A Prominent Tech Executive Focuses on Autism Employment

Join us at the AASCEND Job Club on Saturday, November 3, for a discussion with Ranga Jayaraman, a prominent tech executive, who is now working full-time on increasing employment opportunities for adults on the autism spectrum, in tech and a range of other fields.

Ranga Jayaraman

Ranga’s current passion is to empower neurodivergent individuals with the desire and ability to contribute, to find meaningful, rewarding, and sustained employment and to help organizations in their journey to embrace neurodiversity inclusion in their workplaces. In a past life, Ranga was an accomplished Senior Executive of digital transformation  (Stanford University, Nvidia, Hitachi), with expertise in providing innovative and cost effective solutions and services to enable and support business strategy and growth in the Higher Education and Information Technology industry. 

As always, attendees on the spectrum will offer their experience and perspectives throughout the program.

Special thanks to the Autism Studies Department at SFSU for volunteers!

Who: Adults on the autism spectrum, families, mentors and professionals all welcome. For more information, please contact: info@aascend.org
When: Sat Nov 3, 10am – 1pm
Where: The Arc of SF 1500 Howard St. @ 11th St. SF, CA 94103 map


For more information about employment on the autism spectrum, join us at:
Spectrum Employment Community by AASCEND on LinkedIn

Parking is usually available in the garage at 255 12th Street, with a reasonable flat rate for Saturdays. There is also metered street parking for $2.25/hr.

In the Spotlight Conference Shines

AASCEND‘s 10th (!) collaboration with the SF State University autism programs—the In the Spotlight conference on adult autism held October 20—was a great success! Speakers Charlene Tilton, star of the hit TV series Dallas and longtime president of Actors for Autism throughly charmed us with tales of helping young autistic actors find their way; and Tom Iland inspired with his fascinating experience of coming to life as an autistic person in the world of television..

Other highlights included the acceptance of a coveted AASCEND’s ENDS award by the cast and crew of the autism rom-com Keep the Change—via video from New York—and a beautiful and rocking musical performance by Rebirth Canal, fronted by spectrum lead Camille Mai singing in Portuguese, and Vietnamese. (Camille also designed our conference banner, above.)

Main room at the conferenceMain room at the conference

The many breakout groups and panels composed of people both on and off the spectrum thoroughly explored the conference topic of autism and the media, giving the day a great sense of focus. Here is the program for the day, and the presentations.

Conference CollageMany worked behind the scenes to make the conference a success.

Thank you to all!

 

Paul Reports from the Wilderness! + no Oct Job Club

Paul Nussbaum continues his epic trek on the Pacific Crest Trail, highlighting autistic abilities. He’s been at it for 3 1/2 months!  Go to  expedition-autism.com  or Click HERE to follow his latest journal entries and see cool pictures! And send him good vibes to help him on his challenging and big-time helpful way!

ALSO, in place of the usual Job Club this month of October, instead register for the October 20 AASCEND Conference  → (Click HERE) and show up there to join in the proceedings and festivities: There will be Hollywood Hijinks, Virtual Reality, Autistic Improv, Live Music, Food and Much More! There are still some free grant-sponsored tickets available. Act fast to reserve your spot, and tell a friend.