2025 Conference Schedule

Autism Across the Life Span 2025, presented by the Kansas Center for Autism Research & Training (KCART), is an opportunity for researchers, educators, students, providers, and autistic people and their families to learn from national autism experts.

The 2025 agenda and sessions are listed below:

Session Details

8:30-9:50 a.m.	Welcome and Morning keynote: ECHO Autism Communities - Bringing Autism Best Practices to All Communities Kristen Sohl, M.D., distinguished pediatrician and Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Missouri	BEST Auditorium
10-10:50 a.m.	Navigating Puberty and Changing Bodies Kerry Prout, Ph.D., ABPP, Children's Mercy Hospital	BEST 120
	Identifying Autistic Toddlers in Kansas Nancy C. Brady, Ph.D., University of Kansas; Kourtney Nigh, Research Scientist, University of Kansas; Suzanne Martell, Project Coordinator, University of Kansas; Olivia Boorom, Ph.D. candidate, University of Kansas	BEST 125
	Guardianship ... A Journey not Needed Stephanie Coleman, Autism Family Educator, University of Kansas Medical Center Leadership Education in Neurodevelopment and Related Disabilities (LEND)	BEST 130
	Empowering Families and Providers: Background and Expansion of OASIS Training Opportunities Linda Heitzman-Powell, Ph.D., BCBA-D, Director of Community Research, University of Kansas Medical Center; Lugeine Alshurafa, M.A., LMLP, University of Kansas Medical Center; Jaclyn Humphrey, B.S., RBT, University of Kansas Medical Center	BEST 135
	The importance of including autistic individuals with high support needs in research studies Robin Shafer, Ph.D., Assistant Research Professor, Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training; Cassie Stevens, Graduate Research Assistant, University of Kansas; Jeri Sickels, parent of an autistic teenager; Leia Holley, Program Director, Families Together	BEST Auditorium
11-11:50 a.m.	Parenting In Perspective: Self-Care for Parents/Caregiver Mary Anne Hammond, Community Education Coordinator-Autism, Children's Mercy Hospital	BEST 120
	NDDs in Rare Diseases: A Symptom-Based Cross-Disease Analysis Using RARE-X Data Zohreh Talebizadeh, Ph.D., Global Genes, Senior Director, RARE-X Research Program	BEST 125
	Supporting Families and Providers of Kansas through Kansas Family Support Center and Parent Empowerment Program Christopher Engler, M.A., BCBA, University of Kansas Medical Center; Caity Hynson, Ed.D, University of Kansas Medical Center	BEST 130
	Peer Play Strategies: Making an Impact on Social Reciprocity and Communication for Autistic Preschoolers Kathy Bourque, Ph.D.; Janet Weaver, Project Coordinator; Riley Timmons, Assistant Researcher, all of Juniper Gardens Children's Project	BEST 135
12:15-1:20 p.m.	Afternoon Keynote: Special Interests in Autism: Are they really that different? Steve Kanne, Ph.D., Professor of Clinical Psychiatry, Cornell Medical College	BEST Auditorium
1:30-2 p.m.	Poster session	BEST Auditorium
2-2:50 p.m.	From Isolation to Connection: Our Journey Leia Holley, Program Director, Families Together, Inc.	BEST 120
	Reading and Autism: What We Know and What We Don't Know About Supporting Reading in Autistic Individuals Meghan M. Davidson, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, University of Kansas; Thomas Gottstein, Project Coordinator, University of Kansas	BEST 125
	Neurodiversity in the Workplace Austin Myers, Hilary Casey, and Ben Edwards, all of KU Center on Disabilities	BEST 130
	Measuring Big Gains in Little Voices: Introducing the ECI-A for Autistic Infants and Toddlers Jay Buzhardt, Ph.D.; Lashanna Brunson; Project Coordinator; Susan Higgins, Project Coordinator; Sara Diaz de Villegas, Research Associate, all of Juniper Gardens Children's Project	BEST 135
3-3:50 p.m.	Autistics On Campus: College Student Experiences & Recommendations Spencer Hunley, Advocacy Specialist, University of Kansas Medical Center LEND; Mac Oppermann, Neurodivergent Student, UMKC (He/Him); Z Kemp, Founder & President, Neurodivergent Student Union, UMKC (They/Them); Cameron "CJ" McCaslin, Autistic Student, Vice President, Neurodivergent Student Union & Officer-at-Large, Trans+, UMKC (They/Them/Theirs); Phillip MacGruder, Advocacy Trainer, Self-Advocate Coalition of Kansas	BEST 120
	Understanding Factors Influencing Eating Behavior in Autism Anna Wallisch, Ph.D., OTR/L	BEST 125
	Building Independence in Teens with ASD Darren Olsen, Ph.D., Psychologist, Children's Mercy	BEST 130
	Promoting Communication, Reading, and Writing Using Stories: Research and Applications with Autistic Children Ana King, M.S., BCBA, University of Kansas; Alex Davidson, doctoral student, University of Kansas; Trina Spencer, director of Juniper Gardens Children's Project, professor in Department of Applied Behavioral Science	BEST 135