Every year, we at Autism Parenting Magazine (APM) feel blessed and thankful for all the contributors who share their time and expertise to write helpful, informative articles for our families around the world. By doing so, we can provide you with the current advice and information in each issue, as well as at our Autism Parenting Summit.
We present these awards in several categories to showcase these selfless and inspiring individuals, and to express our heartfelt gratitude. Choosing among the many worthy candidates is challenging, and we wish we could present an award to each of them.
We are so grateful to every contributor who shared their writing with us, and we hope you all continue to submit your work for our future issues. We could not do this without you.
With pleasure, we announce the autism experts who have been chosen for this year’s APM 2025 Contributor Awards:
Top APM Contributor
Dr. Malcolm contributes a monthly column to Autism Parenting Magazine, sharing his knowledge and expertise to answer parents’ questions. He has also written articles and participated in our webinars. Dr. Malcolm is an assistant director of student services and special education for a public school district. He is also an associate faculty member and a special graduate faculty member at two universities. He has over 41 years of experience working with students aged 3-21 with autism and various medical needs in school- and community-based settings.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-ronald-malcolm-11983539
Top Parental Advice Contributor
Dr. McGuire has written for our magazine and blog and has shared his expertise by presenting for our webinars and Summit. He is a former board member of the Autism Society of Illinois and the father of an adult son with autism, diagnosed at age two. Dr. McGuire has over 35 years of public service experience, and he holds degrees in law enforcement management, counseling psychology, public administration, food and nutrition, and ethical leadership. He is also a credentialed coach by the International Coaching Federation with several areas of specialization.
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://crosstown.pro/
Top Tools and Support Contributor
Dr. Temple Grandin has given her time and talent to provide presentations and Q&A sessions for our Autism Parenting Summit, as well as for the Q&A with Dr. Temple Grandin column for APM. She is a Distinguished Professor of Animal Science at Colorado State University. Many companies worldwide use facilities she has designed for handling livestock. She has also been essential in implementing animal welfare auditing programs used by major corporations. Dr. Grandin has appeared on numerous TV shows, including 20/20 and Prime Time, and is the subject of the new documentary, An Open Door. Her books include Thinking in Pictures, Livestock Handling and Transport, and The Autistic Brain. Her books Animals in Translation and Visual Thinking have been on The New York Times Best Sellers list. Temple was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame in September 2017. In 2022, she was named a Distinguished Professor at Colorado State University, and in 2023, was inducted into the Colorado Authors’ Hall of Fame.
Top Autism Advocacy Contributor
Karen has contributed numerous articles to APM, offering our readers her expertise across many areas of autism. She has served as an instructor in the Autism Spectrum Certificate program at Alliant University and has sat on nonprofit boards to help build capacity for those with special needs. Karen founded and directed a residential school in Sacramento for nearly 20 years. She has also directed schools for students on the spectrum in the San Francisco North and South Bay Areas for 15 years. As an author and speaker, she has helped non-governmental agencies in Indonesia and Africa globally. She currently consults with families, schools, and adult programs.
Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/karen-kaplan-51104aa
Website: www.karenkaplanasd.com
Top Behavioral Solutions Contributors
Dr. Manor has shared her knowledge by writing several articles for APM and co-writing others with Dr. Wolff. She changed her path from studying to become a special education teacher to one in neuropsychology. She grew up in a family of educators, physicians, and nurses, learning about the brain-body connection. With three generations of disabilities, her family legacy includes helping everyone, of all abilities, to learn and be as healthy as possible. She co-founded BRAINS with Dr. Wolff in 2007, and she cherishes people of all abilities, making a positive mark on the world with compassion and expertise.
Dr. Wolff also shared his expertise, co-writing articles for APM with Dr. Manor. He is a clinical neuropsychologist specializing in pediatric neuropsychology and has been a faculty member at several universities. Dr. Wolff has received awards for his contributions to psychology, and he has several professional publications and an extensive professional speaking career. Dr. Wolff serves on several boards, is an advisor to students in pediatric neuropsychology for the American Academy of Pediatric Neuropsychology, and is a Professional Advisor for the Epilepsy Association of Michigan.
Top Education Contributor
Maggie has written several articles for APM, sharing her 16 years of experience as a neurodiversity-affirming pediatric speech-language pathologist. She specializes in helping families connect and understand their autistic children. She also shares her insights on language, sensory needs, behavior, and play on her YouTube channel to help families who feel lost.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourathomeslp/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@YourAtHomeSLP/playlists
Top Communication Skills Contributor
Marci has shared her talent with our readers, contributing several articles to our magazine. She is an intuitive SLP, author, speaker, and consultant. She uses her platform to provide training and support for parents, caregivers, and professionals so they can teach individuals who are late talkers to use the words they need to share their insights with others.
Website: WavesofCommunication.com
Top Social Skills Contributor
Nikki has shared her expertise with our readers on several occasions. She is a dedicated pediatric speech-language pathologist and board-certified behavior analyst with over 25 years of experience with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The owner and executive director of a pediatric therapy service center in Los Angeles, she has developed specialized center-based programs to enhance communication skills in children with autism. Nikki contributes to the autism community through trainings, podcast appearances, and writing.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mcrorypediatricservices
Instagram: @mcrory_pediatric_services
Website: www.mcrorypediatrics.com
Top Transitioning to Adulthood Contributor
Jaclyn has shared her time and talent with our readers through several articles and at our Summit. An educator, author, and speaker on autism, she has also served as a coach since 2013. Jaclyn wrote the book Life Coaching for Adults on the Autism Spectrum: Discovering Your True Potential. She is the owner and head coach of a life coaching service provider, where she focuses on developing self-awareness, problem-solving, and executive functioning skills, helping clients to achieve goals that increase their well-being. She has dedicated her entire professional life to helping neurodivergent adults unlock and reach their full potential.
Top Parent Support Contributor
Top Sensory Solutions Contributor
Sharon has written articles for our magazine and blog, sharing her knowledge as a neurodivergent occupational therapist. Based in the UK, she works with children and adults. As a mom to two children, one neurodivergent and one neurotypical, she brings her lived experience and professional knowledge into all that she does. Sharon’s work aims to help families and educators understand their children’s sensory needs through a neuroscience lens. She works to make the world more accessible and peaceful for those who experience it differently.
Instagram: @sharonbsensoryOT
Website: www.thesensoryot.com
Top Sleep Solutions Contributor
Robyn has lent her expertise to APM with a co-authored article and one of her own. A certified special needs sleep coach, sleep consultant, and co-founder of a sleep consulting business, she has a professional background in nursing and experience across various areas of patient care. A mother of two, including a child with autism, Robyn uses her healthcare knowledge and lived experience to provide compassion and support for each family’s unique challenges. She is also an advocate for education, support, and acceptance of individuals with special needs in her community.
Email: [email protected]
Instagram: @sleepabilityconsulting
Website: www.sleepabilityconsulting.com
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Top Diet and Nutrition Contributor
Vicky has shared her knowledge through written articles and as a presenter at our Summit. A qualified naturopathic nutritional therapist, she specializes in neurodevelopmental nutrition for autism, ADHD, and other complex physical and mental health challenges. She focuses on the correlation between nutrition, metabolic factors, the gut microbiome, the immune system, and brain function. Vicky hopes to help others due to her own neurodiversity, her family’s chronic health conditions, and her two children’s health, with one child diagnosed with nonverbal autism at age four.
Top Bullying Contributor
Brett has written numerous articles for APM and our online blog, sharing his expertise. He has worked as a school social worker and counselor for the last 23 years and is an adjunct instructor at two universities. Brett has also spent over 25 years as a licensed marriage and family therapist in private practice, community mental health, and substance abuse settings. He has supervised family and school counseling, centers for abused and neglected children, adults, and children with developmental disabilities, and has been a licensed foster parent. Dr. Novick has authored educational, self-help, and children’s books and created therapeutic games for youth. He has also won numerous awards for his work in education.
Website: www.drbrettnovick.com
Top Autism Blog Contributors
Carol has written numerous times for our blog and magazine and participated in our Summit, sharing her expertise. She is a licensed community health worker in Texas, where she serves as an area operations director. Carol is also an autism parent, writer, and advocate for special needs. She enjoys working with families and helping them connect to support and resources for improving their well-being.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carol-t-baa07a152/
Cory has written many articles for our blog and magazine, sharing lived experience with our readers. He has lived in the Toronto area his whole life and was diagnosed with autism at 3.5 years old. A college journalism graduate, his interest in writing and publishing has grown over the years. He also has special interests in weather, music (listening and playing), motivational quotes, and autism advocacy.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CoryBradleyDennisMorrison/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/corybdmorrison93/
LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/cory-morrison-8ba0b2182
Twitter: https://twitter.com/corymorrison93?lang=en
Website/autism blog: www.asdtoday.com
Top Success Story Contributor
Jaime’s Success Story appeared in the October issue of APM. She is a writer, a balanced living enthusiast, and a spiritual seeker. A wife and mother of two children, one of whom is her 20-year-old son with severe autism, Jaime advocates voluntarily for families of children with special needs. She shares her family’s journey through her Facebook page, including some of her most difficult challenges.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/HomeboundandHealing
Instagram: www.instagram.com/jaimenoellehrobar/
Website: www.jaimehrobar.com
Special Mention for Autism Advocacy Contributor
Jan has written several articles for APM, sharing her experience as an autism and neurodiversity advocate and author. She received the Mom’s Choice Award® and wrote a best-selling memoir, Hold on Tight: A Parent’s Journey Raising Children with Mental Illness. Her book describes parenting two children with multiple mental health and neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism. Jan is chair of the board of directors for Canada’s largest autism services provider. She works to empower parents to persevere, have hope, know they are not alone, and educate others, including their families, friends, employers, healthcare professionals, and educators.
Special Mention for Education Contributor
James has written a couple of articles for APM, sharing his expertise as a principal, teacher, and PhD candidate focusing on nature-based pedagogies. He founded an alternative high school “for students who experience the world differently,” and he received the Prime Minister’s Award for Teaching Excellence and the Roger Bider – Ecomuseum Zoo Natural History Award.
Special Mention for Communication Skills Contributor
Dr. Hudnall has used her expertise to write several times for Autism Parenting Magazine. Her extensive experience, education, and training include Autism Spectrum Disorders, Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), and culturally responsive practices. Her research has been published in the American Journal of Speech Pathology (AJSLP), and she has lectured at several universities.
Special Mention for Social Skills Contributor
Alicia has written numerous articles for Autism Parenting Magazine and has presented at our Summit, sharing from her lived experience. An advocate for autism and neurodiversity, she uses her personal experience as an autistic mother of four, three of whom are on the autism spectrum, in her professional work. Alicia is the founder of “The Mom Kind,” offering insights on parenting children with neurodiversity. She also advocates through a podcast and public speaking engagements. Through her varied efforts, Alicia hopes to educate and support families and promote a more inclusive society.
Special Mention for Transitioning to Adulthood Contributors
Jeremy and Ilana have written articles for our magazine and presented at our Summit and webinar, sharing their expertise. With 15 years of experience as a social coach, Jeremy founded their friendship and dating program, where he and Ilana, a former special education teacher, help autistic and neurodivergent adults. Together, they teach individuals how to meet new people with confidence, form friendships, start dating, and build meaningful relationships.
Website: mybestsociallife.com
Special Mention for Bullying Contributor
![](https://www.autismparentingmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Robin-Rettie-bio.jpg "\")
Robin shared her knowledge with our parents, writing an article on bullying for APM and presenting at our Summit. In 1976, she worked in Ohio to deinstitutionalize individuals into residential homes through a highly regarded and progressive program for individuals with differing abilities.
With 34 years of experience working directly with divergent thinkers, Robin founded her educational consulting company in honor of her sister, Laurie Lorraine Rettie (LLR), who passed away in 1969 while residing at Willowbrook State School. Robin finds great joy in supporting individuals like her sister.
Website: senso-science.com
Special Mention for Autism Blog Contributor
Dr. Lopez has written articles for our blog and our magazine, sharing her expertise. She is a board-certified pediatrician, school physician, autism expert, and advocate. A mother of a child on the autism spectrum, she draws from her professional expertise and personal experience to support families who are navigating autism.
Website: Drdivinalopez.com
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