At Proof Positive, we know that the path to improved wellbeing for the autism community must be led by the voices of those with lived experience. That’s why we’re thrilled to share the formation of our inaugural Advisory Board – a dynamic group of nine global experts, advocates, and leaders from across the autism community.
This newly formed board will play a critical role in helping to shape our vision and mission, inform our work, and ensure we remain responsive to the evolving needs of the autism community. With plans to grow to 12-18 members over time, the board was intentionally designed to be inclusive and representative of the autism community, with a minimum of 51% of members being autistic.
“The Advisory Board plays a critical role in ensuring we truly meet the needs of the autism community,” said Katie Curran, Chief Wellbeing Officer at Proof Positive. “By centering autistic individuals as the majority of our board, we ensure their perspectives directly guide our work in creating a future where flourishing within the autism community is not the exception, but the standard.”
Meet Our Founding Advisory Board Members
Our nine founding members bring a diverse range of expertise across academia, health, disability advocacy and lived experience:
- Dr. Mari-Luci Cerda, CEO and Clinical Director of The Lighthouse Learning Center
- Dr. Kara Hume, Associate Professor at UNC School of Education
- Dr. Jiedi Lei, Paul Foundation Clinical Research Fellow at TOPIC Group at the University of Oxford
- Johanna “Joey” Murphy, Director of Inclusion Programming at Evolve Coaching and part-time instructor at the University of Pittsburgh
- Dr. Robert Naseef, Co-founder of Alternative Choices
- Dr. Alexandra Newson, Research Associate at WestEd
- Shannon Schafer, Director and Owner of Inclusion Sports Performance Training
- Zack Sideek, Disability Systems Navigation Coordinator at Arc of King County
- Dr. Jodie Wilson, Graduate Research Associate at the School of Psychology and Public Health at La Trobe University
This group will provide strategic guidance across program development, community engagement efforts, partnerships, and more. We’re honored to have this group join us in a shared commitment to advancing the wellbeing of the autism community. Together, we’ll continue our mission to spread the science and skills of happiness to all.
