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Day 1   |  March 12, 2021

8:15 – 8:30 a.m. EST

Welcome

Ernie & Liezl Els, Co-Founders, Els for Autism Foundation

8:30 – 9:30 a.m.

Keynote: Learning Work Skills in High School is Really Important

Temple Grandin, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Animal Science, Colorado State University

9:30 – 10:30 a.m.

Keynote: Providing an Inclusive Workplace for Individuals with Disabilities – A Competitive Edge

Craig Leen, Professorial Lecturer in Law at The George Washington University Law School and former Director, Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), U.S. Department of Labor

11 a.m. – 12 p.m.  Breakout Sessions

12:15 – 1 p.m.

“The Inside Scoop” Lunch-time questions with the experts

1-2 p.m.

Keynote: Autism Business Advantage – The Rising Tide Story

Tom D’Eri, COO/Co-Founder, Rising Tide Car Wash

2 – 3 p.m.

Keynote: Building a Neurodiverse Workforce: Employers Helping to Unlock the Work Potential of Youth with Autism

Paul Wehman, Ph.D., Professor of Special Education and Counseling, Director, Rehabilitation Research and Training Center, Virginia Commonwealth University

3:15-4:15 p.m. Breakout Sessions

4:30-5:30 p.m.

Moderated Q&A with Day One Speakers

Panel Moderators: Co-Chairs – Michael Alessandri, Ph.D. and Marlene Soleto Ed.D.

Panel Participants: Jill Brookner, Lileana de Moya, Tom D’Eri, Sheila Hills, Craig Leen, Paul Wehman, Ph.D., and Trudi Zayac

Day 2  |  March 13, 2021

8:30-9:30 a.m.

Welcome and Keynote: SAP’s Autism at Work: A Lives, Business, and Ecosystem Transformation Program

Jose Velasco, Chief Program Manager, Product Engineering & Autism at Work Ambassador, SAP

9:30-10:30 a.m.

Keynote: Expect More — An Autism Adventure

Honorable Mike Lake, Member of the Canadian Parliament for Edmonton-Wetaskiwin

10:45-11:45 a.m.

Presentation: What an Autistic Attorney Thinks Employers Should Know

Haley Moss, Attorney, Author, Artist, and Autism Advocate

11:45-12:45 p.m.

Panel: In the Trenches – Employment Experiences from Employees with ASD Covering Hiring, Accommodations, and Equity in the Performance Feedback Process

Panel Moderator: Jim Hogan, 2020 Els for Autism Foundation Autism Spectrum Award Winner

Panel Participants: Els for Autism Foundation Advisory Board Members – Merrick Egber, Haley Moss, and Ron Sandison

12:45-1 p.m.

Closing Remarks

Marvin R. Shanken, Co-Founder and Chairman of the Board, Els for Autism Foundation