Our Team
Sharon daVanport
Founding Executive Director
Sharon daVanport is a disabled advocate, speaker, and educator who serves as the Founding Executive Director of the Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network. They are passionate about access to sexual and reproductive health care, support…
Continue reading »Lydia X. Z. Brown
Director of Policy, Advocacy, and External Affairs
Lydia X. Z. Brown is the Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network’s Director of Policy, Advocacy, & External Affairs. They are a disability justice advocate, organizer, educator, attorney, strategist, and writer whose work has largely focused on interpersonal…
Continue reading »Lori Berkowitz
Director of Web Development, Founding Board Member
I am Lori. I am from New York and currently live in Baltimore, MD (US) with Karen, my wife and partner of 20 years, and our 2 cats Nikkyo and Buster. I learned that I…
Continue reading »Lei Wiley-Mydske
Community Outreach Coordinator
Lei Wiley-Mydske is an Autistic activist, wife and home schooling mom. After being misdiagnosed for many years, Lei was diagnosed as Autistic when she was in her thirties. Lei is the co-founder of a special…
Continue reading »Kayla Rodriguez
Divergent Co-Chair, Board of Directors
Kayla Rodriguez is Puerto Rican, she was diagnosed with Aspergers when she was a child, but she prefers to identify as Autistic. Kayla is originally from New York, currently resides in Buford, Georgia. Throughout her…
Continue reading »Corina Becker
Vice President, Board of Directors, Founding Board Member
Corina Lynn Becker lives in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. As well as autistic, she is nonbinary, asexual, chronically ill, and ADHD. Corina graduated from Wilfrid Laurier University in 2008 with a B.A. in English, and is…
Continue reading »Mara Fritts
Secretary, Treasurer, Board of Directors
My name is Mara Fritts and I was diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome in 2008. I have been married for fourteen years to my husband who was also diagnosed with AS in 2008. We have four…
Continue reading »Elesia Ashkenazy
Advisory Committee, Senior Editor, Project Manager
Elesia Ashkenazy lives in Portland, Oregon. She is passionate about Disability Rights and self-advocacy, and seeks to promote widespread understanding of the needs and rights of autistic individuals, especially females. She is also a parent…
Continue reading »Emily Paige Ballou
Senior Editor, Publications Committee, Online Content Moderator
Emily Paige Ballou grew up near Kansas City, Missouri and attended the University of Georgia, earning dual degrees in drama and biology. She currently lives in New York City where she works professionally as a…
Continue reading »Amy Sequenzia
Staff Writer
I am an Autistic activist. I also have epilepsy and cerebral palsy. I write poetry – I published three small books – and articles on autism, disabilities, being autistic and advocacy. I type to communicate….
Continue reading »Court (Alison) Falk
Content Creator, Moderator, Writer
Court (Alison) Falk is a chronically ill, autistic, multiply neurodivergent disability activist. They are a parent to three amazing autistic children. Court was the editor of the literary magazine in high school and college and…
Continue reading »Erin Human
Art Director
Erin Human is an autistic woman and married mother of two children. She grew up in New England and attended Rhode Island School of Design before graduating with a BA in Art and Writing from…
Continue reading »Reese Piper
Staff Writer
Reese Piper is a New York based writer and performer who travels often for work and fun. Her work has appeared in the Establishment, Upworthy, Ravishly, and BUST. She discovered she was autistic when she…
Continue reading »Hannah Morrison
Volunteer
Hannah is a recent graduate of North Carolina State University, with a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, and a minor in Psychology. When she is not programming or volunteering, Hannah enjoys reading, knitting, and playing…
Continue reading »C.L. Bridge
Staff Writer
C.L. is an autistic person who enjoys art, games, and aquatic animals.
Continue reading »Kit Mead
Social Media Content Moderator
Kit Mead is an Autistic disability activist based out of Atlanta, GA, where they run the Atlanta Chapter for the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, and graduated from Agnes Scott College in May ’15 with a…
Continue reading »Nadine Silber
Contributing Writer
Nadine Silber is an Autistic Jewish woman and considers both to be important parts of her identity. She holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law and practiced as a child…
Continue reading »Jean Winegardner
Contributing Writer
I am many things, including a mother to three boys, a wife, a writer, a stay-at-home mom, part of a neurodiverse household, and an autistic woman. I also like rodents a lot. I do much…
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