Elesia Ashkenazy

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 of a son on the spectrum.

Elesia is the Community Council Chair and Research Assistant for Academic Autistic Spectrum Partnership in Research and Education (AASPIRE). She is also a member of the Community Advisory Board for the Partnering with People with Developmental Disabilities to Address Violence Project via the University of Montana Rural Institute.

Elesia previously worked as the Chapter & Outreach Coordinator for Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) for several years and is also a former Board member. In addition, she has served as a member of the Screening Identification and Assessment Subcommittee for the Oregon Commission on Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Outside of her advocacy and public speaking work, Elesia aspires to be a published author of Young Adult fiction. She is also a classically trained ballet dancer who continues to take class several times a week and performs whenever the opportunity arises. Elesia is fluent in American Sign Language (ASL) and is also a cochlear implant recipient.