For more than 30 years, I have worked at the intersection of autism, education, public policy, journalism, and parent advocacy.
Leadership, to me, is not about titles. It is about building programs, creating resources, and helping families solve real problems.
Over the course of my career, I have:
• Designed and launched parent education and outreach programs serving thousands of families. (More info here.)
• Created webinars, newsletters, workshops, and online resources that help parents navigate autism services, school systems, transition planning, and adult life.
• Built partnerships among physicians, therapists, schools, attorneys, disability organizations, and community groups.
• Written extensively about education, disability, and family life for national publications including The Atlantic, USA Today, Edutopia, The 74, and HuffPost.
• Founded McKenna Autism Consulting, which provides strategic guidance to families navigating diagnosis, school placement, transition planning, college options, and adult services.
• Created ABA Options, a directory designed to help families quickly identify autism service providers that meet their needs.
My work is grounded in a simple belief: families make better decisions when they have clear information, trusted guidance, and access to the right resources.
Whether I am speaking to a room of parents, advising a family, writing a newsletter, or building a new program, my goal is the same—to help autistic individuals and their families create meaningful, successful lives.
Speaking Topics
• The Autism Journey: From Diagnosis to Adulthood
• Transition Planning and College Options
• Building Better Parent Support Systems
• Autism, Education, and Public Policy
• What Families Need Most After Diagnosis
• Creating Community Supports for Neurodiverse Individuals
For speaking engagements or consulting inquiries:
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Laura McKenna, PhD 