About Learn Play Thrive
Our mission is to provide resources and continuing education trainings that promote the use of strengths-based, ethical, neurodiversity-affirming practices for professionals (including OTs, SLPs, social workers, and psychologists) working with autistic people.
Learn Play Thrive
Values
Listening to Autistic Voices
We listen to autistic voices and recognize that autistic adults are the real experts on autism. All courses are either developed by or reviewed by autistic professionals.
Respect for Neurodiversity
We respect the differences of neurodivergent people, while acknowledging their barriers to thriving in our current world. We do not teach or condone practices that promote masking or violate the bodily autonomy of our clients.
Openness to Change
We are committed to continually updating our beliefs and content as we listen, learn, and grow.
Value for Our Community
We aim to provide the highest level of value and support for our customers and our guest instructors.
Meet your
Instructors
GUEST INSTRUCTOR
Alexandria Zachos
M.S., CCC-SLP
Speech Language Pathologist
Alexandria Zachos
M.S., CCC-SLP
Speech Language Pathologist
Alexandria Zachos (she/her) is a speech-language pathologist specializing in gestalt language processing and child-led play therapy. She’s on a mission to educate all parents and professionals about the “other” type of language development. Backed by research, she teaches that most autistic individuals are gestalt language processors and helps therapists identify how we can best support them in their language development journey through a child-led approach.
Disclosures for Alexandria Zachos
FINANCIAL: Alexandria receives commission for the OT Neurodiversity Summit and for the SLP Neurodiversity Summit from Learn Play Thrive. Alexandria is the owner of Meaningful Speech and receives a salary. Alexandria is the owner of Social Butterfly, Inc. and receives a salary.
NON-FINANCIAL: Alexandria has friends and colleagues who are Autistic.
FINANCIAL: Alexandria receives commission for the OT Neurodiversity Summit and for the SLP Neurodiversity Summit from Learn Play Thrive. Alexandria is the owner of Meaningful Speech and receives a salary. Alexandria is the owner of Social Butterfly, Inc. and receives a salary.
NON-FINANCIAL: Alexandria has friends and colleagues who are Autistic.
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GUEST INSTRUCTOR
Greg Santucci
MS, OTR/L
Greg Santucci
MS, OTR/L
Greg Santucci (he/him) is a pediatric occupational therapist and the founding director of Power Play Pediatric Therapy in NJ. He is the creator of the Model of Child Engagement, a lecturer, consultant and still a practicing OT, maintaining a caseload in the public schools and outpatient therapy centers. Greg has spent over two decades as an OT listening to and validating the thoughts, emotions, behaviors and opinions of the kids he works with, and challenging systems to do the same: something that’s often overlooked when addressing “behaviors”. When not advocating for children, he’s usually on a soccer field somewhere cheering on his two kids. Greg is self-diagnosed ADHD and a sensory hot mess, so he has a deep understanding of the importance of sensory validation throughout development.
Disclosures for Greg Santucci
FINANCIAL: Greg receives commission from Learn Play Thrive, LLC for the sale of the OT Neurodiversity Summit. Greg is the owner of Power Play Pediatric Therapy and receives a salary.
NON-FINANCIAL: Greg has friends and colleagues who are autistic.
FINANCIAL: Greg receives commission from Learn Play Thrive, LLC for the sale of the OT Neurodiversity Summit. Greg is the owner of Power Play Pediatric Therapy and receives a salary.
NON-FINANCIAL: Greg has friends and colleagues who are autistic.
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GUEST INSTRUCTOR
Amy Laurent
PhD, OTR/L
Amy Laurent
PhD, OTR/L
Amy Laurent, PhD, OTR/L is the co-director of Autism Level UP! an autistic / allistic partnership dedicated to the provision of education, accessible resources, and practical strategies focused on increasing active engagement for autistic individuals and the members of their communities. She is a co-author of the SCERTS Model and frequently lectures internationally. She is passionate about neurodiversity and helping others to honor and understand the implications of “different ways of being” in relation to navigating the physical and social world. Dr. Laurent strives to practice what she preaches and uses her love of play and movement to meet her own regulatory needs.
Disclosures for Amy Laurent
FINANCIAL: Amy receives commission for the sale of the Learn Play Thrive SLP Neurodiversity Summit. Amy receives payment for her work as co-director of Autism Level Up. Amy coauthored the All The FeelZzz curriculum and receives royalties for its sale. Amy coauthored the SCERTS curriculum and receives royalties for its sale.
NON-FINANCIAL: Amy is an updaid board member for the Autism Nature Trail. Amy has friends and colleagues who are autistic.
FINANCIAL: Amy receives commission for the sale of the Learn Play Thrive SLP Neurodiversity Summit. Amy receives payment for her work as co-director of Autism Level Up. Amy coauthored the All The FeelZzz curriculum and receives royalties for its sale. Amy coauthored the SCERTS curriculum and receives royalties for its sale.
NON-FINANCIAL: Amy is an updaid board member for the Autism Nature Trail. Amy has friends and colleagues who are autistic.
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INSTRUCTOR
Jacquelyn Fede
PhD
Jacquelyn Fede
PhD
Jacquelyn Fede (she/her) is the co-director of Autism Level UP! an autistic / allistic partnership dedicated to the provision of education, accessible resources, and practical strategies focused on increasing active engagement for autistic individuals and the members of their communities. Dr. Fede is a super fun, an Autistic Self-Advocate, developmental psychologist and program evaluator. Her research interests include immigration policy, autism, and community engagement. Dr. Fede uses this experience to help educate others about autism through lecturing, blogging and consulting on evaluation projects. A full scholarship Division 1 athlete in college, Dr. Fede continues to meet intense sensory needs by seeking extreme physical activity. Jacquelyn also enjoys the use of creativity and art for expression.
Disclosures for Jacquelyn Fede
FINANCIAL: Dr. Fede receives commission for the sale of the Learn Play Thrive SLP Neurodiversity Summit. She receives payment for her work as co-director of Autism Level Up. Dr. Fede coauthored the All The FeelZzz curriculum and receives royalties for its sale.
NON-FINANCIAL: Dr. Fede is an updaid board member for the Autism Nature Trail. She is autistic and has friends and colleagues who are autistic.
FINANCIAL: Dr. Fede receives commission for the sale of the Learn Play Thrive SLP Neurodiversity Summit. She receives payment for her work as co-director of Autism Level Up. Dr. Fede coauthored the All The FeelZzz curriculum and receives royalties for its sale.
NON-FINANCIAL: Dr. Fede is an updaid board member for the Autism Nature Trail. She is autistic and has friends and colleagues who are autistic.
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GUEST INSTRUCTOR
Gretchen Hanser
PhD., MS, OTR/L
Gretchen Hanser
PhD., MS, OTR/L
Gretchen Hanser, PhD., MS, OTR/L is the Director of Literacy Instruction & Assistive Technology at the International Academy of Hope in NYC. She is an OT and an educator and has worked in the field of assistive technology and literacy for students with significant disabilities for over 25 years. Gretchen passionately believes that every student needs to be heard, as well as to have their writing be read!
Disclosures for Gretchen Hanser
FINANCIAL: Gretchen Hanser provides professional development workshops both virtually and in-person, and is paid for those workshops. Gretchen receives commission for the sale of the Learn Play Thrive OT Neurodiversity Summit.
NON-FINANCIAL: No disclosures.
FINANCIAL: Gretchen Hanser provides professional development workshops both virtually and in-person, and is paid for those workshops. Gretchen receives commission for the sale of the Learn Play Thrive OT Neurodiversity Summit.
NON-FINANCIAL: No disclosures.
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GUEST INSTRUCTOR
V Tisi
M.A., CCC-SLP
Speech Language Pathologist
V Tisi
M.A., CCC-SLP
Speech Language Pathologist
V Tisi (they/them) is an Autistic, Disabled, and Queer Taiwanese-Chinese-Venezuelan American clinician- and educator-activist. Their area of specialty is intersectional justice for multiply marginalized neurodivergent people. V teaches trauma-informed practices to support the social-emotional development and wellness of Autistic people. V is dedicated to pushing the needle forward on a more culturally responsive, equitable, and depathologized field of speech-language sciences.
V has practiced speech language pathology in early intervention and schools, and is an adjunct faculty member at San Francisco State University teaching culturally responsive practices with an anti-racist and anti-ableist lens.
Disclosures for V. Tisi
FINANCIAL: V receives a commission from Learn Play Thrive, LLC for the OT Neurodiversity Summit and the SLP Neurodiversity Summit. V owns The Speechologist and receives compensation for their work.. V is employed part-time by San Francisco State University and receives a salary for teaching, including a course on Cultural Responsiveness in Speech, Language, Hearing Sciences that includes topics of anti-racism and anti-ableism. V is contracted with The Informed SLP and receives a fee for their work.
NON-FINANCIAL: V runs Speechologist accounts on various social media outlets, is a co-founder and volunteer for SLPs of Color 501(c)(3), and identifies as an Asian-Latiné Autistic person. V is Autistic and has friends and colleagues who are Autistic.
FINANCIAL: V receives a commission from Learn Play Thrive, LLC for the OT Neurodiversity Summit and the SLP Neurodiversity Summit. V owns The Speechologist and receives compensation for their work.. V is employed part-time by San Francisco State University and receives a salary for teaching, including a course on Cultural Responsiveness in Speech, Language, Hearing Sciences that includes topics of anti-racism and anti-ableism. V is contracted with The Informed SLP and receives a fee for their work.
NON-FINANCIAL: V runs Speechologist accounts on various social media outlets, is a co-founder and volunteer for SLPs of Color 501(c)(3), and identifies as an Asian-Latiné Autistic person. V is Autistic and has friends and colleagues who are Autistic.
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