Dr. Anna Lamikanra, Executive Director, Blazing Trails International Center (BTIC) Autism Symposium Co-Developer. She is also the Evergreen Professor at Wuhan Polytechnic University. This is her fifth Orange Ribbon Initiative Symposium for GT Bank. With many years experience as a researcher, tenured professor, community advocate and training innovator, Dr. “Lam” works to carve-out opportunities for people with disabilities. She has published many articles on educational reform.

Dr. Lam is interested in vocational education, training para-professionaland developing socializing programs for youth in transition and individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder. She developed the curriculum for online certificate programs and a customer service training program for individuals with disabilities.

Recently, Dr. Lamikanra presented at the World Psychiatry Association on the Orange Ribbon Initiative and the status of ASD research in Nigeria. Dr. Lamikanra earned the Ph. D from Iowa State University in Technology & Social Change and Global Education Policy. She is married to Dr. Olusola Lamikanra and they have a son, Olayinka.

Denise Hetherington has had the privilege of working as a Speech Pathologist for the Chicago Public Schools. She has serviced students from preschool to 12th grade diagnosed with speech disorders as the primary disability and speech as a related service, to include populations diagnosed as Learning Disabled, Behavior Disordered, Emotionally Disturbed, Trainable Mentally Handicapped, Severe to Profound Cognitively Delayed, Hearing Impaired, Selective Mutism, Dyslexic, Hearing Impaired, Attention Deficit, and Autistic.

Denise Hetherington received her Bachelor’s Degree in Communications at University of Illinois Chicago Circle in 1978 and a Master’s Degree in Speech Pathology from University of Iowa in 1981. Denise Hetherington recently retired from the Chicago Public Schools June 27th, 2015. After 34 years of service, she is looking forward to utilizing and sharing her knowledge and experiences to improve communication skills for individuals locally and abroad.

Mrs. Redwine graduated from University of Colorado, with a major in psychology. In addition in trying to make the world a better place one person at a time, she is a graduate student at University of Pittsburgh.

Although English is her first language, she is well equipped to speak with you in American Sign Language, Spanish and Hebrew.  Mrs. Redwine has immense experience working with individuals on the Autism spectrum, deaf and hard of hearing, a variety of learning disabilities as an ABA tutor. Mrs. Redwine writes functional behavioral assessments and behavior modification plans. She enjoys reading and traveling.

She was previously the Director of Student Services at the Florida Department of Education, she has over thirty years of professional experience in teaching, support services and leading diversity and inclusion management, in universities, state governments, K-12 education and corporate consulting, nationally and internationally.

Dr. Fayemi is a well-versed leader in human resource development, court certified mediation, compliance administration and enforcement of federal, state and local laws, including the Americans with Disability Act (ADA,   the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and other laws designed to protect the rights of students with  disabilities.

Prior to her work in Florida, Dr. Fayemi was a teacher at the University of Lagos International School and at the Army School of Education in Kwara State Nigeria. She is a constant advocate and believer that all children and adults can  learn and rise to spectacular heights given the right conditions.

Mrs. Dotun Akande a behaviuor Analyst, is the  Founder and Proprietress of the Patrick Speech and Languages  Centre (Patricks) in Lagos. She advocates for early intervention for children that may present early signs of Autism.  She has advocated an innovative strategy designed to show that children with Autism have talent. Mrs. Akande’s annual show tagged ‘Talent in Autism Concert’ is a concert and platform to exhibit and celebrate the unique talents and skills of children with autism.

Patricks is the first centre in Nigeria  to be certified by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES).  She continues to be nominated for many awards for her work with families with  Autism some of which include Vlisco woman of the year 2015 thru to 2017. She was also nominated in Canada by          INAP for Community Leadership Organization. For ten years Mrs. Akande has witnessed children recover from the  symptoms of Autism and become reintegrated into mainstream society.

She is also a member of the Neuro-developmental and Autism Resource Centre (NARC) committee of the College of Medicine, University of Lagos. She is presently overseeing the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit- a position she has held for almost 2years working with children and adolescents with autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders

She has over a decade experience as a doctor. She began a career in Psychiatry nine years ago through the residency programme which she completed in less than six years. She is a member of the West African College of Physicians and a fellow of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria.

Her passion in psychiatry started in her second year at the University when she developed an interest in adolescent psychiatry. This she believed will enable her to help adolescents having crises negotiating through this phase. Her interest and tenacity made her outstanding during her residency programme when she obtained the Egerton Luke Prize as the best part one (membership) candidate in Psychiatry of West African College of Physicians. This drive is still fresh and keeps her going.

Her interest is not only limited to child and adolescent psychiatry but spans through other aspects of psychiatry with a keen interest in rehabilitation of chronic medical and psychiatric conditions. She has conducted series of research in these areas with many outreaches across different communities and age groups.

He has been in the service of the hospital since 2007. He had his residency training program in Federal Psychiatric Hospital Calabar Cross River State where he became a fellow of the West African College of Physician in psychiatry in 2006. Dr Agboola was appointed as Honorary Consultant psychiatrist with East London Mental Health (NHS) Trust and worked at Coborn Center for Adolescent Mental Health Plaistow, East London in 2011. He has been involved in past and ongoing studies in Child psychiatry in Nigeria with some publications in local and international journals.

Dr. Agboola is an associate lecturer with Olabisi Onabanjo University Ogun state responsible for training of medical students in mental health based on the clinical experience acquired both at home and abroad. He is a member of various medical associations locally and abroad including the Association of America Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry since 2004.

Dr Agboola is married with children and he is currently one of the leading clinicians in child and adolescent mental health services in the country.

He received his undergraduate education from The City University of New York, one of the largest public universities in New York City. He attended New York University where he completed a Masters in Speech-Language and Hearing.

For the past six years, Ade has run Simply Speaking SLP, PLLC, providing treatment for children with developmental disorders associated with Autism and other communication-related disorders (e.g. Down’s Syndrome, stroke patients, stutterers, etc.). Ade has worked with the Association For MetroArea Autistic Children Inc. (AMAC, New York), providing speech therapy and preparing to preschool and school age children.  Additionally, he works as a therapeutic consultant within the New York City Department of Education public schools. Ade works closely with stroke patients, providing therapy and support to re-establish communication.

Over the last decade, Ade has received many awards and honors for his exceptional service to young people with special needs. He is a CUNY John F. Kennedy, Jr., Kennedy Fellow. The fellowship sponsored Ade’s first international trip to Trinidad, providing teacher training to educators and therapeutic strategies to parents with Autistic children. He currently serves as an active board member for My Goal Autism, a grass roots non-profit organization located in the New York-New Jersey Metropolitan area. Ade and My Goal Autism, in conjunction with the Ministry of Education in Ghana, have provided professional development and therapeutic support to educators, parents, and children with Autism and intellectual disabilities in Africa. Ade is also Co-Chair for Special Events and a Board member for the National Black Association for Speech-Language-Hearing.

She has sound knowledge regarding etiology, characteristics of autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability.

Ability to provide behavioral interventions to clients and families. Excellent communication and writing skills. Ability to tailor programming to client and family needs. Ability to build rapport with clients, families, and service providers. Excellent analytical and critical thinking skills.

Ability to teach behavioral analytic theory and concepts to RBT’s, aspiring BCBA’s, BCaBA’s, teachers/staff and parents. Objective: Obtain practical experience that will aid the development of my knowledge in the field of behavior analysis.

She is a registered Speech Therapist with the Health and Care Professions Council and a member of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists. Tomi’s years of experience as a Speech Therapist has included paediatric work with pre schoolers, primary, and secondary school students within special and mainstream schools. In addition, she has worked within the NHS with adults who have learning difficulties and swallowing disorders.

Tomi specialises in working with preschool children and children with social communication difficulties (including (ASD). As well as working independently, Tomi currently works part time as a Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist for children with ASD and ADHD for a local authority in London. She is trained to assess children’s social communication needs as part of a multiagency diagnostic team.

Additionaly, Tomi has a special interest in children with hearing impairments and has completed her BSL level 2 with the intention of continuing her studies and work within this field.