and rare genetic syndromes withbrain and behavioral functioning. The third
theme involves evaluating behavioral andcognitive-behavioral interventions forindividuals with ASD. His research and ideas
have been published in leading journals in
the fields of Clinical Psychology, Psychiatry,and Neuroscience; and his research has
been supported by the NIH, the M.I.N.D.
Institute, the ESRC, and the Leverhulme
Trust, among others.
2:50 – 3:40 PM

DEAFSPACE: INSIGHTS ON THE
POWER OF PARTICIPATORYDESIGN AND COMMUNITYBUILDING
Hansel BaumanThis presentation explores the intersectionof social connection; spatial occupationand cultural agency through the lens ofDeaf experiences calling attention to theformative role architecture plays in community building across the spectrum of
human diversity. Deaf people inhabit a richsensory world acted upon by dynamic
spatial conditions within the visual fieldof sign language communication and thevisu-haptic means for sensing activities andpresence of others for safety and wellbeing. Common conditions of poor sightlines; bad lighting and discordant interiors;poor acoustics and background vibrations
exemplify barriers that impact visual communication, social engagement and spatialawareness. While disabling, communal
solutions to these kinds of environmental
barriers are the grassroots origins of DeafSpace—the architectural expression of Deaf
experiences. This presentation chronicles

the pioneering work of Gallaudet University’s DeafSpace Project, an inclusive
research and design initiative that codified
long-held DeafSpace cultural traditions into
a set of architectural design guidelines in2010. Novel design insights and user-driven
research methodologies and building
project case studies are presented demonstrating the creative capacity and culturalagency inherent to authentic user-driven
participatory design.
// BIO
Hansel Bauman is a recognized pioneerin the field of Deaf Architecture. He iscurrently a co-director at MIXdesign, across-disciplinary think tank and design
consultancy for inclusive design. Previously,
he served for ten years as the campus
architect and adjunct faculty at Gallaudet
University where, in 2006, he establishedthe DeafSpace Project exploring architecture and Deaf experiences for which hereceived the International Association of
Universal Design, Gold Award in 2015. He
lectures internationally with work featured
at the Cooper Hewitt Museum in New Yorkand the Smithsonian History Museum in
Washington D.C. and in major publications
such as Metropolis, and The Economist. He
serves on the ANSI Accessibility Standards
Committee and recently advised the US
Green Building Council on new LEED Pilot
Credits for Inclusive Design.
3:40 – 4:00 PM

IN DIALOGUE

Curated questions from Interior Design 7
studio course students and open for Q&A
to the audience.

DAY 2 // NEURODIVERSIT Y: BUILDING COMMUNIT Y AND RETHINKING THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT // THOMAS JEFFERSON UNIVERSIT YSUNDAY// SEPTEMBER 13TH

SENSORY ERGODESIGN:THE HUMAN BODY AS A CATALYSTBuilding our environments sensorial agency
9:00 – 9:10 AM

WELCOME & INTRODUCTIONS
Severino Alfonso, Wendy Ross &Loukia Tsafoulia
9:10 – 10.00 AM

CREATING SENSORY FRIENDLY
SPACES: TIPS FROM AN
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST
Jaime Bassman
Occupational therapists focus on theunique interplay between the person,
the task and the environment- particularly physical and sensory features ofthe environment. There is a unique role
OT’s can play in collaborating with design
professionals. Information will be provided
about the seven different sensory systems,
and how Autistic people process sensory
information in unique and individual ways.
Before successfully creating built environments that are accessible to Autistic individuals, it will be important to understandto create a sensory access checklist andconsult with a variety of neurodiverse users.

NOTE
Times shown
are EasternStandard Time.

// BIO
Jaime Bassman, MS, OTR/L is a pediatricoccupational therapist with almost two
decades of experience working in earlyintervention, preschool and school-based
settings, including autistic support andemotional support programs. She is cur-rently an infant toddler early intervention
therapist with Ken Crest Services in Chester, Delaware and Montgomery Counties.
Jaime is also a clinical consultant andtrainer for the Whole Community Inclusion initiative of Jewish Learning Venture,
working with educators to create sensory
friendly environments.
10.00 – 10:50 AM

THE ORCHID, THE DANDELION
AND THE SLIDE: EXPLORING
AUTISM AND ARCHITECTURE’S
NEED FOR SENSORIAL AGENCY
Sean Ahlquist
Ara is a charismatic 11-year-old girl with
autism spectrum disorder. Among thedevelopmental impacts of her autism,she is a non-verbal communicator. Herneurological make-up inhibits the proper
signaling and articulation of muscles thatare required to shape sounds into words,
sentences and conversations. But, by othermeans, she is a tireless and expressive communicator. Her neurodiversity generates acreativity that transforms her environment– the objects, technologies, activities andparties within it – into a multi-modal, ingenious and ad-hoc social language.
But architecture often lacks the ability tofacilitate such an individualized creativity –one that harkens autism’s mantra that thecharacter of one individual with autism is aunique character relevant only to themselves.
Architecture operates in shared languages ofmaterial, forms and organizations to project
purpose and provoke impression. But, in Ara’s
case, she is the generator of a shared language. Anything counter to that becomes animpedance, an exclusion of her will to situateherself. This talk will speak towards breaking
architecture’s inherent fixities in expression,
through interrogating its very means of materialization. Facilitating agency, for those suchas Ara, to actively transform their circumstances turns architecture into a malleable
engine for communication.
// BIO
Sean Ahlquist is an Associate Professor ofArchitecture at the University of Michigan –Taubman College of Architecture and Urban
Planning. He directs the Lab for Socio-Material Architectures, developing researchwhich spans computational design thinking,advanced material research and the ramifications of novel sensorial systems on humanbehavior. Through intense interdisciplinary
work ranging from structural engineering
to behavioral sciences, Ahlquist seeks toaddress issues of physical ability and neurodiversity, particularly in the realm of autism
spectrum disorder, to create architectures
highly responsive to the individual capacities that help activate inclusive experiences
within complex social environments. This
on-going work has received the 2020 Awardof Excellence for Innovative Research fromthe Association for Computer-Aided Designin Architecture (ACADIA).

DAY 3 // NEURODIVERSIT Y: BUILDING COMMUNIT Y AND RETHINKING THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT // THOMAS JEFFERSON UNIVERSIT Y

10:50 – 11:15 AM

IN DIALOGUE
Curated questions from Interior Design 7
studio course students and open for Q&A
to the audience.
11:30 AM – 12:20 PM

THROUGH AUTISTIC EYES
Brian Foti, Alex La Pape, & Gregory Tino
In “Through Autistic Eyes,” three
non-speaking autistic adults will share theirperspective on some common – though
not universal – challenges autistics frequently experience when navigating built
environments. They will offer insight intoheightened sensory perception, motor
challenges related to apraxia, impulse
control and self-regulation, and the compounding role of anxiety. They will share
their preliminary thoughts on implications
for both design and getting input fromautistics and will be delighted to discussthese implications further with the group.
// BIOSBrian Foti is a non-speaking autistic advocate and co-founder of the Inside Voicecommunity of non-speaking autistics, a
program of the Springfield PA based nonprofit AALIVE (Adults with Autism Livingwith Independence Value and Esteem). He
has presented to educators and legislators
on numerous occasions to help advocate
for disability rights. He blogs at https://speakwithoutavoice.wordpress.com.

NOTE
Times shown
are EasternStandard Time.

Alexandre Le Pape is a young man with
ASD. He found his voice through spelling tocommunicate in 2017 at age 16 and sincethen has been using it for advocacy. Alexhas served as a consultant to inclusion programs with major sports teams in Philadelphia and in the development of an autism
friendly healthcare system at Jefferson
Health. He has presented at conferences
and been interviewed by news networks.

He enjoys book club, film class and justhanging out with his friends at Inside Voice,a community of non-speaking autistics.
Learn more about Alex on his blog: https://musingsofabeginnersmind.com.
Gregory Tino is a 27 year old man with
autism who was able to find his voice in May
of 2017 using the Spelling To Communicate
Method and has not looked back since.
He is a fierce autism advocate and has sat
on multiple panels to showcase the S2C
method. His plans are to become an author.
He has written a children’s book called The
Land Called Boring (https://www.blurb.
com/b/9545158-the-land-called-boring)and is currently working on a book of his
writings from his blog The Autistic Mind
Finally Speaks (https://inautism.wordpress.
com). Gregory works with a job coach atthree different jobs, enjoys book club, bikeriding, puzzles, and the computer.

Hume, a science-informed architecture andurban design practice backed by research atits Human Metrics Lab. In 2015, Itai founded
the Conscious Cities movement; a new fieldof research and practice for building people-centred environments that are awareand responsive, using data analysis, AI, tech,and science-informed design. The Centre
for Conscious Design, which Itai leads, grewout of the movement and is an international
grassroots think tank focused on using
design to address urban challenges facing
society today and in the future.
1:10 – 1:30 PM

IN DIALOGUE
Curated questions from Interior Design 7
studio course students and open for Q&A
to the audience.
2:00 – 2:50 PM

12:20 – 1:10 PM

THE PERSON-SPACEDIALOGUE: TOWARDS AUNIFIED LANGUAGE
Itai Palti
Conscious Design proposes that spaces
and objects should be in an active andempathic dialogue with people. That dialogue requires a unified language throughwhich both parties are able to express
themselves and understand one another.
As we work to embed deep inclusion indesign, a primary effort is in capturing thediversity of human perception and expression in order to enrich the Person-Space
Dialogue. I am joining the conference tolearn from speakers with expertise and lived
experience, so that we can use science to
ask better questions for design.
// BIO
Itai Palti is a practicing architect andresearcher focusing on designing with thehuman experience in mind. He is Director of

LAUNCH PAD: DESIGNTO EMPOWER EVERYDAY
SUPERHEROES
Jennifer Cook O’Toole“In their physical imagining, architectural andinterior design should be the ultimate concrete expression of “bottom-up” thinking,the inductive style most native to neurodivergent minds. Form following function,foundations poured before light fixtureschosen. All seems pretty logical. The trouble
is that most of the human spectrum works
the other way around. Deductive reasoning.
Top down. Unintentionally pre-conceived
form — “tweaked,” with good intent, byadding “inclusive” accommodations. Youmight say that, in reality, fluorescent lights
are replaced — with pomp and pride —before anyone has noticed that foundation
was very, very slanted in the first place. We,on the autism spectrum, start with specific,facts, and examples, filtered through ourunique sensorial and social perceptions.
From that swirl of information, we step back,DAY 3 // NEURODIVERSIT Y: BUILDING COMMUNIT Y AND RETHINKING THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT // THOMAS JEFFERSON UNIVERSIT Y

spot trends, notice patterns, seeing whattypical minds do not. Until now. Environmental design should be—can be—the bestof bottom-up: unfamiliar experiences truly
witnessed and inhabited, translated andconstructed. A framework of empowered
lives, well-and-richly led by members of theentire human spectrum.”// BIO
Jennifer Cook (formerly Cook O’Toole) was
identified as being on the spectrum in 2011,just after her three children. She is now
the author of seven bestselling books—theAsperkids collection, Sisterhood of theSpectrum, and Autism in Heels—which
include a Wall Street Journal bestseller, aPublishers Weekly “Best Book” title winner,and three of BookAuthority’s “Best-Selling” and “Top Autism Books of All Time.”
Jennifer is the bestselling female authorof any single book in the genre, a multiaward-winning international speaker, andthe founder of belong, a virtual university ofenrichment and community empowering
neurodiverse individuals, couples & families
worldwide.
2:50 – 3:40 PM

JOYFUL NOT PAINFUL:DESIGNING FOR ALL
LEARNERS
Verona Carpenter Architects

NOTE
Times shown
are EasternStandard Time.

We live in a neurodiverse world, but most
schools are not designed for the neurodiverse population they serve. Thoughsome children with special needs are well
supported by specialized schools, legionsof students with learning differences suchas autism—diagnosed and undiagnosed—
flounder in spaces that privilege those who
can sit still, face forward, and tolerate abright room. An inhospitable school environment causes mental and physical pain.

Learning is inseparable from the environment in which it takes place, and that environment should make learning possible,
and joyful, for all students. And so learningspaces must adapt to the learners—not theother way around.
We will present examples from our researchand practice in designing inclusive spaces,
exploring the boundaries between materials, objects, rooms and programs to allow
for movement and choice in the classroom
and to lessen the impact sensory sensitivities. We will examine how adaptive skills
training can be supported by the architecture of education, and how to provide
spaces for escape without physical separation – all with the goal of unlocking thegenerative power of difference.
// BIOS
Verona Carpenter Architects is anaward-winning architecture practice inManhattan with expertise in education,
workplace, art spaces, and hospitality. Led
by Irina Verona and Jennifer Carpenter, thefirm designs for resilience with the community of users in mind. The firm was one offive winners of the 2019 international ideas
competition for the University of Louisiana
at Lafayette learning lab school. Verona
Carpenter is committed to improving theircommunities, providing pro-bono services to non-profit organizations like The
Quad Preparatory School, the Museum ofFood and Drink, and the Food + FinanceHigh School. VCA was selected to speak
on climate action at the 2020 Society forCampus and University Planning regional
conference.

dents, and was a founding member of theMuseum of Food and Drink. She is a member of the American Institute of Architects
where she sits on the NYC Social Sciences
and Architecture committee, and she is a
LEED accredited professional. She lives in
Manhattan with her husband, two sons, andtwo dogs.
Irina Verona, a principal of the award-winning architecture and interiors firm Verona
Carpenter Architects, has practiced in
New York for over twenty years. Irina hastaught architectural design at the Barnard+ Columbia Colleges Architecture Programeach year for a decade. She is a founding editor of Praxis: a Journal of Writing
and Building, exploring the relationshipbetween theory and practice. Irina serveson the board of the Chen Dance Foundation and is active in the New York chapterof the American Institute of Architects. She
lives in New York with her husband, twodaughters, and a new dog.
3:40 – 4:00 PM

IN DIALOGUE

Curated questions from Interior Design 7
studio course students and open for Q&A
to the audience.

Jennifer Carpenter, a principal of theaward-winning architecture and interiors
firm Verona Carpenter Architects, has practiced in New York for over twenty years.
Jennifer is currently in her fifth year on the
Board of Directors of the Quad Preparatory
School, serving gifted special-needs stu-

DAY 3 // NEURODIVERSIT Y: BUILDING COMMUNIT Y AND RETHINKING THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT // THOMAS JEFFERSON UNIVERSIT Y

MONDAY// SEPTEMBER 14TH

INCLUSIVE
FUTURES
Future direction of inclusive environments, structures, processes, andperspectives for neurodiverse individuals and those with autism.
9:00 – 9:10 AM

REMARKS

Stephen K. Klasko// BIO
Stephen K. Klasko, MD, MBA, is the President of Thomas Jefferson University andCEO of Jefferson Health. He is an advocate
for a transformation of health care andhigher education. He has been a pioneer inusing technology to build health assurance
and equity – especially as we emerge fromthe Covid-19 crisis. He has led Jefferson to
become one of America’s fastest growing
academic health centers. His new books
are Un-Healthcare: A Manifesto for Health
Assurance, with Hemant Taneja, and Patient
No Longer: Why Healthcare Must Deliver
the Care Experience that Consumers Wantand Expect.

WELCOME & INTRODUCTIONS
Severino Alfonso, Wendy Ross &Loukia Tsafoulia

RA (DEU) Dipl.-Ing., serves as Dean of theCollege of Architecture and the Built Environment at Thomas Jefferson University.
Klinkhammer brings a deep understandingof the contemporary professional design
world and a timely vision of the future ofdesign education. She co-leads the Jefferson Institute for Smart and Healthy Cities
and actively takes part in the discourseof contemporary architecture throughpracticing and participation in international
design competitions. She has served inleadership and board positions of numerous professional and academic organizations including the ACSA, ARCC and SESAH
and served as the co-editor of ARRIS.
Klinkhammer holds the German equivalentof the Bachelor and Master’s degrees inarchitecture from the RWTH-Aachen and isa registered architect in Germany.
9.20 – 10.00 AM

BUILDING INCLUSIVITY INTO
EVERYDAY LIFE
Christopher Banks

9:10 – 9:20 AM

REMARKS

Barbara Klinkhammer
NOTE
Times shown
are EasternStandard Time.

// BIOAn accomplished scholar, design educator, and architect, Barbara Klinkhammer,// BIO
Christopher Banks is the President & CEO
at Autism Society of America. He has acomprehensive background in humanservices and the healthcare arena, where
he’s had a successful record of increasing
fundraising efforts, measurably improving
revenue strategies, and being a transformational leader committed to diversity andcultural growth. Most recently, he served asVice President of Development and Community Engagement at Charles E. Smith
Life Communities in Rockville, Maryland;
here, he provided leadership in the development, implementation and evaluation of
all philanthropic and community engagement efforts. His daily work supported theorganization’s impact strategy, and aimed
to accelerate growth while building strong
community partners. A native of Hazlet, NJ,
Chris has spent the better part of the last
25 years in New York Metropolitan area,and has two adult children, Patrick andQuinn. He currently lives in Rockville, MD,
and joined the Autism Society of America inJanuary 2020.

Christopher Banks, President & CEO of
the Autism Society of America, will discuss
sensory considerations and communal
supports to create inclusive build environments. The foundational piece of the puzzle is for society to be adaptable and willingto implement simple accommodations.

DAY 4 // NEURODIVERSIT Y: BUILDING COMMUNIT Y AND RETHINKING THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT // THOMAS JEFFERSON UNIVERSIT Y

10.00 – 10:50 AM

PRESIDENT AND PARENT:NEURODIVERSITY IS ALWAYS
ON MY MIND
Bruce A. Meyer“As a father of seven children and leader of
25,000 employees I am always investigating
the unique skills and talents each person
possesses. I am a firm believer that themost effective leaders amplify the intrinsic
motivations and strengths of their people
rather than trying to correct weaknesses
and apply extrinsic motivators. Medicine,
like Design, is about creating an understandable, engaging and motivating story
for each interaction with the patient/family/
customer; medically, it is about creating ahealing environment that engages patients- from color, to specific texture, to people triggered by a particular sound. As theleader of Jefferson Health, I am constantly
thinking about our patients and how wework to meet their needs. We are now ina unique time in our evolution, were withthe help of designers, we can create spacesthat fit and are customized to a large arrayof needs. When designers deepen theirknowledge on clients with neurodiversity
we are all successful. Join me in discussing how my personal experiences haveinformed my professional thinking andleadership of the largest Health System in
the Philadelphia region.”

NOTE
Times shown
are EasternStandard Time.

// BIO
Bruce A. Meyer, MD, MBA, is President ofJefferson Health and Senior Executive Vice
President of Thomas Jefferson University,
reporting to Stephen K. Klasko, MD, MBA. As
Jefferson Health’s clinical leader, Dr. Meyer
is leading its transformation into a single,
integrated system that delivers safe, reliable
and high-quality patient care, as well as
convenient access to appointment scheduling at every Jefferson site through virtualand in-person visits. He has authored morethan 70 peer-reviewed publications andwon multiple teaching awards while serving
as a residency and fellowship program
director and academic chair. Dr. Meyer
often discusses his personal experience
with the healthcare system and is a strong
advocate for treating the patient as a whole
person, not just treating the disease itself.

• Build inter-dependent relationships
among participants, families, and community partners focusing on reciprocity.
• Create tools and strategies for “next step”
transitions and support the Readinessprocess across systems (ODP, family,
relationships).

10:50 – 11:15 AM• Develop overall Wellness (physical healthand emotional) plans.

Curated questions from Interior Design 7
studio course students and open for Q&A
to the audience.

• Engage participants using a person andfamily-centered approach.

IN DIALOGUE

11:30 AM – 12:20 PM

WHAT’S NEXT? BUILDINGINDEPENDENCE IN THE HOME,
ON THE JOB, AND ON THE GO!
Amy McCann
How do we build independence in thehome and prepare for community connections that include vocational opportunities,
housing options, and continued social
development? The presentation will focus
on sharing strategies and tools related torelationship development and skill building
within the topics of: Setting High Expectations, Structure and Routine, Supports
and Accommodations, Problem Solving,
Authentic and Meaningful Experiences,
Empowerment and Role Valorization.
Carousel Connections is a program that
supports individuals with disabilities asvalued and contributing friends, colleagues,
and neighbors. Using a skill building model,
all facets of community life develop –volunteer and employment opportunities,
social and recreational experiences withpeers, home life with friends. Throughout
the presentation, we will highlight how to:• Appreciate the strengths, talents, andchallenges that we all experience.
• Focus on belonging in neighborhoods
and the larger community.
Presenters will include Self Advocates whoare involved in a variety of community
opportunities and continue to enhancetheir self-determination process as part ofCarousel Connections’ programming.
// BIOAmy McCann encourages growth opportunities by bridging connections and building
relationships, sharing a vision of independence, and promoting models for inclusion
and universal design. Carousel Connections is a program that provides training
and support for adults with disabilities as
they transition to greater levels of independence. As the founding director of Common Space, a non-profit organization that
focuses on bridging diversity and crossing
boundaries in a shared community space,
Amy connects to local organizations andbuilds partnership opportunities for all. Amy
is a facilitator for creating family housing
cohorts and is a Community Connector forseveral Personal Support Networks in the
Philadelphia area. As an inclusive educator

DAY 4 // NEURODIVERSIT Y: BUILDING COMMUNIT Y AND RETHINKING THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT // THOMAS JEFFERSON UNIVERSIT Y

and community builder, she focuses on
empathy training, building self-regulation
strategies, and mindfulness related to how
we all learn and work to our best.
12:20 – 1:30 PM

ROUND-TABLE DISCUSSION:
FUTURE AND CONCLUSIONS
Moderated by Severino Alfonso, Wendy
Ross & Loukia Tsafoulia
Discussion with the event speakers joined
by Seb Choe, Lauren S. Henry and Roseann
Schaaf.

Roseann Schaaf, PhD, OTR/L is the Directorof the Jefferson Autism Center of Excellence, Professor of Occupational Therapy
and faculty, Vickie and Jack Farber Institute of Neuroscience at Thomas Jefferson
University. She is also at Thomas Jefferson
University. She is a translational scientist
with extensive experience in the study ofchildren with autism other developmental
disorders, focusing on how processing andintegrating sensory information impacts
participation in daily occupations. Dr.
Schaaf is the author of 4 books and over 75
publications in peer review journals. She is
an internationally known speaker.

Seb Choe is Associate Director of MIXdesign, an inclusive design think tank andconsultancy. Seb coordinates the efforts
of in-house staff, institutional partners,
research assistants, interns and a networkof consultants for MIX research, educational, legal and fundraising initiatives. As
the Project Manager for Stalled!, an interdisciplinary initiative for inclusive restrooms,
they oversee research and design teams,
organize lectures and workshops, and disseminate work through publications in print
and online formats including Stalled! Online
and Stalled! The Video.

NOTE
Times shown
are EasternStandard Time.

Lauren S. Henry, Sensory Designer andColor Consultant, is a graduate of Syracuse
University. She taught K-6 in Washington
Metro Area Schools from 2000–2004.
Then, she combined her passions for art,
kids, psychology and writing, and founded
an innovative business: With a Brush ofLove. Utilizing a wide variety of techniques,
Lauren transforms the lives of children with
autism and other special needs throughenvironmental design and optimization.
The goal may be to pacify the aggressive,
stimulate the withdrawn, or improve focus.
Ultimately, this can dramatically increase
their ability to thrive scholastically, sociallyand most importantly, at home.

DAY 4 // NEURODIVERSIT Y: BUILDING COMMUNIT Y AND RETHINKING THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT // THOMAS JEFFERSON UNIVERSIT YORGANIZERSThomas Jefferson University’s College ofArchitecture and the Built Environmentis educating the next generation of designand construction professionals in architecture, interior design, landscape architecture,
historic preservation, construction management, geodesign, sustainable design
and real estate development. The College
regularly partners with major corporations,
local communities and nonprofit organizations to offer you a broad range ofreal-world projects and networking opportunities to fulfill your passions. Our dynamic
approach to education and emphasis onsocial equity, sustainability and design
excellence provides you with a competitive
advantage that prepares you to become
an innovative leader in an equitable andsustainable future.
The mission of the College is to educate thenext generation of design and construction
professionals to create an equitable andsustainable future. Our curricula emphasize
specialized knowledge unique to each discipline, paired with interdisciplinary collaboration that prepare students for practice in the
global market. We improve lives by designingand building a better world.

The Synesthetic Research and Design
Lab at the College of Architecture andBuilt Environment – Thomas Jefferson
University is directed by Severino Alfonsoand Loukia Tsafoulia. It serves as a collaborative research and prototyping platform
where interactive design and emergent
health sciences meet highlighting therecursion between the individual and theirenvironment. The Lab is a newly minted
platform that aims to take risks in developing methodologies that engage criticallywith interactions of humans, objects andenvironments.
The Lab collaborates with the Center for
Autism and Neurodiversity – Jefferson
Health in the building of a solid foundationof knowledge, addressing all-inclusive ways
for inhabiting and perceiving our environments. This collaboration stimulatesdialogues amongst designers, medical field
experts and people with Autism Spectrum
Disorder in regard to the inclusivity of ourcurrent environments and with particularfocus on designing for neurodiverse individuals and those with ASD.
The Lab continuously aims to learn from
unexpected collaborations, test unconventional ideas, and leverage novel pedagogical explorations to engage with young
minds that come from diverse backgrounds
and cultivate a collective learning process.
The Lab has been awarded a series ofgrants from Thomas Jefferson University.

The Center for Autism and Neurodiversity– Jefferson Health is directed by Wendy
J. Ross, MD. The Center drives a collaborative effort among those affected byautism, clinicians, and community partners
to create pathways for meaningful interaction and participation throughout thelifespan. The Center takes a novel approachby taking those from differing professional
and personal experiences and incubating
programmatic conceptual shifts to movethe needle from the concept of a ‘cure’ tocreating opportunity for those who think
and interact differently, and examining theimpact both on those individuals and theworld at large throughout the lifespan.
The Center is excited to engage with the
Lab in exploring the physical environment
and its impact on the population of thoseaffected by autism. This collaboration serves
as a catalyst that will open new pathways in
how we design spaces. Its goal is to spark
enthusiasm, ongoing dialogue and exploration in how we all view the world and ourroles within it, emphasizing the value of theintegration of multiple perspectives in maximizing possibility for everyone.
The Center continuously strives to learn
from multidisciplinary and stakeholder perspectives, pilot new programs, and measureoutcomes, in an effort to create optimalendeavors and strategies that can be widely
disseminated to enhance opportunity.

TEAM // NEURODIVERSIT Y: BUILDING COMMUNIT Y AND RETHINKING THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT // THOMAS JEFFERSON UNIVERSIT Y

Jefferson.edu/CABE
DAY 1 // NEURODIVERSIT Y: BUILDING COMMUNIT Y AND RETHINKING THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT // THOMAS JEFFERSON UNIVERSIT Y