Lanre Duyile is a professional Behavior Analyst and Entrepreneur. He is the President and CEO of Behaviorprise Consulting Inc. and Behaviorprise College of Business and Health Studies, Toronto, Canada. With almost 20 years’ diverse experience in business and developmental services, Lanre operates two (2) day program facilities for people living with developmental disabilities in Ontario, Canada. He works in collaboration with Government funded agencies in Ontario to create and implement evidence-based behavioral treatment and supports to improve the lives and learning of people living with developmental disabilities.

Lanre is a board-certified Behavior Analyst, is a sustaining member of the Ontario Association for Behavior Analysis (ONTABA) and a member of the Association of Professional Behavior Analysts (APBA) and an approved provider of behavioral services in Ontario. Lanre co-authored an article on the Treatment of Pica Disorder, 2018 published in the peer reviewed journal Neurodevelopmental Disorders.

Maleshwane Mauco, MSc., BCBA is the first board certified registered Behavior Analyst in Southern Africa. She has 18 years of experience consulting in Autism, Severe Special Needs, Learning Difficulties, and Staff Training & Behavior Management. Having earned a master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis from Northeastern University in Boston she proceeded to get over eighteen years of experience across four continents working in Special Education and Consultation. She has worked as a Special Education Teacher / Behavior Specialist in New York, as a Program Director of an Autism Unit in Ireland, as an Autism Consultant in Kuwait, Dubai, Cape Town, Angola, Eswatini and Botswana. Ms. Mauco has been consulting and training government, non-profit organizations and private institutions since her relocation back to Botswana for five years both in Botswana and Dubai.

Ms. Mauco is the Clinical Director of Africa Behavior Analysis Services (ABAS) with a focuses on educational professionals training, care-giver support/training, learning difficulties, assessments, educational training, educational remedial services, autism services and behavior management. She is also passionate about training of professionals and parents in behavior management, learning, neurological and mental health issues.
Ms. Mauco a member of Botswana National Children Council, a body that advices parliament on children’s rights. She is also part of the Autism Leadership and Advocacy group through Autism Speaks and the WHO. Ms. Mauco has featured on several talks, international conferences and has been making a mark in print, radio and television media on issues dealing with autism, behavior and learning challenges.

Ms. Mauco’s personal mission is to capacitate special needs para-professionals in providing services that are efficient, culturally relevant and evidence based. The results of the capacitation will support and improve the quality of life of people with special needs and their families.

Ms. Camille Proctor is the mother of a teen son and adult daughter. In 2008 shortly after her son’s second birthday he was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. In 2009 she founded The Color of Autism Foundation to provide support for African American families with children on the autism spectrum. The Color of Autism Foundation is a US Non-Profit (501 c3) organization committed to educating and assisting African American families affected by autism spectrum disorders. Their goal is to help families identify the warning signs of autism early on, so they can become their child’s best advocate. By providing culturally competent support and training, which will lead to better outcomes for children in underserved communities on the autism spectrum. She has served as a diversity and inclusion advisor for both television and film. Camille is a board member of the Behavioral Intervention Certification Council, where she serves as secretary. BICC is an independent and autonomous governing body for the Board-Certified Autism Technician (BCAT) & Board-Certified Autism Professional (BCAP) certification programs. In September 2020, Governor Gretchen Whitmer appointed her to the Michigan State Disability Council. The Michigan Developmental Disabilities Council’s mission is to support people with developmental disabilities to achieve life dreams.

Author of a CNN Essay “For the Walter Wallaces of the world, the police are not the answer” (October 2020).

Dr. Agboola Paul is a Child and Adolescent Consultant Psychiatrist at the Neuropsychiatric Hospital Aro and the pioneer Head of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Department of the hospital after the completion of his Oversea Clinical training in Child Psychiatry in United Kingdom. He worked with other clinicians and therapists at the hospital to upscale the psychotherapy services in the hospital after completion of the training in Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy in Ontario Canada in 2014.

He is playing a leading role in the provision of general mental health services, research and training in the hospital. Dr. Agboola’s involvement in the provision of mental health services outside the hospital environment dated back to 2013 and has worked with the (a) Ogun State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social development (b) Ogun State Ministry of Education, Science and Technology in the area of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. Since 2015, Dr Agboola has been involved in the free screening of children with autism and other neuro-developmental disorders in the community, a program sponsored by the Guaranty Trust Bank of Nigeria.

She works in clinic at home and in schools, assessing paediatrics and adults, supervising junior Speech and Language Therapists and delivering therapeutic intervention, and developing home programmes. She has continued to expand her practice abroad and in 2019 began working with The Zeebah Foundation in Abuja.

Jeannette Washington, M.Ed. is an author, speech-language pathologist and technology professional. Her experience working with neurodiverse learners has earned her recognition in The Washington Post alongside the cofounder of Yale University’s Center for Dyslexia & Creativity. Jeannette has earned a TEACCH® Autism Program certification and a LETRS® Early Childhood certification. Her debut novel Technical Difficulties: Why Dyslexic Narratives Matter In Tech has received starred reviews across Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Audible. Jeannette is the Chief Academic Officer of Bearly Articulating and the Technical Lead of Smiles for Speech.

Dr. Anna Lamikanra, Executive Director, Blazing Trails International Center (BTIC) has many years experience as a researcher, tenured professor, fundraiser, 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-professionals and developing socialization programs for youth in transition and individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder and has learned that anyone can be successful with the proper support.

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.

Daisy Jonathan is a Certified Educator and Board-Certified Cognitive Specialist (BCCS), Advanced Certified Autism Specialist (ACAS) and is certified as a Qualified Autism Service Practitioner-Supervisor (QASP-S) under the Qualified Applied Behavior Analysis (QABA) Credentialling Board with vast experience in using Applied Behaviour Analysis to assess, plan and implement programs for individuals with behaviour, learning and neuro-developmental challenges and disorders. She holds two master’s degrees with one in the field of Special Education.

Mrs Jonathan provides support, coaching and trainings for parents, educators, therapists and other professionals and consults largely for schools in the area of assessments, planning and setting up inclusive education systems. She is a speaker, trainer, child advocate and an Internationally published Author whose book Help That Child! provides parents, teachers, therapists and Practitioners with knowledge and skills to understand and address challenging behaviours and build skills among children and teenagers including those with Special Needs, Emotional and Behavioural problem.

She has over two decades of experience as a consultant and trainer in the Education, Small Business and Non-profit sector using Participatory Learning Approaches, Strategic Behaviour Change Communication among young and vulnerable populations.

Daisy Jonathan is an executive member of the Association of Behavior Analysis in Nigeria (ABAN). She is the convener of Autism and Special Needs Support Africa (ASNSA) a platform for stakeholders in the Autism and Special Needs sector to get information, skills and support and Warrior Mums Support Group- a support Group with membership of about six hundred mothers of Children with Special Needs drawn from over fifteen countries.

Daisy Jonathan owns and manages Pleasant Places Inclusive schools in Portharcourt and Lagos, Nigeria and Pleasant Places Therapy Centre for individuals with moderate to severe learning and nuero-developmental challenges and Pleasant Places Training Academy to build competence of parents caregivers and therapists.

Solape Azazi is the Executive Director & Founder of Cradle Lounge Special Needs Initiative, an organization dedicated to increasing awareness, acceptance and inclusive learning.

She is a wife and mother of 2 boys, one of who was diagnosed with ASD at the age of 3.

With over 20-years’ experience in the Oil and Gas industry, Eziafakaku Nwokolo retired from her full-time job with Chevron Nigeria Limited in 2014 to pursue a new interest in the field of developmental disabilities. She is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA®) and also a Qualified Behavior Analyst (QBA).

Eziafakaku is the Founder/CEO of Shades of Life Care Limited; a company that provides services to individuals with developmental disabilities. She sits as a member of the International Standards Committee of the Qualified Applied Behavior Analysis (QABA) Credentialing Board.

She has given presentations of her work at different conferences – the Association of Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) 44th International Conference, 5th and 6th European International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IASSIDD) Conferences, and the 15th Association of Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) conference for Autism.

Currently, she is a PhD research student with focus on validating screening and diagnostic tools for Intellectual Disability (ID) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in Nigerian adolescents.

Mr. Akinyelure Abimbola is a certified occupational therapist. He is registered with the medical rehabilitation therapist board of Nigeria, A member of the Occupational Therapy Association of Nigeria and member Occupational Therapy Africa Regional Group. He has more than 15years experience of working with special needs children.He has received several awards in recognition of his longstanding and dedicated contributions to the Nigeria Autism Community and the field of Rehabilitation
He graduated from Manipal University India. He is presently the Head of Occupational Therapy Department at the National Orthopedic hospital Igbobi Lagos.

Dr. Waganesh Zeleke is a licensed clinical mental health counselor, certified National counselor, and Associate Professor in Counseling Psychology and Special Education department at Duquesne University.
A critical component of Dr. Zeleke research agenda focuses on children with Autism in the low-resource areas of the world. Given that minority children with Autism are disproportionately represented in health care access and utilization, Dr. Zeleke analyzed a large national dataset of children with ASDs and other developmental disorders. Her focus on disparity research emphasizes detecting, understanding, and reducing the level of disparity in mental healthcare access and utilization of children with ASD from a minority background. In addition, Dr.Zeleke’s work exploring the epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment of Autism in Ethiopia and Zimbabwe began to right the imbalance of knowledge about Autism worldwide.
In addition to teaching, research, and providing service at the university level, she is actively engaged in community services (e.g., a Board member for NPEN) and active member of the American Counselor Association, American Mental Health Counseling Association, American Psychology Association, Association for Counselor Education and Supervision, Society for Research in Child Development, and International Society for Autism Research.

Dr. Zeleke has demonstrated multicultural competencies and a high level of clinical skills through her work as a practicing clinician, consultant, and parenting educator in Autism, trauma, depression, anxiety, parenting, and international adoption in the USA.
Dr. Zeleke’s track record is extensive as it includes thirty peer-reviewed publications, five book chapters, and more than 60 peer-review national and international presentations as well as several grants; all address the needs of disenfranchised groups, including children with disabilities (especially Autism), immigrant families in the US and African families in Ethiopia.

She is a recipient of more than 18 awards and honors, including the Cultural Diversity Research Award of the International Society for Autism Research, Creative Teaching Award, Early Career Faculty Award for Excellence in scholarship.

Mrs. Kora White MS. Ed., BCBA, LBA is a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst with over 13 years of experience in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). Her experience as a Behavior Analyst has focused on decreasing challenging behaviors, teaching replacement behaviors/ functional living skills, and a strong emphasis on parent/caregiver training. She has had the opportunity to serve families across the globe, from various states within the United States of America, United Arab Emirates (Abu Dhabi), Bahrain, and Kenya. She is the owner and current Clinical Director at Nuru Behavioral Network, which provides ABA therapy and consultation to families, schools, and organizations.

She earned her Bachelor of Psychology with a minor in Sociology from Saint Francis University (Loretto, PA) and Masters in Special Education -Severe Needs (MS. Ed) from Simmons College (Boston, MA). She is currently a doctoral student at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology – Dallas, earning her Doctorate of Philosophy in Organizational Leadership.

Mrs. White’s passion has grown over the years to include advocacy for parents and children within school systems, accessibility of resources to families, advocacy for immigrant families with children with special needs, diversity within the field of ABA, and leadership development of future clinicians.

She enjoys spending time with her family, friends, and traveling in her spare time.

Morénike Giwa Onaiwu, PhD(c), MA is an educator, writer, public speaker, parent, and global advocate whose work focuses on meaningful community involvement and leadership, disability, racial, and gender equity, dismantling stigma, and inclusion and empowerment. Often drawing from personal background as a person of color in a neurodiverse and serodifferent family, a late-diagnosed adult on the autism spectrum, and relevant educational and professional experience, Morénike is a highly sought after presenter, consultant, and subject matter expert.

Morénike has been an invited speaker in the White House, at the United Nations Headquarters, a keynote speaker and/or presenter at numerous conferences, and provides diversity, research, and disability consulting to several organizations. Morénike, who is currently a Humanities Scholar at Rice University and a doctoral candidate in education, has been published by Beacon Press and Palgrave MacMillan and will release an edited collection on neurodiversity in the Black community in 2022 with Jessica Kingsley Publishing.

Mrs. Tonye Faloughi-Ekezie is a wife, mother and entrepreneur. As the head of TEEOF Media, she consults on media and entertainment projects for a range of clients.

In her early years Tonye attended school and university in the UK and USA, before eventually relocating back to Nigeria, working on, and commissioning major projects for such companies as Endemol South Africa, MNet and Storm 360. Some of her commissioned and produced content include:

Tinsel – the first in studio multi-cam production of it’s kind in Nigeria
Pop Idol West Africa
Deal or No Deal Nigeria
Naija Sings (format created by Tonye)
Ghana’s Vodafone icons (format created by Tonye)
Presidential and Vice presidential debates
Martini Sparkling commercial.
October 1 (feature film directed by Kunle Afolayan)

Imbibed with an entrepreneurial spirit from her father, Tonye started her own company, TEEOF Media, in 2011.

In 2012 Tonye married her best friend Ugo Ekezie and in 2013 they welcomed their first child, a boy, Ugo Jr., and in 2015 their second child, a girl, Simone. However, Simone had life threatening heart complications resulting from a late diagnosis of Down syndrome. As a result, Tonye and her family had to relocate to for the next two and a half years to save her daughter’s life.

In May 2018 with the good news of Simone’s heart functioning as normal, Tonye was able to return to Nigeria.

With the life lessons learnt and the experience of being a mother, she created the book series “Ugo and Sim Sim”, based on her children and has now turned her entrepreneurial drive to not only raising awareness about special needs, but also to children’s content after noticing a severe lack of entertainment representing black and African children, special needs children and those who fall into both categories.

Hence, the creation of “Simone’s Oasis”, a platform dedicated to black and African children. Simone’s Oasis aims to connect to our children’s very sense of self. To establish a new norm of what our black and African children can dream and achieve or even entertain as possibilities, whatever their ability or disability, because to see yourself represented is extremely powerful and what better way to do that than through entertainment.

You can find Simone’s Oasis at www.simones-oasis.com and @simonesoasis on all social media, including YouTube.

The Simone’s Oasis TV broadcast block airs nationwide every Saturday, 8am to 10 am WAT, Pineapple TV Channel 129 on Startimes.

Beauty Kumesine is the founding Director of Blazing Heart Autism Center (BHAC)
and Azbekum Foundation. She has over 14 years of experience in managing children
living with childhood developmental disorders and in particular has specialized
her skills and knowledge on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and related
disorders and is the Lead Behavior therapist at Blazing heart Autism center.
Beauty is a passionate public speaker and advocate who speaks from her heart
and to the hearts of her community for the identification and rehabilitation of
children with Special Needs, ASD and other related developmental disorders
within the Nigerian society. She has organized annual, walks, road shows, free
breakfast dialogues, seminars and workshops for this cause and has spoken on
different corporate platforms on Autism, Inclusion, Advocacy and the way forward
for Individuals with ASD. Through her effort, several schools in Rivers State
and its environs have set up Special Needs Units to provide inclusive educational
settings for children with ASD and other additional needs and she effectively
supports the daily running of these units. She trains teachers and schools on effectively
strategizing to achieve success with individuals with special needs.

Beauty Kumesine seats on different directors and advisory boards and does her
bit in capacity building for her community. For her, every child counts and there is
hope and help for every child.

Beauty has successfully single handedly managed the a!airs and run Blazing
Heart Autism Center for 12 years and counting, is willing and ready to do more
for parents and children she come across with partnerships and collaborations
and any means rightfully legal.

She consults for hospitals and schools on special needs and how to handle special
needs cases and has archived many certifications and recognitions locally
and internationally with recent awards by Leading Ladies Africa as one of Nigeria’s
100 most Inspiring Women and one of Nigeria’s 50 most Inspiring Women by under
the Business Day Women’s hub Publications.

Beauty is a fellow and an alum of LEAP Africa and has competencies in special
needs and certifications from various international credentialing bodies.
Beauty Kumesine can be reached directly on her social media platforms through
the following:

Facebook: @Bea Uty Kumesine
Instagram: @IambeautyK
Twitter: @BeautyKumesine
LinkedIn: @Beauty Kumesine
Email: bkumesine@gmail.com

With expertise in Public health intervention design and Communication, Noimot Abisola Balogun is the founder of Linka.ng, a health relationship company that develops innovative engaging solutions for health systems clients to make health messages, research and services more meaningful to their audiences.

Presently an Adjunct research fellow in communications at the Clinical Sciences Department at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, NIMR. She is also a member of the Health Policy Commision of the Niegrian National Economic Summit Group.

In 2020, Noimot was invited as a volunteer for the Lagos State COVID-19 Risk Communication Pillar where she serves as the content team lead. An advocate for effective communication in healthcare delivery, Noimot has consulted for local and international organisations like PathII/DFID project, UNDP, US based Speyside Public policy group, Pharmaccess among others.

In 2018, Noimot was selected as one of the 57 African researchers selected for Lancaster’s based recirculate project for Africa which took participants through Ghana, Nigeria and the United kingdom. She was also one of the 3 Nigerians selected as trainers in the knowledge exchange workshop funded by Global Research Council Fund in Malawi, 2019. The skills gained from health and water safety and sustainability led her to championing a cause to bridge the infection control gap in the final baths of Muslims in Lagos, Nigeria through her creation of bathing morgues for mosques.

Noimot takes pride in designing bespoke community outreaches, and health promotion campaigns using innovative local solutions for her clients.

Dr. Grace Ojeamiren-Bamigboye is a Consultant Speech-Language Pathologist with about twenty-five years’ experience of working with children with special needs, and has a special interest in speech/language disorders and bilingualism (American Sign Language).

She completed her doctoral studies in Speech Pathology with The University of Ibadan and has Certificate in Autism Spectrum Disorders from The University of Texas Continuing Education Program, Arlington, USA and Certificate for the management of Cleft Palate Speech, Smile Train Initaitve from Teachers College, Columbia University.

Grace Ojeamiren-Bamigboye has produced several published works including research papers and articles. She is registered with the Medical Rehabilitation Therapists (Registration) Board of Nigeria (www.mrtbnigeria.org.ng) and is the Public Relation Officer of Speech Pathology and Audiology Association of Nigeria (http://spaan.org.ng). Grace Ojeamiren-Bamigboye is a resource person to the National Economic Summit on Neuroscience and Early Childhood Development, and has received several awards in recognition of her longstanding and dedicated contributions to the Nigeria Autism Community and the field of Special Education Needs.