Jason Dietrich, Neurodiverse STEM Educator

Originally recorded on 15 September 2023

Jason Dietrich writes: I am interested in increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM as well as building a solid foundation for STEM literacy. Ours is a technology-based society, therefore, I seek to build computational literacy and develop critical thinkers capable of analyzing and integrating data to formulate solutions to complex real-world problems requiring innovation and creativity. I also strive to use innovative, tailored instructional methods, especially for those challenged in mathematics, which is often a barrier to STEM careers. It is critical to make STEM learning more meaningful and inspiring to students. Finally, I am eager to promote STEM engagement activities through NASA’s missions to inspire a diverse future STEM workforce. I am experienced in training and development, global education policy and methods, statistical analysis, curriculum development, and assessment strategies. In addition, I have been mentored by a current NASA STEM Engagement Specialist. I have created a process for a NASA app design to identify hidden barriers involved with STEAM engagement.

Virginia Space Flight Academy's (VASFA) website and social media:

• For more information: camp@vasfa.org
• Website: https://www.vasfa.org
• FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/VaSpaceFlightAcademy
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vaspaceflightacademy/
• Twitter: @VaSpaceAcademy

The Autistic Me:

• Blog: https://www.tameri.com/autisticme/
• Podcast: https://autisticme.libsyn.com/neurodiversity
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/autisticme/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/autisticme
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CSWyatt
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/autisticme

Podcast 0116; Season 7, Episode 9; 25 July 2024

Note: Originally Recorded 13 September 2023

Dez Rock: Tech CEO on the Benefits of ADHD

Dez Rock is the CEO of SIEMonster, and a neurodivergent leader. Dez knows that having ADHD has been anything but a detriment to her career – her ability to see the world as a puzzle (and manage all of the pieces) has made her an exceptional leader. Her passion for equity shines through in everything she does, and she strives to move through the world with authenticity and empathy.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/exploring-neurodiversity-and-adhd-with-dez-rock/id1481135244?i=1000616595573

https://siemonster.com/about-us/

https://siemonster.com/

Dez Rock has been an entrepreneur for over 20 years. Mentoring others on career and negotiation skills, she has now focused in on her own business, dropping out of law school to start SIEMonster several years ago.

Dez’s greatest strength is always seeing the big picture. A start-up requires a person who can always fight all fronts without losing perspective and making things personal; this is where she excels.

Dez’s mind works at a fast pace. With her ability to see solutions and paths like puzzle pieces, she has managed to take a great idea to market and make it grow. She sees every challenge as an opportunity and thrives well under pressure.

The Autistic Me:

• Blog: https://www.tameri.com/autisticme/
• Podcast: https://autisticme.libsyn.com/neurodiversity
• https://autisticme.libsyn.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/autisticme/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/autisticme
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CSWyatt
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/autisticme

Podcast 0115; Season 7, Episode 8; 10 July 2024

NOTE: Originally Recorded 18 August 2023

Offering the perspective of an educator and consultant, Jenny Sandler joins us on this episode to discuss how families and schools can support autistic students. With a master of arts degree in literacy and a masters of education in autism supports, Jenny promotes best practices for teaching neurodiverse students.

Jenny’s website is homeschooluk.com, where you can learn more about her and the services she provides to families and schools.

The Autistic Me:

• Blog: https://www.tameri.com/autisticme/
• Podcast: https://autisticme.libsyn.com/neurodiversity
  https://autisticme.libsyn.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/autisticme/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/autisticme
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CSWyatt
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/autisticme

Originally recorded 14 June 2023

About Bliss Road:

In this sometimes funny, often devastating memoir, Martha Engber describes the arduous journey toward discovering the invisible roadblock that ran her life off course: her psychological distress is the result of being the neurotypical daughter of a dad with undiagnosed Autism Spectrum Disorder, a condition that affects over 75 million people worldwide.

Martha uses personal anecdotes and research about the emergence of ASD as a diagnosis to explain the psychological, emotional and social challenges she faced as a child, then as an adult and parent. Along the way, she shows the sometimes harrowing, but eminently rewarding, route others can follow to chase down the source of their family angst and so reach a more blissful future.

Martha Engber is the author of Winter Light, an IPPY Gold Medal Winner in Young Adult Fiction. Her other books include the novels The Falcon, The Wolf and the Hummingbird, and The Wind Thief, and the Resource for Writers, Growing Great Characters from the Ground Up. A speaker and workshop facilitator, she’s had dozens of short stories and poems published in literary magazines and a play produced in Hollywood. She lives in California with her husband, bike and surfboard. She invites readers to connect via her website, MarthaEngber.com.

Order Bliss Road on Amazon. [https://amzn.to/4avGAKu]

The Autistic Me:

• Blog: https://www.tameri.com/autisticme/
• Podcast: https://autisticme.libsyn.com/neurodiversity
  https://autisticme.libsyn.com/

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/autisticme/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/autisticme
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CSWyatt
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/autisticme

The film Ezra follows Max Bernal (Bobby Cannavale), a stand-up comedian living with his father (Robert De Niro), while struggling to co-parent his autistic son Ezra (introducing William Fitzgerald) with his ex-wife (Rose Byrne).

Alex Plank, Associate Producer

Alex Plank is a trailblazing autistic self-advocate and a pioneering leader in the autistic human rights. As an associate producer of the critically acclaimed movie 'Ezra,' Alex has made significant strides in both behind-the-scenes and on-camera roles. He is a champion of authentic and humanistic representation of autistic individuals in the film industry. With a deep commitment to challenging ableism, Alex advocates for a world where autistic people are valued and respected. This commitment extends to a broader condemnation of ableism in all its forms, with a specific focus on dismantling the barriers within the film industry that marginalize autistic talent and narratives.

Jenny Palmiotto – Founder of Love & Autism

Jenny Palmiotto, Psy. D, LMFT, is a distinguished figure at the forefront of the neurodiversity movement and the visionary founder of Love & Autism. Her organization stands as a profound statement against systemic ableism and champions the belief that autistic rights are human rights. Jenny is committed to challenging the prevailing narrative that autistic individuals do not desire or require the universal human experiences of love, authenticity, and belonging. Through her advocacy, she promotes a society that fully embraces neurodiversity, advocating for acceptance and understanding in all facets of life. As the owner and clinical director of The Family Guidance and Therapy Center, Dr. Palmiotto has pioneered a model of neurodiversity-affirming therapy that supports autistic individuals and their families. This innovative approach focuses on enhancing strengths, fostering relationships, and promoting positive self-identity among autistic individuals, guided by principles of respect, understanding, and acceptance.

The Autistic Me:

• Blog: https://www.tameri.com/autisticme/
• Podcast: https://autisticme.libsyn.com/neurodiversity
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/autisticme/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/autisticme
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CSWyatt
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/autisticme

Note: Recorded 7 June 2023

Originally Scheduled for September 2023

Sarah Stelmach-Brown is a caregiving advocate with a major focus on autism and Alzheimer’s disease and the host of the podcast “Caregiver Chronicles.” She is the mother of two boys on the autism spectrum.

Sarah worked as a Certified Nursing Assistant and Certified Medication Technician at assisted living facilities, nursing homes and in-home care before leaving in July of 2021 after experiencing caregiver burnout. She is raw and passionate as she speaks
about her experiences as a caregiver in both personal and professional settings.

Sarah is not afraid to tackle serious topics but also uses her wit to bring levity to almost any situation. She uses her podcast to help caregivers from all walks of life connect to others and gets their messages out about making the world a better place for those we care for and those who care for us.

https://thewholecarenetwork.com/caregiver-chronicles-podcast/

https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sarah4903

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/caregiver-chronicles/id1527943242

The Autistic Me:

• Blog: https://www.tameri.com/autisticme/
• Podcast: https://autisticme.libsyn.com/neurodiversity
• https://autisticme.libsyn.com/

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/autisticme/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/autisticme
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CSWyatt
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/autisticme

Normal life has made it difficult this fall to maintain the podcast, my blogs, and my social media accounts. I have no idea how other working parents with podcasts and blogs manage to produce any content during a school year.

Trying to produce episodes at least monthly proved beyond my stamina.

After months like November, I find myself envying full-time creators who earn a living producing quality podcasts, videos, blog posts, and social media. They have tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of subscribers and followers. Their podcasts have sponsors. Many of them have small teams or they outsource editing and transcription of content.

And then there are the dedicated hobbyists. That’s me: a slightly insane, certainly overwhelmed, and sometimes on-schedule hobbyist.

Podcast 0111; Season 07, Episode 04; 4 December 2023

The Autistic Me:

• Blog: https://www.tameri.com/autisticme/
• Podcast: https://autisticme.libsyn.com/neurodiversity
• https://autisticme.libsyn.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/autisticme/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/autisticme
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CSWyatt
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/autisticme

David Villec is the neurodiverse father of Tiger, a 10-year-old autistic savant. Dave discusses his personal challenges and those of Tiger.

The Autistic Tiger is 10-year-old Tiger Villec and his namesake character, also known as “TAT.” Tiger is a world-renowned artist with the unique ability to draw upside down and draw with incredible detail. You may have seen him on TV or your favorite comic-cons.

Recorded in late May 2023.

• https://www.instagram.com/tigervillec/?hl=en
• https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100092294232399
• https://www.facebook.com/theautistictiger/
• https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjXeGSMLbX4pFQHpG4A1szA
• https://www.tiktok.com/@theautistictiger
• https://linktr.ee/theautistictiger

• Blog: https://www.tameri.com/autisticme/
• Podcast: https://autisticme.libsyn.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/autisticme/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/autisticme
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CSWyatt
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/autisticme