Every year, we at Autism Parenting Magazine (APM) feel blessed and thankful for all of the contributors who give their time and expertise to write helpful and informative articles for all of our families around the world. By doing so, we can provide you with the current advice and information in each issue and at our Autism Parenting Summit.
We present these awards in several categories to showcase each of these selfless and inspiring individuals, bestowing on them our heartfelt gratitude and thanks. Choosing from the many worthy candidates is challenging, and we wish we could present an award to each one.
We are so grateful to every contributor who shared their writing with us, and we hope you all continue to submit your work for our future issues. We could not do this without you.
With pleasure, we announce the autism experts who have been chosen for this year’s APM 2024 Contributor Awards:
Top APM Contributor
Karen Kaplan, MS
Karen has contributed numerous articles to APM, including those in her column, Connections With Karen. She provides our readers with her expertise in many areas of autism. With a BS and MS in Speech Pathology from Arizona State University, a minor in special education, and an Educational Administrative Credential and Moderate to Severe Teaching Credential, she has served as an instructor in the Autism Spectrum Certificate program at Alliant University. Karen has served on nonprofit boards to help build capacity for those with special needs, and she founded and directed a residential school for nearly 20 years in Sacramento. She is an author and speaker and has spent time globally helping non-governmental agencies in Indonesia and Africa. Currently, she is consulting with families, schools, and adult programs.
Website: https://www.karenkaplanasd.com/
Email: [email protected]
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/karen-kaplan-51104aa
Top Parental Advice Writer
Dr. Ronald I. Malcolm, EdD
Angela has contributed to APM many times over the past year, sharing her perspective as an autistic adult. She is an advocate for autism and mental health. Angela works at what she calls two “encouraging jobs” that are helping her to grow and transform, and she is thankful for the people in her life who have provided support and positivity. She has learned about advocacy, leadership, and organizations to help her thrive in the future. Angela hopes to provide a strong voice for people with autism and mental illness.
Top Tools and Support Coordinator
Dr. Temple Grandin, PhD
Temple has graciously given her time and talent to provide presentations and Q&A sessions for our Autism Parenting Summits and webinars, as well as for the Q&A With Dr. Temple Grandin column for APM. She is a Distinguished Professor of Animal Science at Colorado State University. Many companies around the world use facilities she has designed for handling livestock. She has also been instrumental in implementing animal welfare auditing programs used by McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Whole Foods, and other corporations. Temple has appeared on numerous TV shows, such as 20/20 and Prime Time, and she is the subject of the new documentary, An Open Door. Her books include Thinking in Pictures, Livestock Handling and Transport, and The Autistic Brain. Her books Animals in Translation and Visual Thinking have been on the New York Times Bestseller List. Temple was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame in September 2017. In 2022, she was named a Colorado State University Distinguished Professor, and in 2023 was inducted into the Colorado Authors’ Hall of Fame.
Top Autism Advocacy Writer
Angela Chapes
Angela is an autism and mental health advocate from Manhattan, Kansas. She has contributed to APM many times over the past year, sharing her perspective as an autistic adult. She is an advocate for autism and mental health and works at what she calls two “encouraging jobs” that are helping her to grow and transform. Angela is thankful for the people in her life who have provided support and positivity. She has learned about advocacy, leadership, and organizations to help her thrive in the future. Angela hopes to provide a strong voice for people with autism and mental illness.
Top Behavioral Solutions Writer
Dr. Brett J. Novick, MS, EdD, LMFT
Brett has written numerous articles for APM and our online blog, and he has participated in our summits and webinars. Brett holds a Master’s Degree in Family Therapy and post-degree certification in School Social Work and Educational Administration, and he earned his EdD in Educational Leadership. He has worked as a School Social Worker/Counselor for the last 23 years and is an adjunct instructor at Rutgers University and Stockton University. Brett has been a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in private practice, community mental health, and substance abuse settings over the last twenty-five years. He has supervised family and school counseling, centers for abused and neglected children, adults & children with developmental disabilities, has been a licensed foster parent, and has authored educational, self-help books, and children’s books and created therapeutic games for youth. Brett has also won numerous awards for his work in education.
Dr. Novick’s website can be found at www.drbrettnovick.com.
Top Education Writer
Brandi Timmons, MEd, BCBA, LBA
Brandi has written numerous articles for our education column. She has over 20 years of experience as a special educator, and she focuses on the strengths of autistic children and adults, advocating for them in and beyond the classroom. She’s a writer and researcher, a state and national speaker, curriculum designer, program creator, and the co-founder of Spectrum Linx, a resource for families of autistic members that provides support, guidance, and knowledge for their autism journeys.
Website: www.spectrumlinx.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/spectrumlinx
Instagram: www.instagram.com/spectrumlinx
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/spectrum-linx/
Top Autism Strategies Writer
Professor May Ng, OBE, PhD, MBA, LLM, MSc, MBA, MBBS, FRCPCH, FHEA, SFFMLM
Professor Ng has contributed several articles to APM. She is a Consultant Pediatric Endocrinologist at Mersey West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals Trust, an Honorary Professor at Edge Hill University, and an Honorary Associate Professor at the University of Liverpool. She is active in medicolegal work, is a researcher, has presented at scientific meetings, holds numerous Chair positions, has won many awards, and has authored several books.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Journey-Brendan-autism-mother-paediatrician/dp/170691587X/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
X: x.com/mayng888
Website: www.paedsdoc.co.uk
Top Sensory Solutions Writer
Cynthia Ewers-Cobb, SLT, Reg-MRCSLT – SL36439
Cynthia has written for APM and is a highly specialized speech and language therapist. She helps children and families with autism and is also a sustainable blogger and devoted parent. She is the founder of Green Eco Lifestyle, a sustainable living blog for eco-conscious families.
Top Diet and Nutrition Writer
Valori Neiger, MS, BCBA
Valori has contributed several articles to APM, sharing her expertise with our readers. She started the blog Autism Feeding Specialist in the greater Seattle area of Washington state. With a master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis from the University of North Texas, she has extensive experience treating children with pediatric feeding disorders. She takes pride in helping children introduce new foods into their diet. Valori also loves educating their caregivers and giving them the tools to do the same.
Website: www.autismfeedingspecialist.com/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AutismFeedingSpecialist
Top Communication Skills Writer
Melanie K. Milicevic, BA
Melanie has contributed several articles to our education column. A UCLA graduate and a former 5th-grade teacher with the Los Angeles Unified School District, she focused on supporting second language learners and collaborating with special needs families to address diverse student needs. As a dedicated advocate for her own neurodiverse children, she continues to nurture her passion for writing, often typing ideas for future books on her iPhone. Her writing has been featured in publications such as Autism Parenting Magazine, Exceptional Needs Today, Parenting Special Needs Magazine, and the Special Needs Resource Foundation of San Diego. Melanie is part of the Cajon Valley Union School District as a Learning Loss Intervention Teacher. She lives in San Diego with her husband and two children.
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Top Parent Support Writers
Melinda Edwards, MD, and Alicia Trautwein
Melinda has contributed several articles to APM to help support parents in their journey with autism. She is a mother, author, and physician in Charleston, South Carolina, providing psychiatric care for underserved adults. She attended the Medical University of South Carolina and completed her residency in psychiatry at Stanford Medical Center. She has studied complementary and alternative medicine, researched the effects of MDMA on PTSD, and is the author of the bestselling book Psyche & Spirit: How a Psychiatrist Found Divinity Through Her Lifelong Search for Truth and Her Daughter’s Autism. Inspired by her journey with her daughter Saachi, she also founded the 501c3 nonprofit organization Living Darshan to foster a deeper understanding of autism in the world.
Website: www.melindaedwardsmd.com/
Instagram: @melindaedwards.md
Facebook: @melindaedwards.md
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/melindaedwardsmd
YouTube: @melindaedwards-md
Alicia has written numerous articles for Autism Parenting Magazine and is an advocate for autism and neurodiversity. She intertwines her personal experience as an autistic mother of four, three of whom are on the autism spectrum, with her professional work. She founded “The Mom Kind,” a platform providing insights on parenting neurodiverse children, and extends her advocacy through a podcast and public speaking. Through her multifaceted efforts, Alicia seeks to educate and support families, promoting a more inclusive society.
Top Transitioning to Adulthood Writers
Alex Manners and Jan Stewart
Alex is an autism and neurodiversity speaker and advocate and has written for APM numerous times, including for the Transitioning to Adulthood column. He has talked about his life with autism on radio and television, published a book called That’s Not Right! My Life Living with Asperger’s, presented his own children’s radio show, and filmed the home matches for his local football club. He presents talks to companies, law firms, schools, and universities all over the UK.
Website: www.thealexmanners.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/thealexmanners
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexmanners/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thealexmanners/
Jan has written several articles for APM. A highly regarded autism and neurodiversity advocate and author, she is the recipient of the prestigious Mom’s Choice Award®. Her best-selling memoir Hold on Tight: A Parent’s Journey Raising Children with Mental Illness describes her emotional roller coaster story of parenting two children with multiple mental health and neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism. She strives to empower parents to persevere, have hope, know they are not alone, and educate others. Jan chairs the Board of Directors at Kerry’s Place Autism Services in Canada, writes a column on autism for Today’s Parent, was Vice Chair at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, and worked as a senior Partner with the firm Egon Zehnder. Jan is a Diamond Life Master in Bridge and enjoys fitness, genealogy, and dance.
Top Autism Safety Writer
Dayna Harvey
Dayna has written an article and presented a webinar to help parents keep their children safe around water. She has taught swimming lessons for 36 years and has worked with many neurodiverse children with an ADD or ADHD diagnosis through the ASD spectrum. She understands that parents with neurodivergent children struggle to find resources, especially for water safety and swimming lessons. She hopes her information will educate and empower them to be involved in their child’s water experiences, knowing what to look for and the questions to ask when looking into organized swimming lessons. For additional water safety strategies or information about Wilson’s “Water Waiting Mat,” please visit www.WaterSafetyWithMissDayna.com.
Top Autism Blog Writer
Cory Morrison
Cory has contributed numerous articles to APM, especially the online blog. A college journalism graduate, he has had an increasing interest in writing and publishing content over the years. He has lived in the Toronto area his whole life and was diagnosed with autism at three and a half. He has special interests in weather, music (both listening and playing), motivational quotes, and autism advocacy.
Website/autism blog: www.asdtoday.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CoryBradleyDennisMorrison/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/corybdmorrison93/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/corymorrison93?lang=en
LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/cory-morrison-8ba0b2182
Top Personal Narrative Writer
Andrea Grant, BA PGDip and PGCert
Andrea has contributed several articles to APM. A qualified teacher with 14 years of experience and a writer, she is currently working at Curro Century City High School. Andrea has three children, two of whom are on the spectrum. She wants to highlight ASD’s “intricacies” while educating parents, individuals, and communities, empowering them with knowledge and hope. You can follow Andrea on her Instagram page, Parentingonthespectrum, or Facebook at Hexagons in a World of Circles.
Top Success Story
Kyle Jetsel
Kyle wrote the poignant piece, “Renewing Love After Resentment,” for APM’s Success Story column. He is the father of six kids, with his two middle sons diagnosed on the autism spectrum.
Special Mention for Autism Parental Advice
Carol Tatom, BA.HSE, CHW
Carol has shared her expertise numerous times with our APM readers. She has a bachelor’s degree in human services and is a licensed community health worker in Texas, where she is the Area Operations Director for Centria Autism. Carol is also an autism parent, writer, and advocate for special needs. She enjoys working with families and helping them connect to support and resources that improve their quality of life.
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/carol-tatom-561a93140
Special Mention for Transitioning to Adulthood
Jaclyn Hunt, MA, ACAS, BCCS
Jaclyn has contributed several articles to Autism Parenting Magazine, sharing her expertise. She is a coach, educator, author, and speaker on autism. She began her coaching career in 2013 and wrote the book Life Coaching for Adults on the Autism Spectrum: Discovering Your True Potential.
Jaclyn has a master’s degree in behavioral sciences and is an Advanced Certified Autism Specialist Level 2 and a Board Certified Cognitive Specialist through the IBCCES. She is the owner and head coach at ASD Life Coaches, where she focuses on developing skills like self-awareness, understanding, problem-solving, and executive functioning so clients can achieve goals that increase their quality of life. Her entire professional life has been dedicated to helping neurodivergent adults unlock and reach their true potential.
Special Mention for Personal Narratives
Alex Kocan
Alex Kocan has written several articles for APM. He is a student nurse from Nottingham, England. Alex is married and has two children, one of whom has autism. Alex has a passion for writing and would like it to be a part of his job role one day.
Special Mention for Success Story
Jennifer Shepherd, BFA
Jennifer contributed her success story about her daughter. She is a lifelong writer, photographer, and artist with a BFA in photojournalism. She’s completing final edits on a new memoir, Six Months to a Year, which will hopefully launch in 2025. Ms. Shepherd is a zealous reader, wildlife photographer, and animal lover. She and her husband, Brian, have five grown children and live a pretty blissful life on the rocky shores of Rhode Island.
