Speakers

Our strength is understanding the local WA community needs while opening up opportunities for engagement with the wider Australian Autistic network. Feedback provided by past attendees has informed our speaker and topic selection; we are excited to welcome back some familiar faces by popular request and welcome first-time Symposium speakers as well. These are the speakers confirmed so far, with more to be announced in the coming weeks.

Andrew Whitehouse

Andrew Whitehouse

Andrew Whitehouse is the Angela Wright Bennett Professor of Autism Research and the Director of CliniKids at the The Kids Institute Australia. He is also Research Strategy Director of the Cooperative Research Centre for Living with Autism (Autism CRC). Prior to coming to the Telethon Kids Institute, Andrew was a Junior Research Fellow at the University of Oxford.

At The Kids, he leads a network of clinical centres (called CliniKids) for children with neurodevelopmental differences that embeds clinical trials within everyday community practice. Andrew has published over 300 peer-reviewed journal articles and attracted over $80 million in competitive research grants. He currently presents an internationally syndicated video series called ’60 Second Science”, which has had over 2 million views. He is an advisor to State and Commonwealth Governments on policies relating to children with Autism Spectrum Conditions. He chaired the committee that generated Australia’s first national guideline for autism diagnosis, and co-chaired the committee that developed Australia’s first national guideline for early therapies and supports for autistic children.

Andrew has published one edited book with his twin-brother (Ben), and a popular science book that examined the science behind some of the myths of pregnancy and child development (Will Mozart Make My Baby Smart?). He has also been awarded a Eureka Prize for his research, and is the youngest person ever elected to Fellowship of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences. In 2023, he was a Western Australian of the Year award winner.

Carol Hegan

Carol Hegan

Carol Hegan is a neurodivergent developmental educator, with over a decade of experience working alongside neurodiverse families.

With a background as a neuro-affirming therapist and inclusion consultant, Carol has dedicated her career to fostering positive self-identities in neurodivergent children. She possesses a special interest in aiding those who have faced childhood trauma, helping them understand themselves and thrive.

For Carol it’s not just professional—it’s deeply personal. As a mother to three neurodivergent children, she understands the unique challenges and immense joys that come with parenting through a neurodivergent lens. Her firsthand experiences have shaped her work, reinforcing the importance of creating environments that celebrate individual differences and foster a sense of belonging.

Carol’s mission is to empower families, ensuring every child feels valued and understood. Her approach emphasises the necessity of neuro-affirming support in every facet of a child’s life, from education to home life.

Join Carol as she shares invaluable insights and practical advice on parenting neurodivergent children with a neuro-affirming lens, drawing from both her professional expertise and personal experiences.

Emma Goodall

Emma Goodall

Coming Soon

Liz Baird

Liz Baird

Liz Baird is an autistic speech pathologist, working predominately with autistic youth and young adults. She is advocate for the neurodiversity movement and is passionate about translating neurodiversity-affirming practice into practical steps for health professionals. Liz is an active member of both autistic and therapy communities, and provides education and training aiming to bridge the gap between lived-experience and professional knowledge.

Marnie Williams

Marnie Williams

Marnie is an AuDHDer and occupational therapist, specialising in supporting neurodivergent individuals across the lifespan with a particular interest in working with PDAers. Passionate about the neurodiversity movement, Marnie uses both lived and learnt experiences to create a felt sense of safety in sessions. By employing low-demand, person-led approaches, Marnie tailors strategies to each individual’s unique needs and interests. By weaving these principles into goal setting, Marnie collaborates with individuals and families to develop approaches that accommodate diverse ways of processing and interacting with the world, fostering meaningful and achievable outcomes.

Matt Capp

Matt Capp

Dr Matt Capp (EdD) is the Director of CAPITALISE Education and one of the world’s leading experts in the areas of Universal Design for Learning. He has over 22 years of experience in primary and secondary schools, as well as universities, supporting students with disability and diverse learning needs. He is also a man on the autism spectrum, who suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and brings his lived experience and knowledge to providing personalised learning for all learners, both adults and children.

Monique Mitchelson

Monique Mitchelson

Monique is an Autistic and ADHD’er Clinical Psychologist working in private practice in Brisbane Australia. She does training, has consulted on the National Autism Strategy and has co-authored ‘The Neurodivergence Skills Workbook for Autism and ADHD’ (2024) by New Harbinger which is a no. 1 bestseller. Monique has an interest in Autism and ADHD particularly in women and girls, and co-occurring chronic pain/illness, and trauma. Monique also co-hosts The Neurodivergent Woman Podcast with Clinical Neuropsychologist Dr Michelle Livock which share free clinical and lived experience information on Neurodivergence in Girls and Women for professionals, neurodivergent people and their loved ones. The podcast has over 1.5 million downloads and is in the top 1% of podcasts on Spotify.

We are currently taking submissions for speakers. If you are interested to speak at the Symposium in 2025, send through an abstract to events@spectrumspace.org.au and we will get in touch.