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Resource Library Our Resource Library provides a compilation of helpful resources aimed at helping parents and caregivers navigate the world of autism in San Antonio. Here, you can find a variety of useful materials such as educational materials, support groups, and counseling services, as well as links to other relevant organizations, all tailored to the needs of the autism community in San Antonio. While we've gathered these resources for you, ACN does not directly or indirectly endorse any product or service that will be provided by these organizations. Categories ADULT & TRANSITION AGE SERVICES Here you will find a curated collection of day programs and vocational programs in Central Texas ADVOCACY Advocating for Progress: Resources and Support for Advocates and Activists in the Autism Community AUTISM DIAGNOSIS Navigating the Diagnostic Journey: Support and Information for Families Seeking an Autism Diagnosis CAMPS & RECREATION Fun, Friendship, and Growth: Summer Camps and Recreation Programs for Autistic Individuals CASE MANAGEMENT & FAMILY SERVICES Comprehensive Care and Support: Case Management and Family Services for Autistic Individuals CHILDCARE Quality Care and Support: Resources and Information for Childcare Providers Serving Autistic Children COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE Building Strong Communities: Resources and Community-Based Assistance for Autistic Individuals EARLY CHILDHOOD INTERVENTION Early Intervention for Positive Outcomes: Resources and Support for Early Childhood Intervention in Autism EDUCATION Empowering Students with Autism: Resources and Support for Inclusive and Accessible Education FUNDING & MEDICAID WAIVERS Accessing Autism Services: Resources and Support for Funding and Medicaid Waivers MEDICAL Comprehensive Care and Support: Resources and Info for Medical Services for Autistic Individuals MONEY MANAGEMENT & ESTATE PLANNING Securing Your Future: Money Management and Estate Planning for Families of Autistic Individuals NUTRITION PROGRAMS Accessing Nutritional Services: Strategies and Tools for Families of Autistic Individuals PARENT EDUCATION Collaborating with Professionals: A Guide to Parent Education and Support in Autism RESIDENTIAL SERVICES Supporting Independent Living: Strategies and Tools for Accessing and Navigating Residential Services RESPITE SERVICES Taking Care of Caregivers: Resources and Support for Respite Services for Families of Autistic Individuals STATE & FEDERAL SUPPORT Accessing Government Support: Resources & Support for State and Federal Assistance for Autistic Individuals SUPPORT GROUPS Connecting with Others: Resources and Support for Support Groups for Families and Autistic Individuals THERAPY RESOURCES Therapy resources for traditional Occupational & Speech therapy across South Texas TRANSPORTATION Promoting Independence: A Guide to Transportation and Support for Autistic Individuals

< Back Karen Dominguez Intern, The University of Texas at San Antonio

Who we are. At Autism Community Network, we are passionate about empowering families and caregivers to be the principal advocates, caregivers, and champions in their children’s lives. Our mission is to provide support, education and resources to those affected by autism. We strive to make a difference in the lives of autistic individuals and their families by providing educational resources, support groups, and community events. Our goal is to ensure that those affected by autism get the support and resources they need to lead a successful life. Our organization. Autism Community Network (ACN) was established as a 501(c)(3) in 2008 by a consortium of health care funders concerned about the lack of child development services available to children suspected of having autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This initiative was led by Palmer Moe, former executive manager of the Kronkosky Charitable Foundation. ACN addresses the diagnostic, therapeutic, educational, and recreational needs of families impacted by autism living in South Texas. Our mission. Our mission is to maximize the potential of children with autism by providing early diagnosis for those with limited access and educating and empowering the community to support them. Elephant-sized values. You may have noticed our larger-than-life mascot. As an autism nonprofit dedicated to forming relationships and nurturing the wellness of the autism ecosystem, we thought of nothing more fitting than the elephant. Elephants live in tightly bonded herds, also known as “packs” or “parades.” The herd, led by the oldest and largest matriarch, can consist of up to 100 individual elephants. Known for their high intellect and ability to store memories, elephants have been observed to display signs of emotions such as playfulness, joy, anger, and grief. These beautiful giants communicate through subsonic rumbles, which travel through the earth under their feet more quickly than through the air above them. Interestingly, elephants receive the rumbling messages through the skin on their feet and trunks, indicating highly attuned sensory systems. When a baby calf is born, the entire herd helps to raise and protect their young. ACN believes our commitment to holistic community support mirrors this natural phenomenon, and we are happy to take cues from our mammalian friends! Read More Team Our team. Tiffany Fresher Chief Executive Officer Read More Adrienne Gaither, OTR, CSIPT, C/NDT Chief Programs Officer & Occupational Therapist Read More Kathryn "Katie" Benson, MPA Director of Outreach and Education Read More Cathy Kersey Accounting Manager Read More Arjai Ramos Front Desk Coordinator Read More Anna Paola Smith, LCSW Licensed Clinical Social Worker Read More Carrie Alvarado, PhD, OTR Chief Operating Officer Read More Cortney John, MA Chief Development & Outreach Officer Read More Noelia Cheatham Billing Specialist Read More Lisa Martinez-Jimenez Board Certified Behavior Analyst Read More Nicolle Reyna, MS CCC-SLP Speech Language Pathologist Read More Nour Morales-Burnett Intern, The University of Texas at San Antonio Read More Alma Patricia del Angel, MD Chief Medical Officer & Developmental Behavioral Pediatrician Read More Vanessa Amaya Referral Coordinator Read More Gabriel Gonzalez, OTD, OTR/L Bilingual Occupational Therapist Read More Jarrod Purkeypile, MA CCC-SLP Speech Language Pathologist Read More Angela Sanchez-Concha Caregiver Coordinator Read More Karen Dominguez Intern, The University of Texas at San Antonio Read More Reach out. Each family's journey with autism is AUsomely unique. Let our staff walk beside you on your pathway. Start Now Our board of directors. OFFICERS Joshua Behnke - President Behnke Legal Consulting, PLLC Denise Garcia - Vice President Texas Partners Bank Matthew Occhipinti - Treasurer Northwestern Mutual Greg Hanson, DO, FAAP - Secretary Southwest Children's Cente r MEMBERS Wendy Faldet HEB Beth Jones Assistant Superintendent - SAISD Corey Livingston Indeco Manny Nsien President and CEO of Superior Living Foundation Ursula Pari Former KSAT 12 News Anchor & CEO of San Antonio Polo Club Michael Thompson Merrill Lynch Kristen Williams, PhD Executive Director of Disability Services - SAISD, Retired Neurodiversity-Affirming Practice Advisory Committee. We're excited to introduce our Neurodiversity-Affirming Practice Advisory Committee. This committee, including neurodiverse individuals of all stripes, serves to provide our board and our staff with ongoing guidance and support from a position of lived experience to assure our consistent alignment with strengths-based and neurodiversity-affirming practice.

< Back Adrienne Gaither, OTR, CSIPT, C/NDT Chief Programs Officer & Occupational Therapist Adrienne Gaither has been a pediatric occupational therapist for over 25 years. She received her degree from The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and began her pediatric therapy career, eventually gaining experience in every setting available for the provision of children’s Occupational Therapy services. Adrienne has had the opportunity to serve as a member of ACN’s team since 2009. She is a Pediatric Autism Communication Therapy Accredited Practitioner, supporting families impacted by autism through dyadic coaching and a part of ACN’s interdisciplinary diagnostic team that uses a strength-based, neurodiversity-affirming approach to address the unique presentation of the child and family. Adrienne also holds specialty pediatric certification in the Sensory Integration and Praxis Tests (SIPT) and has completed advanced training in Neurodevelopmental Treatment (NDT) for children. Locally, Adrienne had the privilege of serving on the planning team for the development of Morgan’s Wonderland; in particular, contributing recommendations for the Sensory Village portion of the park. In addition to her work with ACN, Adrienne is a part-time Program Director and Sensory Consultant with Kinetic Kids, Inc., a local non-profit agency providing sports and recreation activities for children and teenagers with special needs. When she is not working, Adrienne enjoys life with her husband, 2 children, and 2 dogs, running, singing, and traveling. adrienne@acn-sa.org (210) 435-1000

< Back Carrie Alvarado, PhD, OTR Chief Operating Officer Dr. Carrie Alvarado serves as the Chief Operating Officer for Autism Community Network (ACN). Carrie has a PhD in Infant and Early Childhood Development with an emphasis on Infant Mental Health and Developmental Disorders. Dr. Alvarado is the creator and director of the Earliest Connections Clinic, our diagnostic program geared toward early identification and therapeutic intervention for high-risk infants and toddlers. Additionally, Carrie leads the DIRFloortime and PACT therapy/teletherapy programs- intensive intervention programs supporting families impacted by autism through dyadic coaching using both in-vivo and reflective video feedback modalities. Dr. Alvarado's primary research interests are in Sensoriaffective Integration and attachment, clinical use of reflective video feedback, and in optimizing parent-mediated interventions via the modality of telepractice. She completed her dissertation on establishing preliminary validity of a new clinical assessment and coaching tool, the Sensoriaffective Interactional Attunement Scale (SAIAS), geared toward promoting enhanced use of sensoriaffective signaling between caregivers and their children. Carrie is also currently engaged in development of another scale, the Emotional Intelligence and Praxis in Play Scale (EIPPS), focused on evaluating the presence, sophistication, flexibility and organization of themes of emotional intelligence in child-led, symbolic, dyadic play. Dr. Alvarado was the first in the United States to become a Pediatric Autism Communication Therapy (PACT) Accredited Practitioner and she serves as an Associate with PACT UK. Carrie is a DIR®Floortime™ Certified Expert Clinician, and she serves as an Assistant Faculty for the Profectum™ foundation. Dr. Alvarado has also served as the lead for the Clinical Advisory Committee for STAR Institute, in Colorado. She is Core Faculty for the Fielding Graduate School of Psychology and Adjunct Faculty for the UT Health OTD Program. Dr. Alvarado is passionate about building bridges where none yet exist, about innovating and expanding the boundaries of our knowledge, and about meeting families and fellow clinicians where they are and empowering them to find the gifts they all have to give. Carrie is the proud mother of three young women and wife to her compassionate husband for 24 years. She enjoys time at the lake, snuggling with her many beloved pets, and listening to Huberman Lab podcast on repeat. Carrie is also a proud niece, cousin and first cousin once removed of beautifully inspiring, neurodiverse humans who made and make the world a better place to be a part of. carrie@acn-sa.org (210) 435-1000

< Back Noelia Cheatham Billing Specialist Noelia Cheatham joins our team as a Billing Specialist with twenty three years of work experience with an Early Childhood Intervention Program (ECI). Her work background also includes working as a Special Education Teacher’s aide, interpreter and Peer Counselor for the Women Infants and Children Program (WIC). At WIC she taught health related classes in English and Spanish. Noelia is very involved with an orphanage in Mexico, Casa Hogar. She organizes drives for school supplies, school uniforms, and bi-yearly summer festivals for the children. She has two grown children and her hobbies are crafting, gardening and baking. Noelia is excited about new opportunities with ACN and helping to serve the community. noelia.cheatham@acn-sa.org (210) 435-1000 ext. 5008

< Back Cathy Kersey Accounting Manager Catherine “Cathy” Kersey comes to Autism Community Network with over 18 years of experience in accounting. She moved to San Antonio in 2023 from Lubbock, TX where she worked as an Executive Finance and Account Manager for 13 years for a finance company. She comes to San Antonio with her husband and two dogs and is excited to explore San Antonio’s culture and restaurants. When not working, she loves to travel with her husband and experiencing new adventures. She is an avid animal lover and has been known to pick up a few strays here and there. She is also passionate about rescuing dogs and helping them find their forever homes. cathy@acn-sa.org (210) 435-1000 ext. 5009

< Back Gabriel Gonzalez, OTD, OTR/L Bilingual Occupational Therapist Dr. Gabriel González obtained his Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) degree from the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences. He has experience working with families in hospital and clinical settings. Gabriel's desire to help underserved families led him to complete an internship at Autism Community Network, where he conducted research with Latino families and was hired as the first bilingual occupational therapist. Gabriel's dedication to helping families aims to build trust and empowerment with the families we serve. During his free time, he enjoys working out, trying new food spots, learning new skills, participating in outdoor activities, or traveling back home to visit family and friends. gabriel@acn-sa.org 210-435-1000