By Stateside Staff, Michigan Radio The Next Idea We in Michigan usually take great pride in our state’s natural beauty and precious resources. So, I find it incredibly disheartening that one of our state’s most beautiful and precious resources – its autistic community – is largely misunderstood, marginalized and woefully under-valued. We live in a […]
Abigail HanscomEducation
Abby Hanscom has worked in the field of special education since starting as a special education teacher in the Framingham Public Schools in 1994. She has held positions as a learning center teacher, curriculum specialist, special education administrator at the middle school level, and Assistant Director of Student Services at the District level. Since 2011, […]
Jeffrey A. Keilson Adult Services
Jeff has 40 years experience working with elders, peoples with autism, people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities, people with brain injuries, and persons with mental health needs and their families. His experience is focused on developing and evaluating comprehensive local and state-wide systems of services and supports, including family supports, residential, day and employment, […]
David L. Yas, Esq. Legal
David L. Yas is the President of NE500 Clubs, a high-level business collaborative comprised of lawyers, accountants, and other trusted advisors. He is also the founder of the NE500 Clubs Special-Needs and Elder Care Consortium. David consults with the members of the organization on business development, personal branding, and marketing. Prior to this position, he […]
Finding satisfaction in office work
BROOKLINE By Laura Lovett On a snowy day in February 2015, Probate and Family Court Chief Justice Angela M. Ordonez had a conversation with Vanda Marie Khadem, founder of the Autism Higher Education Foundation. The topic: A new program called the paralegal assistant program, designed to give young adults with autism work experience and help […]
Long Island Cafe Offers Job Opportunities for Disabled Adults New York Times
By ARIELLE DOLLINGER FORT SALONGA, N.Y. — Cody Stillwagon dreamed of cooking, but he was stuck washing dishes. Last month, however, Mr. Stillwagon, 19, of East Northport, N.Y., was slicing vegetables and fruits in a professional kitchen. Mr. Stillwagon has autism, which in past jobs kept him at the sink. Now, he works at Cause Cafe, […]
Brookline organization aims to use music as a tool to communicate with people with Autism
BROOKLINE By Laura Lovett For Vanda Marie Khadem, founder of Autism Higher Education Foundation, music is an emotional outlet. Growing up she was too impatient to learn to read music, so she taught herself by ear. As an adult she composed. She is now a family lawyer but has kept up with music, something […]
The Courts in the Community: New Program Connects Autistic Teens with Court Internships
Originally published by The Official Website of the Massachusetts Judicial Branch The program is the brainchild of Attorney Vanda Khadem, who practices family law, special education law, and serves as a Guardian Ad Litem (GAL). Attorney Khadem founded a non-profit, the Autism Higher Education Foundation, in 2006 after her daughter was diagnosed with autism as […]
A Music Program For Autistic Kids That Has Nothing To Do With Therapy
BOSTON — WBUR, Boston NPR Station — Gianna Hitsos is an eighth-grader from Groton with an ambitious project: she’s making a CD of herself singing her favorite Broadway songs. That’s a big deal for Gianna. Because when she was about one year old — just as she started saying words like “daddy” and “puppy” […]
The Autism Higher Education Foundation Pioneers Programs for Those with Autism Cancro, Lorraine, The Exceptional Parent
The Autism Higher Education Foundation Pioneers Programs for Those with Autism: From Alliances with Universities and Colleges to Provide Avenues to Higher Education to a Pioneering Effort with the Boston Conservatory to Offer Musical Instruction, the Autism Higher Education Foundation Is Opening Doors of Opportunity to Adults with Autism The incidence of autism has […]
