Dr. Heather M. Brown

Dr. Heather M. Brown was initially trained as an elementary school teacher but is now an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Alberta. She is also an Autistic researcher passionate about supporting the academic achievement and overall well-being of Autistic children, youth and adults. Her research approach is community-based and participatory, empowering Autistic individuals to embrace their neurodiversity confidently and aims to understand the factors that most support their well-being at home, work and school. She currently serves as the director of the Autism, Neurodiversity and Academic Achievement (AIDAN) Lab as well as the chair of both the Neurodiversity and Autism Research in Education Committee (NAREC) for the American Educational Research Association (AERA) and Autistic and Neurodivergent Scholars Working for Equity in Research (ANSWER) for the Autism Intervention Research Network on Physical Health (AIR-P) Network at UCLA.

Dr. Sandy Thompson-Hodgetts

Dr. Sandy Thompson-Hodgetts is an Associate Professor and Acting Chair of Occupational Therapy at the University of Alberta. She has many years of clinical experience working with neurodivergent children and their families in home, community and school settings. Her research focuses on enhancing inclusion, participation and belonging for people who experience disability (with a particular interest in neurodivergence), in meaningful activities and life choices. Her research is situated in the context of daily life – communities, schools, and homes, and focuses on the social environment changing the environment (e.g., improve understanding, decrease stigma, adapt physical/sensory environments), not “fixing” people who experience disability. She is passionate about participatory research, including creative approaches to include the perspectives of people who are often not represented in research, such as Autistic people with co-occurring intellectual disability and/or who may communicate in non-speaking ways.

Nat Raedwulf Pogue

Nat Raedwulf Pogue is an Autistic, multiply disabled Learning Support Teacher living on Vancouver Island on the traditional territories of the K’omox and Liǧʷiɫdax̌ w First Peoples. Nat has worked in a variety of classroom settings including elementary, middle, high school and in alternative programs and is passionate about removing barriers for disabled students finding success at school. Nat holds a Master of Education in Special Education with her research focused on Autistic teacher and student experience in public schools. A passionate champion for marginalized representation, Nat was awarded the 2024 Prime Minister Certificate of Achievement for Teaching Excellence for her advocacy for more inclusive learning spaces. She sits on a variety of committees dedicated to teacher professional development, disability justice and accessibility in schools. Nat also serves as an Autistic community partner with the Autism, Neurodiversity and Academic Achievement (AIDAN) Lab and whole-heartedly believes in the necessary inclusion of Autistic voice and perspective in research and policy regarding Autistic people in education and beyond.