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Plenary Address: Supporting Individual Differences While Promoting Relationships through DIR®/Floortime Time 1:40 - 2:40 PM Presenter/Facilitator Rosemary White, OTR/L Back to Course List < Back About the Clinical Intensive Day Rosemary White, OTR/L presents a deeply practical and relationship-centered session on supporting the unique sensory, motor, and regulatory profiles of autistic children and adults—while nurturing authentic connection and belonging. Drawing on decades of clinical experience and her expertise in DIR®/Floortime, Rosemary explores how challenges in praxis (motor planning) and regulation can compromise an individual's capacity to engage, connect, and feel safe in relationships. Rather than viewing these differences as barriers, she reframes them as essential information that guides how we meet each person where they are. Through compelling case presentations, Rosemary elucidates: How praxis challenges affect initiation, sequencing, and spontaneous engagement—and what this means for relationship-building The role of regulation in supporting or disrupting connection, and how co-regulation creates a foundation for growth DIR®/Floortime strategies that honor individual differences while promoting reciprocal, joyful interaction Practical approaches for clinicians, educators, and families to follow the child's lead while scaffolding developmental capacities How to recognize and respond to subtle cues that signal readiness, overwhelm, or the need for support Attendees will leave with a deeper appreciation for the interplay between motor, sensory, and relational development—and concrete strategies for fostering authentic connection that respects each individual's unique nervous system and communication style. Objectives Participants will explain the neurological relationship between dysregulation and disrupted connections. Participants will explain at least three strategies of DIR®/Floortime. Participants will integrate strategies recognizing and responding to regulatory cues into their own clinical or educational practice. Rosemary White, OTR/L is from Australia and has been an Occupational Therapist since 1972. Rosemary received her Neurodevelopmental Therapy training in London with the Bobaths, her Sensory Integrative Therapy training in Los Angeles with Dr. A Jean Ayres and her training in DIR®/Floortime with Stanley Greenspan, MD and Serena Wieder, PhD and the Faculty of ICDL. Rosemary is the owner of a private practice and specializes in working with children presenting with challenges relating and communicating such as autism, sensory processing/integration differences and motor planning and regulatory/attention differences. Rosemary owns and operates Pediatric Physical and Occupational Therapy Services in Seattle, Washington. Rosemary’s practice emphasizes understanding the impact of the child’s sensory processing and postural control on their capacity to relate, communicate and learn. In addition to her clinical work, Rosemary is very active in teaching and consulting throughout the United States, and internationally including Canada, United Kingdom, Europe, South Africa, Trinidad, Barbados, Taiwan, Brazil, Ukraine and Australia. You can reach her at office@pedptot.com if you are interested in having her consult or lecture for your group. Show More

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

Caregiver Track: AM Breakout Session Listening Differently: How to Honor Your Autistic Child’s Brilliance, Autonomy, and Voice Time 10:00-11:15 AM Presenter/Facilitator Tiffany Hammond Back to Course List < Back About the Clinical Intensive Day In this heartfelt and empowering talk, Tiffany Hammond—autistic writer, disability advocate, and mother of two sons on the spectrum—speaks directly to caregivers and parents navigating life on the spectrum. Drawing from her lived experience parenting one speaking and one nonspeaking child, Hammond invites families to rethink what communication, success, and connection really look like. Through storytelling, honesty, and humor, she shares how moving beyond compliance-based parenting and deficit-focused systems opened new ways of understanding her children’s autonomy, needs, and brilliance. Hammond encourages caregivers to trust their instincts, honor all forms of communication, and resist narratives that center fixing rather than supporting autistic children. Parents will leave with renewed permission to slow down, listen differently, and embrace creative, relationship-centered approaches to advocacy—at home, in schools, and within medical and social systems. Above all, this talk offers solidarity: a reminder that caregivers are not alone, that the journey is rarely linear, and that joy, connection, and belonging are possible even in the messy middle. Objectives Participants will analyze how deficit-based and compliance-focused parenting models influence perceptions of communication, success, and autonomy in autistic children. Participants will evaluate alternative, relationship-centered approaches to caregiving that honor diverse forms of communication and prioritize connection over conformity. Participants will apply strategies that support advocacy across home, school, and medical settings by fostering trust, embracing neurodiversity, and promoting individualized, strengths-based support. Tiffany Hammond — an autistic mother, writer, and advocate -- tells stories that center the messy, beautiful, hard, and deeply human parts of being neurodivergent, Black, and raising autistic children in a world that often forgets to listen. Tiffany is a New York Times bestselling author, speaker, and disability advocate. Her work centers the voices of autistic people and celebrates all forms of communication. She is the author of A Day with No Words and the upcoming picture book How Do You Spell Belong (2027). Tiffany is also the voice behind Fidgets and Fries, where she shares stories of advocacy, identity, and raising her two sons with autism. She has a master's degree in Developmental Psychology. Through books, essays, and public speaking, Tiffany works to challenge how the world sees disability — and how we see ourselves within it. Whether she's writing a picture book, unpacking the politics of masking, or simply sitting with the hard truths of parenting, everything she does is rooted in love, honesty, and liberation.

Expertise by Experience: Amplifying Autistic Voices Panel Time Lunch & Learn - 11:30 AM-12:30 PM Presenter/Facilitator TBD Back to Course List < Back About the Clinical Intensive Day In this powerful and deeply personal panel, autistic adults share firsthand accounts of how sensory processing differences and motor praxis challenges shape their daily lives, relationships, and sense of self. Panelists offer authentic insight into experiences often misunderstood or overlooked—such as navigating overwhelming sensory environments, the internal effort behind seemingly "simple" motor tasks, and the gap between what their bodies do and what they intend. This session is designed for a diverse audience—families seeking to better understand their loved ones, clinicians looking to ground their practice in lived experience, educators hoping to create more supportive learning environments, fellow autistic adults finding solidarity and shared language, and community leaders and funders who want to ensure their decisions are informed by those most impacted. Panelists will discuss: How sensory sensitivities and differences affect communication, regulation, and participation The often-invisible challenges of motor planning (praxis) and how they influence daily functioning What support looks like when it honors autonomy rather than demanding compliance Moments of misunderstanding—and what helped bridge the gap What families, professionals, and systems can do differently to create belonging and access Attendees will leave with a deeper appreciation for the diversity within the autistic community, practical insights for more respectful engagement, and a renewed commitment to centering autistic voices in all spaces that affect their lives. Objectives Participants will describe relevant ethical issues related to providing neurodiversity-affirming autism supports in homes, schools, therapy clinics and workplaces.

Autism Community Network Annual Fall Summit Toward Neuroharmony: Welcome to the Autism Renaissance Keynote Speaker: Elizabeth Torres, PhD Plenary Speaker: Rosemary White, OTR/L Friday, October 2, 2026 ACN 2026 Summit Conference Day Location: Tobin Center for the Performing Arts: 100 Auditorium Cir, San Antonio, TX 78205 7:30 AM - 4:30 PM Saturday, October 3, 2026 Clinical Intensive Training Day Location: Autism Community Network: 535 Bandera Rd. San Antonio, TX 78228 8:15 AM - 4:30 PM Click here to learn more about Clinical Intensive Keynote: Elizabeth Torres, PhD Clinical Scholar, Neurodiversity Ally, and Head of the Rutger's University Sensory-Motor Integration Lab Please find more information on Dr. Torres and ACN Summit 2026, Toward Neuroharmony below. To register for the event, click below. REGISTER Agenda 7:30 - 8:15 AM Registration, Breakfast, and Resource Fair 8:15 - 9:45 AM Keynote Address 10:00 - 11:15 AM Morning Breakout Sessions Caregiver, Educator, and Clinician Tracks 11:30 - 12:30 PM Lunch & Learn: Experts by Experience Panel 12:45 - 1:30 PM Second Keynote Address 1:40 - 2:40 PM Plenary Address 2:45 - 4:00 PM The Every Voice Matters Panel 4:00 - 4:30 PM Closing Ceremony Summit Sessions. KEYNOTE ADDRESS: Autism: The Movement Sensing Perspective Time Presenter/Facilitator 8:15-9:45 AM Elizabeth Torres, PhD Objectives & Disclosures Caregiver Track: AM Breakout Session Listening Differently: How to Honor Your Autistic Child’s Brilliance, Autonomy, and Voice Time Presenter/Facilitator 10:00-11:15 AM Tiffany Hammond Objectives & Disclosures Educator Track: AM Breakout Session: Brains, Behavior, and Belonging Time Presenter/Facilitator 10:00-11:15 AM Rebecca Engle, MEd Objectives & Disclosures Clinician Track: AM Breakout Session: The Movement Sensing Perspective UNPACKED Time Presenter/Facilitator 10:00-11:15 AM Rosemary White, OTR/L Objectives & Disclosures Expertise by Experience: Amplifying Autistic Voices Panel Time Presenter/Facilitator Lunch & Learn - 11:30 AM-12:30 PM TBD Objectives & Disclosures Second Keynote Address: Autism Autonomy: In Search of our Human Dignity Time Presenter/Facilitator 12:45-1:30 PM Elizabeth Torres, PhD Objectives & Disclosures Plenary Address: Supporting Individual Differences While Promoting Relationships through DIR®/Floortime Time Presenter/Facilitator 1:40 - 2:40 PM Rosemary White, OTR/L Objectives & Disclosures The "Every Voice Matters" Panel Time Presenter/Facilitator 2:45-4:00 PM Dr. Carrie Alvarado, PhD, OTR Objectives & Disclosures Clinical Intensive Day -Additional Day of training for Professionals only 10/3/2026- At Autism Community Network Time Presenter/Facilitator 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM Dr. Elizabeth Torres and Rosemary White, OTR/L Objectives & Disclosures PENDING APPROVAL Autism Community Network is a registered CPE provider for the Texas Education Agency. PENDING APPROVAL ASHA CE Provider approval and use of the Brand Block does not imply endorsement of course content, specific products, or clinical procedures PENDING APPROVAL This program is designed to meet BHEC continuing education requirements for Texas behavioral health professionals. Fees. Availability based on venue capacity. Packages are sold on a first come first served basis. Early Bird Registration (June 12-August 3) $125 Regular Registration (August 4 - September 30) $150 Late Registration (October 1-2) $175 Caregivers / Adult Autists Scholarships Available $100 Group Rate/Students Email Carrie@acn-sa.org Conference and Clinical Intensive Bundle (10/2 & 10/3) - $200 Clinical Intensive Day only (10/3) - $125 ACN Clinical Intensive Day - 10/3/2026 Learn more about our Clinical Intensive Day Polices & Procedures. Accommodations Search Find the full policy here. We strive to create a conference experience that is accessible to all. Our goal is to identify and address any barriers that may prevent full participation, in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other relevant legislation. Refunds Search Find the full policy here. We understand that circumstances may change, and you may need to cancel your registration for our conference. Our refund policy is designed to be fair and transparent, ensuring that attendees can plan with confidence. Complaint Policy Search Find the full policy here. We are dedicated to maintaining a high standard of service and support. We encourage attendees to provide feedback and report any concerns or complaints. All complaints will be treated with respect and confidentiality. Sponsors Sponsorship Opportunities Search For more information on sponsorship opportunities, please email Cortney@acn-sa.org For more information on becoming a vendor/exhibitor, please email Carrie@acn-sa.org Star Additional Information. For questions related to credentialing information and receiving CEUs, scholarships, or any other information not included on this page or the registration website, please reach out to Carrie@acn-sa.org .

Educator Track: AM Breakout Session: Brains, Behavior, and Belonging Time 10:00-11:15 AM Presenter/Facilitator Rebecca Engle, MEd Back to Course List < Back About the Clinical Intensive Day What if behavior isn't something to control...but something to understand? Join Rebecca Engle for a powerful session exploring how nervous system science reshapes the way we think about behavior, connection, and learning. This session challenges compliance-based models and replaces them with something deeper. Student don't need better behavior management systems. They need environments that understand their brains. Objectives Participants will analyze how nervous system functioning influences behavior, connection, and learning in educational and caregiving environments. Participants will evaluate the limitations of compliance-based behavior management models and compare them to neurobiologically informed approaches. Participants will design supportive environments and strategies that align with students’ nervous system needs to foster regulation, engagement, and a sense of belonging. Rebecca Engle is a special education teacher a with a masters degree from Texas Tech University with a deep commitment to ending seclusion and restraint in schools. Making history in Texas politics at 19, she has been a passionate advocate for student rights and inclusive educational policies. As an award-winning children’s book author and neurodivergent public speaker, Rebecca amplifies the voices of marginalized learners and promotes trauma informed, compassionate approaches. Through her teaching, writing, and advocacy, she strives to create safe, supportive environments where every student can thrive without fear.

KEYNOTE ADDRESS: Autism: The Movement Sensing Perspective Time 8:15-9:45 AM Presenter/Facilitator Elizabeth Torres, PhD Back to Course List < Back About the Clinical Intensive Day Elizabeth Torres, PhD will present research from Autism: The Movement Sensing Perspective , introducing a data‑driven framework that reframes autism through measurable physiological and nervous system activity. The talk highlights a collaborative, interdisciplinary approach that replaces subjective descriptions with objective movement and sensory metrics to support personalized phenotyping. Torres will discuss how this perspective advances tailored interventions, enables longitudinal tracking, and empowers autistic individuals and their families. Objectives Participants will analyze the movement sensing perspective presented by Elizabeth Torres, PhD, to explain how physiological and nervous system data can reframe autism beyond subjective descriptions. Participants will evaluate the role of interdisciplinary, data-driven approaches in developing personalized phenotyping and improving the accuracy of autism assessment. Participants will create individualized intervention strategies that incorporate objective movement and sensory metrics to support longitudinal tracking and empower autistic individuals and their families. Dr. Elizabeth B. Torres is a tenured Full Professor in the Psychology Department at Rutgers University and the former Director of the New Jersey Autism Center of Excellence (2018–2023). A pioneer in computational neuroscience, she has redefined autism research by focusing on sensory-motor and neuromotor differences rather than behavioral deficits. As Director of the Sensory-Motor Integration Lab (SMIL), she uses mobile health wearables and data algorithms to develop personalized digital biomarkers for real-time tracking of nervous system dynamics. Her work seeks to uncover the neurological basis of autism to support precision medicine and tailored therapies. Author of Autism: The Movement Sensing Perspective , Dr. Torres holds multiple biomedical patents and earned her Ph.D. in Cognitive Science from UC San Diego, followed by post-doctoral research at Caltech.

Autism Community Network empowers families and caregivers to create Big Futures for their autistic loved ones. Located in the heart of San Antonio, Autism Community Network is a nonprofit that offers autism screenings, autism diagnostics, and PACT autism therapy, among many other family-focused autism programs. Empowering families to create BIG futures. Autism Community Network is the expert autism organization of South Texas, here to provide innovative and evidence-based support focused on enhancing quality of life and self-actualization for neurodiverse children and the village supporting them. Start Now "I am proud to support the important and impactful work ACN provides our community." -Corinna Holt Richter President and Chief Administrative Officer HOLT CAT Donate About our organization. Autism Community Network is a non-profit organization identifying as an ally of the neurodiversity movement, focused on empowerment, connection, and communication between exceptional children, their loving families, and their communities. Read More We are in this together . At ACN, autism empowerment is personal. The majority of our Board of Directors, clinical and administrative staff, doctors, and leaders/advisors are parents or family members of neurodivergent individuals or are neurodiverse ourselves. We know firsthand the pathways that our caregivers face. We've traveled them too, and we are dedicated to making sure you don’t travel them alone. At Autism Community Network, we are committed to illuminating the strengths of your children, while supporting those areas in which they may struggle. We bring together familial and professional caregivers, autistic self-advocates and researchers to assure that the research-backed services we offer are cutting edge. Through autism screenings, diagnostic evaluations, child-led therapies, parent empowerment groups, and educational classes we can provide the necessary resources to better outcomes in a BIG way. We are here to walk beside you, to help you harness your own strengths, to form a circle of security around you, and to support you in learning to advocate for your child until your child can advocate for him or herself. Assessments Autism Diagnostic Pathways ACN provides strengths-based autism screenings and medical diagnostic evaluations, individually tailored to meet each unique family's needs. ACN offers both telehealth and in-person evaluations. Additionally, we provide assessments in both Spanish and English. Read More Therapy Therapeutic Offerings ACN proudly leads the nation in bringing innovative, neurodiversity-affirming approaches to familial and professional caregivers in the United States. Our agency offers holistic and parent-mediated interventions for children and families impacted by autism and developmental differences. Read More Outreach & Advocacy Neurodiversity ACN prioritizes formal partnerships and alliances with like-minded organizations supporting the autistic community. We endeavor to create harmony, relational safety a wider network of support and a broader understanding of neurodiversity. Read More Professional & Familial Caregivers Caregiver Empowerment At ACN we believe the caregiver is the expert of their child. We also believe that when a child receives a diagnosis, so too does the whole family system. We work diligently to surround the family, much like a herd, to walk alongside them on their journey. Read More Events Fundraising Events ACN is proud to host our premier fundraising event, Le Brunch des Chapeaux, every April as a fun kickoff to San Antonio's FIESTA season. We close out the year with another fundraising event, All Tee'd Up for Autism Golf Tournament in the fall. Read More Collaboration & Training Mentorship & Training Students of all ages choose ACN as a training site because of the strong reputation of our clinic staff. We are happy to host the next generation of young professionals as they discern if early childhood developmental differences is something they want to pursue. Read More Autism community Network provides Autism Diagnosis San Antonio, Autism Therapy San Antonio, PACT Therapy, ABA Therapy alternatives, and Autism Screenings in San Antonio Finding resources should be easy. At Autism Community Network, we strive to make the San Antonio community more accessible for people living with autism and those who care for them. Resources at your fingertips. Autism is a unique journey for every family. ACN’s staff has researched and curated a collection of trusted local, national, and international supports and educational offerings. These resources are meant to supplement your journey as you travel along your pathways in relationship with ACN. Resource Library Renee T, TX "Be a part of the change ACN is bringing to autistic children and their families in San Antonio and South Texas." Joseph D, TX "Through a stroke of luck we came across ACN, and the people at ACN have helped us understand our child better and the best way to support his challenges. Be it the therapists working with our child or the Coffee & Connections sessions on Friday; every interaction is a positive one." Lisa M, TX "You know, there are just so many people out there that claim they know what is best. 'Oh you should try this', or 'maybe try that.' Most of them are just random voices online. ACN was really there to work along side us and took the time to get to know our kiddo. There is no one-size-fits-all method for all this. Each child presents so differently." Get Involved - Make a lasting impact! Donate Monetary donations of any amount make our work possible and sustainable. The board and staff of ACN greatly appreciate your financial consideration and support. It is only through the generosity of our individual and community donors that we can continue the important work on behalf of the neurodiverse community. For additional information please email info@acn-sa.org . Donate Volunteer ACN welcomes enthusiastic individuals willing to support the children and caregivers we serve. Opportunities include, but are not limited to, special events, family events, quality-of-life programming, and administrative support. If you are interested in volunteering for ACN, please email info@acn-sa.org . Volunteer Powered by: Understanding Executive Functioning and How to Support It Katie Benson Jan 21 6 min read Cultivating Comfort and Community Through Presence This Holiday Season Katie Benson Dec 4, 2025 5 min read 🎃Navigating Halloween with Neurodiversity in Mind 🎃 Katie Benson Oct 23, 2025 2 min read

Clinician Track: AM Breakout Session: The Movement Sensing Perspective UNPACKED Time 10:00-11:15 AM Presenter/Facilitator Rosemary White, OTR/L Back to Course List < Back About the Clinical Intensive Day In this presentation, Rosemary White, OTR/L brings clarity, depth, and clinical relevance to Elizabeth Torres’s groundbreaking Moving Sensing Perspective in autism. Drawing on her decades of experience in occupational therapy and neurodevelopmental work, Rosemary unpacks Torres’s rich, data driven research and translates complex concepts into practical understanding for clinicians supporting autistic children, adults, and their families. Rosemary bridges theory and practice by explaining how movement, sensation, and nervous system variability offer crucial insights into how autistic individuals experience and respond to the world. She reframes common clinical observations—such as differences in motor control, regulation, attention, and communication—through the lens of self-generated sensory feedback and lived physiological experience, moving beyond behavior-based interpretations. Throughout the talk, Rosemary emphasizes why this perspective matters for everyday clinical decision-making. She explores how understanding individual movement signatures can support more respectful assessment, reduce misinterpretation of intent, and guide interventions that prioritize regulation, safety, and autonomy rather than normalization or compliance. Case examples illustrate how this framework can deepen collaboration with families and empower clinicians to listen to what the body is communicating, not just what is observable on the surface. Objectives Participants will analyze the Movement Sensing Perspective to explain how movement, sensation, and nervous system variability shape the lived experiences of autistic individuals. Participants will interpret clinical observations—such as motor differences, regulation, attention, and communication—through the lens of self-generated sensory feedback rather than behavior-based assumptions. Participants will apply movement-informed assessment and intervention strategies that prioritize regulation, safety, and autonomy while enhancing collaboration with families. Rosemary White, OTR/L is from Australia and has been an Occupational Therapist since 1972. Rosemary received her Neurodevelopmental Therapy training in London with the Bobaths, her Sensory Integrative Therapy training in Los Angeles with Dr. A Jean Ayres and her training in DIR®/Floortime with Stanley Greenspan, MD and Serena Wieder, PhD and the Faculty of ICDL. Rosemary is the owner of a private practice and specializes in working with children presenting with challenges relating and communicating such as autism, sensory processing/integration differences and motor planning and regulatory/attention differences Rosemary’s practice emphasizes understanding the impact of the child’s sensory processing and postural control on their capacity to relate, communicate and learn.

Second Keynote Address: Autism Autonomy: In Search of our Human Dignity Time 12:45-1:30 PM Presenter/Facilitator Elizabeth Torres, PhD Back to Course List < Back About the Clinical Intensive Day Elizabeth Torres, PhD presents insights from her book "Autism Autonomy: In Search of our Human Dignity," a profound exploration of what it means to honor the full personhood of autistic individuals. In this keynote, Dr. Torres shares the importance of her research for amplifying autistic agency—centering the voices, choices, and self-determination of those on the spectrum. Drawing on rigorous scientific inquiry and deep respect for lived experience, Torres challenges systems and frameworks that reduce autistic individuals to passive recipients of intervention. Instead, she argues for a paradigm shift: one that recognizes autonomy as foundational to dignity, and data-driven understanding as a tool for empowerment rather than control. Key themes include: Why autonomy matters: The ethical and practical case for supporting self-determination in all aspects of life—communication, movement, decision-making, and daily living Research as advocacy: How objective measurement of sensory-motor processes can validate autistic experiences and challenge deficit-based narratives From compliance to collaboration: Rethinking clinical, educational, and family relationships to prioritize partnership over correction Amplifying agency: Strategies for creating environments, systems, and interactions that honor what autistic individuals are communicating—verbally and non-verbally. Attendees will leave with a deeper understanding of the intersection between science and human rights, and a renewed commitment to practices that uplift rather than diminish autistic dignity. This keynote is a call to action: to listen more deeply, measure more thoughtfully, and advocate more boldly for a world where every autistic person's autonomy is recognized and protected. Objectives: Participants will explain the ethical case for supporting self-determination in all aspects of autistic life. Participants will define language related to sensory-motor processing and measurement thereof, including but not limited to: vestibular, interoception, proprioception, sensory profile Participants will integrate at least two strategies for creating environments that honor autistic autonomy. Dr. Torres is a Computational Neuroscientist who has been working on theoretical and empirical aspects of sensory motor integration and human cognition since the late 90's. She graduated from Mathematics and Computer Science and spent a year at the NIH as a Pre-IRTA fellow, applying her skill set to the medical field. This work led to Pre-doctoral-fellowship funding (5 years) of graduate school. During her PhD at UCSD, she developed a new theoretical framework for the study of sensory motor integration, employing elements of Differential (Riemannian) geometry and tensor calculus adapted from Contemporary Mechanics and Dynamics to the realm of Cognitive Neuroscience. Upon PhD completion, she moved to CALTECH to receive postdoctoral training in electrophysiology and Computational Neural Systems as a Sloan-Swartz Fellow, a Della Martin Fellow and a Neuroscience Scholar. In parallel, she translated her models to work with humans suffering from pathologies of the nervous systems and built a new platform for personalized analyses of human naturalistic behaviors. She joined Rutgers University in 2008 and deployed her new platform to work on neurodevelopmental disorders with a focus on issues with social interactions. Under an NSF Cyber Enabled Discovery Award, she then launched a transformative research program in autism seeking to build synergies with industry, funded by the NSF Innovation Corps initiative. She filed four patent technologies and with the generous funding of the Nancy Lurie Marks Family Foundation and the New Jersey Governor's Council for the treatment and research of autism, she extended the new platform to study natural dyadic and social behaviors in general. Show More