2025 Conference Sessions

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.

View the 2025 sessions below:

Session Title	View session
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	Morning Keynote
Navigating Puberty and Changing Bodies Kerry Prout, Ph.D., ABPP, Children's Mercy Hospital	Breakout Session on Puberty
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	Breakout Session on Autism in Toddlers
Guardianship ... A Journey not Needed Stephanie Coleman, Autism Family Educator, University of Kansas Medical Center Leadership Education in Neurodevelopment and Related Disabilities (LEND)	Breakout Session on Guardianship
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	Breakout Session on OASIS
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
Parenting In Perspective: Self-Care for Parents/Caregiver Mary Anne Hammond, Community Education Coordinator-Autism, Children's Mercy Hospital	Breakout Session on Self-Care
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	Breakout Session on NDDs
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	Breakout Session on Kansas Family Support Center
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
Afternoon Keynote: Special Interests in Autism: Are they really that different? Steve Kanne, Ph.D., Professor of Clinical Psychiatry, Cornell Medical College	Afternoon Keynote
Poster session
From Isolation to Connection: Our Journey Leia Holley, Program Director, Families Together, Inc.	Breakout Session from Families Together
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	Breakout Session on Reading and Autism
Neurodiversity in the Workplace Austin Myers, Hilary Casey, and Ben Edwards, all of KU Center on Disabilities	Breakout Session on Neurodiversity
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	Breakout Session on ECI-A
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	Breakout Session on Campus
Understanding Factors Influencing Eating Behavior in Autism Anna Wallisch, Ph.D., OTR/L	Breakout Session on Eating Behavior
Building Independence in Teens with ASD Darren Olsen, Ph.D., Psychologist, Children's Mercy	Breakout Session on Teen Independence
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