Join Visiting Professor Elaine Hall and Chantal Sicile-Kira, author and founder of Autism College, for a free Q & A on Monday September 24th from 6:00pm to 7:00pm PST (9:00pm to 10:00 EST). Sign up for the Autism College newsletter to receive instructions on how to participate and send in your questions. Instructions will be sent via newsletter before the Q & A takes place. (Already registered? Hold tight, the participation link will arrive soon).
Topics to be discussed will be Elaine Hall’s work in the autism community including the Autism Arts Enrichment program at Vista Del Mar, and the upcoming conference they are hosting entitled Re-Thinking Autism: Neurobiology, Technology, Policy, Community. The conference will take place Thursday November 1, 2012, from 8:30 am-3: 30 pm. Speakers include Diana O’Brien, Founder of Impact Autism; Pat Levitt, PH.D, Professor of Neuroscience, Director of USC Neuroscience Graduate Program; and Peter Bell, Executive VP Programs and Services for Autism Speaks.
Save the date – Information will follow soon on how to sign up.
About Elaine Hall:
Elaine Hall, “Coach E!” referenced by the New York Times as “the child whisperer”, was a top Hollywood children’s acting coach whose life changed dramatically after her son Neal, adopted from a Russian orphanage, was diagnosed with autism. When traditional behavioral therapies didn’t work, she sought the esteemed Dr. Stanley Greenspan who encouraged her to rally creative people to join Neal’s world and he slowly emerged out of his isolation.
Elaine then developed these methods to train staff and volunteers and created, The Miracle Project, a theater and film social skills program profiled in the Emmy winning HBO documentary, AUTISM: The Musical. A media personality, she has appeared on CNN, CBS, Oprah Radio, and featured in the LA Times, New York Times and Wall Street Journal.
She is an international inspirational keynote speaker, an Ambassador for Inclusion, a workshop leader and blogs for the Huffington Post. Her memoir, Now I See the Moon, was chosen for World Autism Awareness Day at The United Nations, where she has spoken several times. Now I See the Moon has now been selected as suggested reading for International Jewish Disability Month 2013. Elaine is currently the Director of the Autism Arts Enrichment program at Vista Del Mar in West Los Angeles, where she innovates and oversees state of the art programs including the Bar/Bat Mitzvah and religious education programs.
Elaine has received honors from Autism Speaks, the Mayor of Los Angeles, Senator Pavley, Areva Marin, Holly Robinson Peete and others.
Her latest book, co authored with Diane Isaacs, Seven Keys to Unlock Autism: Creating Miracles In The Classroom, is receiving critical acclaim is being used as university text book and she has led workshops in the Seven Keys Internationally She lives in Santa Monica with the two loves of her life, her son, Neal and husband, Jeff Frymer, a Marriage and Family therapist.