Documentary - Autism Researchers, Clinicians and Providers
Walter Zahorodny, Ph.D
Sheri A. Marino MA, CCC-SLP
Walter Zahorodny, Ph.D
Director of New Jersey Autism Study and has been the leading researcher for the CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network (ADDM) since 2000. Dr Zahorodny works in the Pediatrics Department at Rutgers University, New Jersey Medical School. As the senior researcher for the CDC’s Autism and Developmental D
Director of New Jersey Autism Study and has been the leading researcher for the CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network (ADDM) since 2000. Dr Zahorodny works in the Pediatrics Department at Rutgers University, New Jersey Medical School. As the senior researcher for the CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network his research has shown New Jersey autism rates are now at least 1 in 34 children.
David G. Amaral, Ph.D.
Sheri A. Marino MA, CCC-SLP
Walter Zahorodny, Ph.D
Research Director, UC Davis MIND Institute, dedicated to studying autism. Dr. Amaral is currently coordinating a comprehensive and multidisciplinary analysis of children with autism called the Autism Phenome Project to define biomedical characteristics of different types of autism. Dr. Amaral has been continuously funded by the National Institutes of Health for more than 25 years.
Sheri A. Marino MA, CCC-SLP
Sheri A. Marino MA, CCC-SLP
Sheri A. Marino MA, CCC-SLP
As the Executive Director of Autism Healthcare Collaborative, Sheri coordinates medical videoconferences with a team of distinguished physicians across the country who collaborate on medically complex cases of autism around the globe. Sheri serves on the advisory board for Autism Family Services, NJ
Documentary - Autism Parents Who Have affected Autism Policy
Rick Rollens
Barbara L’Italien
Barbara L’Italien
Rick Rollens, Former Secretary of the California State Senate, Co-Founder of the U.C. Davis M.I.N.D. Institute. Rick is a lobbyist in California representing the autism and disability communities for the past two decades. Rick is also a former board member of the Autism Society of America. He is an international autism advocate and father of an adult son with autism.
Barbara L’Italien
Barbara L’Italien
Barbara L’Italien
Barbara L’Italien, Former Massachusetts State Senator and 2018 Candidate for US Congress, was the author of the landmark legislation on autism insurance coverage and a 2014 bill that opened doors to statewide support services for children and adults with autism. Barbara is the mother of adult son with autism.
Marcus Molinaro
Barbara L’Italien
Marcus Molinaro
Marcus Molinaro, County Executive, Dutchess County NY. 2018 Republican Nominee for New York State Governor. Former NY State Assemblyman. Marc is a 2022 candidate for US Congress. He is also the father of a daughter with autism.
Thomas Abinanti
Barbara L’Italien
Marcus Molinaro
Thomas Abinanti, New York State Assemblyman and is the current Chairman of the New York State Assembly Disabilities Committee. He was the author, sponsor and driving force behind various autism legislation signed into law. Tom is the father of a son with autism.
At the Egg (NYS Capitol) Panel discussion with Foundation For Autism Information and Research Executive Director, Michael Smith, NYS Assemblyman and Disabilities Committee Chairman, Thomas Abinanti, Autism Think Tank / Autism Healthcare Collaborative, Executive Director Sheri Marino, Former Mass. St Senator and candidate for Congress Barbara L’Italien and Autism Action Network Executive Director, John Gilmore, discuss autism issues following the film and take questions from legislators, advocates and state agencies and educational professionals
FAIR's Lifetime Achievment Award
In Loving Memory of Bernard Rimland 1928-2006
Picture: FAIR's Julie Duffield interviewing Bernard Rimland
Founder of
The Autism Society of America - 1965
The Autism Research Institute - 1967
Defeat Autism Now (DAN) - 1995
Technical Advisor for the movie Rain Man - 1988
Much of the early autism research was inspired by Dr. Bernard Rimland’s widely acclaimed 1964 book, Infantile Autism, in which he argued convincingly that autism was not a result of emotional neglect, the prevailing theory at the time but instead had biological roots. In his book and later in a 1968 documentary film, The Invisible Wall, Dr. Rimland hypothesized that autism most likely resulted from the interplay of genetics, the environment, and neurology.
Bernard Rimland's tireless efforts resulted in other reseachers proving that other impairments in autism included immune and metabolic dysfunction, gastrointestinal impairment and microbiome and nutritional allergies deficiencies. New versions of behavioral therapy emerged, including Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), Pivotal Response Training, Functional Communication, and Floortime. Sensory therapy expanded to treat sensory specific issues such as deep pressure hearing , tactile, vestibular and vision.
Bernard changed the consensus of autism from a psychological issue to a biological issue, and later in life from a biological issue to environmental.