Calendar

Transforming Obstacles into Opportunities | 12:00PM – 1:30PM
Born a congenital amputee, John Robinson has no hands. His arms stop at his elbows. His lower legs are attached to his hips without knees. He is 3’9’’ tall. When he was a child, John’s parents had many worries: Would he be able to go to school? Could he ever support himself? Yet, through his remarkable tenacity, talent and faith, John has succeeded in business and in building a family in a way that few may have expected. John is a man who has made his way in a world not designed for those without the dexterity of typical arms and legs — a man who has gone on to lead what many would consider an ordinary life. Yet this ordinary life is actually extraordinary when one witnesses the determination required for John to do that which others take for granted, from driving a car to playing a round of golf. People with disabilities are the nation’s most vulnerable demographic, and the obstacles they face in everyday life can seem overwhelming. John’s inspirational story teaches those of us with and without disabilities that, with the aid of a strong education and a few caring individuals, we can achieve that which may initially seem impossible.

Learning Better Ways to Cope: Teaching Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder the Skills to Handle Anxiety | 2:00PM – 3:30PM
The Center for Autism and Related Disabilities at the University at Albany (CARD Albany) is a university-affiliated resource center that brings research and practice together in community settings. CARD Albany provides evidence-based training and support to families and professionals, and, through ongoing research, contributes knowledge to the field of autism spectrum disorders. This training focuses on practical ways to teach coping skills to individuals with autism spectrum disorders. Techniques to assist with anxiety and problem-solving difficulties are discussed. Emphasis is placed on evidence-based strategies that can be taught and used in home, college and work environments.

The Science of Social Success for Transitional Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder | 4:00PM – 5:30PM
Professor Liz Laugeson is a licensed clinical psychologist and an assistant clinical professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA) Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior. She is also the founder and director of the UCLA Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS®) Clinic, an outpatient program providing parent-assisted social skills training for adolescents and young adults with autism spectrum disorders, as well as youth with ADHD, depression, anxiety, and other social impairments. She was a two-time recipient of the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award from the National Institutes of Health from 2004-2007, a recipient of the Semel Scholar Award for Junior Faculty Career Development in 2008, and she received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from Pepperdine University in 2010. Dr. Laugeson has presented her research at international conferences in the U.S., England, Italy, Canada, and Australia. Her work has been featured on national and international media outlets such as People Magazine, USA Today, the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, the Washington Post, CBS, NBC, and Channel 4 in the United Kingdom.

Transitions Tours* | 11:15AM & 5:45PM
Transitions is a supportive Apprenticeship for young men and women with autism spectrum disorders including Asperger’s syndrome, ADHD, dyslexia, nonverbal learning disabilities, visual or hearing impairments, medical conditions and other learning differences who want to attend college and/or prepare for a career, but may require academic, social, medical and/or emotional support.
*Tours of Transitions will be offered at 11:15AM and 5:45PM. Take a tour and the $100 application fee will be waived.

FEES
Early Bird (deadline is 5/1/15) $99 | Regular $125

For more information and to register, please visit www.transitionsusa.org.