2009 Presenters

Contents

1. Ava-Ruth Baker
2. Dinah Murray
3. Havina Harvinainen
4. Ian Jordan
5. Kalen
6. ouinon
7. Perry Gwillim
8. Selina Postgate
9. Suzi Superglue
10. Yo

2009 Presenters' Bios

Ava-Ruth Baker

Ava-Ruth was diagnosed autistic in adulthood. A gifted but 'odd' child, she was obsessed with other cultures and languages, resolved to be an interpreter but trained in medicine and mental health, and after a circuitous life journey, found her current niche interpreting between different autism perspectives (insider versus outsider), different medical paradigms (orthodox versus holistic) etc. Her work includes autism diagnosis and support within a New Zealand holistic healthcare practice. She was a contributing editor and writer for the book “Women from another planet?” and co-founder of ASK (a charitable Trust offering support for and by autistic adults in NZ).

Dinah Murray

Co-author with Ann Aspinall of Getting IT: Using information technology to empower people with communication difficulties; editor and contributor to Coming Out Asperger - Diagnosis, Disclosure and Self-Confidence (both JKP). Dinah is a tutor and has written course material for both Birmingham Universiy's CPD courses in Autism, recently updating the unit on IT. Dinah cofounded Autism & Computing in 1995, making an Arts Council funded free video. Via its website it has campaigned since 1998 for recognising autistic people as part of natural human diversity. In 2006 she started the Posautive Youtube group, with hundreds of videos portraying positive images of autistic potential. In 2008 she launched www.autreach.it and curated the video Something About Us.

Havina Harvinainen

The two staff members of the Empowerment Project, The project manager and the project planner, advocate and empower their fellow members of the autistic spectrum for a living. They both live in Helsinki, Finland.

Ian Jordan

Researcher, optician, author, developer of visual sensory techniques, instrumentation etc.

(added 27-Mar-2018) The presenter is no longer a registered Dispensing Optician. Autscape recommend only using opticians registered with the General Optical Council.

Kalen

Kalen is an autistic woman undertaking the daunting task of raising three girls, at least two of whom are neurotypical, jointly with her ex-husband. She has undertaken a number of parenting courses and frequently shares experiences with autistic friends who also have families. Kalen manages family life with the help of both formal and informal support systems. She has presented at previous Autscapes as well as at venues throughout the UK and in Portugal. She has also undertaken academic research on various topics relating to Autism Spectrum Disorders.

ouinon

Has an Honours Degree in Psychology and Biology, but it was not until 7 years after graduating that she discovered the role of nutrition in physical and mental health. This discovery enabled her to overcome mood disorder, specifically hypomania and depression, as well as anxiety (and a myriad of physical problems), and she has spent the last 17 years passionately reading about the subject and experimenting with various dietary approaches.
When she found out about AS two years ago it was like finding the last missing piece in a puzzle, because it explained why some things just wouldn't go away with diet, whereas depression, brain-fog, anxiety, and fatigue did.

Perry Gwillim

Perry Gwillim is a Metropolitan Police Chief Inspector who has three sons, one of whom is autistic. He has been a police officer for nearly 20 years working in West and Central London and currently commands around 280 uniformed officers in Ealing Borough who provide a response on a 24 hour basis. He has worked on the issue of police awareness of autism for 10 years.

Selina Postgate

Finally diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome in 2007, Selina has spent a lifetime perseverating on "what makes people tick". As well as having much counselling and related experience she holds an IDHP Diploma in Psychotherapy Group Facilitation and is a Master Practitioner and Certified Trainer of NLP. She is also a practicing artist.

Suzi Superglue

Studies at the City of London Polytechnics and at the G.Rietveld Academy Amsterdam,department of jewellery.
Participation in various exhibitions and projects, a selection –
- Silogallery Amsterdam
- Gallery Chielerie Amsterdam
- Gallery FOC Zuerich
- International Design Festival Berlin
- Workshop Autscape 2007
Publications, a selection –
- Roboduck, special cartoon edition (NL)
- International Jewellery compendium (NY/Cologne)
Prices
- Amsterdam Price for Art and Culture with OT 301 2007

Yo

Yo was diagnosed (Asperger Syndrome) 8 years ago and has two children who are both also autistic. She has extensive experience of using complaints to improve services for herself and her children. She has been through multiple complaints processes with social services, the NHS, education, other public bodies and private companies. She also provides advocacy services to other autistic adults and children in North West England to assist them in obtaining, managing and complaining about services. She also runs training sessions on Autism for local charities and businesses. Yo has a Masters degree, is currently working towards her PhD in Educational Research and regularly presents at academic conferences.