Speakers

Dr. Geller is a clinical psychologist specializing in Autism Spectrum Disorder and the unique challenges it presents in both individual struggle and public perception. Having worked most of her professional career at various medical schools with this population, she founded Spectrum Services, a group of professionals dedicated to providing individualized services to children and adults on the autism spectrum. Dr. Geller currently works primarily to assist in legal cases where the defendant is on the autism spectrum to elucidate for prosecutors and judges the unique aspects of these conditions and the effects on cognition, competency, culpability, and social understanding that may result.  She evaluates individuals who have been charged with criminal behavior to explain how their autistic characteristics affected their understanding of their behavior and provides expert testimony

Dr. Russell Lang is a Professor of Special Education at Texas State University and a Doctoral-level Board Certified Behavior Analyst. He has worked as district behavior specialist in Texas public schools and has over 20 years experience in the education and treatment of children with neurodevelopmental disabilities. Dr. Lang’s research focuses on the identification and practical application of evidence-based practices across a range of settings.

As an autistic and legally blind person, it was always made clear to Mickey the many things he was incapable of doing. But Mickey did them all anyway—and he succeeded because of, not despite, his autism. He became the first autistic actor to play the lead role in the play The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, landed the title role in the play Amadeus, co-created the theatre/philanthropy company Arts on the Waterfront, and founded the National Disability Theatre. Mickey has been featured in the New York Times, New York Times Magazine, the TODAY show, PBS, Vogue, Playbill, NPR, CNN, Wall Street Journal, HuffPost, Forbes, on Smarter in Seconds. He has been a keynote speaker at organizations including the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, The Kennedy Center, Yale University, Columbia University, CUNY, Disability Rights Washington, The Gershwin Theatre on Broadway, and the DAC of the South Korean government, and more. Mickey was the founding Artistic Director of the National Disability Theatre, working in partnership with Tony Award-winning companies such as La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego and the Goodman Theatre in Chicago.

Aaron Shield is Associate Professor of Speech Pathology and Audiology at Miami University of Ohio. He holds a Ph.D. in linguistics from the University of Texas at Austin and completed postdoctoral training in Psychology at the University of Chicago and Boston University. He has been investigating the linguistic and cognitive development of deaf, signing children with ASD since 2007.

Mikle South received a BA in psychology from Yale University in 1994 followed by a PhD in child clinical psychology with Sally Ozonoff at the University of Utah in 2005. He returned to Yale for postdoctoral training with Bob Schultz in developmental neuroimaging. The early part of his career was spent as professor in the Department of Psychology at Brigham Young University before moving in 2021 to the Emory University School of Medicine as a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and Director of Emory Autism Center, which provides services and education for autistic people of all ages. Dr. South’s research has focused on better understanding the interaction of anxiety and autism in brain and behavior, including recent studies of how sleep affects autism, as well as risk factors for suicidal thoughts and behaviors in young adults. He enjoys hiking and biking with his wife or getting out on his electric scooter, and eating proper pizza.