Lydia X. Z. Brown (they/them) is the Director of Public Policy at the National Disability Institute, which works to advance economic opportunity and freedom for people with disabilities. Lydia is also the founding Executive Director of the Autistic People of Color Fund, which advocates for disability, racial, and economic justice with a focus on building generative economies and just transition while providing mutual aid, peer support, and community-funded reparations. They bring nearly 15 years of experience as a committed advocate, community organizer, and policy expert at the nexus of disability rights and disability justice. Lydia has spoken, facilitated, and consulted internationally and throughout the U.S. on a range of topics related to disability rights and disability justice, especially at the intersections of race, class, gender, and sexuality, and has published in numerous scholarly and community publications. Their work addresses the deep interconnections between ableism and other forms of systemic discrimination, marginalization, and oppression, and has often focused on interpersonal, state, and corporate violence, deprivation, and exploitation targeting disabled people at the margins of the margins.

Lydia teaches at Georgetown University, holding faculty appointments in Disability Studies, Women’s & Gender Studies, and the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities Fellowship Program at the Georgetown University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities. They also teach for American University’s Department of Critical Race, Gender, and Culture Studies in the American Studies program. Lydia currently serves as Co-President of the Disability Rights Bar Association, member of the National Executive Committee of the National Lawyers Guild, and founding board member of the Alliance for Self-Direction and Disability Rights. They are a Senior Advisor to the Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network and Disability Rights Special Advisor for the American Bar Association’s Section on Civil Rights & Social Justice. Lydia also serves as an advisor for the Transgender Law Center’s Disability Project, the Nonbinary & Intersex Recognition Project, and Disability Rights Maryland’s PAIMI (Protection & Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness) Program.

Previously, Lydia served as Policy Counsel for the Privacy & Data Project at the Center for Democracy & Technology, where they focused on disability rights and algorithmic fairness and justice. Lydia’s work investigated algorithmic harm and injustice in public benefits determinations, hiring algorithms, and algorithmic surveillance that disproportionately impact disabled people, particularly multiply-marginalized disabled people. Lydia also previously served as Director of Policy, Advocacy, & External Affairs at the Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network, where they led AWN’s work in advancing gender justice, racial justice, and disability justice in the neurodiversity and disability rights movements. Lydia has also worked on disability rights and algorithmic fairness at Georgetown Law’s Institute for Tech Law and Policy, served as Justice Catalyst Fellow at the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law where they advocated for disabled students’ civil rights in schools, served as Chairperson of the Massachusetts Developmental Disabilities Council, and taught as an adjunct professor of disability policy and social movements at Tufts University.

Among others, Lydia has received honors from the Obama White House, the Society for Disability Studies, the American Association of People with Disabilities, the National Disability Mentoring Coalition, and the Disability Policy Consortium. In 2015, Pacific Standard named Lydia to its list of Top 30 Thinkers in the Social Sciences Under 30, and Mic named Lydia to its inaugural list of 50 impactful leaders, cultural influencers, and breakthrough innovators for the next generation. In 2018, NBC named Lydia to its list of Asian Pacific American breakthrough leaders, and Amplifier featured them in the We The Future campaign honoring youth activism. In 2020, Gold House Foundation named Lydia to its A100 list of America’s most impactful Asians, and in 2021, they were recognized by Public Knowledge’s 20/20 Visionary Awards as a future leader who will drive tech policy in the public interest for the next 20 years, named to them.’s Now List of LGBTQ+ Visionaries working to better our community during a uniquely challenging era, and honored by NowThis Next as a change-maker of the world for Disability Rights. Lydia appears in the HBO documentary Persona: The Dark Side of Personality Tests and the forthcoming independent documentaries I Identify As Me and My Disability Roadmap.

Lydia holds a bachelor’s degree in Arabic from Georgetown University, and a J.D. with joint concentrations in Criminal Law and Justice and in International Law and Human Rights from Northeastern University School of Law.

Matt Lowry, (he/him) LPP is a licensed psychological practitioner who provides diagnostics and therapy to Autistic people using an Autistic-affirming framework. Matt has studied autism and Autistic people for over two decades, and is himself an Autistic person. Matt works to educate people about Autistic traits and Autistic Culture though professional trainings, professional consultations, and his podcast, The Autistic Culture Podcast. From this strengths-based perspective, Matt helps Autistic people create a life that is compatible with their Autistic neurology, and helps Autistic people find pride in their Autistic culture. Matt has previously worked in a school-based setting, in inpatient settings, and in community mental health.

Dr. Winnie Dunn, PhD, OTR, FAOTA (she/her) is the author of The Sensory Profile 2 and a Distinguished Professor of Occupational Therapy at The University of Missouri. She is an expert for her work about sensory processing in everyday life, with hundreds of publications and presentations. She has received top honors in her field, including the Academy of Research. She has also received awards for engaging teaching, including the Chancellor’s Excellence in Teaching Award, the Kemper Teaching Fellowship and the Chancellor’s Distinguished Professorship.

Dr. Dunn teaches therapists practical, empowering, respectful ways to support Autistic people with their sensory processing needs in their daily routines.

Ruchi Kapila (they/them; she/her), M.S., CCC-SLP is owner of Kapila Voice and Speech Services in Hayward, CA, where they practice as a speech-language pathologist and singing voice specialist focusing on holistic, gender-affirming speech and voice services across the lifespan. Previously, she worked primarily in acute care and acute rehabilitation hospital settings focusing on assessment and treatment for dysphagia, cognitive-communication disorders, aphasia, motor speech disorders, and beyond. Their passion lies in exploring counseling, motivational interviewing, and trauma-informed considerations in gender-affirming voice care to center the client’s needs and perspectives in the therapeutic relationship.

Naureen Hunani, (she/her) RD, is a multiply neurodivergent (Autistic, ADHDer, dyslexic) registered dietitian with over 17 years of experience. She is the founder of RDs for Neurodiversity, a neurodiversity-informed online continuing education platform for dietitians and helping professionals.

She has a private practice in Montreal, Canada, where she treats children, adults and families struggling with various feeding and eating challenges through a trauma-informed, weight-inclusive and anti-oppressive approach.

Naureen has extensive experience working with neurodivergent children and families. She is a supporter of early diagnosis of feeding differences and advocates for inclusion and acceptance. She has had the privilege to share her knowledge at national and international conferences and is incredibly passionate about helping professionals build neurodiversity-affirming practices.

Rachel Dorsey (she/her), M.S., CCC-SLP is a Speech-Language Pathologist, educator, consultant, and autism rights advocate. Through her private practice and consultancy, Rachel Dorsey: Autistic SLP, LLC, she provides education to parents, professionals, school districts, and organizations through coaching, consultations, in-services, professional developments, and courses on neurodiversity-affirming therapeutic practice. Rachel serves autistic clients of all ages in her private practice. The services she offers as a provider and consultant draw upon her own experience as an Autistic person and her seven years of clinical experience working within early intervention, preschool, post-secondary, and clinic settings.

Caroline Gaddy, MFA, MA, CCC-SLP (she/they) is a neuroqueer and disabled speech-language pathologist, AAC specialist, and educator. They infodump / educate on neurodiversity-affirming practices with passion and humor. Caroline deeply believes in disability justice, inclusion, and that communication is a fundamental human right.

Alexandria Zachos (she/her), M.S., CCC-SLP 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.

Karina Saechao, M.A., CCC-SLP (she/her) is an SLP, researcher, scholar, and activist who strives to increase equity, access, and outcomes as related to research, clinical practice, and course curriculum. Karina holds a certificate as an assistive technology specialist from CSU, Northridge, and is a Ph.D. student. Karina’s research interests are in the areas of African American English, child language acquisition, language impairments, and augmentative alternative communication. Karina is the Founder & CEO of Golden Oak Speech Therapy. Karina frequently presents on topics in the areas of African American English; AAC; AT; creating inclusive environments; power, privilege, and race; and cultural humility.

Kate McLaughlin, CCC-SLP (she/her) is a speech-language pathologist specializing in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) for individuals with complex communication needs. She believes that autonomous communication, inclusion, and self-determination are fundamental human rights. Kate teaches OTs and SLPs the practical strategies they need to support their clients’ autonomous and authentic connection using strengths-based strategies.

Gillian Boudreau (she/her), PhD is a licensed clinical psychologist and a licensed school psychologist. Dr. Boudreau has worked with children and families across the country starting in 2008, with the mission of understanding and addressing our human need for attachment, connection, and effective communication in such a way that can help individuals, family systems, school systems, and larger organizations reach their full potential. Dr. Boudreau aligns with the social model of disability and is always seeking to interrogate the system and context in which human challenges emerge with the understanding that humans are inherently whole, and will do well when given the freedom to thrive. Early in her career, Dr. Boudreau developed and directed a comprehensive behavioral program housed within Vermont public schools addressing intensive emotional and behavioral needs. She currently runs a private practice based in Portland, Oregon for children, families and adults with expertise in autism, anxiety and trauma. She is a national speaker on topics including psychological safety and emotional intelligence, teaches graduate courses on trauma, resiliency and mindfulness, and provides ongoing training and consultation for multiple school districts. 

Jane Farrall (she/her), SLP, CPSP is a speech pathologist and special educator passionate about literacy, AAC and assistive technology. After 30 years in the disability and assistive technology field, she has lots of practical experience working with people with a range of abilities. Jane has worked as both a therapist and literacy teacher. She has also worked as an assistive technology specialist and is currently working as an independent consultant, running workshops and consulting with schools around Australia. Her consultancy works focuses on implementing AAC and comprehensive literacy for all students.

As well as presenting workshops in Australia and internationally, Jane shares resources on her blog, her two websites and through online training – and she also has extensive experience running camps, workshops, and conferences on AAC and literacy in AAC.  In 2018 she was Co-Chair for the International Society on AAC Conference when it came to Australian for the first time. You can read more about Jane at www.janefarrall.com